Season 2019/2020 Rebuilding

[Ten Caat]

Strange one being after Morrison. If anyone is likely to suffer from that I'd say it would be Bryson 

 

I'd be amazed if he was interested at the kind of wages we or the Edinburgh clubs could pay. I'm certain we could stretch to £10k/week for the right player if we had to. But even that would be only half of what he is used to.

 

[tlg1903]

Dunno like, Morrison is classically a no 10

[wee toon red]

I think Ferguson, Bryson, Morrison and Ojo, with Campbell in the mix as well, gives us plenty options for injury cover and rotation: Bryson and Morrison might not both be able to play every game and Ferguson will need a rest at some point.

[LA-Don]

Morrison is interesting. My initial response was no given he’s 33 and we’ve already signed s 32 year old but as pointed out I can’t see Bryson playing every game and Ferguson was run to death last year. However, getting buy in that Bryson, Ferguson, Ojo, and Morrison won’t always start or be first choice may be tough but in terms of numbers if we sign Ojo I still think we’re one central mid short. It would certainly give us the depth we need in central midfield plus allow us to put Dean Campbell out on loan for much needed playing time and experience.

 

European football and DMs WBA connection give us the edge here?

[KennyFuckinPowers]

Ojo confirmed.

 

3 Year Contract.

[Jute]

Ojo confirmed.

 

3 Year Contract.

 

https://www.afc.co.uk/2019/07/14/funso-ojo-joins-the-dons/

[LA-Don]

Similar scoring record to many of our forwards

[ayrshire_don74]

gallus pish ripping out of him, this will go 2 ways superstar or chris forrester, i actually think the former

[manc_don]

Think this'll be a good signing. Great to see DM actually signing players rather than on loans.

[KennyFuckinPowers]

Think this'll be a good signing. Great to see DM actually signing players rather than on loans.

 

Yes, yes & yes again. This was a big bugbear of mine last season. This time around, we only have Gallagher & Leigh, and to be honest, if things all go well, there's probably a good chance both players could become permanent anyway.

 

Ojo is basically Jack's replacement.  He said he likes to get on the ball and give it to the players that make things happen, he's a sitting midfielder. He said that he spoke to a few players in England and that he almost didn't want to come up to Scotland due to their comments, thankfully he came and seen for himself.

 

Can't really think of any more positions we need to fill now, and that's our 8th signing this summer, if they all bed in nicely and hit the ground running, this could be a rather productive season. I am certainly happy with the business thus far.

[LA-Don]

Interesting red tv interview. Sounds like DM really wanted the guy and well played for going all out to get him. Also sounds like Funso doesn’t lack on confidence, hope he’s a player!

[SeeBass]

I hope Mr Ojo don't end up like Yoann Folly and having to retire early!!  Always thought our Togo lad could have been something decent too.  Believe he went on to study Law after leaving us right??

[OxfordDon]

Training facility already a boost and its not even open yet:

 

"I visited the new training facility. That was impressive. All the technology is going to be state of the art."

[A llad insane]

Training facility already a boost and its not even open yet:

 

 

This ^^^^.

[Elgindon]

Strange one being after Morrison. If anyone is likely to suffer from that I'd say it would be Bryson 

 

I'd be amazed if he was interested at the kind of wages we or the Edinburgh clubs could pay. I'm certain we could stretch to £10k/week for the right player if we had to. But even that would be only half of what he is used to.

 

I'd hope we didnt spend 10k per week on one player,but if we do have that money to play with,I'd rather we spent it in a different way,eg 5 upcoming talents @£2k per week,in the hope at least one goes on to greater things

[tlg1903]

Training facilities are going to make a huge difference imo, continuity is key when it comes to preparing for matches.

 

Re 10 k a week?  No chance.  Absolutely none.  At a push we could do 5k but there is no danger we are paying any player half a million a year. 

[Ten Caat]

Training facilities are going to make a huge difference imo, continuity is key when it comes to preparing for matches.

 

Re 10 k a week?  No chance.  Absolutely none.  At a push we could do 5k but there is no danger we are paying any player half a million a year.

 

We are already paying more than £5k/week. We offered McGeouch £6.5k/week  a year ago. We offered Shinnie even more to stay. Our AVERAGE player wage in 2017/18 was just over £2650/week. Which includes young eens in the U18s on pretty much national minimum wage (Call it £8/hr over a 40 hour week =£320/week. So it then follows we are paying our senior pros a whack more than £2650/week to counterbalance that...……..do the math as they say in Yankland)

 

EDIT.....and bear in mind we were paying Craig Hignett £8k/week over 20 years ago....

[tlg1903]

You got sources for all these figures?

[tom_widdows]

EDIT.....and bear in mind we were paying Craig Hignett £8k/week over 20 years ago....

 

and bear in mind he jumped ship after about 1/4 season (supposedly the Dons actually got for £1.2mil for him!) and a chunk of that money was then wasted on the likes of Nigel Pepper.

