Transfer Window 2015

[hilton]

rocket we are 20/1 or more at the bookies to win the league , its that price for reason, for us to win the league it be  be up there with our greatest achievement . if we are leading or right beside  the tims come the Jan window they will splash another few million that's fit we are up against.  aye they are nae a great side but there squad and resources are in a different league to us . so unless we start spending serious money then the odds will always be 20/1  . aye  I believe we can do them in a couple weeks but over season the odds are stacked against us. signing another striker would get us even closer. but the reality is we are competing with rest when it comes to squads . and just now were winning that hands down.

[rocket_scientist]

I've been saying consistently that 22/1 doesn't tempt my money. 33/1 would.

 

What I'm also consistently saying is that our squad isn't deep enough to win in May.

 

As none of us can predict the future with certainty, it's all opinion.

 

If you have a different opinion or a particular point to make then make it.

 

Otherwise we're wasting time, not just ours.

 

I don't really care about speculating on coming 2nd. Winning the league has to be the goal.

[hilton]

think 9/10 dons fans will say our squad is not good enough win the title its  nothing new, its reality that's were we at and what we are up against  naebody is disagreeing with ye .    I have seen us win the league 3 times and the next time will be the best feeling out the lot of them just hope that day comes. 

[tlg1903]

It's possible but unlikely. Sometimes these things happen in football though, look at atletico a few years ago and Montpellier a few before that. Both these teams had smaller and significantly less expensive squads then at least two other rivals for the title yet managed to win the league anyway. I bet montpellier were a lot longer than 22-1 at start of the season also. There's nothing wrong with aiming big and,

thankfully, I doubt a defeatist mentality is alive and well in our dressing room these days. I suggest us fans should follow suit.

[rocket_scientist]

It's possible but unlikely. Sometimes these things happen in football though, look at atletico a few years ago and Montpellier a few before that. Both these teams had smaller and significantly less expensive squads then at least two other rivals for the title yet managed to win the league anyway. I bet montpellier were a lot longer than 22-1 at start of the season also. There's nothing wrong with aiming big and,

thankfully, I doubt a defeatist mentality is alive and well in our dressing room these days. I suggest us fans should follow suit.

 

Are you suggesting that there IS a defeatist mentality within our ranks?

 

Have we gone full circle here? Our manager and our director of football openly accused us of having unrealistic expectations.

 

I've not met a Dons fan yet who hasn't been enthused by the uplift we've experienced under McInnes.

 

A considerable uplift given the total shite we employed as managers spanning three decades.

 

[tlg1903]

"I've been saying consistently that 22/1 doesn't tempt my money. 33/1 would.

 

What I'm also consistently saying is that our squad isn't deep enough to win in May."

 

If any of the players were to say thing's like this after the start to the campaign the team has had then I would absolutely call it a defeatist attitude.

[rocket_scientist]

"I've been saying consistently that 22/1 doesn't tempt my money. 33/1 would.

 

What I'm also consistently saying is that our squad isn't deep enough to win in May."

 

If any of the players were to say thing's like this after the start to the campaign the team has had then I would absolutely call it a defeatist attitude.

 

Are we talking about fan's having a defeatist attitude or the players?

 

That would be absurd, the players not thinking they could win.

 

Are you saying I have a defeatist attitude because it is my opinion that the bookies have got it right?

 

Because I don't think our squad isn't deep enough doesn't mean they can't win.

 

I already said I thought 33/1 was value.

 

The whole point of betting is to seek value. I should know, I've been doing it long enough.

 

I have no doubt that our best 11, including the team that played the last twice IS good enough to beat Celtic.

 

But that's not what I was saying.

 

What are you saying?

 

[rocket_scientist]

Interestingly, the 22/1 that Coral and another were offering last week has gone.

 

Skybet and 32 Red are offering 18's now. That's a great trend to be having.

 

And not surprising given the weak performance by Sellick last week and our 5th win on the spin.

