Tekel Towers » Out of Contract players

Shedtastic · 17/4/2024 10:09 am

dufc2019 wrote:
SlatefordArab wrote:
Bear in mind that Dundee appear to have quite a lot of loan players this season? So they’ll be on another rebuild job in the summer assuming all those loan players are back at their clubs/elsewhere.
I don't think there is much debate they have a better manager than we do

That remains to be seen, he's going to have another squad rebuild for next season, lets see if he gets as lucky as he was this season, also Goodwins signings have been pretty solid for us not a lot of what you can call failures, they were signed to do a job in this league and they have done that.

David_Blunkett · 17/4/2024 11:46 am

Tony Docherty on the face of it has done a good job, but come the season's end will it be as good a job as Courts did, and how many of us would have him back.

Dundee, St Mirren and Killie, maybe harsh, but their 'success' has been down to the fact Aberdeen and Hibs, and to a lesser extent Motherwell have been pretty rotten.

Which Is partly why we ended up not just top six, but 4th under havering Tam.

SuperMario · 21/4/2024 10:08 am

Wotherspoon is pure class, injuries a big concern but there is no doubting his ability, interesting to see if he will get a new deal

Snacks94 · 21/4/2024 11:55 am

SuperMario wrote:
Wotherspoon is pure class, injuries a big concern but there is no doubting his ability, interesting to see if he will get a new deal

If wages are reasonable I wouldn’t object to a 1 year deal. Won’t play every week but can make the difference in a tight game - like yesterday.

CCX2 2010 · 21/4/2024 12:18 pm

Now that we have confirmed our top flight status for 24/25, I think that we have to be absolutely brutal, much like last season.

Keep.

Walton (fingers crossed), Holt ( short term deal until he gets his fitness ), McMann, Middleton, Thomson, Fotheringham and Moult.

Possible

Sibbald, Docherty (only if he moves to Dundee), Graham ( I trust Goidwin with his judgement).

Thanks very much for your efforts and will always be welcome back as a visitor -

Grimshaw, Tilson, Watt (harsh), Wootherspoon, Big Sam, Gallagher, Glass, Grieve.

All of the other younger lads haven't cut through at this level and again I would trust the judgement again of the coaching team.

Slotbadger · 21/4/2024 2:21 pm

Only ones I really want to stay are Sibbald and Doc. Kai and Thomson.

Everyone else can go. Would like to see if Graham, Mochrie and Meekinson can keep improving.

Spoony looks our most technical player, but no point if he can only play a few games without getting injured.

Have been very impressed by Raith keeper this season. Maybe a bit dodgy in the air just like Siegriest and Polish lads from 10 years back.

SuperMario · 21/4/2024 5:47 pm

Slotbadger wrote:
Have been very impressed by Raith keeper this season. Maybe a bit dodgy in the air just like Siegriest and Polish lads from 10 years back.

With you on this 100%.

He is very much like siegrist, makes huge saves when he has absolutely zero right to make.

I would 100% be going after him

Arab99 · 21/4/2024 6:06 pm

SuperMario wrote:
Slotbadger wrote:
Have been very impressed by Raith keeper this season. Maybe a bit dodgy in the air just like Siegriest and Polish lads from 10 years back.

With you on this 100%.

He is very much like siegrist, makes huge saves when he has absolutely zero right to make.

I would 100% be going after him

Disaster waiting to happen, released by Hibs, not good enough, and Went to QoS on loan, makes good saves but inconsistent, related to Dracula

Tek · 21/4/2024 10:21 pm

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

Thought long and hard about this and would offer deals too

Ross Graham
Chris Mochrie
Miller Thomson
Lewis O'Donnell

I'd let go of every other out of contract player.

A real chance here for us to clear the decks, free up A LOT of money and build back stronger.

kdyteejay · 22/4/2024 10:26 am

SuperMario wrote:
Slotbadger wrote:
Have been very impressed by Raith keeper this season. Maybe a bit dodgy in the air just like Siegriest and Polish lads from 10 years back.

With you on this 100%.

He is very much like siegrist, makes huge saves when he has absolutely zero right to make.

