PauloPerth Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 It is a bit strange that we’re padding out the squad only a day or so after the manager was talking about players out before more were brought in. I hate the thought but surely we’re expecting Sidibeh to go in this transfer window? I’ll be delighted but very surprised if he stays beyond September. If he has a few good games early on then there will be several English championship sides who start poorly that will throw cash at him. Where is May going to go to match the wages he’s on at Saints? I can’t see him going anywhere. The majority of players we’d happily see move on; Connor Smith, Olufunwa, Matt Smith, Max Kucheriavyi, Cammy Macpherson etc, are not going to attract interest from other teams so will still be here. We’ve made a few interesting signings which are a bit unknown and could work out which you can’t argue with, but overall it feels a continuation of the last few years of throwing shite against the wall in the hope that some sticks. Just lots of random squad players with very few enhancements to the starting eleven. Hopefully it works out and the sum of the parts is greater than the parts themselves. I guess progress would be avoiding a relegation battle and finishing 8-9th, knock out stages of the league cup and a bit of a run in the Scottish. If we got that with more entertainment and goals along the way, and the foundation of a team to build on for next season then I’d bite your hand off for all that right now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saintee Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 It's going to be great when we start getting some injuries and suspensions. The squad options are a shit show. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 1 minute ago, Kyle said: It most likely won't but we have duff options absolutely everywhere in the squad. One or two punts that might not work out is fair enough, we've got more players in that mould than we do players we know are competent enough to play this level. Some will get there as they're young, others it's pretty clear won't and are on long deals. I get that there maybe is too many nothing players. You're ideally looking for a couple of those to impress and for it to finally click. It's a risk but it's one they feel they need to do. The good thing is we still have plenty time to rectify it in some ways if it does look grim. Let's see where we are when the league starts before throwing the toys out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted July 19 Author Share Posted July 19 (edited) I'll be delighted if it works out but there must be about 15 players with question marks over them, and I'm not talking about guys like Kirk who haven't had a chance at this level but ones who have played with us and who either haven't performed or are never fit. We need actual, proven quality. I know it doesn't come cheap but surely we could've chucked some of the money we paid in fees/wages on some of the new players (and contract extensions) at guys you know will do you a job. We stayed up last season, had a new owner and something of a clean slate with about 19 players moving on. Just feels like we're loading back up on the types of players who aren't likely to be good enough all over again. Edited July 19 by Kyle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saintee Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 10 minutes ago, tree house tam said: I get that there maybe is too many nothing players. You're ideally looking for a couple of those to impress and for it to finally click. It's a risk but it's one they feel they need to do. The good thing is we still have plenty time to rectify it in some ways if it does look grim. Let's see where we are when the league starts before throwing the toys out. None of this squad start for another team in the division other than Sidibeh. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theyellowbox Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 As it stands, the squad isn't near where it needs to be, but we are where we are in terms of budgets. As much as Levein says otherwise, ai would imagine that there is still room for a few more. Likely that they will be riskier project type signings, but I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of more recognisable players, or mould of players, come in during this window. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Templar Saint Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 It amazes me the number of posters that quote what our players are paid, we must have a helluva number of staff in our payroll department!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Bliss Posted July 19 Share Posted July 19 2 hours ago, tree house tam said: There is a fine line with "project" players. One or two is fine but we do seem to have a fair few at the minute. Whether they get that much game time is another story. By the end of these cup games we'll know a fair bit more about most of them. Add a couple more, which we will no matter what Levein says, and the starting 11 probably isn't as bad as some are making out. Rae Olafunwa Sanders Cameron Sprangler Wright Raymond Essel Kimpioka Carey Sidibeh That’s a poor side. Maybe sign the groundsman’s son next to strengthen. