Building a team v signing a new one each season (yam content)

[G B Young]

Looking at the teams the yams have been putting out this season, there's rarely a player to be seen who started last season. Now I know they have often parachuted in hefty numbers of new players during transfer windows but the 18 signings during the summer took things to a new level and, this time, it really seems to be working out for them.

While Hibs have brought in a good few players themselves this season, we've by and large had quite a settled squad for several years and there's a sense that there's a long-term building strategy in place.

My question is, how much does it actually matter to fans whether a successful team is built over a number of years or whether a rip it up and start again strategy yields instant dividends? Obviously it's too early to say whether this new yam squad will actually be successful, but my assumption would be that if they do end up winning something there won't be many yams bemoaning the lack of long-term planning and the many failed signings of the last few seasons will be easily forgotten.

[danhibees1875]

It doesn't matter how it's done; so long as the results are positive.

I'd happily swap any/all of our squad for players I've never heard of if it was sure to make it better.

[lyonhibs]

Ideally, you'd like that core of 6/7 quality players to be at the club for 3 or 4 seasons at a time and then fill in the gaps around them.

I think ultimately, nobody give a **** as long as it works and improves Hibs on the pitch. If there's better out there within our budget etc than Hanlon, Gray and Stevenson then get them in.

That said, if you were to offer me comparable results with a "rip it up and start again" policy and a "consistent core of players" policy, I'd take the latter every time.

[Sammy7nil]

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Ideally, you'd like that core of 6/7 quality players to be at the club for 3 or 4 seasons at a time and then fill in the gaps around them.

I think ultimately, nobody give a **** as long as it works and improves Hibs on the pitch. If there's better out there within our budget etc than Hanlon, Gray and Stevenson then get them in.

That said, if you were to offer me comparable results with a "rip it up and start again" policy and a "consistent core of players" policy, I'd take the latter every time.

[TelaStella]

The main factor is that they ultimately had no other choice but to rip it up and start again as they’ve been pish for a good few years now. Completely different story with us.


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[G B Young]

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It doesn't matter how it's done; so long as the results are positive.

I'd happily swap any/all of our squad for players I've never heard of if it was sure to make it better.

So it could be argued that what we're really supporting is 11 green and white shirts, with whoever happens to be inside them of only incidental importance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-L7w1K5Zo

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

I still say that they are still an unknown quantity, so far they have done OK but I feel that the bubble will burst soon when other teams will figure out the weaknesses they have. FWIW I wouldn't take any of their players right now.

[YanYansen]

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I still say that they are still an unknown quantity, so far they have done OK but I feel that the bubble will burst soon when other teams will figure out the weaknesses they have. FWIW I wouldn't take any of their players right now.

Dunno, like - he's a wee rat, but Naismith is an undeniably good player.

[allezsauzee]

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So it could be argued that what we're really supporting is 11 green and white shirts, with whoever happens to be inside them of only incidental importance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-L7w1K5Zo

You can learn a lot of valuable life lessons by watching Seinfeld

[hibbydog]

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I still say that they are still an unknown quantity, so far they have done OK but I feel that the bubble will burst soon when other teams will figure out the weaknesses they have. FWIW I wouldn't take any of their players right now.

It doesn’t matter a f&£@ where the players come from or whether you have to sign an entire team every summer. Winning is everything.

I don’t know much about their new side, but I don’t agree about not taking any of their players. They have a better side than us. Look at the league table.

I hope this is put right next week, and over the season I’m hoping we prove to be a better side than them. But evidence available so far suggests otherwise.

[GlesgaeHibby]

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Looking at the teams the yams have been putting out this season, there's rarely a player to be seen who started last season. Now I know they have often parachuted in hefty numbers of new players during transfer windows but the 18 signings during the summer took things to a new level and, this time, it really seems to be working out for them.

While Hibs have brought in a good few players themselves this season, we've by and large had quite a settled squad for several years and there's a sense that there's a long-term building strategy in place.

