http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/spl-football/aberdeen-fc/2008/03/07/jimmy-calderwood-ready-for-aberdeen-contract-rebels-showdown-86908-20343066/

 

Jimmy Calderwood Ready For Aberdeen Contract Rebels Showdown

 

Mar 7 2008 By Ian Orr

 

JIMMY CALDERWOOD will demand to know next week if Lee Miller and Barry Nicholson will accept contract offers or move on in the summer.

 

The Aberdeen boss is desperate for his star striker and midfielder to commit to new deals, having become mainstays in his starting lineup.

 

Miller, who has scored nine goals, and Nicholson, who has weighed in with six goals, remain pivotal in Calderwood's future plans.

 

But they have been reluctant to sign the new terms that have been put on the table.

 

Now the time has come for answers so the Dons boss knows where he needs to strengthen in the summer and how much he will have to spend. Calderwood plans to to have talks with the duo after Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final showdown with Celtic at Pittodrie.

 

He said: "We want to know what is happening and Lee and Barry know that.

 

"We will wait until after the Celtic game to speak with them so hopefully we will know more then."

 

Miller's decision might also sway Calder wood's decision on whether to retain Steve Lovell.

 

The Englishman will find out next week if he has a future with the club - when the manager kick-starts his preparations for next season.

 

The striker looked on his way out, having fallen behind Miller and Darren Mackie in the pecking order.

 

But the 27-year-old came in from the cold in the draw against Mother well and scored against Rangers in the 3-1 defeat at Ibrox last Saturday.

 

That raised Lovell's popularity with the Dons fans and also made the manager reconsider his plans to let the Englishman go in the summer.

 

Calderwood said: "We will see what happens this time next week.

 

"We will speak to different people and Steve himself and I will take it from there."

 

Calderwood admits his side have not performed at their peak this season and insisted the situation is not as bad as has been suggested.

 

He blamed a string of injury problems for the club's plight and said: "We have had a nightmare run of injuries and it has been impossible at times.

 

"We had so many injuries that you are too scared to train the players.

 

"It has been horrendous at times and it is a fact that if you lose your best players then you are going to struggle.

 

"Because of the number of players we have used and the number of games we are playing in it has cost us."

 

One of Calderwood's players is convinced all is not lost and that the Dons will reach the Scottish Cup Final.

 

Derek Young was advised by his boss to book an early holiday after it was revealed knee ligament injury will rule him out for at least six weeks.

 

But Young, back with the Dons for a second spell, rejected the offer because he is desperate to make it third time lucky at Hampden after losing two finals there with Dunfermline.

 

Calderwood said: "I was kidding him by saying his season was over but I knew by the look he shot me that he doesn't think so.

 

"If we can progress in the Cup then I am sure he will be fighting to be back for the latter stages of the competitions.

 

"Derek has been involved in two finals with Dunfermline and would love to play in another one for the chance to get a winner's medal at last.

 

"He is very low at the moment, which is not like him but, hopefully, we can win against Celtic on Sunday and give him something to fight for."

 

Now I'm confused. Did Lee Miller not sign a new contract?

 

 

I'd also say he should be offered a pay cut. Over the piece he has had what could only be termed as an 'acceptable' performance this season and he has been over-paid by SPL standards for this performance.

 

I agree his performance for last season and most part  of this season has been unacceptable. I feel they are both just waiting for better offers else where.

 

Would like Barry Nic to stay but would prefer Lovell to get offered new contract than keeping Miller.

the bit in the article that stood out for me was the bit about telling young his season was over.

 

What kind of manager tells a player that his seasons over? How is that supposed to work? The fact that Young gave him a dirty look back kind of tells you that the player didn't appreciate it. And then he blabs that the incident to the press?

 

You have to wonder sometimes about what goes through calderwoods head?

 

In one of Fergies book's he talks about dealing with the press, and how you never mention the other team just before you play them as it can only back fire.

 

You build up your team, reinforce ideas you have been saying to your players, and sow seeds of doubt about your tactics. You only mention your enemy's when you are not playing them (like Fergie's classic that caused Newcastle and Keagan to blow it). And you never seperate your players from the team unless it is to praise them.

 

Yet before rangers last week all we heard was how great wee barry was - and this week he is giving an ultimatum to 2 players, and telling another to go off on holiday.

 

 

I wonder if Miller and Nicholson have already got deals lined up elsewhere, deals that were possibly on the table in January but did not go through due to whichever club not wanting to pay a fee.

 

I hope they both stay but would not be surprised at all if they left.

 

The way we do our business on contracts is 'sloppy'..

 

I wonder if Miller and Nicholson have already got deals lined up elsewhere, deals that were possibly on the table in January but did not go through due to whichever club not wanting to pay a fee.

 

I hope they both stay but would not be surprised at all if they left.

 

The way we do our business on contracts is 'sloppy'..

 

Schloppy

I hope they stay cause I really can't see us getting anyone better, unless Jimmy get's intouch with one of his "contacts" in europe.  ;D

 

Hey maybe he could get Mourinho to scout for us!!!

Which is their porogative.  Of course, if AFC had got their act together and put in contract offers well before January then we wouldn't be having this problem and planning and "scouting" could be well down the line for next season.  With players still in limbo we still do not know what we need for next season!!

 

The players wid still wait till January tae weigh up their options.

Is there still no further news on this matter ?