I would 100% be going after him

He’d cost us as under contract until May 25.

Conway11 · 22/4/2024 12:41 pm

Going/Get rid

Birighitti
Wotherspoon
Holt
McMann
Glass
Cudjoe
Anaku
Greive
Gallagher
Watt
Docherty
Grimshaw
Middleton

Unfortunately we are in a massive dilemma as we have been bundled with a load of dross that will have to go.
On the other hand I don't trust Goodwin to bring in premiership capable players and with no guidance from above him we could be in freefall again

Last edited by Conway11 (22/4/2024 12:45 pm)

Morphman · 22/4/2024 2:49 pm

Conway11 wrote:
On the other hand I don't trust Goodwin to bring in premiership capable players and with no guidance from above him we could be in freefall again

Have to say I'm no entirely in agreement with this. The players he has brought in have done quite well with probably the exception of Grieve. Walton, Holt, Gallagher, Moult, Mclelland Docherty, Grimshaw and probably Tilson (willing to hear disputes on this one ) have all done the job they were brought in to. Mainly steady if unspectacular in the most part. He has used our own youth as effectively as they probably deserved as well given the lack of experience on the bench. Used a signifcantly cut budget to get us a half decent starting 11 and filled in the blanks with youth

Most of his signings at Aberdeen: Miovski, Duk, Roos, Ramadani, Scales off the top of my head have all went on to play regularly in a somewhat unspectacular Aberdeen side, or do well elsewhere.

Assuming it was him that signed the above, I'd probably trust his judgement more than the keyboard warriors in our recruit team the last few year!

Last edited by Morphman (22/4/2024 2:49 pm)

Shedtastic · 22/4/2024 4:34 pm

Courier reporting that he had to put a squad together whilst slashing 2.6m from the budget, did okay eh?

CCX2 2010 · 22/4/2024 4:47 pm

Shedtastic wrote:
Courier reporting that he had to put a squad together whilst slashing 2.6m from the budget, did okay eh?

He certainly has on all fronts especially as you mention by cutting a whopping 2.6 million from the wage bill.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but looking back would our squad gave coped with extended runs I'm the cups?

I'm not sure, we seem to be falling apart and part of my reason for such savage cuts to the squad. Will a Docherty, Gallagher ,Watt or Moult manage a 38 game season?

David_Blunkett · 22/4/2024 5:48 pm

I think the harsh reality might be that there's not much possibility of fancy football next season and bar the odd player, it'll be a first XI who'll treat every game like a blood and snotters battle.

Aberdeen and Hibs may well/should improve, so at best we can push towards top six, but ultimately anywhere between 7th and 10th, staying away from the bottom 2 places, might just have to do as a first season.

We definitely need major surgery on the squad but from what i've seen of the top league this year, there's not much of a difference from 4th - 11th and getting your recruitment right is key, and in fairness, that's something Goodwin got pretty much spot on this season.

If we look around most of the top 6 teams, who maybe in an normal year shouldn't be there, Killie, Dundee, St Mirren and without being arrogant, there's not many players that would set the pulses racing if we were to sign any of them.

But, maybe that's where we go wrong, a solid, unspectacular squad kept us up, then in the next season delivered Europe, when we threw money at the squad that's when it went tits up.

Fuck knows, i'm glad i'm not the one making the decisions though.

Lets just get on the tangerine rollercoaster and see where it takes us.

Arab87 · 22/4/2024 6:17 pm

Offer new contracts-

Ross Graham
Chris Mochrie
Miller Thompson

We need 2 keepers, a RB, 3 CHs, 2 LBs, a winger, 2 centre mids and 2 strikers. Not too much to ask for 😂

Last edited by Arab87 (22/4/2024 6:17 pm)

Conway11 · 23/4/2024 10:58 am

Morphman wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
On the other hand I don't trust Goodwin to bring in premiership capable players and with no guidance from above him we could be in freefall again

Have to say I'm no entirely in agreement with this. The players he has brought in have done quite well with probably the exception of Grieve. Walton, Holt, Gallagher, Moult, Mclelland Docherty, Grimshaw and probably Tilson (willing to hear disputes on this one ) have all done the job they were brought in to. Mainly steady if unspectacular in the most part. He has used our own youth as effectively as they probably deserved as well given the lack of experience on the bench. Used a signifcantly cut budget to get us a half decent starting 11 and filled in the blanks with youth

Most of his signings at Aberdeen: Miovski, Duk, Roos, Ramadani, Scales off the top of my head have all went on to play regularly in a somewhat unspectacular Aberdeen side, or do well elsewhere.

