What positions do we need to recruit?

[ICTRoughi]

Can see us going with a starting lineup along the lines of...

Esson

Meekings  Warren  Devine  Williams

    Draper   Tansey

   Vincent

Christie         Ross         Doran

Think we could get a lot of goals with a fluid Barcelona style 'trident' front 3 of false 9s all drifting and dropping into pockets of space, then pressing back when we lose the ball. SPL defenders aren't used to coping with that kind of movement. Christie and Doran have shown how much damage they can do cutting in from the flanks. Surging runs from Meekings, Williams and Vincent will create overloads. Draper and Tansey sitting deep will keep the back door closed.

 

Whilst that team does look good on paper, the lack of striker worries me. 

[Kingsmills]

Agree. We can't start next season without at least one experienced striker.

[Murphyscot]

Seeing on BBC Sport that the PFA is setting up a Scheme to help out of contract players find new clubs. says the union will try to match players to clubs and managers and scouts can have a look at them and at end of week have a trial game. Anyone think it would be worth the club sending someone for a look to see whats available? Maybe find a few gems from the lower scottish leagues rather than the english leagues? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33060928

 

Edited June 9, 2015 by Murphyscot

[Guest Shaun]

I think that is a great idea Murphyscot.  There ARE gems to be found in lower leagues in Scotland, Spittal came from Queens Park to Dundee U so must be good lol.

[+DoofersDad]

I would have thought with our recently elevated profile and our reputation for getting the best out of players who were wallowing in obscurity, there would be large number of agents promoting the merits of an even larger number of players who would like to come here.  There is no point taking players who don't want to come this far North.  Better taking players who are proactive about wanting to be here rather than ones who will come only because they can't find a decent offer elsewhere.

[Murphyscot]

I think that is a great idea Murphyscot.  There ARE gems to be found in lower leagues in Scotland, Spittal came from Queens Park to Dundee U so must be good lol.

​Nah, he's crap, plus he came via sevco haha. Maybe the better example, should be robertson, queens park, to dundee u, then 3 mil transfer to hull and scotland call up

[ICTRoughi]

I think that is a great idea Murphyscot.  There ARE gems to be found in lower leagues in Scotland, Spittal came from Queens Park to Dundee U so must be good lol.

​Nah, he's crap, plus he came via sevco haha. Maybe the better example, should be robertson, queens park, to dundee u, then 3 mil transfer to hull and scotland call up

Spittal came directly from Queens Park whereas Charlie Telfer was the one that transferred from Rangers. 

Whilst I'm not against the notion of scouting the lower leagues of Scotland, I think we would really need to do our homework with it which would take time. 

Edited June 9, 2015 by ICTRoughi

[Renegade]

I've wondered a wee bit at times, particularly under Butcher, if we're focusing too much down south and potentially missing out on players in Scotland.  As we all know, Steve Paterson was very good with the Highland League and there must be players we could bring through floating around in Scotland.  I see up until 2010, Greg Stewart was playing for Syngenta Amateurs.  This season he was nominated for Player of the Year.  There must be others like him out there.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Renegade

[ICTRoughi]

I've wondered a wee bit at times, particularly under Butcher, if we're focusing too much down south and potentially missing out on players in Scotland.  As we all know, Steve Paterson was very good with the Highland League and there must be players we could bring through floating around in Scotland.  I see up until 2010, Greg Stewart was playing for Syngenta Amateurs.  This season he was nominated for Player of the Year.  There must be others like him out there.

 

I seem to recall Butcher always saying that the players in the Scottish market were pricing themselves too high for us hence why he always bought from England. 

[Murphyscot]

I think that is a great idea Murphyscot.  There ARE gems to be found in lower leagues in Scotland, Spittal came from Queens Park to Dundee U so must be good lol.

​Nah, he's crap, plus he came via sevco haha. Maybe the better example, should be robertson, queens park, to dundee u, then 3 mil transfer to hull and scotland call up

Spittal came directly from Queens Park whereas Charlie Telfer was the one that transferred from Rangers. 

Whilst I'm not against the notion of scouting the lower leagues of Scotland, I think we would really need to do our homework with it which would take time. 

