The Queen of the South thread

[SueSue]

I don’t think a young squad is in any way a bad thing.

Young players could come out of this in a reasonable position with their salary expectations being smaller than that of more experienced players.

 

[qos1990]

I don’t think a young squad is in any way a bad thing.
Young players could come out of this in a reasonable position with their salary expectations being smaller than that of more experienced players.
 

I think a young squad with a spine of experience in defence midfield and obvs dobbs upfront is way we should go. Try build something over time. I think fans would take ups and downs if we were trying to build towards something. Last few seasons approach is taking us nowhere fast

[Guest Flash]

51 minutes ago, Distant Doonhamer said:

The budget being smaller is surely a no shit Sherlock statement. Let’s be honest as a club we won’t be alone in that aspect.

Strangely enough, I think we might have made a smaller loss with last season being curtailed than we would have done. If the season had been played out and assuming we finished bottom, only the Thistle match would have generated a decent crowd. With low income and the wages having to be paid for April and May, I think the loss would have been maybe a bit higher than it was with no wages being paid for those months, even though there was no income. Or there might not have been that much difference.

The bigger financial hit will probably come from the delayed start to this season because players will have to be paid, presumably from about the end of August/start of September when there is no income and the manager will need to be paid earlier than that, although if he could work reduced hours, some of his wage could still be covered by furlough.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

12 minutes ago, qos1990 said:

 

I think a young squad with a spine of experience in defence midfield and obvs dobbs upfront is way we should go. Try build something over time. I think fans would take ups and downs if we were trying to build towards something. Last few seasons approach is taking us nowhere fast

 

Trying to build up a squad of young players bolstered with a few experienced players is ok but I think you also need a (competent)  Manager to be in place long enough to help it develop.  Over the last few years its been like a revolving door with Managers coming and going.  Very few Managers seem to get time to develop their own squad and a few Managers seem to look on Queens as a stop gap job until something else comes along.  

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

Trying to build up a squad of young players bolstered with a few experienced players is ok but I think you also need a (competent)  Manager to be in place long enough to help it develop.  Over the last few years its been like a revolving door with Managers coming and going.  Very few Managers seem to get time to develop their own squad and a few Managers seem to look on Queens as a stop gap job until something else comes along.  

Not sure that's entirely fair. The nature of our position at the bottom end of the Scottish football full time rung means that any managers who do well with us will be headhunted and will inevitably jump to a better salary and bigger working budget, whilst those who don't will lose their jobs with fans usually quicker to shout for departure than Directors, who have to pay for it, are.

The present manager will head into his 2nd season now. Gary Naysmith got 2.5 years and would probably have got at least another one had we not utterly collapsed from end of January to finish in the playoffs (and avoid automatic relegation on goal difference). The Chairman confirmed at the last AGM that he had been offered a one year extension in the January but chose not to agree it at the time. Skelton's departure was outwith the control of the club. Personally I still think James Fowler was harshly dispensed with after almost 2 seasons. The two before that McIntyre and Johnston's 1st spell were headhunted for Premier League jobs. MacPherson didn't work out and got us relegated though he was up against much bigger budget constraints than any other manager in recent times. Brannigan's spell in charge was an unmitigated disaster. Chisholm did more than 2.5 years and got a move to a bigger club. McCall's year and three quarters saw two relegation fights which both saw 'Great Escapes' but he got us into the 2nd one and made the 1st one worse before it got better (and our recovery owed as much to Stranraer imploding after Allan Jenkins left). Iain Scott's reign degenerated into farce latterly and Connolly got 4 years before departing for a bigger job.

With the exception of James Fowler I don't think we've been overly guilty of failing to give managers time. I guess some might argue McCall too.

Edited June 16, 2020 by Skyline Drifter

[Monkey Tennis]

36 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Not sure that's entirely fair. The nature of our position at the bottom end of the Scottish football full time rung means that any managers who do well with us will be headhunted and will inevitably jump to a better salary and bigger working budget, whilst those who don't will lose their jobs with fans usually quicker to shout for departure than Directors, who have to pay for it, are.

