Thought we should have a thread for the heaps of random trialists we will inevitably have with us this pre-season.

First up is England C international Jordan Roberts:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/inverness-caledonian-thistle/620349/caley-thistle-take-england-c-international-trial/

Edit: The P and J were reporting his name as Jason but it's actually Jordan.

Edited June 25, 201510 yr by Guest

Going by that youtube video Hooper looks absolutely rank rotten if I'm honest.

Would be delighted to be proved wrong if we do sign him but seen nothing in that to say that he even deserves a trial with us. 

I thought there were some well taken goals in the video to be honest. I guess Yogi will be the best judge when it comes down to it and the boy scored today, so there could be a player in Hooper. 

Going by that youtube video Hooper looks absolutely rank rotten if I'm honest.

Would be delighted to be proved wrong if we do sign him but seen nothing in that to say that he even deserves a trial with us. 

I thought there were some well taken goals in the video to be honest. I guess Yogi will be the best judge when it comes down to it and the boy scored today, so there could be a player in Hooper. 

I don't think you can judge how good a striker is by a goal against Clach

He'll never get as much time in the SPFL as he did in those clips and the ball was bouncing off him. 

There were some nice goals and he is only 21 with good physical attributes but I would be very concerned if he is leading our line start of the season.  Only going on the video though ..  I'll reserve judgement until I've seen him in the flesh. 

 

Edited June 27, 201510 yr by Harry Chibber

Hooper didn't look too good today to be honest, Roberts looked very sharp though and his goal was a belter.

 Have just watched the Hooper video...........An eye for goals....... an opportunist.......well placed strikes..... Positive attitude .........definite potential.........Under the Yogi regime this lad can do well..... Ready? ? maybe not quite yet but he is only 21  and if he listens and learns!... expect a top  scorer in a few months time.

Glad to hear Roberts impressed today.

Roberts was pretty good today. Would definitely keep him here

Roberts looked sharp and his goal was an absolute bullet. Nat Wedderburn although a bit chunky, had great distribution and slick passing. JJ hooper looked a bit of the pace and not so sharp. 

Nat Wedderburn....chunky? Are you having a giraffe?

Interesting that Yogi seems to be looking to add some physicality to the squad. All 3 are over 6 feet. Wedderburn looks more like a rugby prop than a footballer. Think we could be onto something. We were bullied at times last season. The SPL is still a very physical league. Sounds like the plan is to bring in guys with good athletic attributes and coach them into well rounded footballers. It won't always work, but we have an exceptional coaching team so I'm optimistic.

Having just had time to watch the video of Hooper he looks pretty good to be honest. I heard at the game today that Yogi wants to sign them both.

Another video to add of JJ Hooper: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiee80PdIhc

 

Having just had time to watch the video of Hooper he looks pretty good to be honest. I heard at the game today that Yogi wants to sign them both.

Would we need to pay for him under the Bosman ruling?

Show-reels are so misleading! Any player who's played enough 'videoed' matches can be made to look good - or bad, depending on what's shown.
With strikers, they are simply a visual record of that player's goals - they make them look as if they literally net with every chance!

There's one of Jason Oswell's goals during his time in Australia, after leaving us. Fifteen goals squeezed into a 75 second clip, making him look like a player who wastes nothing and is clinical in every opportunity. I'm sure Rothes wouldn't touch Manual Neuer as a goalie if a 'reverse show reel' was all they had to go on - duffed clearances leading to goals, indecision, and beaten time-and-again at the near post. Mistakes by the world's best 'keeper are few-and-far-between, but as every game he's played as a pro is recorded, his rare mistakes could be combined into a clip and highlighted on a YouTube vid, making him look like a bomb-scare!

Surprised at you PumpFake for 'going back' on your initial observations, having seen the guy in the flesh - only to have your head 'turned' by a show-reel!

The Ben Greenhalgh thread will still be around in the archives - some of the comments about our then new player, based on his video highlights, were quite 'funny'!
*Funny = naive and cringe worthy.

Not sure why my post above has been 'linked' with a previous post - as I only typed in the reply box - I didn't intend to 'quote' anyone!

 

Having just had time to watch the video of Hooper he looks pretty good to be honest. I heard at the game today that Yogi wants to sign them both.

 

Would we need to pay for him under the Bosman ruling?

Surprised at you PumpFake for 'going back' on your initial observations, having seen the guy in the flesh - only to have your head 'turned' by a show-reel!

