Kuqi - a warning!

[oxymoron]

was chatting to a colleague who is an Oldham dihard - says that Kuqi arrived there and was banging them in for the first six months - looked a steal - then started blowin out his erse and by the end of the season was worse than useless. Apparently, he arrived with them with the same reputation. Methinks, he may need a regular boot up the backside to keep to the standard he is capable of. Trust PF to have done his homework and know this, of course!

[Craig_in_Prague]

I'll settle for 6 months of banging them in!

[oxymoron]

fair point, well made! :agree:

[offshorehibby]

Banging them in for 6 months will do me, the season will be over in 9. With a bit of luck the youngsters will have come on a good bit by then.

[Chuck Rhoades]

I don't think we will see much of him for another 3/4 weeks until he has a few weeks training behind him. Couple of bounce matches would do him good. Unless, of course, Sparky gets injured.

Banging 10-15 by January and not doing much after - can't say I would be too disappointed in all honesty?

[blackpoolhibs]

I'll settle for 6 months of banging them in!

:agree: He's only here for a season, if he can get us right away from another relegation battle thats will be good enough for me.

I'm not expecting him to be at the club longer than his contract, and the next bit of Pats rebuilding job will start in January, with maybe another target man coming in a wee bit younger and fitter than Kuqi?

Then again, i could be wrong and he tears the SPL up and gives us a couple of seasons of Mixu type centre forward play?

[jacomo]

:agree: He's only here for a season, if he can get us right away from another relegation battle thats will be good enough for me.

I'm not expecting him to be at the club longer than his contract, and the next bit of Pats rebuilding job will start in January, with maybe another target man coming in a wee bit younger and fitter than Kuqi?

Then again, i could be wrong and he tears the SPL up and gives us a couple of seasons of Mixu type centre forward play?

I could be reading too much into this, but his quotes about seeing the derby were encouraging and he did seem genuinely pleased to be at Hibs. He's a journeyman so odds on he'll move on again come next summer but who knows?

[Chuck Rhoades]

:agree: He's only here for a season, if he can get us right away from another relegation battle thats will be good enough for me.

I'm not expecting him to be at the club longer than his contract, and the next bit of Pats rebuilding job will start in January, with maybe another target man coming in a wee bit younger and fitter than Kuqi?

Then again, i could be wrong and he tears the SPL up and gives us a couple of seasons of Mixu type centre forward play?

Spot on. I believe this is a short term fix whilst Pat finds a suitable centre forward. If this results in Kuqi banging in ten goals before January then I believe the short term fix has been succesful.

I fully expect a centre forward to be signed on an 18-month/2 year deal in January.

[Holmesdale Hibs]

was chatting to a colleague who is an Oldham dihard - says that Kuqi arrived there and was banging them in for the first six months - looked a steal - then started blowin out his erse and by the end of the season was worse than useless. Apparently, he arrived with them with the same reputation. Methinks, he may need a regular boot up the backside to keep to the standard he is capable of. Trust PF to have done his homework and know this, of course!

Sounds a bit like a striker we had last year...

[Stevie Reid]

Spot on. I believe this is a short term fix whilst Pat finds a suitable centre forward. If this results in Kuqi banging in ten goals before January then I believe the short term fix has been succesful.

I fully expect a centre forward to be signed on an 18-month/2 year deal in January.

We'll see. I'm sure Davie Weir was intended to be a short term fix for Rangers when he signed aged 37 in 2007, he was there for five years. If you look after yourself these days and your game isn't based purely on pace, a footballer can have a relatively long career these days.

[--------]

was chatting to a colleague who is an Oldham dihard - says that Kuqi arrived there and was banging them in for the first six months - looked a steal - then started blowin out his erse and by the end of the season was worse than useless. Apparently, he arrived with them with the same reputation. Methinks, he may need a regular boot up the backside to keep to the standard he is capable of. Trust PF to have done his homework and know this, of course!


I agree with Mikey_S - he sounds like a second Garry O'Connor.

HE was worse than useless by the end of the season, and moreover a thoroughly bad influence in the dressing room, AND a thorough embarrassment to anybody who values the reputation of Hibernian FC in the wider media.

So as long as Coochie doesn't get blootered and out his skull on fairy-dust every weekend, try to scam some insurance company out of 100 gees, and get across Lothian and Borders finest and the Scottish Judiciary by lying to them through his teeth, he'll be a huge improvement.

Goals would almost be a bonus.

Remind me - how many does he have to score to outscore GOC?

[Stevie Reid]

Sounds like a second Garry O'Connor. HE was worse than useless by the end of the season, and a thoroughly bad influence in the dressing room, AND a thorough embarrassment to anybody who values the reputation of Hibernian FC in the wider media.

