Concerned about where the team is heading

[ScotBear 144]

I just want to check that my mind has not being playing tricks on me.

A few months ago, were we not promised that Walter would have over £10m to spend ? So why do the media now seem privy to information that we are working on a restricted budget, as little as £6m going by some reports.

And did Martin Bain not come out and mirror the voice of the fans when he said something along the lines of us going for quality, not quantity, this summer ? So why have we brought in 2 Championship/lower Premiership standard players and a guy who was seeing out his latter years in Norway. They may well 'do a job', but they are mediocre and our squad is packed to the rafters with mediocrity at the moment.

Celtic aren't doing much themselves. Their squad, like ourselves, isn't impressive and they haven't managed to do anything in the market besides sign some hairy bloke from the Irish league. But it isn't just about asking the question, 'can this squad compete with Celtic ?'. The answer to that will probably be 'yes' when the window closes, because neither of us are truly good sides. But are we maximising our potential and targeting the right types of players to take us forward ? For me, definitely not.

Last summer we paid around £6m for Whittaker, McCulloch and Naismith. None of them made a sizeable contribution. Perhaps one quality player for around that sum would have.

This summer we've paid around £6m for Lafferty, Miller and Velicka. Will any of them make a sizeable contribution, at least moreso than our current options ? Again, perhaps one quality player for around that sum just might have been the way to go.

I'll wait until the window shuts before passing final judgement, but at this time, I'm far from impressed.

[bluepeter 5,627]

It's still June Scotbear. The transfer window is open until the end of August. I don't believe Walter has spent his full budget yet, do you?

[outlaw69uk 123]

I just want to check that my mind has not being playing tricks on me.

A few months ago, were we not promised that Walter would have over £10m to spend ? So why do the media now seem privy to information that we are working on a restricted budget, as little as £6m going by some reports.

And did Martin Bain not come out and mirror the voice of the fans when he said something along the lines of us going for quality, not quantity, this summer ? So why have we brought in 2 Championship/lower Premiership standard players and a guy who was seeing out his latter years in Norway. They may well 'do a job', but they are mediocre and our squad is packed to the rafters with mediocrity at the moment.

Celtic aren't doing much themselves. Their squad, like ourselves, isn't impressive and they haven't managed to do anything in the market besides sign some hairy bloke from the Irish league. But it isn't just about asking the question, 'can this squad compete with Celtic ?'. The answer to that will probably be 'yes' when the window closes, because neither of us are truly good sides. But are we maximising our potential and targeting the right types of players to take us forward ? For me, definitely not.

Last summer we paid around £6m for Whittaker, McCulloch and Naismith. None of them made a sizeable contribution. Perhaps one quality player for around that sum would have.

This summer we've paid around £6m for Lafferty, Miller and Velicka. Will any of them make a sizeable contribution, at least moreso than our current options ? Again, perhaps one quality player for around that sum just might have been the way to go.

I'll wait until the window shuts before passing final judgement, but at this time, I'm far from impressed.

I may set up an online cheap valium supply site for some of our fans, I would make a fortune at the moment!

Anyway...

1 - I dont believe any figures were actually given out officially, the figures have been wide ranging and all speculation from the press, and of course, other posters.

2 - There is an argument that "Championship/lower Premiership standard players" are better than "SPL Pish" which gets bandied about? Therefore, vastly improving the squad

3 - Dont care about "them". We should be able to handle them regardless, the only difference is they keep linking themselves to players they will never sign, to make them look better. Plus, the "AC Milan star" they bought?? Pish!

4 - I would argue that Whittaker made a contribution, and, we could have had far worse in the positions he covered, Naismith, for me, is one for the Future, and , Lee? well, nuff said, he had a good start, and, nothing else

5 - I can see where you are coming from with the 1 quality player, only problem is, if he is surrounded by substandard, then, its not that good an idea. Plus, if they get injured, its a team of pish. Better imo to get decent-good players, at this time, working as a team

[ScotBear 144]

It's still June Scotbear. The transfer window is open until the end of August. I don't believe Walter has spent his full budget yet, do you?

