absent friend

It is easy to say 'we require a defender' but the knock on effect of NOT having one in place is financially concerning. Last season Motherwell scored one goal LESS than us and ended up in THIRD place in the league. Now Scotty/CaleyD will be able, no doubt, to convert this into hard cash i. e. additional cash for each place further up the league you achieve plus all the additional revenue from playing the top teams in the last few games plus the possibility of playing in Europe. This may seem pie in the sky BUT WE DID SCORE MORE GOALS THAN THEY DID! I don't subscribe to the 'we're doomed to relegation' nonsense but I do think, to link two threads together, the financial saga re the transfer will be chicken feed, in comparison to our potential loss by ignoring the defensive frailties!!

Thanks a lot! The grey matter is still working then, I just have a very faint memory of the match but I can recall him so vividly. Maybe, even in those days, I could still spot a 'good one'.

Well, having watched Dods playing against Barcelona, the other day and listening to the commentry '' Dods has shepherded him into a corner'' .. ''Dods is doing a professional job at the back'' etc ..... The players he was up against all had ?10/20 million price tags round there necks and he did not look phased at all. I wonder if we really were aware how well he came on during his time with us and just, perhaps, he did leave a bigger hole in the defence than we and BREW, appreciated!

Charles, this one is possibly for you to date. A player called George Herd, playing for Thistle, on the wing - ran with a straight back, like a 100m runner, down the wing and was so, so, fit. I think he was in the forces up here and was a signed player for an English first division team but played some games for Thistle. Any ideas?? Another early game I saw at Kingsmills involved a very successful Buckie team and they had a winger who only had sight in one eye, but he played to his ability by poaching on the edge of the defence but always on the touchline, so that every ball was cleared, from their defence, to an area near him and he gave the Thistle back a torrid time.

As has been said, human factors are the reason in most cases although you can not rule out mechanical failure. A9 accident. I do feel that having 3 dogs in the cab of the vehicle that swerved over the road and caused the impact, (as reported in todays press) could have been a worse distraction than any changing channels on his/her radio would be. In this case the tourists were on the correct side of the road. Culbokie accident An unfortunate pedestrian walking past the cemetery carpark was ran over be a driverless runaway car from the said carpark. The odds against that happening in such a remote area, or should I say pedestrianless area, must be so high. The cause, lets hope, is mechanical failure and not human failure. So sad when you consider the impact the accidents will have on so many lives - like a ripple effect the impact from the accidents will go out and out.

To answer the question - how long is long enough? - I think we will all accept that if he is good enough, he's old enough! This then brings in another area - how long do you wait for a player to develop? - this puts pressure on the backroom staff as and this has already been mentioned above, a salary is being tied up that could be used to bring in another player. We have waited a long time for Rory and, yes, I do think Brew pushed him too far too early when he was not fit to play with the big boys. Being pushed too early was highlighted at a game at Pittodrie, very early in his career, Brew shielding the ball just over the half way line and not just telling him where to run to, to receive the pass, but pointing to the very spot, off him, that he wanted Rory to be in, almost embarrassing to watch. I do think this contrasted the master, able to have time on the ball, shielding it so professionally and still able to give direction, with the apprentice being nudged off it as soon as it came his way. I hasten to state that this was not, IMO, Rory's fault! At that time Rory was weak, physically, easily pushed off the ball, but also, as just described, did not have any positional sense, a huge NATURAL requirement for any striker. He is now more mature physically and lets hope his positioning skills are also more acute. An area to consider, for the forwards, is that the room they enjoyed up front last season, due to our ex star forward being marked very tightly, will no longer be there and they will have to work for the space, running off the ball more. This means that Rory will have to be a more active player this year and will need to also show good positional sense, just to get into the game, in my opinion, should he be selected. Can he do it? Lets see - but not for too long!

Well SP I would agree with a lot of your comment IF the thread was set out as a Brewster negative!! The thread, if you read it from the start, is related to the managers new season tactics now that he has his own team around him from the off!! Where oh where is that Negative?? The manager will be under scrutiny, be me and others like me, to see if he has a fresh approach to play and God willing, to offer us some evidence of his improvement in the management game. I would suggest that even at Man Utd, a new season brings on new changes in the way they play. Is it negative therefore to suggest that we also deserve this! If a thread is later hijacked and goes off at a tangent, you can not blame the original author!!

