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The Great Rebuild 2017'18


fizoxy
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This doesn't really fit in the other threads, but I'm interested in figuring out what kind of squad we could have come the end of the season, and what holes we will need to fill, and how we may approach that if we go down.

 

As far as I'm aware the following are all out of contract, not including the u20s:

 

Lasley, Kennedy, Moore, Ainsworth, Pearson, Faddy, Lucas, Samson, McDonald, sub goalie, Jules, chalmers - Would we bring any of these back?

 

1 more year - clay? Blyth? bowman, Moult, Hammel, McManus? Thomas - any extension possibilities?

 

Don't know - cadden, frear, heneghan, mchugh, tait

 

With the likelihood that our front two won't see next season at fir park, it looks like we will have bowman and someone. Will Mackin be an option?

 

In midfield we have mchugh and clay, with maybe cadden if he isn't sold, then add Campbell, hastie and Mclean from the u20s.

 

Defense looks worst though, with Hammel still under contract and as injury prone as he is now, we need a viable lb option.

 

My assumption is that if we go down we will push the u20s into the team, but maybe we should do that anyway?

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Its hard to know who should be let go/moved on/renewed etc. as the old "there must be someone out there better" isn't always true for a budget like ours.

 

However, for me we really need to be looking at the below...my thoughts anyway...assuming we keep those contracted to 2018 or 2019.

 

Contract up this year:

Skippy - Renew if possible for 1 more year.

Ainsworth - Release. Does not feature enough or offer enough any more when he does.

Lasley - Release. Done.

Samson - Release. Shit.

Faddy - Release. Done

Chalmers - Release. Shit

Pearson - Unsure. Hasn't overly impressed

Kennedy - Release. Squad player not playing at all.

Lucas - Release. Injury prone.

Ferguson - Release. Not good enough in my opinion.

Griffiths - Goes back on loan

Jules - Goes back on loan

MacLean - Renew.

 

Contracted until 2018:

McManus - We need to be looking ahead to replacing McManus but I think he'll be starting next year.

Heneghan

McHugh

Hammell - Can only be back up only.

Clay - Back up only in my eyes.

Thomas

Moult

Bowman

Blyth

 

Contracted until 2019:

Tait

McMillan

Cadden

Frear

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Looking at all those out of contract, Skippy is the only one I'd be offering a deal but the likelihood is he'll be away. Of those contracted beyond the summer, I think we'll be looking to cut our ties with Hammell and Blyth if possible.

 

In terms of young players stepping up, MacLean, Campbell at Hastie look to be carrying the greatest promise. Mackin was mentioned above, he'll be the out the door.

 

So plenty of scope for a rebuild. Ideally we'd be looking at pre-contracts just now but that's unlikely given our precarious position and we may well lose ground on some of our competitors. Huge job for the manager regardless of what league we are in.

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Its hard to know who should be let go/moved on/renewed etc. as the old "there must be someone out there better" isn't always true for a budget like ours.

 

However, for me we really need to be looking at the below...my thoughts anyway...assuming we keep those contracted to 2018 or 2019.

 

Contract up this year:

Skippy - Renew if possible for 1 more year.

Ainsworth - Release. Does not feature enough or offer enough any more when he does.

Lasley - Release. Done.

Samson - Release. Shit.

Faddy - Release. Done

Chalmers - Release. Shit

Pearson - Unsure. Hasn't overly impressed

Kennedy - Release. Squad player not playing at all.

Lucas - Release. Injury prone.

Ferguson - Release. Not good enough in my opinion.

Griffiths - Goes back on loan

Jules - Goes back on loan

MacLean - Renew.

 

Contracted until 2018:

McManus - We need to be looking ahead to replacing McManus but I think he'll be starting next year.

Heneghan

McHugh

Hammell - Can only be back up only.

Clay - Back up only in my eyes.

Thomas

Moult

Bowman

Blyth

 

Contracted until 2019:

Tait

McMillan

Cadden

Frear

I would only renew McDonald and Maclean

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You would also have to expect that we will accept any half decent offer for Moult, as this would seem to be the optimum time to cash in on him.

I think Skippy will be gone.

 

Moult, yeah - but will that bid be forthcoming? 3 goals since the start of the year has taken the shine of a decent first half to the season with 11 goals and the goals against Celtic and Rangers.

 

I'd wager that unless he bangs in a few important goals in the run in to get nearer 20 then that bid might not materialise to a level for us to want to sell him.

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Skippy has been trying to leave the past couple windows, has he not?

 

I don't know how actively he's been trying to leave but he's certainly been listening offers and I'd be amazed if he didn't take one this summer.

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I think Skippy will be gone.

 

Moult, yeah - but will that bid be forthcoming? 3 goals since the start of the year has taken the shine of a decent first half to the season with 11 goals and the goals against Celtic and Rangers.

 

I'd wager that unless he bangs in a few important goals in the run in to get nearer 20 then that bid might not materialise to a level for us to want to sell him.

Good point.

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I know it's not the way we do things but were we to stay up this season, I'd like to see us offer contracts to those players with a year left on their current deal that we might be able to build a team around. The likes of Heneghan, Moult and McHugh could be the spine of a decent team.

 

As others have said, it wouldn't be surprising if no one came in for Moult. Heneghan is another with room to improve but there are raw materials there. Offering these two guys contracts with a pay rise and an understanding that we wouldn't stand in their way should a certain bid be made or a club of a certain standing come in for them might be a way to go.

