Kev McNaughton & the Dons - money, investment and ambition

[rocket_scientist]

The picture of Kev on the back of the P & J today is a poignant reminder of how many lights years away AFC are from having a Scotland international.

 

Severin and Anderson were the last AFC players to represent the team at full level (that I can recall) and the former was a long time ago and unlikely to ever get back there again, and the latter is no longer with us and not looking like getting back any time soon.

 

Of the current squad, Diamond, if he cuts out his howlers and makes similar progress to this year, is a prospective international in the future.

 

Surprisingly, Lee Miller, may be the only other possibility, however remote this may be.

 

Looking at the rest, forget it. Clangers was quoted once for the Scotland squad. I nearly vomited with disgust at the very notion.

 

So, for a club that used to supply the national team with a number of players, including the rocks that were Leighton, Miller and McLeish - we must've had many games where we had at least four Dons in the team, with many more international squad players over the years - we now have none.

 

Worryingly, we're not even looking like employing or developing international calibre players. Why?

 

I know for (almost) certain, that Phil McGuire was the highest paid player at AFC at the time he was got rid of, at £2k pw basic. I thought he was a good prospect at the time, and couldn't understand at the time why Calderwood was making noises in the press that seemed to suggest that his future at AFC was going to be limited.

 

Similarly, the handling of McNaughton was another one that I could not understand. Not only was he being played out of position regularly by JC, being utilised as a midfielder and worse, in an attacking midfield role, to accomodate Byrne at the time, but JC was also making noises about Kev's limited future at AFC for reasons unknown.

 

Now that Kev has been deemed good enough for his country, where no-one from AFC is even remotely close, either JC can not spot a player's potential, or most likely, he's operating within restraints imposed upon him from above.

 

Assuming it is the latter, then how can our chairman honestly say that the priority for AFC plc is "the product" - the football on the park? He promised Aberdeen shareholders and fans that this would always be the priority of the club, but the evidence of results, and a squad that is getting further and further from international class, progressively, during the whole decade+ that he's been in charge, suggests that "football affairs" are not his priority.

 

There has been a chronic lack of investment in the player pool. Even a couple less non-productives at Pittodrie would provide increased resource to attract a really good international class player, or at least the quality of young player with potential. The results over Milne's years are evidence enough of mediocrity, now entrenched in the culture of AFC plc, but the McNaughton example proves a complete lack of ambition from the board.

 

Like McGuire, I would bet that Kev was got rid of for financial reasons, not football ones. If it was football reasons, then it doesn't say much for our management team, but I believe the problem is higher than JC. He was moved on because we wanted to reduce the wage bill, and fuck what the fans want.

 

 

 

 

[rocket_scientist]

Does anyone think David Clarkson is good enough for Scotland or is he just getting picked because Motherwell qualified for Europe and his uncle died in such tragic circumstances?

 

It wouldn't surprise me if the sympathy pick came in here, which is pathetic.

 

I haven't ever noticed Clarkson as being a stand out player, but he did contribute to a team that was clearly better than the rest non OF this year, so hopefully this means that Burley and Butcher actually did their job and watched him often enough to make a decision. They've had fuck all else to do for months.

 

Even typing "Butcher" made me want to pause and phlegm-out, like Spit the Dog does.

[CtS]

And how come it took a move to Celtic before the Scotland management and media started wanking over Barry Robson?  Same player he was at Utd, but now he's at the smellies he's some sort of world beater and a shoe in for a starting spot.

 

Rangers + Celtic + Scottish media = Scottish fitba is fucked.

[Sharpie]

but but he scored against barcelona.

 

 

 

 

So did John Clark.

[CtS]

By the way I'm not questioning Robsons inclusion, just why it took a move to Glasgow for him to be perceived as a good player.

[sheep_shagger]

On another note though.

 

Does anyone think David Clarkson is good enough for Scotland or is he just getting picked because Motherwell qualified for Europe and his uncle died in such tragic circumstances?

 

 

 

I thought it was maybe to do with being one of the few who arent already away on holiday.

 

He is nowhere near good enough to be playing for Scotland.

[Mackie's ace!]

He's giving up being best man at his cousin's wedding though.

[mini59dons]

 

Nicholson for Scotland!!!

 

Next season, you watch...

[rocket_scientist]

Nicholson for Scotland!!!

 

Next season, you watch...

 

That, will NEVER happen.

[Superstar Tradesman]

What most folk seem to forget is that Aberdeen have never really had an abundance of international class players.  Even when we were the best team in Europe, outside of Miller, McLeish, Leighton and Strachan the others were just picking up a handful of caps.  The likes of Black, Hewitt, McGhee, Simpson, etc, etc, were lucky if they picked up about 15 caps between them!

 

Where's Milners when you need him? 

[Reekie_Red]

but but he scored against barcelona

 

Therefore, Lovell must surely get a call-up for the England squad for scoring against Bayern.

 

To be perfectly honest, I'm quite happy that no Dons are in the Scotland squad at the moment. Whenever a Dons player makes the Scotland squad in the past 10 or 15 years, they've either done next to fuck-all or have been so bad, it's quite embarassing watching them.

 

Seriously, Anderson was quite shocking the few times I've seen him in a Scotland jersey. McNaughton's cap against Nigeria was only memorable for two runs up the wing which ended up in goal-kicks.

 

I think the last two Aberdeen players I can ever remember doing something decent for Scotland were Robbie Winters scoring against Germany, and Eion Jess scoring against the Czech Republic.

 

...

 

Talking of priceless Jess goals, I couldnae help myself wi' this one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I_ICPGZ1_o

 

Watch and weep, my fellow reds. Watch and weep ... with misty-eyed joy!

[BigAl]

Word search for McNaughton threw up this thread so seems as good a place as any to post

 

Super Kev released by Cardiff City one year shy of his testimonial.

For the avoidance of doubt I am not suggesting we go after him, but reckon he could probably do a decent job for one of the smaller SPL clubs.

[Tubilay]

I'd think McNaughton would be a more than adequate replacement in the centre of the defence if Anderson is retiring.

[scotfree]

I would love to see Super Kev back.

 

Would still do a job for us.

[BigAl]

I would love to see Super Kev back.

 

Would still do a job for us.

 

Sentimentality says aye, however not convinced it would be a great move for him as just can't see him getting a regular game for us and I would imagine at this time of his career he would be looking for that

[manc_don]

His legs were gone last time I saw him play. As much as I loved him when he was with us and admired his play at Cardiff, no thanks.

[scotfree]

His legs were gone last time I saw him play. As much as I loved him when he was with us and admired his play at Cardiff, no thanks.

You could say the same about Anderson.... But we still took him back as his footballing head is better than his body.

I think the same with Kev. Yep, getting older and slower, but a good football head on the guy.

Yep from me.

[Tyrant]

I'm in the "No thanks" camp for a change. Although if Deek feels he's up to the job I will support the move. Don't think it'll be on Deek's mind though.

[tlg1903]

Not convinced he's particularly needed

[Madbadteacher]

I think we don need another experienced CB (as Russell is unlikely to play a full season) but I don't think Kev's the answer