Squad for next Season

[Mr.Blue]

1 hour ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

Tele reporting that Calvin Miller has been training with us. Can play at LB apparently.

I heard this in the run up to the QoS game which is why I thought that Strapp's post match reaction to the shed was interesting.

As I said at the time, I hope he was just waving to his Mammy.

It did look like he was waving directly to someone but I could be wrong.

Also been wondering if we'll hear anything about Nicky Low signing a PCA with us in January. Wouldn't be against that.

[Jamie_M]

1 hour ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

Tele reporting that Calvin Miller has been training with us. Can play at LB apparently.

I heard this in the run up to the QoS game which is why I thought that Strapp's post match reaction to the shed was interesting.

As I said at the time, I hope he was just waving to his Mammy.

Strapp never got his move in the summer that we all expected, presumably because of the compensation required.

The exact same compensation rules are still valid for him until the end of this season (although he has turned 23, the rules apply until the end of your 23rd birthday season).

Why would someone pay it now when they wouldn't have in the summer or when they can get him for free next summer?

Or, why would Morton agree to reduced terms now when we presumably wouldn't have during pre-season just a few months ago especially with the position we are in where keeping a top player is worth more to us than any cut price fee?

Think too much was being read into a wave.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Jamie_M

[Scott]

Miller can also play left-wing which is where I'd guess Imrie is more interested in playing him if he does sign. Hopefully we'll hear good news about Grimshaw soon, he would be a big loss if we don't manage to extend his contract.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

6 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

Strapp never got his move in the summer that we all expected, presumably because of the compensation required.

The exact same compensation rules are still valid for him until the end of this season (although he has turned 23, the rules apply until the end of your 23rd birthday season).

Why would someone pay it now when they wouldn't have in the summer or when they can get him for free next summer?

Or, why would Morton agree to reduced terms now when we presumably wouldn't have during pre-season just a few months ago especially with the position we are in where keeping a top player is worth more to us than any cut price fee?

Think too much was being read into a wave

All perfectly valid points.

I don't want to lose him anymore than anyone else.

But, playing devils advocate, would we be better getting something now rather than nothing in the summer.

Possibly loaned back until the end of the season?

 

All speculation, so we'll just have to wait and see.

[Greacen2000]

7 minutes ago, Scott said:

Miller can also play left-wing which is where I'd guess Imrie is more interested in playing him if he does sign. Hopefully we'll hear good news about Grimshaw soon, he would be a big loss if we don't manage to extend his contract.

Was just thinking about Grimshaw earlier - surely we have had talks with him about extending his stay?  The lack of an announcement is making me worry that he has already decided to move on and maybe has a move lined up.

Does anyone know what the deal is with Jamie Brandon? He hasn’t really featured since moving to Livi -  not sure if he has had injury issues or just been out of favour.  Given the relationship between the clubs, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Grimshaw go to livi in Jan with Brandon coming the opposite way (assuming he is fit).  I really hope we keep Grimshaw but as far as replacements go, I would be more than happy with a fit Jamie Brandon

Edited December 10, 2022 by Greacen2000

[Jamie_M]

15 minutes ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

All perfectly valid points.

I don't want to lose him anymore than anyone else.

But, playing devils advocate, would we be better getting something now rather than nothing in the summer.

Possibly loaned back until the end of the season?

All speculation, so we'll just have to wait and see.

The loan back would be a non-starter. Why would anyone pay a fee and loan back rather than just sign a PCA instead?

I get the point about Morton deciding between something rather than nothing. The reverse devil's advocate throws prize money vs fee into the equation though.

With £75k extra prize money per position from 5th upwards (£87.5k between 2nd and 1st) the potential gains there make it far more valuable to keep our best players rather than taking a modest fee (unless we were certain a replacement would be an upgrade on Strapp which I doubt it would be).

The Celtic tie also makes it highly unlikely we would need to take any paltry fee thrown at us.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

20 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

The loan back would be a non-starter. Why would anyone pay a fee and loan back rather than just sign a PCA instead?

I get the point about Morton deciding between something rather than nothing. The reverse devil's advocate throws prize money vs fee into the equation though.

With £75k extra prize money per position from 5th upwards (£87.5k between 2nd and 1st) the potential gains there make it far more valuable to keep our best players rather than taking a modest fee (unless we were certain a replacement would be an upgrade on Strapp which I doubt it would be).

The Celtic tie also makes it highly unlikely we would need to take any paltry fee thrown at us.

Again all valid

[Jamie_M]

2 minutes ago, The Bewilderedbeast said:

Again all valid

Unfortunately, the prize money reason also rings true with Ayr and Akinyemi.

He has 18 months left on his deal. Despite what every pundit on the radio seems to think, nobody who 'tests the water' with a paltry fee will be getting near him.

[Madton]

1 hour ago, Greacen2000 said:

Was just thinking about Grimshaw earlier - surely we have had talks with him about extending his stay?  The lack of an announcement is making me worry that he has already decided to move on and maybe has a move lined up.

Does anyone know what the deal is with Jamie Brandon? He hasn’t really featured since moving to Livi -  not sure if he has had injury issues or just been out of favour.  Given the relationship between the clubs, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Grimshaw go to livi in Jan with Brandon coming the opposite way (assuming he is fit).  I really hope we keep Grimshaw but as far as replacements go, I would be more than happy with a fit Jamie Brandon

Livvys captain Devlin plays right back, I doubt Brandon was ever going to be anything  other than a back up for them and I guess he knew that going there.