The present manager will head into his 2nd season now. Gary Naysmith got 2.5 years and would probably have got at least another one had we not utterly collapsed from end of January to finish in the playoffs (and avoid automatic relegation on goal difference). Skelton's departure was outwith the control of the club. Personally I still think James Fowler was harshly dispensed with after almost 2 seasons. The two before that McIntyre and Johnston's 1st spell were headhunted for Premier League jobs. MacPherson didn't work out and got us relegated though he was up against much bigger budget constraints than any other manager in recent times. Brannigan's spell in charge was an unmitigated disaster. Chisholm did more than 2.5 years and got a move to a bigger club. McCall's year and three quarters saw two relegation fights which both saw 'Great Escapes' but he got us into the 2nd one and made the 1st one worse before it got better (and our recovery owed as much to Stranraer imploding after Allan Jenkins left). Iain Scott's reign degenerated into farce latterly and Connolly got 4 years before departing for a bigger job.

With the exception of James Fowler I don't think we've been overly guilty of failing to give managers time. I guess some might argue McCall too.

Did Mac Pherson face bigger budgetary constraints than we've had just recently? He certainly faced much bigger ones than a few of his predecessors in the role, but my guess would have been that Naismith and Johnston would be similarly strapped for cash.  I know yours isn't a guess though.

I'd have liked Skelton to have had a decent run personally.  He spoke well and got off to a blistering start, but the nosedive that accelerated under Thomson, was already well underway before his weird departure.

[Skyline Drifter]

1 minute ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Did Mac Pherson face bigger budgetary constraints than we've had just recently? He certainly faced much bigger ones than a few of his predecessors in the role, but my guess would have been that Naismith and Johnston would be similarly strapped for cash.  I know yours isn't a guess though.

Well all things are relative obviously. I'm clearly not going to give out actual numbers but you can safely say MacPherson had significantly less than any other manager did in outright cash terms. Johnston the following season probably wasn't miles better but was operating in a part time league and had the fortune to have a good group of young players come through at that time. Since the advent of the SPFL the prize money paid in the Championship is at least twice what it was back in MacPherson's days. We've also had a number of big cup ties, shared divisions with Rangers, Hearts & Hibs, significantly improved our off field income, etc. That said, the money for playing in this division is fairly irrelevant as all our opponents get that too.

Put it this way, I think it's a certainty that MacPherson had the lowest budget in the division in his season, even with a part time Ayr United in the division. We were in a horrible way financially at the end of 2010/11. That's why people were out rattling buckets with Save Our South on them. I don't think any manager since will have had the lowest budget in his division. Possibly the lowest full time budget in some cases but even then, not by miles, relatively close to one or two others.

[Bluenortherner]

Perhaps with the severe financial constraints Queens are enduring at the moment; would it benefit the club if Stephen Dobbie were to retire?

[19QOS19]

Perhaps with the severe financial constraints Queens are enduring at the moment; would it benefit the club if Stephen Dobbie were to retire?

Seeing Dobbie play for one last time might be the only thing that makes next season bearable. So it's a no from me.

[Distant Doonhamer]

Perhaps with the severe financial constraints Queens are enduring at the moment; would it benefit the club if Stephen Dobbie were to retire?

No.

[MallanandFlanagan]

Definitely a no from me!

Perhaps with the severe financial constraints Queens are enduring at the moment; would it benefit the club if Stephen Dobbie were to retire?

[SUPERSOUTH]

On 10/06/2020 at 16:59, SUPERSOUTH said:

Hopefully the manager starts to make a move very soon to get a core of his squad sorted. 

Now more than every due to the tough financial times the club has to go with young players wanting to learn there trade alongside an experienced player in each area of the park we already have Holt (defence) Dobbie (attack) & I think W Gibson Res Manager could double up & play in midfield for one more season great vision and passer. The club has to start by signing the young players from last season Semple, Pybus Gourlay & Irving to start with and add more young players who maybe don't have as many financial/family commitments that may sign for Queens on lower wages. 

I think the fans would rather see a young team on the field regardless of league position if it means the club is stable financially & building a squad for the next couple of seasons than going down the route of journeymen turning up to play & collect ther money each week. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by SUPERSOUTH

[Dougie Mills]

16 minutes ago, SUPERSOUTH said:

I think the fans would rather see a young team full of energy on the field regardless of league position if it means the club is stable financially & building a squad for the next couple of seasons than going down the route of journeymen turning up to play & collect ther money each week. 

Nobody wants to see the club struggle financially but the idea that fans would be happy with a dross team just because they are young and run about a lot is nonsense.

Edited June 17, 2020 by Dougie Mills

[Skyline Drifter]

2 minutes ago, Dougie Mills said:

Nobody wants to see the team struggle financially but the idea that fans would be happy with a dross team just because they are young and run about a lot is nonsense.