 

But since none of us KNOW who's going to win in May, I hope it's us but my opinion hasn't changed.

 

Like hilton, I've seen us win the league 3 times and I saw our best footballing team come 2nd in 1991, which was a travesty. I only missed one away game that season and we were fabulous all over the pitch, Jim Bett pulling the strings.

 

Having seen what championship teams look like, I don't think this squad is good enough yet. But it's getting a hell of a lot closer and for that, we should all be grateful.

[manc_don]

May is joining Preston according to a lot of folk on Twitter. Thanks ED for the tip off!  I imagine the £2million that Wednesday wanted for him has put us off.

[Reidzer 1314]

Yeah seemingly he is moving there on a permanent deal.

 

Well it was a nice thought while it lasted.

[Edinburghdon]

May is joining Preston according to a lot of folk on Twitter. Thanks ED for the tip off!  I imagine the £2million that Wednesday wanted for him has put us off.

 

He's shite anyway!

[Tyrant]

Sack the board.

[topcorner]

Chelsea are about to sign Michael Hector from Reading for 4million! 

[baggy89]

In a country where Nick Blackman is worth £1 million, it's a fucking bargain.

[manc_don]

Well, that's Stevie May to Preston North End...apparently £750k.

 

Probably be the new Alan Gow anyway 

[BigAl]

Well, that's Stevie May to Preston North End...apparently £750k.

 

Probably be the new Alan Gow anyway 

 

Never believed for a second he'd be coming to AFC 

[manc_don]

I still hoped we would be getting someone in, bit of an anti climax and no real statement of intent has been set. The players we have brought in (Parker aside as it's too early to judge) have been great additions, but we're one injury away from a striker crisis. An area that clearly needed to be addressed. Maybe we'll see something in Jan.

[Jute]

I still hoped we would be getting someone in, bit of an anti climax and no real statement of intent has been set. The players we have brought in (Parker aside as it's too early to judge) have been great additions, but we're one injury away from a striker crisis. An area that clearly needed to be addressed. Maybe we'll see something in Jan.

 

Agree that we look a little short up front. An injury to Rooney especially would leave us relying on strikers who have hardly been prolific over the last few years. Hopefully Shankland does well at St Mirren and we have a recall clause that will allow us to take him back in January to provide extra cover.

[Reidzer 1314]

Was a little disappointed to see the window close and not see us make another addition to the squad.

 

We do have a good squad in place but as already mentioned if we get an injury to say Rooney or Jack then we don't really have quality of depth in that area in my opinion.

 

 

[rocket_scientist]

Was a little disappointed to see the window close and not see us make another addition to the squad.

 

We do have a good squad in place but as already mentioned if we get an injury to say Rooney or Jack then we don't really have quality of depth in that area in my opinion.

 

Disappointed but not surprising. I reckon an injury to any of our players will make life difficult.

 

I have had the jury out for a very long time considering the question of Milne's motives and ambitions.

 

20 years should be long enough to have returned a verdict but it's still split apparently. Some need more evidence.

 

[manc_don]

Disappointed but not surprising. I reckon an injury to any of our players will make life difficult.

 

I have had the jury out for a very long time considering the question of Milne's motives and ambitions.

 

20 years should be long enough to have returned a verdict but it's still split apparently. Some need more evidence.

 

Given where we are, and I know other people have had a massive help in making it happen, but we are in a healthy place right now so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.  We have made ambitious signings at the right time in the previous January transfer window so I am hopeful that something is in the pipeline for that.

 

Wee bit on Ryan in the EE:

 

RYAN McLaughlin today admitted he can’t wait to get his Dons career under way.

 

The 20-year-old was manager Derek McInnes’ last signing before the transfer window shut at midnight.

 

He moved north on loan from Liverpool just hours before their 2-0 Premiership victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill.

 

McLaughlin is now with the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad set to face Scotland in a Euro qualifier on Saturday.

 

But  he confessed he already has one eye on being involved when the Dons face champions Celtic at Pittodrie in the Premiership a week later.

