Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 31 minutes ago, The Moonster said: I'd say it's just some cover for centre back and our squad is complete (on the assumption Harry Broun re-signs). I'd like another left winger for reasons I'll go into but I'm not sure we'll stretch to that. We could potentially field a team in which Aron Lynas, Tony Wallace, Ryan Wallace, Micky Ruth and Ryan Blair were all on the bench and the starting 11 would be a strong one. Certainly much more strength in depth this year. My worries are goals and balance. Nobody in the squad has a great number of goals to their name so we'll see if we come up short in that department again. On balance, we look as strong as you'll get in League 2 down the right but the left leaves a fair bit to be desired. Lynas, Pignatiello, Wallace and Orsi should all see us well down the right side. Young is still inexperienced even though seemingly rated and the back up there is Greg Wylde (Malcolm if we're stuck). Further forward it seems we're going with Ross MacLean or Greg Wylde and for me that just pales in comparison to the opposite flank. We could become easy to stuff out in attack if it's all down one side. We'll see how it goes but it's good to have almost all of our business done this early. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Farrell try something different on the left if he doesn’t fancy MacLean as a starter. I’m not totally against someone who can cut inside and I reckon Tony Wallace would be a decent option there - according to Transfermarkt he made 23 appearances for Annan at left mid last season and they actually have him listed as a left mid. Wallace and MacLean aren’t bad options there for this level IMO. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tony-wallace/leistungsdaten/spieler/148620 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyline Drifter Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 15 minutes ago, Jan Vojáček said: Obviously he's not scored a great deal of goals in his career. But we were never going to be able to sign someone with 15/20 goals to his name last season, and Ruth looks like someone with the potential and raw attributes to score double figures in this league with the right service. Tommy Goss didn't score many for QOS (albeit in the Championship) but always had the raw attributes to be a threat with the right team around him, experience and perhaps a bit more time at a lower level. Here's hoping that Ruth can be a similar hit. If he can net half as many goals as Goss managed last season then we'll have a gem on our hands. I'm looking forward to seeing him play. Which is the case with quite a few members of this squad. We look in a decent place squad wise to me, especially give we're still a few days before pre-season starts. I'm already playing about with potential formations and lineups in the my notepad! Without disagreeing one bit with the general sense of your comment (I do think given a run of games at your level Ruth will get double figures), the comparison to Tommy Goss isn't very appropriate I'd say. You'd need a bit more depth to the Tommy Goss story to do that justice. He didn't score many for us (just 1 I think) but it's a very different background. Tommy Goss hadn't been playing his way round professional football for years the way the likes of Michael Ruth has. It's not particularly comparable. Tommy was with us as a youth but had drifted out of football to any real degree. He had two young kids and was playing for Abbey Vale (South League Champions this season but a mid table side at the time) whilst doing a plastering apprenticeship. Our Reserves were playing a few bounce games at the time and he impressed the then Reserve Team Manager Wullie Gibson in a bounce friendly against New Abbey. He liked what he saw, and asked Tommy to sign for the Reserves to have a longer look at him. An arrangement was struck for Tommy to sign for us but be loaned right back to Abbey Vale for the rest of the season and an arrangement made with his co-operative employer for a little bit of flexi-time so he could finish his apprenticeship and get some time off for midweek afternoon reserve games. He still wasn't properly fit but he did enough to also impress Allan Johnston to offer him a full time deal for the post Covid season. Tommy was keen to give it a go and took it but fitness-wise he was a fair bit behind guys who had been training full time for 5 or 6 years by the time Tommy came back to that level. Plus it didn't help him we were up against good championship sides then (it was the season Hearts won the league). He started only two games for us, one of which was the last game of the season which was a dead rubber. He was largely limited to 10 minutes here and there but AJ was still keen to give him another year. However, Tommy had by then realised that with a young family to support he would be better off going part time and returning to plastering as a day job. He would also play more football. He asked to go and was allowed to join Annan with no hard feelings and everybody's best wishes. He was far from an instant success at Annan either to be fair. He scored only once in his first dozen or so games although he ended up with 13 for the season before last year being his real breakout year with 28 goals. Tommy has the happy knock of being in the right place at the right time which you can't really teach. His goals (and I'd imagine you've likely seen more of them than I have) don't tend to be anything clever, Stephen Dobbie he's not, but he just gets himself where he needs to be. At this moment that's the very opposite of Michael Ruth and it's what he needs to find. Michael has attributes and I think he should do well for you but in the chances he did get with us he just never seemed to be where the ball ended up in the box. