LarsErikKjell wrote:

Deniz signing a new 2 year deal apparently

 


Seen this earlier.. would have rathered a more experienced keeper to come in and push Benji.

Harkes to sign a new 2 year deal according to the courier

Wouldn't want to see Harkes go but not massively relieved at the extension. 

​What I find strange about Harkes is most of his stand out games (for me), came at the start of his United career. Seemed more determined to impose himself on the game at all times. This maybe led to a wee bit of a headless chicken approach to running but he was always involved, showing for the ball, using it well. This seemed to drop a little bit as time wore on.

​Was it an initial effort to impress or was it coached out of him as he got to know Robbie's desires from his CM's? (or is it just my perception). 

​I think back to the St Mirren Scottish cup game and he was excellent that day. That's what i'd like to see more of next season. 

Drey Wright has left St.Johnstone after rejecting the terms of a new deal.

We were linked with him a few weeks ago.

Tek wrote:

Drey Wright has left St.Johnstone after rejecting the terms of a new deal.

We were linked with him a few weeks ago.

 
Never seen him play but I remember hearing the boy Cosgrove raving about him on BBC Scotland a few months back.

Read something recently saying Hibs were also in for him. And a team down south.

CCX2 2010 wrote:

LarsErikKjell wrote:

A very good (7 or 8 part) interview with Neilson is free to view on Arabzone. In the final part (posted today) he talks about the plans for next season. So from the horses mouth, he is looking at:

- cover in the defensive area
- cover in the wide areas (wingers)
- another striker

Well worth a watch. He mentions that we have a few different budgets to work from depending on when football comes back. Not sure how that works but you'd imagine the sooner the matches are back, the better budget we'll have? Or I could be wrong.

I would hope he’s looking for a centre  midfielder that he pass the ball a bit better than what we have already and to play alongside Butcher.

Glad that he is looking at the wide areas.

Or a central midfielder who can carry the ball and run with it.

Neither Butcher or Harkes do that well enough for me.
 

Seen gauldy and billy Gilmour were on zoom call with the academy boys tonight, hopefully neilson was in there tapping them up 🤣

Tobias Smollett wrote:

Tek wrote:

LarsErikKjell wrote:

I agree. I feel like we could do with someone in there. But i think with Butcher, Harkes and Powers in there, he will want to keep space open for guys like Glass and Mochrie to have a pathway. Jake Davidson also an interesting one. 20 years old now and is a bit of a box-to-box midfielder from what i hear. Although its unlikely he would manage to break into the team - we said the same about Louis Appere.

Mate i'm all for giving talented young boys a chance and i hope we do when the Manager feels they're ready to make an impact for the first team.

But they are just boys at the moment. 

Let's get realistic here. We are going to have to visit Ibrox, Parkhead, Pittodrie, Easter Road, Fir Park and maybe still Tynecastle 2 or 3 times each next season.

We currently have three 1st team ready cm's - Butcher, Powers and Harkes.

We will struggle badly at these venues with those as our cm options imo. Not mobile, physical or attacking enough. 

P.s. i'm not against Harkes getting new contract per se as i feel he could have potential to improve but i worry about him at the above venues next season.

He's a guy who i think needs 2 or 3 years to get to grips with Premiership. 
 

Our young team of 2014 were great to watch.  Hearts team last season with Cochrane etc. were better than the seasoned pros who replaced them - guys like Steven McLean and Glen Whelan.  Motherwell are another side who have no fear putting youth players in their first team and they have been great the last few seasons, despite having to sell most of their best players every season.  Our recruitment is geared towards selling young players for a profit so I'll expect Robbie to play Mochrie and Glass much more this season.

Did i not say above i 'hope we do' play them? But it has to be when the time is right.

Playing Glass, Mochrie or Davidson in certain games is fine. Will they feature in the heat of the battle at Ibrox, Parkhead, Pittodrie or Easter Road? 

Doubtful.

We need a powerhouse in central midfield. These boys mentioned above are 2 years away.

Tek wrote:

LarsErikKjell wrote:

Tek wrote:

Or a central midfielder who can carry the ball and run with it.

Neither Butcher or Harkes do that well enough for me.
 

I agree. I feel like we could do with someone in there. But i think with Butcher, Harkes and Powers in there, he will want to keep space open for guys like Glass and Mochrie to have a pathway. Jake Davidson also an interesting one. 20 years old now and is a bit of a box-to-box midfielder from what i hear. Although its unlikely he would manage to break into the team - we said the same about Louis Appere.

