Kowalski Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 Aberdeen FC eye Manchester City starlet Midfielder set for Pittodrie trial By Charlie Allan Published: 05/12/2009 ABERDEEN FC are considering a swoop for Manchester City winger Paul Marshall. Aberdeen FC boss Mark McGhee also confirmed he has made a formal approach for permission to speak to Motherwell’s Jim O’Brien as his bid to bolster his squad goes into overdrive. Marshall, a member of the England squad that recently competed in the Under-20 World Cup finals in Egypt, has been invited to come on trial at Pittodrie next week. McGhee said: “We are working on several fronts, looking at the options open to us." To read this story in full, pick up a copy of Saturday’s Evening Express I've got the paper in front of me, there are quotes from McGhee saying that Marshall has been invited up on trial, and that he has asked Motherwell for permission to speak to O'Brien. Quote
manc_don Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 Its encouraging that we are actively searching for players. Hopefully he's decent and keen for a move of some sort. Mcghee's track record with bringing players through isn't bad is it? Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 both wingers though... is this where we need to strengthen when we have Aluko and Pawlett? Paton has done pretty well out wide too. Quote
El Padre™ Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 Defenders, as always should be our number one priority right now. Quote
maverick sheep Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 both wingers though... is this where we need to strengthen when we have Aluko and Pawlett? Paton has done pretty well out wide too. I'd say yes because Pawlett is fragile and his fitness is a bit on the 'Andy Murray for the first 2 seasons' side. He's great for an hour or so but then loses puff. Aluko I'm not convinced will be at the club for long though I hope I'm wrong and similarly I'm not convinced Paton is going to sign a new deal. Even if he is it might be good to at least talk about our ability to find replacements now so that his agent doesn't think he's holding the club to ransom. Quote
RDU_64 Posted December 5, 2009 Report Posted December 5, 2009 A few wingers won't go a miss as I'm convinced by Paton out there if Aluko or Pawlett are injured. Defenders would have to be top priority but encouraged by McGhee actively seeking (hopefully!) creative and exciting players! Quote
Reekie_Red Posted December 6, 2009 Report Posted December 6, 2009 Surely strikers should be our priority at the moment! We've played 14 SPL games this season, but only scored 11 times! That's shocking. Miller 3 McDonald 2 Mulgrew 2 Aluko 2 Considine 1 Maguire 1 That's a pretty pathetic statistic when only one of our recognised strikers has scored more than one goal so far this season! Once we're back to full fitness and suspensions have cleared up, our defence will look pretty fuckin awesome. But even at full strength, our strikeforce is laughable. I think this has to be our primary focus in January. Quote
wee toon red Posted December 6, 2009 Report Posted December 6, 2009 Surely strikers should be our priority at the moment! We've played 14 SPL games this season, but only scored 11 times! That's shocking. Miller 3 McDonald 2 Mulgrew 2 Aluko 2 Considine 1 Maguire 1 That's a pretty pathetic statistic when only one of our recognised strikers has scored more than one goal so far this season! Once we're back to full fitness and suspensions have cleared up, our defence will look pretty fuckin awesome. But even at full strength, our strikeforce is laughable. I think this has to be our primary focus in January. Maybe McGhee doesn't feel that the strikers are to blame for the lack of goals and thinks that it's the supply that's the problem? If that's the case then signing wingers makes plenty of sense. Quote
glasgow sheep Posted December 7, 2009 Report Posted December 7, 2009 Centre back, centre mid and centre forward that's what should be on McGhees letter to santa Quote
El Padre™ Posted December 7, 2009 Report Posted December 7, 2009 Hopefully centre mid will be sorted if we sign the Nigerian lad, and hopefully we can sign someone a little better than Mclean. I wonder how Lovell would have played under McGhee? Quote
minijc Posted December 7, 2009 Report Posted December 7, 2009 Probably have been injured and uninterested, the boy was a joke, sums him up that he is now in the first division. Quote
Ajja Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 Heard something on the radio (BBC Scotland) from Marshall saying he would rather sign for Aberdeen than sit on the sidelines at Man City. Quote
mizer Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 Heard something on the radio (BBC Scotland) from Marshall saying he would rather sign for Aberdeen than sit on the sidelines at Man City. Similar story in the EE Quote
RDU_64 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 On BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/8403976.stm Manchester City midfielder Paul Marshall would rather earn a move to Aberdeen than sit in the English Premier League side's reserve team. The 19-year-old left-side player arrived for a trial with Mark McGhee's side on Monday. "I want to sign for Aberdeen because it is virtually impossible to break into the City team with the kind of money the club is spending," said Marshall. McGhee is hopeful of an initial loan move and a permanent deal next summer. "I watched him playing for Manchester City reserves and I liked him," the Dons manager told the Scottish Premier League club's website. Marshall, who has been on City's books since the age of 11, has had loan spells with Port Vale and Blackpool. He only made two appearances for Championship outfit Blackpool but went on to play 13 times for Port Vale in League Two. The midfielder, who had his first training session under McGhee on Tuesday, is a former England youth team-mate of Aberdeen forward Sone Aluko, who has since switched allegiance to Nigeria. Marshall's England Under-20 team-mate, Javan Vidal, spent the second half of last season on loan to the Dons from big-spending Premier League outfit City. At least he has some common sense! Quote
