3 New Trialists Arrive

[zerodon47]

just watchin that wee video o the striker lad, im gan t mak a bold statement that he would most definately score goals in the spl. easy. he'd be our best striker! id take him now! cos theres no way wer gona attract anybody of a good pedigree that wev heard of!

[sheepiekev]

just watchin that wee video o the striker lad, im gan t mak a bold statement that he would most definately score goals in the spl. easy. he'd be our best striker! id take him now! cos theres no way wer gona attract anybody of a good pedigree that wev heard of!

 

 

zerodon - I'd temper that by saying that the defending was honking and it was the Swiss League 2.

 

Bripod - ok here's my reasoned view on our summer of transfer (in)activity.

 

We have lost 10 players including the loanees - We have taken in 2 players (assuming Gonzalez comes in)

We are 3 days away from our first pre-season game and have nowhere near a starting X1 - we dont even have a keeper on the books!

We have 1 full back.

I reckon we need at least 5 players good enough to go straight into the starting X1 - GK, LB, CM, LM & STR

That's the minimum we need I reckon.

And I'm talking good standard SPL players.

 

Now I know some say dont panic, the first game is Jul 23rd, but dont you think it's a wee bit worrying we have numerous players coming in on trial?

Does this not suggest to you that CB's first (maybe even 2nd & 3rd) picks are baulking at our wage offers?

I also think that may be the case as I cant believe a man like Brown with all his contacts would have to go down trawling the lower leagues of Europe and non leagues of England for trialists.

 

I trust Brown

I like Brown.

 

I dont trust Miller or Milne!

 

I'll be first to come on here and eat humble pie if we pull some rabbits out of the hat.

I hope I have to, I really do!

 

I just have been around long enough to know that our Board are not ambitious, and have led us up the garden path before.

 

You are right though - the time to judge will be Jul 23rd and I've been over-critical today, but that lad from Eastbourne or wherever tipped me over the edge!!

I am happy enough if one, or maybe two of the 5 needed players are held back if they are to be loanees as I know that clubs will be holding off to assess squads before releasing them, but we need the key positions filled NOW.

[deco_1985]

You seem more interested in proving Tup wrong than taking a sensible view on the current goings on.

 

As another poster says, these trialists may be here to fill a bib in in pre-season games and for Brown to take a closer look at them to see if there's anything worth pursuing. The way you're going on it's like we've signed them on 5 year deals.

 

We had the same carry on with people getting in a flap last year, from the selection of trialists we picked up Folly who was generally considered to be a decent find. We're still looking at more experienced players without necessarily trialling them, and as long as we've got some semblance of a squad come the start of the season then I'm happy for our manager to do what it takes.

 

Criticism from me (if merited) will start from July 23rd onwards when we see the fruits of his labour, not before.

 

This

[SheepieBaaBaa]

Actually, it proves one thing - Darren Mackie will be EXACTLY like a new signing this season - in more ways than one....

 

 

actually the youtube clip reminds me of his early days when he looked like he might be fantastic.......fit the f**k happened?

[Ernie McCracken]

You seem more interested in proving Tup wrong than taking a sensible view on the current goings on.

 

As another poster says, these trialists may be here to fill a bib in in pre-season games and for Brown to take a closer look at them to see if there's anything worth pursuing. The way you're going on it's like we've signed them on 5 year deals.

 

We had the same carry on with people getting in a flap last year, from the selection of trialists we picked up Folly who was generally considered to be a decent find. We're still looking at more experienced players without necessarily trialling them, and as long as we've got some semblance of a squad come the start of the season then I'm happy for our manager to do what it takes.

 

Criticism from me (if merited) will start from July 23rd onwards when we see the fruits of his labour, not before.

 

People will be gavlanised by the fact that there was lots of ranting and freaking out at McGhee's transfer tactics last season.

 

Of course when we got into the new season, all the nutter's who had be ranting were proved to be right! And not just right in that we didn't do well, but right in that several problem areas were clearly identified i.e.

 

Lack of midfielders leaving us vulnerable to injury

Swapping our only available full back for a crocked striker

Signing a centre back to play right back

Not signing a left back

Expecting St f**king Mirrens third choice keeper to challenge to be No 1!!!

 

Thankfully Brown is not MM though (and he did address those problem areas once he arrived), but i can understand why some people are far from impressed,

 

As for season ticket sales being poor - I've had several emails selling me half price tat at the club shop or asking me to renew my Red TV subscription, a guy at work even had a text about fixtures!

 

Now a wee pat on the back for the effort, but WHAT ABOUT SEASON TICKETS AFC?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Aye never mind the season tickets, get those gnomes sold!!!

 

The club's marketing strategy for season ticket sales seems to be to sit back, do f**k all for the next couple of years, and then implement their masterplan which seems to be based on the fictional movie "Field of Dreams"!

