The Pre-Summer-2017 transfer rumours and hearsay all inclusive Thread

[craig 5,199]

There's a couple of interesting articles referred to on the Beeb's Scottish football gossip for today... one that reports Don Cowie being surprised that we are the only club showing interest in Walker... and another suggesting that Hearts are about to offer Walker a deal that would make him their highest paid player.

 

We could of course accept both of these at face value, but I do rather suspect that this might either be the work of Hearts to sustain their inflated valuation of the player, or perhaps the player's agent to try and extract maximum value from any potential deal with us. Either of which would suggest progress is being made towards a deal.

 

They had already offered Walker a contract that would have made him Hearts best paid player - that was the disagreement earlier in the summer where Levein was saying he rejected such offer and his Dad rebutting what was being said by Levein - IIRC anyway.

[stewarty 1,882]

They had already offered Walker a contract that would have made him Hearts best paid player - that was the disagreement earlier in the summer where Levein was saying he rejected such offer and his Dad rebutting what was being said by Levein - IIRC anyway.

 

Fair enough - I wasn't aware the player's Dad had been involved. Regardless, I'm taking this to mean that there is something happening which could see us concluding things in the near future. I could also be completely wrong!

[craig 5,199]

Fair enough - I wasn't aware the player's Dad had been involved. Regardless, I'm taking this to mean that there is something happening which could see us concluding things in the near future. I could also be completely wrong!

 

I could be getting it wrong but am fairly sure there was some minor furore over it earlier in the summer. But then, I thought Connery was a Jambo (Bluedell ) so I could very well be wrong.

 

On topic.... Some of the signings I am more than just a little happy with (particularly Alves and Dorrans, despite not having seen too much of Dorrans he seems to be universally liked as a player) - we do seem to have strengthened in the areas needing it, aside from full back and, possibly, striker. But Pedro needs to get them operating to a SYSTEM - right now it all seems so haphazard.

 

We have gone out and got, if we get Walker, 3 wingers in Walker, Candeias & Dalcio (which is fine, wingers are usually inconsistent to if someone hits a bad patch there is someone waiting to step in)

We have brought in Dorrans, Jack, Pena - all 3 seem to be central midfielders, albeit slightly different in terms of what they bring. When you throw Rossiter & Kranjcar into that mix it seems we are over-loaded there. But with Rossiter & Kranjcar being injury-prine maybe not.

We have brought in Cardoso & Alves at the back - we know we needed strengthening there

We haven't brought in any full backs - maybe PC thinks we are OK there and that having Cardoso & Alves will improve Wallace & Tavernier

We have brought in Herrera & Morelos - Hererra isnt prolific but looks like he many bring more of a physical presence up front. Morelos was prolific in a lesser league, so it will be interesting to see if he can bring those goals to us - if he can then all this talk of Aberdeen being a "comfortable second" is just nonsense. I think it is anyway - they are talking about them having done well in the transfer window yet they have lost arguably their 3 best players in Jack, Hayes & McGinn.

 

I like the look of our squad, despite the devastating result last week. What I am NOT as convinced by is the manager being able to have them playing to a particular style, system or formation. Everything we have seen thus far seems to look like the players aren't sure what their actual role is. Hopefully that is teething problems, but one has to be concerned that it isn't.

 

Bring on the first game !!!

[StuGers 477]

I wouldn't mind seeing Walker in a Rangers strip however I feel that we have a load of midfielders and also, I certainly wouldn't like to see us pay anywhere near the money quoted to Hearts for a player in the final year of his contract. If Hearts get anywhere near £1m they will be laughing all the way to the bank.

[MacK1950 2,255]

Playing to system sounds ok but it worries me that the system might become zonal if it is too rigid,I would prefer it if the words used were "play as a team".

