Welcome back Stephen Glass

[aberdeen1970]

11 minutes ago, afc1903mad said:

 

 

So of those listed above,

1. Woods, Samuels and Bates have the potential for longer deal

 

I think this is a pretty damning statement on our summer recruitment. 

Out of 13 players either signed or extended (including Virtanen who has already been moved on) only 3 have long term potential. 

One of which is likely only ever to be viewed as a back up goalie 

Another who is a complete punt 

And a centre back signed at the end of the window when Considine got injured and his other summer centre back signing failed to impress 

 

Not a very good hit rate is it? 

[afc1903mad]

32 minutes ago, aberdeen1970 said:

I think this is a pretty damning statement on our summer recruitment. 

Out of 13 players either signed or extended (including Virtanen who has already been moved on) only 3 have long term potential. 

One of which is likely only ever to be viewed as a back up goalie 

Another who is a complete punt 

And a centre back signed at the end of the window when Considine got injured and his other summer centre back signing failed to impress 

 

Not a very good hit rate is it? 

As I mentioned earlier, stop gaps to fill square holes whilst the team transitions.

Also as I said earlier, its ludicrous to think that this transition can be completed in one window

[SDY]

 

56 minutes ago, Byrne Baby Byrne said:

Still sitting 4th and would have finished 4th regardless.

Watkins is back and Hedges is still here. Scott Wright played about 14 times. Lets not pretend Glass has a difficult rebuilding job with his hands tied. He inherited a decent enough squad with scope to add players and plenty money to do so. Didn't have to clear many out, wasn't stuck with a huge squad of players he didn't want, wasn't short of money, no debt at the club anymore. Really good opportunity to drive forward. I'll be disappointed if we fail to even match the last few seasons which weren't good enough.

Agree, I don't think McInnes would have had us any higher either.

Don't know how people are seriously counter arguing that Glass was coming into some difficult position. 

[RUL]

1 hour ago, SDY said:

Cormack and Gunn did an entire interview on succession planning before signing a 7th similar central midfielder on loan. I don't think any of them have a clue what's going on. 

That's the bit I didn't get. Even if we thought we were selling ferguson why did anyone at club think we needed Longstaff? 

Bizarre. 

[aberdeen1970]

50 minutes ago, afc1903mad said:

As I mentioned earlier, stop gaps to fill square holes whilst the team transitions.

Also as I said earlier, its ludicrous to think that this transition can be completed in one window

10 out of 13 stop gaps though? 

Far too high a ratio. 

And is a two year deal a stop gap?  For me a stop gap is a short term loan or a one year deal max. 

[afc1903mad]

16 minutes ago, aberdeen1970 said:

10 out of 13 stop gaps though? 

Far too high a ratio. 

And is a two year deal a stop gap?  For me a stop gap is a short term loan or a one year deal max. 

Instead of stop gap, is short term better?

A one or two year deal for someone in their 30's for me is a short term plan to cover gaps in the longer term strategy

[aberdeen1970]

4 minutes ago, afc1903mad said:

Instead of stop gap, is short term better?

A one or two year deal for someone in their 30's for me is a short term plan to cover gaps in the longer term strategy

But have we even plugged all the gaps in the short term? 

No central attacking midfielders 

Only one striker 

Etc 

The summer recruitment  has been poor overall, surely you'd admit that? 

[afc1903mad]

45 minutes ago, aberdeen1970 said:

But have we even plugged all the gaps in the short term? 

No central attacking midfielders 

Only one striker 

Etc 

The summer recruitment  has been poor overall, surely you'd admit that? 

I've said many a time, were not going to transition completely in one window. Its ludicrous to think so.

Its evident that the club had expected more to move on (Ferguson & Kennedy for example) Its plausible that they wanted others to move on but they too wasn't possible.

All these factor into the optimum transition for the window not being achieved.

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of money to sanction every ideal signing all in one go. Its like a game of cards, sometimes you have to wait until the right card becomes available and end up holding cards you don't wish for longer than you want.

[aberdeen1970]

26 minutes ago, afc1903mad said:

I've said many a time, were not going to transition completely in one window. Its ludicrous to think so.

Its evident that the club had expected more to move on (Ferguson & Kennedy for example) Its plausible that they wanted others to move on but they too wasn't possible.

All these factor into the optimum transition for the window not being achieved.

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of money to sanction every ideal signing all in one go. Its like a game of cards, sometimes you have to wait until the right card becomes available and end up holding cards you don't wish for longer than you want.

Aye but he made 13 signings and we still have positional gaps. 

