Soulsonic5791 408 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 9 hours ago, der Berliner said: Meanwhile, talk in Norwich is that Wes Hoolahan is now a free agent after leaving the Canaries after a decade ... and supposedly Gerrard contacted him. http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/canaries-hoolahan-rangers-gerrard-signing-rumour-1-5509584 He'll be 36 in 12 days time and I would expect that we look at different choices in the attacking midfield department. 36 year old midfielders? Surely not. P.S. Has Michael Gray been smoking crack? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rousseau 10,602 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Hoolahan is an exceptional player, that should've played at a higher level. I'd take him for the season! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,562 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 I'm all for experience within the team and squad but if we are to sign older players we simply must ensure they're in the correct physical condition to contribute. For all its faults, Scottish football requires pace, strength and a high level of general fitness - we can't afford to have players incapable of dealing with that. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 5,185 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 3 minutes ago, Frankie said: I'm all for experience within the team and squad but if we are to sign older players we simply must ensure they're in the correct physical condition to contribute. For all its faults, Scottish football requires pace, strength and a high level of general fitness - we can't afford to have players incapable of dealing with that. Agree strongly. If you try and take short-cuts by buying players that have most of their career behind them, don't be surprised if the mileage clocked up takes it's toll, sometimes predictably, eg. Kranjcar, Dorrans. Then if you compound that by buying youth prospects that are apparently prone to injury, eg. Rossiter and spend relative big money on players from another continent with documented off-field problems,....we know what happens. Moral of the story is to change transfer strategy. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMAA 3,658 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Wes Hoolahan is a player who would improve the squad. But we can't afford to be spending so much of our wages on players who are on the way down and have no re-sale value. It's time to spend our money more wisely. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,721 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darthter 542 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 We need to be looking at players that will add overall value to the team (as MW said). That value should be longer term than one season. eg. Young talent comes in & performs brilliantly for 1 season, then sold for a profit - his value to the team is obviously his contribution, but also re-investing the cash earned in order to move forward. Aging players may provide a touch of quality for a season (if they stay fit), but they offer nothing beyond that. Niko, Dorrans, Alves being very recent examples.....even their contribution has been nothing special when they have played, so what benefit has their experience brought??? The real question is "What constitutes experience???" Danny Wilson has played over 200 pro matches, inc Champ League and is still only 26.....yet wasn't viewed as experienced or influential. Similar applies to Jason Holt (25). While not the most gifted players, they have a value attached to them. As far as experience goes, we have players in our current squad with several years experience of the Scottish game, that still struggle - even Alves has generally struggled. If I was Gerrard or Mark Allen, I'd be putting a maximum age limit in place of maybe 28 (ish) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster. 5,185 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Rooney would be a step backwards. We don't expect a team of Galaticos but we shouldn't be going for the The Geriatrics XI. Our recent experience of trying to squeeze quality out of those who are past their best is not on the pitch but mainly in the treatment room, internal investigations or Alcoholics Anonymous. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMAA 3,658 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 1 hour ago, ian1964 said: Will never happen. Rooney doesn't strike me as the type to take a £130k wage cut to come and tussle with Scottish defenders. I don't mind a few headlines linking us to him. It's good PR to be linked with worldwide names like Rooney as opposed to the next big thing from Accrington Stanley. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,744 Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Have to say that I haven't been in close contact with anything EPL this season, thus checked Rooney out for the sake of facts et al. His contract runs till summer next year and he would have to buy himself out of that, given EPL prices. He's still only 32 and probably as fit as it gets. 40 games, 11 goals and 3 assists this season. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wayne-rooney/profil/spieler/3332 As someone has said, he's nice publicity, but not more. He or Gerrard himself could easily buy our club ... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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