[pete 2,499]

Might simply be his opinion, but IanDurrant10 today remarked re Walker:

 

 

 

Re the Hearts friendly last Friday someone noted:

Originally Posted by IanDurrant10 View Post

I was told that Pedro ratified the deal on Friday & spoke with Andrew Dickson & SR in a bid to have it pushed over the line

 

Allegedly Walker has told Hearts he's not interested in a new deal whilst our interest is alive as he's desperate to move to us

 

We are actively speaking with Hearts as of this morning to try & come to an agreement

 

I suspect the only stumbling block will be our need to meet the fee but I'm told Pedro is pushing for it to be done in time for Marseille

 

Is it definite? Nothing's ever certain but I'm confident it will happen & as confident as my previous 5

 

However all depends on us

Quote Originally Posted by IanDurrant10 View Post

Among other chit chat was told that Crooks should finalise his move away this week & that Dodoo is close to sealing a loan move (to whom I dunno)

 

Tav won't go to Forest until they meet our valuation of £1.5m

 

With regards to shifting MOH we are in talks with 4 clubs but apparently 'undoubtedly going to cost us money'

 

Dorrans has been excellent in training & dressing room too....

 

 

 

IanDurrant10 later put these posts up on FF.

[Waltersgotstyle 297]

IanDurrant10 later put these posts up on FF.

 

All sounds very promising.

 

I still have a lot of optimism for this season - I think Dorrans will be our answer to Brown - in the fact that he will demand more from those around him.

[aweebluesoandso 290]

I could be getting it wrong but am fairly sure there was some minor furore over it earlier in the summer. But then, I thought Connery was a Jambo (Bluedell ) so I could very well be wrong.

 

On topic.... Some of the signings I am more than just a little happy with (particularly Alves and Dorrans, despite not having seen too much of Dorrans he seems to be universally liked as a player) - we do seem to have strengthened in the areas needing it, aside from full back and, possibly, striker. But Pedro needs to get them operating to a SYSTEM - right now it all seems so haphazard.

 

We have gone out and got, if we get Walker, 3 wingers in Walker, Candeias & Dalcio (which is fine, wingers are usually inconsistent to if someone hits a bad patch there is someone waiting to step in)

We have brought in Dorrans, Jack, Pena - all 3 seem to be central midfielders, albeit slightly different in terms of what they bring. When you throw Rossiter & Kranjcar into that mix it seems we are over-loaded there. But with Rossiter & Kranjcar being injury-prine maybe not.

We have brought in Cardoso & Alves at the back - we know we needed strengthening there

We haven't brought in any full backs - maybe PC thinks we are OK there and that having Cardoso & Alves will improve Wallace & Tavernier

We have brought in Herrera & Morelos - Hererra isnt prolific but looks like he many bring more of a physical presence up front. Morelos was prolific in a lesser league, so it will be interesting to see if he can bring those goals to us - if he can then all this talk of Aberdeen being a "comfortable second" is just nonsense. I think it is anyway - they are talking about them having done well in the transfer window yet they have lost arguably their 3 best players in Jack, Hayes & McGinn.

 

I like the look of our squad, despite the devastating result last week. What I am NOT as convinced by is the manager being able to have them playing to a particular style, system or formation. Everything we have seen thus far seems to look like the players aren't sure what their actual role is. Hopefully that is teething problems, but one has to be concerned that it isn't.

 

Bring on the first game !!!

 

This is my concern left over from the end of last season, is he making the players fit a system or making a system to fit the players?

[der Berliner 3,331]

A few bits and pieces gathered from FF ...

 

PC wants Walker and has spoken to Dickson and Robertson. It is suggested that we bid 800k but Hearts want more. Crooks is on his way out and Forest have been told that Tav's asking price is 1.5m, if they want him. O'Halloran has 4 clubs willing to take him, but any such deal "will cost us", perhaps a loan?

 

Meanwhile ...

Butcher posted info earlier which has since turned out to be correct, confirmed by a poster close/related to Naismith.

...

I posted about Naismith deal being back on a few days ago if we could offload a few. Was told from a very good source

 

Unfortunately it was deleted as it was within a new transfer speculation thread.

 

Since been confirmed by tamforsyth so clearly is true

Edited July 17, 2017 by der Berliner

[Big Jaws 570]

I could be getting it wrong but am fairly sure there was some minor furore over it earlier in the summer. But then, I thought Connery was a Jambo (Bluedell ) so I could very well be wrong.

