alexscottislegend

Last I heard they denied making a bid?

See that Faddy has asked to leave Brum. Swap deal with Boyd? Could this solve our creative midfielder problem? I know he's a Tim but C****c don't seem to want him. Not advocating this, just flying a kite.

Great news if true. Looks like Miller and Velicka will start in a 4-4-2 but Boyd will be breathing down their necks - at least in domestic ganes.

Just making the point that what greater contribution can you make to a team than scoring goals? Not really making a valid comparison. And Boyd always has a go, he's never put off when he misses (just like Super Ally). And just like you- out of all your 17,000 posts, not all were on target, were they?

There once was a player who played for Germany. People said he was fat, too short and had poor technical skills. But he kept scoring goals, usually in the last minute of vital international games. A journalist said to him - "You only score goals." His riposte - "NOBODY ever ONLY scores goals." His name? The legendary Gerd Muller. Remind you of anybody?

Calscot - you may have a point about Buffel but don't forget he wasn't played because it would have triggered a release clause in his contract - I think �£400,000 to Feyenoord - and we didn't want to part with our hard-earned that easily. Nothing to do with him not wanting to fight for his place.

Just like to add my congrats to a very erudite article. Can I suggest it be archived on the main forum?

That's the only chink of light for me. With Boyd and all aour strikers, I'm unsure how Fleck could get a place, even as a sub.

Of course. It was the missing apostrophe that threw me. Cheers.

You think he'll struggle in the championship? With Steve Thompson possibly alongside him? So you think he'll be better suited to the EPL?

That's the strange part; he apparently wants to fight for his place! If he couldn't get in last season with all the injuries how will he now? And Lafferty is further competition for his place. With Buffel also seemingly turning down a move, we have at least 2 non-playing high wage earners!

Forgive my stupidity but what does POD stand for?

It may be off the field issues which are behind this, but I still think that Alexander is much less of a keeper. I know he played his part, but AM's performance v Werder showed he's at a level few could match.

Can you tell me where McG said he's 'dying' to go? Must have missed that.

To be honest, if that's the choice, I would opt to keep CC AND McG. and spend no more than we already have. What would it cost us to replace McGregor? Alexander is a fine back-up, no more. So really we'd have no net spend anyway.

......or Kennet Muller from the Bundesliga.

Think you've got it spot on there Gribz with your first selection. Actually, it doesn't look too bad, though I'd like Beasley to be part of the equation somehow. If we hold on to McGregor and Cuellar then I'd be quite encouraged. Thanks, you've cheered me up!

Calscot - you make a cogent point about the credit crunch - it surely can't go on indefinitely. Neither, I'm sure, can Avbramovitch's go on chasing his Chelsea rainbow; it's the Brooks Mileson scenario writ large. Which is why my old hobby horse about an alternative Euro league must eventually come into play. The likes of Ajax, Benfica, Anderlecht, Porto and other big clubs from small leagues will get heartily sick of losing all their best players to the EPL.

Our best counter to that is regular Champions League football, which is why qualifying is a MUST. And next season, scotland will get 2 CL places - one automatic - thanks to our heroics in Europe.

Yes, we definitely are armed with a better class of abuse here on this forum. I just hope that Lafferty doesn't cause me to stetch my vocabulary too far, though - might do myself a mischief!

Talking of Smith, anyone know what the real situation is with him? He came back last season v Thistle, then was left out, maybe because he wasn't fully match fit. But is there really a doubt about his career? If not, I can't believe we would be linked with the Argentine from Monaco, considering we have good cover with Papac and even Whittaker.

Yeah, I realise that about the wages etc. My point was that the same situation applied when Prso was signed - and I had heard that he was trying to sell Rangers to Klasnic. I just don't think we tried hard enough.

Hell's teeth! I've just read that Wigan - Wigan! - are close to signing Klasnic! On a Bosman! Yet we get Kyle Lafferty! Would Klasnic really cost us more than Prso (also on a Bosman) did?

Except that Boyd may be on his way to Cardiff! Baffling all right - his scoring record isn't any better than Miller's, for club or country, yet are we gonna get heaps of obloquy (good word that) from the KM baiters? Anyway, our starting line up - any 2 (or 1) from Velicka, Miller or Lafferty!

Out of that lot given the choice I'd have Klasnic,Boyd,Novo, Velicka and, yes, Miller! % is not too many given our commitments.