So long as Coochie doesnae get blootered and out his skull on fairy-dust every weekend, try to scam some insurance company out of 100 gees, and get across Lothian and Borders finest and the Scottish Judiciary by lying to them through his teeth, he'll be a huge improvement.

Goals will be a bonus.

Remind me - how many does he have to score to outscore GOC?

17, Doddie.

[Stevie Reid]

Just looking at O'Connor's career stats - who'd have thought that a guy of his ability, who left Hibs aged 22 and had scored 58 goals for us, would still have less than 100 career goals aged 29?

[--------]

17, Doddie.


Thanks. For some reason I have great difficulty recalling anything to do with last season. The doc says it's PTSD - I'm blanking out some incredibly distressing and painful memory.


Let's see what Coochie's capable of.
Six months takes him up to the end of February. :cb

[Stevie Reid]

OK. Let's see what he's capable of. Six months takes him up to the end of February. :cb

FWIW, I believe that Kuqi will hit the back of the net a good few times for us - but even if I'm wrong about that, I reckon he'll more than play his part in wreaking havoc amongst the other SPL defences.

[jacomo]

Just looking at O'Connor's career stats - who'd have thought that a guy of his ability, who left Hibs aged 22 and had scored 58 goals for us, would still have less than 100 career goals aged 29?

That is a damning statistic.

[Hibee87]

I think he will score a few goals that we've not seem much of in recent years. proper poachers goals, and headers from set pieces- corners, freekicks and thow-ins. Clancy looks like he has a fair throw on him so get those launched i nthe box .when was the last time we have a decent target man? I suspect the way he will play wont use as much engery and running about as others, simply float up the pitch and score goals, let griffiths, doyle spoony etc do all the running and leave kuqi to get into the right areas that will do for me :agree:

[LeighLoyal]

Just have to hope the blowing out the erse Kuqi isn't what we signed.


I note his younger brother Njazi who was at Dundee briefly has been a hit in the Greek top flight. 10 goals in 22 apps for Panionios.

[davemcbain]

was chatting to a colleague who is an Oldham dihard - says that Kuqi arrived there and was banging them in for the first six months - looked a steal - then started blowin out his erse and by the end of the season was worse than useless. Apparently, he arrived with them with the same reputation. Methinks, he may need a regular boot up the backside to keep to the standard he is capable of. Trust PF to have done his homework and know this, of course!

Ahh well, that's just the way the Kuqi crumbles!

[Hibbyradge]

Cough ** Derek Riordan ** Cough.

[scoopyboy]

was chatting to a colleague who is an Oldham dihard - says that Kuqi arrived there and was banging them in for the first six months - looked a steal - then started blowin out his erse and by the end of the season was worse than useless. Apparently, he arrived with them with the same reputation. Methinks, he may need a regular boot up the backside to keep to the standard he is capable of. Trust PF to have done his homework and know this, of course!

Not too different from Mixu in the good season we had under McLeish.

Up until Crimbo scored a lot then goals virtually dried up until season end.

Must be a Finnish thing.

Disclaimer - If memory serves me correctly.

[500miles]

Kuqi played more games last season than he will this season. Doyle gets better with every game, IMO, and will find his shooting boots soon - it was an excellent bit of play to set up Leigh last weekend, and he wasn't far away himself. In fact, I think there have been occassions where Leigh has been a bit single minded, and could have set Eoin up with a couple of tap in's - particularly when he hit he side netting after scoring his first last week.

We may well rotate the front three, or look to play Kuqi when his physique is most useful.

[lord bunberry]

I think he will score a few goals that we've not seem much of in recent years. proper poachers goals, and headers from set pieces- corners, freekicks and thow-ins. Clancy looks like he has a fair throw on him so get those launched i nthe box .when was the last time we have a decent target man? I suspect the way he will play wont use as much engery and running about as others, simply float up the pitch and score goals, let griffiths, doyle spoony etc do all the running and leave kuqi to get into the right areas that will do for me :agree:

Not trying to start another derek riordan debate but if deeks had just left others to do the running then he would be accused of being lazy its funny how some players are treated differently

[500miles]

Not trying to start another derek riordan debate but if deeks had just left others to do the running then he would be accused of being lazy its funny how some players are treated differently

.............. is that a joke? This must be a joke? Surely?

[lord bunberry]

.............. is that a joke? This must be a joke? Surely?

No it wasn't a joke

[500miles]

No it wasn't a joke

The difference is this. People are expecting Kuqi to work. To use his strength to knock the opposition about, protect the ball. To use his height to win the ball in the air, score goals with his head, to be a target for any necessary long ball. He will put in a physical shift, but he's too big to expect to beat quick fullbacks and midfielders in a foot race. Griffiths will be expected to use his pace.

