David Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 It's that time again, and as we head towards the end of the season we have the following players loans ending or out of contract unless I'm mistaken (please let me know if any of these have changed): Max Johnston Dan Casey Dean Cornelius Sean Goss Mikael Mandron Wider squad discussions Goalkeeper - Liam Kelly's deal is up in May of 2024, which means we either sell him this summer for maximum profit, or we get a lesser fee in January, or lose him for nothing at the end of next season. If he's not interested in signing a new deal then a decision has to be made. The same goes for Aston Oxborough. He's also out of contract with us in May 2024, so a decision will have to be made there as well. I have a feeling if we can secure a halfway decent fee for Kelly we may see him move on. Although, I wouldn't be too disappointed to see him sign a new deal as he's a pretty solid keeper at our level for the most part. Defence - With O'Donnell, Carroll, McGinn, Johnston and Casey all out of contract, and James Furlong's loan spell ending we could see some big changes at the back next season. From our current squad we'll have Ricki Lamie, Bevis mugabi, Nathan McGinley, and Shane Blaney still on the books. Out of those who's contracts are expiring I'd definitely look to get Max Johnston on a new deal, and I wouldn't be disappointed to see Casey stay. Undecided on McGinn. I think O'Donnell needs a fresh challenge and move will do him some good, while Jake Carroll may be best suited to moving on also. Of those we still have contracted I wouldn't be too disappointed to see any of them move on. Perhaps Blaney deserves some time to show what he can do, but the rest have been part of the reason we are where we are, be it through sub-standard performances or lengthy injury spells. Midfield - Cornelius and Goss are two players who haven't had to look for for their critics this season, and even though Goss especially seems to have hit a wee patch of good form since Kettlewell came in, I'm not convinced as yet. If we lost either of them or both I certainly wouldn't be upset. At the same time, if Goss maintains his uptick in performances under Kettlewell I'd be happy to see him stay. Cornelius is a difficult one. There's always that slight favouritism to someone who's a fan of the club, but he's in his early twenties now and is no longer a kid. He needs to really step up at this point, either with us or another club. We also have Barry Maguire coming back after his loan spell, and he's got another year on his deal. He's another one who has to either step up and and show he can make the cut or move on and try elsewhere. Forwards - If we don't renew any of the expiring contracts we'll be left with Van Veen, Danzaki, Josh Morris, and Connor Shields. Let that sink in for minute. I have to believe that Josh Morris will quietly be allowed to head back down south, which leaves us with very limited options up front and some recruits undoubtedly needed. The players who we'd still have under contract are as follows: Liam Kelly (contract expires May 2024) Aston Oxborough (contract expires May 2024) Ricki Lamie (contract expires May 2024) Bevis Magabi (contract expires May 2024) Nathan McGinley (contract expires May 2024) Shane Blaney (contract expires June 2025) Blair Spittal (contract expires June 2024) Callum Slattery (contract expires May 2024) Barry Maguire (contract expires May 2024) Ross Tierney (contract expires June 2025) Calum Butcher (contract expires June 2024) Kevin Van Veen (contract expires May 2024) Riku Danzaki (contract expires June 2025) Josh Morris (contract expires May 2024) Connor Shields (contract expires May 2024) There's a whole load of youth players who's contracts are up as well, and who have been out on loan. I'm not going to add them to this discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiddy Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 josh WHO ??????? hopefully be away when alexander gets his next gig, cause he signed him , so he must rate him, so he will OBVIOUSLY come n resign him wont he ??, will he ???, would anybody bet on it ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted February 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 It's a strange one, as he's hit double digits in appearances in every season he's played since 2013, bouncing between League One and League Two, with seven consecutive seasons in League One, which isn't a bad level at all so he's clearly no mug. I just don't think it's worked for him up here, but hopefully a League two club down south sees him as someone who can do a turn for them and offer to take him off our hands. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 17 minutes ago, smiddy said: josh WHO ??????? hopefully be away when alexander gets his next gig, cause he signed him , so he must rate him, so he will OBVIOUSLY come n resign him wont he ??, will he ???, would anybody bet on it ? I was thinking under a new manager there might be an opportunity for him. Then again maybe he just isn't interested and applying himself in training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderlips Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 What's going on with Morris? Is he injured? Noticed he didn't even feature in our last reserve match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiddy Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 23 minutes ago, grizzlyg said: I was thinking under a new manager there might be an opportunity for him. Then again maybe he just isn't interested and applying himself in training we dont even know if hees still at the club iv not seen him in any recent training vids but then maybe some one will have spotted him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stv Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 49 minutes ago, smiddy said: we dont even know if hees still at the club iv not seen him in any recent training vids but then maybe some one will have spotted him I can exclusively reveal he has not been seen at The Rex or Upper Crust since Christmas , so he must have disappeared into thin air or be on a crash diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 Hopefully Joe Efford and Michael Mandron will be able to play some part before the end of the season and prove themselves for a new contract. I'd like to see Oxborough play the league cup group matches so that we can see what he can do and he may even earn an extension. McGinn, Cornelius, Casey and Aitchison would be useful to keep if they want to stay and I'd like Johnston sign on for another two years but maybe sell him in 2024. