Kingofthenorth

I think 2 strikers should be a minimum. We’ve been lucky in recent years to avoid injuries in key positions but we really lacked anything up front the month we were without McKay and before Ofere joined. Not to forget Billy struggled at the end of the 13/14 season after having to play every single game. JJ Hooper has a good record in lower leagues in England and is still only 21 so would be a decent choice to have on the bench but I’d hope for a more experienced/proven player to lead us into Europe. From what others have said it seems like Roberts looks like a decent player, again at only 21, and with Doran/Christie/Williams/Vincent we are not bad placed for supporting midfielders. Only other area needing filled is a full back, and one that is more comfortable on the left. Unsure about suggestions of Williams – feel he is definitely better going forward and could be a bit lightweight and almost seen as a target by teams in our mostly solid back 4.

Quite a depressing evening all round, seems like every team made a decent signing except ourselves. Really rated Lyle Taylor last year now it seems he'll be facing us again on Saturday.

Probably end up with a rushed, poor, sekajja type free agent.

The longer the evening goes without an announcement i'll be calling for Duncan Shearer to dust off his boots and roll back the years for us. Hope his knees will be up for it.

Reilly or Loy would be ideal signings, but both Falkirk and QOTS will be reluctant to sell now while chasing the play offs. Maybe Nicky Clark till end of the year and work on pre contracts for one of these players.

Rumours going we've enquired to Rangers about Nicky Clark on loan. Don't think we could afford all his wages but would be interesting to see happen, knows how to hit the back of the net.

Does anyone know how Foran's situation is? Getting him back soon would be as good as a new signing, and a fully fit Foran can also play up front too.

 

Josh Meekings close to agreeing new deal apparently. Outstanding news if true!

 

Just remembered this post. Meekings has apparently been close to signing a new deal / wanting to sign a new deal for some time now. What is going on?

 

Believe Caley offered him a 3 year deal - He is not willing to sign on for such a long term deal.

I'd like to think that we won't lose sight of trying to get other players signed up. Meekings has apparently been keen to sign a new deal with us and has said so twice in the last few weeks (or has been reported as saying so).

 

Let's get contracts on the go for the rest of these guys as soon as possible.

Spoke to Meekings over the weekend and will definitely stay for at least 1 more year. If Caley offer him a 1 year deal he'd take it. The club would rather offer longer I'd presume but he's an ambitious guy and has been a regular for a number of years now in a succesful side and is still only 22. Another succesful year here and a bigger move down south could be on the cards.

 

It follows that if a club can get a player without paying a transfer fee then there is more money available to pay the player.  Clubs will be able to offer players more attractive terms if they wait till the player is out of contract - hence the pre-contract agreements.  If clubs can afford a transfer fee as well in order to get the player ASAP, players may question if what they have been offerred was really the best offer.  As a club, we will only get transfer fees for our players if the club offering the money can pay what might more realistically be called a compensation fee in addition to what they are offering the player, and not many clubs in Scotland can do that.   No doubt Aberdeen would like Shinnie to move by the end of the month but would they be willing and able to pay the sort of money that the ICT Board would be prepared to accept to allow Aberdeen to strengthen their side and for us to weaken ours?

 

I agree with you DD and I think we may hear from the dandy dons before the end of he week. However, I don't see the reasoning behind our board wanting a substantial fee mainly because of the following reasons :

• A fee, no matter how big or small is better than nothing at all - and we need the money!
• we have ready made replacements at FB and MF so we don't need to spend on a replacement.
• IMO can afford to let him go now without any major weakening of our team

 

Cant see Aberdeen offering any more than £30-50K. Having a player like him in our team could be the difference between finishing 4th and 3rd with the benefits of European football. Placing higher and games in Europe will get us more income, come the end of the season, not to mention will help bring fans through the door with something new and exciting to watch. With Hearts looking dangerous and Rangers returning next year this could be our last chance at a top 3 finish for a long time so we should do whatever it takes to keep this squad together, at least until the summer

I agree with the two lists that you have mentioned, but i think we have to say that Mckay, like Shinnie looks to be off come the summer. What i do believe though, and maybe I'm in a daydream at the moment, is that we'll see some of the best football from the pair in the coming months. Mckay has the potential to make it in the English championship and the only way to attract that sort of attention for a decent club before the end of the season is goals, and lots of them. Was hoping Shinnie would hold out for a move down south but im sure as captain he'd want to leave the club on good terms and push for our most succesful finish ever.