 

I guess they can always just cut the budget instead of putting some real effort in!

[sheepiekev]

The way Brown has been talking we've got targets in mind, and are working our way through them.

 

Unlike the last two gobshites we've had in charge, Brown is keeping schtum about the targets and hasn't been crowing to the press about them. Better this way IMO, but then the lack of solid names we've been linked with spreads unease amongst the support at the same time, although taking in trialists in addition to going for the experienced players is nothing new. He has said that he's not envious of the signings of any other SPL club compared to our targets, which gives me some hope.

 

I don't particularly trust Milne either, but Brown has to get the balance right between signing players of sufficient quality while being aware it's an early start this year and we'll have played a fair few games by the time the window closes.

 

Goalkeeping situation sounds like it's being sorted, we're OK for centre backs IMO and Osbourne will mean we're ok in midfield. Spine of the team is being sorted first and foremost, and we can then look towards adding to the wide areas which is where I suspect EPL loans may come in to play.

 

It's frustrating refreshing here and Redweb every day and there's no concrete news, just a matter of waiting and seeing.

 

 

We can but hope Bripod.

 

Reckon you may be right about a couple of loanees - I dont think any of the trialists are strikers or wingers, so maybe we'll loan a winger and a striker? although did Brown not say a few were arriving on Tuesday too? Jeesuz, hope they're a bit more inspiring than today!

[ebbe]

You seem more interested in proving Tup wrong than taking a sensible view on the current goings on.

 

As another poster says, these trialists may be here to fill a bib in in pre-season games and for Brown to take a closer look at them to see if there's anything worth pursuing. The way you're going on it's like we've signed them on 5 year deals.

 

We had the same carry on with people getting in a flap last year, from the selection of trialists we picked up Folly who was generally considered to be a decent find. We're still looking at more experienced players without necessarily trialling them, and as long as we've got some semblance of a squad come the start of the season then I'm happy for our manager to do what it takes.

 

Criticism from me (if merited) will start from July 23rd onwards when we see the fruits of his labour, not before.

 

i like your reasoned approach bri, it's admirable. it is pretty worrying, what's happening at pittodrie at the moment. everything is happening at a snails pace and the board are sending out the wrong messages. as much as i rate and trust brown it is concerning we still seem so ill prepared despite brown knowing full well what is required. i thought we'd be closer to having a starting 11 by now when we're actually miles off it. by the time we have a squad ready for the vigours SPL we'll no doubt be 2nd or 3rd from bottom chasing the pack having given everyone a head start. the team, no matter who we sign will need time to gel again. just seems to me like the club is going round in circles. hearts, caley, utd hibs and even st johnstone are all much better prepared and further on in terms of preperation than we are and i'm utterly sick fed up of the unambitious attitude of the people running the club.

[fine-n-dandy]

So any more obscure trialists arrive Today, or are we looking at football players we ken yet?

[fine-n-dandy]

Would rather sign an unknown who can do the job than a "name" who'll flatter to decieve.

 

Rather sign a 'name' that can do a job than a 'name' who'll somehow IYO automatically flatter to deceive

 

Why are you always one of the first to pick at 'us who are complaining' about our poor ambition & transfer dealings (or lack of) I think all those that are slating the likes of myself for being to quick to complain are secretly more than a little worried that Aberdeen are just going to do the usual (as they are doing) or even less & roll out all the old excuses they always do about no money but we have great youth players that can more than adequately step up & cover & we can fill up again in Jan if needed.

 

I am worried that we are going to be a bigger laughing stock than last season & others

[Jazzer_Bett]

Tup had me expecting some pedgiree chum signings but that doesn't seem to be the case so far - not saying he was making things up - but perhaps both he and Mr Brown thought that there would be better wages to play with....

 

Anyway, looking at things positively as I usually try to do, what I think will improve this year will be the way we play as a TEAM, and to be fair fancy signings and that don't necessarily go hand in hand.

 

I am sure we will do well this year because Mr Brown will have a team that doesn't contain arseholes such as Diamond and Maguire undermining the team spirit/work ethic/adherance to tactics so on and so fourth. Dundee United proved that a team unit that works for each other is a far better situation that having glamourous names playing for themselves - indeed when assembled by Levein we were scoffing at the Arabs as an individual performance by Barry Nic or Scott Severin dragged us to 4th at the death.

 

I think with new dilligent hard working players such as Milsom and Osbourne and of course a leader in Malwene we are on the right track to changing the attitude of AFC's team i.e. hopefully this will inspire the players that are already with the club.

 

So, in short - I hope that the teamwork improves and this is the main thing, not fancy names - and Mr Brown is clearly happy to have no prima donnas about.

 

The only thing I think we do need is a nasty snarling prick to get us fans fired up rile the opposition wound up - perhaps that is Badongo?

