In consideration of our failing season, thought an update to our contract situation might be worthwhile. Apologies for the length.

GK

2023

• Woods (31) - Is he Injured? noticed the boy Ritchie was on the bench Sunday.

2024

• Lewis (34) - Been off form but capable of getting that back made some good saves yesterday. 

No real issues here. Lewis has been out of form, but not really a problem for January or even next summer. 

Defence

January 2022

• Devlin (28) - Injured needs to be released.

Summer 2022

• Considine (34) - Injured and aging but should be given another year extension.
• Gurr (26) - not of the required standard.

2023

• MacKenzie (21) - Injured will be fine once he recovers from injury.
• Gallagher (30) - Injured looked off form when he has been fit.

2024

• Hernandez (24) - Loaned out hopefully Atlanta repay us for the fee paid out on their behalf and the whole sorry mess can be put to bed. 
• McCrorie (23) - arguably a midfielder been OK at the back and we have had little option. 
• Ramsay (18)- Injured could end up receiving offers for him, maybe his current injury will delay them till next summer. 
• Bates (25) - improving. 

I'd hope we are looking to start next season with MacKenzie, Gallagher, McCrorie (is he a midfielder), Ramsay (unless the right offer comes in) Bates & Considine (depending on his recovery). In January, Devlin must be off the payroll, attempts made to get Gurr off too, and fingers crossed Atlanta buy Hernandez (for everyone's sake). Should be planning on 4-6 of the current lot being here next season. Assuming recovery from injuries and no more occurring;

MacKenzie, Gallagher, McCrorie, Ramsay and Bates till end of the season, that are good enough, scope for additions.

Midfield

Summer 2022

• Hayes (34) - can see him signing an extension if offered but is he as effective as first time around? Can we get better and younger for the wage?
• Hedges (26) - will be off, decision is balancing any money offered and what player(s) can we bring in against what little Hedges playing within himself brings for the remainder of the season.
• McGeouch (28) - Injured? (again) imagine he's looking to see what offers he gets and will be trying to minimize injuries to his fragile body in the meantime.
• Ojo (30) - Also seems to be looking to see what offers he gets and we should be able to do better. 
• McGinn (34) - Past it.

End of Loan Summer 2022(If possible cancel them all in January)

• Jenks (19)  - Not good enough
• Samuels (21)  - Not good enough
• Longstaff (21) - Not good enough

2023

• Campbell (20) - Doesn't appear as if Glass rates him that highly.
• Kennedy (27) - Injured (allegedly) tried to get rid of in the summer depending on how true the back injury is, will likely try again.
• McLennan (22) - Injured he's got strength, pace, skill all let down by decision making and consistency. Should be at a higher level if he's going to make it at his club. 
• Brown (36) - Injured? Will give his all and probably been our best player, but he's 36. 

2024

• Ferguson (22) - doesn't want to be here will push for a move to england again in January. 

Next season would be planning on Hayes (to sign a new contract), Campbell, Brown, McLennan maybe Hanratty. Potentially for remainder of the season we have;

Campbell, Brown & Hayes who will give their all all, albeit Brown is 36 and probably will need a rest at some point some & Hayes who is 34 and has 6 months left on his contract. Hedges, McGeouch and Ojo who will be playing with one eye on a signing on fee elsewhere, won't care where we finish and play accordingly. Jenks, Longstaff and Samuels none of whom are good enough and none have a vested interest in our success.  Kennedy and McLennan who are not good enough and Ferguson who is trying to get a move elsewhere. 

Forwards

2023

• Watkins (31) - Hopefully stays injury free for the remainder of the season.
• Ramirez (30) - Possibly Glass's singular piece of good recruitment
• JET (30) - wrong type of player for battling at the wrong end of the table

An aging strike-force. Can't see any of them being here after summer 2023. JET too much of a luxury but can't see anyone taking him off our hands in January. Ngwenya to join them next season?

Youth on loan

• Ngwenya (18) - contract till 2024
• Ruth (19) - contract till 2022
• Barron (19) - contract till 2022
• Ritchie (18) - contract till 2022
• Duncan (17) - contract till 2022
• Hanratty (18) - contract till 2024
• Mykyta (19) - contract till 2022
• McIver (18) - contract till 2022
• Gallagher (20) - contract till 2022
• Milne (18) - contract till 2022

As far as I can find only Ngwenya and Hanratty signed for longer than the end of the season?

Following Sunday it appears we may only have 15 fit outfield players fit. 3 defenders (1 is Gurr and McRorie will be banned for hibs), 9 midfielders (Longstaff might as well not be here, Jenks and Samuels aren't good enough, McGinn has made 2 starts from 7 appearances ), 3 forwards (1 is JET).

7 games till the break and opening of the window. 

Recruitment has been a shambles for a while now, nothing we saw in the summer points to improvements and this must be the most unbalanced & incoherent (almost as bad as this post), uncommitted and aging squad we've had in a long time. Hopefully our DoF has been making several plans based on any number of scenario's.

We have to;

• Mitigate the effect losing Ferguson and/or Ramsay would have
• Take into account the lack of commitment from the 8 midfielders with no contractual obligation beyond the end of the season.
• The imbalance inexperience and decimation through injury of our defence. 
• The age of our attack. 
• And the lack of players in their "prime years" throughout the squad.

And this has to be balanced against;

• how shit January is as a transfer window
• that we have enough to ensure we don't get dragged into relegation worries
• not make rash decisions that fuck up future season with more aging or not good enough players all playing the same positions on high wages. 

35 minutes ago, Jute said:

I tend to agree on this seasons form however recruitment team and manager have been chasing this lad since the summer so failure to land their primary target does not look to good.

I'll give you that.

Extremely fair point.

