The New Raith Rovers Thread

[raith1974]

2 hours ago, RRPT said:

Think I would rather keep Davo than give a 36yo Berra a 2 year deal.

Behave Davidson has lost pace, he also loses the plot constantly. The highest level he has played is Premier League for Dundee when the built a Championship squad. Berra has played at the highest level and although 36 will still read the game very well . I'm also not convinced he will be here for 2 years. Apparently looking to get his coaching badges and still be involved with Hearts U16 squad. Much needed experience to a young squad. 

[TxRover]

After considering the Berra pre-contract, especially in light of what SAndo meant to us last year, pretty happy with this signing...even if we get promoted. While Bene is a great steadying influence, the wealth of knowledge and respect that Berra brings can only help our team as a whole. The only hitch I see is he seems more suited to being one of three versus two CB, but that scheme worked well last year, while we’ve seldom had the option to try it this year.

With regard to Musonda, I have a hopeful delusion that so far the discussions have been with lower six Premiership or Championship teams, and he wants to wait and see if the Rovers can possibly get promoted. He seems to enjoy playing for the Rovers, so why jump to another Premiership team when he might be able to continue here and be in the top division. Let’s face it, Frankie will likely get a contract offer in June that will be at least as good as any he can get now, and the way he’s playing, he might increase his value between now and then.

[Sheacki]

So would I be correct in saying that for centre halves next season we currently have bene, McKay, Berra and Lang? Mendy’s contract is up this season isn’t it? Would it be likely that it would just be the four under contract now that we would stick with for next season, considering we have had 4 for this season too since McKay has been out all season? Or more likely to sign mendy or musonda on for next season too, giving us 5. Highly doubt it would be both lol

[pantene pro-V]

We won't re-sign Mendy. Why would we? Been a waste of 2 years' wages. Put it down to simply a bad signing and move on. 

[Paco]

Yeah, Mendy isn’t staying. Great guy, I hope he sticks around in Scotland and gets given a proper chance somewhere. But he won’t get a new deal and nor should he. If he was some journeyman we picked up from Partick Thistle we’d be happy to see the back of him.

Would be a bit gutted to lose Musonda. We started this season with five centre backs so I don’t think it’s inconceivable we keep him yet, especially if we go up, and especially with his versatility across the back four. But it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if he left, I know nothing about his personal situation but every chance he’s stuck living in a flat on his own and unable to do anything outside of training and playing. Might take the first available chance to get closer to home.

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Sheacki said:

So would I be correct in saying that for centre halves next season we currently have bene, McKay, Berra and Lang? Mendy’s contract is up this season isn’t it? Would it be likely that it would just be the four under contract now that we would stick with for next season, considering we have had 4 for this season too since McKay has been out all season? Or more likely to sign mendy or musonda on for next season too, giving us 5. Highly doubt it would be both lol

From my list on FanTalk:

Raith Rovers 2021-2022 Signings and Pre-Contracts: 

2 April 2021 (Adding Berra) 

Keepers: 
Bow (ma-thru May 2022), J MacDonald (thru May 2022), Thomson (thru June 2023, with GK coach role too) 

Backs: 
Bene (thru May 2022), Berra (pre-contract, will be thru Jun 2023, Lang (pre-contract, will be thru May 2023), K MacDonald (PT thru May 2022), McKay (thru May 2022), Tumilty (thru May 2022) 

Mids/Wide: 
Arnott (ma) (thru May 2022), Coulson (ma) (thru May 2022), Matthews (thru June 2024), Tait (thru May 2024) 

Forwards: 
Keatings (June 2023), Mahady (ma) (thru May 2022), Zanatta (pre-contract, assumed until June 2022)

 

Despite the misgivings many express, if Musonda leaves, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Mendy retained. He’s a usable CB, with his main weakness being some positional lapses. As a physical presence and distributer, he generally does fine, the question is will he continue to improve his positional sense...at his age, you would expect that the scope of improvement isn’t great, but it is possible. If we are playing Championship football next year, would we want 4 CB plus 3 FB, or 5+2(or 3)? Musonda’s ability to play FB on either side is a huge plus that Mendy doesn’t offer (that we know of), so the more likely signing might be a younger FB vice a fifth CB.

Edited April 2, 2021 by TxRover

[SirJimmyofNic]

Frankie is only 23 and can learn loads from someone like Berra, and as has been alluded to can play anywhere across the back line, he's definately one to keep hold off, same with Hendry and Vaughan unless it's a top six Premiership club or English Championship.

Such a shame we always seem to lose our best players for nothing  

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Frankie is only 23 and can learn loads from someone like Berra, and as has been alluded to can play anywhere across the back line, he's definately one to keep hold off, same with Hendry and Vaughan unless it's a top six Premiership club or English Championship.

Such a shame we always seem to lose our best players for nothing  

The curse of budget football. Do you risk signing a guy for two or three years or do you sign him for one year and cut the risk? We were slated for signing some players earlier this year for two years because of the uncertainties, and we signed others for one year because they were unproven. Frankie was likely willing to take the chance on a one year deal because he believed in himself, and it’s toning to pay off handsomely for him, as I doubt any team would hesitate to offer him a two year deal now. The only question is will Frankie wait and see...and possibly give the Rovers a shot at re-signing him? I’m not sure a top six Premiership team would move for him yet and offer a compelling deal, so that’s why I’m hopeful he’ll skip a PCA and wait.