On the 'stub it out' point - as a non-smoker, I feel that smokers have made a big effort to comply with the new law and I am disappointed that this point is never mentioned in the press. It is strange how I now notice a smoker passing in the street and yet this same smoke was always in the pub and I never give it a thought. In fact, it was seen as part of the character of a pub ............. through the smoke, he could be seen, shoulders sagging, hinting at the heavy heart within, as he stared into the glass of comfort. ''If Brewster had only signed a decent defender'' he thought '' I would have no hangover tomorrow!'' Now the poor soul has no cloud of smoke to hide away in!

Somewhere on another thread someone was making the point that our manager should, being a forward, be able to recognise the type of CD we require. I wonder if he does think this way or with him being a forward, is he concentrating on scoring or scorers. Our record in the two departments over the past two years should have allowed the Board - with their eyes and brains shut - to recognise our need was in defence and offer all assistance if Brew is blind to this. 06/07 Only 3 teams scored less than us 07/08 Only 3 teams scored MORE than us! 06/07 Only 4 teams had a better defensive record than us 07/08 Only Gretna let more goals in!! Credit where due, he seems to have got the most out of his forwards - although you would not think it, with all the negative comments on here. BUT 'The Defence', surely it cannot be just the loss of one player??( I see the goalkeeping area as being quite solid) Is it possible that his coaching is aimed at the area he is so knowledgable in, at the expence of defensive training OR is that too simplistic? Surely a problem so large must be the topic at each board meeting and I would like to think that this is now being addressed in the transfer targets?

I accept that our situation is not a problem if we went down this road, as we could probably easily fill the small number of seats with the OF local support. It is the likes of Hearts that surprises me as I would not have thought they could do this and would have to rely on a big travelling support to maximise their OF revenue. It is this area that will create a problem for the hungry OF accountants, IMO. There is no doubt that the OF have a very loyal (maybe the wrong choice of word re Parkhead!) following and I do not think this following will relish having to arrange, via another club, the purchase of their ticket. I would therefore expect a backlash from their own supporters and this money grabbing scheme will be put to bed. I live in hope!!

Well Clacher, I'm pleased to learn that only the US and UK are in the 'stuffy' - that's going to come as a welcomed relief to so many countries - that is, all those with no borrowings who are also immune from the current economic climate, European and the Far East!! You heard it here first folks, the current Global Economy is OK - apart from UK and US!! As they say here in Aberdeen - Aye, Right!!

I have just read in the Daily Express today that Stevie Crawford rejected our advances for a deal with EAST FIFE!! What chance has the Board got, trying to get players up here, if we are perceived as being below EAST FIFE in the 'playing for' stakes!! Surely our money is better than theirs - SPL involvement - career credibility - et al. Big knock back - not SC - but the message this sends out for the club.

If you read this thread postings by me, you will note they, in the main, refer to tactics! This, in my opinion, must, for the reasons given by me, be different from when the current manager came and took up the post part way through the season. I was canvassing opinions as to the effect this could have on our way of playing and at no time was this a negative thread, by me, on Brewster. My thoughts on Brew are on this forum somewhere - I did not like his return due to the way he departed. His managerial skills I still question, but maybe the same was said by Man Utd fans when they got their last manager!! However to stop defending myself and returning to the thread, I feel that more positive use of the ball can be initiated by the keeper - a long punt must be a relief to him if he has been under pressure but if this then results in the ball being immediately returned, it does little to ease pressure AND stops the midfield from being involved, thereby negating football creativity(if one accepts that that is where the powerhouse of a team lies) My answer- more use of thrown out balls with the target players being happy to receive and distribute the ball - but hey! I'm not a football manager but I am entitled to an opinion. Hope this clears up my thinking on the matter, th4tj but no doubt there will also be some spelling mistakes for you to find, to undermine my views!

Whilst your comments looking at the above, were maybe relevent, I don't know the extent of the internal workings you are privy to, Don, so maybe a lot of the above is correct but........... I was hoping that this would be focusing more on tactics than the internal politics - we are all big people and accept that sh-- happens between managers and their board and therefore he can only go in a direction that is dictated by them. It is following the Euro matches that I became so aware of the short ball being such a big factor in todays game, outside the SPL, with even the freekicks being taken short and indeed so short that the referee was not even interested as to where it was taken from. Contrast that with the involvement of our referee at a free kick, putting the ball back 2 yards.holding up his whistle, pacing out the yardage, moving the wall, etc - by that time in the Euro matches we had enjoyed another 5 mins of play. I am hoping we will see a bit of that this season.

