Player contracts and transfers

[RandomGuy]

We badly need a right back, central midfielder and genuine left winger. I'd be disappointed if we don't sign a player in each of those positions.

[RandomGuy]

Clark

Joe - Ando - Scobbie - Easton

O'Halloran - Wotherspoon - Muzz - Thomson

Cummins - MacLean

Is what I'd be hoping TW is thinking about as a regular line up for the rest of the season now. Its not over obviously but its becoming clear that Rangers and Hibs will be returning next season, and in two years we could have Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United all in the top flight with money to spend. Ignoring the fact Dundee and Motherwell can also outspend us.

We need to start planning for that, and like it or not the likes of Mannus, Mackay and Millar won't be playing for us in two or three years. MacLean obviously won't be either but hes been our best player this season so its pointless keeping him out. We simply need to find out how the likes of Clark and Thomson cope with regular football, same with Brown and Kane. Theres no point giving them a start here and a start there, they need to be allowed to build an understanding up.

Tough decisions need to be made by TW, and I'm not convinced he'll be willing to make them, the fact he instantly pumped a half fit Mackay and Millar straight into the line up, while dropping Kane completely suggests he has absolutely no faith in anyone outwith his regular 13/14 players. 

[Cagey]

Clark

Joe - Ando - Scobbie - Easton

O'Halloran - Wotherspoon - Muzz - Thomson

Cummins - MacLean

Is what I'd be hoping TW is thinking about as a regular line up for the rest of the season now. Its not over obviously but its becoming clear that Rangers and Hibs will be returning next season, and in two years we could have Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United all in the top flight with money to spend. Ignoring the fact Dundee and Motherwell can also outspend us.

We need to start planning for that, and like it or not the likes of Mannus, Mackay and Millar won't be playing for us in two or three years. MacLean obviously won't be either but hes been our best player this season so its pointless keeping him out. We simply need to find out how the likes of Clark and Thomson cope with regular football, same with Brown and Kane. Theres no point giving them a start here and a start there, they need to be allowed to build an understanding up.

Tough decisions need to be made by TW, and I'm not convinced he'll be willing to make them, the fact he instantly pumped a half fit Mackay and Millar straight into the line up, while dropping Kane completely suggests he has absolutely no faith in anyone outwith his regular 13/14 players. 

Wouldnt have Witherspoon in my team . His attempt to tackle McGinn at their second goal summed up his whole game where he was out of position most of the game & his attempts to put in a tackle were abysmal.

Joe has to centre back & hopefully for years to come.

[Center Half]

Surely we need to bite the bullet and let Fisher go back off loan! what's the point in keeping him on. Also I would suggest Sutton, Lappin, Millar, Craig, MacKay, and I am going to throw Mannus in here too,(Think TW is doing him a favour with the euros coming up but I would rather we did not piss Zander off either)  are now played occasionally/when needed  rather than be first picks we need to see where the rest of the squad is/if they are good enough to keep us at the level we are at or let them go, I hope that the reported PCA are set to be announced but we have not been very successful in the past with these type of deals either. replacements for the old guard who really need to be tested at this level with decent playing like 4-5 game runs not 15-20mins here and there, are Rodgers, Caddis, Brown, Kane, Scobbie, Clark, Thompson, Zippy. It now is a season we may not have a lot to lose and if the replacements are not good enough to keep us in the top six now then I would suggest they are replaced over the preseason, Our only thing to play for now is really 4th Place I think that 3rd may just be out of our reach now(never say never I suppose) so for Europe next year we need to rely on Hearts and Celtic to win the Scottish cup which is a good bet for either to do it, I know this will not happen as TW will plod along with old faithful's           

[Havana Saint]

Shaughnessy at centre half has been our only player for weeks. Cuptie's best days are long behind him and we really need to find a decent right back for next season.

 

Totally agree that Clark should go between the sticks at some point before end of season. If our current form continues, that may be sooner rather than later.

[SlickDT]

One of the hardest things to do in management is replace a successful group of players, let alone the most successful side in a club's history. This is a job that many top managers really struggle with. Telling quality players who have given you 100% effort that they are "no longer up to it".