Agree that you're not going to get the quality in every position right in one window but actual positional gaps when you've brought in or extended 13?  No excuse for that surely. 

[Don_Corleone]

Half the signings (or more) still make no sense even if you consider them to be short term stop gap crap. Even if Ferguson left, we had plenty cover in midfield without wasting money on Longstaff. We're still understaffed in defence - if we'd wanted a stop gap for a season we could've just given Taylor another year instead of Devlin. We've still got no real alternative to Ramirez up front... if we'd wanted a stop gap we'd have been as well giving Anderson another year.

The players we've brought in as stop gaps are worse than those we shipped out, or still have at the club. 13 signings and most of them are either the wrong type of players to play the system he's going for, or they're in positions we already had someone equally crap in, or they are just plain crap. The only signing we've made that's better than what we had last season is Brown. Jury still out on Bates and arguably Ramirez. The rest are worse than what we had before.

[Zeus]

Glass will come good 

[aberdeen1970]

38 minutes ago, Roberto said:

They maybe make sense to the club.

How are we to know what has went on behind the scenes?

What if the club knew of a bid incoming for Ferguson (he had handed in a request for transfer) so instead of being left short we got wind of Longstaff and if we didn't move quick, he would have gone to e.g. the huns. Ferguson decided not to leave.

What if Ferguson left and we didn't make the move for Longstaff? Folk would criticise that as well.

Gurr we were sold a dud for sure but I think Glass has worked that out (well hopefully).

Jet and Ramirez signings make perfect sense. It may work with Ramirez, it may not. Jet is and always has been a 1 in 4 player. We are Aberdeen, we don't have 40 million pound budget to go out there and get the next Ronaldo. Our player field isn't as big as someone in a bigger league with fucking CL money. Hopefully as time goes on we might explore different leagues for some players but it's only just fucking start. It takes time.

Jenks - Brighton fans were raving about him. I don't think he has played enough for us to say 'aye it doesn't make sense'. I think his movement is good, but I don't believe he has adapted to the hustle and bustle of Scottish football (plenty players signed by other clubs have this exact same problem and it takes a while to find the feet).

What else doesn't make sense? Bates? Pretty fucking obvious. Jury out on Bates? This is what I mean about our fans being absolitely wild. Cunt was probably one of our better performers Saturday. Did we concede when he went off?

Brown pretty fucking obvious.

Declan Gallagher - we were all delighted he was signing. It hasn't worked out thus far. However playing beside McCrorie at the back must be difficult no matter who you are, cause the guy isn't a CB. 

What if they were SURE Kennedy and McGeough were going to leave but decided to stay? Samuels might have been a jump the gun to replace Kennedy (yes a stop gap). Kennedy leaves and we didn't have a replacement, fans moan. Samuels is young and raw and probably needs a bit of time blending in. Probably a local Wolverhampton lad and knows no cunt up here, it'll take time as well. If it works out, could see him moving here. Yes jury out currently but that's where Russell needs to earn HIS money.

The only annoyance I have is extending McGinn time here. He is completely not required.

There's lots of speculation happening here, but absolute tunnel vision without knowing if there is a bigger picture behind the scenes.

What's the bigger picture behind the scenes Roberto? 

We've signed a lot of players in their early 30s.

We've brought in some questionable loans. 

We've granted contract extensions to guys who won't play. 

And we don't have enough players to cover all the positions we need and a surplus in others. 

What do you think their strategy is? 

[1983]

Before joining Aberdeen, Glass’ goal difference as a coach was around -30 in the last couple of seasons. His win ratio was around 24% and his teams conceded 2 goals for every 1 they scored.
 

Why do people expect things to get better?

[WesthillWanderersFC]

10 minutes ago, 1983 said:

Before joining Aberdeen, Glass’ goal difference as a coach was around -30 in the last couple of seasons. His win ratio was around 24% and his teams conceded 2 goals for every 1 they scored.
 

Why do people expect things to get better?

Blind hope.

Certainly not evidence based, with no improvement on the shite we witnessed last season. 

Kicking the can down Pittodrie Street for a wee while is all that’s happening. 

[aberdeen1970]

15 minutes ago, 1983 said:

Before joining Aberdeen, Glass’ goal difference as a coach was around -30 in the last couple of seasons. His win ratio was around 24% and his teams conceded 2 goals for every 1 they scored.
 

Why do people expect things to get better?

The justification was that he wasn't responsible for getting results at Atlanta b as he didn't have control over which players were available to him. 

And that he was inheriting a situation made by De Boer at their big team so wasn't responsible for results. 

Now he's inherited a team left by McInnes so he apparently isn't responsible for results. 