My question is, how much does it actually matter to fans whether a successful team is built over a number of years or whether a rip it up and start again strategy yields instant dividends? Obviously it's too early to say whether this new yam squad will actually be successful, but my assumption would be that if they do end up winning something there won't be many yams bemoaning the lack of long-term planning and the many failed signings of the last few seasons will be easily forgotten.

Hearts on 22 points after 9 games is only 1 point better than we managed in 2007-08, the summer after selling Brown, Killen, Whittaker and filling the squad with dross like Gathuessi, Makalambay, Kerr, Johnny Leith etc.

If Celtic pump them on Sunday, and we get a result next Wednesday let's see how quickly it all falls apart.

[Keith_M]

Results are everything, a decent display is important. I can't imagine many Hearts supporters will care if one of last season's players ever got a game again, so long as they keep winning.


I'd imagine, long term, Hearts' way would get pretty expensive, though.

[MWHIBBIES]

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I still say that they are still an unknown quantity, so far they have done OK but I feel that the bubble will burst soon when other teams will figure out the weaknesses they have. FWIW I wouldn't take any of their players right now.

So far they have done very well, not ok. We've done ok. They're top.

It might not last but let's say it like it is for now.

[Tug Wilson]

One could argue that we had to rip it up and start with a brand new squad when Stubbs took over after relegation.

What we have now is a reasonable core squad from that rebuild. We are making adjustments each window rather than wholesale changes.

Hearts did not have that luxury this summer and had to replace almost an entire squad. Credit to them, they have been more successful than anyone imagined they would be. Especially themselves.

However I think that they are a bit like Livingston in that they are a completely new proposition to the other teams in the league and are reaping the rewards early in the season. Teams will be looking at their games and coming up with ways to counter their style. As the season goes on it will be hard for them to maintain this level of achievement.

Though many said that of Leicester!

All we can do is continue to play well, win games and see what happens.

[where'stheslope]

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One could argue that we had to rip it up and start with a brand new squad when Stubbs took over after relegation.

What we have now is a reasonable core squad from that rebuild. We are making adjustments each window rather than wholesale changes.

Hearts did not have that luxury this summer and had to replace almost an entire squad. Credit to them, they have been more successful than anyone imagined they would be. Especially themselves.

However I think that they are a bit like Livingston in that they are a completely new proposition to the other teams in the league and are reaping the rewards early in the season. Teams will be looking at their games and coming up with ways to counter their style. As the season goes on it will be hard for them to maintain this level of achievement.

Though many said that of Leicester!

All we can do is continue to play well, win games and see what happens.

I agree with all of that, to win games is the biggest thing, it becomes a good habit, and although the Yams lost at Ibrox they've bounced back with 2 wins!!!
Livvie are the team everyone on here was melting down about getting beat by, and again the bubble will burst, yet were all still waiting!!
Think its time we look at ourselves progressing rather than them capitulating, because we tend to take our eyes off ourselves and fall behind!!!

[Carheenlea]

Even though Hearts are riding high and the new team performing well for them, their fans won’t have the same rapport and identity with their players like we do. With a core of players with a few seasons under their belts with just a few additions every season keeps that going rather than just different names on the back of a shirt each season. It will be interesting to see how their team deals with any drop in form or a sticky run - will they have the camaraderie to fight for each other to help dig them out?

[Steve20]

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Even though Hearts are riding high and the new team performing well for them, their fans won’t have the same rapport and identity with their players like we do. With a core of players with a few seasons under their belts with just a few additions every season keeps that going rather than just different names on the back of a shirt each season. It will be interesting to see how their team deals with any drop in form or a sticky run - will they have the camaraderie to fight for each other to help dig them out?

They lost at Ibrox and then two of their better players picked up long term injuries. They've recovered by winning the next two games. They can grind out a result against Aberdeen, while we dominated a poor Aberdeen side twice and couldn't beat them either time. That's why they're 8 clear and will probably finish above us. We can't seem to grind out a result like they can.