20 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I think McGrath will turn into an excellent player. If st mirren are accepting Gogic as any part of a deal, then I think we've made a huge mistake not offering them Gurr before he left, or maybe some dog shite off the Cormack park pitches.

We have plenty of players to offer them, plus, given he’ll be out of contract, we have the cash. We can make a deal if we really want him, but it’s more if we really want him and he ultimately wants to come to us. 

19 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

We have plenty of players to offer them, plus, given he’ll be out of contract, we have the cash. We can make a deal if we really want him, but it’s more if we really want him and he ultimately wants to come to us. 

He made his bed as far as I'm concerned and basically can get to fuck or Easter Road if he prefers

14 minutes ago, BigAl said:

He made his bed as far as I'm concerned and basically can get to fuck or Easter Road if he prefers

He’d be our player by now if he really wanted to come. Although it is record so ultimately it’s not dead.

21 minutes ago, BigAl said:

He made his bed as far as I'm concerned and basically can get to fuck or Easter Road if he prefers

Remember when both us & Hibs were after Ojo and McInnes was so chuffed he signed for us and he was pretty pish (tho has been ok this season) maybe that will happen again and Glass is driving in the storm to Paisley to persuade him 😜

2 minutes ago, Goldie03 said:

Remember when both us & Hibs were after Ojo and McInnes was so chuffed he signed for us and he was pretty pish (tho has been ok this season) maybe that will happen again and Glass is driving in the storm to Paisley to persuade him 😜

 

1 hour ago, Goldie03 said:

Remember when both us & Hibs were after Ojo and McInnes was so chuffed he signed for us and he was pretty pish (tho has been ok this season) maybe that will happen again and Glass is driving in the storm to Paisley to persuade him 😜

Actually there might well be an element of truth in that yet.

Reports now circulating that McGrath has knocked back Hibs and that Maloney now looking elsewhere 

Ooh see what tomorrow brings then 

Would we still have him if he's already(apparently) knocked us back?

11 hours ago, Elgindon said:

Would we still have him if he's already(apparently) knocked us back?

This happens all the time, these are professional footballers we are talking about. They are looking out for themselves and their families. If he knocked us back with our first offer, so what. Aberdeen is very different to Edinburgh, if you have family roots in the central belt. I am not sure if he has a wife and kids yet but if he does then that comes into it. Plus who wouldn't wait and see what other offers get put on the table? If he comes great, if he chooses Hibs, well fuck him, he will continue to be an opposition team player!!

Edited January 31, 20224 yr by Chris Frae Killie
Spelling!

14 hours ago, Goldie03 said:

Remember when both us & Hibs were after Ojo and McInnes was so chuffed he signed for us and he was pretty pish (tho has been ok this season) maybe that will happen again and Glass is driving in the storm to Paisley to persuade him 😜

When we signed Besuijen the press statement mentioned us getting him despite interest from "other Scottish clubs". That immediately made me think we'd stolen another player from Hibs.

Our January transfer business is fucking rank rotten like every other one! Glass and conmack are bull shit artists especially dodgy dave!

26 minutes ago, LightbulbMoment2021 said:

Our January transfer business is fucking rank rotten like every other one!

100% agree.

Though it does take months and months to buy 1 college player from America and a guy from the Dutch 2nd division- (nothing wrong with that).

We're putting a lot of hope in Besuijen 

Brilliant work!

 

3 minutes ago, HaarDon said:

100% agree.

Though it does take months and months to buy 1 college player from America and a guy from the Dutch 2nd division- (nothing wrong with that).

We're putting a lot of hope in Besuijen 

Brilliant work!

 

It's just so frustrating. I think conmack wants glass to operate how he did at his atalata reserve side' bring on the youth to sell for mega bucks. Forget success on the pitch for the trophy starved dons fans!! Its a effing joke. I despise dodgy dave.

 

On Besuijen I think he will be good. But we're in need of a striker and someone to replace Hedges.

Who is posted at Dyce Airport today? Anyone watching Cormack Park and Pittodrie? Clock is ticking! There has to be signings, I just hope they are not too underwhelming! I don't mind if I have not heard of a player, as long as he is a position we badly need, I.e. striker and attacking midfield (no.10)

I think Besuijen will be brilliant but he may be 1 quality player we have other than Ramsay (who could be gone)

I see the rest as bang on average players who cannot lift their game when the chips are down unfortunately.

I still like Ramirez but he needs quality balls and space to thrive.

I also wish Hedges had stayed. 

adam montgomery in on loan from celtic

8 minutes ago, ayrshire_don74 said:

adam montgomery in on loan from celtic

Ah so developing another of their players for them. No thanks.

left back ? weird given nwgeyna at kelty

WTF

What about MacKenzie, Consi, Hayes & Campbell..... 

This is a totally bizarre signing and requires an explanation 

3 minutes ago, ayrshire_don74 said:

left back ? weird given nwgeyna at kelty

Forgot about him

Fair to add him to the above

Gets even more bizarre.

45 minutes ago, BigAl said:

WTF

What about MacKenzie, Consi, Hayes & Campbell..... 

This is a totally bizarre signing and requires an explanation 

Way I see it, he's competition for MacKenzie. We need Hayes in midfield given we haven't increased quality there, Andy was slow before the injury and is not a left back, and Campbell is a midfielder. Saying that, James McFadden started at left back, maybe we/Montgomery sees him as a winger? Regardless, unless he's an impact player like Christie in a key position we need, we should be developing our own youngsters.

Edited January 31, 20224 yr by LA-Don

1 hour ago, ayrshire_don74 said:

left back ? weird given nwgeyna at kelty

And Towler at Elgin.

Nearly had an aneurysm before I spotted the "e"

 

if fit thats a game changer