Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 It's not easy to write our thoughts concisely after such a fascinating season so this will be a long examination but I hope you enjoy reading it anyway. Maybe worth keeping for lunch-time? http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=c...view&id=645&Itemid=2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Liverpool friendly confirmed... http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N160049080528-1022.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by Ter:<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">i dont think i've ever seen a transfer that fans were ever so opposed to. We've been linked with Maloney as well and to be honest I'm not too bothered about that one as he's actually a decent player. Miller is just rank rotten and (IMO) he's got nothing to offer that the likes of Steven Lennon already has. If Steven Lennon had been playing for Hibs for a season and done well we'd be trying to buy him for £1M and end up getting him for £2M or something. We really need to loan the likes of Lennon out to another SPL team to see how he gets on as he's not going to stick around in the reserves forever. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> What from what I've seen of Stevie Lennon, he's a decent player, scores goals and if you can do that, you can do it. Sometimes it's a risk playing youth but I honestly don't see the point in spending silly sums of money on players when we have three real quality players in the youths who seem to be more than ready for first team football - at any other SPL side they would already be first team regulars and even at Celtic they would more than likely get a chance because they have never been scared of pitching in the youths. Admitedly it could be argued we didn't really have any 'meaningless' games to give these kids a run and you could argue if they came in at that stage of the season and fecked up it could dent their progress - but seriously could they do any worse than McCulloch, Adam, Broadfeet etc? I'd be quite excited to have Shaun Maloney at Ibrox, he's a great player - still can't see it though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by Frankie:It's not easy to write our thoughts concisely after such a fascinating season so this will be a long examination but I hope you enjoy reading it anyway. Maybe worth keeping for lunch-time? http://www.gersnetonline.net/newsite/index.php?option=c...view&id=645&Itemid=2 Good article Frankie, hope the people at the club read it, because for sure next season anything less than the title won't be acceptable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleyjag Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Todays F365 stories (sorry if these have been posted already, even in variation) Burnley's Kyle Lafferty is desperate to leave Turf Moor, claiming he does not feel wanted by the club. The highly-rated Northern Ireland striker wants to join one of the top teams in England or Scotland. Lafferty, 20, told the Belfast Telegraph: "I've enjoyed my time at Burnley, learnt so much at the club but I now feel it's time for me to move on. "I need a fresh challenge at my stage of my career. "I've given my all to Burnley but no player is going to stay where he is not wanted. "It is imperative I make a move now as it would also help my international career." Rangers striker Kris Boyd insists he would never fake injury in order to withdraw from a Scotland squad.The former Kilmarnock player is one of five call-offs for Friday's friendly against the Czech Republic in Prague, leaving manager George Burley with selection problems. But Boyd, who revealed on Tuesday night that he wants to stay at Ibrox despite spending much of last season on the bench, told the Scottish Sun that his hamstring injury is genuine. He said: "When you're injured there's not much you can do about it. "It's not something you fake as a professional. If anyone thinks differently, then they are wrong. "Anyone who knows me will tell you that Scotland means a great deal to me. Whether it's a competitive match or a friendly, I want to be involved. "This is the first time I have withdrawn from any Scotland squad." Georgios Samaras is keen to win a permanent move to Celtic, according to his agent. The Greece international, who won a Clydesdale Bank Premier League championship medal after a four-month loan spell at Celtic Park, hopes to leave Manchester City for a long-term deal north of the border. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is keen to capture the £3million-rated striker but the 23-year-old is being hampered by the uncertainty at the City of Manchester Stadium where manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's future is in doubt. Samaras' agent, Lee Anderson, told the Scottish Sun: "Gordon wants to keep him and Georgios wants to stay. "The player is clear in what he wants, but the problem is down to the confusion at City. "The first thing I'll do is find out from City chief executive Alistair Mackintosh what is going on." Meanwhile, Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati is wanted by several Serie A clubs, according to his agent Andrea D'Amico. The Italian arrived from AC Milan last summer for a fee of around £1.4million on a four-year deal but has spent much of the season on the bench, including the last seven SPL games of the season which Celtic won to retain their title. D'Amico told the Scottish Daily Mail that he wants talks with the Parkhead club over his client's future. He said: "There is strong interest in Massimo from Serie A. "I now have to speak to Peter Lawwell (chief executive) to discuss the situation further because we don't know what will happen at Celtic next season. "Massimo tells me that he has a close relationship with the manager, Gordon Strachan, but he was disappointed in not playing in the final games of the season. "The manager assured him there was no problem and so Massimo wants to stay if there is a possibility of playing but if the manager is not happy and cannot give him that, then he should tell us." Samaras is a really good player, if he got more games it would make Celtic stronger than when they play that Dutch donkey. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by Peacemaker7:Good article Frankie, hope the people at the club read it, because for sure next season anything less than the title won't be acceptable. I think that's the case most seasons but after the £12million investment into the team last season and a likely similar amount this summer, we need more than the domestic cups to show for our cash. Yes, our cash. I think the most important point of the article is how easily we dropped points when competing on two fronts - both early in the season and latterly. So, while we had a reasonably sized squad last term, it still wasn't big enough or had the quality throughout to keep things ticking over in all comps. Food for thought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 I think our squad was large enough personel wise, but clearly lacking something in quality at the fringes. I know we want the title every year - but at the start of this season most of us would have been happy with what we ended up with. Next year, if we were to end up with the same, a lot of people would be calling for Walter's head? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McD Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Good read, as ever, Frankie. Despite all the other circumstances that surrounded the title race, I think, at the most basic level, we just (only just) lack that extra bit of quality that Celtic possess and have been able to build upon for the last three years. Our challenge was killed by an inability to beat the better SPL sides away from home - out of the top six, Hibs were the only team we beat on the road and it was just the once. That record tells its own story: we don't have the quality at the moment, and maybe the system (which is another conversation altogether), to consistently win these big games when it matters. The summer is going to be interesting and will define the ambitions of the manager and, more importantly, the chairman more so even than last year. Are we still "rebuilding" or have we found our current regime's natural level? Vidmar earlier blamed the cycle of signing of mediocre players for the 00s slump, and while I'd agree with the spirit of that, one must also remember they - and Strachan specifically - have brought in their fair share of "squad-players", ranging from the unremarkable to the wretched, and managed to carry on winning. We have to be realistic, with the current financial climate, neither us nor Celtic are ever going to be eleven Galaticos, we're always going to have to find some space in the squad for honest, above-average players and it's why I'm not immediately horrified at the prospect of someone like Kenny Miller aiding our cause. Hiis signing should be properly weighed up at the end of the window. The big difference of course between us and Celtic in the past, say, eight years, is that they have been better able to supplement the mediocrity in their squad with real (pricey) quality - look at guys like Boruc, JVoH, Nakamura etc and they, for all their flaws, are match-winners, players who can consistently pull it out of the bag against the better sides. We lack that. Outwith Cuellar, our signings last summer didn't really take us up a level. They padded out the squad well and helped us give all four competitions a bloody good go, but it was, in the two most important ones, to be in vain. The spark wasn't quite there. I'm sure WS knows we still need that spark, and knows it will require good judgement and money. I hope I'm sitting here at the end of August happy those two things have been well utilised. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get on Teletext! Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 not sure i want to wish lafferty on you but rumour has it you are the most likely to offer big money. so please take him. arrogant way beyond his ability, may do well in scotland but for the rumoured £4 million fee you could buy in someone much much much better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Can't say I've seen a lot of the fella but I think most Rangers fans would agree with you mate... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 28, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 28, 2008 I see Willie McKay is whoring Cousin around the Premiership now and is claiming that "a number of clubs" are interested. Hopefully we'll get the £3M and be shot of him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Cousin is one strange football player... No doubt the lad is talented - good first touch, aerially competent, physically strong, can score goals and is pretty quick - but mentally he seems a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Hopefully we will manage to move him on but if we don't then we've only ourselves to blame given his history was well known before we allowed McLies to sell us his asset. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 28, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 28, 2008 We should be able to move him on. I think any potential buyers will have been concentrating on what he does on the pitch. Hopefully they've seen the good bits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by Ter:We should be able to move him on. I think any potential buyers will have been concentrating on what he does on the pitch. Hopefully they've seen the good bits. Oh I don't doubt some mug will buy into McLie's, well, lies but I doubt we'll get the previous £3million talked about unless the learned tanned adonis ensured a water-tight pre-contract with Fulham in January. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerokus Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by Caleyjag:Todays F365 stories (sorry if these have been posted already, even in variation) Samaras is a really good player, if he got more games it would make Celtic stronger than when they play that Dutch donkey. Samaras is more 'gifted', certainly, but JVoH's far more effective. We don't really play to his strengths all the time, though. When coming from deep to attack crosses JVoH is great, very dominant and aggressive. He's not a good target man, though. Samaras, meanwhile, flounces about the pitch with nice touches and the occasional great finish, and for some reason can't play very effectively with McDOnald at all. He's a great sub but JVoH > him for goals and link up play with McDonald. Not really sure why either Celtic or Rangers are after Lafferty, you could get a similar quality player for about 10% of the fee in the SPL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Nice Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Samaras is chronic. His first touch is worse than kenny millers and that's saying something. However, to his credit he's one of those guys that can play shockingly and grab a goal, certainly from what i've seen so far. JVoH > Samaras any day of the week for me, despite big Jans faults. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 28, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 28, 2008 Not really sure why either Celtic or Rangers are after Lafferty, you could get a similar quality player for about 10% of the fee in the SPL. From what I've seen, Lafferty is just a younger version of McCulloch and it's painful to think that we might end up paying around £6m for two very similar players, both of whom aren't what we need. We need more players like Beasley. You could see the difference in the Scottish Cup Final with him making runs from wide areas and supporting the front two. Something we badly lacked when he was injured. Fleck looked very promising when he came on as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
