Blue jean Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 St Andrews tournament today 3rd/4th Place Greig Park Rangers 2 East Craigie 4 decent game both teams gave a good account of themselves and I expect GPR to be challenging at the top of the Amatuer League and East Craigie to be middle of the pack in the North. Final St Andrews 2 Lochee 6 This was one way traffic from the start, Lochee were 5 up after about 28 mins and I fully expected them to hit double figures. Half time finished 5-0 After the break there were changes and Lochee pretty much went through the motions, St Andrews managed a couple of consolations but felt Lochee could score if they pushed on. Final score 6-2 St Andrews were as poor as a team as I have seen, having seen them on 5/6 occasions over the last couple of years and being a decent team and organised and difficult to beat, they are certainly miles away from even competing for promotion from the premier league. Lack clear experience over the pitch and no leaders. A lot of changes but certainly not good enough, and a lack of input from the sidelines to drive a clearly struggling team. Lochee on the other hand have great squad in depth and can certainly cope with the rigours of the Super League and can rely on some quality players. I expect they will beat and surprise the top teams and possibly do well in the cups and finish in the top half and even push top 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locheedfcno1 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Good post[emoji4]. Really think Lochee United will do well in super league. All the best to st andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 I liked Lochee and feel they have improved dramatically from 2 years ago when in the Super League. I think the rebuilding process from when they went down and allowed the team to form has helped them benefit instead of chopping and changing managers. Ok this season a few changes managerial wise but because of personal progression but by in large have recruited well in terms of strength in depth and players competing for important positions in the team combined with steady growth last year to gain promotion via the playoffs. A good season for Lochee and will be a welcome addition and increased competition from the Tayside area badly needed in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior matcher Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 New to this page....took in the final yesterday and was really impressed with lochee, they have a really good squad and have added in some experience with the like of lunan and Cameron!...anyone know who the striker who scored hatrick?...and the centre midfielder, thought they stood out the most but whole team looks solid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 Birse got the Hat-Trick, central midfield was Cargill and Rollo I think. They played well Lochee although St Andrews were poor all over and could have been a lot more. Grieg park rangers put up a better game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victor meldrew Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Heard St. Andrews were missing a good few players. Not sure who but just what I was told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 The 2 teams that played both Sat and Sun St Andrews seemed to have their new signings in place. Wedderburn, Sibanda, Buchan whom I would say was their better players were playing although Buchan has asked to leave according to a older gentleman who seemed to know all the ins and outs. So much so saying the players brought in to replace are poor along with complaints about standards of training. Lots of players have left, Clarkson and Whitehead very good players to Lochee. Kevin McMullan has left, Patrick to Dundonald. Deane, Kelly, Dobie all away. Sturrock at Forfar apparently and a couple of others whom I forget what was said. My opinion of what was on show would be struggled against a lower league club and played off the park by a very good Lochee team which was no disgrace but at the same time were miles off them in all departments, and the game was over at 5-0 after 26 mins or something. So if they were missing a few good players I expect it was maybe about 7/8 of them then. Certainly never played as a team and was extremely quiet both on and off the park from players and management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victor meldrew Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Haven't seen them so can't really comment, only saying what I was told! Any team would miss the quality of boys that have moved on so going to be hard to replace them. Looks like they've went more with younger boys though which is fair enough but experience in the premier league is always crucial. Be interesting to see if they improve when their players return from injury/holiday then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Yeah maybe 1/2 still to come in, maybe have decided to go young but you still can have young and experienced at 22/23 and in my view of your good enough your old enough. clarkson is 18 whitehead is 23 and the lad Sturrock is 19, apart from Patrick and McMullan whom would have been the oldest the rest would have been between 22-26. Not a old team but I think the big question is the new signings quality is not there and possibly the attraction to sign better players. Long term maybe they come together as a decent team but only see them struggling now for this season and with that is a possibility of going down again in a competitive Premier League. Although it is still only pre season games but against Junior clubs they have been shown up and struggled past East Craigie, as so far had only played Amateur teams which they should be beating anyway and only 2 weeks till the start of the new season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victor meldrew Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Totally agree with what your saying. Be interesting to see how they do get on then cause as you say, very competitive premier league this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 It is mind you last few seasons have been very competitive also. Who is your top 3 tip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macky1903 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 After watching both games at the weekend I can see