Mate i'm all for giving talented young boys a chance and i hope we do when the Manager feels they're ready to make an impact for the first team.

But they are just boys at the moment. 

Let's get realistic here. We are going to have to visit Ibrox, Parkhead, Pittodrie, Easter Road, Fir Park and maybe still Tynecastle 2 or 3 times each next season.

We currently have three 1st team ready cm's - Butcher, Powers and Harkes.

We will struggle badly at these venues with those as our cm options imo. Not mobile, physical or attacking enough. 

P.s. i'm not against Harkes getting new contract per se as i feel he could have potential to improve but i worry about him at the above venues next season.

He's a guy who i think needs 2 or 3 years to get to grips with Premiership. 
 

100% agree like I said id want to see one more in there. But I just get the feeling we wont sign anyone in that position. I also wonder what will happen with Adam King. Looked miles off it. Has 2 years left on his contract. Unless maybe he is moved on and that leaves space in the budget for another CM. Time will tell.

Here is a list of players who have left clubs this summer and most are now free agents.

https://nareystoepoker.blogspot.com/p/on-this-page-aim-is-to-cover-every_1.html

Some players to note from me:

- Jonny Hayes (33 but would 100% still do a job and can cover multiple positions)
- Alex Gogic (CB from Hamilton, still young and always looked composed)
- George Oakley (Striker who was at ICT and Hamilton - although I'd still rather we went after Nisbet)
- Stephen O'Donnell (already mentioned on this thread but Freeman's new contract may mean we are not in for him)
- Ally Taylor (younger brother of Greg who is at Celtic - has rejected a contract at Killie and is a young central midfield who I think is quite highly rated)
- Steven Lawless (also mentioned on this thread - very effective player for Livi last season. Can play wide, through the middle and takes a good corner/free-kick)
- Drey Wright (also already mentioned on this thread)
 

Last edited by LarsErikKjell (02/6/2020 7:54 am)

smedDUm wrote:

Predicting what season 20/21 beholds is maybe futile cos no one ain't got a scooby what's happening. For example speaking to some mates y'day a general concensus is we won't be taking a seat inside Tannadice this calendar year.

Then summer recruitment is going to be impossible to speculate upon. You could make a good few XIs out of these players who have already been released, it's very much an employers' market albeit the majority of the employers will be skint.

But if I can stay in-house, who is going to be next season's Louis Appere? I've a feeling (just a feeling cos we never get to ****ing see them) that there are some shit-hot youngsters capable of breaking through. Anyone who does see them, do you have any names (without putting pressure on them!)

Mochrie and Neilson are obviously mentioned a lot - so they arent in the Louis bracket as things are expected of them in years to com and both still very young.

Jake Davidson for me, as I'm sure I've mentioned on other threads he was at Spartans on loan the first half of last season, playing week-in-week-out and then was also getting good reviews at Queens Park under Ray.

Central midfielder. He is a big lad and is around 18 months younger than Louis (turns 20 in October). He might not get the chance this season but I think if he does he will show up well. I've seen him in a handful of reserve games and always looked decent.

Logan Chalmers is another. He has, however, been around the squad for a while but just turned 20 in March so if he is going to make it, he'll need to be in and around the 1st team this season and build from there. I think any time he has played he looks good but I'd like to think he is using this time to try and bulk up a bit. Can deliver a set piece and if anyone hasnt seen some of his goals from last seasons reserves games then I'd suggest having a look at the Academy section in Arabzone (free to view). 3 or 4 absolute crackers.

We actually have a good list of young players who seem to have a bit of  promise about them. I feel like I bang on about them quite a lot but having worked with kids for years, I like to see young players given a chance when the time is right. Freeman, Glass and maybe even Ross Graham will look to play a part this season if they get the chance.

Assuming it goes ahead, the 'Colts' team will be in the Challenge Cup this year so I would definitely recommend a wee jaunt down to any local matches. Well worth it to see some of the talent we have coming through. I'm really hopeful about some of the youngsters.


 

Arab87 wrote:

Rumour that we're looking to sign Tom Walsh who has just refused a contract extension at ICT. Good player, creative, can play across the midfield.

 
Always looked half decent against us. Only 23. Thought he was older.

Arab87 wrote:

Still think 2 CHs is our priority. The lad Jimmy Dunne who was on loan to Hearts a couple of years ago has been released by Burnley. Defo worth a punt.

Thats a great shout. He was excellent for them. Played a lot of games for a 22 year old centre half too.