Next season

[Arabdownsouth]

Hearts Bubble will burst next season with no Shankland and now no McInnes either. Devlin will probably take up one of his big money offers too now the manager is away. Good, f*ck em!

[JUSTaway]

I don't have a problem with the group stages of cup, my issue it comes too early and there should be a bigger gap between seasons. Teams need time to get their squad together, plus as a football fan, personally I like a big gap so when the football starts again I'm hungry for it, over saturation of football these days.

[JUSTaway]

Strain was too slow and Injury prone, could put a decent cross in now and again, remember him putting a peach in for dalby to score against Motherwell, and enjoyed his goal against Dundee.

[weegiearab]

Ryan Strain was decent when fit. One of the hghest paid players at the club, so it makes sense to cut ties financially. I can see him picking up another SPL team if I am honest. Wouldn't be surprised ri see him at St Mirren or similar.

[LSArab]

Strain gone. Exodus begins.

I liked Strain. He did gets a fair few assists and decent crosser.

Won us the penalty when we qualified for Europe last season.

I know others not as keen.

He goes with best wishes

Be interesting who else departs

As with other seasons no time will be wasted with chopping out those not wanted

[Arabknight]

Strain gone. Exodus begins.

[Arabdownsouth]

I know the SFA deserve the blame for everything including the price of oil but its hard to blame them for dates of a trophy called The LEAGUE Cup.

I blame Trump tbh 😋

[GUNBOAT]

This group stage nonsense starting in July frankly is farcical.

I know the SFA deserve the blame for everything including the price of oil but its hard to blame them for dates of a trophy called The LEAGUE Cup.

[Arabs4ever]

This group stage nonsense starting in July frankly is farcical.[/QUOTE]

That though is the SFA for you. The Academy setup being regarded as "elite" is a box ticking exercise which is just the SFA trying to say look how good we are. They themselves need a think tank on that as they are bunch of useless chunts imo. Years ago United had a good youth system but someone thought we could make all clubs have this and in the end the youth coming through is nothing like before because it doesn't allow s-forms who actually played football.

[JamesMcClean]

Seeing as the teams involved in Europe are playing in the midweeks through Aug anyway, I don’t know why they can’t be played in the early midweeks of the season so that by the time the European teams are available (mostly out!), then the early games have still been played so the tournament can continue on the same schedule. Even better for me would be to ditch the league set up entirely and make rounds 1 and 2 a straight draw like the Scottish Cup. And again have that in the midweeks of Aug. This group stage nonsense starting in July frankly is farcical.

[Yeats 62]

Yeah, played far too early. I know it's not the same, but still get gutted when we go out, remembering the times when we won it TWICE. It did have more value then. Sad though, that the third best rated trophy in Scottish futba, has now turned in to a friendly competition. (until yi get to the semis)

[TerryTheTerror]

I don't mind them, for me it's been a good thing to introduce, was what the league cup originally was when it started in 1946, was always group stages for years, only stopped maybe late 70s or early 80s, then maybe changed to try leg ties before becoming Scottish Cup light for awhile until ten years ago when they changed to this format

Would rather we missed them due to being in Europe but still decent games to have and it can propel you into the league season if you play it right, see Hearts this year (extreme example right enough)

I doubt the league cup games back in the day happened in July though.

Just checked the Arab Archive for season 71/72 and we were in a group with Hibs, Kilmarnock, & Motherwell. The group matches started in mid August (14th Killie at home).

The issue folk have now is the timing of the early games. It's a real leveler between the teams and the bigger clubs, understandably, treat them as pre-season.

[LSArab]

I actually really enjoy the league cup games albeit would rather be in Europe

Much better games to get up to speed than friendlies

I?m not really a fan of friendlies

The league cup section also allows some matches against local teams and lower league grounds to visit etc

The format is good and creates a bit of interest in July

[shedka]

I don't mind them, for me it's been a good thing to introduce, was what the league cup originally was when it started in 1946, was always group stages for years, only stopped maybe late 70s or early 80s, then maybe changed to try leg ties before becoming Scottish Cup light for awhile until ten years ago when they changed to this format

Would rather we missed them due to being in Europe but still decent games to have and it can propel you into the league season if you play it right, see Hearts this year (extreme example right enough)

[PT_Arab]

Reading this thread and the talk of another rebuild got me thinking that we will need a good number of pre season games to get players bedded in and get them used to playing together. Obviously we won't have European games this time and that brought me to the realisation that we will be in the League Cup group process again. Man I hate those games!