We have every chance of a top four finish, but we should be challenging for top spot like Hearts are this season. The late rush of getting the squad together didn't help us. Hearts did majority of their business early and that's usually the way you should if you want a season challenging.

[G B Young]

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One could argue that we had to rip it up and start with a brand new squad when Stubbs took over after relegation.

What we have now is a reasonable core squad from that rebuild. We are making adjustments each window rather than wholesale changes.

Hearts did not have that luxury this summer and had to replace almost an entire squad. Credit to them, they have been more successful than anyone imagined they would be. Especially themselves.

However I think that they are a bit like Livingston in that they are a completely new proposition to the other teams in the league and are reaping the rewards early in the season. Teams will be looking at their games and coming up with ways to counter their style. As the season goes on it will be hard for them to maintain this level of achievement.

Though many said that of Leicester!

All we can do is continue to play well, win games and see what happens.

Yes, that's true we had to rebuild post-relegation although a handful of players stayed on, with Hanlon and Stevenson going on to prove they can hold their own with better players around them. You just need to watch Stevenson's face when David Gray lifts the Scottish Cup to see how much it means to him. That, I guess, is where it's more satisfying to see a player grow with the club rather than simply fill the shirts with new faces every season.

Hearts claimed to be building for the future around that time, when they were forced to play a lot of kids during administration but there don't appear to be many of them still around. Since then it's been a return to the scattergun signing approach. Quite why this particular batch of players are coming together better than previous squads I'm not sure. A few weeks ago I recall Potter saying something along the lines of there being a particular way of playing in this league that he thinks is the secret to being successful, so I'm guessing that this time round he's managed to bring in a squad of players who are all comfortable playing that way.

[ScottB]

It’s questionable how sustainable this is over the long term, our own slide towards relegation had us wheeling in umpteen players each widow. Vague memories of Fenlon stood beside 6 or 7 guys after a January window...

Look at the likes of Southampton, picked apart every summer, they kept the conveyor belt going for awhile, but have slipped from contenders for a European place to nearly going down. Hearts seem to have done well, but, if they continue signing big crops, inevitably some will be good, and will move on, some will be alright, and stay, and some will be poor, and will clog up the wage bill, so with each new crop, you end up with more and more duds hanging around.

Of course that assumes they don’t switch to a more targeted approach to build on what they have now...

[Biggie]

Similar theme......I see graham spears is pulling the Heid off it again, this time praising their fans. No other club in Britain has rallied like hearts fans to re energise their club....ffs he quickly forgot the companies stiffed did he not. Not just here but Lithuania. (Wheres the sick bag)

[Famous Fiver]

Due to the money being provided by FOH they are acting like someone who is up to their credit card limit, has it increased, and immediately spends the extra available. No thoughts about tomorrow.

They are pi**ing their fans money up the wall with varying degrees of success ( this latest spree seems to have been a bit more successful than their previous attempts).

No attempt being made to repay the wifie who reputedly put the money up to allow them to get away from stiffing their creditors unscathed.

Just a spend, spend spend philosophy.

Give the punters a few wins and you can get away with anything.

[MWHIBBIES]

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They lost at Ibrox and then two of their better players picked up long term injuries. They've recovered by winning the next two games. They can grind out a result against Aberdeen, while we dominated a poor Aberdeen side twice and couldn't beat them either time. That's why they're 8 clear and will probably finish above us. We can't seem to grind out a result like they can.

We have every chance of a top four finish, but we should be challenging for top spot like Hearts are this season. The late rush of getting the squad together didn't help us. Hearts did majority of their business early and that's usually the way you should if you want a season challenging.

Wonderful sample size there. We didn't beat Aberdeen, they did. That means they'll be above us.

Hearts are challenging for top spot right now. What is to say we don't go on a similar run in the 2nd round of fixtures and they struggle?