Backup

[ian omand]

So,Nelson told he can leave, who would have partnered Foster if he had left last week?
The squad is so paper thin and we are not even into the season yet.
It seems obvious to me that the club hierarchy don't think we can achieve promotion this season so why waste money trying.

[BoltonHibee]

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So,Nelson told he can leave, who would have partnered Foster if he had left last week?
The squad is so paper thin and we are not even into the season yet.
It seems obvious to me that the club hierarchy don't think we can achieve promotion this season so why waste money trying.

That's the feeling I am getting

[blackpoolhibs]

If Nelson leaves this week, who plays centre half against Falkirk if Hanlon is still injured?

[Thecat23]

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So,Nelson told he can leave, who would have partnered Foster if he had left last week?
The squad is so paper thin and we are not even into the season yet.
It seems obvious to me that the club hierarchy don't think we can achieve promotion this season so why waste money trying.

Well said. He played well today as well. Would struggle if he goes as we have no cover.

[DaveF]

It would have to be Gardiner or Martynuik from the 20s.

Or OTJ!

[eastterrace]

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So,Nelson told he can leave, who would have partnered Foster if he had left last week?
The squad is so paper thin and we are not even into the season yet.
It seems obvious to me that the club hierarchy don't think we can achieve promotion this season so why waste money trying.

yes agree we aint going to win this league this season so why spend the money thats the way i see the clubs thinking.

[offshorehibby]

I don't think he's been told he can leave. He's been told that he might not get to many games as he's not first choice and they wouldn't stand in his way if he found something else.

[Flanny boy]

I am the first to admit I am not a big lover of Michael Nelson
but the guy had a decent enough game today.maybe we will
see a defender signing sometime this week

[gegs70]

Isn't it more about rebuilding the team. I think we are still miles away. Midfield wasn't great, no real goal threat or support for aligooey...we won't win many games that way.

[gegs70]

I did however like Allan maybe he will get a chance?

[Michael]

Well, we have signed a fraction of the number of players who left at the end of the season. And with things as they are there's always a chance we might fluke our way through the play-offs.

I think there's no point in spending tons on new signings with Hearts and Rangers in this league. We might as well keep the wage bill low, minimise the financial impact of relegation and bide our time. Without Rangers and Hearts in the league we're always going to be able to attract the best players. The best case scenario (excluding promotion) is that Hearts and Rangers go up this year. The standard of the Championship is generally pretty awful, so that should allow us to win comfortably the following year (although it wouldn't surprise me if we still cocked it up). Worst case is that ourselves and one of Hearts and Rangers also stay down...or if another big club was relegated.

For me, if we just focus on improving youth recruitment, coaching, scouting and playing football the right way then we'll be back where we should be (competing for Europe) in five years time.

[lord bunberry]

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Well, we have signed a fraction of the number of players who left at the end of the season. And with things as they are there's always a chance we might fluke our way through the play-offs.

I think there's no point in spending tons on new signings with Hearts and Rangers in this league. We might as well keep the wage bill low, minimise the financial impact of relegation and bide our time. Without Rangers and Hearts in the league we're always going to be able to attract the best players. The best case scenario (excluding promotion) is that Hearts and Rangers go up this year. The standard of the Championship is generally pretty awful, so that should allow us to win comfortably the following year (although it wouldn't surprise me if we still cocked it up). Worst case is that ourselves and one of Hearts and Rangers also stay down...or if another big club was relegated.

For me, if we just focus on improving youth recruitment, coaching, scouting and playing football the right way then we'll be back where we should be (competing for Europe) in five years time.

If the club has taken that attitude then why should we spend our hard earned cash supporting them

[Earl of Currie]

Agree with the sentiment of the thread, this season is about stripping away the problems and starting from the foundations up.
If it takes two seasons to go back up then so be it, we will probably be in the top 4 this season , so might scrape through a play-off scenario , but realistically we should be digging in for a couple of seasons in the Chumpionship.
The club has changed a lot in the last two months and we still have to get a some dead wood off the wage bill (probably including Butcher & Malpas) to get costs down , but this is the first real evidence I have seen of a ‘5 year plan’.
And I genuinely think it will take around 5 years to get back into the top 6 and pushing for a place in Europe, everything will have to be achieved organically and Hibs fans are going to have be more patient than ever.
But at the end of the day, to answer the opening thread, we are a Chumpionship club with no real money to spend on players and if we need to pitch in an Academy player or play someone out of position , then we have to wake up to the fact that is what is going to happen for the next few years.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Agree with the sentiment of the thread, this season is about stripping away the problems and starting from the foundations up.
If it takes two seasons to go back up then so be it, we will probably be in the top 4 this season , so might scrape through a play-off scenario , but realistically we should be digging in for a couple of seasons in the Chumpionship.
The club has changed a lot in the last two months and we still have to get a some dead wood off the wage bill (probably including Butcher & Malpas) to get costs down , but this is the first real evidence I have seen of a ‘5 year plan’.
And I genuinely think it will take around 5 years to get back into the top 6 and pushing for a place in Europe, everything will have to be achieved organically and Hibs fans are going to have be more patient than ever.
But at the end of the day, to answer the opening thread, we are a Chumpionship club with no real money to spend on players and if we need to pitch in an Academy player or play someone out of position , then we have to wake up to the fact that is what is going to happen for the next few years.

Away and bile yer heid.

[Earl of Currie]

With the limited squad we have, I would prefer we played a 3-5-2
Its obvious where El Alagui’s strengths are, we don’t have the players in a 4-4-2 structure to support it.
He is a solid target man , who gets stuck in about the defence, wins his fair share in the air and has a decent strike but no real pace.
If we are going to play high balls for him to knock on, we need a striker to feed off it , Handling was non-existent today, a fit Heffernan would do better. Also, if he is to knock it on or hold it up for the midfield we actually need attack minded midfielders.
Allan is not a goal scorer, so if a holding midfielder was to be used in front of the back 3 allowing Robertson and Craig to push further forward. It would also add more to the midfield which is an area we have lost in the last couple of seasons
Wing backs would be Booth and Gray , both of whom can push forward and deliver a decent ball into the box.
Team would look something like this ,

Oxley
Foster Nelson Hanlon
Gray Allan Booth
Robertson Craig
Heffernan
El Alagui

[Pretty Boy]

Was Nelson actually ever told he could leave?

The story on Sky I read was that he had asked Stubbs about his role, was told he wouldn't be a 1st pick and was told if an acceptable offer came in he could go.

I'm sure part of an acceptable offer would be our ability to find a replacement.

[Michael]

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If the club has taken that attitude then why should we spend our hard earned cash supporting them

I don't know...folk have never supported Hibs for the success anyway.