 

[Ernie McCracken]

No one expected a complete transition in one window, but the signings were  poor (and for those who weren't blinkered this was evident at the time) . Basically maybe only Bates is good enough long term. I would say Scott Brown but he is not long term - who knows if we'll get another season out of him after this one. 

And if we're building our squad 1 good player per window, then this is gonna be a long fucking transition period. 

[Crossbow]

58 minutes ago, Roberto said:

They maybe make sense to the club.

How are we to know what has went on behind the scenes?

What if the club knew of a bid incoming for Ferguson (he had handed in a request for transfer) so instead of being left short we got wind of Longstaff and if we didn't move quick, he would have gone to e.g. the huns. Ferguson decided not to leave.

What if Ferguson left and we didn't make the move for Longstaff? Folk would criticise that as well.

Gurr we were sold a dud for sure but I think Glass has worked that out (well hopefully).

Jet and Ramirez signings make perfect sense. It may work with Ramirez, it may not. Jet is and always has been a 1 in 4 player. We are Aberdeen, we don't have 40 million pound budget to go out there and get the next Ronaldo. Our player field isn't as big as someone in a bigger league with fucking CL money. Hopefully as time goes on we might explore different leagues for some players but it's only just fucking start. It takes time.

Jenks - Brighton fans were raving about him. I don't think he has played enough for us to say 'aye it doesn't make sense'. I think his movement is good, but I don't believe he has adapted to the hustle and bustle of Scottish football (plenty players signed by other clubs have this exact same problem and it takes a while to find the feet).

What else doesn't make sense? Bates? Pretty fucking obvious. Jury out on Bates? This is what I mean about our fans being absolitely wild. Cunt was probably one of our better performers Saturday. Did we concede when he went off?

Brown pretty fucking obvious.

Declan Gallagher - we were all delighted he was signing. It hasn't worked out thus far. However playing beside McCrorie at the back must be difficult no matter who you are, cause the guy isn't a CB. 

What if they were SURE Kennedy and McGeough were going to leave but decided to stay? Samuels might have been a jump the gun to replace Kennedy (yes a stop gap). Kennedy leaves and we didn't have a replacement, fans moan. Samuels is young and raw and probably needs a bit of time blending in. Probably a local Wolverhampton lad and knows no cunt up here, it'll take time as well. If it works out, could see him moving here. Yes jury out currently but that's where Russell needs to earn HIS money.

The only annoyance I have is extending McGinn time here. He is completely not required.

There's lots of speculation happening here, but absolute tunnel vision without knowing if there is a bigger picture behind the scenes.

Interesting glass half full assessment - Glass was at Atlanta and still crossed the pond to get him and berated comments that he was Atlantas fourth choice - so we failed to move anyone on and brought in lots of midfielders whilst not doing the same for centre of defence which from day 1 of this season has looked ramshackle not tying up a second recognised striker - and if Ramirez is the future then we are in increasingly serious problems. If they were SURE people were moving on and they didn't then they were wrong and if they did that for 2 or 3 or 4 people (Kennedy, McGeouch, Ojo and Ferguson) surely that suggests they aren't very good at the planning bit which is pretty damned important.

I'd love Glass to be a success but the people wearing blinkers aren't the ones who are raising concerns it's those who won't accept failings or just expect everything to work out okay despite appearances to the contrary. You realise how lucky we've been with our fullbacks - you may think Glass knew they were going to be good - the effort to get Gurr would suggest to me he got really lucky.

I wouldn't have cared if Longstaff went to the huns - do you really think they were sniffing around and he chose the Dons. I'd have preferred a striker, a centre half or a proper winger - areas we were genuinely short in which affect every game

[thurso]

1 hour ago, Crossbow said:

Interesting glass half full assessment - Glass was at Atlanta and still crossed the pond to get him and berated comments that he was Atlantas fourth choice - so we failed to move anyone on and brought in lots of midfielders whilst not doing the same for centre of defence which from day 1 of this season has looked ramshackle not tying up a second recognised striker - and if Ramirez is the future then we are in increasingly serious problems. If they were SURE people were moving on and they didn't then they were wrong and if they did that for 2 or 3 or 4 people (Kennedy, McGeouch, Ojo and Ferguson) surely that suggests they aren't very good at the planning bit which is pretty damned important.

I'd love Glass to be a success but the people wearing blinkers aren't the ones who are raising concerns it's those who won't accept failings or just expect everything to work out okay despite appearances to the contrary. You realise how lucky we've been with our fullbacks - you may think Glass knew they were going to be good - the effort to get Gurr would suggest to me he got really lucky.