Assuming it was him that signed the above, I'd probably trust his judgement more than the keyboard warriors in our recruit team the last few year!

Regarding budget cuts (I see the figure of 2.6m being reported this morning) He still has the highest wage bill in the league and made signings that no other championship side could ever compete with. We have limped over the line in a season where some results have been shocking. The style of play has never improved and I can't think of a player that has come on leaps and bounds. It was party time on Saturday but really think about that 90 mins, it was shocking. I see a few people today are wanting him to stay now. This will be a tragic mistake. We need to cut him now - get a new, forward thinking manager in and build from there.

CCX2 2010 · 23/4/2024 3:28 pm

Conway11 wrote:
Morphman wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
On the other hand I don't trust Goodwin to bring in premiership capable players and with no guidance from above him we could be in freefall again

Have to say I'm no entirely in agreement with this. The players he has brought in have done quite well with probably the exception of Grieve. Walton, Holt, Gallagher, Moult, Mclelland Docherty, Grimshaw and probably Tilson (willing to hear disputes on this one ) have all done the job they were brought in to. Mainly steady if unspectacular in the most part. He has used our own youth as effectively as they probably deserved as well given the lack of experience on the bench. Used a signifcantly cut budget to get us a half decent starting 11 and filled in the blanks with youth

Most of his signings at Aberdeen: Miovski, Duk, Roos, Ramadani, Scales off the top of my head have all went on to play regularly in a somewhat unspectacular Aberdeen side, or do well elsewhere.

Assuming it was him that signed the above, I'd probably trust his judgement more than the keyboard warriors in our recruit team the last few year!
Regarding budget cuts (I see the figure of 2.6m being reported this morning) He still has the highest wage bill in the league and made signings that no other championship side could ever compete with. We have limped over the line in a season where some results have been shocking. The style of play has never improved and I can't think of a player that has come on leaps and bounds. It was party time on Saturday but really think about that 90 mins, it was shocking. I see a few people today are wanting him to stay now. This will be a tragic mistake. We need to cut him now - get a new, forward thinking manager in and build from there.

Any ideas of who we could attract the would fit the mould of this forward thinking manager?

The only guy I could think of would be McCabe but this forward thinking or modern football is not liked but a large section of our support. In fact the guys that site around me would be having kittens with his approach.

Over the past few weeks we have reverted back to a more direct approach which has reaped a lot of success.

Morphman · 23/4/2024 3:30 pm

Conway11 wrote:
Morphman wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
On the other hand I don't trust Goodwin to bring in premiership capable players and with no guidance from above him we could be in freefall again

Have to say I'm no entirely in agreement with this. The players he has brought in have done quite well with probably the exception of Grieve. Walton, Holt, Gallagher, Moult, Mclelland Docherty, Grimshaw and probably Tilson (willing to hear disputes on this one ) have all done the job they were brought in to. Mainly steady if unspectacular in the most part. He has used our own youth as effectively as they probably deserved as well given the lack of experience on the bench. Used a signifcantly cut budget to get us a half decent starting 11 and filled in the blanks with youth

Most of his signings at Aberdeen: Miovski, Duk, Roos, Ramadani, Scales off the top of my head have all went on to play regularly in a somewhat unspectacular Aberdeen side, or do well elsewhere.

Assuming it was him that signed the above, I'd probably trust his judgement more than the keyboard warriors in our recruit team the last few year!
Regarding budget cuts (I see the figure of 2.6m being reported this morning) He still has the highest wage bill in the league and made signings that no other championship side could ever compete with. We have limped over the line in a season where some results have been shocking. The style of play has never improved and I can't think of a player that has come on leaps and bounds. It was party time on Saturday but really think about that 90 mins, it was shocking. I see a few people today are wanting him to stay now. This will be a tragic mistake. We need to cut him now - get a new, forward thinking manager in and build from there.