 

I would be very careful about basing the current financial model on whatever the hell the club were up to back in the days of Roy Aitken & Alex Miller.

[BigAl]

We are already paying more than £5k/week. We offered McGeouch £6.5k/week  a year ago. We offered Shinnie even more to stay. Our AVERAGE player wage in 2017/18 was just over £2650/week. Which includes young eens in the U18s on pretty much national minimum wage (Call it £8/hr over a 40 hour week =£320/week. So it then follows we are paying our senior pros a whack more than £2650/week to counterbalance that...……..do the math as they say in Yankland)

 

EDIT.....and bear in mind we were paying Craig Hignett £8k/week over 20 years ago....

 

Not to mention the quarterly bonus he had included in his contract.

Pity it was short lived as reckon over the course of a season or so Hignett would have been a revelation for us

[Barcosente]

It was a shame it didn't work out for Hignett. He was exactly the sort of player the Don's needed at the time.

I seem to recall that he was having some family issues which meant he was traveling all the time. Wikipedia reports a fee received by the Don's of £800,000, which isn't a bad return for someone we signed on a freebie.

[LA-Don]

What’s everyone’s take on the squad at present?

 

Lewis

Cerny

Rogers (expect to go out on loan)

Logan

Gallagher

Taylor

Devlin

Considine

McKenna

Leigh

Wright

McGinn

Hedges

McLennan

Bryson

Campbell

Ferguson

Gleeson (who I expect gone)

May (who I expect gone)

Wilson

Main

Cosgrove

 

That’s 19 excluding Rogers, Gleeson, and May, and doesn’t include any more young boys, Anderson, Ross x 2 or 3, Virtanen. That’s not bad depth, I assume we’re done in the transfer window? I suppose my only thing would be to loan Campbell, sell/loan Wright (aka Pawlett) and punt Gleeson, and add another central midfielder.

 

 

[Ten Caat]

Agree May will be gone although wherever he rocks up (Dundee supposedly favourites) I'm sure we will be stumping up 50% of his wages for the next 2 years. Gleeson I don't think is gone. Just can't see anyone wanting him on the wages he will be on. He might get a gig in the Irish League but we would be stumping up 75-90% of his wages if he went there....he's not a total duffer just unfit. On balance I think we will keep him as hes a useful option if we suffer a few injuries. Rodgers will be sent on loan again if anyone will have him. And I think will be released next year.

 

Anderson needs to go out on loan again. He did well at Dunfermline by all accounts so needs to be tested at a slightly higher level. Maybe Hamilton or St Mirren? Wright.....I just don't think can cut it at our level. He might have one brilliant game but then follow up with 4 stinkers or just totally anonymous. Physically he's also too slight. I'd be letting him go if he could get himself fixed up with another club but I think DM will give him till January. What to do with Campbell is the big question. Lots of shouts for him to go on loan but he did play fairly regularly second half of last season (knock on effect from Ball having to fill in for Logan's injury). I think he will be a first pick in 12 months time but Ojo will keep him out for now. Could be a bench option but on balance prob better heading out on loan for 6 months(hence why I think we will keep Gleeson rather than punt to an Irish club).

 

I've said elsewhere we should be offering Atlanta a small fee for Gallagher right now. I fear if we don't he will end up down south. Yes it's a bit of a punt but getting through to next round in Europe would cover any fee plus that we paid for Ojo. Left back is still a bit of an unknown quantity. Cannot comment on that till we have seen more of Leigh. Right back....I've been consistent in my concern about Shay for almost 2 years now. Definitely needs a back up signed. In fact I'd prefer we signed a first choice and made Logan the back up tbh.

 

Up front......I have my concerns about Wilson. Not entirely convinced about his attitude, however he is now our player rather trhan Man U's. He might look a bit more motivated as he must realise career wise he's in the last chance saloon. Do well and he could get a good move south in  year (and net us a tidy fee). Do badly and it's non-league English fitba' in 2 years (but he's already a multi-millionaire....would he actually bother with that??) Still hoping we sign an out and out "number 10" before the window closes. McGinn was excellent last week and will still be an asset but he is getting older by the month and his fitness was never great even in his peak.

 

Overall....yeah things look fairly good on paper. Should certainly be enough in the squad to guarantee us third in the league, maybe push for second if sevco's acquisitions are all as poor as Stewart. Decent draw in one of the Cups and we will be there or thereabouts

 

 

 

[redordead]

I don't disagree with a lot of the above. However wright for me is the player with real guile in our squad and last weeks system really suited him. If we play with 4 attacking midfielders it'd be crazy to lose him. Sadly I think that once Ojo is clear to play, we'll go back to 4-2-3-1 and serve up last sessions fayre.

Yes he loses the ball, but he also creates and has vision. The best players lose the ball. Messi doesn't score every time he dribbles. Wright should be given games to grow.

[manc_don]

So are we expecting any further movement or do we think that this is us?  I'd hope we got another striker in, but can't see DM doing it. Really do wonder where the goals are going to come from again.