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the snudge Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 The Ruth the Ruth the Ruth is on fire...hopefully. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DG.Roma Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 14 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said: I’m not totally against someone who can cut inside and I reckon Tony Wallace would be a decent option there - according to Transfermarkt he made 23 appearances for Annan at left mid last season and they actually have him listed as a left mid. I'm assuming Transfermarkt have taken their data from Opta, who usually had Annan down as 4-4-2 although they very rarely played that, it was much more often a 4-3-3, with Tony Wallace playing as the most advanced of the central midfielders. He certainly can do what you're thinking, but for the last couple of seasons at Annan he was far more effective through the middle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Vojáček Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 15 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said: Without disagreeing one bit with the general sense of your comment (I do think given a run of games at your level Ruth will get double figures), the comparison to Tommy Goss isn't very appropriate I'd say. You'd need a bit more depth to the Tommy Goss story to do that justice. He didn't score many for us (just 1 I think) but it's a very different background. Tommy Goss hadn't been playing his way round professional football for years the way the likes of Michael Ruth has. It's not particularly comparable. Tommy was with us as a youth but had drifted out of football to any real degree. He had two young kids and was playing for Abbey Vale (South League Champions this season but a mid table side at the time) whilst doing a plastering apprenticeship. Our Reserves were playing a few bounce games at the time and he impressed the then Reserve Team Manager Wullie Gibson in a bounce friendly against New Abbey. He liked what he saw, and asked Tommy to sign for the Reserves to have a longer look at him. An arrangement was struck for Tommy to sign for us but be loaned right back to Abbey Vale for the rest of the season and an arrangement made with his co-operative employer for a little bit of flexi-time so he could finish his apprenticeship and get some time off for midweek afternoon reserve games. He still wasn't properly fit but he did enough to also impress Allan Johnston to offer him a full time deal for the post Covid season. Tommy was keen to give it a go and took it but fitness-wise he was a fair bit behind guys who had been training full time for 5 or 6 years by the time Tommy came back to that level. Plus it didn't help him we were up against good championship sides then (it was the season Hearts won the league). He started only two games for us, one of which was the last game of the season which was a dead rubber. He was largely limited to 10 minutes here and there but AJ was still keen to give him another year. However, Tommy had by then realised that with a young family to support he would be better off going part time and returning to plastering as a day job. He would also play more football. He asked to go and was allowed to join Annan with no hard feelings and everybody's best wishes. He was far from an instant success at Annan either to be fair. He scored only once in his first dozen or so games although he ended up with 13 for the season before last year being his real breakout year with 28 goals. Tommy has the happy knock of being in the right place at the right time which you can't really teach. His goals (and I'd imagine you've likely seen more of them than I have) don't tend to be anything clever, Stephen Dobbie he's not, but he just gets himself where he needs to be. At this moment that's the very opposite of Michael Ruth and it's what he needs to find. Michael has attributes and I think he should do well for you but in the chances he did get with us he just never seemed to be where the ball ended up in the box. Aye I was more meaning Goss' record in senior football not being prolific when he signed for Annan, albeit I didn't full know his background. Although I completely agree, that he's got the natural goalscorers' instinct. I don't think he's technically the best player in the league (or wasn't last year), but my God can he sniff out a goal. I think I mentioned it on our podcast and The Terrace, but he honestly reminds me of a young Harry Kane. There are times where you looked at him and thought 'how on earth has this guy scored so many goals' but then he'd just pop up in the right place after a mistake to stick it in the net. He probably could've had two hat-tricks against us last season. But scored just twice, he was always in the right place to get chances though. And that's something it feels like you can't really teach. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macclyde+ Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 3 hours ago, The Moonster said: As much as he hasn't really scored goals it could be dropping to this level is what he needs. If I remember correctly he has a bit of pace about him which is usually pretty important in this league. Pretty sure he can play as a striker or off the left but may be wrong. Happy to add him to the squad. Griffiths must be next. He scored against Clyde when on loan at Falkirk. Then again, who didn't 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawkye Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 Lots of signings, but will there be room for the fans? Yes we needed cover but l still not happy with Farrell being there and as far as lm concerned sign as many as he wants but his tactics won't change. When he got us relegated l said then he has to go and stand by