hutton says no again

[juffery 0]

I've said for the two seasons before this one that I would concede the title if we could start to build a base for the future, using talent from home or abroad culminatng in a squad that could compete for 5,6,7 years. I wanted us to get away from the Fan-fan, Letizi, Ostenstad panic signings and that's what has happened.

 

This year it'll be very hard to take if we lose out on the title, but if we can keep the nucleus if the squad together and push on, simlarly to Scotlands efforts, I'll be gutted but looking forward to the future.

[calscot 0]

A pleasing aspect about the current squad is that there are few players that we are clamouring to find surplus to reqirement a la Fan Fan etc.

 

Ehiogu and Faye seem to be the only two who no-one wants in the team and most would not be disappointed if these players could be released from their contracts.

 

Cousin isn’t the most popular but is playing at a decent enough level which avoids vilification and should bring in a substantial transfer fee if he leaves in the current or next window.

 

Boyd is unpopular with some, but even his detractors would want to hold out for a multimillion pound fee.

 

Burke was less popular than Boyd due to holding out for what many seen as an undeserved contract offer and then hardly played a decent game for the club for a long time due to poor form, illness or injury. However, he has played himself onto the good side of most fans opinions in recent games and again a large transfer fee would be needed to compensate for his moving on.

 

Hemdani has been rumoured have been courted by other clubs but few would want to see the reliable, skilful and tenacious holding midfielder leave – unless an unfeasibly large offer came in.

 

Whether Weir retires in the summer is probably a very open question, and although most fans would like to see a younger man take his place for next season’s challenge, few would want to tinker with a very successful central defensive partnership at this crucial juncture of the season.

 

Gow and Broadfoot have hardly feature but I suspect most fans are happy with the quality of these squad fillers who while on a substantial wage will not be draining the finances at too alarming a rate.

 

Nacho Novo has deservedly been given a two year extension to his contract and while most bears are not blind to his limitations, his attitude, work-rate and recent level of performances make him a very popular player.

 

Our reserve goal-keepers have been an irrelevance with MacGregor playing so consistently as well as fortunately avoiding injury and illness. So the parting of ways with Roy Carroll will hardly register on the radar.

 

While you couldn’t call the rest of the squad, “World Class”, it contains few who could be labelled duds, and that’s what makes it a strong squad for domestic matches and less than embarrassing one in Europe.

 

It is a squad we can now choose to enhance with the keen eye of a sniper, meaning we can put away the machine gun we’ve been using for the last few seasons. We can use any funds to hunt down high quality prey rather than following the heard looking for easy meat.

[Super_Ally 0]

A pleasing aspect about the current squad is that there are few players that we are clamouring to find surplus to reqirement a la Fan Fan etc.

 

Ehiogu and Faye seem to be the only two who no-one wants in the team and most would not be disappointed if these players could be released from their contracts.

 

Cousin isn�t the most popular but is playing at a decent enough level which avoids vilification and should bring in a substantial transfer fee if he leaves in the current or next window.

 

Boyd is unpopular with some, but even his detractors would want to hold out for a multimillion pound fee.

 

Burke was less popular than Boyd due to holding out for what many seen as an undeserved contract offer and then hardly played a decent game for the club for a long time due to poor form, illness or injury. However, he has played himself onto the good side of most fans opinions in recent games and again a large transfer fee would be needed to compensate for his moving on.

 

Hemdani has been rumoured have been courted by other clubs but few would want to see the reliable, skilful and tenacious holding midfielder leave ââ?¬â?? unless an unfeasibly large offer came in.

 

Whether Weir retires in the summer is probably a very open question, and although most fans would like to see a younger man take his place for next season�s challenge, few would want to tinker with a very successful central defensive partnership at this crucial juncture of the season.

 

Gow and Broadfoot have hardly feature but I suspect most fans are happy with the quality of these squad fillers who while on a substantial wage will not be draining the finances at too alarming a rate.

 

Nacho Novo has deservedly been given a two year extension to his contract and while most bears are not blind to his limitations, his attitude, work-rate and recent level of performances make him a very popular player.

 

Our reserve goal-keepers have been an irrelevance with MacGregor playing so consistently as well as fortunately avoiding injury and illness. So the parting of ways with Roy Carroll will hardly register on the radar.

 

While you couldnââ?¬â?¢t call the rest of the squad, ââ?¬Å?World Classââ?¬Â, it contains few who could be labelled duds, and thatââ?¬â?¢s what makes it a strong squad for domestic matches and less than embarrassing one in Europe.

 

It is a squad we can now choose to enhance with the keen eye of a sniper, meaning we can put away the machine gun we�ve been using for the last few seasons. We can use any funds to hunt down high quality prey rather than following the heard looking for easy meat.

 

Spot on summary mate.

 

Would not be overly upset if Ehiogu stayed to provide cover. Although conversely would probably not notice if he left with Broadfoot there and Webster due back from yet another injury.

[ascender 352]

If we can get a creative, attacking midfielder in to the first XI and someone to replace Weir, I think we'll be well on our way to having a very successful team, squad and one which can be dominant in Scotland for a while to come.