Handsome_Devil

Disappointed Danzaki wasn't forced to play as a ringer.

Aye, fair point, though I'm more concerned/curious about the process than their value to the squad. I mean, we haven't even done the usual thanks for your efforts, cheerio to Mandron for example, which is the default polite and done thing these days. It just seems odd.

I appreciate there's probably all sort of nuances I just don't get but getting to this stage and still having two key players waiting as long as they want to accept or decline our contracts seems mental. They've had weeks to weigh up their options and not being there for pre-season should have been time to say cheerio.

I'd definitely take Fuchs, good player for our level and, more importantly, a funny name.

Lamie would be just about imaginable on the left of the three. Mugabi on the other hand would remain a liability.

Actually if we look at those five to see who's due an away start the only one is Killie, so I'll make them my guess.

Presumably the reversing of the OF means we've got two trips to Ibrox this season and only one visit to Celtic, so you can rule them out. I don't know if they do the rest taking it in turns as well? If you then say we're due a home start and will avoid a repeat of St Mirren, it leaves potentially Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs, Ross County or Killie. So I think you're down to a 1 in 5 chance of being right. Who knows!

The other reality is that as a club we need a first team squad of 20+ players and given our status, we will never, ever be happy with all of them. Getting some kind of tune out these guys obviously isn't as important as getting the main blocks in place but nonetheless, if for example Shields goes from being an empty jersey to the scorer of four goals off the bench - before we free him in 2024 anyway - it can make a huge difference to our season. As much as we'd love to bin all the deadwood, 1) it's just not going to happen, and 2) we'd replace them with more deadwood anyway.

Agree totally... taking him easily is one thing, if he calls to say St M are offering 50p a week more, we should wish him good luck in Paisley.

https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/7893/STEVEN-FLETCHER-DEPARTS.html

Ignoring the sporting aspect, I'm guessing that there's only even a discussion going in because he's willing to give up something to avoid going to Airdrie twice.

If Fletcher is on the 6k a week or whatever as has been suggested, United not pushing him out the door is the definition of madness imho.

And without getting into the penalties debate again, McGrath scored a wad of them for United (at least late in the season). If Fletcher had taken (and scored obviously) them instead, he'd have had 14 or 15 goals for a rotten team who got relegated, which everyone would suddenly call very respectable.

Fletcher is one of these ones where unless you know the details it's impossible to judge. If we're paying him anything like United and relying on him as our main striker, it's a terrible move. If he's made his money and just wants to play his (potentially) last season in the top-flight rather than v Airdrie et al and he's the replacement for Mandron/Obika rather than KVV, it's a potentially excellent move.

I know we don't need to relitigate it at all, but spending months bringing in an attacking midfielder we didn't need only for him to be so shit he's not even a viable squad player is some cracking symbolism for the Hammell era. You feel like you've made peace with it then suddenly the desire to bang your head into the wall returns!

It also applies to the vast majority of our peers. The time will probably come to panic but it's more than two months off yet!

I thought it was Russell who wrote that as a parting gift? The club should certainly never have posted it but having done so, posted a realistic job description as soon as the folly was realised.

Ha, I was just thinking similar - 20 years ago I had my exchange year in Sweden and kits were absolutely covered in sponsors for TV. The replica kits sold to fans, in contrast, were absolutely sponsor free. Even way back then I wondered why we didn't do similar, everyone is largely a winner. Like the kit itself too, a belting shirt and I can live with the shorts even I am in the preferring predominantly white group.

I don't think he's quite as rotten as people are making out...there's been flashes of a player there but it seems quite clear it's a hard job to bring that out on a consistent basis.

I think all of us who played for any length of time have stories about the guys from X (St Pauli reserves and Brazil U15s for me, since we're sharing) they ended up on a pitch with. The difference is comical, they're basically playing a different sport. It's easily forgotten sitting in the stand or on the sofa that the guy you're calling shite is surrounded by pros. Oh and if you ever want to feel a real failure of a human being, stand beside a male pro swimmer...never mind a different sport, they're a different species.

Assuming the fantasy of keeping him was just that, I'm pretty happy...done and dusted early, and never mind not going to a rival or sportwashers, we can kid ourselves he just wanted to go home. What a signing, what a guy, what a couple of seasons, what a few months in particular...wish him nothing but the best.

We may or may not be, it's way too early tell. It's not that long ago we were all wanting a full blown clear out. Big rebuilds are not the scary task they used to be. Most clubs our size now have mid to large rebuilds most summers (about the only time we didn't in the last half dozen years is 2020 and look how that turned out). I'd be alarmed if we added Mandron to Obika for what it says about our ambition but it remains the case there's no point in panicking till the window shuts in August.

It's definitely a nice idea but bloody hell it makes you feel old.

If that happens I'm going full the fear. I can understand the logic of keeping one, TBF, even if I'd have looked for better. But taking both - at least assuming KVV - seems pretty extreme.

I'd rather have had neither and tbh I'm struggling to pick between them. Obika probably a fraction better but older and a touch more injury prone? Either way...if he's the bottom level of our signings as a squad player, ok. If, god help us.