it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeezebox-son Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 (edited) I do wonder if we will try to play Orsi on the left hand side with Carlo on the right. I think Orsi could be as good on that side and given that his delivery isn't always the best, maybe he'd have more joy cutting inside and having a shot every now and again. Carlo, on the other hand, has a cracking delivery on him (if my memory is correct) and would offer a completely different option for us. I reckon that, on paper, allows us to play most of our stronger players and also means not playing someone like Wylde on the left wing... Edited June 15, 2023 by squeezebox-son 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishD81 Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 4 hours ago, Sawkye said: Lots of signings, but will there be room for the fans? Yes we needed cover but l still not happy with Farrell being there and as far as lm concerned sign as many as he wants but his tactics won't change. When he got us relegated l said then he has to go and stand by it. I agree but will support him this season and hope it works out. Clearly if not has to go 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 15 hours ago, Sawkye said: Lots of signings, but will there be room for the fans? Yes we needed cover but l still not happy with Farrell being there and as far as lm concerned sign as many as he wants but his tactics won't change. When he got us relegated l said then he has to go and stand by it. He'll go at some point. Until then you either support the team or you don't - your call. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 18 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said: He's an out and out striker. Don't think he could really play anywhere else. Quite tall. Never got a run of games with us. He started the season injured early on and took a while to get fit and by then he was behind Ruari Paton and others. I think he was likely signed as a physical option off the bench and perhaps cover for Gavin Reilly who had a disappointing season himself. First half of the season he was largely used as a late sub. Scored his only goal in a 4-0 demolition of Edinburgh in the SPFL Trust Trophy when we fielded a few fringe players. When Bartley came in and immediately dropped Gavin Reilly out, he gave Ruth a chance to stake a claim with 3 starts in a row but it didn't happen for him, culminating in subbing him off in the first half of the SPFL Trust Trophy semi final at Hamilton. He never played for us again, though continued to be an unused sub for much of the rest of the season before missing the last month altogether due to a training injury. Didn't really see enough of him at first team level to say how good he was. He played more for Falkirk on loan the year before so they'll know more. He ultimately only started 6 games for us. Used sub 17 times but most of them were very short appearances. I think / hope he'll do quite well given a run of games but I wouldn't expect any fancy flicks and tricks. He's a physical player. I'm already seeing the headline of Babe Ruth continues his home run. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 I see there are more rumours on Twitter than Broomhill still haven’t paid last season’s players their final wage and have pushed the payment date back again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleslie99 Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 1 hour ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said: I see there are more rumours on Twitter than Broomhill still haven’t paid last season’s players their final wage and have pushed the payment date back again. Apparently there is nothing sinister in this (I mean that they can’t afford it). They are in dispute with OG about the payments. Doesnt look great though as they should be making their players good before signing anyone else and taking up wage disputes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Pete Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 Sooner that joke mob go pop the better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Defying football gravity former favourite Stef McLuskey has signed for Kelty Hearts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 6 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said: Defying football gravity former favourite Stef McLuskey has signed for Kelty Hearts. When your money man leaves that's what happens. Nathan Austin out for Stef McCluskey is almost Ryan Stevenson/Lewis Vaughan levels of incredible swaps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarko_son Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Broun staying is a decent backup option (assuming that's where that tweet is going) hopefully we've got another centre back option lined up as well. I'd like if we found another option for the left of midfield/winger but suspect we'll just be using what we've got there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 The word on the street is that the players were training like Lyons this morning 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFCTTFM Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Just seen Jon Leino putting up some pictures from the first night back in training. These 3 look to be on trial/just training Think we all know that is Carlos Lyon (f.k.a Isaac Layne) Anyone got a clue on the other two? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 4 minutes ago, DFCTTFM said: Just seen Jon Leino putting up some pictures from the first night back in training. These 3 look to be on trial/just training Think we all know that is Carlos Lyon (f.k.a Isaac Layne) Anyone got a clue on the other two? Is that first pic not Michael Ruth? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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