29 Aug 2026 08:09:20
Seen a few posts in response to my comments about 8 players from midweek being more focused on their own future than the clubs. Most asking how the club let this happen and why would DM select them.
Put simply in our 30 person squad, we have players signed by GVB, MB, PC, RM, DR and DM.
Furthermore, over that period the strategy for recruitment has been led by Ross Wilson, then Michael Beale, then Nils Koppen, then Kevin Thelwell and now by Stig.
We're a mess or, at best a patchwork quilt and ripping it up to start again is proving difficult as our players are on good money and are not in high demand.
In terms of DM, and why he selected those players.
Look at RB. He's already tried to play McCrorie this season, who has attempted to play through injury with pain killing injections. It didn't work. Play Hutton who has a year of experience in league 1? Play Costa who only has a handful of first team minutes under his belt? Or trust a seasoned professional to give you 90 minutes when you need it most.
What the club needs now more than anything is continuity and stability.
29 Aug 2026 09:26:34
We might need to suffer short term pain but like Ehl, Potatohead, Ibrox have said we need to have stability, patience, time, and I'm sure once we get the players whose heads have been turned with transfer talk out, we will settle down as a team, and progress. We can't be calling for a manager's head every season.
29 Aug 2026 09:29:21
On another note, are these players who have had their heads turned with transfer talk any closer to moving on, so this team can settle down? 🇬🇧
29 Aug 2026 09:37:25
Totally get what you're saying. It's been shambolic. With regards to RB, though, that was one of the priorities to fix. And it hasn't been. I'd have to say play Kosta. McCrorie, as u say, isn't fit at the moment, and is only a back up imo.
And, I wouldn't trust Sterling at all, seasoned pro or not. I think he's hugely overrated by some, and has been 3rd choice for a reason even if he's fit. He was one of the worst, beside Manny. Hope he's one of the ones out the door soon.
29 Aug 2026 09:38:17
A handful of first team minutes? The lad has over double digit caps for Serbia, if he is available, then he should be playing over any others, so we get him signed for what is a cheap fee.
I agree about the patchwork quilt and having certain players not having a clue about whether they will still be here, etc.
So, my question to you on that, Ehl, is, should those players who we are wanting rid of or are wanting moves away, should they be training separate from the main squad we want to keep?
29 Aug 2026 09:41:50
Amen, probably the most sensible post in years. Stability and patience is more important than chasing the impossible dream this season.
29 Aug 2026 09:48:56
Ehl, that is what I took from the 8 players chat i.e. that we wanted rid of most of them due to them being part of old recruitment strategies. And then asking them still to be professional enough to play the best they can when they know they aren't wanted; but are still needed.
Add to that the players who are wanted by other clubs who then see what happened to Chermiti and they also won't be trying 100% I imagine.
So, the window will close soon and it will settle down I hope; and, again, hope those we don't want being sold. My favourite part of the window is always when it is closed as it stops all the nonsense.
In the meantime there are now guesses at who the 8 are and they tend to be a list of who that person doesn't like. Only another 5 days, thankfully.
29 Aug 2026 10:05:48
Concern here is that yes we are basket case as you've pointed out, Ehl, but the one thing that those who were very much in favour of McInnes was he'd instil fight, desire and organisation which we all recognise has been missing. The team I've been watching has none of these, in fact I see the exact same issues as last season under RM. A team bereft of ideas and look like they've never been coached and have no ginger for the fight.
How long do we stick with a plan if the plan isn't working? We pulled the plug on RM and we were all pretty much relieved when it happened. We have 4 critical games now including them in the cup at home. 3 wins and a draw (beating them in the cup), he stays; anything else, I don't see how he does, and we're back to the manager
Merry go round.