New Signing

[CaleyD]

Inverness Caley Thistle sign Hearts midfielder Angus Beith https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/hearts/inverness-caley-thistle-sign-hearts-midfielder-angus-beith-1-4729224

[IBM]

Should that not be in the Announcement thread 

[CaleyD]

Club haven't announced it....so no ?

[jingsmonty]

Sounds like a great signing - also makes me think that the club are expecting to lose Vigurs....

[CableGuy]

Yup, to take in yet another midfielder would tell me someone's moving aside from that position. Good to see a bit of youth coming in though 

[bdu98196]

Positive news we are starting in the transfer window, gambling on a 3 year deal but could work well if he develops into an asset for the club. Not sure I'd go as far as saying a 'great' signing but its a positive movement and clearly a younger prospect on less money than some we will have as budgets are trimmed. We've already seen how the players from Brechin have struggled badly, so its clear there is a decent step up to the Championship which he has to master - being 22 years old and only 2 Hearts starts indicates that he struggled with the competition there so hopefully the chance for regular game time will bring on his game. Hopefully another Donaldson rather than a Cooper or Baird. 

[Kingsmills]

Unlikely, I would have thought, that a club about to announce that it's going into administration would be signing new players.

On that basis, doubly good news. A young lad with potential which is the way we have to go for now. Strongly suspect that this indicates that we will be losing Vigurs, Doran or both.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Good scoop by the Scotsman but I thought that the club could not make an announcement until the deal was done and dusted. 

[RiG]

The club is not going into administration however financial pressures are such that we cannot compete with the contracts being offered to some of our out of contract players. As I've said before, expect to see some of our more well known players move on to pastures new this summer, both those who are out of contract and those under contract as the club continues to cut back and reduce the wage bill.

[Bronson]

Doran

[Charles Bannerman]

This is pretty standard form. The Edinburgh local media, who obviously have extensive contacts within Hearts, have clearly got a whiff of something down there - as happens everywhere, including here where you frequently see moves reported in our local media before the club concerned, which is constrained by contractual procedures, announces it.

More often than not, these stories are correct, but sometimes they come unstuck - in which case, as with the numerous complete red herrings you see when managerial vacancies occur, nothing more is ever heard of it.

[ictchris]

Stranraer fans on P&B on Angus Beith

When he came to us he was described as a deep-lying midfielder, and he has enough dig about him to sit deep, but really came into his own when the manager encouraged him to get forward and gamble in the box.

By all accounts he barely scored in his previous loan spells and played a deeper role, but with us he scored on his debut, and went on to grab 8 goals in 14 games from midfield, all from open play. Seemed to love his time at Stair Park.

Has an eye for goal, works hard, tracks back, basically an all-rounder and a great attitude by all accounts as well.

If you can clone him you'll have a very good team.

[CaleyD]

Sounds promising.  We're more than likely going to have to rely on a smaller squad next season, so players who have a bit of versatility will be vital.

[RiG]

Very interesting reading indeed. Could well be a useful player for us next season although a wee bit surprised by the 3 year deal. Looking forward to seeing him in action. Wonder if he will be replacing someone who currently fulfils that similar kind of role and is likely to be away soon?

[Kingsmills]

5 hours ago, RiG said:

The club is not going into administration however financial pressures are such that we cannot compete with the contracts being offered to some of our out of contract players. As I've said before, expect to see some of our more well known players move on to pastures new this summer, both those who are out of contract and those under contract as the club continues to cut back and reduce the wage bill.

That is very true but when John Robertson first secured promotion to the SPL a decade and a half ago, he did so with a squad of players, largely recruited by Steve Paterson, who, even taking into account the effects of inflation, were paid less than the average is likely to be next season.

Those were a group of players who were largely journeymen but were a great blend with fantastic team spirit. We have been promoted before on very limited resources and there is no reason why we can’t be again but recruitment and retention of the right players with the right attitude and level of ambition is key.

[jingsmonty]

9 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

That is very true but when John Robertson first secured promotion to the SPL a decade and a half ago, he did so with a squad of players, largely recruited by Steve Paterson, who, even taking into account the effects of inflation, were paid less than the average is likely to be next season.

Those were a group of players who were largely journeymen but were a great blend with fantastic team spirit. We have been promoted before on very limited resources and there is no reason why we can’t be again but recruitment and retention of the right players with the right attitude and level of ambition is key.

Robbo obviously using his knowledge & contacts to secure Angus Beith...wouldn't be suprised to see more young ex Jambos....

[Bronson]

RiG, why Doran? 

[RiG]

23 minutes ago, Bronson said:

RiG, why Doran? 

Rumours are that we've offered him a contract that includes a sizeable pay cut. It is unlikely that he is going to sign on with those terms.

ETA: The Edinburgh Evening News seems to be backtracking on us signing Beith. Apparently we are now looking at a swap deal involving Mulraney which would be a bit weird given both are out of contract in a few weeks time.

Edited April 24, 2018 by RiG

[CableGuy]

What i don't get with that though, he was only on big wages due to his contract having been agreed when we were in the PL, now he like all the others at this level surely have to realise that they will get paid accordingly to the level and finances available. I don't imagine many SPL teams (still to be in the top flight after this season) will be hugely interested in him, and that's not to take anything away from him personally, we all know what he can do and what he's capable of, but his previous injuries and fitness levels would dictate how much use he would be to any top flight team. Some may take a punt on him, to have him warming the bench for a season or 2 like Storey did at Aberdeen, but is that really what he wants. Surely in likes of vigurs case a 3 year deal even at half the money he'd earn at a PL side (hypothetically) is better than a 1 or 2 year deal at a club that will likely waste his talent and simply leave him out for the majority of the games. If they are happy to just go to another Cship side that pays slightly more, surely the only obvious choice depending on how the next few fixtures go would be county, but is that really worth it given they would potentially be at the same level as ourselves in terms of exposure, fan base etc. I'd love to think doran and vigurs will look at the longer and more secure picture in this scenario, but unfortunately as always football rarely works like that 

Edited April 24, 2018 by CableGuy

[CableGuy]

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/hearts-close-to-signing-inverness-winger-jake-mulraney-in-swap-deal-1-4729760

[CaleyD]

All players will have had cuts built in to their contracts to account for relegation.  It seems that there is a need to cut things further than that though.

With a Chairman stating a need for inward investment to ensure the clubs immediate future and a manager talking about a need for further budget cuts....I'm not sure we are going to be seen as anything like a secure option at the moment.

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, RiG said:

Apparently we are now looking at a swap deal involving Mulraney which would be a bit weird given both are out of contract in a few weeks time.

Perhaps its to avoid any discussion over development fees ? 

[Kingsmills]

1 hour ago, CaleyD said:

All players will have had cuts built in to their contracts to account for relegation.  It seems that there is a need to cut things further than that though.

With a Chairman stating a need for inward investment to ensure the clubs immediate future and a manager talking about a need for further budget cuts....I'm not sure we are going to be seen as anything like a secure option at the moment.

Scaremongering on this forum and elsewhere is unlikely to help in that regard.

[Alan Simpson]

Heard a rumour today Vigurs is going to County fckin hope not also tho heard wer interested in David Goodwillie wonder what kinda reception he'd get!

[CaleyD]

47 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

Scaremongering on this forum and elsewhere is unlikely to help in that regard.

Neither is living in lala land.