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 McGinley is going to be Charles Dunne mark 2 where we are paying for a player who is going to be injured for duration of his contract, though I would never wish an injury on anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 If Ross Stewart wants to reunite with Kettlewell, I'm OK with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted February 27, 2023 Report Share Posted February 27, 2023 31 minutes ago, weeyin said: If Ross Stewart wants to reunite with Kettlewell, I'm OK with that. With the amount of goals he has scored he definitely has hot legs!!.....oh sorry......Ross Stewart? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pretzel Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 According to Corriere Dello Sport in Italy, Max Johnston apparently has an agreement in place to join Bologna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 2 hours ago, pretzel said: According to Corriere Dello Sport in Italy, Max Johnston apparently has an agreement in place to join Bologna. That's a shame but got to respect the lad for being so ambitious. Hopefully he'll eventually move on for a big lump of cash in the future and we'll get a cut of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coatsy Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 Bologna paid £3 million for Ferguson who now is wanted by Juventus 900k for Hickey who they sold for up to 18m and we're only looking at 200k for development fee for Johnston. There been some mismanagement with player contracts when we don't have this guy tied down and were left with rejects like McGinlay who gets a new contract and is worth two packets of fags and an old Beano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 9 minutes ago, Mad Dog said: That's a shame but got to respect the lad for being so ambitious. Hopefully he'll eventually move on for a big lump of cash in the future and we'll get a cut of it. Bologna have had some success with Scottish players (Ferguson and Hickey), so while it would be a shame to lose him too soon it makes a change to see European teams look to Scotland for talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 2 minutes ago, Coatsy said: Bologna paid £3 million for Ferguson who now is wanted by Juventus 900k for Hickey who they sold for up to 18m and we're only looking at 200k for development fee for Johnston. There been some mismanagement with player contracts when we don't have this guy tied down and were left with rejects like McGinlay who gets a new contract and is worth two packets of fags and an old Beano. These complaints surface every time we lose a youngster. I'm sure of you know of a way to force them to sign the contracts we offer the club would be delighted to know about it. It wasn't that long ago people on here were saying we should follow the Dundee Utd model where they tied up their youngsters on lucrative long-term contracts in the hope one of them would generate a larger transfer fee. Didn't hear too much about it when they were struggling in the Championship and scrambling about trying to offload their millions in bank debt to private investors. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coatsy Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 7 minutes ago, weeyin said: These complaints surface every time we lose a youngster. I'm sure of you know of a way to force them to sign the contracts we offer the club would be delighted to know about it. It wasn't that long ago people on here were saying we should follow the Dundee Utd model where they tied up their youngsters on lucrative long-term contracts in the hope one of them would generate a larger transfer fee. Didn't hear too much about it when they were struggling in the Championship and scrambling about trying to offload their millions in bank debt to private investors. What's Dundee Utd got to do with our inability to sign up a youth player with potential to a longer contract. I'd say that we failed to recognise his potential as we constantly loaned him out for development with out ever really believing he would make anything of it as is the way, unless were desperate very few youths break straight through to our first team despite managers spouting shit to us about bringing through youths (as did Hammel) and also Kettlewell but he's still to be judged. As I've said before on here Robinson's ass was saved by Turnbull who only got a chance because of the desperate position we were in and I'd class Turnbull as exceptional and a once in a generation player who should have been in our team at least a year before he was. He unfortunately is being wasted at Celtic and should be looking to move on ASAP. Quality players under 20 must be promoted to play first team asap to aid their development everyone is not a late bloomer. You should be able to tell their quality within 6 months then if there is no development they can get farmed out for contract to run down It looks very much like the way Jake Hastie was farmed out had a good couple of months with us and moved on for Dev Fee only 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 1 hour ago, weeyin said: I'm sure of you know of a way to force them to sign the contracts we offer the club