The European football level St. Mirren FC 2024/25 thread

[Sortmeout]

Just now, aldo_j said:

Is that one of the two Nigerian ‘internationalists’ you signed and then paid money to f**k off?

I don’t even think we paid them anything I think that was part of the issue.

Definitely something dodgy between our chairman and their agent at the time. A really strange deal all round.

[Coventry Saint]

1 hour ago, Sortmeout said:

I’m probably going to get slaughtered for this but I think St Mirren fans have read far too much into the international caps for their players. The fawning over Baccus during the World Cup was a bit tin pot.

I actually agree. Imagine fans of a football club taking pleasure from their players appearing on the biggest stage in football, and that coinciding with their best season in ~35 years. Fucking idiots.

[Munoz]

1 minute ago, Sortmeout said:

I don’t even think we paid them anything I think that was part of the issue.

Definitely something dodgy between our chairman and their agent at the time. A really strange deal all round.

Sounds very Ayrshire to me.

[Sortmeout]

4 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

I actually agree. Imagine fans of a football club taking pleasure from their players appearing on the biggest stage in football, and that coinciding with their best season in ~35 years. Fucking idiots.

Glad we agree.

[Hendo]

7 minutes ago, Sortmeout said:

I don’t even think we paid them anything I think that was part of the issue.

Definitely something dodgy between our chairman and their agent at the time. A really strange deal all round.

I bet Marvin and Bullet were involved.

[Coventry Saint]

This guy needs sorting out.

[djchapsticks]

See Killie are close to signing Kyle Magennis.

Talented player who I'd have back in a heartbeat if he wasn't Brophy levels of broken. Few Saints fans on Twitter saying we're missing a trick there but I strongly disagree, we'd be bringing back a guy to be one of our highest earners who has missed 80 out of 130 possible games for Hibs due to a long list of injuries and he was already very injury prone when he was with us.

As I said, a very good player but not a risk we can afford to take.

[Munoz]

9 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

See Killie are close to signing Kyle Magennis.

Talented player who I'd have back in a heartbeat if he wasn't Brophy levels of broken. Few Saints fans on Twitter saying we're missing a trick there but I strongly disagree, we'd be bringing back a guy to be one of our highest earners who has missed 80 out of 130 possible games for Hibs due to a long list of injuries and he was already very injury prone when he was with us.

As I said, a very good player but not a risk we can afford to take.

On the plus side for Killie fans- at least he'll be playing on a great playing surface every other week (providing he's not injured as a result of the playing surface).

[jimmy boo]

57 minutes ago, Sortmeout said:

You must take football very seriously.

Predictable response. 

[AW saint]

1 hour ago, djchapsticks said:

See Killie are close to signing Kyle Magennis.

Talented player who I'd have back in a heartbeat if he wasn't Brophy levels of broken. Few Saints fans on Twitter saying we're missing a trick there but I strongly disagree, we'd be bringing back a guy to be one of our highest earners who has missed 80 out of 130 possible games for Hibs due to a long list of injuries and he was already very injury prone when he was with us.

As I said, a very good player but not a risk we can afford to take.

Totally agree. Really good player on his day but like, McAllister and Brophey has a fondness for the treatment table. 

When you run with a small player pool you need them all as fit as possible. 

I trust Robbo to bring in quality

[houston_bud]

8 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

See Killie are close to signing Kyle Magennis.

Talented player who I'd have back in a heartbeat if he wasn't Brophy levels of broken. Few Saints fans on Twitter saying we're missing a trick there but I strongly disagree, we'd be bringing back a guy to be one of our highest earners who has missed 80 out of 130 possible games for Hibs due to a long list of injuries and he was already very injury prone when he was with us.

As I said, a very good player but not a risk we can afford to take.

Sadly, I think you're right. A fit Kyle Magennis would improve most squads in the league and would be an asset for us. 

According to Wikipedia he's played 34 games for Hibs. I don't know how accurate that is, but signing someone who's only managed about a dozen games each season is a risk.

I hope, for his sake, that he gets back on track and that we're all on here in a year's time bemoaning the fact we didn't sign him.

[djchapsticks]

1 minute ago, houston_bud said:

Sadly, I think you're right. A fit Kyle Magennis would improve most squads in the league and would be an asset for us. 

According to Wikipedia he's played 34 games for Hibs. I don't know how accurate that is, but signing someone who's only managed about a dozen games each season is a risk.

I hope, for his sake, that he gets back on track and that we're all on here in a year's time bemoaning the fact we didn't sign him.

I checked last night on Transfermarkt. 

He's been fit for 50 of the 130 or so games Hibs have played since he signed. That's less than 40% availability. 

[Ric]

So, weirdly, I think @Sortmeout is not totally wrong. I do think the media did its usual bullshit thing of overblown contrivance and nonsense hyperbole.

That said, I don't think St Mirren fans made "too much of it". Baccus was a bit of an unknown when he came to us, same with Greive and Strain too, with 2 of them having performed well above expectations (Greive seems a bit stop and start in his development, definitely potential though).

Watching your player play at the highest level, against some of the best teams and players in the World, will never stop being exciting. We're a "small provincial club", yet vicariously we were on the biggest stage. That said, I never watched a single second of the WC for all the obvious reasons. Although that doesn't stop me recognising what Baccus, and to a lesser extent Strain and Grieve, have achieved.

