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Pre-season: Saturday 12th July 2025

Cove Rangers v Aberdeen, Balmoral Stadium, kick-off 1pm

OrlandoDon

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Everything posted by OrlandoDon

  1. I’d argue some of our problems come from going 3 at the back. We’re a poor side, keep it simple with what our players are most familiar and that’s a back 4. Assuming mccrorie is back, he’s right back. I’d play scales at left back. I have no clue what to do with duk. He scores goals but I still think him and miovski together is square peg round hole. With a back 4 I’d try duk right wing, coulson left wing. I don’t see clarkson as a holding deep mid, that’s ramadani. Clarkson just behind miovski. Shinnie being shinnie. 2-1 us, in hope. Joe Lewisx2.
  2. I’d honestly take strachan or Lennon, would have preferred either to glass or Goodwin, but as I mentioned on the game thread from today, I think a clean slate and a fresh start is needed. Someone with experience and some sort of success in his past, and no SPL baggage. Someone like an ange for example, but probably on a smaller scale. this includes parting ways with Robson, but still have a back room staff that includes SPL experience. There will be holes in whoever we hire, we all won’t be happy, but we’re not an English premiership team, or the old firm, and we have a limited budget for players and manager. in regards to timeline, I can only assume the new ceo is involved with the manager, hence he has involvement and the delay?
  3. 51 goals conceded from 26 games, can’t ever remember us having such a bad defensive record. Worst in the league too ffs. At this rate we’ll be over 70 by the seasons end. How did Macdonald and pollock look today??
  4. Didn’t see the game so can’t comment. My knee jerk reaction is to punt Robson too and just start afresh with a whole new coaching staff. Get some guy in (not strachan) who is experienced but not SPL tarnished. Someone like an Ange for example. Not easy to find but a fresh new face may be a good thing.
  5. Is strachan a serious candidate? I’d certainly be happy with him. Maybe Robson as asst/coach to work under him. Be like brown setting up mcinnes (yes, he wasn’t his asst) but the old guy setting it up for a younger guy to take over.
  6. I used to pay attention to rugby growing up, played a bit, plus 4 years of college in Edinburgh certainly created interest with the rugby weekends, but haven’t paid too much attention since. I will say, after watching the highlights of the last two matches, I googled a few players and was certainly disappointed some of the players weren’t Scottish. Much like when the footie team is stacked with English players, it’s not quite an authentic national team to me. Saying that, I can accept a Scottish granny or parents much more than someone who has simply lived and played in Scotland for 3 years. I’d be gutted if Chris woods was Scotland’s keeper and a national side with Roberts, butcher, Trevor and Gary Stevens, even Ray Wilkins and Hateley. I’d still be a little disappointed if theo snelders was Scotland’s keeper. Niall mcginn, Jonny hayes, Shay Logan, Joe Lewis, maybe Adam Rooney, it just wouldn’t be right. I’m ok with Aussie Lyndon dykes playing for us as he’s at least got Scottish blood in him and can claim to be Scottish.
  7. I think there’s a huge amount of luck involved. Things just have to work for you. I wonder how good goodwin would have been if he inherited a team like mcinnes did? McGhee did quite well at Motherwell hence we went for him. listen to martingale at livi, he doesn’t sound much different to john Hughes, but he seems to be doing ok. look at Liverpool, did klopp go bad? I’ll even add, what if we drew with Celtic 0-0 and beat rangers 2-1, who knows how the next few games would have gone and we’d have goodwin still here for sure. It’s a tightrope spud… It’s not possible to judge a manager properly, or people would get it right much more often. Track record says a lot, but luck and the players you inherit is huge.
  8. Said that to a mate the other day. Last game it was three loaners at the back, add coulson and Richardson, that’s 5 who may not be here next year, although wishful thinking on Richardson. Mackenzie is our best under contract defender and he can’t get a game for us. Then again, what do we do with mccrorie, someone I prefer in midfield? especially if we keep shinnie past the summer, mccrorie is a defender by default. He’s not making the necessary progress being constantly moved to a variety of positions, I’d make him right back and commit to it. the more I think it’s hard to expect anyone so sign past the summer until we have a manager in place, if I were Macdonald I’d want to know who the manager is first and the managers take on him. Short term makes sense for now.
  9. Pure speculation on your Macdonald take instigating the short term, perhaps he gets the long term after we punt Stewart and scales returns to Celtic? Who knows, but we seem to have found two decent defenders……for now!
  10. I’ll reply to myself after further reading. Macdonald is a short term deal not a loan, so I guess we have every opportunity to keep him if things go well. pollock signed a 5 year deal when joining Watford for 250k in 2021. I guess a fee would be involved if it’s possible but I also think given the age/experience and previous transfer he’s affordable. I like the youth / experience blend, plus I think both are cheaper options, maybe even as good, than scales? Harsh to judge scales though, I think he’s decent, it’s just been a shit season with poor play and players around him, tough to find form.
  11. It’s only been two games but what’s the thoughts on pollock and Macdonald? They look decent additions but I guess the next game vs Celtic after over a week of training will be a good opportunity for judgement. No scales either next game. Think pollock is a solid young loon and I was disappointed he didn’t get his goal yesterday, certainly seemed to enjoy that moment. Macdonald seems to be the old experienced head. Any option of beyond summer with either or are they simply short term stays?