That's why I won't pass final judgement until the window shuts. But with our european run and the Hutton sale, I'm expecting £10m minimum to be spent this summer, and I also had the hope that it would be closer to £15m. I don't think I'm an unreasonable, impatient or unrealstic fan. But we need to put foundations in place, we've had a strong season financially and we need to invest. We sold Hutton for £9m........and now we might miss out on the £10m+ from the Champions League. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate, and we are currently in that zone.

Also, even though it is only early days, I still think we are able to get a feel for what our signing targets are. We have signed 3 fairly mediocre players already, and have had a bid rejected for Reynolds the Motherwell centre back. These are not the types of players that will take us forward.

We were also told months ago that signing targets were being drawn up well in advance. And rightly so, when that window opened we should have been in a position to chase down our priority targets. However, it seems that the pre-planning went into the Miller signing, and possibly the Reynolds bid. Again, not very impressive when months of planning have gone into it. I would say we're now in a period where our pre-planned targets are now signed or unavailable, so we'll now 'float' around, and see what we can pick up. And that strategy is very much a gamble.

[Danny 9]

I just want to check that my mind has not being playing tricks on me.

A few months ago, were we not promised that Walter would have over £10m to spend ? So why do the media now seem privy to information that we are working on a restricted budget, as little as £6m going by some reports.

We've spent 6M and we're offering 3M for Davis.

I assume there are more players we're interested in too.

Do the maths bud

[ScotBear 144]

I just want to check that my mind has not being playing tricks on me.

A few months ago, were we not promised that Walter would have over £10m to spend ? So why do the media now seem privy to information that we are working on a restricted budget, as little as £6m going by some reports.

We've spent 6M and we're offering 3M for Davis.

I assume there are more players we're interested in too.

Do the maths bud

The Davis bid seems to be in the balance though, and it appears that we were hopeful that their interest in Cousin was still there.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if our spending does indeed top £ 10m. But at this time, I'm fearful that such spending will now involve the sale of either Cuellar or McGregor.

[papaguy51 912]

Am I the only one that thinks Velicka could be not half bad for us?

[ScotBear 144]

Am I the only one that thinks Velicka could be not half bad for us?

I think he'll be alright too. In fact, in the strikers thread last night I put him down as one of my top two choices from what we have available.

Lafferty may do a job too. But at this time, stepping back and looking at our signings as a group, there isn't the quality in there that Bain was talking about.

[cooper1989 0]

Also, let's not forget, there will be minimal transfer activity until after the European championships are done. Players then will get sold, and teams will be scrambling to replace them, freeing up other players who are also in limbo. So.. all we've done is get the guys we were always going to get? I suspect the exodus out of IBROX (Cousin..... please be first) will begin next week.

Then we can bring in a quality midfielder and hopefully a CB to partner with the KING and resolve the Boydy situation and so on.....

So.. still early yet but will heat up very soon...

[JR 1,480]

Am I the only one that thinks Velicka could be not half bad for us?

Not at all, I'm really pleased to get him and at the price quoted. I always felt he did well against us and just as importantly knows the way to goal at the Piggery.

[trueblue1872 2]

Players we've been linked with week after week and the shite that we've signed is really starting to get me worried.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

Last summer we paid around £6m for Whittaker, McCulloch and Naismith. None of them made a sizeable contribution. Perhaps one quality player for around that sum would have.

This summer we've paid around £6m for Lafferty, Miller and Velicka. Will any of them make a sizeable contribution, at least moreso than our current options ? Again, perhaps one quality player for around that sum just might have been the way to go.

I'll wait until the window shuts before passing final judgement, but at this time, I'm far from impressed.

I disagree that Whittaker did not make a sizable contribution ditto McCollough (altho I realise I am in the minority on that). You also forget we signed Cuellar as well - he did OK (LOL).

So far we have spent £6M and recouped £1M (sebo) but its ONLY June - I am sure there will be a lot more in and out yet before the window closes.

Who knows what the actual budget is but with us rejecting the bid for Boyd (so far) - giving McGregor a big contract and bidding £3M for Davis it looks like we are trying to keep and strengthen the team not weaken it.

[nvager 498]

It is early days and judgment time is at the end of August.

Right to be concerned about lack of quality - definitely, but time will tell.

Patient for now.