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If he goes, he goes.....the world keeps spinning.

 

but, if we are going to sell our better players, there had better be a backup plan ie scouting. I've believed for a while that we don't play the transfer market often or well enough. We tend to bring players in, the n release them @ the end of their contracts, rather than sell them on & bring in a replacement.

 

Right now we have Stevie Smith who can step up, but we should also have a selection of youths on the verge of the 1st team, and also have a list of potential signing targets for that position - ideally under 25, and costing very little ie. rising/promising players.

 

Our main criteria for player identification is that they are over 30 yr old & a free agent. These guys will probably only last a couple of seasons, at which time we will need a whole new team, rather than phasing players in on a fairly constant basis.

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If he goes, he goes.....the world keeps spinning.

 

but, if we are going to sell our better players, there had better be a backup plan ie scouting. I've believed for a while that we don't play the transfer market often or well enough. We tend to bring players in, the n release them @ the end of their contracts, rather than sell them on & bring in a replacement.

 

Right now we have Stevie Smith who can step up, but we should also have a selection of youths on the verge of the 1st team, and also have a list of potential signing targets for that position - ideally under 25, and costing very little ie. rising/promising players.

 

Our main criteria for player identification is that they are over 30 yr old & a free agent. These guys will probably only last a couple of seasons, at which time we will need a whole new team, rather than phasing players in on a fairly constant basis.

 

Let's look at the 120 day review parts which concentrated on the football operation:

 

1. Developing Football Performance and Capability

 

{...}

 

To deliver our strategic ambition, the following specific actions will be implemented:

 

Strengthen the Playing Squad - Funds will be made available on a targeted and phased basis over future transfer windows, starting in Summer 2014, in preparation for the Championship Season but also looking at future seasons with a more structured and planned approach.

 

Strengthen the Club's Football Operations - With the creation of the new position of Chief Football Operations Officer, with specific responsibility for developing best in class football operations support. This new role will support the Football Manager and the Board and will concentrate initially on developing player talent identification, scouting and recruitment capability.

 

Create Football Partnerships - Work with leading clubs outside Scotland to access developing talent, and football operations expertise.

 

2. Focus on Player Asset Management and Youth Development

 

Invest in Academy Players - An Academy Development Fund will be created with dedicated annual investment, increasing over time, committed to the acquisition and development of high calibre young players at different stages of their careers with the target to increase the number of Club trained talent coming through to play in the first team at an early stage.

 

Develop Player Asset Management - Developing playing talent is one of the major challenges at any football club. The Chief Football Operations Officer will also have the remit to develop the Club's player asset strategy which will build a long term structure and plan to deliver playing talent for the Club and maximize value from player trading.

 

Since the review was published we've done none of the above and have signed Kenny Miller (approaching 35), Kris Boyd (31 next week), Marius Zaliukas (approaching 31) and Darren McGregor (just turned 29).

 

Suffice to say, if we sell Wallace, or anyone else for that matter, they will not be replaced in a constructive fashion. Hence the supposed two week trial of Simon Lappin (32 in January) and also why supposedly at least four youth players have refused new contracts.

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If he goes, he goes.....the world keeps spinning.

 

but, if we are going to sell our better players, there had better be a backup plan ie scouting. I've believed for a while that we don't play the transfer market often or well enough. We tend to bring players in, the n release them @ the end of their contracts, rather than sell them on & bring in a replacement.

 

Right now we have Stevie Smith who can step up, but we should also have a selection of youths on the verge of the 1st team, and also have a list of potential signing targets for that position - ideally under 25, and costing very little ie. rising/promising players.

 

Our main criteria for player identification is that they are over 30 yr old & a free agent. These guys will probably only last a couple of seasons, at which time we will need a whole new team, rather than phasing players in on a fairly constant basis.

Wallace is another player we will make a considerable loss on. How many players in the last 10 years have we made a profit on? That comparison between us and Celtic would make difficult reading.

 

A club like us with little TV money but the potential to be successful needs to be getting cheap foreign players in and punting them on for large profits. We are just incapable of doing this bar the odd freak example.

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Let's look at the 120 day review parts which concentrated on the football operation:

 

Since the review was published we've done none of the above and have signed Kenny Miller (approaching 35), Kris Boyd (31 next week), Marius Zaliukas (approaching 31) and Darren McGregor (just turned 29).

 

Suffice to say, if we sell Wallace, or anyone else for that matter, they will not be replaced in a constructive fashion. Hence the supposed two week trial of Simon Lappin (32 in January) and also why supposedly at least four youth players have refused new contracts.

 

Generally ... Having a plan is one thing, having the means to fulfill it within a certain time another. Right now, it seems that they look at stop-gap solutions and "King-inspired" ST-sale drops don't particularly help. I would also expect that setting such stuff up takes its time, as you need to find the right people for the right jobs at the right price. It is a bit like "Kings work in the shadows", for how much do we know what the board does about these infrastructural problems? Why is it good to claim they don't do anything, but if it comes to King that same line is ridiculed? Just an observation.

 

IMHO, Miller, Boyd and Zaliukas are good enough to get us back to the top tier. What happens when we are back is anyone's guess, we could very well have new owners and lots of money by then. That is as likely or unlikely as claiming we won't have any money.