underwater sunlight Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 ive not seen lafferty but playing £4mil for someone young und untried at a high level would be mad. we knmow we can sign better players with that money, and with the youth players we have coming through, now would be a good time to play them instead. putting stevie lennon on loan to a SPL club, or a club in a similar standard league for experience would be a good move if he isnt going to play for us, as the reserves can only do so much. we sent alan mcgregor on loan to dunfermline a few seasons ago and now he is our first choice goalie. we should definately invest in our scouting network, as there is definately a lot of unearthed talent abroad that is just not heading our way. arsenal are obviously the benchmark for any club, and i would love for the money men to attempt to follow their example. even walter would play the kids arsenal find Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obi-Wan Kenobi Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 I can see Walter this time around playing more of the younger guys, especially with how this season ended in the manner it did. While Wenger now gets some of the best kids on the planet for next to nothing let's not forget his attitude to young players wasn't all that different to what Walter's has been. The backbone of Wenger's team when he arrived was Seaman, Dixon, Winterbourn, Adams, Bould, Keown, David Platt, Ian Wright etc and he stuck with that for the most part bringing in the odd proven youngster like Marc Overmars and then bringing in more seasoned players like Grimandi, Bergkamp, Petit etc. The only young players he really took chances on intially were Veria and Anelka. They done fine domestically like us for the most part with those kind of players, but they fell out of the group stages in Wenger's 1st 2 Euro campaigns and lost the league on the 2nd last day in '99. I think then after that he learned he got his balance and priority's wrong and the result is what you see down there today. I hope with how our season ended triggers a similar revalation for Walter too. We lack that little bit of quality to go that cruical bit further that we needed to this year and we're still a little out of balance with the kind of players we have. When we trailed in Manchester we simply lumped the ball up high to try and get something, that doesn't really work anymore. Frankie's artical sums up the rest of my feelings about this season. Put into context it is a great season. Now the question is can we move forward? I really hope the Miller & Lafferty rumours are un-true I just think we can do so much better than that, might as well get Fletcher instead as he'd cost the same as Lafferty but at least we'd know he'd score. Players down south are so over-inflated fee wise today I just don't see it worth our while paying such for them. If you look at the costs beetween Cuellar and McCulloch and then you look at the impact both has made and you see why. Theres more guys like Cuellar out there, I just hope Walter takes the time to find them rather than sticking to who he knows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Toner Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Even looking further afield such as the states, Wp's may be an issue here and there but they have quite a few talented players and upcoming youngsters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Toner Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Derby say Miller will not leave on cheap MARTIN McMILLAN May 29 2008 Adam Pearson, the Derby County chairman, insists the club is willing to sell Kenny Miller to Rangers for the right price. The Scotland internationalist is keen to return to Ibrox this summer following Derby's relegation to the Championship, although the Ibrox club have yet to make an official approach for the striker. Miller would make history if he completed a switch back to Rangers by becoming the first play to cross the Old Firm divide twice. advertisement Pearson is aware of the rumours surrounding the player and has dismissed suggestions there is a £1.6m buy-out clause in his contract. However, the Derby chief admits Miller would be available for a suitable offer. He said: "It's nonsense. We've invested a lot of time and money into Kenny so the deal would have to be right for Derby County. "There's no financial reason for us to sell but, if Kenny wants to go to Rangers and the fee is right, we'll do a deal. "We've heard nothing from Rangers. We've heard all the speculation and comments which makes you think there may be something in it but, unless Rangers make a move, it's still all speculation. "We've heard nothing from Rangers." I hope it remains that way... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_cfc Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 I said in our thread that i hope you do sign Lafferty just to make sure we dont. I think being fans of Celtic and Rangers your expectation are a bit high when it comes to potential singings but for the like of me i cant see how a guy from Burnley (no disrespect to them) will help take our team to the next level. Especially due to the price tag, which would probably make him the 'big' signing of the summer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan petrov Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Lafferty is gash and everyone knows it. He's a Rangers fan though so hopefully he signs there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 28, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 28, 2008 Hopefully he'll just end up at Fulham or Wolves and that will be the end of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_cfc Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 A certain Kenneth Miller scored a lot more goals in the Championship than Lafferty and look how he did up here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerokus Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Lafferty has been playing left wing this season, hence