​Sorry ICTRoughi, my mistake. although neither of them seem any good. Or maybe its just dundee u werent that good

And the union thing the PFA are on about arent all lower league, there will be some premiership quality players in there as well

Althought wouldnt touch any of the 11 duffers from sevco. although, maybe taking boyd on a short term contract might not be a bad deal

Striker with european experience? Plus playing for a team that plays for the shirt and not the wage might help him get back to his goal scoring ways

Maybe steve smith, maybe cover for midfield, but both will probably be wanting too much cash

 

[Renegade]

I've wondered a wee bit at times, particularly under Butcher, if we're focusing too much down south and potentially missing out on players in Scotland.  As we all know, Steve Paterson was very good with the Highland League and there must be players we could bring through floating around in Scotland.  I see up until 2010, Greg Stewart was playing for Syngenta Amateurs.  This season he was nominated for Player of the Year.  There must be others like him out there.

 

I seem to recall Butcher always saying that the players in the Scottish market were pricing themselves too high for us hence why he always bought from England. 

​In terms of players from the Premiership and the upper teams in the Championship then maybe, but would a player in the lower echelons who we could bring through as Cowdenbeath and now Dundee did with Stewart be demanding megabucks?  Not a chance.

[ICTRoughi]

I've wondered a wee bit at times, particularly under Butcher, if we're focusing too much down south and potentially missing out on players in Scotland.  As we all know, Steve Paterson was very good with the Highland League and there must be players we could bring through floating around in Scotland.  I see up until 2010, Greg Stewart was playing for Syngenta Amateurs.  This season he was nominated for Player of the Year.  There must be others like him out there.

 

I seem to recall Butcher always saying that the players in the Scottish market were pricing themselves too high for us hence why he always bought from England. 

​In terms of players from the Premiership and the upper teams in the Championship then maybe, but would a player in the lower echelons who we could bring through as Cowdenbeath and now Dundee did with Stewart be demanding megabucks?  Not a chance.

It really depends on the players that Butcher was targeting from Scotland as we did get Gregory Tade from Raith.  You're probably right that League 1/2, the wage demand would not be as high however I would think that some players in the championship would demand a higher wage in which we can't offer. I also reckon that if we went for a highly rated player from the lower leagues then the other factor to it is other teams in the premiership offering a higher wage than us. 

[Council Juice]

The truth is we'll never be a super band until we get Eddie Van Halen on lead guitar.

I don't believe we will get Eddie van Halen until we have a triumphant video.

Its pointless having a triumphant video when we don't have any decent instruments. How come we have decent instruments and we don't really know how to play?

That is why we NEED Eddie Van Halen.

And that is why we NEED a triumphant video!

EXCELLENT!

 

 

Other than that a centre striker man and a left back would be my priority. Meekingst can cover right back currently, as can Vincent seemingly. Whilst we also have Devine. After which we should use the youth team there.

A left sided player, either with Williams being more left wing back competing with Tremarco or a left full back coming in who can play both sides.

[AlexJones]

Could it also be the case that English lower league players are harder working and more professional than Scottish lower league players?

 

[ICTRoughi]

Noticed on the premier league website that they have published a list of players who are out of contract. There may be a couple players on there worth a look at. Couple of goalkeepers I wouldn't mind either: Ben Amos or Josh Vickers 

 

http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/squad-lists/premier-league-free-transfer-list-2014-2015.pdf

 

Edited June 10, 2015 by ICTRoughi

[CaleyD]

The point that Butcher used to make...but was never fully covered/explained by journalists (that I can recall) was not that players demanded higher wages, but that the transfer fees for younger players (development costs) priced them out of our range....which is pretty much zero in term of paying a transfer. When signing players from England (cross border), you can sign younger players without incurring that fee for development costs.

Unless a Scottish club frees a young player and, in doing so, gives up their right to a development fee then they're not going to appear on our radar as a feasible signing target....on the basis that if clubs are releasing a young player, then the chances are it's because (in most cases) they don't have it to go on to a higher level.

It's for the above reason that, IMO, Aberdeen only made a move for Graeme Shinnie for this coming season and not before now.  Had they done so, then we would have been able to demand a sizeable transfer fee based on his development time with us.

[bdu98196]

Perhaps another problem we always have is that people in Scotland (central belt) don't want to move up north to Inverness and see it as the back of beyond, yet English players may see it differently and be keen to move away from their cities etc for a different lifestyle. It seems that all the guys who take the chance to move up always enjoy their time and so do their families - perhaps we are just seeing a narrow minded view of location from our lowland countrymen?

