BobbyBiscuit Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Jimmy demands answer on deals Boss Jimmy’s message to star six By Charlie Allan Published: 25/11/2008 IT WILL soon be make your mind up time for some of Pittodrie’s leading players. Skipper Scott Severin, top scorer Darren Mackie, Jamie Smith, Derek Young, Lee Mair and Jeffrey de Visscher are the star names in the group whose contracts expire next summer. Aberdeen want to know their plans before Christmas, and hope to avoid the pain suffered last season, when Barry Nicholson, Chris Clark and Michael Hart chose to move on. Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood said: “If players don’t want to be at Aberdeen then they are better letting me know before Christmas. “It would allow them to get in ahead of the rush of players who are likely to be on offer in January and increase their hopes of securing a decent move to a new club. “It would also help us find suitable replacements. “I would certainly hope to have all them sorted, one way or another, by the middle of January. “If they want to stay and we want to keep them, then it will be a case of seeing what we can do. “If players want to leave then we will need to decide if it’s going to be in January, when we can still get a fee, or in the summer, when their contracts expire. “I’m not here to knacker anyone’s career. “But if any of them say they won’t be signing, it’s still not certain they would be allowed to leave. We would decide what is best for the club. “I didn’t want Chris Clark or Michael Hart to leave last January, but we decided the offers we got for players who would be free transfers in the summer were too good. “We could probably have sold Barry Nicholson then as well, but we decided to keep him for the rest of the campaign and take a hit by letting him leave for nothing in the summer. “The money we got for the other two helped to take in Alan Maybury and keep Sone Aluko on loan until the end of the campaign, so I saw that as a good bit of business.†Dutch winger de Visscher has already expressed fears that his Pittodrie career could be coming to an end. De Visscher has managed just two starts for the club so far this season. But Calderwood claimed there is still hope for the 27-year-old. “Jeffrey has no need to worry,†he said. “I’ve spoken to Jeffrey several times and told him he has been doing really well with the reserves and in training. “It’s just a matter of waiting for his next chance to force his way into the first team. “If it doesn’t happen for him at Aberdeen he still won’t need to worry because there would be clubs queuing up to sign Jeffrey if he left us.†Calderwood also hopes to make fresh signings in January, although that will clearly be influenced by what happens with the players currently at the club. He and assistant boss Jimmy Nicholl were in England last week watching reserve and lower league matches. Coaches Sandy Clark and Neil Cooper are also off on their travels this week. Calderwood said: “Jimmy and I clocked up the miles last week, so it’s Sandy and Neil’s turn this week. “It was a good trip because it allowed us to get useful updates on a few of the players who have been recommended to us.†Calderwood was spotted at a reserve match between Everton and Newcastle United, which resulted in him being linked with young Magpies keeper Fraser Foster. Calderwood insists he has no interest in England youth cap Foster, and would rather not say what positions he plans to strengthen at this stage. “We have specific areas of the squad in mind but it is too early to be specific,†he said. “In an ideal world you would prefer to be sitting confident the squad you have is good enough to make Europe, but a lot of things could happen over the next few weeks, so we will wait and see.†If what he's saying about JDV is true, how come he's always subbed/dropped first? He's never given the guy a decent run in the side apart from the start of last season when he actually looked like a player. Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Because he probably is actually bollocks. He does say he has specific ares of the team he wants to strengthen but it is too early to be specific. Quote
mizer Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Of the 6 'star' players mentioned Sign Scott Severin Darren Mackie Jamie Smith, Dinna ken Jeffrey de Visscher Lee Mair Bin Derek Young Quote
TENEMENTFUNSTER Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Of the 6 'star' players mentioned Sign Scott Severin Darren Mackie Jamie Smith, Dinna ken Jeffrey de Visscher Lee Mair Bin Derek Young Fair enough there Mizer. Quote
dave_min Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Of the 6 'star' players mentioned Sign Scott Severin - but play him in midfield Dinna ken Darren Mackie - Hope we could attract somebody better, but doubt he's on much money Jamie Smith - Is there any point in him? He's played as much as me this season Jeffrey de Visscher - Looked good in short spells, hope he turns out to be a half decent player Lee Mair - See Jeff Bin Derek Young - quickly! Quote