Yeah this. I give it 5 mins of the first game fielding half a team of local youngsters before the crowd are calling for the Manager's head and demanding the Board spend money they don't have on players way out of our price range.

[SUPERSOUTH]

9 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Yeah this. I give it 5 mins of the first game fielding half a team of local youngsters before the crowd are calling for the Manager's head and demanding the Board spend money they don't have on players way out of our price range.

Never once in my comment did I say young local players..... 

The last couple of seasons the club has only just avoided relegation and the managers have been strongly criticised. I just think by trying to build a team for the future we wouldn't be in any worse a position than we have been the last couple of seasons and the manager could be given some slack by the fans. I very much doubt Queens are going to be able to compete with other clubs wage offers to good experienced Players. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by SUPERSOUTH

[19QOS19]

Now more than every due to the tough financial times the club has to go with young players wanting to learn there trade alongside an experienced player in each area of the park we already have Holt (defence) Dobbie (attack) & I think W Gibson Res Manager could double up & play in midfield for one more season great vision and passer. The club has to start by signing the young players from last season Semple, Pybus Gourlay & Irving to start with and add more young players who maybe don't have as many financial/family commitments that may sign for Queens on lower wages. 
I think the fans would rather see a young team on the field regardless of league position if it means the club is stable financially & building a squad for the next couple of seasons than going down the route of journeymen turning up to play & collect ther money each week. 

I'd take Lyon ahead of Pybus personally. Pybus really did flatter to deceive when I think about it. He had energy but he was rarely involved in anything. Perhaps he did a lot of tracking. But as for playing a decent pass or breaking up attacks, other than a couple of games I felt he wasn't really that good.

[football maniac]

Pybus over Lyon every day of the week for me.  Id be looking to keep Semple, Pybus, Murray, Mercer, Kilday and the youngsters. Kidd and Paton could be kept as useful and cheap squad fillers. I felt people were abit harsh on them at times last season. 

[SUPERSOUTH]

49 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

1 hour ago, SUPERSOUTH said:

Now more than every due to the tough financial times the club has to go with young players wanting to learn there trade alongside an experienced player in each area of the park we already have Holt (defence) Dobbie (attack) & I think W Gibson Res Manager could double up & play in midfield for one more season great vision and passer. The club has to start by signing the young players from last season Semple, Pybus Gourlay & Irving to start with and add more young players who maybe don't have as many financial/family commitments that may sign for Queens on lower wages. 
I think the fans would rather see a young team on the field regardless of league position if it means the club is stable financially & building a squad for the next couple of seasons than going down the route of journeymen turning up to play & collect ther money each week. 

I'd take Lyon ahead of Pybus personally. Pybus really did flatter to deceive when I think about it. He had energy but he was rarely involved in anything. Perhaps he did a lot of tracking. But as for playing a decent pass or breaking up attacks, other than a couple of games I felt he wasn't really that good.

Think Pybus done well in his 1st season in the Championship & would come back a more experienced player for this season & is still only 22. Lyon proved himself a good versatile player also and wouldn't be against him returning. 

[19QOS19]

Pybus over Lyon every day of the week for me.  Id be looking to keep Semple, Pybus, Murray, Mercer, Kilday and the youngsters. Kidd and Paton could be kept as useful and cheap squad fillers. I felt people were abit harsh on them at times last season. 

The same back line as last season and 4 of the midfielders? The midfield was the worst it's been in years and the defence shipped goals. I'm hoping there is a massive clear out rather than retaining the majority of them.

Think Pybus done well in his 1st season in the Championship & would come back a more experienced player for this season & is still only 22. Lyon proved himself a good versatile player also and wouldn't be against him returning. 

Lyon being versatile probably hindered him a fair bit IMO. He never really got a good run in the middle of the park. When he did get the ball he at least looked like he had some clue what to do. I felt Pybus panicked a lot when he got the ball.

Don't get me wrong, I won't be devastated if Lyon doesn't return. I don't think he was some sort of under-rated midfield dynamo. But if I had to pick between him and Pybus it'd be him.

[gogs]

Pybus over lyon for me every day the 1st player I'd try to get back would b mercer last season he was superb and was just behind mcrorie for player of the year for me.
mercer pybus semple and osman would like to see back also murry however a move might actually benifit him tbh.
If we are running on this budget surely Goss is worth a punt got good pedigree and knows where the back of the net is.