Doubt they would buy Grimshaw for the same reason.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Madton

[SpoonTon]

Maybe it's King we'll need to replace in January. 

[Greacen2000]

8 hours ago, SpoonTon said:

Maybe it's King we'll need to replace in January. 

King might be the most exciting talent I’ve seen come through in all my 35 odd years supporting Morton, so I wouldn’t  be at all surprised to see him start to attract scouts from some big clubs.  Thankfully we have him signed til the end of next season so if anyone was going to come in for him now I would be expecting a pretty hefty transfer fee

[MarTon80]

https://twitter.com/LiviFCOfficial/status/1603709495086944256?t=hnHCLqHSSpGwi1IyXN88Sw&s=19

 

Probably means nothing but Kabia just been sponsored by someone at Livingston for the rest of the season 

[port-ton]

Wonder if there's any truth to this or if its just an agent doing his job getting his out of contract players name in the press. 

Might explain why Calvin Miller has been in training. 

[Jamie_M]

28 minutes ago, port-ton said:

Wonder if there's any truth to this or if its just an agent doing his job getting his out of contract players name in the press. 

Might explain why Calvin Miller has been in training. 

A million quid and the loan of 2 wonderkids please.

[EanieMeany]

 I wouldn't be letting Strapp leave in January unless it became impossible to resist for whatever reason (such as a really big fee or him really forcing the issue), but given how unlikely a move like that would be I think it'd be hard to stand in his way if he wanted to go. Chances are you'll get plenty of offers from the "normal" type of suitor, but you won't get too many of this ilk....assuming there's any hint of truth in it, which is a big assumption.

It wouldn't surprise me too much to discover that he's on the radar of clubs across Europe given the recent flurry of Scottish players moving abroad, and the stream of full-backs in particular, but even at that, it would still be amongst the most unexpected transfers you'd be likely to see from the lower leagues.

 

[TRVMP]

They're always at or near the top of their league so it's a chance to play in Europe as well, and with the Conference League it's a chance for visibility in the group stage against reasonably-sized clubs.

Obviously it depends on what the player wants but that would be a very interesting move, probably decent money, and a chance to live abroad.

[dunning1874]

I would give thought to only taking an offer for Strapp now if the fee is so large it could make up for the potential loss of prize money if we end up having a dip in form after losing our best defender. These are the 19/20 figures so should be higher now but it gives us a rough idea.

When even the difference between 3rd and 5th is £150K, it's a risk to take say £100K for our best player and I wouldn't view an offer like that as a take the money and run scenario.

Obviously we might do just fine and sustain a playoff or title challenge with King, Miller or someone else in Strapp's place and still rake the prize money in on top of getting a six figure fee for a player who will almost certainly leave for nothing at the end of the season, but looking at those figures I'd want more than say £100K as his value to us through having him in the team for another five months is potentially much greater than that. Maybe no club will view him as having that much value to them for the sake of five months, but if a club in a country with a summer season (as Georgia does) is willing to stump up a figure more like £200K+ rather than wait until June for him then great, that moves into offer we can't refuse territory.

[Jamie_M]

25 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

I would give thought to only taking an offer for Strapp now if the fee is so large it could make up for the potential loss of prize money if we end up having a dip in form after losing our best defender. These are the 19/20 figures so should be higher now but it gives us a rough idea.

When even the difference between 3rd and 5th is £150K, it's a risk to take say £100K for our best player and I wouldn't view an offer like that as a take the money and run scenario.

Obviously we might do just fine and sustain a playoff or title challenge with King, Miller or someone else in Strapp's place and still rake the prize money in on top of getting a six figure fee for a player who will almost certainly leave for nothing at the end of the season, but looking at those figures I'd want more than say £100K as his value to us through having him in the team for another five months is potentially much greater than that. Maybe no club will view him as having that much value to them for the sake of five months, but if a club in a country with a summer season (as Georgia does) is willing to stump up a figure more like £200K+ rather than wait until June for him then great, that moves into offer we can't refuse territory.

Aye, very much this.

Any talk of 'something is better than nothing' cobsidering he only has 6 months left on his contract is well wide of the mark when you factor in the potential rewards for qualifying for the playoffs, a couple of extra league placings prize money or even actually going up.

Ayr in a similar boat with Akinyemi (stronger actually as he has another year).

Wild that every pundit seem to think any lower Premier team, Dundee, Partick or even Queens Park will be taking him without a fight for a derisory fee as soon as the window opens.

Would think the Celtic draw is enough to fend off any suggestion from within the club of cashing in for modest return on Strapp. Unless the player forces it of course.

[CM48]

14 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

Aye, very much this.

Any talk of 'something is better than nothing' cobsidering he only has 6 months left on his contract is well wide of the mark when you factor in the potential rewards for qualifying for the playoffs, a couple of extra league placings prize money or even actually going up.

Ayr in a similar boat with Akinyemi (stronger actually as he has another year).

Wild that every pundit seem to think any lower Premier team, Dundee, Partick or even Queens Park will be taking him without a fight for a derisory fee as soon as the window opens.

Would think the Celtic draw is enough to fend off any suggestion from within the club of cashing in for modest return on Strapp. Unless the player forces it of course.

Would have thought it would be worth more to him to stay until the end of the season as whoever he goes to won't have to buy him so could then offer a better signing on fee?

[Greacen2000]

As others have said above, having Strapp in our team for the remainder of the season could be worth more in league placing prize money than the sort of fee we would be likely to receive.

The only way I could see it making sense for us to let him go at this stage is if it’s for something crazy like £250k+ with add ons for appearances & sell on clause etc.