I wouldn't have cared if Longstaff went to the huns - do you really think they were sniffing around and he chose the Dons. I'd have preferred a striker, a centre half or a proper winger - areas we were genuinely short in which affect every game

I wouldn’t say it’s a blinkered view it’s just some people are seeing the worst some are prepared to give more time. 

In the last three league games we played I won’t say we’ve played teams of the park but we have had the most possession and created most chance, but what is blatantly obvious we need to start converting these chances into goals. 
After last season who would of thought the team would of created 50 chances in 10 games never mind only 3 

[aberdeen1970]

Just now, Roberto said:

Exactly my point, I've just explained a couple theories.

I've also explained most of your questions to be honest.

We are the worst bunch of fans IMO.

People also thinking I'm looking at the glass half full. I'm not, I've major concerns, but many folk just got OTT and go full mong when making assessments without actually thinking things through.

There MIGHT be stories behind some of the signings. There might not be. There could be reasons.

This team could click come November and alot of folk can change their nappies and calm the fuck doon. Folk saying we would be in a relegation battle after 9 games is the most laughable assessment I've read on here in years. Absolutely wild.

That's not a dig at you might I add.

I wasn't having a go at you min. 

I'm just genuinely a bit baffled by the transfer policy so far. 

And those that are saying give it more time are completely correct. It's just folks have different views on where we're headed based on what they've seen so far. 

[Ke1t]

9 hours ago, Donmacca said:

Why would you give him until the end of the season? Minimum standard was set by McInnes of European qualification through the league, which ultimately it looked like even he wouldn't achieve last season and it rightly cost him his job. Glass has the same standards to maintain. He had a major rebuild in the summer but looks like he's failing to deliver. He's out of his depth and needs gone if Aberdeen are going to achieve anything this season. 

The only thing AFC ever achieves is a Euro placing, and then out of Europe by or before the playoffs.  Trophies and titles are things that happen to other teams, so what, exactly, are we expecting to achieve by punting him this early in the season? Another failed attempt at Europe? Not much to give up. 

I'd give Glass a full season and a couple of transfer windows, because that's the bare minimum we should be looking to give a new manager, even one who may be way, way, WAY out of his depth like Glass. 

It's possible, if not likely, that he'll learn on the job and be showing massive improvement later in the year... we hired him, so let's find out. 

If we look like relegation candidates at any time THEN I'd advocate punting him... but mediocrity is nothing new to this club, so if we're slightly more mediocre this year under Glass it's not that big a deal. 

On this form we'll finish somewhere in the bottom six, but as long as it's not dead last then finish the season with him, thank him for his services, and then get in Dave Cormack's next mate that he reckons can manage a club like Aberdeen. 

 

[aberdeen1970]

5 minutes ago, Roberto said:

I'm a bit baffled as well and I can see why many might be concerned, I'm concerned for sure but I was just explaining that there may be reasons of some of the signings.

I think many of them very much make sense and why we signed them barring Gurr.

I have major MAJOR concerns, not going to lie, but the pressure is on a bit and something has to happen, and fast, otherwise it gets worse. It could click in November. We don't know. Wish I had a magic ball to know.

It might not. But I think there would be too much pressure if something doesn't click by November and Cormack would HAVE to act.

Aye I think the picture will be a lot clearer by the end of November. 

 

[Crossbow]

1 hour ago, Roberto said:

Fuck sake. It was an example ffs.

Read what I actually said, I didn't say he was actually going to the Huns ffs. I was just giving another view on what might have been happening behind the scenes and used an example.

I don't know if it's true. You don't know if it is true that maybe another club were around him. Read what I said.

Like talking to bairns in this section at times.

I wouldn’t have cared even given that example. Looking at Longstaff when the problems were elsewhere was the point I was trying to make. Sorry if that was hard to understand. We really needed another midfielder. That was clearly not an area we were embarrassingly short on. If Glass and Cormack wanted another loan why oh why did they chose Jenks Mk 2? It was stupid. 

[Guest milne_afc]

Just now, Roberto said:

Jenks defensive minded. Longstaff attack minded.

Both shite, so there’s that.

[Crossbow]

2 minutes ago, Roberto said:

I don't think Jenks and Longstaff are similar players.

Jenks defensive minded. Longstaff attack minded.

That's how I perceive it to be anyways. 

