A January clear out - meaningless?

[Danny 9]

So we're hearing speculation that we are going ship up to 10 players next month. Names like Dailly, McCulloch, Darcheville, Hemdani, Stevie Smith and Charlie Adam etc are being banded about as departing.

But these guys are barely on the fringes of the first team - they're dead wood by and large. And they're not exactly going to make us a vast pot of cash. The only asset possibly worth a few bob is Hemdani, and that would be a million at most.

At the most optimistic I can't see more than about £2M coming in. Enough for one good player, but is that even vaguely enough?

This season has been hindered by dropping flimsy points, and while we've played well now and again, we've played pitifully more, in recent times.

So what difference can getting rid of average players and bringing in maybe one half decent one make?

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

[MosesMcNeil 1,664]

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

I have one major concern: Boyd keeps scoring at his current rate and we get an offer we can't refuse. How much (or little) that might be in our current financial state is worrying.

[ZeGowse 13]

10 players out takes alot off the wage budget tho! Although not ideal we could maybe strengthen with a few cheeky loan signings. however, i dont think we will but unless one of our big time players is sold such as Bougherra, Mendes, Boyd.

[Saudibear 0]

So we're hearing speculation that we are going ship up to 10 players next month. Names like Dailly, McCulloch, Darcheville, Hemdani, Stevie Smith and Charlie Adam etc are being banded about as departing.

But these guys are barely on the fringes of the first team - they're dead wood by and large. And they're not exactly going to make us a vast pot of cash. The only asset possibly worth a few bob is Hemdani, and that would be a million at most.

At the most optimistic I can't see more than about £2M coming in. Enough for one good player, but is that even vaguely enough?

This season has been hindered by dropping flimsy points, and while we've played well now and again, we've played pitifully more, in recent times.

So what difference can getting rid of average players and bringing in maybe one half decent one make?

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

It's not just the transfer fees but more about the savings in wages.

[Muff 245]

But does that give you the money to go out and buy what we require?

We wont get much for most of the players, however we will get them off the wage bill(should we be able to move them on?)

[nvager 498]

Danny is right. Unless we are very lucky in a Bosman type signing I just do not see much at all happening in January.

[brooon29 0]

So we're hearing speculation that we are going ship up to 10 players next month. Names like Dailly, McCulloch, Darcheville, Hemdani, Stevie Smith and Charlie Adam etc are being banded about as departing.

But these guys are barely on the fringes of the first team - they're dead wood by and large. And they're not exactly going to make us a vast pot of cash. The only asset possibly worth a few bob is Hemdani, and that would be a million at most.

At the most optimistic I can't see more than about £2M coming in. Enough for one good player, but is that even vaguely enough?

This season has been hindered by dropping flimsy points, and while we've played well now and again, we've played pitifully more, in recent times.

So what difference can getting rid of average players and bringing in maybe one half decent one make?

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

The most frustrating thing for me is that we had the cash in the summer and it was spent poorly. Heavens knows why we needed so many strikers. With hindsight WS has placed to much faith in Davie Weir who I think has been poorer this season certainly in comparrison to last year. This is also compounded by the fact that injuries to any of them and we are struggling for a centre half hence LM playing there.

The transfer window concerns me as they have money to burn whilst come the summer our debt will be touching 30M. This will be a monkey round our neck for a few years to come and even more so if we do not win he league this season as it looks unlikely even us or them will qualify given the new entry route

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

I think it is about cutting the wage bill - 10 player at £5k per week is £2.5M (ish) - if the average is £10k its £5M (ish) and the cash could be used to pay the wages of a couple of better quality players - thus turning shit into quality - and while I agree we will get little in the way of fees, freeing up the wage bill would be, or could, be a good thing.

[Bakbear 3,586]

The clear out will be meaningless in terms of our on pitch performance but unfortunately there is a lot more to consider than that. Our squad is way too big and mediocre and needs to be trimmed right down. The correct term as you said is dead wood and I will be delighted to see some of it cut adrift. It may not improve us on the pitch but it will make a big difference to the finances in the long term and it may also mean that there is less temptation to play some of the mediocrity as back up to the first team and instead finally start using youth to fill any gaps.

Wouldn't it be nice to see a youth player stepping in to fill the gap of an injured first team player rather than feeling compelled to play Adam/McCulloch/Dailly etc

[RFE 35]

I think it is about cutting the wage bill - 10 player at £5k per week is £2.5M (ish) - if the average is £10k its £5M (ish) and the cash could be used to pay the wages of a couple of better quality players - thus turning shit into quality - and while I agree we will get little in the way of fees, freeing up the wage bill would be, or could, be a good thing.

If we can get shot of Hemdani and McCulloch(i hope) then there wages alone must be about 35 - 40 k a week, which would be enough for a bosman or 2. Even better would be if stoke still wanted to give us £1.5 for McCulloch.

[Frankie 505]

Yep, this isn't about being able to bring in new players but cutting the size of our squad and of our wage bill...

Quite simply, once again, our club were negligent in the summer and mismanaged all the above. Because of their poor planning (aided and abetted by a cowardly first team squad) we were also knocked out of the CL.

Now, as predicted, we're paying for it.

[Boab 73]

So we're hearing speculation that we are going ship up to 10 players next month. Names like Dailly, McCulloch, Darcheville, Hemdani, Stevie Smith and Charlie Adam etc are being banded about as departing.