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 (edited) 7 hours ago, Dee Bliss said: That’s a poor side. Maybe sign the groundsman’s son next to strengthen. Is it though? How the f**k do you actually know because a fair few have never played in this country? The rest are fine apart from say Rae, Sanders and Olafunwa. Who we are expecting to step it up. Levein has already said he wants to bring in another CB and possibly a GK after the cup games, which mitigates if they're not ready. Edited July 20 by tree house tam 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJFCtheTeamForMe Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 12 hours ago, The Real Saints said: Over the course of the last six months, I've been informed by GPs that I've got extremely high blood pressure and also extremely low blood pressure. You might have a point here. I'd prescribe you 20% less Levein ball to help control that blood pressure Also: while I joke, most importantly get well soon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saintee Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 13 hours ago, The Real Saints said: Over the course of the last six months, I've been informed by GPs that I've got extremely high blood pressure and also extremely low blood pressure. You might have a point here. Does the extremely high and the extremely low not counter each other out and make it normal blood pressure? I'm not a doctor though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Huck Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Perhaps bringing in more project type players is part of the new owner’s agenda. So Levein is following orders dictated from above. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 We can afford to bring in cheap project players if the squad has had quality added to it. That has yet to happen. We could well end up losing Sidibeh before the window ends, especially if he starts the season the way he finished the last. That is a major issue. At the moment we are liable to be relying on players that have, over an extended period of time, not looked up to the quality required (Macpherson, Carey, either of the Smiths). Carey contributed quite a bit for parts of last season but that was an outlier taken over his entire time with us. It may well be that there is still quite a lot of movement to come, e.g, players going out on loan, players being moved on, better quality signings coming in. But I think at best we're looking at the loan market for quality coming in now and that is always hit or miss. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 I'd agree it looks like it's the loan market in August for topping up the squad. This may upset some but that's the pond we're pissing in. Folk will moan about we shouldn't be needing to do this, it's just the same as the last few seasons and they're right we are going round in circles but we don't know all the ins and outs of what's been going on behind the scenes. It may calm down now with the new owners and fresh impetus. What we do know is that we have some absolute African princes on long term deals that should bring in more than we have outlayed. That's a good thing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted July 20 Author Share Posted July 20 I don't think anyone is expecting us to be signing top players, just not ones that are obviously not good enough. Kirk may turn out excellent business - the fact hearts let him go and he's about 8th choice isn't a great sign - but did we really need a 6th striker when we have one full back in the entire squad? Looking through our signings, Rae, Cameron. Uche and Essel are probably the ones others in this division would've looked at. Raymond is a wild card, the others probably can't believe their luck. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJFCtheTeamForMe Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Is this potentially a bit of preparation/security for losing Sidibeh and then not scrabbling around last minute on deadline day trying to replace key players? If Kirk was their choice of replacement there's no guarantee he'd be available later. It would at least show learning from the last time we had interested in our key players There's also the fact Clark is probably going to be injured half the season again too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankChickens1 Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Is Raymond elegible to play today? Guess so seeing as club using him in the match day social media stuff, but I hadn't seen his WP/international clearance being announced 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theyellowbox Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 7 minutes ago, SJFCtheTeamForMe said: Is this potentially a bit of preparation/security for losing Sidibeh and then not scrabbling around last minute on deadline day trying to replace key players? If Kirk was their choice of replacement there's no guarantee he'd be available later. It would at least show learning from the last time we had interested in our key players There's also the fact Clark is probably going to be injured half the season again too. Both are very likely true. We have 6 strikers, but is Sidibeh goes and Clark or an other is injured, we then start to look a bit light if we end up playing 2 up top. Kirk is probably a relatively cheep punt, even with a fee. If Sidebeh goes early and we have time to bring someone else in, I'd imagine the freed up wage and fee would be there to cover it. If it is late in the window or doesn't happen, we probably put one out on loan. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Panzer Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 Good morning. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the past few pages this morning after an unexpectedly stressful nights posting last night. Keep up the good work. Morten are shit btw so you’ll pump them and all will be well again in a few hours. Thank you 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted July 20 Share Posted July 20 As your designated reserve team this season, what can you tell us about this guy? Seems we've signed him rather than a loan though 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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