Summer transfers/contracts 2023

[saintgscot]

1 hour ago, Aitchy said:

Surely Gus MacPherson must have been compiling a list of potential targets over the past year. I realise we will not be the first choice of many players, but still would have be nice for the morale of the squad and the supporters if we had signed a few new players by now.

I like Macca saying he is looking for quality over quantity and is willing to wait, but it could be a risky strategy. If we go into the League Cup games and suffer some poor results against lower league teams, then it could have an impact on the mindset of an already fragile squad, particularly the younger players. I note that it has been mentioned that players in England who are out of contract are still due another months salary, so it may be the case that we see more movement towards the end of this month.

I try to remain optimistic as I can in regards to all things Saints, but it’s hard to keep remain upbeat when you look at our current squad. A inexperienced keeper, two ageing defenders, two left backs who have had injury problems, a midfield containing players like Crawford and Carey who go missing at every opportunity and then a strike force that contains two players (Clark & Kane) that are both coming back from serious injuries. 

Maccas recruitment is going to have to be spot on. 

Who is the two ageing defenders. Constadine yeah but who is the other. Unless you mean Booth.

[blueheaven]

12 hours ago, Aitchy said:

Surely Gus MacPherson must have been compiling a list of potential targets over the past year. I realise we will not be the first choice of many players, but still would have be nice for the morale of the squad and the supporters if we had signed a few new players by now.

Is identifying transfer targets part of MacPherson's role? I didn't think it was, but happy to be corrected on that. Either way, I'm not sure it's identifying targets that is the issue. To me it feels more like getting them to come here is the thing we're struggling with.

 

12 hours ago, Aitchy said:

I note that it has been mentioned that players in England who are out of contract are still due another months salary, so it may be the case that we see more movement towards the end of this month.

I've seen a couple of people mentioning this about English salaries, but don't the majority of contracts come to an end at the end of June? Why would they still have a month's salary due to them in July? I'd have thought most free agents would be firmly into find-a-new-club mode by this stage of the summer.

[Havana Saint]

That's Lewis officially left Aberdeen.

[Linky]

If we're just going to sign SPFL out of contract players, I'd be content with Ian Harkes, Joe Lewis, GMS, Michael Smith & Steven Fletcher.

I would like to think we're looking beyond this pool of players, but I'm not sure that we are, and there are a lot worse out there that we could be trying to sign

[Center Half]

You forgot Peter Pawlet and Aiden McGeady there Linky! Think Harkes is away back to the USA to play there.  

[tucker]

31 minutes ago, Havana Saint said:

That's Lewis officially left Aberdeen.

Robert Thompson saying move back down south on the cards

[Aitchy]

1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

Is identifying transfer targets part of MacPherson's role? I didn't think it was, but happy to be corrected on that. Either way, I'm not sure it's identifying targets that is the issue. To me it feels more like getting them to come here is the thing we're struggling with.

 

I've seen a couple of people mentioning this about English salaries, but don't the majority of contracts come to an end at the end of June? Why would they still have a month's salary due to them in July? I'd have thought most free agents would be firmly into find-a-new-club mode by this stage of the summer.

I would be surprised if part of MacPhersons role as Head of Football Operations was not to identify targets. He dosent specifically mention it in this interview, but it certainly seems he is actively involved in our recruitment process - https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/4134355/gus-macpherson-st-johnstone-are-restoring-their-stability-and-callum-davidson-is-perfect-fit-for-perth-club/.

Convincing players to come to us has always been an issue. The one thing we were able to offer over the past decade was stability and reassurance to a player that they were joining a stable club where they would get looked after well and also receive their wage on time as well as being a club that was usually in the latter stages of the cup competitions and being in the top half of the table, but the past two seasons have probably impacted on a players perception of us.

The suggestions about the English players contracts also surprised me. You would have thought it would have been in a free agents best interest to get signed up with a new club sooner rather than later. 

[Linky]

15 minutes ago, Center Half said:

You forgot Peter Pawlet and Aiden McGeady there Linky! Think Harkes is away back to the USA to play there.  

The first two are the ones that could be worse!

[PSJ.84]

Aye Harkes signed for New England Revolution on Wednesday 

[blueheaven]

47 minutes ago, Linky said:

If we're just going to sign SPFL out of contract players, I'd be content with Ian Harkes, Joe Lewis, GMS, Michael Smith & Steven Fletcher.

I would like to think we're looking beyond this pool of players, but I'm not sure that we are, and there are a lot worse out there that we could be trying to sign

Lewis I'd be fine with as we need a GK and age is less of an issue there, and I think Harkes would have been a great signing but is off back to the US now and I doubt we'd have been able to afford him anyway.

But I think a lot of the kind of guys you've mentioned have a very Callum Davidson feel about them and I really hope it's not the route Macca's going to go down. I'd far rather see us look at stand-out 20-somethings from the lower leagues and English non-league than fall back on yet more 32-plus guys who have been around the block in the SPFL and are winding down their careers. We really need to get back to trying to build for the future.

I'd also rather have seen us keep Spoony and hold out for Hallberg than offer a contract to GMS. To me that feels like a backward step. 