his appaling goals return. The fact he's been playing there is in itself a warning sign. I really hope you buy him as we've been after him for a while and I'd hoped (still think it IS the case) we'd dropped our interest. Both clubs really ought to forget about English-based british players, the prices are laughable for what you get. It's going the same wau in the SPL, actually, although that's a good thing as prices were relatively artifically low before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 if Walter/Strachan watch Euro 2008 this summer, then some players worth buying should appear on the TV - they don't need to scout, just put the telly on unfortunately if said player has a good tournament, then it usually puts the price out of both of our reaches Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerFurball Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Get Bafetimbi Gomis signed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Originally posted by GingerFurball:Get Bafetimbi Gomis signed. wee bit out of our price target level, especially as he's now in the final France 23 and will probably get some games to show what he can do Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 28, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 28, 2008 We picked up Carlos Cuellar for under £3m so there are definitely good deals out there. It's just a matter of finding them. I agree about giving up on English based players. Over inflated transfer fees and wages when there are much better deals to be had elsewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Unfortunately, we've not had much luck from other markets either recently - the French league has hardly been kind to us. As such it's imperative that we do our homework on potential signings to ensure we do get a Cuellar and don't get a Sebo. No matter what league they come from. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 29, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 29, 2008 Unfortunately, we've not had much luck from other markets either recently - the French league has hardly been kind to us. Yeah, I think we should probably just stay away from the French market. We've brought in quite a few players from there over the years and the majority haven't really been the best decisions. As such it's imperative that we do our homework on potential signings to ensure we do get a Cuellar and don't get a Sebo. No matter what league they come from. Indeed. But it's often hard to tell whether a player from another country will be able to adapt to the Scottish game. I think we've been quite lucky with Cuellar settling so well and not taking too long to adapt. If this is his bedding in season then just think what he'll be like next season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibroxhero Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Wonder if we could get Justin Hoyte on loan from Arsenal for a season to play RB and save on making a signing there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Not a fan of loans at all. They can prove useful but generally I'd prefer full signings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzzza Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I really don't rate Justin Hoyte at all. Whittaker should be playing at right back, we don't need to make a signing just play him there like he should be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 29, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 29, 2008 When are we signing Amdy Faye? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haz Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 £1m for Sebo would be a decent deal in the circumstances, if that's what we're actually getting. Hemdani, Gow ( ) and Buffell all apparently told to find themselves new clubs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 29, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 29, 2008 I'd be surprised if we got £1m for Sebo. Probably Euros Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzzza Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Tbh we just need to take whatever they offer us atm. If it is £1mill then great. The other 3 are as expected, shame Hemdani has been awful this season and Buffel/Gow not been given a chance. Just please no to Miller and Lafferty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibroxhero Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Apparently we've been linked along with some Spanish and EPL teams with French RB Jean Calve who is available for free from Le Mans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleyjag Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 People have too much time on their hands Still pretty funny though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Nice Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 ha ha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 29, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 29, 2008 Steven Davis has said on his blog in the Belfast Telegraph that he wants to stay on at Rangers. Good sign and hopefully we can sign him. A few English clubs like Blackburn and Newcastle are also interested though, so hopefully that won't push any potential fee up too high. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzzza Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 We should have made sure a fee got put in place when we took him on loan for a permenant deal. If Newcastle are interested I can see it going up a fair bit I'd try and keep him but wouldn't pay over 3.5mill for him Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted May 29, 2008 SI Staff Share Posted May 29, 2008 I'd heard we had a £3m option on Davis but who knows how accurate that is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I've heard we are interested in Davis but I think if we wanted anyone of Rangers it would be Cuellar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzzza Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I'd get him signed up for £3million. Cuellar better not leave, especially not to Newcastle, he is too good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Not sure why he'd come to us tbh. SJP is a graveyard for decent defenders. I can't believe you got 8mil off us for Boum . wp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Pretty sure Cuellar has already said he wouldn't move to Newcastle... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 But if a big enough offer came in he would be forced out just like hutton was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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