 

On a sidenote, I have to give it to the board that they never touched our Ladies and Girls teams, instead hiring one of the best coaches about for last season and getting some rather good players into the team as well.

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We are just incapable of doing this bar the odd freak example.

 

...and we've been incable of doing it for years.

 

Ceptic are considerably more successful in this area than we are. Take Forster, was he not originally Newcastle's 3rd or 4th choice keeper....couple of years in East End & few decent performances, then he gets sold for a reported £10m. We sign Wallace for £1.5m, he puts in several seasons-worth of good performances, yet we're looking at selling for £800k - thats not right!!!!

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Generally ... Having a plan is one thing, having the means to fulfill it within a certain time another. Right now, it seems that they look at stop-gap solutions and "King-inspired" ST-sale drops don't particularly help. I would also expect that setting such stuff up takes its time, as you need to find the right people for the right jobs at the right price. It is a bit like "Kings work in the shadows", for how much do we know what the board does about these infrastructural problems? Why is it good to claim they don't do anything, but if it comes to King that same line is ridiculed? Just an observation.

 

IMHO, Miller, Boyd and Zaliukas are good enough to get us back to the top tier. What happens when we are back is anyone's guess, we could very well have new owners and lots of money by then. That is as likely or unlikely as claiming we won't have any money.

 

On a sidenote, I have to give it to the board that they never touched our Ladies and Girls teams, instead hiring one of the best coaches about for last season and getting some rather good players into the team as well.

 

Nothing in the 120 day review was new and the fact it was published almost four months ago now doesn't lend much weight to excuses about time, fiscal and/or personnel struggles by way of implementing the changes suggested in it. Don't you think eight months is long enough to identify affordable staff? Don't you think eight months is long enough to identify the club's financial challenges and offer clear guidance out of such?

 

The only people 'inspiring' ST drops are those failing to run the club successfully. Ticket sales are wholly their responsibility and their failure to lead and inspire in any way is the main reason for such low take-up.

 

No amount of deflection onto King will change that.

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...and we've been incable of doing it for years.

 

Ceptic are considerably more successful in this area than we are. Take Forster, was he not originally Newcastle's 3rd or 4th choice keeper....couple of years in East End & few decent performances, then he gets sold for a reported £10m. We sign Wallace for £1.5m, he puts in several seasons-worth of good performances, yet we're looking at selling for £800k - thats not right!!!!

 

Those decent performances occurred in the high profile of the CL and that resulted in a subsequent England call-up. That is the big difference.

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Generally ... Having a plan is one thing, having the means to fulfill it within a certain time another. Right now, it seems that they look at stop-gap solutions and "King-inspired" ST-sale drops don't particularly help. I would also expect that setting such stuff up takes its time, as you need to find the right people for the right jobs at the right price. It is a bit like "Kings work in the shadows", for how much do we know what the board does about these infrastructural problems? Why is it good to claim they don't do anything, but if it comes to King that same line is ridiculed? Just an observation.

 

IMHO, Miller, Boyd and Zaliukas are good enough to get us back to the top tier. What happens when we are back is anyone's guess, we could very well have new owners and lots of money by then. That is as likely or unlikely as claiming we won't have any money.

 

On a sidenote, I have to give it to the board that they never touched our Ladies and Girls teams, instead hiring one of the best coaches about for last season and getting some rather good players into the team as well.

 

As Frankie says, how long does it take???

 

after 4 months I would have expected to see SOMETHING with regards the Review recommendations....yet we are bringing in a 32-yr old on trial. we are still looking at things on a short term basis. Bringing in good young talent is not going to be any more expensive than having a 32-yr old on a decent wage, warming the bench.

 

There was promises of a new Director of Football - so far only Nerlinger has been mentioned.....is there no-one else out there who could do the job??? Gary McSwegan was in the paper the other day saying how he used to scout for us - i don't know if he's any good as a scout, but he's certainly better than what we have right now...

 

We have ex-players, contacts and fans the world over that could be utilised for very little financial outlay, and could identify potential signing targets.

 

As a club, we need to look beyond the next match/current season with regard to players.

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Those decent performances occurred in the high profile of the CL and that resulted in a subsequent England call-up. That is the big difference.

 

He also had a few howlers in the CL.....

Also, he hasn't represented Engerland in any high profile matches....

 

Wallace has played for Scotland multiple times & gave many solid performances pre-admin and also previously for Hearts.

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Guest Night Owl
If you mean Smith, then that's a bit tough on him because he was with us for a long time before leaving and did well to get a lot of games in some good Rangers teams while he wasn't necessarily a 1st choice pick.

 

Personally, I think Smith is a more talented footballer than Wallace, but Wallace has the advantage of his 'beep beep' roadrunner style pace for bombing down the wing.

Morning Zappa..

 

It's Meep Meep....Not beep beep...

 

<---- Massive roadrunner fan.

 

Sorry.

 

On topic.

 

Wallace want's to go, he can go. If he needs to go ( debts ) he needs to go. I don't get the impression there is a lot of choice in this, it will be interesting to see the replacement...If it's another 30 something I'll scream. I personally think we'll get promoted but we're going to have so many players turning or over 30 years of age we'll need a fire sale next summer regardless of what happens.

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