 

On a different topic, anyone else seem a little surprised we've not see any additions or even concrete rumours? Both Goodwin and Robinson are (were?) very much the "I like to get business done early" types, and while that obviously doesn't preclude later additions, considering our top flight status was secured early on (unlike many other seasons) I would have thought the wheels would have been motion for a quick start to the window. It's not a complaint, nor would I want us to rush people in the door. The silence is something we've not been used to for the last few seasons.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ric

[RandomGuy.]

Dont think you take a punt on someone with this history unless youre completely desperate. 

Not a clue why Killie are going it for this early in the window, highly doubt theres huge competition for his signature.

[Ric]

With regard to Magennis, sadly he's broken, and either will continue to be so or have a Damascene conversion like Curtis Main only time will tell. We've put our faith in unfit players before and we all saw how that played out with McAllister. Great player, but broken.

I understand why McInnes is going for him, he has the experience and technical ability, and I imagine he'll not be looking to stay on the same wages he was on at Hibs, so it looks like a fairly attractive proposition. That said, and from experience of living in the league 'borderlands' between the Premier and Championship, you really need to rely on your marquee players when times get tough, and a fit, healthy and motivated Magennis would certainly be a marquee player for Killie.

I wonder, if McInnes is keen on taking St Mirren connected permanently injured players, perhaps we can convince him a combination of Magennis and Brophy will help his side this season.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ric

[houston_bud]

2 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Dont think you take a punt on someone with this history unless youre completely desperate. 

Not a clue why Killie are going it for this early in the window, highly doubt theres huge competition for his signature.

Such a shame as he is a good player and had bags of potential when he broke through.

He's not quite 25 yet, so hopefully he can get fit and get a full season under his belt. 

[Steven Glansberg]

26 minutes ago, houston_bud said:

A fit Kyle Magennis would improve most squads in the league and would be an asset for us. 

He really wouldn't though 

[djchapsticks]

49 minutes ago, Ric said:

So, weirdly, I think @Sortmeout is not totally wrong. I do think the media did its usual bullshit thing of overblown contrivance and nonsense hyperbole.

That said, I don't think St Mirren fans made "too much of it". Baccus was a bit of an unknown when he came to us, same with Greive and Strain too, with 2 of them having performed well above expectations (Greive seems a bit stop and start in his development, definitely potential though).

Watching your player play at the highest level, against some of the best teams and players in the World, will never stop being exciting. We're a "small provincial club", yet vicariously we were on the biggest stage. That said, I never watched a single second of the WC for all the obvious reasons. Although that doesn't stop me recognising what Baccus, and to a lesser extent Strain and Grieve, have achieved.

I think it's more the fact that we are now actually a platform for players on the verge of their national sides. We've 4 current international players (and Carson and Gallagher who have been in squads in the last 12 months) and probably another 1 or 2 currently who could break into their sides in Boyd-Munce and a fit Ayunga  

Baccus, Strain and Grieve were all uncapped before joining us, they now have something like 20 caps between the three of them so it's not exactly like a one and done for them.

We are right to have a bit of excitement about it. Add in Jamie McGrath who broke into Ireland squad and Connor Ronan who got called up in a Saints shirt and this self-styled 'we can provide you a platform to get called up' selling point to decent players from middling nations actually holds a bit of water.

Tell you what, it beats the shit out of signing players like Stuart Carswell and Kyle Hutton. You catch a real appreciation for relative good times when you've gone through that pish.

[djchapsticks]

56 minutes ago, Ric said:

On a different topic, anyone else seem a little surprised we've not see any additions or even concrete rumours? Both Goodwin and Robinson are (were?) very much the "I like to get business done early" types, and while that obviously doesn't preclude later additions, considering our top flight status was secured early on (unlike many other seasons) I would have thought the wheels would have been motion for a quick start to the window. It's not a complaint, nor would I want us to rush people in the door. The silence is something we've not been used to for the last few seasons.

Think this is a two fold issue.

The club has definitely tightened up and there's plenty going on behind closed doors. The leaks now are pretty much non existent which is a good, if boring, thing. Robinson is also on holiday and returns on Monday...I'd imagine Lasley and Foyle have been given their instructions in terms of targets and paperwork for any players will start to be signed next week. We'd actually only officially signed Carson and O'Hara at this point last season.

Secondly, and this is the major one. When you want to improve, or go like for like on a squad that's pretty settled, performing well and has a tight knit to boot, you are likely going to be a lot more specific in what type of player you are looking for, particularly with our restrictive budget. The scattergun windows of 11-12 new faces are over (for the time being, we all know these things are cyclical) and the days of multiple trialists are over (hopefully forever). I'm happy with us being dilligent and trying to make sure we get things right.

 

[Ric]

6 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Tell you what, it beats the shit out of signing players like Stuart Carswell and Kyle Hutton. You catch a real appreciation for relative good times when you've gone through that pish.

Doesn't it just! I was lamenting the piss poor JD Sports strips we had in the New Strips thread, and to think our "headline signing" to show off that strip was... Greg fucking Wylde.