where blue jean and hibby were coming from regarding the signings. Of the new players I though the left back perrie was decent got caught on the ball a couple of times in the final one which lead to a goal ,Fleming the CB from Oakley am saying nothing ,schianove OK , am not sure who number 19 was for Utd but again he was the one who impressed me the most over the 2 games . Utd were bullied out of every ball against lochee far to easy!! Both goalkeepers look ok . Boom has pretty much got rid of every player McGuire signed although some didn't come back when he was sacked. Mcinnes is captain the only time u hear him shout is when he's having a go at the ref surely wedderburn would be a better choice? I won't be sad if Buchan leaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Dust Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 In my opinion St Andrews's committee made their own bed last season when they all of a sudden parted company with McGuire. They had a really good start in the superleague and faded away but faith should have been kept after a good season the season before. They decide to bring in an amateur manager with amateur coaching methods of course the players are going to react differently to poor coaching methods and limited knowledge of getting the best from these players. A few amateur players also brought in won't have helped the cause for a team competing to stay in the top tier. They got their just desserts and they had already admitted defeat at Christmas that they were going to get relegated or wanted to get relegated. Now there is no attraction for decent players there, a half hearted committee, clueless management and a team of mediocre amateur players. What a sorry state for a decent junior club. I think they will struggle this season and will find it tough in a sticky premier league. Instead of having ambition the club have gone back the way and are now suffering the consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Macky1903 your pretty much spot on with what you said, I agree totally bullied against Lochee but for me it was how easy they just gave up both on the park and at the sidelines. St Andrews want to be a top club it's not going to happen with the signings that have replaced the likes of Patrick, Mackie, Whitehead, Clarkson etc. There was a mix of experience and youth, I watched them a few games in the premier and were a decent team then last season against Bonnyrigg, Bo'ness, Newtongrange, Tayport which they won and narrowly lost to Bo'ness, which you could see they were still a work in progress but would win games over the season. I then watched them against Kelty, Bo'ness which they were extremely poor and seen highlights of a 7 something hammering from Linlithgow. Then at the weekend again it was as poor a side as I can remember. Just no dig, fight, or shape. At the end of the day the current management has either let go or not had an option in terms of players leaving but has recruited a poor standard. I think you will always get a portion of signings wanting to go if they were brought in by a previous manager, existing players you have McMullan, Patrick, Mackie who have gone and left due to reasons they will know, Buchan on the transfer list. Which if memory serves me right only leaves McInnies and Sibanda whom was at the club before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibby9 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 I did say when I seen the boys they were bringing in that they would struggle. If they lose wedderburn and sibandA will be even worse for them. I think they would struggle in the north league with the team they have. Booms a good guy abd hope he can keep them up. 40 and 50 quid a week for guys that should be playing Ammy at best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superbigal Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 St Andrews dont have anyone "waiting to come in" "away on holiday" etc They will more or less be pissing with the cock they currently have. As above a tough season if High Tower and or Baz get the hump/suspended/injured/leave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 27, 2016 Author Share Posted July 27, 2016 I think you could be right superbigal I don't think they have anyone to come in. If they stay it's still a very difficult season regardless I think. The silver fox on Sunday seemed to know quite a bit of what had been happening regarding unhappy players and complaints about training and tactics. Which had been expressed to the chairman last season, even passing a remark that it's all jobs for mates regarding management and co chairmans etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superbigal Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Couldn't even raise a team for todays friendly. Hope they have a team for next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue jean Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 Crazy that surely they have enough players? Not the best preparation going into 1st league game next week. Not playing for a fortnight. Unless they play midweek which would not be ideal only a few days before and with seemingly a small squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Dust Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 This is not painting a very good picture for the coming season. Sounds like there is a lot of unrest in the background and with a depleted squad as it is there will only be one way forward for Tick Tick Tick BOOM...... bring in more ammys who are no where near this level and pay out silly cash. It's actually getting embarrassing now. They have been tubbed off a superleague side, played another junior team the league below them that they also struggled with and now i hear they will play yet another friendly during this week with Aberdour lol This is a great test for them.......... not Sounds like the management are way out their depth here and really need to have a look at themselves for the benefit of this good wee junior club. The committee seems to be shambolic as well with little ideas on the buying and selling front... infact, most do not have a football head between them. Just my opinion, but feel this junior team are suffering because of poor management all over the board.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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