2024/25 Squad and Transfers

[Jamie_M]

On 5/8/2024 at 9:04 AM, Madton said:

I'm the opposite. I quite like the idea of a clean slate. The squad has been around for a couple of years now and hasn't been good enough. It gives us the chance to start afresh and with an increased budget available, hopefully we can attract better players than the ones who leave.

I'm pretty much here as well. The highs of the past few seasons have been great but plenty of lows too.

The club are moving from 'we hope for the playoffs but ultimately the target is avoiding relegation' to having now stated in their strategy that the playoffs are their minimum target which they will be held accountable on.

This group have failed to hit that twice so it's time for a refresh. There's obvious risk and granted it would be easier if we kept the best few in our squad but happy to have a bigger rebuild this season.

Also means more business needs done earlier.

Edited May 9 by Jamie_M

[Cet Homme Charmant]

2 hours ago, Madton said:

I'm the opposite. I quite like the idea of a clean slate. The squad has been around for a couple of years now and hasn't been good enough. It gives us the chance to start afresh and with an increased budget available, hopefully we can attract better players than the ones who leave.

I'd prefer to have a controlled and managed turn-over rather than a complete clean slate. When I think clean slate I think of the Alan Moore's last season when following a more-or-less complete overhaul of the squad in the summer we went from genuine promotion contenders finishing 2nd just behind Partick, to the worst team in living memory (victory at Parkheid excepted, of course).

[Stevie Aitken's Love Child]

I see Ryan Fulton has left Hamilton. Imrie has been a very outspoken fan of his in the past, I wonder if we'll try to bring him in to challenge Mullen for the number 1 jersey?

[SpoonTon]

The problem is that players like Crawford signed for us when they were lacking for other options. I'd rather have a core of players that we know what we're going to get from and add to that.

If we're talking about players like Broadfoot, Garrity, McGrattan, Waters, Gillespie, O'Connor, Blues, and Quitongo. Then there's a good argument (to greater and lesser degrees) in all cases that we should let then go and look to see who else we could bring in. With Muirhead, Crawford, Oakley, and Strapp it's more difficult. If we could have kept those 4 plus Blues and O'Connor, then we would have a decent core and be a right back away from a pretty good starting 11. That's something strong enough to build on. Lose those 6 and then Imrie could be tempted to hold onto Broadfoot, Waters, and Quitongo or jump on other early options to try to get something of a core together before the League Cup starts. Let's face it, we'll lose players because our rivals with slightly more spending power see these players as a better option than others available - not a guarantee that the other clubs are making the best decisions but it's a sign of the difficulty of our position. 

I don't like the idea of try to put together the majority of a decent core of players in June. 

[HamCam]

The reality is as a fan owned club we must live within our means. Others out there can splash the cash as we did in the DDFR era. What we know for this season coming is we have a larger budget hence the soundings we are offering more in terms of cash and length of contract but alas we may still find ourselves being gazumped by the big spenders. For the most part I do not begrudge players in the existing squad who accept better terms on offer elsewhere but they have to accept they will get it tight if they sell their soul to the likes of Partick and Falkirk. As tough as it is we have to be patient and trust in Imrie to bring in the players to take us to the next level. As an aside, it would be a real plus if this year we had a decent pre-season friendly ideally involving a tour to pastures new.

[dunning1874]

We do still have Mullen, Baird and Wilson as a great foundation to start from but yes, there's a balance between having the necessary turnover to upgrade the squad after our regression from 22/23 to 23/24, and losing too many players giving you a far more difficult rebuild. While Strapp and Oakley are the most important two to keep, you'd ideally not be losing any of those who've shown they're good enough to be regular starters in a top half Championship side.

As two players who are in that category, I think it's worth noting where Crawford and Oakley both were in their careers when they came to us. Crawford had been released by the club who'd finished 4th, had failed to win a contract on trial with another Championship club and was still clubless in the middle of August. Oakley was brought in as cover in January having fallen out of favour at a club below us in the league.

Neither were viewed as huge coups for Morton at the time who would go on to be considered among the best players in their position in the division and we just have to hope that if we do see a big exodus, Imrie can pull off that recruitment of players who have a higher ceiling than they'd shown with previous clubs again. While there are some players who've looked average (Waters) or poor (Roy, Boyd) on paper and have gone on to be exactly that, he's consistently gotten more out of players than anyone thought possible. Gillespie and Quitongo are two other great examples: while they'll probably both move on this summer, you wouldn't have foreseen getting the two seasons we have out of them when the general reaction across Scottish football to their signings was bafflement they'd found a full time club.

[Mr.Blue]

Thinking about potential targets

Ross Millen would be a solid championship signing. Would love to see Jamie Brandon back too. Haven't heard much more about Bird from Arbroath. If ICT go down there's a few decent players there. Wouldn't be averse to Samuel coming back. Like the boy mcallister in midfield too.

Is ricky lamie playing for Dundee?