We haven't really limped over the line though have we? We are already sitting on a points tally that would have won the Championship every season in the last 5 (and that's not counting the Covid season and subsequent shortened season when Hearts won it). Raith, to their credit, have won an unbelievable amount of games with a single goal, usually late on, and kept up the pressure.

No argument from me about the style of football being fairly poor, but you just don't win the Championship playing brilliant football. The last time I can say with certainty that United played in a flowing, forward thinking, style was when McNamara wasted a golden generation of our youth by winning a handful of games by 4 goals then going on to win F all. Culminating in St Johnstone beating us in the SC final by playing boring but effective football against us. Since then we've had a massive spell of complete mediocrity resulting in us spending half of the last decade in the lower leagues.

I think twisting in the hope that we, lets be honest, get very lucky by appointing someone who isn't one of the usual managerial merry-go-round suspects that turns out not to be a complete bust, is a risk that ownership (might not be Ogren??) just won't go for.

Last edited by Morphman (23/4/2024 3:31 pm)

CCX2 2010 · 23/4/2024 3:59 pm

Morphman wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
Morphman wrote:

Have to say I'm no entirely in agreement with this. The players he has brought in have done quite well with probably the exception of Grieve. Walton, Holt, Gallagher, Moult, Mclelland Docherty, Grimshaw and probably Tilson (willing to hear disputes on this one ) have all done the job they were brought in to. Mainly steady if unspectacular in the most part. He has used our own youth as effectively as they probably deserved as well given the lack of experience on the bench. Used a signifcantly cut budget to get us a half decent starting 11 and filled in the blanks with youth

Most of his signings at Aberdeen: Miovski, Duk, Roos, Ramadani, Scales off the top of my head have all went on to play regularly in a somewhat unspectacular Aberdeen side, or do well elsewhere.

Assuming it was him that signed the above, I'd probably trust his judgement more than the keyboard warriors in our recruit team the last few year!
Regarding budget cuts (I see the figure of 2.6m being reported this morning) He still has the highest wage bill in the league and made signings that no other championship side could ever compete with. We have limped over the line in a season where some results have been shocking. The style of play has never improved and I can't think of a player that has come on leaps and bounds. It was party time on Saturday but really think about that 90 mins, it was shocking. I see a few people today are wanting him to stay now. This will be a tragic mistake. We need to cut him now - get a new, forward thinking manager in and build from there.

We haven't really limped over the line though have we? We are already sitting on a points tally that would have won the Championship every season in the last 5 (and that's not counting the Covid season and subsequent shortened season when Hearts won it). Raith, to their credit, have won an unbelievable amount of games with a single goal, usually late on, and kept up the pressure.

No argument from me about the style of football being fairly poor, but you just don't win the Championship playing brilliant football. The last time I can say with certainty that United played in a flowing, forward thinking, style was when McNamara wasted a golden generation of our youth by winning a handful of games by 4 goals then going on to win F all. Culminating in St Johnstone beating us in the SC final by playing boring but effective football against us. Since then we've had a massive spell of complete mediocrity resulting in us spending half of the last decade in the lower leagues.

I think twisting in the hope that we, lets be honest, get very lucky by appointing someone who isn't one of the usual managerial merry-go-round suspects that turns out not to be a complete bust, is a risk that ownership (might not be Ogren??) just won't go for.

Good points.

Slotbadger · 23/4/2024 5:54 pm

Limping across the line 🤣 Try 4 wins on the bounce including 5-0 & 4-1 away from home.

I think Kai has actually come on leaps and bounds this season. Started as a sub/possibly going out on loan. Is now a regular starter and has scored a lot of important goals.

Some of the football has been terrible. A few defeats unexpected. But as mentioned above - we will actually end with a great points tally and goal difference. That says to me that over the whole season we have actually been pretty good.