 

On topic.... Some of the signings I am more than just a little happy with (particularly Alves and Dorrans, despite not having seen too much of Dorrans he seems to be universally liked as a player) - we do seem to have strengthened in the areas needing it, aside from full back and, possibly, striker. But Pedro needs to get them operating to a SYSTEM - right now it all seems so haphazard. ⁽ⁱ⁾

 

We have gone out and got, if we get Walker, 3 wingers in Walker, Candeias & Dalcio (which is fine, wingers are usually inconsistent to if someone hits a bad patch there is someone waiting to step in)

We have brought in Dorrans, Jack, Pena - all 3 seem to be central midfielders, albeit slightly different in terms of what they bring. When you throw Rossiter & Kranjcar into that mix it seems we are over-loaded there. But with Rossiter & Kranjcar being injury-prine maybe not.

We have brought in Cardoso & Alves at the back - we know we needed strengthening there

We haven't brought in any full backs - maybe PC thinks we are OK there and that having Cardoso & Alves will improve Wallace & Tavernier

We have brought in Herrera & Morelos - Hererra isnt prolific but looks like he many bring more of a physical presence up front. Morelos was prolific in a lesser league, so it will be interesting to see if he can bring those goals to us - if he can then all this talk of Aberdeen being a "comfortable second" is just nonsense. I think it is anyway - they are talking about them having done well in the transfer window yet they have lost arguably their 3 best players in Jack, Hayes & McGinn.

 

I like the look of our squad, despite the devastating result last week. What I am NOT as convinced by is the manager being able to have them playing to a particular style, system or formation. Everything we have seen thus far seems to look like the players aren't sure what their actual role is.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ Hopefully that is teething problems, but one has to be concerned that it isn't.

 

Bring on the first game !!!

 

I keep hearing this business of the players not knowing what the manager wants or what they're supposed to be doing.

 

Working backwards;

 

(ii) Of course the players know what their roles are and what they are supposed to be doing. Clint Hill was very definite about that in his last interview for the club. Now they are supposed to be professional footballers who should know that the object of the game is to score more goals than the other team. If they don't know that then they are in the wrong business because even we know that and we're just folk who enjoy watching football.

 

(i) Now onto the notion that it all looks a bit haphazard. That is a fair comment... however at this stage its supposed to look a little haphazard. There is no rigid set formation/system in spite of the fact that Pedro lines them up at the beginning of a match normally in a 4-2-3-1. The essence of Caixinha's method is that its system and style is supposed to be non-linear and dynamic.

 

This is my concern left over from the end of last season, is he making the players fit a system or making a system to fit the players?

 

From what I understand of the tactical periodisation methodology that Pedro employs is.... The system is the team and the team is the whole.

 

Again to reiterate what I said above there is a system of learning to win each match, through understanding each others strengths and weaknesses, that players have individual tactical functions to perform but they are little to no use in isolation so its discussed in terms of tactical principles or 'moments and phases of play', that the whole team needs to have an absolutely awareness of at any given instance within a match. The team is being trained to have a personality or style of its own which would be completely different with different personnel.

 

There are a couple of things that concern me firstly there's been reports that some of the players have been complaining about the amount of drills, running and other exercises during training. If that is true then I have nothing... because remember these are supposed to be professional athletes and they are complaining about being trained in their discipline. Think about that for a second. As an athlete training should be about achieving a level of fitness and preparedness for ANY challenges that arise during your competitive engagements.

 

The training that is being used has a very focused intention which is to bring out a specific wining style of game play by collective & individual intentions. What that means is that the focus in training is fundamental team play. ALL individuals accepting responsibility, its about how they interact with each other, how they express themselves individually and how it fits into a team. Considering this its easy to see why the youngsters who played at the end of last season looked good enough because they didn't come with any of that baggage of been there done it wore the t-shirt older players have.

 

Secondly Rossiter in his interview said some of the guys in the dressing room after the game in Luxemburg were saying we were unlucky. No we were not unlucky we acted as if all we needed to do was to turn up. It makes me wonder just exactly how cushy was life under Mark Warburton? If they are not up for it then Rangers isn't for them. At first I thought it might be someone on the park giving instructions on what to do next but from what I seen in the second half at home and in the full match in Luxemburg was simply the players from Warburtons team resorting to playing the way they did with him. Moving the ball from side to side and back again possession the be all and end all and it went absolutely nowhere in the end.

 

Personally I think Pedro's prep work is a 3-6 months ask. The problem for Pedro is that I don't think he's got that long.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Big Jaws