 

This really pisses me off ! I know I might just be impatient but this newspaper report was dated 7th March and stated that Calderwood planned to get answers from the 2 after the Celtic game so he could start making plans, the longer this issue is left the more chance of more interest in the 2 players and we will definitely loose them.  Also as K-9 pointed out in another thread we should make signing Alan Maybury on a precontract a priority before others move in, and as Big Al rightly pointed out we need to watch out for Harry Potter trying to take him to Tannadice. 

 

It always seem the way that Aberdeen piss about and take so long that they end up loosing players and giving other teams the chance to move in and beat us to players and then we end up with the usual dross that is left floating about pre season !

 

Come on Aberdeen give the fans a boost and sort out signing up some these players so at least we have a chance when Jimmy starts the rebuilding job on the team

 

 

Probably waiting until after the replay?

saw somewhere JC said he was going to wait until after the St Mirren game before making any announcement.

saw somewhere JC said he was going to wait until after the St Mirren game before making any announcement.

 

Does that not tell you something? If they were staying would have thought the timing would be right to announce before replay. Suggests to me that they have refused the offers. 

Does that not tell you something? If they were staying would have thought the timing would be right to announce before replay. Suggests to me that they have refused the offers. 

 

Sounds more like he wants to know whether or not we'll be getting cash from a top 6 finish and a possible cup final before making solid contract offers.

Sounds more like he wants to know whether or not we'll be getting cash from a top 6 finish and a possible cup final before making solid contract offers.

 

I am sure that a few weeks ago JC was saying final offers have been made and we are awaiting the players decisions. I do hope i am wrong and they both sign. Also it worries me if we dont make top 6 as to what standard of players we get with the money available to replace them. 

I am sure that a few weeks ago JC was saying final offers have been made and we are awaiting the players decisions. I do hope i am wrong and they both sign. Also it worries me if we dont make top 6 as to what standard of players we get with the money available to replace them. 

 

Its OK, we still have Fund a Don to save us!

They are offski.

 

 

They are offski.

 

 

 

Source or same conclusion as rest of us have reached

Source or same conclusion as rest of us have reached

 

Just coming to a conclusion mate.

 

I watched Nicholson a lot on Saturday and he played ok but you know when you get the feeling someone isn't doing quite what they can?

 

He pinged a great goal and made some tremendous runs into the box but there were times when I swear you could see him pulling out of challenges, maybe it was just me.

 

He got MOTM but I'm effed if I know how, Miller was the best player on the park by some distance.

 

 

Afraid to say, personally think you might be right

I don't think there is any chance whatsoever of them signing so Ive given up concerning myself with it.

Afraid to say, personally think you might be right

What happened to the 100% certain he was staying pish you spouted a while ago then?

Star man Barry set to ditch the Dons

 

Gretna game goal hero could be set to move on

 

By Charlie Allan 

 

Published: 17/03/2008

 

BARRY Nicholson has dropped the heaviest hint yet that he is planning to leave the Dons.

 

Dons midfielder Nicholson, the star performer in Aberdeen’s 3-0 SPL victory over doomed Gretna at Pittodrie, has yet to confirm if he wants to renew his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

 

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood hopes to speak to Nicholson later this week in a last ditch bid to persuade the midfielder to stay.

 

But, in an interview after the Gretna game, Scotland international and former Rangers player Nicholson seemed to suggest he has already made his mind up and plans to explore the possibility of securing a more lucrative deal, most probably in England.

 

Nicholson said: “I obviously had a tough decision to make, just as some of the Gretna lads had to decide whether to play against us or not.

 

“But when it comes down to it you have to look after yourself, number one is the main priority.â€

 

Calderwood admitted he is concerned he will get bad news from Nicholson, who also played under him at Dunfermline before making a £200,000 switch to Pittodrie.

 

Calderwood said: “Barry hasn’t told me what he plans to do, but the longer it goes on the more worried you get.

 

“I will speak to him over the next few days and keep trying to convince Barry to stay.

 

“It’s a concern though because I was always optimistic that Markus Heikkinen Kevin McNaughton would stay and we know what happened with them.

 

“It would be a massive disappointment if Barry goes as well because he was one of the priority signings for me when I came to Aberdeen.

 

“Maybe he will tell me he is tired of my moaning and wants a change, we will just have to wait and see.â€

 

The uncertainty over Nicholson’s future won’t affect his status as one of the most important players in Calderwood’s plans for the rest of the campaign.

 

He scored a memorable third goal in the win over Gretna, his seventh of the season.

 

And Dons boss Calderwood believes the midfielder could also be their match winner in tomorrow night’s Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with Celtic in Glasgow. “Barry has played for me a long time now and he has never let me down in the big games against the Old Firm,†he said.

 

“I’m sure it will be the same again tomorrow, he really relishes the challenge of facing Celtic and Rangers, especially in Glasgow.

 

“He stood out against Barry Ferguson at Ibrox a couple of weeks ago and if we get that sort of performance from Barry again tomorrow night we will have a great chance of getting the win we all want.â€

As I said. He's offski.

 

Look after thy self.

 

Good luck in your new midfield role at erm . . . . no cunt.

What happened to the 100% certain he was staying pish you spouted a while ago then?

 

Exercised my perogative

Problem 

On his current form (that is, not up to his pre Christmas standard) he'll be lucky to get a decent club since he is getting on a bit for being given a 3 year deal at £5k a week.

If he wants to go then off you trot Barry.

 

The club should not push the boat out for him as he has no resale value. Im sure there are capable players who can come into the club and do a job.

They're all just mercenary gits these days.