The Ben Greenhalgh thread will still be around in the archives - some of the comments about our then new player, based on his video highlights, were quite 'funny'!
*Funny = naive and cringe worthy.

To be honest I'd had a few beers last night and was feeling pretty generous when I watched the video. But he should get at least get another game, he probably hasn't played for a while.

Jordan Roberts - I was impressed.  Very skilfull, versatile and has a powerful shot on him.  We looked a lot less creative when he went off.

JJ Hooper - Not sure about him.  Granted he scored and had little service in the second half, but I'm unsure about him.  Doesn't seem to have much in the way of a first touch, but given he's only 21, he might be worth a punt.  Nowhere near as impressive as Roberts though.

Jordan Roberts - I was impressed.  Very skilfull, versatile and has a powerful shot on him.  We looked a lot less creative when he went off.

JJ Hooper - Not sure about him.  Granted he scored and had little service in the second half, but I'm unsure about him.  Doesn't seem to have much in the way of a first touch, but given he's only 21, he might be worth a punt.  Nowhere near as impressive as Roberts though.

Roberts sounds like a direct replacement for Watkins?

Better feet than Watkins.  Maybe not quite so much of a tearaway winger though.  More a Ryan Christie type player I'd say.  Started the game in the hole as well IIRC.

So, Roberts and JJ Hooper would be worth signing?

Comments on here regarding Roberts are very promising so fully expect him sign up sometime soon.

Seems a bit mixed on Hooper so I would expect him to get another chance against Brora before making a decision on him?

So, IF these 2 sign then all we need (according to John) will be a goalie (not that I agree on this tbh); a defender and another Striker.

Wonder if we will see any more trialist  against Brora.

So, Roberts and JJ Hooper would be worth signing?

Comments on here regarding Roberts are very promising so fully expect him sign up sometime soon.

Seems a bit mixed on Hooper so I would expect him to get another chance against Brora before making a decision on him?

So, IF these 2 sign then all we need (according to John) will be a goalie (not that I agree on this tbh); a defender and another Striker.

Wonder if we will see any more trialist  against Brora.

Given that Yogi said last week he wanted to add 5 to the squad then I would fully expect to see more trialists coming in as well as Roberts and Hooper. 

After hearing that Roberts is a more a player that sits in behind the striker rather than an outright winger then I hope we get on trial or loan another winger and maybe a left back and Goalie. 

Definitely a left back!  reading Tremarco's interview in todays p&J he says that there is no need for Hughes to look further for a left back!!!   very scared....

 

Definitely a left back!  reading Tremarco's interview in todays p&J he says that there is no need for Hughes to look further for a left back!!!   very scared....

 

Would you expect him to say anything different?

Yea he looks great in the videos....then so did Dean McDonald from a youtube compilation I was excited about when he signed for the first time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLZBOeouQXc 

Definitely a left back!  reading Tremarco's interview in todays p&J he says that there is no need for Hughes to look further for a left back!!!   very scared....

 

Hopefully he means there is no need because Danny Williams will be slotting in there. 

Going by the team lines from Clach, we have JJ Hooper on trial as well as Roberts. 

 

Some well taken goals but it has to be said that the standard of defending at that level looked very poor and he would need to sharpen up for the Scottish Premiership.

A contract until January initially ?

Definitely a left back!  reading Tremarco's interview in todays p&J he says that there is no need for Hughes to look further for a left back!!!   very scared....

 

I personally think that Tremarco deserves the opportunity to be Shinnie's direct replacement as he has been patient enough when on the sidelines when Graeme was at the club. 

When called upon I think that Carl adds a bit of physical presence and can move down the wing in similar vein as Graeme Shinnie. When Tremarco gets a run of consecutive games going, I have no doubt he will slot into the left back role very easily. 

As for the suggestion for Danny Williams going in at left back, I'm convinced he can fill in the role of left back like he has done with the centre mid however I feel Williams is better utilised as a 'winger' and we could greatly benefit from him being on the wings considering Watkins has left. 

A natural left back coming to the club to provide competition for Tremarco wouldn't go a miss IMO. 

Going by the team lines from Clach, we have JJ Hooper on trial as well as Roberts. 

 

Some well taken goals but it has to be said that the standard of defending at that level looked very poor and he would need to sharpen up for the Scottish Premiership.

A contract until January initially ?

As mentioned before, make a show reel of a player banging in goals and he'll look great. But if you consistently see goals being scored then you'll see a fair bit of bad defending.
Conference football. Probably on a par with the Scottish Championship?