 

[pezza70]

The days of signing a Jenkinson or Peaso or McBride doesn’t seem to be an option these days.

The last two years may hinder us for another 18 months or so

[R.B.B:- Adz]

1 hour ago, Havana Saint said:

That's Lewis officially left Aberdeen.

Cove Rangers

[rik2304]

It'll be a lot harder to sign players after the last two shitshow seasons anyway.

[RandomGuy]

4 hours ago, blueheaven said:

I've seen a couple of people mentioning this about English salaries, but don't the majority of contracts come to an end at the end of June? Why would they still have a month's salary due to them in July? I'd have thought most free agents would be firmly into find-a-new-club mode by this stage of the summer.

Its apparently common for English clubs to offer "residual wages".

So contract expires 1st July.

Clubs will pay the player until 1st August, or until they get a new club.

3 hours ago, Havana Saint said:

That's Lewis officially left Aberdeen.

Apparently becoming a football agent and going to prioritise that over football. So wouldnt be shocked if he goes part time.

[Linky]

2 hours ago, blueheaven said:

But I think a lot of the kind of guys you've mentioned have a very Callum Davidson feel about them and I really hope it's not the route Macca's going to go down. I'd far rather see us look at stand-out 20-somethings from the lower leagues and English non-league than fall back on yet more 32-plus guys who have been around the block in the SPFL and are winding down their careers. We really need to get back to trying to build for the future.

I'd also rather have seen us keep Spoony and hold out for Hallberg than offer a contract to GMS. To me that feels like a backward step. 

 

I agree with this. I just can't see it happening. Livingston seem to go down the lower league England route and have the contacts, St. Mirren seem to be tapping up Ireland. Others are looking to Australia. It just looks like we're floundering, and that the club have had their fingers burnt over Bair, Cleary and Mahon, so will go for safe bets on 1 year contracts, but maybe I'll be proven wrong (I hope so).

[Setting Son]

The anticipation as you go onto twitter to see if there’s been a signing is unlike any other season I can remember 

[Havana Saint]

3 minutes ago, Setting Son said:

The anticipation as you go onto twitter to see if there’s been a signing is unlike any other season I can remember 

Just the normal Saints silly season. Playing catch up before a ball is kicked.

[Cagey]

1 hour ago, Havana Saint said:

Just the normal Saints silly season. Playing catch up before a ball is kicked.

Maybe Alan Preston is on holiday.

I don't know if it's Gus McPhersons job to identify and sign players.

It's a job that should have been ongoing most of the season so if it's up to Macca we have a problem as he was pre occupied the last month of the season and then he had his course to pass.

It's not surprising there is no movement. Perhaps it is Roddy , in that case we are fecked.

 

[Cagey]

County have made another signing. I think that is about 8 now. Don't know how many they lost but probably not as much as us. We were neck And uneck with them last season so we might struggle to finish above them this season unless we make a few good signings.

[Setting Son]

1 minute ago, Cagey said:

County have made another signing. I think that is about 8 now. Don't know how many they lost but probably not as much as us. We were neck And uneck with them last season so we might struggle to finish above them this season unless we make a few good signings.

So have St.Mirren 

[GMac]

It was bad enough under Broon jnr, Flaxerty & Clum, but this mob seem to be equally as bad.   Just the stock comments about irons in the fire , offers made etc.  Get your fingers out ffs.  But as normal fans treated like mushrooms, fed sh*t and kept in the dark.

[crieffsaintandy]

Week to go and season starts yeah it's the cup but can see the money made by teams last year that took it serious, change of manager etc still an absolute shitfest we have cash in the bank and released a lot of high earners, no rumours of anything apart from a goalie that was past it a couple of seasons at Aberdeen, out bid etc get the feeling it's another season of slugging it out, feels like a club no bothering a fcuk and taking us all for mugs paying fir season tickets to see ally crawford who couldn't even cut it at morton kast year, macca talks a gd game, but talks cheap!

[RandomGuy]

1 hour ago, Cagey said:

County have made another signing. I think that is about 8 now. Don't know how many they lost but probably not as much as us. We were neck And uneck with them last season so we might struggle to finish above them this season unless we make a few good signings.

Theyll have easily spent over £400k this Summer IMO. On fees and signing on fees.

If we finish below them this season then so be it, we squandered the money we spent over the past 18 months, so cant, and shouldnt, try and chase them this Summer by spending similar money.

Its not ideal but we need to see how close Parker, Max, Ferguson, Ballantyne and Steven are. If 1/2/3 can step up this season then you suddenly find you can spend a bit more on new players.

To me we're staring at another relegation battle but thats fine as long as steps are taken this Summer to reverse that long term. We cant just spend every Summer signing over 30s to keep us afloat another 12 months like Davidson tried last Summer. At some point a new core needs built to last.

[saintgscot]

Wee Nigel Hasselbaink don’t seem to have a club. He was skilful player 

[Cagey]

2 minutes ago, saintgscot said:

Wee Nigel Hasselbaink don’t seem to have a club. He was skilful player 

What about Lea Griffith. Is he not in prison yet. I know the Scottish justice system is fecked but how long ago was it he threw a live flare into the crowd.