Panda

Does that not conflict with your argument then? You're saying the foreign signings don't work out because they can't adapt to Scotland, then say it's because they probably weren't good enough in the first place. For every foreign player you say wasn't good enough, I could probably name 20 from the U.K. we signed who weren't good enough either. Our current recruitment and scouting model is essentially less than a year old, so comparing it to previous seasons is probably useless anyway.

Think you're confusing Di Rocco with D'Jaffo, who may have been his replacement. Di Rocco I think was a late season loan signing, only played 10 games (scored 3 times though) but I don't think we could get a permanent deal done. Was quick, strong and good in the air. Well worth his place in the side.

Sorry, forgot about Cobian.

But all the things you've said there could be applied to guys we've signed from the rest of the U.K. Only recently - Cosgrove probably - have we actually thought about a sell on value for players. We've always been thinking short term. Us not (in your view) signing good foreign players is more down to the management and recruitment rather than them being foreign. I struggle to think of one example of us signing a guy from abroad who was proven to be a good player before he arrived, and him failing to settle in Scotland.

Snelders Guintveit Arnason Solberg Kiriakov Di Rocco Bisconti Heikennen Zeroauli Paatelainen Ramirez Slight concern over the imbalance of the team and a couple of players out of position slightly, but solid enough and deadly in the opposition box. Kjaer and Stavrum could replace Snelders and Paatelainen if you want to be picky about when they signed rather than when they played. Notable mentions too for Ten Caat, Belabed and Cerny. Techincally, Sone Aluko & Michael Hector were capped for foreign teams but I've left them out, as well as all the Irish even though they're foreign too.

30 years? Are you trying to suggest since 1992 we haven't signed any good foreign players? Come on now... Anyway, I don't need to go back 30 years. Ramirez was clearly a good signing. Would a Scottish striker have brought us the same return in goals? Others like Beni Baningime (Hearts) and Benjamin Siegrist (Dundee United) did well last season.

Last season we signed Scott Brown, David Bates, Declan Gallagher, JET, Matty Longstaff, Teddy Jenks, Adam Montgomery, Gary Woods, Austin Samuels and Markey Watkins. All of them failed to adapt to our style of play in this country, the climate, and the language. Maybe we shouldn't sign anyone, too much of a risk.

Box to box midfielder, left footed. Appears he played well enough when in the team at Blackburn but had no luck with injuries. One of those "potentially, if fit, could be a player". Bit of a risk but that's the market we're in. As for him not being hungry enough - could just be Mowbray being an arse. But, not hugely surprising if it is true, a young player repeatedly getting injured when given a chance, hard to remain motivated and keep your spirits up.

According to Tyrone Smith, his first name is pronounced Eeelber, for those wondering. Edit: Ylber Ramadani's first name obviously. Tyrone is as it's written

We've signed someone! https://www.afc.co.uk/2022/06/08/ramadani-becomes-a-red/

I've only watched Liam Scales play once - a 4-0 win over Raith Rovers where he scored a cracking goal and I gave him the man of the match award. But, a Celtic supporting friend who watches him far more often than I insists "he's slow and pish". He actually has a decent goal scoring rate at all the clubs he's played for. I would say he's worth a chance, and at 23 still has his best years ahead of him.

£350,000 price tag for Charles Dunne. Hopefully that puts that one to bed and we move on to someone else. Graeme Shinnie available on a free. Dunno if he would want a move back to Scotland yet, but if there's even a small chance of signing him then 100% we should be in there. That would sort out who should be captain next season. Although, with this Ramadani signing, that might rule that one out as he's a DM.

Heading to Spain for a week, with a fixture over there I think. Playing Buckie Thistle on 25 June, and Brechin City 6 July. Then first game of season is 10 July v Peterhead. Sounds like they'll be back in training in about two weeks, except Lewis Ferguson who'll get longer because of Scotland duty. That's not long to get the avalanche of signings in, especially since many players don't get released from their contracts until 1 July.

Scott Allan been released by Hibs. I know Goodwin was very close to signing him for St Mirren, although not sure he fits into Goodwin's "young and energetic" mantra now considering he hasn't completed a 90 minutes all season. Shame, five years ago he was a fantastic player but has had no luck with his health, what with diabetes then his heart problems. Probably Kilmarnock bound - he sounds like the type of player McInnes will take a punt on.

We need a ball winner in the middle of the park if McCrorie is playing right-back and Ferguson leaving. No idea if this fella is a ball winner right enough.

Only realised his sister is London Pollard, who is a very good player in the women's football scene. I've all I've got - never seen Lancelot play so no idea if to be gutted or not.

Hopefully that game is at Pittodrie then so the king can get a standing ovation. Ach to be fair to him he wasn't the worst. But him, his brother, David Rowson, they never really rose above "not bad". Good to have around the place though someone once said.

Stop fretting about how much Hector is going to cost, Goodwin is currently negotiating a bargain deal to land Charles Dunne for the left side. It'll be fine. Peterhead and Stirling Albion won't know what's hit them.

If we had the remotest chance of signing Hector, then absolutely we should sign him regardless of whoever is in the squad already. The same way I wouldn't turn down Graeme Shinnie because we've already got Dean Campbell. Would it impact on signing a LCB, I don't know, but on account he's a better RCB than anyone else at the club he would add value to the team.

Are Stirling Albion still managed by ex-Don Darren Young?

At the very least I thought we might get some interesting ties. Apart from the Blue Toon, we didn't.

Looking at the positives, there's a couple of potentially decent away days there in the height of summer. Arbroath, Cove, Kelty Hearts & Buckie Thistle for me Geoff. Far better than a trip to Croatia or Cyprus.

Who said anything about playing Hector on the left? If there was any possibility of signing Hector (and I doubt there is tbf) and we turned him down because we've got Declan Gallagher there, then that might be what finally ends me.

Do we have shitloads of cover at CB? With Devlin & Considine gone and McCrorie earmarked for elsewhere, I wouldn't say we're well covered there at all. We should sign players who are an improvement on what we have. Step forward Michael Hector.

Michael Hector now a free agent after being released by Fulham. Still only 29.