Fenlon -No Duff Jimmy scenario please.

[Forza Fred]

It seems only a matter of course before Pat Fenlon is installed as our new manager.

And welcome, and good luck to him, and as with any new manager he should have our support, and no doubt will.

If he's reading this, then 'Pat I dont think I'm the only Hibby around who remembers how Duff Jimmy turned us into a First Division team by buying players who were perhaps suited to that standard, but not any higher.

Now I'm sure there are a few gems in the League of Ireland, but hopefully any temptation to make a rash of signings from that league in the hope that they will shine in the SPL will be held in check.

Yogi turned to his old team and chased a few Falkirk players too, so it appears a natural course of action for managers to favourably consider players they knew from their previous engagements.

There is no doubt that there will be/must be a changing of players, and hopefully the changes will result in improvemnent THIS time around, but there is a wee man at the back of my head telling me that we need to stay clear of an influx of LOI imports.

While the gap between the standard of the SPL and LOI may be diminishing, the gap is still considerable, and it would be naive of us if we thóught..""ít can''t get much worse"- it can, as we have found out.

We DO need an influx of quality - although quite how that will be funded, I honestly don''t know.

[Beefster]

The best thing that the club can do us get an effective scouting outfit up and running again, answerable solely to the manager.

It's evident that the scouting these days is woeful compared to the days of John Park.

[stubru59]

It seems only a matter of course before Pat Fenlon is installed as our new manager.

And welcome, and good luck to him, and as with any new manager he should have our support, and no doubt will.

If he's reading this, then 'Pat I dont think I'm the only Hibby around who remembers how Duff Jimmy turned us into a First Division team by buying players who were perhaps suited to that standard, but not any higher.

Now I'm sure there are a few gems in the League of Ireland, but hopefully any temptation to make a rash of signings from that league in the hope that they will shine in the SPL will be held in check.

Yogi turned to his old team and chased a few Falkirk players too, so it appears a natural course of action for managers to favourably consider players they knew from their previous engagements.

There is no doubt that there will be/must be a changing of players, and hopefully the changes will result in improvemnent THIS time around, but there is a wee man at the back of my head telling me that we need to stay clear of an influx of LOI imports.

While the gap between the standard of the SPL and LOI may be diminishing, the gap is still considerable, and it would be naive of us if we thóught..""ít can''t get much worse"- it can, as we have found out.

We DO need an influx of quality - although quite how that will be funded, I honestly don''t know.

It shouldn't be too difficult to meet the quality threshold of the current SPL players.

[bingo70]

Before he starts to transform the squad I'd hope he starts to get the best out of the players that are there and get them playing above their usual level.

The team needs improved, definately, however I don't think we need the drastic overhaul we've been getting with previous managers, let's motivate and organise this lot then see where we are in January

[Speedway]

Before he starts to transform the squad I'd hope he starts to get the best out of the players that are there and get them playing above their usual level.

The team needs improved, definately, however I don't think we need the drastic overhaul we've been getting with previous managers, let's motivate and organise this lot then see where we are in January

It's an interesting point.

For me, the side does need work. In terms of who I'd keep:

Stack, Hart, Sproule, Osbourne, Thornhill, Griffiths, O'Connor

Need 4 more starters.

[stubru59]

It's an interesting point.

For me, the side does need work. In terms of who I'd keep:

Stack, Hart, Sproule, Osbourne, Thornhill, Griffiths, O'Connor

Need 4 more starters.

An oversight, surely!

[Speedway]

An oversight, surely!

Nope.

[ehf]

It's an interesting point.

For me, the side does need work. In terms of who I'd keep:

Stack, Hart, Sproule, Osbourne, Thornhill, Griffiths, O'Connor

Need 4 more starters.

Hart is a bombscare, Sproule is past it and Griffiths and O'Connor will be gone in January...

[Speedway]

Hart is a bombscare, Sproule is past it and Griffiths and O'Connor will be gone in January...

So we need 8 then?

[SlickShoes]

It seems only a matter of course before Pat Fenlon is installed as our new manager.

And welcome, and good luck to him, and as with any new manager he should have our support, and no doubt will.

If he's reading this, then 'Pat I dont think I'm the only Hibby around who remembers how Duff Jimmy turned us into a First Division team by buying players who were perhaps suited to that standard, but not any higher.

Now I'm sure there are a few gems in the League of Ireland, but hopefully any temptation to make a rash of signings from that league in the hope that they will shine in the SPL will be held in check.

Yogi turned to his old team and chased a few Falkirk players too, so it appears a natural course of action for managers to favourably consider players they knew from their previous engagements.