Harcus Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 On BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aberdeen/8403976.stm At lease he has some common sense! Are you suggesting he is some kind of rent boy? Quote
RDU_64 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 If you search Paul Marshall into facebook, you could try there? Start up a conversation etc etc, show him the nice clubs of Aberdeen, Foundations perhaps? Quote
Ajja Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 Without wishing to write the guy off before he has a shot at it, do we really need to be looking at a player in a position we have decent coverage when Blackpool didn't play him much and he had 13 appearences for Port Vale in League 2 ? Quote
baggy89 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 Without wishing to write the guy off before he has a shot at it, do we really need to be looking at a player in a position we have decent coverage when Blackpool didn't play him much and he had 13 appearences for Port Vale in League 2 ? To be fair at Vale he played in every game he would have been available for. 1 start and 1 sub out of 5 at Blackpool wasn't great, but the same as Sone managed in a similar length of time. Quote
Reekie_Red Posted December 9, 2009 Report Posted December 9, 2009 He's a former ROI U19 and England U20, so I'd be keen to see what he's capable of with those credentials. A loan deal like Aluko and Walker had would suit both parties fine. It would let us see what he's made of whilst not commiting us to a pile of steaming shite for several years. Quote
maverick sheep Posted December 18, 2009 Report Posted December 18, 2009 What's actually happening with O'Brien? All I remember hearing is that McGhee asked permission to speak to him and Gannon went ape shit. Did he ever actually get permission to speak to him or is this just another wild goose chase? Quote
Reekie_Red Posted December 18, 2009 Report Posted December 18, 2009 Maverick, I don't think it's a wild goose chase. It's going to be a pre-contractual agreement that we're looking for O'Brien to sign, so although things should be finalised in January, he won't actually be a Don officially until next summer. See the following link from yesterday's Sporting Life website: http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/09/12/17/SOCCER_Motherwell.html Motherwell manager Jim Gannon has advised Jim O'Brien to focus on his game after Aberdeen made clear their interest in the winger. Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee last week officially requested permission to open pre-contract talks with O'Brien, who he brought to Fir Park from Celtic at the start of last season. The 22-year-old, whose deal expires at the end of the campaign, was subsequently left out of the squad for the 3-2 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat by Celtic. Gannon accepts O'Brien's right to sort out his long-term future but has urged him to make sure it does not affect his game. "That's part of the process of football, the laws are there," Gannon said. "It's important that players have the scope to be able to secure their long-term futures, either at their own clubs or other clubs. I think the most important thing is it doesn't distract Jim from what he's trying to achieve day to day. He's a young man and he just needs to let the agent deal with any contract issues and just get on with playing. That would be my advice to Jim and it has been my advice to Jim." Quote
tlg1903 Posted December 18, 2009 Report Posted December 18, 2009 My flatmate who works as head of admin at a football club was telling me that pre contract agreements can be signed as far ahead as two months before january (assuming the conract expires in june) and that most do but only get announced in january. I cant help but think its gone a bit quite as its done and dusted. Quote
Ajja Posted December 18, 2009 Report Posted December 18, 2009 I would tend to agree given that O'Brien has been left out of the team a bit recently. He only came on as a late sub against us recently too. Suspect Gannon has cut the rope on this guy and we have already sealed the deal. If so then once again I like the way McGhee is operating. Although there is a sense out there that we would like negotiations to be behind closed doors it is likey an important part of the process that you leak a little story out to guage fans opinion or to generate some possible excitement with such activity. Quote
BobbyBiscuit Posted December 21, 2009 Report Posted December 21, 2009 Aberdeen FC close in on Motherwell star Boss McGhee keen on O’Brien By Charlie Allan Published: 21/12/2009 TARGET: Jim O'Brien of Motherwell. More Pictures ABERDEEN FC boss Mark McGhee today confirmed they have moved closer to signing Motherwell winger Jim O’Brien. McGhee has opened talks with the 22-year-old and his agent aimed atpersuading O’Brien to sign a pre-contract agreement next month. The Aberdeen FC manager has also informed the Steelmen that they havemade a move for O’Brien and it’s expected Aberdeen FC will follow thatup by making an offer of about £20,000 in an effort to persuade the FirPark club to part with him earlier. Quote
dave_min Posted December 21, 2009 Report Posted December 21, 2009 McGhee has said on RedTV that we wont be signing anyone till next summer so we won't be seeing these guys anytime soon. When'd he say that? Tight Aberdonian cunts don't pay for RedTV. Quote
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