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Double Winning St Johnstone FC Thread


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We saw at start of pandemic that you can make contract calls in the grip of uncertainty and - although his role is stil shrouded in a degree of mystery - does Gus MacPherson (along with Alec Cleland) not know enough about the squad to make decisions if there was to be a dugout change.

The headline number of out of contract players is big but it can soon be whittled down.

There is no future at the club for Ballantyne, Booth, Brown, Crawford or Phillips, so you are only left assessing 8 players: 

Graham Carey, Andy Considine, Tony Gallacher, Liam Gordon, Chris Kane, Cammy MacPherson, Ryan McGowan and Drey Wright.

Not a single one of those players is going to be offered a contract on the same money they have been accustomed to in Perth is my strong suspicion, so straight away there may be negotiations that don't even get started.

There is a lot of work to do but in terms of sorting out what is already at the club, it maybe won't be quite as daunting as the headline number might have made it appear.

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I suspect the only one who may stay is Drey Wright, since once again he owes the club for sticking with his through yet another long term injury. Then again he’s getting older and this may be his last chance at a decent contract, but that’s were his 2 12-month long injuries are going to screw him over.  Think now a the time for Liam Gordon to go, I think we’ve come to the mutual end of that road and it’s the right time to part ways. I’d keep Carey, but only for the numbers he actually produced, play him off the left for a full season and you’d have even more I suspect. 
 

As for the rest, barring the younger guys, get them all out and wipe the slate as clean as we can. There’s enough signed up that we won’t be in the same position as the league cup last year. 

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Certainly work to do when you look at what we've got signed up. 
 

Mitov Sinclair

Olufunwa Keltjens McClelland

Kucheriavyi M Smith C Smith Sprangler Ferguson 

Sidibeh Kimpioka May Clark


Jusg about everywhere on the park needs bolstered. That long contract we gave Sidibeh looks a master stroke now. 

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42 minutes ago, Radford said:

Waking up to the reality of what faces us after the euphoria of yesterday, cause life comes at you fast.

A LOT of work needed to ensure we aren't in the same situation (or worse) in 12 months.

But the takeover situation presumably makes it hard. And the manager's popularity remains an elephant in the room. Do the support really have the stomach to get behind Levein? I'm already hearing folk talking about if this happens, or that happens, then maybe it'll be better. But will it really?

There is always room for respect based on him keeping us up but that can't stray into sentiment and nothing about Craig Levein enthuses me.

I just hope next May that yesterday doesn't seem like the ultimate example of a double-edged sword...

As far as I'm concerned the reason it went to the last kick of the ball yesterday is entirely down to the manager's choices over the past few games. Yesterday we got players into reasonably normal positions (eg Carey left, Clark right up top) and it worked (eg Carey crosses from left, Clark is playing off the last man to score).

That Levein made inexplicable decisions such as playing Carey on the right of a narrow midfield and Clark dropping deep for weeks on end tells me that as much as he was working with a sub standard squad, he voluntarily tied one of his own arms behind his back.

Get rid.

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Some hard decisions need to be made. And they really shouldn't be all that hard to make as a complete clear out needs to happen. 

Genuinely stunned that Considine hasn't retired yet. Someone needs to have a word.

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Looking at the 14 names above that are contracted, there is work to do there as well.

McClelland is maybe worth another chance but Olufunwa isn't good enough.

Stevie May gives you everything but playing him in midfield recently is more a reflection on the (lack of) quality we have there. When you see the shift Sidibeh put in yesterday, it's hard to see what May offers us now. I'm not going to chase him out the door though.

Those midfield players though, massive puff of the cheeks, Sprangler apart. But even him and Keltjens, they aren't going to take us massively forward IMO.

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17 minutes ago, The Saintee said:

Some hard decisions need to be made. And they really shouldn't be all that hard to make as a complete clear out needs to happen. 

Genuinely stunned that Considine hasn't retired yet. Someone needs to have a word.

Only player I have heard who is definitely on the way out the door.

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12 minutes ago, The Marly said:

I'm baffled by some of the revisionism re Macpherson. He's not good enough. Simple as that. I'd keep Wright, the rest can go. Including Gordon. 

He has tried since his injury return. Key word there is tried. However he’s a reflection of our recent poor transfer activities, and perhaps we’d be best sending him on his way. 

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MacPherson doesn’t really have any redeeming features though. I’ve never seen a player lose more 70/30 challenges in my life. He has the heart of the mouse and is symptomatic of the issues the club has had recently. He may well find form somewhere else, if he stays fit, but that should not be at saints as far as I’m concerned. 

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Posted (edited)

My thoughts at the moment, Drey Wright when fit is an asset, I'd keep him. May can go, if County get relegated then replace him with the ginger mutant.

McClelland is worth keeping even as a third or fourth choice CB. Carey? Played in his proper position on the left, he's okay. Anywhere else, no thanks.

Midfield needs an overhaul. Ferguson isn't good enough, Max isn't good enough, Connor Smith isn't good enough. Get rid of or loan out until their contracts end. I'd like us to bring in Jason Holt tbh, mainly because I like niggly wee b*****ds in the middle.

McGowan? If he wants to stay he gets a year but nothing more.

The rest of the uncontracted squad can gtf.

Edited by tree house tam
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I think it's clear McPherson will get an offer at the very least. Levein has talked him up a lot and he did make a difference against Livi and then against Motherwell. I would release him personally but I think there's a  pretty good chance he'll be here next year unless he gets a better offer. Given he's been injured all season, I can't see that happening either. 

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I’d be tempted to offer MacPherson and Carey deals on massively reduced terms. Gallacher as a back up left back could be worth a short term deal again on reduced terms.

Let the rest go. 
 

Lewis Strapp from Morton for LB

Fagan Walcott from Dunfermline for LCB

Jason Holt from Livi for CM

Then looking for an older centre back to come in for a season or so. I’d take Hanlon but would understand fans don’t want a repeat of Considine.

Then sign at least one but probably two wingers.

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Kane is signing for Dunfermline according to Scott Burns. 
 

Double winning legend goes with my best wishes, but think his time was up with us. I feel we could've used him for a spell towards the end of the season there but Sidibeh has some of the same traits and looks to be a more rounded player. 

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3 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

It was telling during the water breaks yesterday that Kirk did all the talking and Levein just stood back and watched.

Is it telling though? It was obvious, and was literally stated by Levein when he arrived that Kirk would do the tactical  work and training. Levein is essentially there for recruitment and handling any man management issues that arise.

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Just now, DavidReid01 said:

Is it telling though? It was obvious, and was literally stated by Levein when he arrived that Kirk would do the tactical  work and training. Levein is essentially there for recruitment and handling any man management issues that arise.

 Does he actually manage? Being able to delegate and having trust to be able to truly do that is part of management, yes. Managers should lead by example imo. At no point in these last few weeks when the going has gotten tough have I thought, he's a great leader, what a good manager.

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1 minute ago, tree house tam said:

 Does he actually manage? Being able to delegate and having trust to be able to truly do that is part of management, yes. Managers should lead by example imo. At no point in these last few weeks when the going has gotten tough have I thought, he's a great leader, what a good manager.

I think he’s essentially there to take the flak of Kirk, which in essence he has done. 

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Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, DavidReid01 said:

I think he’s essentially there to take the flak of Kirk, which in essence he has done. 

It just feels like a Joe Biden* situation to me. The hard work is done by others while the senile auld codger waffles to the press.

 

* I'm not accusing Craig of being a sleazy old hair sniffing creep. Unlike that Clyde fan with Saintsam, he was a creep. Does Craig support Clyde?

Edited by tree house tam
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