There is no doubt that there will be/must be a changing of players, and hopefully the changes will result in improvemnent THIS time around, but there is a wee man at the back of my head telling me that we need to stay clear of an influx of LOI imports.

While the gap between the standard of the SPL and LOI may be diminishing, the gap is still considerable, and it would be naive of us if we thóught..""ít can''t get much worse"- it can, as we have found out.

We DO need an influx of quality - although quite how that will be funded, I honestly don''t know.

I suppose you do know better than Pat Fenlon how to spot a player, why don't you go down to his office and offer him your sage like advice?

He's just in the door, give him a chance to actually get to work before you associate him with Duff Jimmy.

[Bob Box Fish]

It's an interesting point.

For me, the side does need work. In terms of who I'd keep:

Stack, Hart, Sproule, Osbourne, Thornhill, Griffiths, O'Connor

Need 4 more starters.

Booth surely?

[Speedway]

Booth surely?

Nope, not sure about Booth. Think he's in danger of coming the next Robert Lewis Stevenson.

[Green Mikey]

I would be happy if Fenlon tried to work with the players we already had.Ideally Fenlon will be able to improve the team individually and as a unit through proper management.

We have had too many managers that have brought in 12 players in the first year that have not been an improvement on what we already had. Replacing journeymen with more journeymen. This process is costing the club a fortune and has not brought any success.

[J-C]

Before he starts to transform the squad I'd hope he starts to get the best out of the players that are there and get them playing above their usual level.

The team needs improved, definately, however I don't think we need the drastic overhaul we've been getting with previous managers, let's motivate and organise this lot then see where we are in January

Hopefully as you state he gets a reaction from the players, something I was surprised didn't happen under CC, this probably showed where we were going under his leadership.

[Badabing]

Based on recent performances I'd keep Stephens.

[lapsedhibee]

Nope, not sure about Booth. Think he's in danger of coming the next Robert Lewis Stevenson.

This is just deja vu all over again, like with Thomas and Enoch Showaddywaddy. It's Robert Louis Stevenson. Two completely different players.

[HFC 0-7]

Nope, not sure about Booth. Think he's in danger of coming the next Robert Lewis Stevenson.

Would rather keep a player with potential than one without any (Hart)!

[Forza Fred]

I suppose you do know better than Pat Fenlon how to spot a player, why don't you go down to his office and offer him your sage like advice?



Bit far to travel.

[basehibby]

It seems only a matter of course before Pat Fenlon is installed as our new manager.

And welcome, and good luck to him, and as with any new manager he should have our support, and no doubt will.

If he's reading this, then 'Pat I dont think I'm the only Hibby around who remembers how Duff Jimmy turned us into a First Division team by buying players who were perhaps suited to that standard, but not any higher.

Now I'm sure there are a few gems in the League of Ireland, but hopefully any temptation to make a rash of signings from that league in the hope that they will shine in the SPL will be held in check.

Yogi turned to his old team and chased a few Falkirk players too, so it appears a natural course of action for managers to favourably consider players they knew from their previous engagements.

There is no doubt that there will be/must be a changing of players, and hopefully the changes will result in improvemnent THIS time around, but there is a wee man at the back of my head telling me that we need to stay clear of an influx of LOI imports.

While the gap between the standard of the SPL and LOI may be diminishing, the gap is still considerable, and it would be naive of us if we thóught..""ít can''t get much worse"- it can, as we have found out.

We DO need an influx of quality - although quite how that will be funded, I honestly don''t know.



There will be a few players in the LOI who could shine at Hibs and it would be foolish to discount the insight that Fenlon will have into that particular market.
The success of such a policy will depend on the ability of Fenlon to guage the quality of these players against a different backdrop - an ability that Duff Jimmy patently lacked. Other managers though have made a great success of sourcing players from a lower level and making them into SPL players - Ryan Stevenson of the Yams for example was signed from Ayr United and is now being touted for international honours.

[Stevie Reid]

There will be a few players in the LOI who could shine at Hibs and it would be foolish to discount the insight that Fenlon will have into that particular market.
The success of such a policy will depend on the ability of Fenlon to guage the quality of these players against a different backdrop - an ability that Duff Jimmy patently lacked. Other managers though have made a great success of sourcing players from a lower level and making them into SPL players - Ryan Stevenson of the Yams for example was signed from Ayr United and is now being touted for international honours.

Exactly. Hearts signed Colin Cameron, Davie Weir, Neil McCann and Jim Hamilton from the same market that we got Lee Power, Paul Tosh, Jamie McQuilken, Davie Elliott. The vast difference in quality highlights the gulf in ability between the managers who signed them - the crap signings are not a reflection of the market they came from.