Wright has a job on his hands and his success in bringing in replacements will have a huge effect on where we are as a club in the next few years. He has started that process at the back with Joe (fantastic addition) and McKay (not worked out so far- but I wouldn't write the guy off).

After a dissapointing defeat it's hard not to over react. But the following needs looked at in my opinion-

I think Dave MacKay has been a tremendous servant for this club, but age is starting to creep up on him. It's time to start looking for other options for next season. Let the legend see out the season with us and then give someone else a crack at it next year. Whether it be McKay given a run at full-back or a new face brought in.

In Joe, Ando and Easton I think we've got a solid unit for the next couple years.

Midfield is the area that concerns me most. Chris Millar was immense last season but he really seems to be struggling this season with injuries. I'd like to see us get a couple of younger players in the middle with energy that can hold possession and spot quick passes. I thought Fyvie did that very well yesterday. Caddis, Lappin and Craig aren't that answer for me. I'd keep Craig as a squad player, but no more. I'd like to see if Scott Brown could return to the form we saw when he first broke into the team.

Out wide we are crying for pace on BOTH flanks. I'd love to see Tommy start a game with both MOH and Thomson. Spoony had a dire game yesterday but credit where it's due he never hides- I just wish he was consistent.

Upfront- Tricky one Maclean can be fantastic or like yesterday very poor. His age can't be ignored though and it's unrealistic to think we can keep relying on him every week. Kane needs game time and if he's not given enough this season we could lose a good player.

A lot of thinking for Tommy ahead.

[Shibbydoo]

All we have to play for now for the rest of the season is top six finish and europe if we are lucky, tommy wright now needs to think carefully to rebuild for next season releasing some players and bringing in fresh faces  

ALL we have to play for??? hahaha you've been spoilt last few years

[RandomGuy]

Wouldnt have Witherspoon in my team . His attempt to tackle McGinn at their second goal summed up his whole game where he was out of position most of the game & his attempts to put in a tackle were abysmal.

Joe has to centre back & hopefully for years to come.

Wotherspoon the only real creative player we have though, if we could get a more consistent player to create chances then yeah, he should be dropped but we struggle for chances as it is. I still maintain his best position is behind a striker though, central midfield hes too deep to really contribute while on either wing hes not got the pace to beat the full back

[RandomGuy]

Tommy has been in touch with York re a left sided player- 28 years old- had an injury lately - can't mind his name

Michael Coulson?

Unofficial Twitter confirms Coulson is the rumoured player.

[callander saint]

Feel  Mannus has had a poor season so far and Clark should be given his chance.

[St Mikey]

Feel  Mannus has had a poor season so far and Clark should be given his chance.

whilst I Mannus wasn't at fault his performances have dropped. Time to bring Zander in, he deserves a shot. 

Rebuild for the remainder of the season now. 

[Dr Christmas Jones]

That's just bullsh!t, the guy has a make shift defence every game. How can any keeper get any confidence from that.  He dealt with everything pretty well yesterday considering some of the half hearted performances in front of him.  

[PauloPerth]

I think it's easy to blame a players age when he's having a poor run of form.  Frazer Wright had a poor game in Europe at the start of last season (lucerne?) and everyone was saying he was past it and time to move on.  He came back into the side and was a standout for the remainder of the season in one of the best defences in the league.

Steven Maclean took a while to find his form after a serious injury last season and everyone said finished, this season he's mostly been excellent.

Mackay hasn't stood out this season, but has he been worse than Easton, for example?

Midge should be given as long as he needs to get fully fit.  Instead of playing him from the start in big games on heavy pitches, he should be given run outs from the bench to build up his match fitness gradually.  He was one of our best players last season and is one of the fittest players at the club, he could yet have a few really good seasons in him.

we do need a different type of central midfielder to drive forward with the ball, I feel most of ours are passing players: Lappin, Craig, Davidson and Midge.  And a left sided player, preferably with pace.

3 months ago we were saying how great this squad is.  They haven't become poor, we're just in a bad spell.  A couple of faces to freshen things up and move on a few fringe players and we'll be fine.  

Young Thomson is a great prospect, and the Saughnerson partnership has great potential.