But these guys are barely on the fringes of the first team - they're dead wood by and large. And they're not exactly going to make us a vast pot of cash. The only asset possibly worth a few bob is Hemdani, and that would be a million at most.

At the most optimistic I can't see more than about £2M coming in. Enough for one good player, but is that even vaguely enough?

This season has been hindered by dropping flimsy points, and while we've played well now and again, we've played pitifully more, in recent times.

So what difference can getting rid of average players and bringing in maybe one half decent one make?

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

It's not just the transfer fees but more about the savings in wages.

Just what I was going to say.

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

The 2009 January Clearance Sale at Ibrox will be the biggest in history.

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Buy one player - get one free.

Oh, and for those who think we'll be bringing in new blood - forget it.

[ShootSpeedKillLight 0]

In a way it'll indicate how much grip on reality Smith has left. If he sees sense, and shifts McCulloch, Adam, etc, then I'll have a lot more faith in him than if he stubbornly sticks by them.

[Nikke 0]

It certainly isn´t meaningless. To the playing squad maybe, but that´s just the point. Why keep so many players when they are clearly surplus to requirements? Having so many players in the first team squad not getting any games can only be unsettling.

As stated by others it will lighten the wage bill. Very important in the long term. If the club manages to get 2M maybe 3M combined for maybe six players out the door then that would be just brilliant. Then they could bring in two players for the troublesome LM and CD positions for maybe 4M.

Quality for quantity. It makes sense to me.

[Danny 9]

Yep, this isn't about being able to bring in new players but cutting the size of our squad and of our wage bill...

Quite simply, once again, our club were negligent in the summer and mismanaged all the above. Because of their poor planning (aided and abetted by a cowardly first team squad) we were also knocked out of the CL.

Now, as predicted, we're paying for it.

We are. However, trimming the squad and wage bill is only the football equivalent of nailing boards over holes in a sinking boat.

We don't just need a repair, we need significant investment - my point being that I don't see the grounds for that happening.

[outlaw69uk 123]

Yep, this isn't about being able to bring in new players but cutting the size of our squad and of our wage bill...

Quite simply, once again, our club were negligent in the summer and mismanaged all the above. Because of their poor planning (aided and abetted by a cowardly first team squad) we were also knocked out of the CL.

Now, as predicted, we're paying for it.

We are. However, trimming the squad and wage bill is only the football equivalent of nailing boards over holes in a sinking boat.

We don't just need a repair, we need significant investment - my point being that I don't see the grounds for that happening.

The wages, however, are an ongoing expense, when you remove that, you remove operating costs, therefore the level of debt will decrease overall, its prudent to do so. In addition, you can offset the decrease in wages against a oneoff payments for players

The other plus side is, perhaps some of the players people detest will move on, and, the board may be somewhat more constructive again

[outlaw69uk 123]

I think it is about cutting the wage bill - 10 player at £5k per week is £2.5M (ish) - if the average is £10k its £5M (ish) and the cash could be used to pay the wages of a couple of better quality players - thus turning shit into quality - and while I agree we will get little in the way of fees, freeing up the wage bill would be, or could, be a good thing.

Completely in shock after a BP9 post that isnt controversial and makes total sense!!!!

[papaguy51 912]

The other plus side is, perhaps some of the players people detest will move on, and, the board may be somewhat more constructive again

My one wish for the transfer window.

[Sander2006 50]

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

I have one major concern: Boyd keeps scoring at his current rate and we get an offer we can't refuse. How much (or little) that might be in our current financial state is worrying.

Boyd has always scored at his current rate lol. Its just some people would like him to run about a bit more.

[ShootSpeedKillLight 0]

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

I have one major concern: Boyd keeps scoring at his current rate and we get an offer we can't refuse. How much (or little) that might be in our current financial state is worrying.

Boyd has always scored at his current rate lol. Its just some people would like him to run about a bit more.

How dare they.

[Danny 9]

I really am curious as to what January will present us with, but unless SDM is shelling out hard cash I really don't see a vast upturn in overall fortunes based on outgoing players alone and the cash made from them.

I have one major concern: Boyd keeps scoring at his current rate and we get an offer we can't refuse. How much (or little) that might be in our current financial state is worrying.

Boyd has always scored at his current rate lol. Its just some people would like him to run about a bit more.

How dare they.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

The January clear out is to balance the books.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

Walter is quite correct when he says we only need a squad of around 18 - 20 senior players, especially for the rest of this season as we don't have the pressure of European fixtures to contend with. It may be that he also doesn't have a chance as he went on to say that some of the younger players who are almost ready will possibly be given more of a chance, this reminds me of what was getting said at the end of last season and early this season by SDM when he said we can't afford the expenditure in the current climate.

The question is, which players will be gotten rid of, on top of that we can say that this player should go and that player should go, but we need people to actually buy them. Those whose contracts are up the end of this season might be allowed to leave for free, even though I would like a token fee for them.

The players who do play, should be good enough to win the league, and I think the main position we need to fill is someone like Tonel for the CB position, for whatever reason our defence is leaking goals even though we actually have the best defensive record in the SPL at this moment in time even though it is hard to see.

Remember, a lot of our youngsters are only out on loan till January, so players like Furman etc will be back.

[Danny 9]

It is said that every good team needs 22 players. 11 first choice players plus 11 almost as good players who can come in and mix it up. 2 players per position.