Ajja

I'll give you that but it would be folly to expect that every player at the club would have such strengths that formations could be dictated by them. Have a look at the Motherwell squad and try and pick out 5 players with any tangible 'strengths', then flip to the highlights of them taking Dundee UTD to pieces and you will see what a manager can deliver. OK so they haven't achieved anything in real terms but a manager like that could arguably do more with our set up. I'm just not convinced the future is necessarily orange. PS Chris Clarks's strength is that Plymouth are willing to shell out £200K for him, does it get any better

The article posted today had Miller suggesting that the players budget was increased by around £1m each year did it not. Attendance revenue must be getting it in the arse and I can tell you first hand that general running costs of a company are not going down these days (property costs, utilities, wages etc are all rising). In order to increase a players budget by £1m you would have to be draining a reservoir of cash somehwere.

My reasoning precisely. I'm confident we can turn Diamond into a quality player and sell him on for a large fee. Nicholson is never going to command more than £250K (what we paid for him). I think a lot of our players would perform better under a manager who played a consistant formation, played to the players strengths rather than the oppositions and who didn't repeatedly rubbish them in the press.

Diamond.

I'm with you dude. Just trying to be pragmatic about the whole situation. I wish for the same regarding investment but the club are setting out their stall conversely. Could be worse, Hibs have raked in £10m and are getting jack shit to invest in a team who will be bottom six due to playing staff resources. Yes, they have a training ground but their players will be plundered before the egg has cracked. Beers and good times at Falkirk and fuck the rest of it

Interest payments are still part of our outgoings. You can choose to park them as non-operating costs but they are still costs. I don't believe, having looked at the financials, that we are breaking even. We may be 'operating' at breakeven point but that is an accounting trick. I seem to recall our debt was gradually increasing up until Anderson's transfer and European income although I may be wrong.

The point is, it is not likely to be a few players. I'm with you on offering key players like Zander and possibly Barry a little bit more to keep them as I'm not too convinced we would replace them with equivalents. However, the club have to secure long term financial health and, like it or not, they are working from a very very low base. If Aberdeen FC put out a message that contracts offered on a final offer hard line basis can then be renegotiated then all the players at the club, their agents and any prospective signings are acutely aware that there is money to be handed out. We will gradually erode all the work that has been done to screw things down and we will be worse off financially in the long term. Its a hard sell but Scottish football has not been living within its means for a long long time and even at £2-3K a week footballers are paid over the odds in terms of Scottish football (outside of the other 3 teams who operate in a different market). Aberdeen have to cut their cloth accordingly and if that means higher earners on £2K a week instead of £3K then thats what it means. Its not pretty but a readjustment is going on all over and it will eventually come to bear on English football as well.

That would be the long term finances of our club, and Scottish football as a whole (outside the obvious cuntage)

Was there not some information (not sure how reliable) going about that the club had offered deals with bigger bonuses in place but had not improved the bottom line and that's why Hart and Clark were bailing ?

Exactically. No sense spunking our load on the first 'reasonably good midfielder' who suggests he might stay if the offer is right. The managements negotiation position is instantly fucked if they demonstrate a willingness to stretch what has always been a 'final offer'. They appear to have done this with Zander and already Barry is knocking at the door. Can you imagine Miller's thinking ?

I guess at some point we have to address two facts. We have an enormous debt to reduce somehow. We were operating at a loss up until what has to be considered an exceptional revenue season this year. We cannot afford to project £1-2M revenue from Europe every season.

Its a tricky one though. On one hand you think just give him the extra but on the other its a downward spiral as the pressure to 'just give it to them' comes from everyone. In saying that, £200K for Clark has to be seen as a lottery win. Thats £1300 a week over a three year contract. Give that to Barry and bring a player from the reserves to replace Clark. Job done.

I'm off to book a train ticket to Plymouth with Clark's name on it. Plymouth hand promptly in mouth. Can't argue with what has been said in that article. Its a shitty situation but that's the reality of it. Doesn't look good for other players (like Miller etc) though as, from what Barry Nic is saying, it looks like the club are actually tightening the budget rather than offering a little bit more on top.

Priceless video The raging Jambos on the pitch at the end is funny as fuck. Peach of a second goal from Kidd too et voila

I have no issue with Barry going. He has been quite clear about the offer not being enough for him and he is entering the last few years of his career. Can't blame him and I won't be abusing him. If I hear others doing so I will be letting them know what I think. As for Clark and Hart, I am indifferent. Let them chase the crock of gold only to find its full of shit. Hey-ho.

I'm fancying one of our steamrolling cup performances a la Copenhagen or ICT. Four goals for the Aberdeen

I like your thinking dude. Like giving Viagra to Fidel Castro ?

Good stuff. I think they don't tick without him. However, their season goes in peaks and troughs and I suspect after the second half against Killie they are ready for a peak, just in time to play us

Alternatively, a clear out might rejuvenate the current squad and galvanise the team to perform better and attract crowds back. Did you ever have a clear out of all the old shit that lurks in the corners of rooms and in the back of cupboards gathering dust and is of no practical use to you and you are hanging onto it because you hold out some hope that it might be useful some day ? Its a very refreshing feeling Lets just wait and see what shakes out.

Does it involve Hibs ?

When does Kingston/The Centaur return from the African Nations Cup ? Is it before we play them ?

I challenge you to name such a position, it won't be easy

If ZD commits can you imagine the response he will get from the fans. Instant hero status. Would be good if he could give us all a lift before Saturday then we can storm into the next round for a glamour tie against East Fife or summink PS Before the smart arses descend, I know they are out

How many beers ?

Soutar ?