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. 

He'll get some stick from the fans if he's no good.

9 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

Winger apparently, we need that!!

Record calling him midfielder, Sun saying winger 

11 minutes ago, HaarDon said:

He'll get some stick from the fans if he's no good.

Started his career at Bristle Rovers

I don't want to be reading any sweeping generalisations about his abilities before we've seen him play on here 😲

40 minutes ago, Elgindon said:

Started his career at Bristle Rovers

Excellent!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Cormack: Stephen, I want you to take a "new broom" approach to managing the Dons.

Glass: Understood.  *Opens Google*

Edited January 11, 20224 yr by OxfordDon

Broom seems quite rated by the Plymouth fans fwiw

 

https://pasoti.co.uk/threads/broom-could-be-sold-by-posh-aberdeen-interested.117041/

Broom played at Cheltenham. Was player of the season the year we should have gone up before Covid hit and a temp run of form which was being put right ended up with us dropping out of the autos just in time for the season being finished early. Might have been our top scorer that season too. 
Plays on the right mainly, did play centrally occasionally, if I remember correctly. Can be hit and miss but skilful and likes to take a man on. Sold the summer before we went up as Champions so clearly not integral. Obviously hasn’t settled/deemed not good enough at Peterborough. Was loaned last season to Burton (I think) and this to Plymouth. 
Think Peterborough paid Cheltenham about £150k-£200k. Not sure he’d be the level we need and bit of a short arse. That said he’s only 25,  there’s definitely ability and is a goal threat. 

23 minutes ago, baggy89 said:

Can be hit and miss but skilful and likes to take a man on

 

24 minutes ago, baggy89 said:

Obviously hasn’t settled/deemed not good enough at

Now when have we witnessed that before ...about 30 times?

🤔

St Mirren allegedly wanting £350k for McGrath in this window, which is basically the same fee as was agreed in the failed transfer to Hibs back in the August window. The difference being they don't want players as part of it this time around.

2 hours ago, BigAl said:

St Mirren allegedly wanting £350k for McGrath in this window, which is basically the same fee as was agreed in the failed transfer to Hibs back in the August window. The difference being they don't want players as part of it this time around.

The key is to get a pre-contract with the player. That'll force their hand a little. It'll likely be a very late in the window thing for any move in January.

18 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

The key is to get a pre-contract with the player. That'll force their hand a little. It'll likely be a very late in the window thing for any move in January.

Exactly.

With all the talk of Ferguson and hedges leaving, I’m slightly surprised neither has happened yet. Hoping they’re not going to be last min jobbies leaving this to be a struggle to get beyond a pre contract (which will be good in itself).

51 minutes ago, manc_don said:

With all the talk of Ferguson and hedges leaving, I’m slightly surprised neither has happened yet. Hoping they’re not going to be last min jobbies leaving this to be a struggle to get beyond a pre contract (which will be good in itself).

Seems a little uncalled for referring to Hedges & Ferguson as jobbies 😉

4 hours ago, BigAl said:

Seems a little uncalled for referring to Hedges & Ferguson as jobbies 😉

Loo-is and Dry-een

 

How good is the word jobby btw.

Hedges is worth more to us for the rest of the season than getting whatever Blackburn are willing to pay to get him now rather than signing him on a Bosman.  Would leave a gaping hole in our team for the remainder of the season if we were to sell him in January.  Him leaving could be the difference between finishing 6th and potentially challenging for 3rd, if he stayed fit that is.

7 minutes ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Hedges is worth more to us for the rest of the season than getting whatever Blackburn are willing to pay to get him now rather than signing him on a Bosman.  Would leave a gaping hole in our team for the remainder of the season if we were to sell him in January.  Him leaving could be the difference between finishing 6th and potentially challenging for 3rd, if he stayed fit that is.

I'd have agreed last season when there were no fans in the ground. Hedges is the type of player that can easily go a whole game without producing anything of note (like all players in his role), and I wouldn't be surprised if the fans got on his back and accused him of not trying etc. I could well imagine a situation where he's more of a hindrance than a benefit. If we get the right offer then I'd deal and try and get McGrath in early (if we're even going to sign the lad). Big Dante will fill the hole left by Ferguson, Hedges and Ramsay.

Yeah I'm not too fussed at losing Hedges to be honest.  Good player on his day but often flatters to decieve

Josh Koroma Huddersfield Town,trying to get on loan.

Never heard of the loon.

Glass is wanting to keep Devlin it would seem, he's close to full fitness.  I do think there is a player in there 2bf but we've not seen it really since his first season.  Still, he's probably going to be on a low basic and with consi due back in the near future too that leaves us well stocked with cb's for the rest of the season.  With all cb's fit  we may see Mcrorie in midfield more, especially if ferguson moves on.   

I can't help but wonder if glass is thinking about moving to a 3 at the back more regularly.   He doesn't seem the type that is wed to one system and, personally, I think we look more solid with a 3.  You could also argue that it gets the best out of Gallagher and given what he's on wage wise that's desirable.  A back 3 of bates, Gallagher and Considine doesn't really have too many weaknesses to my eye, I would be quite happy with that starting against anyone in the league. 

 

 

10 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

A back 3 of bates, Gallagher and Considine doesn't really have too many weaknesses to my eye, I would be quite happy with that starting against anyone in the league. 

Agreed.

gets McCrorie into the midfield too. I’d like to see him and brown together and Ferguson pushed further up

Scott Burns reporting that Gurr might be on his way. No mention of the sizeable fee involved.

11 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

Glass is wanting to keep Devlin it would seem, he's close to full fitness.  I do think there is a player in there 2bf but we've not seen it really since his first season.  Still, he's probably going to be on a low basic and with consi due back in the near future too that leaves us well stocked with cb's for the rest of the season.  With all cb's fit  we may see Mcrorie in midfield more, especially if ferguson moves on.   

I can't help but wonder if glass is thinking about moving to a 3 at the back more regularly.   He doesn't seem the type that is wed to one system and, personally, I think we look more solid with a 3.  You could also argue that it gets the best out of Gallagher and given what he's on wage wise that's desirable.  A back 3 of bates, Gallagher and Considine doesn't really have too many weaknesses to my eye, I would be quite happy with that starting against anyone in the league. 

 

 

In fairness it was about 8-12 weeks of form before his first injury on international duty. Canna mind if it was on here or on twitter where I saw it suggested that the reason we've kept Devlin so long is because his wages have been being covered by the SFA, so has cost us £0. 

56 minutes ago, baggy89 said:

In fairness it was about 8-12 weeks of form before his first injury on international duty. Canna mind if it was on here or on twitter where I saw it suggested that the reason we've kept Devlin so long is because his wages have been being covered by the SFA, so has cost us £0. 

Fucking result of so, especially if he can find previous form

Not sure the point in Devlin to be honest. Even at his best he was poor with the ball at his feet. Very much like Reynolds in that regard. I'd have thought Glass would have spotted that.