 

McHugh, I'd be offering the captaincy. While I don't have a great deal of sympathy for McGhee, his performances since his return make me wonder if our season might have turned out differently had he not been out for so long. Pretty much every game I've seen him play for us, he's been one of our two or three best players.

 

Other than that (assuming McDonald leaves), Frear, Tait, Cadden and the U20s that show the most promise would be the others I'd be looking to. The much maligned Clay would be a decent backup to have on the bench but Campbell and now Shea Gordon seem to be making an impression in the U20s midfield. If they're good enough they're old enough.

 

For me, looking for a fair few players this summer. Goalkeeper, left back, centre back and striker being the priorities...

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I know it's not the way we do things but were we to stay up this season, I'd like to see us offer contracts to those players with a year left on their current deal that we might be able to build a team around. The likes of Heneghan, Moult and McHugh could be the spine of a decent team.

 

As others have said, it wouldn't be surprising if no one came in for Moult. Heneghan is another with room to improve but there are raw materials there. Offering these two guys contracts with a pay rise and an understanding that we wouldn't stand in their way should a certain bid be made or a club of a certain standing come in for them might be a way to go.

 

McHugh, I'd be offering the captaincy. While I don't have a great deal of sympathy for McGhee, his performances since his return make me wonder if our season might have turned out differently had he not been out for so long. Pretty much every game I've seen him play for us, he's been one of our two or three best players.

 

Other than that (assuming McDonald leaves), Frear, Tait, Cadden and the U20s that show the most promise would be the others I'd be looking to. The much maligned Clay would be a decent backup to have on the bench but Campbell and now Shea Gordon seem to be making an impression in the U20s midfield. If they're good enough they're old enough.

 

For me, looking for a fair few players this summer. Goalkeeper, left back, centre back and striker being the priorities...

I go along with that Greg, although I wouldn't be concerned if Tait moved on. He's ok but not a great defender and I'd like to see us build from the back for once. We have to sort out our defensive game.

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Priority should be getting a contract extention for McHugh.

 

Would like to see Moore given a crack at the first team alongsode Bowman if Skippy and Moult go, but think he will only get offered a deal if we go down.

 

See that Neil Alexander is leaving Aberdeen at the end of the season. Surely a better option than Samson? We're we not quite close to signing him before or did I just make that up?

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We need 2 Keepers,a left back,a centre half,couple centre midfielders,left winger and a couple of strikers and thats ONLY if we keep Cadden & Moult , who I believe will both leave! Quite the rebuild!!

 

(Potential 2017-18 Squad)

Gk.

Gk.

Rb. Richard Tait

Rb. Luke Watt

Lb.

Lb. Jack McMillan

Cd.

Cd. Stephen McManus

Cd. Ben Heneghan

Cd. Barry Maguire

Rm. Chris Cadden

Rm. Ross McLean

Lm.

Lm. Elliot Frear

Dm. Carl McHugh

Dm. Allan Campbell

Cm.

Cm.

St. Louis Moult

St. Ryan Bowman

St.

St.

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Priority should be getting a contract extention for McHugh.

 

Would like to see Moore given a crack at the first team alongsode Bowman if Skippy and Moult go, but think he will only get offered a deal if we go down.

 

See that Neil Alexander is leaving Aberdeen at the end of the season. Surely a better option than Samson? We're we not quite close to signing him before or did I just make that up?

He's 39. Not for me.

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We need 2 Keepers,a left back,a centre half,couple centre midfielders,left winger and a couple of strikers and thats ONLY if we keep Cadden & Moult , who I believe will both leave! Quite the rebuild!!

 

(Potential 2017-18 Squad)

Lb. Jack McMillan

Jack MacMillan is a right back. Apart from that decent assessment.

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Is there a way to have frear and Thomas in the team? Or is Thomas on the outs too?

Yes I think we could, Thomas has mostly been playing off the right at Queen of the South and coming in on to his left foot, Frear naturally a left winger so it depends whether we go for two left footers on each side or play Cadden/MacLean on the right, certainly good to have those options.

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We need 2 Keepers,a left back,a centre half,couple centre midfielders,left winger and a couple of strikers and thats ONLY if we keep Cadden & Moult , who I believe will both leave! Quite the rebuild!!

 

(Potential 2017-18 Squad)

Gk.

Gk.

Rb. Richard Tait

Rb. Luke Watt

Lb.

Lb. Jack McMillan

Cd.

Cd. Stephen McManus

Cd. Ben Heneghan

Cd. Barry Maguire

Rm. Chris Cadden

Rm. Ross McLean

Lm.

Lm. Elliot Frear

Dm. Carl McHugh

Dm. Allan Campbell

Cm.

Cm.

St. Louis Moult

St. Ryan Bowman

St.

St.

We also have Clay contracted for next season, although I know he isn't overly impressive to many people. Dom Thomas also under contract for next season, this will be his last year on his contract.

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First - contract extensions for Moult, Bowman, McHugh and Heneghan. Let's not lose these guys for nothing in January 2018 when they can sign pre-contracts.

 

I expect another couple of non-league players this summer. Johnson, Moult, Bowman and Frear are showing the value of fishing in that pool.

 

What we are lacking are the 6/10 Scottish performers which are the backbone of St Johnstone, Particky and others. Guys in their mid twenties that churn out consistent performances.

 

We are unbalanced, with too many kids, veterans and newbies in the squad.

 

Do we even have a Scottish player under 30 with a few years premier league experience? I think not

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