The rest I believe there is potential we can hang on to them. Meekings is still very young at 22 and knowing him myself, believe if Caley offer him a year extension he would stay. Celtic or a championship club would be the move he'd like to take but come the end of this season it seems very unlikely that offer will be on the table. He enjoys working with Warren but will not commit long term.

Watkins and Raven are sure starters when fit. Unless Raven leaves at the end of the season, i can see him ending his career here but Watkins could impress some clubs if we dont wrap up his signature soon. This time last year i wasn't sure about Nick's future but he has really impressed in the last couple games and deserves to be a part of our squad. It would be nice to keep Devine - but he is replaceable.

I've not seen enough of Horner to comment really, which suggests he can go, though Polworth has had chances in the first team and has given glimpses of his potential. Maybe wouldn't be the biggest loss to the squad but I would like him to stick around for another year or 2.

I can see a few faces arriving in summer, unlikely we'll make a signing before Monday which will mean Tansey returning will be our only signing of note in 18 months. Striker yet again will be top priority, someone like Mckay who can fit into yogi's system, I dont believe Calum is ready to be first team just yet but will be good to see him get some premiership experience before May. The rest really does depend on who's leaving. Tremarco can fill in for Shinnie but is Baptie good full back cover? More depth is needed and players with SP(F)L experience is valuable, even just to have around the training ground to mentor talents coming through

Romania

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t..._ct/8067487.stm

thats a list of players who are getting contracts and those who are released

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t..._ct/8067487.stm

Butcher has offered contracts to several players as well as releasing several players

Would of liked to of seen him keep Vigurs and Sutherland

I'm not so sure that Imrie will stay

Apart from maybe Tokely and Munro how many of our players will stay ?

With Fraser and Black already on their way how many more will follow ?

And will we be able to keep any of the players we got in January on 6 month contracts?

Also what positions and who do you think we should buy for ?

in the cup game we gave away a penalty and lost a goal but in the second half we were all over them and the better team

Today the red card didn't result in a goal so why weren't we on top in the second half

Players, like Foran in particular, didn't seem to want it enough.

We can have another shot at the challenge cup and the players will be more up for cup games so possibly another cup run

I will definitely be back next season as we will be going for some trophies

I thought Foran had a very poor game today

Did Roy Keane ever play against us for Celtic ?

I hear Darren O'Dea from Celtic is willing to go on a loan deal somewhere in the SPL and he is not a bad player at all

it would be great to see caley bring in someone with a reputation like his instaed of Djebi Zadi

I have served Stevie Smith in the past in cafe 1 as i believe his girlfiend lives or lived in Inverness so it is very possible that Stevie could join us

I will be meeting Brian tonight and am going to ask him about the Caley job (at least as assistant manager)

And tommorrow i will see Duncan and will ask him about the vacant position

They will both most likely say yes but it is up to Caley to offer for them

He's been manager of 14 teams and sacked 14 times, despite larger attendances (undoubtebly less than a few hundred more on average) but the boost of finances ccould be irrelevant if he's the cause of us playing SFL football next season.

Also an excellent player does not make an excellent manager.

As someone else said he was not sacked 14 times plus why not give him a try he will give us more flair and it will be far more interesting to watch

I beleive dhearer was the top scorer every season he was at swindon and also made it into the PFA team of the season and i would love to see him come back.

Also Brian Irvine is another name to be thrown into the mix

I'll be seeing both Brian and Duncan socially tomorrow night....

I'll make enquiries for you David....

Who are you ?

I was with Brian today and Duncan is my friends dad so i see him loads of times

I still dont know who you are and am pretty sure will not be meeting Brian and Duncan together as Brian dosnt drink and i beleive they do not even see each other.

Who are you ?