January 2024 Transfer Window

[OrlandoDon]

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

The Tims will be wanting close to seven figures for Johnston. He's contracted until 2026. Undoubtedly a good player, but the only way he'll be coming here is on loan. Hopefully the previous burnings of Christie and Scales will put us off this.

You think so? We’ve spent money on players in recent years, plus taken money in for player sales and Europe. We’re investing in players we think we can sell on for profit, you don’t see Johnson in that category? I get he’s more high profile than many we sign or are linked to, but he’s the type of player/signing I think would excite fans and be a real hit…..unlike a morris or Richardson (or Hernandez?!) who we also paid for.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

You think so? We’ve spent money on players in recent years, plus taken money in for player sales and Europe. We’re investing in players we think we can sell on for profit, you don’t see Johnson in that category? I get he’s more high profile than many we sign or are linked to, but he’s the type of player/signing I think would excite fans and be a real hit…..unlike a morris or Richardson (or Hernandez?!) who we also paid for.

I think he'll be above our budget. Scales would be a good comparison. We weren't willing to get close to what the Tims valued him at. Our board seem more keen to spend money on unknowns like Gueye for some reason. I guess that they think the return will be greater. The Scales and Christie scenarios show that the Tims aren't really amenable to a deal either, which is their prerogative, and will force us to pay over the odds. I also suspect that the Hernandez move was a massive mistake that the board maybe learned from. He was way out of our existing price structure (frees and small fees), and I don't think we've come close since despite paying some decent amounts.

Edit: also Hernandez and Richardson would very much have got the fans excited if they had been good at actual football. I remember huge excitement around Hernandez until the minute he walked onto the pitch. Duk has got everyone excited too. I think Johnston would too, you're right.

Edited January 19, 2024 by RicoS321

[OrlandoDon]

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

I think he'll be above our budget. Scales would be a good comparison. We weren't willing to get close to what the Tims valued him at. Our board seem more keen to spend money on unknowns like Gueye for some reason. I guess that they think the return will be greater. The Scales and Christie scenarios show that the Tims aren't really amenable to a deal either, which is their prerogative, and will force us to pay over the odds. I also suspect that the Hernandez move was a massive mistake that the board maybe learned from. He was way out of our existing price structure (frees and small fees), and I don't think we've come close since despite paying some decent amounts.

Edit: also Hernandez and Richardson would very much have got the fans excited if they had been good at actual football. I remember huge excitement around Hernandez until the minute he walked onto the pitch. Duk has got everyone excited too. I think Johnston would too, you're right.

Every player would get the fans excited if they were good. We paid to gamble on Hernandez, Richardson, gueye, Morris amongst others from what I understand, all a risk and all have been shit. You pay more for Johnson but I’d say he’s proven to be at least our level. I’d agree in that he’s probably out of range, but it would be a certainly very nice signing, and we’re much more likely to get a solid sell on.

[tlg1903]

I think the problem with trying to sign off rangers and celtic is that even their fringe players are often earning low 5 figure sums per week which we just can't compete with. 

Edited January 20, 2024 by tlg1903

[OrlandoDon]

43 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

I think the problem with trying to sign off rangers and celtic is that even their fringe players are often earning low 5 figure sums per week which we just can't compete with. 

Read in a couple of places, no clue how accurate, that he’s on £7,900 weekly.

[Jute]

Could well be that level. As well as wages I think issue is with players like Johnston is that if the bigots do decide to sell then you are usually competing with English championship teams who can usually comfortably out bid us on transfer fees. 

[RicoS321]

17 minutes ago, Jute said:

Could well be that level. As well as wages I think issue is with players like Johnston is that if the bigots do decide to sell then you are usually competing with English championship teams who can usually comfortably out bid us on transfer fees. 

Yep. Sadly the only route is either through the loan system, which worked for us with McRorie, but not with the equivalent Tims, or snapping them up after they've gone down South for a bit and failed. Johnston has already had a loan move to the Portuguese top league, so I expect he'll have multiple options if he's willing to travel.

[Madbadteacher]

Another problem with trying to sign bigot brother’s players is that, having played for the gruesome twosome they tend to think they’re too good for any other Scottish side.

[OrlandoDon]

2 minutes ago, Madbadteacher said:

Another problem with trying to sign bigot brother’s players is that, having played for the gruesome twosome they tend to think they’re too good for any other Scottish side.

Maybe, did you sense that in mccrorie and mcginn? Christie when here, scales?

[Madbadteacher]

Ok, let me qualify that….

”established” hun/tim players not “fringe” or “young”

[RicoS321]

23 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

Maybe, did you sense that in mccrorie and mcginn? Christie when here, scales?

Aye, I'm with you, I don't think that's a thing. Robson, Nicholson, Hartley etc. etc.