would be delighted to know about it. It wasn't that long ago people on here were saying we should follow the Dundee Utd model where they tied up their youngsters on lucrative long-term contracts in the hope one of them would generate a larger transfer fee. On the surface it does seem like mismanagement on our part, but we simnply don't know. It may be that he never had any intention of signing - who knows? Dundee United isn't a good model against which to compare ourselves. For years, they've chucked silly money at young players, they've hoovered up from all airts and pairts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spit_It_Out Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 What for me is worse that Steven Hammel of youth set up to manager didn't get him contracted up as soon as he became manager. The fact from what I gather had a fantastic season at QOTS let's be honest could have walked into the team so what did Hammell do sends him out to Cove!That in itself was probably the final nail in the coffin for the guy shouldn't have been out on loan in first place. When I heard Hammel go on about bridging the gap between First team and youth set up in his first interview utter nonsense hardly got a glimpse of seeing our young guys hardly even a bit part. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texanwellfan Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 You can’t force anyone to sign a contract, I think is the point being made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizoxy Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 We aren't the only team losing young players, and it looks like our league has become a decent hunting ground for English and European teams. As said above, we can't force people to sign contracts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spit_It_Out Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 You can't force a contract true but you can see potential that should have been playing in our first team. I say this 6 months playing with us no matter how bad we were I be willing to bet we would have got made a few offers in January for him just a good footballer talented kid Christ he might have even signed a new contract. He didn't get all this potential and quality from being at Cove for 6 months come on now. Dropped the soap on this one sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stv Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 13 minutes ago, Spit_It_Out said: You can't force a contract true but you can see potential that should have been playing in our first team. I say this 6 months playing with us no matter how bad we were I be willing to bet we would have got made a few offers in January for him just a good footballer talented kid Christ he might have even signed a new contract. He didn't get all this potential and quality from being at Cove for 6 months come on now. Dropped the soap on this one sadly. Aye it’s alright saying that now. He could have disappeared when he went to the wee teams, he could be another Jake Hastie have a few good games then turn out to be rubbish.Then you would be asked why did we sing him on decent wages. You can’t expect all young prospects to sign for us when there is better on offer. Turnbul is the exception to this and done the absolute best for the club by signing on. But I’m afraid he’s in a category of one. Your making assumptions we didn’t offer him any contract. Agents want their clients to move on as much as possible that’s how they get rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennyc Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 2 hours ago, Coatsy said: It looks very much like the way Jake Hastie was farmed out had a good couple of months with us and moved on for Dev Fee only Did Rangers and Motherwell not agree a fee re Hastie, to include add-ons including appearances and future transfers? So potentially it was much better than the basic, one off, Development Fee as it provided for future rewards. Same as Bailey Rice who just brought in another tidy sum last week following his Ranger's first team appearance. That'll be the same Hastie who was slaughtered for not signing the contract offered by Motherwell. Whereas Johnston it appears is to be commended for his ambition in not signing the contract offered to him. Wee bit of double standards. it did not end well for Hastie and there is no guarantee it will work out well for Johnston. But both are entitled to do what they believe is best for their career. As a youngster, Johnston's route to the first team was blocked by two Scottish International right backs. And others under Alexander. So the Club did the correct thing in loaning him out, then recalling him when he was more able to make the move up. Usual practice and I'm not sure what exactly Motherwell are seen to have done wrong. As Weeyin says, if anyone knows how to legally force any player to sign a contract please tell all. Or maybe we should adopt the Russian approach which ended up being referred to Uefa? That is, inviting the player in for discussions and then beating him with a baseball bat until he puts pen to paper. Every Club, big and small, loses youngsters who refuse to sign or extend contracts. Fabregas from Barcelona to Arsenal being a classic example. Motherwell are no better or no worse than any other team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted February 28, 2023 Report Share Posted February 28, 2023 If Max goes to Bologna I wish him well, Italy been good move for hickey . Ferguson.. doig and Liam Henderson. Would be a bummer to lose him for a small fee, only thing I would say is that in the past we have made good money on youngsters who never progressed. £500k for Erwin and £1.5 million for Scott. Ps .Bono and the Edge walk into a bar, barman says...."Aw Naw....not U2 again!!" 🤪🤪. Ba boom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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