[Harry Chibber]

Perhaps another problem we always have is that people in Scotland (central belt) don't want to move up north to Inverness and see it as the back of beyond, yet English players may see it differently and be keen to move away from their cities etc for a different lifestyle. It seems that all the guys who take the chance to move up always enjoy their time and so do their families - perhaps we are just seeing a narrow minded view of location from our lowland countrymen?

​Nail on the head... I did a bit of scouting for Falkirk a while back and trying to convince parents to take their kids from Glasgow to Stirling Uni (30 mins away) for training twice a week was hard enough - everyone is completely blinded by Celtic and Rangers. I don't see it being any different for older players - they are too interested in staying close to friends and family in the big smoke... and there is a lot of wasted talent in Glasgow. I see it in the amateur leagues every weekend.    

There is a bigger pool of players in England and a lot more competition .... it's a smart move to separate themselves from the others 

 

[caleydawson]

Noticed on the premier league website that they have published a list of players who are out of contract. There may be a couple players on there worth a look at. Couple of goalkeepers I wouldn't mind either: Ben Amos or Josh Vickers 

 

http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/squad-lists/premier-league-free-transfer-list-2014-2015.pdf

 

​Jordan Archer from spurs would be quite a good signing for a keeper and he is scottish 

[Sneckboy]

 

[Renegade]

I agree with Yogi's plan in bringing in a keeper on loan, but should Ofere and Ross (and guessing that Kink isn't coming back) sign up for next season, I'd say there's not many we'd need to bring in at all.  I feel we're pretty well covered in defence already.  As mentioned elsewhere, I reckon Williams could really blossom in the Shinnie-style wing back role and obviously we already have Tremarco.  At right back, should Raven be out you've got Meekings who can slot in there, as well as Vincent, Horner and Devine if we're really stuck.  We've seen in the past that Devine, Tremarco and Draper can go into centre-back no problem and you could get away with putting Foran, Horner (who's played there in the U20s) and Raven in there (Raven started out as a CB at Liverpool).

We're well covered in central midfield and on the whole out wide, so one more tear-away-style winger with decent pace would be a nice to have, but we could survive without one.  Again I'm banking on Tarmo Kink not returning.  To be honest, I wouldn't lose any sleep if he didn't - he looked hopeless everytime he played!

Should Ofere stay and with Ferguson in the first team, I'd like to see one more Mckay/Dargo style striker brought in.  I don't know if Ferguson's ready to make the step-up just yet, but I'd like to see a some poacher type partner Ofere.

 

So, that's three players, a keeper, a striker and a winger, on the presumption that Ross and Ofere stay.  In truth though, should everyone stay fit, we could survive without bringing anyone in in the summer.

 

[Council Juice]

Seeing on BBC Sport that the PFA is setting up a Scheme to help out of contract players find new clubs. says the union will try to match players to clubs and managers and scouts can have a look at them and at end of week have a trial game. Anyone think it would be worth the club sending someone for a look to see whats available? Maybe find a few gems from the lower scottish leagues rather than the english leagues? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33060928

 

Is this not just an idea nicked from Football Manager? The trialist XI teams? Still, no harm in looking.

Maybe ask Glenn hoddle if he's hiding any Anya's down in Spain too.

Reckon cover at gk on loan. A striker and a winger/wing back to replace Mckay and Watkins/Shinnie.

It's probably worth noting that likes of Vincent, Ross, Williams along with Polworth and a few other young lads have been on the periphery of the team last season and this could give them an opportunity to stake more regular spots.

And lastly let's see what and who turns up. Sometimes a gem pops up that a manager takes a punt on regardless if its a required position because they look like they can improve the first team.

[bdu98196]

Seeing on BBC Sport that the PFA is setting up a Scheme to help out of contract players find new clubs. says the union will try to match players to clubs and managers and scouts can have a look at them and at end of week have a trial game. Anyone think it would be worth the club sending someone for a look to see whats available? Maybe find a few gems from the lower scottish leagues rather than the english leagues?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33060928

 

Organised trialist game meant to be on Sat at Broadwood. Hopefully Yogi will be there to watch............

[Yngwie]

I suspect he'll be watching ICT v Clach instead!

[caley100]

About time we started hearing about the promised 3 or 4 new players that Ken Cameron told us about, wonder if any 'trialists' will be there on Saturday?