Kowalski Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Sign Darren Mackie How times have changed. (not necessarily you Mizer) Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Posted November 25, 2008 I'd keep Mair. When he's actually played in his proper position I think he can do a job. Wouldn't necessarily have him as first choice CB though. Derek Young can fucking beat it. Shouldn't have been signed in the first place. I like Jeff - i think there's a player in there somewhere, but don't see the point in holding on to him if he never gets a chance. The rest I'd probably keep, but Smith on a pay as you play contract. Mackie - I'm resigned to him being here more than actually wanting him here. Good for a few goals at least... and i do mean a few. Seve - like everyone else, I want to see him used in his proper position. Quote
BigAl Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 The depressing thih in this is that you just know who the first one to sign a new contract is going to be don't you Got to be Deek Dung, followed by the quote from JC saying how he wasn't difficult to deal with and a great guy to have around the place. For not difficult to deal with read "shite, and realises he's not wanted anywhere else" I'd keep, Seve, Smith, Mackie and Mair [ but only on condition that he plays nowhere other than as a centre back. Jury still out on JDV after season and a half so might need to go, to free up wage for a quality signing Young, not surprisingly can leave anytime he feels like it Quote
Guest ally s Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 Severin - sign Mackie - sign Smith - sign Young - sign De Visscher - bin Mair - bin Quote
Superstar Tradesman Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 I'm surprised there's so many people wanting Seve to sign on again. I don't think he's done anything in the past 18 months of note, looks like he's lost any pace he had and it might mean we could have someone else pretending to be a team captain. Young is on peanuts so he won't be going anywhere (although he shouldn't be playing as often as he should or he'll be looking for a better deal), Mackie is a stick-on and I'd imagine Mair will still be here after the summer. JDV - meh. Smith - pfffffffft. Quote
CtS Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 On previous occasions when we've found ourselves in this position, most notably this time last year with rumours of Hart, Nicholson, Miller and Clark leaving, I've found myself feeling really concerned. But I have to say looking at that list I think we are more than capable of replacing the majority of them with equal or better players. Always been a big fan of Severin and I hope he stays, but sadly we've probably seen his best form. Smith is a rare talent, very rare these days, and we can ill afford to keep paying the guy a hefty wage when he's contributing nothing in return. Mackie, Young, Mair, and de Visscher are now nothing more than journeymen spl players, ok they might find another spl club and will undoubtedly come back to haunt us one day, but they're certainly not in the irreplaceable category. I'm guessing most will want to stay at Pittodrie. Quote
caledonia Posted November 25, 2008 Report Posted November 25, 2008 On previous occasions when we've found ourselves in this position, most notably this time last year with rumours of Hart, Nicholson, Miller and Clark leaving, I've found myself feeling really concerned. But I have to say looking at that list I think we are more than capable of replacing the majority of them with equal or better players. Always been a big fan of Severin and I hope he stays, but sadly we've probably seen his best form. Smith is a rare talent, very rare these days, and we can ill afford to keep paying the guy a hefty wage when he's contributing nothing in return. Mackie, Young, Mair, and de Visscher are now nothing more than journeymen spl players, ok they might find another spl club and will undoubtedly come back to haunt us one day, but they're certainly not in the irreplaceable category. I'm guessing most will want to stay at Pittodrie. As above exactly as i was thinking Quote
Ajja Posted November 26, 2008 Report Posted November 26, 2008 I read about 3 lines of that article and my opinion is thus: -For 'top names' read some players in our squad who we might want to keep, sort of.. -JC can talk all he wants about players needing to make their minds up early but we all know we will still be reading about all these deals 2 weeks before they are coming to an end -There is fuck all we can do about this situation so before 40 threads are posted over the next 3 months can we just clarify that fact now and move onto talking about something else ? Quote
Kowalski Posted December 15, 2008 Report Posted December 15, 2008 Severin - sign Mackie - sign Smith - sign on a pay as you play Young - bin De Visscher - sign Mair - sign Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.