I have my suspicions that the damage has already been done in that they have not been offered new contracts because the dollar is king. My fear is that they will both depart for significantly less that what they are worth and we will be sitting waiting for the one in a million sell on to come off.
Im probably gonna be proved wrong, but i trust Shabbas ability to find an adequate replacement for the departing more than Sackie and Eraysed proved. You never know, the replacement for Fraser might be Stanton or Keatings, but i dont think there is someone for Robson. Was gonna mention Dixon, but i didnt know he is with Grimsby.
Fraser has been widely inconsistent the past couple of seasons, in part due to not being played in his best position, and the team as a whole struggling, but the thing is if he moves onto another level, the scrutiny/criticism is only going to be even bigger, its not going to disappear.
I'd like both to stay, but reckon they are both away, but i'd hold onto them until the summer. If I had to keep one I'd keep robson, not because he is the better player, but we have similar players at least to Fraser, whereas we have no cover at left back other than scobbie, and the idea of Scobbie and Murdoch as full backs would be brutal.
Word on the street is that St Mirren are going to lose Lewis Morgan to Celtic in January but immediately loaned back for the rest of the season. What happens over the next few months is going to have long term implications for the future of the club. We have to gain promotion this season. We cannot lose any player like Fraser, no matter what financial inducements are waved in ST face. The cost in the long term will dwarf any short term gains. Just look at the Armstrong, GMS fiasco.
For players that will be in their last six months of their contracts and playing in the Championship, it's hardly going to be great money. Fraser has the ability , but where the issue has always been has been in his application and his total lack of getting stuck in or tracking back and defending. Thankfully this has improved massively of late and we're starting to see the player he can be. The financial implications of failing to get up this season will have massively greater long term implications than any quick hit from a fee in January, which is not likely to be any greater than what the development fee would be anyway. Surely, FINALLY, even the Snake can see this - after all it's this serial looney transfer policy that's put us here in the first place and will continue to do so unless he allows the Manager to get some consistency in his player pool, even for 12 months FFS!
United have always been a selling Club. Jum sold Andy Gray, Raymond Stewart, Kevin Gallacher, Richard Gough, Duncan Ferguson etc. But it was always for top dollar and most importantly, when it suited the CLUB first and foremost, not just in terms of money but in timing i.e. when it was least likely to be detrimental to the quality of the team on the pitch, which surely should be the single most important consideration in determining whether to sell. NOT how much wonga is being waved under your nose. Baldy surely must see this by now?
This is spot on. It’s not easy to get promoted.
If we miss out this season who knows what financial state we will be in and when we will eventually get up again
Could be decent teams coming down from spl -one or two- that invest heavily and make it very difficult next season if we fail
We can’t take any risks this time and have to make sure we comfortably win league to get back up
Article in the paper today about this, Shabba says he's got 4 positions he would like to fill in January.