[TONofmemories]

3 hours ago, HamCam said:

The reality is as a fan owned club we must live within our means. Others out there can splash the cash as we did in the DDFR era. What we know for this season coming is we have a larger budget hence the soundings we are offering more in terms of cash and length of contract but alas we may still find ourselves being gazumped by the big spenders. For the most part I do not begrudge players in the existing squad who accept better terms on offer elsewhere but they have to accept they will get it tight if they sell their soul to the likes of Partick and Falkirk. As tough as it is we have to be patient and trust in Imrie to bring in the players to take us to the next level. As an aside, it would be a real plus if this year we had a decent pre-season friendly ideally involving a tour to pastures new.

This is it in reality, but can't help but feel we've come close with scrapheap budget. Lets go a bit extra and try achieve more. 

[RossMcC1874]

Millen would be a decent signing IMO can play two positions plenty of experience at this level and was getting regular game time before a spat with Murray. 

Brandon has played 30 times for Livingston and is contracted until 2025 so that's a non starter. 

Bird could be a possibility and you wouldn't imagine he is on much wages and is fairly young and may have potential. 

Other than that not heard of us being linked to anyone else but as the weeks go on and clubs start to release players I am sure we will know more. 

[Jamie_M]

2 hours ago, Mr.Blue said:

Thinking about potential targets

Ross Millen would be a solid championship signing. Would love to see Jamie Brandon back too. Haven't heard much more about Bird from Arbroath. If ICT go down there's a few decent players there. Wouldn't be averse to Samuel coming back. Like the boy mcallister in midfield too.

Is ricky lamie playing for Dundee?

Lamie is on loan at Dundee from Motherwell but has signed a pre-contract to move permanently in the summer.

[Greacen2000]

I see Paul Hanlon is out of contract - not sure how realistic this would be (probably not very) but he would be a great experienced defender to fill the Ambrose/Broadfoot role in the squad.

[RossMcC1874]

Also noticed that Lewis Stevenson is also being released by hibs, again I don't know how realistic either of the signings would be the one issues may be wages, I suspect someone like Hanlon would have a fair amount of interest given his experience. 

[Toby]

Already seen Dunfermline and big-spending Raith Rovers being mooted as potential suitors for both.

Not a chance they’ll end up here if those two are in for them.

[Madton]

Aye agreed.

If we are interested in an east coast based player but so are Raith,Pars, Falkirk etc, we've next to no chance of getting them. These guys will be settled and won't fancy relocating or doing an horrendous daily commute to the Port if they can avoid it. 

They'll be cases when it does happen, Jamie McDonald prime example but he probably didn't have an another option when we came calling.

I hear Cammy Blues has bought a house close to the Falkirk Stadium, can walk to it apparently, wonder if there is anything in that. 100 mile daily round trip sounds painful during rush hour.

Would imagine players who leave the likes of Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Livvy and St Mirren are more realistic for us as well as good out of contract players at Thistle, Airdire, QP and Ayr.

We've had our fair share of ex Motherwell and Killie players over recent years, wouldn't be surprised if we pick up some more this summer!

Edited May 9 by Madton

[irnbru]

On 5/8/2024 at 10:35 AM, Jamie_M said:

This group have failed to hit that twice so it's time for a refresh. There's obvious risk and ranted it would be easier if we kept the best few in our squad but happy to have a bigger rebuild this season.

Think this is quite harsh. We'll not be keeping most anyway so a bit of a moot point but I think the small squad played a bigger part in that rather than the players. 

[CM48]

Creatively avoiding actual work by geeking out... I see our average league home attendance is up about 140 from last season and is the highest that it's been without a couple of big derbies (or Rangers etc) since the nearly campaign of 12/13.

140 might not seem much, but if 120 of those are paying the full £20 then

18 home games x 120 x £20 = £43,000 or about £800-£850 per week.

An ok wage for another decent Championship Player?

[vikingTON]

42 minutes ago, irnbru said:

Think this is quite harsh. We'll not be keeping most anyway so a bit of a moot point but I think the small squad played a bigger part in that rather than the players. 

Squad size doesn't explain why two players scored what seems like 90% of our goals from open play. In terms of end product, we generally had no actual shortage of 'squad options'.  Most flattered to deceive and so can have no complaints about being emptied. Between the age of a few players and the underperforming 'squad options', a refresh in personnel and approach too is now due. 

It would certainly be harsh to criticise the contribution of the squad in terms of tactical organisation, application and (most of the time) defensive performance. But there is a clear lack of quality where it counts that is shown by ending up a large points gap behind a League One team from 12 months ago. 

[Mr.Blue]

Dundee United release Sadat Anaku, Mark Birighitti, Layton Bisland, Logan Chalmers, Flynn Duffy, Declan Glass, Scott McMann, Archie Meekison, Chris Mochrie, Craig Moore and David Wotherspoon.

Glass and mcmann have looked like decent players over the last few seasons. 

[Tubes]

McMann must have been around Accies at the tail end of Imrie being there and he’s from Glasgow so maybe he is an option. It would be a statement getting someone in with his experience but I reckon he’s potentially outwith our reach though.

[RossMcC1874]

Quite a few from the Dundee Utd list who I would take, if they would want to come here is another question. 

I thought before we were linked with Declan Glass decent midfielder at this level.