 

He said: “I can’t wait to get going. I’m coming in at a great time.

 

“Five wins from five games is a fantastic start.

 

“Hopefully I can add something to the squad and the team keep doing well.”

 

Ryan admitted he spoke to Liverpool club-mate Danny Ward and fellow Northern Irishman Niall McGinn before accepting the offer to come to the Dons.

 

The right-back was also impressed by the passion of the Red Army why he watched them maintain their unbeaten league from the stands at Firhill.

 

“I heard a lot of good things about the club from Niall and Danny,” he said.

 

“I have only been with the lads for a very short time but it feels like I know them all already.

 

“From watching the Partick game I can see the full backs are encouraged to get forward and also we like to keep the ball. “That will certainly suit my style of play because I like taking the ball forward.

 

“I was also really impressed with the Aberdeen support.

 

“The lads told me about them but to take 2,500 to an away game was very impressive.”

[rocket_scientist]

Given where we are, and I know other people have had a massive help in making it happen, but we are in a healthy place right now so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.  We have made ambitious signings at the right time in the previous January transfer window so I am hopeful that something is in the pipeline for that.

 

Interesting and apt choice of word given that the jury needs to establish beyond reasonable doubt in order to convict.

 

Allow me to demonstrate the "clean thinking" that the late Steve Jobs spoke of;

 

Fact 1: AFC plc has been horribly financially mismanaged

Fact 2: there are only three possible reasons for it

Fact 3: Wm Donald recently invested in the club

 

"Where we are right now" in terms of fact 3 does not impact on the indictment. The case for the prosecution is unaffected by the Donald's amazing generosity, the full extent of which, which will become apparent in the next set of accounts. Milne's ambitions and motivations operate independently from 3rd parties and external benefactors.

 

Deliberate engineering, incompetence or misfortune (or a combination thereof) are the reasons for fact 2, fact 1 already having been painfully established by successive balance sheets going back the full period of Milne's tenure, a period spanning three decades.

 

It is suspected - and the jurors are able to confirm - that his "other business interest", SMG was not financially mismanaged, which reduces any defence arguments on the question of him being incompetent or unlucky with regard to his losing all our money, whether shareholders, ST holders, sponsors, investors or fans.

 

Tough job the jury have got. The biggest responsibility they have is to cut through the spin, disregard it and stick to the facts. Then it's not so tough.

 

[RicoS321]

Interesting Rocket. Couple of things though. It appears that pretty much every other experienced businessman in the SPL fucked up their investments over the same time period.

 

Also, why do the Donalds get automatic trust and credit for their investment, but Milne not? Who's to say that in return for their investment, WM Donald gets to become main contractor for the training facility and new stadium? I'm not having a go at the Donalds, I know absolutely nothing about them and would not be shocked to hear their motives are genuine - I believe they are. I'm just intrigued as to why you wouldn't raise the same questions about them, given your clear distrust of Milne? Milne invested his own money, and until recently was pretty much a failure. AAM invested their money, and failed. Tom Farmer at Hibs - failed, Robinson at Hearts - failed, Boyle at Motherwell - failed, Johnston at Killie - failed, Gilmour at St Mirren - failed, numerous at Dundee, shop-owner at the Jute, Murray at der bun, and so on. All "businessmen" who've financially mismanaged their clubs. Maybe fitba isn't as easy as folk think?

 

 

[rocket_scientist]

How much did Milne invest into AFC and when?

 

Thompson owned DUFC. Every other case example had the majority shares.

 

Milne has never had even 30% of AFC.

[RicoS321]

How much did Milne invest into AFC and when?

 

Thompson owned DUFC. Every other case example had the majority shares.

 

Milne has never had even 30% of AFC.

 

You're right, it was SMG that invested, not Milne. It was in preference shares. Canna mine the amount. I'm not sure how Milne not being majority shareholder backs up your argument surrounding his financial mismanagement of the club?