With the new season about to get underway. New signings being given marks out of ten - potential signings being given marks out of ten whilst still a rumour - however what we do know is:- a) Brew has his own management team around him. b) He is, or will be, aware of HIS players come the kick off. c) He will have introduced HIS fitness regime. d) He will have, or should have, by now, sorted out any dressing room politics. Considering the above I feel we have a right to expect the correct tactics FROM THE START, with no excuses. This long ball we all dread, with the inherent immediate return, putting our defence under continual unnecessary attack, to me, should no longer be part of our game, unless we sign a six foot four forward. The emphasis on football, played with the ball, must be the way to success - I would even advocate short free kicks to allow us to get behind defences and cut the ball back - retreating defenders are as likely to score as forwards, under pressure, as we know to our cost. I read from a football pundit, at the weekend, that in his opinion, the subs should be reduced to 3!! He must be from the Brew school of subs!! I feel that the use of subs is something Brew did not appreciate last year and I only hope that he passed this subject when he did his coaching revision this summer. It is accepted that a football team no longer is 11 players but a shrewd usage of the 11 plus the subs, either to run their defence ragged and then put on fresh legs or if we are on the receiving end, put on fresh legs to contain their forwards. Putting subs on with 5 mins to go, in most cases, is only paying lip service to the bench players and is not, in my opinion, anything about being a strategic manager. Will the summer have created a wind of change in the selection/ tactics, by the management team or will it be another load of sameness??

[ Spot or NOT, the Romanian international selector above. Some have the ability to recognise talent, even hidden in an average team, some can't see the ability for the amateur politics.

Charles Re the last part. We have to watch out for you lot wandering up for a bit of culture!

I thought you may have your geography of Sneck wrong for CHAVs and instead of 'Up the Hill' meant 'West of the river' as this new definition, apart from the 'Wimps' is more suited to Dalneigh and the Ferry! I always though we were a bit 'wimpish' but I put it down to good breeding. This opinion was formed in my youth and can be best illustrated by, say, a good save by our respective keepers:- Up the Hill - Lots of polite applause and a chorus of 'Well done Murd' Caley Park - Loud shouting followed by hand motions to the opposing fans - never any appreciation shown to Willie Bruce/ Iain MacDonald etc for their ability. More tribal I felt.

Charles You must appreciate that CHAVs is Council House and Violent 'Up the Hill' would never come into the CHAVs definition, we would be more UGPs - Upmarket Good People!

Maybe the above puts last nights game into prospective. Win, lose or draw there was ONE big winner. Well done to all!!

Canuck, Jeans wee sister, I think, was called Joan. Charles "no man's land" sums up Dalneigh to us 'up the hill' folk!!

Caley D makes a good point about Brewster being open for criticism - let's be fair - the players have been on holiday and are only getting back into harness, but Brew should recognise that and have the game played accordingly. If the players are slower at the moment why play long balls that require chasing? Why not play a passing game on the ground and allow perhaps more time on the ball for the players to get 'into' the feel of the game again? It would then perhaps allow Evans to show his ability, so that a fairer assessment can be made prior to a final decision. Yes, I do accept that Brew sees him at training as well and is therefore better able to judge but it can not compare to a competitive match - even if it is a friendly. To come back to my, or Caley D's point - has Brews tactics improved or is he also open for criticism after last nights performance?

It would appear that two, I was going to call them supporters, people on here have knowledge of negative goings on in the board room and I find it difficult to understand why they need the Trust to put forward their views! If they already are in the board room listening to the goings-on why don't they put their points themselves. OR Are they only thinking this is going on? Perhaps two and two does make their five! To come onto a board like this providing indepth analysis as to why board members are doing/not doing specific things, in their opinion, is totally wrong! As some one above has posted 'don't hint - tell us it as it is' then we can all make up our minds. At this time, it looks like a junior playground tiff. It is difficult to run any organisation, more difficult to run a collective board with many opinions, so I can only assume that no other member of the board has any thoughts on the good running of the club or are two timid to speak if only one person is making all the decisions! I don't think so! Let's leave all this negativity to the tail end of the season IF we are having a problem and face this new season with the confidence it deserves ( if you can't find confidence - tough!!) This thread is rather like booing your own players - as they line up for the kick-off!! The only team we have not yet beat in the top flight will be hammered by us in the first game AND we will be top of the SPL. MAGIC.

"What a great game golf is...... with a classic swing like mine I have made a fortune." :015:

I am a wee bit of a loss here - what relevance has Hastings 'not going forward' to do with our goals against, last season. I would have felt that going forward, as a defender, leaving the position vacant, could result in more goals against and not less! I though our right back attracted lots of (uncalled for) criticism due to his forward runs!!