Lots of excellent players have come from LOI recently, and we'd be foolish not to explore that market. I'm pretty confident we'll tap into it though.

[Ronaldo9]

The best thing that the club can do us get an effective scouting outfit up and running again, answerable solely to the manager.

It's evident that the scouting these days is woeful compared to the days of John Park.


Do you actually know what John Park did in his time at Easter Road?

NOTHING!

He took the credit for the Golden Generation but actually he wasn't responsible for recruiting any of them...... The man you need to be thanking for this is Mike Meechan. He got Fletch, Brown, Thomson and O'connor in at ER.

John Park was just the figure head as he was "Head of Youth Development" at the time.

He really didn't have anything to do with it. Proven by the number of young players now in the celtic 1st team..... One, James Forrest. Thats it.

[Brebners Bookie]

Do you actually know what John Park did in his time at Easter Road?

NOTHING!

He took the credit for the Golden Generation but actually he wasn't responsible for recruiting any of them...... The man you need to be thanking for this is Mike Meechan. He got Fletch, Brown, Thomson and O'connor in at ER.

John Park was just the figure head as he was "Head of Youth Development" at the time.

He really didn't have anything to do with it. Proven by the number of young players now in the celtic 1st team..... One, James Forrest. Thats it.

Whats he doing then?

[Dashing Bob S]

The best thing that the club can do us get an effective scouting outfit up and running again, answerable solely to the manager.

It's evident that the scouting these days is woeful compared to the days of John Park.

Nail on head.

[Beefster]

Do you actually know what John Park did in his time at Easter Road?

NOTHING!

He took the credit for the Golden Generation but actually he wasn't responsible for recruiting any of them...... The man you need to be thanking for this is Mike Meechan. He got Fletch, Brown, Thomson and O'connor in at ER.

John Park was just the figure head as he was "Head of Youth Development" at the time.

He really didn't have anything to do with it. Proven by the number of young players now in the celtic 1st team..... One, James Forrest. Thats it.

I was talking about scouting. You're talking about youth development.

[Musselbound]

It seems only a matter of course before Pat Fenlon is installed as our new manager.

And welcome, and good luck to him, and as with any new manager he should have our support, and no doubt will.

If he's reading this, then 'Pat I dont think I'm the only Hibby around who remembers how Duff Jimmy turned us into a First Division team by buying players who were perhaps suited to that standard, but not any higher.

Now I'm sure there are a few gems in the League of Ireland, but hopefully any temptation to make a rash of signings from that league in the hope that they will shine in the SPL will be held in check.

Yogi turned to his old team and chased a few Falkirk players too, so it appears a natural course of action for managers to favourably consider players they knew from their previous engagements.

There is no doubt that there will be/must be a changing of players, and hopefully the changes will result in improvemnent THIS time around, but there is a wee man at the back of my head telling me that we need to stay clear of an influx of LOI imports.

While the gap between the standard of the SPL and LOI may be diminishing, the gap is still considerable, and it would be naive of us if we thóught..""ít can''t get much worse"- it can, as we have found out.

We DO need an influx of quality - although quite how that will be funded, I honestly don''t know.

Delusions of grandeur I feel. Based on what evidence? Taking the Old Firm out of the equation since they are huge clubs and considerably stronger than the rest of the SPL too, why would the LOI's top clubs be considerably worse than Hibs? We can only dream of a place in the Europa League meanwhile Shamrock Rovers are there. Aberdeen are the only side I recall getting that far in recent times and their run was heralded as a big achievement. Shelbourne, under Fenlon a few years ago got to the final qualifier for the Champions League before losing out to Deportivo. Again that would be fantasy stuff for Hibs.

I've no problem with Fenlon bringing in a few players from that league. Some of them have come in to other Scottish clubs and been among the better players. Ex LoI players are in the Republic's national team. So where's the problem? As long as Fenlon doesn't go mad with it. There's been far too big a turnover of players at ER in recent years with every new manager bringing another load. They need to focus on more quality as you say. Not easy but the best way to do that might be to invest in 3-4 decent players instead of a dozen very average ones. A lot of Hibs managers seem to say it but they don't practise it. There is not a single player at ER at the moment with the spark of Benji or Zemmama on their day. They didn't cost the world.

[Dashing Bob S]

Nope, not sure about Booth. Think he's in danger of coming the next Robert Lewis Stevenson.

But you're sure about the shot-to-pieces wage-thief treatment-table-warmer that is Hart? What, exactly, are you sure of there?

[Big Frank]

But you're sure about the shot-to-pieces wage-thief treatment-table-warmer that is Hart? What, exactly, are you sure of there?

:agree:

Agreed. Get sicknote the **** out of the club imo. Runs like he's cacked his kegs