Hendry...he should have been snapped up by someone by now, so he might be waiting for more or better choices. We had him signed, and could have got value if he moved on last year, but the whole shutdown killed most of the horse trading and likely cost us a compensated move.

Vaughan...he’s only just shown he’s possibly about to return to pre-injury form. He’s also got a horrific history, so I don’t see anyone offering him any deal over a year, and I don’t see high level clubs willing to take the risk this go around.

[Rovers1992/1993]

Hopefully we can get Frankie signed on. I’d be inclined to let McKay leave either on loan or permanently if we can.

McKay just signed a new deal less than a month ago.

[SirJimmyofNic]

12 minutes ago, TxRover said:

The curse of budget football. Do you risk signing a guy for two or three years or do you sign him for one year and cut the risk? We were slated for signing some players earlier this year for two years because of the uncertainties, and we signed others for one year because they were unproven. Frankie was likely willing to take the chance on a one year deal because he believed in himself, and it’s toning to pay off handsomely for him, as I doubt any team would hesitate to offer him a two year deal now. The only question is will Frankie wait and see...and possibly give the Rovers a shot at re-signing him? I’m not sure a top six Premiership team would move for him yet and offer a compelling deal, so that’s why I’m hopeful he’ll skip a PCA and wait.

Hendry...he should have been snapped up by someone by now, so he might be waiting for more or better choices. We had him signed, and could have got value if he moved on last year, but the whole shutdown killed most of the horse trading and likely cost us a compensated move.

Vaughan...he’s only just shown he’s possibly about to return to pre-injury form. He’s also got a horrific history, so I don’t see anyone offering him any deal over a year, and I don’t see high level clubs willing to take the risk this go around.

Yeah Tx agreed, we kinda got our fingers burnt a few times over the years with deals longer than 1 year, the latest to a certain extent being Mendy,  Vaughan will more than likely stay with us provided he gets through to seasons end unscathed, and it would be highly unlikely a bigger club would take a risk on him,

Hendry is a class act that maybe could've had a longer contract last time around a player that we perhaps had an eye on making a good fee from

  Frankie has been the best pick from our English contingent an unkown quantity so we couldn't give a two year deal to at the time.

No news on the transfer front regarding those two is good news though

[Broken Algorithms]

2 hours ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Yeah Tx agreed, we kinda got our fingers burnt a few times over the years with deals longer than 1 year, the latest to a certain extent being Mendy,  Vaughan will more than likely stay with us provided he gets through to seasons end unscathed, and it would be highly unlikely a bigger club would take a risk on him,

Hendry is a class act that maybe could've had a longer contract last time around a player that we perhaps had an eye on making a good fee from

  Frankie has been the best pick from our English contingent an unkown quantity so we couldn't give a two year deal to at the time.

No news on the transfer front regarding those two is good news though

The perfect argument against 2 year deals is Scott McBride. 

[Scottydog]

Contracts be they 2 year or 1 are a lottery.

Scotty McBride is but one example. To pick but one season  in particular, for every Mr Nisbet there is usually a Milne, Gillespie, Flanagan and Wedderburn.  Extrapolate that to this season and decry Musonda's single year contract if you like along with possibly Duku but would Ugwu have been a good bet for 24 months?

We aren't in a position to offer both decent wages and lengthy contracts, and very set up of the leagues and the nature of the games means we probably never will.

This season it's looking like the manager maybe got it wrong with Duku and Musonda.

Over the last 2 he's mostly  got it right with with the likes of  J Mac (2), Tumilty (2), K Mac (2), Bene (2), Davo(1), Tait (3), Armstrong (2), Spencer, )2) Matthews (E), Hendry (2), Ugwu (1) Anderson (?).

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

1 hour ago, Broken Algorithms said:

Scott McBride

I remember him scoring a goal for us, he actually won a medal for it.

It was an held over reserve cup final when we didn't have reserves and had to play a first team against Livingston at the lasagne bowl.

[dysartrovers]

Will today's match be on Livingston TV?

[Beachbum]

37 minutes ago, dysartrovers said:

Will today's match be on Livingston TV?

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/

You have to register first by clicking on the LFC Live button and take it from there.

[dysartrovers]

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/
You have to register first by clicking on the LFC Live button and take it from there.

Perfect cheers

[steakngravy]

Is there not live commentry today from the Raith TV boys?

[Beachbum]

16 minutes ago, steakngravy said:

Is there not live commentry today from the Raith TV boys?

Season ticket holders only.

https://www.raith.tv/

[steakngravy]

That'll do me then and a donation to "Donate a ticket"

[mrpaddyx]

On 02/04/2021 at 22:11, Broken Algorithms said:

The perfect argument against 2 year deals is Scott McBride. 

I knew as soon as he walked on the pitch with those yellow boots that he was going to be a dud.

 

Edit - His wikipedia entry sums up his time at us perfectly.

"On 9 June 2010, McBride signed for Raith Rovers on a full-time contract. On 16 May 2012, Raith announced he was among a list of players being given a free transfer."

Edited April 3, 2021 by mrpaddyx