Pre Season Hoops Are Top Heavy wie Questions, High Earners and Non Achievers..

and it’s time for them to shape up.

So, the players will be returning to a bleak Barrowfield today for the annual sweat fest. I don’t envy them at all. Two attempts this summer to play full side games have made me more, aware of the physical demands that are placed on these players. It’s a game now where the weak have nowhere to hide and at all times yer physical performance must be topper most.

We have a manager who knows this. A guy who played until he was 40, and boy does he remind us of it, and has appointed backroom staff from out the box thinking areas of expertise in fitness and nutrition. Oor players shouldnae be returning from their jollies, beer bellied, over weight or unfit. Those days are long gone or they should be long gone. Stamina and sharpness should be the main aim for a pre-season program, ensuring yer ready for the season ahead.

Will GS look over the green fields of Barrow and whether he likes what he see’s or is happy wie what he see’s is another question. For one i will be disappointed if he is happy.

We have arrived back top heavy and huvnae added the quality we were all hoping for. Money restrictions of course stop us adding the creme de la creme and the money being talked doon in the EPL are figures the SSM can dream of. But for an £8million spend- or a Torres left bollock- questions still remain whether we have got value for money and replaced the players sold over the last 12 months wie the same quality.

4 signings have come in, 3 from the SPL and one from Serie A. Now the risk in buying players from the SPL is written in the linage of players that arrived at CP in the last few years after impressing at others. Some have worked, Dider Agathe springs to mind, others have meandered along getting wages and not impressing when giving the chance, Sylla, Laursen, Fernandez, Pearo- at times- and recently Hartley and Elvis.

What we have to ask is will McDonald- Skippy as he shall be known- and Killen- eh, no nickname yet- succeed where others have failed? The bigger question is can they replace the goals lost after the legend of the Hartson left for the black country never to be seen again?

Those two arrive in an area where the Glesga taxi drivers would have expected to be fleein’ up and doon the Gallowgate like Lewis Hamilton bringing in arrivals and taking oot the chaff. While we have had arrivals the departure gate has been quiet.

Miller, Beats and Magic we all suspected would have been packing thier wears and looking soothwards or Europewards for new employers. The pleasures of Burnley, Colchester and Preston should be wetting the lips of the Beats and Miller, sure they will be well rewarded for taking their non-existent 1st touches roond these grounds, and Magic should be looking to the Turkish golden sands or improving German Polish relations. But only the Beats has attracted any sort of attention.

We still require another striker, a proven striker, a striker that can complement JVoH. Miller, Beats and Magic have had their go and failed. The importance of shifting at least two of these players can’t be ignored. Thing is, if ma arm was being subjected to a Chinese burn then Magic would stay.

He has something the others don’t. A first touch and the ability to hold his water, but last season the Pole wie the goals had a mare that was reflected in the fact he last kicked a baw for us around Jan. Maybe a fitter Magic would do the trick alongside JVoH. Proven internationalist, proven striker and looking at it ticks all the boxes we are looking for in a front man.

Wie rumours, this morning, that Ritgers is on his way, as we are the only option, will GS go wie 5 strikers though? Is going into the new season wie 5 strikers not a bit top heavy in that resource?

Our could we say we could have 6 strikers? Oor disco Deek, we class him as a striker, GS says he is a left handsided attacking midfielder. The fact that no other widemen have been linked wie us probably saves Deek from the heave ho in GS's eyes but in the players eyes he may see the new arrivals as a pointer to a sair arsed filled future on the bench.

Me, Deek would get the nod up front before Skippy to complement JVoH or a Killen. But only if Magic is not fit, Ritgers proves he is not ready-if he comes- or Bellamy decides to drop his wage demands by £80,000 a week. His best bet may be to show GS is can be a long term replacement for Maloney, add a goal and direct threat from wide areas- as the competition for places up front is crowded and when yer manager disnny fancy you as a striker yer onto plums.

The quest to replace Stan Petrov has continued and once again the major ootlay has came in this area. Oor top target, according to GS, was always Skoosh Broon. He came at a price as the money lading EPL clubs started sniffing aboot. One thing for sure Skoosh may replace the energy missing since the sulky bulgar left but still doubts over whether he will replace the goal threat that the sulky bulgar had.

Now, the signing of Massimo Donati has some all in a thither. An ex £10m player arrived in a blaze of publicity but a wee itch beneath the usual Italian moodiness, tattoos and unnatural dark guid looks- according to MrsG and her wee Sis- reveals a complex character wie mair issues than the average big brother contestant.

Massimo reveals that he has felt under pressure since his move to Milano, that every pre-season filled him wie dread as he didnae know where he was going to end up, the price tag weighed him doon and that only in the last few seasons has he recaptured some form. His biggest regret is that his potential is un-fufilled.

Wie this backdrop the fact that Italian successes in the Scottish game are as rare as a Craig Beattie injury free season this makes this outlay look like a massive gamble. In fact so much so that, whisper it, if they signed him i widnae be overly worried. Now all Italians can play fitbaw they cry, but i take it they have never saw Amo, Ricco or Sergio?

Reports suggest that he has got himself back on track in the last few seasons playing in the “regista” role so made famous by Pirlo. In fact, the fact that he didnae get a game for Milano as Pirlo played in the same area is no disgrace.

But, the rumour is GS see’s him as a more attacking midfielder contributing to oor goal for tally. An area that oor Italian has not shone in at anytime in his career. But then again, where did playing players in their natural positions ever feature in oor managers master plan eh?

Oor midfield is over heavy wie high earners. Well two high earners, one that is an enigma and the other who is a player who just didnae suit the Scottish game and was never given a run in his correct position, are ye listening Massimo?

Jaro and the Grav should be looking at houses in the suburbs of Kent, Wearside or the Midlands by now. Instead both will report back and go on pre-season not interested in working off those extra pounds gained over the summer.

On the defensive side of things, we have a lot of centre backs and a limited number of full backs. Again a wee nip and tuck is needed in the excess baggage area and the replacement of beefcake wie a doze of fleet footed fullback cover.

Oor pre-season of sliming doon and toning up must start gathering pace now. GS brought forward his operation to spend mair time on the training ground during this pre-season spell but since his hoops have returned slightly top heavy and bulging roond the waists mair time may still have to be spent on the phone rather than on the training pitch.

Forza The Hoops