[bobb4you]

I think with new dilligent hard working players such as Milsom and Osbourne and of course a leader in Malwene we are on the right track to changing the attitude of AFC's team

 

Good point. The team has had a sh*t attitude for years. Get in the workers.

[Jute]

 

 

The best model I can think of in recent years is the Dundee United one, however if we were to sign players who'd played for Cowdenbeath, Ayr and Queen's Park then some people would have a fit without having any idea how well they can or can't play.

 

 

 

Big difference in what United did to what we are doing. When they signed guys from Ayr, Cowdenbeath and Ayr they took the best players from these teams. We are looking at players who could not game for teams in the Welsh league and the English Conference North or players who have spent most of their careers on treatment tables.

[Tord31]

Will folk stop bleating about the pedigree of the trialists.

 

We will sign three types of players this summer.

 

Established first picks - replacing the likes of Diamond, Hartley and Maguire

Trialists/Journeymen sh*te - replacing the likes of Young and Vujadinovic

A couple of loanees - like Smith was

 

To make best use of our budget we need to bulk out the squad with a couple of cheaper options and maybe we'll need to trial 20 players to find 2 that are spl standard but for some reason there CV dictates they are only in a position to ask for 500 quid a week.

 

The established players will arrive we already have one in Mawene and a couple more will follow, stop getting your knickers in a twist.

[K-9]

I worry about things when they happen, not just as far as AFC go but life in general.

 

If we sign these players and they turn out to be sh*te, then we've got a problem. The best model I can think of in recent years is the Dundee United one, however if we were to sign players who'd played for Cowdenbeath, Ayr and Queen's Park then some people would have a fit without having any idea how well they can or can't play.

 

Whether we sign names or unknowns is irrelevant, all I want is a winning team.

Signing players that have starred for their sides in lower leagues but club cant afford to keep on like United have done is far far different to players who never got a game in lower leagues and have been released as no longer wanted.

 

United did their homework and then went after these players. We haven't done our homework and are just looking at CVs and taking in trialists all over the shop.

[K-9]

Fair enough, but I still maintain folk would moan regardless.

I agree but that is exactly what we should be doing!!

Also a big difference in Brown having a look at folk or fill a bib than them signing on.

Fact is just having a look at randoms he has fax about in last couple of weeks is the worrying thing. We have all known since January that several positions would need filled but end of June and we are reduced to barrell scraping already.

[vanderark14]

Everything I've heard from Brown from his mouth on Red TV he's indicated he's looking at specific targets, he was asked about McAllister and indicated we were looking at players at a higher level.

 

Just because we've got a few trialists doesn't mean we don't have irons in other fires, the lack of manager blabbing about targets is having an unsettling effect and folk are taking the trialists as the basis of our whole summer activity.

 

and when managers did blab about targets it had the same effect.

[K-9]

Everything I've heard from Brown from his mouth on Red TV he's indicated he's looking at specific targets, he was asked about McAllister and indicated we were looking at players at a higher level.

 

Just because we've got a few trialists doesn't mean we don't have irons in other fires, the lack of manager blabbing about targets is having an unsettling effect and folk are taking the trialists as the basis of our whole summer activity.

I would point the problem as being we need more players in this season then n previous yet come first game we have signed less players than previous seasons.

[Jazzer_Bett]

Everything I've heard from Brown from his mouth on Red TV he's indicated he's looking at specific targets, he was asked about McAllister and indicated we were looking at players at a higher level.

 

Just because we've got a few trialists doesn't mean we don't have irons in other fires, the lack of manager blabbing about targets is having an unsettling effect and folk are taking the trialists as the basis of our whole summer activity.

 

A club like us can't expect to have a chance of getting juicy players until their arses start twitching, which is well into July as pre-season is almost over then.

[K-9]

A club like us can't expect to have a chance of getting juicy players until their arses start twitching, which is well into July as pre-season is almost over then.

You think "juicy players" will wait til well into July before fixing themselves up with a club, meaning miss pre-season training and a months wages? Good players will get themselves a club by the time games are starting which is next couple of weeks in England and this week in Scotland.

[Tord31]

You think "juicy players" will wait til well into July before fixing themselves up with a club, meaning miss pre-season training and a months wages? Good players will get themselves a club by the time games are starting which is next couple of weeks in England and this week in Scotland.

 

Players will start making up their minds now theyve had their last pay day of their old contracts. First to budge was Rory McAllister in making up his mind, looks like Steve Jennings is not far behind and the rest of the players up and down the country will start following suit this week and next.

 

It is a brave player that holds out much longer in the hope of better offers knowing their existing offers will start being removed as teams like AFC decide right we can't wait any longer for Adam Rooney we'll just sign Patrick Umbungo.

[K-9]

All coming together now. Nice juicy signing!!