[RandomGuy]

 

Mackay hasn't stood out this season, but has he been worse than Easton, for example?

Midge should be given as long as he needs to get fully fit.  Instead of playing him from the start in big games on heavy pitches, he should be given run outs from the bench to build up his match fitness gradually.  He was one of our best players last season and is one of the fittest players at the club, he could yet have a few really good seasons in him.

Young Thomson is a great prospect, and the Saughnerson partnership has great potential.

Yes, he has. Easton has had an equally poor season, but the problem is that Mackay isnt competing physically anymore, thats a huge problem for a defender.

Millar turns 33 in March, and now has had a recurring injury for over a year thats getting worse instead of better. If hes benched it should be for a replacement, not so we can slowly bring a player who'll be turning 34 back into the side. We seem to have a real problem with players ages.

Thomsons a fine example. He's labelled a great prospect and has been for years now, only problem is hes turning 21 soon and only has about six or seven games (one start) to his name. Look at Hibs and you realise he's not even a year younger than McGinn and Fyvie and is older than Cummings. We need to start bleeding youth earlier to give them an actual chance to rise to this level.

[andy rhodes fancy watch]

To build your team around Spoony is folly Random. Spoony has had more pish games this season than anyone else in that team. That's a team where Easton has been caught out almost every game, Mackay has shown he's past it, Mannus has been suspect, Fisher is just pish etc etc. Tommy has rewarded them all by giving them new contracts (apart from Fisher) and is now left with big problems, are any of the youngsters ready? Think we might find out sooner rather than later or sir Tommy will end up with the tin tack.

[RandomGuy]

To build your team around Spoony is folly Random. Spoony has had more pish games this season than anyone else in that team. That's a team where Easton has been caught out almost every game, Mackay has shown he's past it, Mannus has been suspect, Fisher is just pish etc etc. Tommy has rewarded them all by giving them new contracts (apart from Fisher) and is now left with big problems, are any of the youngsters ready? Think we might find out sooner rather than later or sir Tommy will end up with the tin tack.

I'm not saying we build the team around him, i do think he'd be an asset in the right type of team though. He needs movement and players to link with, the Cup winning season he was tremendous when he had May, MacLean and Edwards/MOH all moving around him and giving him genuine options, our attacks these days are all pretty one paced and movement-less

[MrBored]

The fact that Mackay said his injury that made him doubtful was his hip might well mean that both the player and the club know he's on borrowed time due to injuries. I seem to remember the hip was the op he had last summer in the hope it would extend his career a season or two. I don't think we need to get a replacement straight away, just one we need to do in the summer. 

Easton is one who has slipped from his previous good form. Perhaps a game or two on the bench with Scobbie coming in would help him out?

Mannus has the Euros to play for, so I doubt Wright will drop him for any extended time. While he's not been as good as previous seasons, I reckon part of that is down to the whole defence rather than just him.

As someone mentioned a few posts back, assuming Cummins comes back into the first team soon, this will be the same line up that did so well earlier in the season. The results will improve.

[Center Half]

ALL we have to play for??? hahaha you've been spoilt last few years

Mabey so Sibbydoo, maybe so, Like many on here I am entitled to it after 50 years experience of watching saints I have nearly seen it all with them  sides built up, how quickly they can fall it is a thin line between top six and relegation battle now! and next season will be even harder if the expected two come back up I would put money on them being in the top six next season! if the current playing staff is not good enough to keep us in the top six now from the starting position we are in now then I hate to say it but they will certainly not good enough to get us there next season, so yes bite the bullet this season lets do the assessments now rather than preseason and the start of the season when we are three or four games in then start to panic. (You only need to look at Dundee United last season and this season how the fell away from I think a similar position)      

[RandomGuy]

Seems to be fairly strong suggestions we plan on signing somebody before the deadline. May depend on other clubs signing players though.

[Center Half]

The fact that Mackay said his injury that made him doubtful was his hip might well mean that both the player and the club know he's on borrowed time due to injuries. I seem to remember the hip was the op he had last summer in the hope it would extend his career a season or two. I don't think we need to get a replacement straight away, just one we need to do in the summer. 