RogerTheAlien · 23/4/2024 7:46 pm

Slotbadger wrote:
Limping across the line 🤣 Try 4 wins on the bounce including 5-0 & 4-1 away from home.

I think Kai has actually come on leaps and bounds this season. Started as a sub/possibly going out on loan. Is now a regular starter and has scored a lot of important goals.

Some of the football has been terrible. A few defeats unexpected. But as mentioned above - we will actually end with a great points tally and goal difference. That says to me that over the whole season we have actually been pretty good.

If Raith weren’t near us this whole season would’ve been a canter. We’re currently 16pts ahead of 3rd.

Last season’s table:

Dundee 63pts
Ayr 58pts
QP 58pts

We’re currently on 71pts with 2 games left.

Shakey Isles Arab · 23/4/2024 9:33 pm

Geez, I don't know, there are some that would be moaning at JYM and the team of '83.

We've been steered to and won our league with a goal difference of about a million.
We've improved the books.
We've got a manager in who's insisted on being the manager no some airy fairy position.

All right we've had some completely shitey performances but that's the nature of playing shitey teams in a shitey competition - like it or not they invariably drag you down to their level - unavoidable.

We got lucky Raith got poor results at the same time as us, but over 36 games they were always going to do that, Goodwin knew it and stayed calm regardless.
To me the biggest thing maybe that got the ship back on an even keel at the critical time were injuries to Gallacher & Holt which forced Goodwin's hand a wee bit and brought in Graham and MacLelland who were happy playing more long ball football, not to mention Miller Thompson who's been a joy to behold but nonetheless Goodwin brought back Grimshaw for Morton - an example of perfect man management.

We won a difficult league by a canter in the the finish.
........ We should have won ..... correct ..... what's the problem ?

Celebrate !

Last edited by Shakey Isles Arab (23/4/2024 9:51 pm)

Finn Seemann · 24/4/2024 8:35 am

We've been the least pish in a pish league. We've lost cup ties to teams 1 and 2 leagues below us. Our football has at times been turgid. The squad we've currently got is miles off staying up next season. Our owner is a basket case and our manager has managed to get a squad of very average players (built with easily the largest budget in the league) to the top of the league (potentially only by goal difference).

However the revisionists are feeling all warm and fuzzy because we are back in the big time. There is a lot of work to do in the close season to build a squad for the next level. Is Goodwin the man to do that? That might not matter if Ogren is still in charge, but in any case I think the answer is no. However, if it is still Ogren then we'd be as well sticking with him as I would have absolutely no trust in Ogren finding anyone in his price range that would be any better (and probably worse).

Still a great time to be an Arab...

Conway11 · 24/4/2024 9:32 am

Finn Seemann wrote:
We've been the least pish in a pish league. We've lost cup ties to teams 1 and 2 leagues below us. Our football has at times been turgid. The squad we've currently got is miles off staying up next season. Our owner is a basket case and our manager has managed to get a squad of very average players (built with easily the largest budget in the league) to the top of the league (potentially only by goal difference).

However the revisionists are feeling all warm and fuzzy because we are back in the big time. There is a lot of work to do in the close season to build a squad for the next level. Is Goodwin the man to do that? That might not matter if Ogren is still in charge, but in any case I think the answer is no. However, if it is still Ogren then we'd be as well sticking with him as I would have absolutely no trust in Ogren finding anyone in his price range that would be any better (and probably worse).

Still a great time to be an Arab...

100% agree

Regarding the points on the previous page - we have limped over. It has taken until the second last game of the season to be officially winners. The football style is horrible which sets the standard for next season. If we can't blow teams away with the squad we have in this tinpot league - imagine what we will be like on an even keel (maybe) next season? Keeping him is just delaying the inevitiable, he will be sacked in the first 6 months of next season if he stays - he has scottish capped players in this squad and they have looked like dug meat in some games this season. Just a few weeks ago he was schooled by McPake FFS. Now we are close to the end of the season and we look like winners it has clouded boys judgement a bit. On the whole this season has been a slog. With some embarrassing losses. We will not be playing Arbroath/Queens Park next season and sadly he will be found out. Get rid now and lets start a fresh.