Simon Murray

Sorry if this has already been debated on the Greggs summer transfer thread, but what are the thoughts on Simon's return to Hibs?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44142993

He started last season on fire, but we proved to be a more consistently threatening team going forward after he and Stokes were replaced. I think he scored a few goals for Dundee, but did he do enough to show he could still do a job at ER? I like the guy, he's worked hard to get to where he is and Lennon obviously saw something in him, but I'm not sure he's quite at the level we require. Whatever, I'll always be grateful for his belter of a winner v Hearts!

I like SM and think he deserves a second chance, albeit I agree we were obviously much better with Kamberi and Maclaren.
I think he was unfortunate and was a bit of a pawn in the merry go round with Bain going to Celtic, and Scotty coming to us.
If he does come back and we can keep Flo and Jamie then he would probably be keeping a seat warm on the bench more often than not.

I like him, but the difference in him and having Kamberi and MacLaren is night and day. Simon for me doesn’t read the game well and that’s why he finds himself chasing lost balls.

You need to be in the right place at the right time while working the channels to be a good striker. At best if we want to keep the level of consistency then he’d be no more that a squad player and I don’t think he’d settle for that.

Are Dundee United not trying to re-sign him? Thought I read that yesterday somewhere.

I was a bit disappointed when we let him go to Dundee but having watched him in highlights for them, he's not really been very impressive.

I actually think he would work well with Kamberi. When playing with us last year he wasn’t playing in front of Scott Allan and his chances were fewer than if he had the supply that Allan was able to provide for Kamberi and MacLaren. I also think Murray suffered playing alongside Stokes who dropped too deep at times to try and create leaving Murray to do the work of 2 up top. Kamberi has shown he likes to stay up top alongside his fellow striker and perhaps Murray’s workrate and style of play would suit playing with him.

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Originally Posted by MB62

Are Dundee United not trying to re-sign him? Thought I read that yesterday somewhere.

I was a bit disappointed when we let him go to Dundee but having watched him in highlights for them, he's not really been very impressive.

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Swap for Fyvie? Quite hard to imagine him going back to Tannadice after making a big play about being a Dundee fan when he went to Dens.

I think he suffered from playing alongside Stokes as their styles didn't really fit well together as a front two.

Having him playing on the shoulder of the last defender looking to get in behind the defence and using his pace alongside Kamberi playing as a proper centre forward would work much better.

Considering he is unlikely to be on a huge wage and the lack of strikers in our squad as it stands I think he is well worth having around next season

I think there is a decent player in there but I think Lennon will be able to bring in better quality.

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Originally Posted by Sir David Gray

I think there is a decent player in there but I think Lennon will be able to bring in better quality.

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:agree: I hope Lennon brings in better quality

Tries hard but not good enough. Same as last year's thoughts.

Would he get in the Aberdeen or Rangers team? No. We need better than that if we're to challenge at the right end of the league again.

If he's a starter next season, our recruitment has gone wrong. I could just about live with him being 4th choice after Oli Shaw.

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Originally Posted by MB62

Are Dundee United not trying to re-sign him? Thought I read that yesterday somewhere.

I was a bit disappointed when we let him go to Dundee but having watched him in highlights for them, he's not really been very impressive.

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It's in the Dundee evening paper:

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/f...-to-tannadice/

Murray was our duracell bunny - lots of endeavour, huff and puff and darting all over the place, great to watch but his decision-making was always questionable. His goal threat also diminished noticably, which, to be fair, might have been because he and Stokesy just didn't really click.
I like Simon Murray, but will trust Neil Lennon to make the right decision in this matter.

I don’t think we will be letting him go until we have signed a couple of strikers (whether that’s Kamberi, Maclaren or anybody else).

Can't see him being a hibs player come August. If we want to improve Murray doesn't fit the bill.
100% gives his all but we need better to stay up the right end of the table.
Kamberi, McLaren and Shaw all better

Simon Murray would be a superb player if he just watched the line. The sheer amount of times he gets caught offside....

He is however an intelligent player who knows where to find the net. If he could just improve that other aspect to his game, he'd easily be a 20+ goal a season player.

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Originally Posted by Beefster

If he's a starter next season, our recruitment has gone wrong. I could just about live with him being 4th choice after Oli Shaw.

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If he comes back I wouldn’t imagine he would be considered a starting striker. He wouldn’t be the worst option coming off the bench.
Its unlikely that a decent quality striker will come if they think they’re going to be fourth choice, and that’s why I think Murray might be worth bringing back.

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Originally Posted by Beefster

If he's a starter next season, our recruitment has gone wrong. I could just about live with him being 4th choice after Oli Shaw.

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Originally Posted by MyJo

Considering he is unlikely to be on a huge wage and the lack of strikers in our squad as it stands I think he is well worth having around next season

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A tweet on HIBSNEWS1875 saying we are interested in Kane Hemmings (?)

Also says Maccabi Tel Aviv are interested in Rocky.

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Originally Posted by TheGreenMan

Tries hard but not good enough. Same as last year's thoughts.

Would he get in the Aberdeen or Rangers team? No. We need better than that if we're to challenge at the right end of the league again.

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I agree, this is the question we need to be asking about players, either the ones we have or the ones we are looking at. Would they get into the aberdeen team? That has to be our benchmark for next season.

Think Neil Lennon will be looking for better. I hope so too.

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Originally Posted by MyJo

I think he suffered from playing alongside Stokes as their styles didn't really fit well together as a front two.

Having him playing on the shoulder of the last defender looking to get in behind the defence and using his pace alongside Kamberi playing as a proper centre forward would work much better.

Considering he is unlikely to be on a huge wage and the lack of strikers in our squad as it stands I think he is well worth having around next season

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Don't suggest this, I got grief from another poster by doing so, wanted me to prove how I knew such a thing :greengrin

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Originally Posted by Fife-Hibee

Simon Murray would be a superb player if he just watched the line. The sheer amount of times he gets caught offside....

He is however an intelligent player who knows where to find the net. If he could just improve that other aspect to his game, he'd easily be a 20+ goal a season player.

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Correct!:aok:

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Originally Posted by J-C

Don't suggest this, I got grief from another poster by doing so, wanted me to prove how I knew such a thing :greengrin

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Haha the insistence on providing cold, hard factual and concrete proof to back up a suggestion made in casual discussion is the most hibs.net thing ever :hilarious

Doesn't have the footballing intelligence. Soon as you give him time to think he's inept.

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Originally Posted by BlackSheep

I actually think he would work well with Kamberi. When playing with us last year he wasn’t playing in front of Scott Allan and his chances were fewer than if he had the supply that Allan was able to provide for Kamberi and MacLaren. I also think Murray suffered playing alongside Stokes who dropped too deep at times to try and create leaving Murray to do the work of 2 up top. Kamberi has shown he likes to stay up top alongside his fellow striker and perhaps Murray’s workrate and style of play would suit playing with him.

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Saved me the bother of typing.:aok:

I quite like SM and would be happy if he returned but he's not better than Kamberi and MacLaren so I'd be more interested in trying to get them back.

I don't think Murray's a bad player at all, but I do think he would rather be playing for DU or Dundee than us, kind of like Scot Allan hoping to stay with Hibs rather than go back to Celtic. But bottom line, he is a Hibs player. Can't see him being particularly prolific for us, but he did score some good goals for us and had a good first part of the season. He'd probably be a good backup striker without being one of the first choices. I do tend to agree with those who think he won't be here by the start of next season though.