Both have been described as attacking midfielders but so far it’s hard to tell as one goal aside neither has done much but the point remains we really really needed another loan midfielder - who would chose that given our squad and performances? These people are supposed to know much more than I do about football but I’m not convinced, not simply by the performance on the pitch which could in theory improve, but by the areas they have chosen to augment some completely unnecessarily. In my eyes it is impossible to endorse their choices or their omissions. They are stubborn and afraid to face facts. I’m sorry for Stephen but he really needed to be an assistant manager for much longer and learn a great deal more and we need someone better. 

[aberdeen1970]

1 minute ago, Crossbow said:

Both have been described as attacking midfielders but so far it’s hard to tell as one goal aside neither has done much but the point remains we really really needed another loan midfielder - who would chose that given our squad and performances? These people are supposed to know much more than I do about football but I’m not convinced, not simply by the performance on the pitch which could in theory improve, but by the areas they have chosen to augment some completely unnecessarily. In my eyes it is impossible to endorse their choices or their omissions. They are stubborn and afraid to face facts. I’m sorry for Stephen but he really needed to be an assistant manager for much longer and learn a great deal more and we need someone better. 

Aye. Good point. 

If he wanted to bring in Stephen then he should have got someone to agree to have him as his assistant. 

[afc1903mad]

2 hours ago, Roberto said:

I don't think Jenks and Longstaff are similar players.

Jenks defensive minded. Longstaff attack minded.

That's how I perceive it to be anyways. 

Jenks is never defensive minded

[blowupsheep]

10 hours ago, milne_afc said:

Both shite, so there’s that.

And just for the record, so is Jet

[NEM]

5 hours ago, Roberto said:

IMO he is. Can see how his brain is working from a midfield point of view and to me I would suggest he is.

In time we might see he is neither defensive or attack minded and people are right to say aye he's shite but I'll give him more than just a couple of games before making my mind up and going full pishy pants.

Jenks was heralded as an attacking midfielder when he joined.  Signing looks even more ridiculous if he's a defensive midfielder given we've already got about a dozen of those

[The Hulk]

5 hours ago, Roberto said:

IMO he is. Can see how his brain is working from a midfield point of view and to me I would suggest he is.

In time we might see he is neither defensive or attack minded and people are right to say aye he's shite but I'll give him more than just a couple of games before making my mind up and going full pishy pants.

As said by others, he seemed to have been brought in as an attacking midfielder, a no10 type. If you look at his performance against Qarabag in isolation especially, and if this is typical of how he plays more generally, his movement just isn't good enough to play that role at this level yet. He wasn't getting behind the ball when we didn't have it (maybe he was instructed to stay as an outlet, who knows), and he wasn't showing for/demanding the ball when we had it.  He was hiding, and the game (half) completely passed him by.  So despite seemingly being brought in to play that role, it doesn't look like he actually can, or at least hasn't shown it, which I guess is what you and all the rest of us are seeing, at a time where (I think) we are screaming out for someone to take on that role.  When we was stripped to come on on Saturday I was keen to see a response from him, especially the way the game was going at that point, but then he was benched again in favour of the Gallagher for Bates change.

When Glass took over I expected we'd have a bumpy season ahead.  I think if we finish top 6 it can be classed as a success ONLY if it comes at the price of seeing young players come in and prove they are capable at this level in the side (Ramsay, Mackenzie; jury out on latter for me) for them to go and kick on.

[DelMonte]

54 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

As said by others, he seemed to have been brought in as an attacking midfielder, a no10 type. If you look at his performance against Qarabag in isolation especially, and if this is typical of how he plays more generally, his movement just isn't good enough to play that role at this level yet. He wasn't getting behind the ball when we didn't have it (maybe he was instructed to stay as an outlet, who knows), and he wasn't showing for/demanding the ball when we had it.  He was hiding, and the game (half) completely passed him by.  So despite seemingly being brought in to play that role, it doesn't look like he actually can, or at least hasn't shown it, which I guess is what you and all the rest of us are seeing, at a time where (I think) we are screaming out for someone to take on that role.  When we was stripped to come on on Saturday I was keen to see a response from him, especially the way the game was going at that point, but then he was benched again in favour of the Gallagher for Bates change.

When Glass took over I expected we'd have a bumpy season ahead.  I think if we finish top 6 it can be classed as a success ONLY if it comes at the price of seeing young players come in and prove they are capable at this level in the side (Ramsay, Mackenzie; jury out on latter for me) for them to go and kick on.

For what it’s worth, a fair few more goals seem to have came down Ramsays side. Could be totally wrong but just seems that way.  I think MacKenzie is a better defender.
 

Only 18 so can’t get on at him but he’s not the saviour who is totally not to blame that some make him out to be. He was poor for Mays goal on Saturday. 
 

No doubt a great talent and will go on to be a very good player but still learning.