Transfer Deadline Day: Michael O'Halloran signs until 2020

[Big Jaws 570]

Thanks Pete.

[MacK1950 2,231]

Welcome Big Jaws,interesting and well thought out first post agree with you.

[pete 2,499]

My first post on Gersnet so I hope its no too controversial an introduction.

 

 

We need to get our head out of where it has been for the last couple of decades with sometimes extravagant, expensive flop fodder.

 

 

I think Warburton is using his experience from his previous field here and is cautiously speculating. You can sort of follow it through the carefully chosen language he uses in some of his interviews where he talks about transfers and the loan market for example. He says it gives us access to the type of player we simply cant afford. We're not in Kansas no more Toto, or more aptly 'the 90's'. Not that they are automatically better players than what we already have per se'. Just that the markets are shrinking. At the moment we're competing against both the SPFL and the English leagues for a smaller pool of available players and it is far too expensive, in more ways than one, to place your budget on what could potentially be a 10-100/1 shot.

 

 

I think he's being cute here, we need cover, not just for injury's and suspensions but for terrain also. In fact Scottish football has gotten to the stage, over the last 20 odd years, of breeding Barry Ferguson type players (physique wise) because of the heavy pitches in the months from October to Jan and again in the months from late Feb to early May where very few of the slighter built players perform well on heavy pitches. There are exceptions of course but I'm sure you've heard it yourself in your circles. He needs tae beef up a bit or he's powder puff, too lightweight. Zalalem for example is a lovely neat and tidy player but his slump in form seems to have coincidently begun as the rains did and he'll probably come back to a right good game as the pitches dry out from March onward.

 

 

If you seen the state of Dens park at all for that derby on Sat? Forrester is a wee stocky guy and by the looks of him could cover the ground as needed and would be excellent cover across 7, 8, 10, 11 especially in the type of boggy terrain (e.g. at Dens park), with no bounce, in the next couple of months. To my mind Warbs is taking a punt here but not just a guess type of punt. Its more calculated and pragmatic than that. What's the worst case scenario? We could get a player who cant quite cut it. That's OK we let him go in the next window as the limited contract allows. Not much of a loss over all. Or he does make an impression in which case we sign him on a more permanent basis or conversely move him on before his contact expires for a couple of hundred grand, in that tight market. 200k is nothing in the English market and if he was up to par for them many English clubs would bite the hand off you to take him for that type of money but for us, right now, its a healthy chunk of change.

 

 

There's a fair bit of business to be done in this window yet and I'm sure if Warburton can get what he thinks he needs then he will. Otherwise he'll wait. The only position I think we need is DM but I'm not Warburton so I don't know exactly how he feels about that position or whether he feels he already has someone to cover that role or not. I'll wait and see who and what he does before I become overly concerned.

 

In reply to your post, I think you are right that he is taking his experience from his former occupation and buying in players that have potential but have had a low yield and try to grow them into profit making entities. I am not so sure size or weight makes a difference on heavy fields but the type of player will certainly have an effect, You possibly have to have less technical players with more stamina. Are short snappy players better than big cart-horse types of players? I would imagine that is how you want to play. If it is a long ball system up to a striker then I would say you would need a larger more muscular striker with probably a couple of fast zippy players feeding off him. I don't think Zelalem started to play bad with heavy pitches I just think he slows the game down too much by trying to make too many simple passes. I think he will end up an excellent player but not in the cut and thrust Scottish game.

[pete 2,499]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKLyBMJeJY0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Pkksm_UqU

Edited January 4, 2016 by pete

[trublusince1982 243]

His signings only make financial sense if we get promoted and they lay the foundations for a team that can maintain a top half of the table finish next season. It doesn't save money our help in anyway if they all need replaced next year, all its done is hold off the inevitable.

Edited January 4, 2016 by trublusince1982

[calscot 0]

His signings only make financial sense if we get promoted and they lay the foundations for a team that can maintain a top half of the table finish next season. It doesn't save money our help in anyway if they all need replaced next year, all its done is hold off the inevitable.

 

I think financial sense starts with making sure of promotion this year. As he's already shown, you can build a team pretty quickly given the resources and buying cleverly.

 

I'm not sure if this building a team over time has much evidence as usually new managers start out well and then get worse after a few years. If they don't start well they don't get the chance to improve. Arsenal bought into building a team for the future which never seemed to have arrived and although they are top of the league now, it's only 2 points ahead of a brand new Leicester team with a fraction of the resources.

 

For me it's about building a successful squad quickly and then the skill is maintaining it otherwise it will always get worse - a bit like a classic car, you are always replacing bits and doing repairs.

 

I also think that there is the point that recruitment will be easier once playing in the SP is guaranteed, and there is no harm in trying guys for six months if they are willing instead of panic buying some players who are doomed to failure while overpaying them on lengthy contracts and eventually paying them off.

 

As for finishing in the top half of the table, that is very modest compared to our ambitions and I think challenging for at least second place is plausible and achievable. You only have to look at Hearts and not only do I think we already have a better squad and manager than they, I know we will outspend them in the summer once promotion is won. Looking at their position, I have some confidence that we should be able to compete with Celtic if the board provide a war chest and Warburton uses it well - although I do think Celtic are keeping a lot of powder dry for this summer too.

[trublusince1982 243]

agree with most of that. Could well be Warburton feels he cannot attract the players he ultimately wants right now and will step up the pedigree of signing once we are up.

 

Losing my belief there is any sort of war chest available or forth coming, the more time passes the more I think £200k-£300k buys mixed with freebies will be it next season. Cant really see that being enough with the pressure that will ramp up when we are back competing against them. Hearts don't face teams at their best every week, we will, so need to be a gear above.

 

Don't agree we could beat Hearts with any sort of regularity think they are a far better side than hibs and could take a good few goals off them if they met.

Still hope we get a decent premier side in the cup so we can gauge our position a little clearer. Would feel better if I could see us take a scalp or two.

[der Berliner 3,240]

Looks like Gasparotto stays with Morton for the rest of the campaign:

 

"Papers signed, delighted to be staying on loan at @Morton_FC until the end of the season. Really enjoying playing and getting experience".

[Darthter 542]

I actually think that the short-term deals make a lot of sense....providing there is some clause allowing it to be extended.

We all know that there are very few "big name" moves in the Jan window. By offering initial 6-month deal, it gives MW time to give the players a right good going over. If they work out, a new longer term contract is offered & we're sorted. However, if they don't work out, their out the door at the end of the season, and not lurking around Auchinhowie claiming a wage for the next 2.5 years.

 

It's working smart, and that's exactly what we need. We simply can't throw money at players, hoping that they do the job.

[chilledbear 16]

From Accrington Stanley

 

@AndyhHolt: @ASFCofficial @TomBarclay_SUN @BumbleCricket I have been informed today that rangers are talking to Josh and Crooksey about a move 1/3

Edited January 4, 2016 by chilledbear