  12. And mccrorie straight red after 7 mins?!?!?
  13. Wow, did not see Stewart leaving. I assume mccrorie will be captain? Or is that an incentive for shinnie to sign permanently? don’t mind Vinny or any of the wide players leaving, actually thought one or two more would have gone. Still want Roberts given minutes, the rest have already shown they’re not good enough. I assume scales is suspended for tomorrow so the two new boys at the back and a new keeper? don’t mind all the loans and short term deal, with no manager who in their right mind signs a contract. Interesting few weeks ahead!
  14. Easy answer. Every winger we have is shit.
  15. Bunch of folks saying that the new manager has a hell of a job on his hands, didn’t really see it that way, but then again when you dig deeper maybe so. I do feel we have some talent plus I do think he’ll be given some funds so it’s not all doom and gloom. I think we have a bunch of dross needing moved on but I do think we’ve got a squad to build on…but not much. roos is no upgrade on Lewis, we have an average keeper whoever starts. Upgrade would help. defensively we are really weak. Richardson and stewart are not good enough to start for us, scales and coulson are loanees, Mackenzie is a decent youngster. Hard to judge scales given the shit season but tough to justify paying significant funds for him at present. Mccrorie is probably our right back but major defensive improvements needed. Saying all this, give confidence to back 4 of mccrorie stewart scales and Mackenzie and I don’t think that’s too bad. ramadani and shinnie are a solid central pair, sign shinnie permanently and make him captain. No clue if Barron is any good, and no clue if he wants to stay. Other than that we have no legit starting midfielders and that’s depressing. I’d like to see roberts given a decent run to see if he’s capable. With what we have currently clarkson is our 10 but he’s a short term rental. No clue of the new guy. miovski is a good player, would love to see him play with quality around him. Duk is raw talent with low intelligence. they aren’t a front two. No clue how or where we play duk, he has speed and can score, but he’s such a selfish player I’d hate to play with or coach him. Yes he scores but the vast majority of the time he loses the ball. He’s our first attacking guy off the bench if you as me. Hope we bring in a new manager with experience and transfer connections. Work to do.
  16. Most of these not realistic but I’d rather start this list, more inspiring than the lambert, jack Ross list, and the majority unemployed. You never know. lampard, Gerrard, Gary McAllister, cowley brothers, scott brown, ole, klinnsmann, van Bronckhorst, Javi Gracia, Peter Bosz, Bruno Lage, Dean smith, Thierry Henry, Shota Arveladze, Roy Keane, Tony Pulis, Jaap Stam, Paul le Guen….. many of these guy may just need a new challenge, nothing like awakening a sleeping giant! was always surprised killie got Clarke, hope we are ambitious and look at a seasoned and experienced coaching staff. Has to maybe be an experienced legit sssistant, like Clarke, ready to run his own show?
  17. What the fuck seriously. We weren’t that bad pre World Cup, then we had a month to train with pretty much the entire squad. How did this go so badly???
  18. We have to punt him now. Read that two pre contracts won’t sign since we have manager uncertainty. Got to move on asap.
  19. Haven’t posted since the cup loss. Goodwin isn’t the man to take us forward, said that at his hiring. Moving forward we have to pick the best TEAM. Blooding myslovic against Darvel was stupidity at its finest, we have to take each game as a cup final and grind out wins to get some confidence. lewis mccrorie-Stewart-scales coulson/McKenzie ramadani-shinnie kennedy-clarkson-vinny/hayes miovski stick with this 4-2-3-1 formation and lineup as much as possible, enough grit and skill to win games. Stop the 3 at the back fannying around as it ends up 5 at the back and long ball since we don’t get numbers forward. Then we really are shit. Think the players are better suited to this, especially with adding shinnie. we cannot play duk and miovski, doesn’t work, and duk can’t play the 9. He’s actually a team killer if you ask me, scores goals but appears dumb as rocks and can’t pass. Super sub material. 1-2 to us, miovski and shinnie
  20. Falkirk at home for the winner, can’t complain there!
  21. Funny, I see us winning 5-0. miovski 2, Stewart, clarkson and shinnie at the right end this time.
  22. I’d hope both. Wright is 6ft and can also play right back, looks like idzes is a ball winning central defender who has played in midfield too. Both right footed.
  23. Pretty quiet here, any gossip regarding Connor Barron? With clarkson apparently here til summer and the two new central midfield signings, would you swap Barron for scales?
  24. Anyone able to explain what our tactics are/style of play? Seems to be smack in long and hope most of the time. Limited build up through midfield and the usual hole in midfield in front of deeper central players and miovski up top. Though clarkson played in the position of a 10 for much of the game but we rarely played him to feet to create. That’s a waste of talent and a player out there if you ask me. I watched the first half and after 10 minutes was close to switching off. Improved and we created chances. Second half on I thought we were pretty shit and switched off after their second goal. Don’t think the loss of Stewart made a difference, from 45 mins onwards we sat too deep. Yes rangers pushed us back but we needed to push up and forward when we got the ball. Most of the time we just belted it long and lost it. disappointed to lose but didn’t expect to win, and another week where I see little to suggest goodwin has a positive impact on our team and positive style of play.
  25. What a stupid and unnecessary red. Bring Ramirez on up top to give us a little energy. Scores the winner??
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