There is a part of me btw who would get rid of the lot and completely clear the decks.

That would be a lot of wages freed up to get in some better quality players to take us to the next level.

Which is exactly what we'll need.

Who out of the young players can improve enough to become useful to us? That is the only question worth asking here imo.

 

Last edited by Tek (05/2/2024 3:10 am)

Out of the first team players there. Kevin Holt’s definitely done enough to earn himself a new deal, maybe McMann. Some of the young players, Meekison, Mochrie, Thomson, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t be heartbroken if they left either, our relegation was a good opportunity for them to step up and cement their place in the team, and none of them have done that, what really are the chances they’ll do it in the Premiership?

Moult would probably depend on who the manager feels he can bring in. Might be a no bad squad option, but he’s been off the boil for months now.

Lewis O’ Donnell has been getting rave reviews at Kelty Hearts, but has teams down south circling, so will be away. Cudjoe has a lot of ability, and could become a good player if he knuckled down, but his agent has been filling his head with shite, so he’ll likely leave.

In short, there’s a very select few I’d possibly keep, but it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if they were to go.

Jack Walton – try to keep but prob too expensive, but may want to play every week
Ross Graham – extend 1 year, don’t see any young players coming through in this position at the moment
Kevin Holt
Scott McMann – extend 1 year
David Wotherspoon – make decision at end of season
Craig Sibbald (appearances close to triggering new 1 year extension, however)
Archie Meekison - 1 year extension, could be a decision between him and Mochrie
Chris Mochrie – 1 year extension, could be decision between him and Meekison
Louis Moult – has to offer more between now and end of season

 
Keep the following young players – moving on some of the other former youth players should create space, but would expect at least a couple to be released
Miller Thomson
Lewis O'Donnell
Bryan Mwangi
Craig Moore
Layton Bisland
Ruairidh Adams

Last edited by Lancashire-Arab (05/2/2024 10:30 am)

Didn't Bryan M get a 2 year contract at the start of this season?

David_Blunkett wrote:

Goodwin has bought well for where we are, if he's to stay on, we must give him as musch funds to play with to build his own squad.
 

Ogren won't do that, unless we get a massive transfer fee for one of our contracted players.

We are overspending on players wages, in the Championship.  Ogren is trying to recoup as much as he can before retreating back to the basketball/baseball/hockey scene in the US.  There's no chance he'll foot the bill to bring in the standard of players to allow us to make a real go of things in the Premiership.

dufc2019 wrote:

Macho Man wrote:

I'd keep the following all based on being first team ready.  I'm not clued up enough to know about a lot of the youth players.  I'd keep Ruairidh, Flynn, Lewis and Miller on alleged reputation more than anything else:

Jack Walton (Although I doubt we'd be able to afford him if we could persuade him to sign permanently).
Ruairidh Adams
Kevin Holt
Scott McMann
Flynn Duffy
David Wotherspoon (if he does well)
Craig Sibbald
Lewis O'Donnell
Miller Thomson

Re the three below, I'd maybe give them a years extension, but if they don't cut it, then I'd move them on next January.

Ross Graham
Archie Meekison
Chris Mochrie
 

So you'd keep Duffy but possibly let Graham,Meekison and Mochrie go next Jan. Thats some take mate  
 

Graham, Meekison and Mochrie have all been in or around the first team squad for years but we all still think of them as backup to the starting 11.  I've not seen much from any of them to make me think that they will be a regular starter for the club, at least not for a good few years yet.  That's not a luxury Utd can afford.  For me, they are bench warmers that will only get a chance of a start when injuries or suspension allows.  If they were good enough, they'd be getting starts.

Admittedly, I did say in my first post that I don't know much about some of the youth players and that the ones I mentioned I'd keep based on what I've heard about them more than anything else.

However, wanting to keep players that haven't improved that much, if at all, whilst being on the fringes of the first team for a decent amount of time, even now after we have dropped down a league, is some take.

I could be wrong about them.  Here's hoping.