This is a world away from a lazy player who doesn't run, get's knocked off the ball, shirks challanges, and surrenders possession.

[lord bunberry]

The difference is this. People are expecting Kuqi to work. To use his strength to knock the opposition about, protect the ball. To use his height to win the ball in the air, score goals with his head, to be a target for any necessary long ball. He will put in a physical shift, but he's too big to expect to beat quick fullbacks and midfielders in a foot race. Griffiths will be expected to use his pace.

This is a world away from a lazy player who doesn't run, get's knocked off the ball, shirks challanges, and surrenders possession.

So your saying kuqi will be asked to do what he is good at

[Hibee87]

Not trying to start another derek riordan debate but if deeks had just left others to do the running then he would be accused of being lazy its funny how some players are treated differently

You have a very valid point however deek was never a target man type player that i expect kuqi to be.deek was played out on the wing either as a LM or left attcking mid in which case you expect him to trakc back and help. Kuqi on the other hand is a big guy up front used as a target to hold the ball up and bring others into play. I dont for one minute expect him to just stand there but not run around to the extent i would expect griffths or deek if in the team to do :aok:

this is my opinion of him but fenlon may have other ideas on how he wished him to play, ive not seem to much of kuqi to say this is his game just what i imagine it to be like

[The_Horde]

Maybe just a case of resting his old legs when need be, instead of playing him for 40 games like Oldham did.

[lord bunberry]

You have a very valid point however deek was never a target man type player that i expect kuqi to be.deek was played out on the wing either as a LM or left attcking mid in which case you expect him to trakc back and help. Kuqi on the other hand is a big guy up front used as a target to hold the ball up and bring others into play. I dont for one minute expect him to just stand there but not run around to the extent i would expect griffths or deek if in the team to do :aok:

this is my opinion of him but fenlon may have other ideas on how he wished him to play, ive not seem to much of kuqi to say this is his game just what i imagine it to be like

I totally agree with you my point was just that we (me included) will quite happily allow kuqi to play to his strengths. Maybe if we had just let deeks do what he was good at playing through the middle and scoring goals instead of trying to turn him into something he wasn't we might have seen a different player

[iwasthere1972]

Just looking at O'Connor's career stats - who'd have thought that a guy of his ability, who left Hibs aged 22 and had scored 58 goals for us, would still have less than 100 career goals aged 29?


Shocking when you consider that Messi scored about the same as that in one season.

[500miles]

I totally agree with you my point was just that we (me included) will quite happily allow kuqi to play to his strengths. Maybe if we had just let deeks do what he was good at playing through the middle and scoring goals instead of trying to turn him into something he wasn't we might have seen a different player

Edit - no having this conversation again, it just runs in circles.

[Pedantic_Hibee]

I like Shefki Kuqi. And I have nothing else to say about that.

[lord bunberry]

Riordan used to let players just run by him. That's totally unnacceptable - you get paid, you give 100%.

By the time he came back, it was too late, he tried (a bit) but didn't have the legs for it.

I don't really agree with i always thought deeks gave 100% but that's not the point i was trying to make my point was that kuqi will be allowed to do what he is good at but others will be forced to play in positions not suited to them

[sahib]

I don't really agree with i always thought deeks gave 100% but that's not the point i was trying to make my point was that kuqi will be allowed to do what he is good at but others will be forced to play in positions not suited to them

That is a bit alarmist. Hopefully, even given the limitations of such an elderly player, he will be able to use his experience and skill to bring others into the game. He should be a good out ball at any rate and if he is no good - well it was worth a try.

[The Green Goblin]

This might sound silly and old-fashioned, but I am going to wait until I see how he actually plays for us for a few games before forming a judgement....

[scuttle]

This might sound silly and old-fashioned, but I am going to wait until I see how he actually plays for us for a few games before forming a judgement....

Spot on

[sahib]

This might sound silly and old-fashioned, but I am going to wait until I see how he actually plays for us for a few games before forming a judgement....

Where's the fun in that! :greengrin

[jdships]

Don't tell me that now that Lewis Stevenson is sidelined for a few weeks that we are going to set this poor guy up as the next ' Target Man'
Thought he was signed to be a 'Target Man' ON the park.:rolleyes:
:greengrin:wink::greengrin

[clerriehibs]

The difference is this. People are expecting Kuqi to work. To use his strength to knock the opposition about, protect the ball. To use his height to win the ball in the air, score goals with his head, to be a target for any necessary long ball. He will put in a physical shift, but he's too big to expect to beat quick fullbacks and midfielders in a foot race. Griffiths will be expected to use his pace.

This is a world away from a lazy player who doesn't run, get's knocked off the ball, shirks challanges, and surrenders possession.

Is this a troll? No, seriously, is it?