Easton is one who has slipped from his previous good form. Perhaps a game or two on the bench with Scobbie coming in would help him out?

Mannus has the Euros to play for, so I doubt Wright will drop him for any extended time. While he's not been as good as previous seasons, I reckon part of that is down to the whole defence rather than just him.

As someone mentioned a few posts back, assuming Cummins comes back into the first team soon, this will be the same line up that did so well earlier in the season. The results will improve.

Think the Mannus situation is correct Mr B , personally I think he was on another level for the past couple of seasons and has just slipped a notch maybe, I do find my self questioning him at goals more often this season than before, I got to say I questioned the goal against Alashkert could he have done better same as yesterday could he have done better that does not mean he is not a good goal keeper yet. One thing I do not like now is his standing on his line at dead balls into the box, he came for one yesterday and flapped a bit, distribution is not great either just now, think Zander may be better in those departments but we will never know if he continues to sit on the bench. I find it a bit strange that why put Zander out on loan for two seasons then bring him back to sit on the bench this season. surely he is better playing for a season getting game time then stepping into the first team if TW decided he was playing Mannus for every game then why no just use the younger keepers for backup if required?      

[PauloPerth]

 

Thomsons a fine example. He's labelled a great prospect and has been for years now, only problem is hes turning 21 soon and only has about six or seven games (one start) to his name. Look at Hibs and you realise he's not even a year younger than McGinn and Fyvie and is older than Cummings. We need to start bleeding youth earlier to give them an actual chance to rise to this level.

Fair point with Thomson, if he was left sided he would probably be a first team regular this season.. He's unfortunate that our best player for a good part of this season plays in the same position. 

i haven't seen any of our young players stand out enough to justify a regular start other than Thomson. Hopefully Kane goes onto reach that level as he has potential.

Hibs are fortunate in that they can afford to sign some of the better up and coming young players in the country.  Mcgeoch, Henderson, McGinn are all players who would get a game in many premiership first teams.

 

 

[dunkeldneil]

Clark

Joe - Ando - Scobbie - Easton

O'Halloran - Wotherspoon - Muzz - Thomson

Cummins - MacLean

Is what I'd be hoping TW is thinking about as a regular line up for the rest of the season now. Its not over obviously but its becoming clear that Rangers and Hibs will be returning next season, and in two years we could have Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United all in the top flight with money to spend. Ignoring the fact Dundee and Motherwell can also outspend us.

We need to start planning for that, and like it or not the likes of Mannus, Mackay and Millar won't be playing for us in two or three years. MacLean obviously won't be either but hes been our best player this season so its pointless keeping him out. We simply need to find out how the likes of Clark and Thomson cope with regular football, same with Brown and Kane. Theres no point giving them a start here and a start there, they need to be allowed to build an understanding up.

Tough decisions need to be made by TW, and I'm not convinced he'll be willing to make them, the fact he instantly pumped a half fit Mackay and Millar straight into the line up, while dropping Kane completely suggests he has absolutely no faith in anyone outwith his regular 13/14 players. 

The most sensible post ive seen on here for a while, this is exactley what we need to do or life is going to become a lot more difficult for us very very soon

[Wee Mental Davie]

What's the latest on Blair Alston? Seeing as we are talking about replacements for older players, he has the potential to fit the bill...

Edited January 31, 2016 by Wee Mental Davie

[Cagey]

That's just bullsh!t, the guy has a make shift defence every game. How can any keeper get any confidence from that.  He dealt with everything pretty well yesterday considering some of the half hearted performances in front of him.  

Dealt with everything pretty well ?.

Any goalkeeper should have saved that second goal ,which wasn't exactly a rocket & from all of 25 yards & 2 yards inside the post.

As for those saying Wright is playing him because of his place in the Europe's. I would be less than chuffed if he was putting Ireland before Saints & anyway he is only third choice & McGovern has had some horrendous displays & is still their number one.

[Dr Christmas Jones]

I knew as soon as the ball broke to Mcginn it was a goal. How that whole move can be blamed all on Mannus is ridiculous. One hesitation.  Let's get rid, I, quality!!