The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[madton]

1 minute ago, North Terrace Gazza said:

Celtic have released him, so he’s a free agent

Doubt he will be short of offers then.

[North Terrace Gazza]

Just now, madton said:

Doubt he will be short of offers then.

We are negotiating with him so I’m guessing unless someone comes up with better terms he’ll sign for us

[Hursty]

13 minutes ago, davidkennedyshand said:

Jack Baird offered terms 

Would be surprised if he accepted them- he's obviously limited but would expect he would be looking to be a first choice at either lower end Championship or top end L1 rather than staying here as a backup.  

[North Terrace Gazza]

I suspect a lot of this current squad have been offered reduced terms to re-sign as a good number are just not good enough.

[eez-eh]

Gondoh

[Hursty]

I saw Nick McAllister was getting rave reviews from Clyde fans after his loan spell.  Could he return to a side hopefully not battling relegation and improve like Mick Rose the second?  He looked miles off it but it was his first season at this level and was injured for all of pre season so you never know...

[UpInTheAyr]

5 minutes ago, North Terrace Gazza said:

I suspect a lot of this current squad have been offered reduced terms to re-sign as a good number are just not good enough.

Which we already know, so why offer them anything then?

[Calayrdonia]

Jack Baird is on the “been offered terms” list. Jesus f**k….

[North Terrace Gazza]

3 minutes ago, UpInTheAyr said:

Which we already know, so why offer them anything then?

It is strange, maybe good for squad morale 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, madton said:

Doubt he will be short of offers then.

He's good, but he's not THAT good.

My personal thoughts are that he lacks the pace to really make it at a higher level, although he's definitely a goalscoring midfielder who I reckon could add between 7 and 12 goals over a season from long range shots / free kicks etc and they are definitely few and far between at our level.

In a good settled team with good players around him then I think he could excel, however he's not a one man team or anything like that and he can also have games where he fails to get too involved and doesn't have that much influence.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Yes, if we could get him signed then I'd definitely take him, but by the same token I wouldn't burst the Bank if he was playing hardball as he's not irreplaceable, although he's young and should still be improving, so maybe I'm being a little harsh.

[Iain]

51 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Aye that’s probably likely. Willing to push the boat out a bit more for those two to try and match what a Premiership club might offer.

Only other thought is that it could be a distinction between players who have agents and players who don't.

[D'Jaffo]

Right so if everyone that’s been offered a deal signs on then we should be looking at something like this.

McAdams

Muirhead
New CB
McGinty
Reading

O’Connor
McInroy
Murdoch
New LW

New ST
Adeloye

Subs;
Albinson, Houston, Baird, Dempsey, Hewitt, New W/AM, Ashford

You’ve then got McAllister, Smith, McKenzie, Bryden and Ecrepont to supplement the squad which gives you a total of 23 players which is a good number for this level. It also leaves you with options to switch to a 4-3-3 which might still be Bullen’s preferred formation with the right players.

[Trogdor]

It's worse than I feared. Bloody hell, when they said continuity I wasn't expecting to retain 80% of the squad. Genuinely shocked by that.

[eez-eh]

Keeping 3/4 of last seasons centre halves is concerning. If they all re-sign we really need to make sure the 4th one is solid as a rock and not injury prone.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Right so if everyone that’s been offered a deal signs on then we should be looking at something like this.

McAdams

Muirhead
New CB
McGinty
Reading

O’Connor
McInroy
Murdoch
New LW

New ST
Adeloye

Subs;
Albinson, Houston, Baird, Dempsey, Hewitt, New W/AM, Ashford

You’ve then got McAllister, Smith, McKenzie, Bryden and Ecrepont to supplement the squad which gives you a total of 23 players which is a good number for this level. It also leaves you with options to switch to a 4-3-3 which might still be Bullen’s preferred formation with the right players.

Yes, in the absence of us signing a new RB, then Muirhead has to play there ahead of Houston. Not only does it make us more solid, but it also gives us a much better aerial threat and presence in the opposition box from set pieces.

[Hursty]

I'm definitely in the minority but I'd be happy enough if all the ones offered deals signed. 

 

For me it's all about whether the quality of the new signings is high enough to push us forward (which does concern me quite a bit).   They need to be guys that will be top end for the division and that's the same regardless of whether it's Baird / Houston / Muirhead etc backing them up or 3 new guys who lets face it probably wouldn't be that much of a change in standard. 

 

Edit - I'd of course be more concerned if Adeloye and McInroy both leave as that's then another 2 higher quality signings needed.  

Edited May 5, 2022 by Hursty

[ecocme]

13 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Right so if everyone that’s been offered a deal signs on then we should be looking at something like this.

McAdams

Muirhead
New CB
McGinty
Reading

O’Connor
McInroy
Murdoch
New LW

New ST
Adeloye

Subs;
Albinson, Houston, Baird, Dempsey, Hewitt, New W/AM, Ashford

You’ve then got McAllister, Smith, McKenzie, Bryden and Ecrepont to supplement the squad which gives you a total of 23 players which is a good number for this level. It also leaves you with options to switch to a 4-3-3 which might still be Bullen’s preferred formation with the right players.

That defence gives me the fear to be honest. I’d be hoping for at least 2 starting defenders to be signed but given the offers made it doesn’t look likely.  Hopefully I’m wrong and they can improve as a collective unit but I don’t think muirhead is the answer at right back. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by ecocme

[Guest]

We surely haven't brought in Glendinning to just re-sign our current squad ?

I'd still expect 3 or 4 new arrivals and hopefully classy ones for our level !!

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, ecocme said:

That defence gives me the fear to be honest. I’d be hoping for at least 2 starting defenders to be signed but given the offers made it doesn’t look likely.  Hopefully I’m wrong and they can improve as a collective unit. 

Once our Midfield got sorted it shored up our defence and pretty much coincided with the good form of McGinty. The right side with Houston and McKenzie was undoubtedly our weak point but Ashford playing wide made a huge difference and Muirhead was most definitely a major upgrade on Houston.

When I look through the defences of the rest of the Championship, I really don't think our is any worse than anyone else's.

What we DO need is more possession and more cover from Midfield, however with Dempsey and McInroy in there along with Murdoch/Smith (assuming they sign), then I think it changes the whole dynamic of our side.

[AyrAtlanta]

Just now, Hursty said:

For me it's all about whether the quality of the new signings is high enough to push us forward (which does concern me quite a bit).   They need to be guys that will be top end for the division and that's the same regardless of whether it's Baird / Houston / Muirhead etc backing them up or 3 new guys who lets face it probably wouldn't be that much of a change in standard.

This is my fear. All well and good saying we’ll sign 3 or 4 and everything will be fine and dandy. Just as much chance of those 3 or 4 being as shite/shiter than the ones they’re supposed to be replacing.