Macho Man wrote:

dufc2019 wrote:

Macho Man wrote:

I'd keep the following all based on being first team ready.  I'm not clued up enough to know about a lot of the youth players.  I'd keep Ruairidh, Flynn, Lewis and Miller on alleged reputation more than anything else:

Jack Walton (Although I doubt we'd be able to afford him if we could persuade him to sign permanently).
Ruairidh Adams
Kevin Holt
Scott McMann
Flynn Duffy
David Wotherspoon (if he does well)
Craig Sibbald
Lewis O'Donnell
Miller Thomson

Re the three below, I'd maybe give them a years extension, but if they don't cut it, then I'd move them on next January.

Ross Graham
Archie Meekison
Chris Mochrie
 

So you'd keep Duffy but possibly let Graham,Meekison and Mochrie go next Jan. Thats some take mate  
 

Graham, Meekison and Mochrie have all been in or around the first team squad for years but we all still think of them as backup to the starting 11.  I've not seen much from any of them to make me think that they will be a regular starter for the club, at least not for a good few years yet.  That's not a luxury Utd can afford.  For me, they are bench warmers that will only get a chance of a start when injuries or suspension allows.  If they were good enough, they'd be getting starts.

Admittedly, I did say in my first post that I don't know much about some of the youth players and that the ones I mentioned I'd keep based on what I've heard about them more than anything else.

However, wanting to keep players that haven't improved that much, if at all, whilst being on the fringes of the first team for a decent amount of time, even now after we have dropped down a league, is some take.

I could be wrong about them.  Here's hoping.

its more your Duffy take, need to see the working on that one
 

dufc2019 wrote:

its more your Duffy take, need to see the working on that one
 

I don't have workings.  As I say, its just more based on what I hear about him.  I've got a pal from Mintlaw who sometimes goes to see Peterhead.  He's meant to be relatively solid and I think he's getting a good amount of game time which should stand him in good stead for when he returns.  There's no more to it than that.

dufc2019 wrote:

Macho Man wrote:

dufc2019 wrote:

its more your Duffy take, need to see the working on that one
 

I don't have workings.  As I say, its just more based on what I hear about him.  I've got a pal from Mintlaw who sometimes goes to see Peterhead.  He's meant to be relatively solid and I think he's getting a good amount of game time which should stand him in good stead for when he returns.  There's no more to it than that.

dont think he's had any minutes for us has he ?  Never got any game time in the Diddy cup games. 3-0 up against Arbroath and JG puts Middleton at left back now he's away to league 2. 

I'd be amazed if he's not relased in the summer obviously Goodwin dosnt rate him
 

Maybe my pals just turns up when Duffy is playing.  I don't know.  I'm just going on what I've heard.

Macho Man wrote:

David_Blunkett wrote:

Goodwin has bought well for where we are, if he's to stay on, we must give him as musch funds to play with to build his own squad.
 

Ogren won't do that, unless we get a massive transfer fee for one of our contracted players.

We are overspending on players wages, in the Championship.  Ogren is trying to recoup as much as he can before retreating back to the basketball/baseball/hockey scene in the US.  There's no chance he'll foot the bill to bring in the standard of players to allow us to make a real go of things in the Premiership.

There has to be a decent budget, there's no point going up if the plan isn't at least be pushing for top six.

The standard is pretty rotten, apart from the odd player at each club, most are chock-full of journeymen or loan signings.

Of course we may currently be overspending, but that's partly to do with how poorly we've been run the last few seasons, and the contracts we're tied into, there's a real opportunity to clear the decks here.

if It's Ogren's intention to take us up, then not allow whatever funds is necessary to be challenging or being better than half that league, then he's gonna get a hell of a rude awakening when he tries to punt season tickets.

I'm not talking about buying players, spending huge fees, but our playing budget will and should be more than most teams outwith the arsecheeks, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen.

It's all about how we spend it, we can't be chasing marquee signings (Levitt, Fletcher etc) who simply didn't deliver.

David_Blunkett wrote:

https://postimg.cc/TyFJDkQL

Oh dear.

Just the usual footballers speak. Dosnt mean anything
 

dufc2019 wrote:

David_Blunkett wrote:

https://postimg.cc/TyFJDkQL

Oh dear.

Just the usual footballers speak. Dosnt mean anything
 

Yeah, but over the years, how many times do we have players in the press talking us up, I get what Watt is saying, I probably agree, but sometimes I wish they would just play it down a bit.