Can't think of a single player who thought he was too good for the Dons. Scott Brown maybe? Although I don't think so.

[RicoS321]

2 minutes ago, Madbadteacher said:

Ok, let me qualify that….

”established” hun/tim players not “fringe” or “young”

If you are an established Hun or Tim then you likely are too good for any other team in the SPFL though, aren't you?

[Madbadteacher]

Defeatist attitude Rico. You’re feeding into their “hype”

[RicoS321]

38 minutes ago, Madbadteacher said:

Defeatist attitude Rico. You’re feeding into their “hype”

You're right. Fuck this Mikey Johnston pish, we should be looking at that O'Riley lad.

[OrlandoDon]

2 hours ago, Madbadteacher said:

Ok, let me qualify that….

”established” hun/tim players not “fringe” or “young”

If they are established first team Celtic or rangers players we cannot afford them and they are most likely too good for us. I also don’t care if they came from rangers or Celtic, if they make us better and want to play here I’m interested.

i honestly think this is a market we should be looking seriously at. Old firm fringe bargains. McGinn is one of the best players I’ve seen play for us, mccrorie was good, and we’d all have signed Christie and scales. Either pay to buy them or loan with agreed option to buy. They have players that would walk into our team who clearly don’t play enough, I’m sure we could benefit here. No doubt it’s looked at, but it appears strategy is to buy unknown cheaper foreigners and punt them for profit, but signing balance and known quality has to be considered too.

[Madbadteacher]

Yeah, loan ‘em in, can’t play ‘em against them, weaken our team when we play agains ‘em, frustrate our youngsters trying to come through so they fuck off elsewhere, fuck up our wage structure, prostitution.

 

But, hell yeah, suck the tittie!

[tlg1903]

Mcginn was ooc with celtic and we got him for nothing.  Not really the same as taking a loan. The only time that has worked really was Mcrorie though we were unfortunate not to get christie I believe and he would have been amazing business. I think it has to be looked at on a case by case basis but an option to buy should be a line in the sand.  

[BigAl]

Not getting the love in for Mikey Johnston. Can't say I can recollect anything I've seen that suggests he would either be worth the fee it would take or worth making him our highest paid player.

In the event that we were to sign him, I would be happy to be proved wrong.

[OrlandoDon]

9 hours ago, Madbadteacher said:

Yeah, loan ‘em in, can’t play ‘em against them, weaken our team when we play agains ‘em, frustrate our youngsters trying to come through so they fuck off elsewhere, fuck up our wage structure, prostitution.

 

But, hell yeah, suck the tittie!

You sound like my wife with her overreaction to a comment I make. Don’t think anyone wants the one year loans of the past. As I said, I’d support a one year loan with the established set option to buy, much like I believe the deal was initially with mccrorie.

Don’t buy the holding our youngsters back, if they were good enough they’d be playing. Plus, the crap about not playing against the parent club, that’s 4 games a season, maybe a cup game. It’s the results against every other team that will determine our season, not 4 games versus rangers or Celtic. Don’t think scales not playing against Celtic was a factor in our season last year….not ideal but we handle injuries, suspensions, missing 4 out of 40 games if we get a permanent deal that benefits us for x years, and x profit selling on is worth it.
 

We can pay, say £1m for Johnson for example, or pay a similar amount for Morris, gueye, and Richardson who, in my opinion, in Morris and gueye are just as much holding our youngsters back. Would rather see bavidge and Duncan get their minutes.

Edited January 21, 2024 by OrlandoDon

[Jute]

Press reports suggesting Vinnie is away back to Holland.

Apologies for the source. 

 

[Elgindon]

Thoughts on ex'Well Alan Campbell at Luton. Currently frozen out i believe, worth a loan if out of our wage bracket?

[Jute]

1 hour ago, Elgindon said:

Thoughts on ex'Well Alan Campbell at Luton. Currently frozen out i believe, worth a loan if out of our wage bracket?

He is on a season long loan at Millwall so probably need to be a summer move. 

[BigAl]

Surely has to be the quietest transfer window ever for us.

Hasn't even been so much as a rumour that has had any substance so far.

[RicoS321]

I think Robson has said he expects a couple of signings in the window. Sounds about right. Don't go overboard, we've got enough dregs in the squad to clear up over the summer and get us in a better place for next season. Besuijen going would be a good start. Ideally we cut our losses on Richardson, Morris and Gueye in the summer and build from there. 

[Jute]

30 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I think Robson has said he expects a couple of signings in the window. Sounds about right. Don't go overboard, we've got enough dregs in the squad to clear up over the summer and get us in a better place for next season. Besuijen going would be a good start. Ideally we cut our losses on Richardson, Morris and Gueye in the summer and build from there. 

Agreed and I would probably include McGarry in there unless we can convert him to a left winger as just don’t see a defender in there.