Dark Passenger Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Balatoni is tried and tested and... ...turned his back on a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'm with the passenger bloke. The Conrad Conga has left. Time to move on. The way he's hawking himself around is pretty sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rid Skwerr Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'm pleased for Jack Hendry that he's got a decent move, but sorry to see so little of him in a Thistle jersey. I understand that the club have to cash in on the rare occasions when we can get a fee, but it would be nice if our team (and fans) could benefit from a class player for a wee while when we unearth one. Maybe Liam Lindsay is that player and we'll get to appreciate his skills for a year or two before he moves on. PS I'd be happy to see big Conrad back...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabbath Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Best wishes to Jack would loved to have seen more though. A partnership with Liam for a couple of years may have led to something, sadly it was not to be. Love Big Conrad to bits but that ship has sailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin energy Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 We really have to put the priority in signing up the decent youngsters now, no excuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Gums Murphy Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I'm not keen on bringing Balatobi back. Like others have said, he turned his back on a contract & has touted himself, unsuccessfully so far, around numerous clubs. That said, from what I hear the Ronaldo kid with the u21s has been good for one mistake in the 3 games he's played for development squad & Seabiurne a waste of a wage. Injury prone &/or disinterested. Perhaps beggars can't be choosers re Balatoni. We'll see what today brings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partick monkey Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 What's everyone's problem with Conrad putting himself out there and training with other clubs? How is that "pretty sad" and what actually is the problem with him "touting himself"? The guy is looking for a club, what's he supposed to do? He was a terrific servant to the club for years and then decided to go and try something new. Maybe he's regretting his decision, maybe he's not. Conrad > Seabo IMO. I'd have him back here in a second. Him and Frans were the best partnership last year... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 What's everyone's problem with Conrad putting himself out there and training with other clubs? How is that "pretty sad" and what actually is the problem with him "touting himself"? The guy is looking for a club, what's he supposed to do? He was a terrific servant to the club for years and then decided to go and try something new. Maybe he's regretting his decision, maybe he's not. Conrad > Seabo IMO. I'd have him back here in a second. Him and Frans were the best partnership last year... And him and Lee Mair, the season before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Just to clarify. I like Conrad. What is sad is that he shouldn't have been in this position. At his age and experience, he should have been walking into a team. On the bench for Dunfermline? FFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 The one thing we can demand from players is commitment. How would it look if we were to sign a player who publicly knocked us back. I can understand the affection fans feel for Championship winning side, especially the 'characters' like Conrad, but he's yesterday's man. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 The one thing we can demand from players is commitment. How would it look if we were to sign a player who publicly knocked us back. I can understand the affection fans feel for Championship winning side, especially the 'characters' like Conrad, but he's yesterday's man. I don't particularly want Conrad to come back, but we already have brought in a player who publicly knocked us back in lyle Taylor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 The one thing we can demand from players is commitment. How would it look if we were to sign a player who publicly knocked us back. I can understand the affection fans feel for Championship winning side, especially the 'characters' like Conrad, but he's yesterday's man. I think it would look like maybe the player had come to his senses, and that PTFC is a club that holds no grudges about somebody hoping that he might be able to find a better job elsewhere. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarencegarter Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Balatoni made it clear early doors that once his contract finished he would try and move elsewhere and want a different experience in his career and talk was about him moving abroad. Fair play to the guy. He showed ambition and had a couple of trials down south that didnt work out for him. I personally think Thistle is his level and would be delighted to welcome him back after he gave so much in the promotion winning season and keeping us in the premiership for 2 seasons. At least he didnt come out and say he wanted to win caps for Scotland then go and sign for Ross County.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaf Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I like Balatoni. What we are missing in the team are leaders and he has some fight and leadership in him. I want us to play Lindsay plus one this season though to develop him so given his wage expectation will be far beyond a fourth choice kid, personally I think he is only an option if he can realistically displace Frans. I would rather bring in a kid with potential and use the balance to give Lindsay an improved contract. To lose one young centreback may be regarded as misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Every year we should give every out of contract player the opportunity to resign with us if they fail to find something 'different'. Top planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) The one thing we can demand from players is commitment. How would it look if we were to sign a player who publicly knocked us back. I can understand the affection fans feel for Championship winning side, especially the 'characters' like Conrad, but he's yesterday's man. I don't quite agree. If Balatoni had signed for another club, let's say Bradford, and they loaned him back to us I think most of us would accept it as both normal and perhaps as a good bit of business. He knows the club and players, which is always useful and he can also play both right and left centreback competently. Still the same guy that knocked us back. The only difference I can see from Erskine and Conrad is the latter made a career misjudgment. All that said if both Frans and Seaborne are fit, well not facing long term absence, then we could go with just the three dedicated central defenders. An U20 centreback, Miller or perhaps Osman could make up fourth choice. I still think replacing Elliott and thus bringing in a competent enough cover for full back is paramount. It would in turn also free up Miller to cover central defence if required. Edited September 2, 2015 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I think it would look like maybe the player had come to his senses. Nah, mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Earl of Hathaway Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I think a lot of us work in places where employees think that the 'grass is greener' and that by leaving they will be paid more, be appreciated more or better themselves in some way. Sometimes it happens, but sometimes they also find out that, however good you think you are, the world outside has a different viewpoint. I've got a lot of time for Balatoni and he conducted himself well on his leaving, but we've moved on. To take back an ex-employee who felt he could do better elsewhere would be folly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnyjag Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 In every walk of life people are entitled to try to better themselves, therefore footballers should be no different. CB thought it worthwhile to move on, graciously I may add, and try to get another club, perfectly reasonable behaviour. Therefore if there was an opportunity to bring him back to the club then in my opinion we should consider it. If people don't want CB back at the club because they do not think he is good enough, that's perfectly acceptable, however if some don't want him back because he had the audacity to try to better himself then that's pretty narrow minded in the 21st century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Every year we should give every out of contract player the opportunity to resign with us if they fail to find something 'different'. Top planning. Each case should be judged on its own merits. Things have changed for both Conrad and the club since the end of last season. He's not found a club and we are now a centre back down, so the circumstances might now be opportune for both to reconsider. Stephen O'Donnell's exit was similar to Conrad's. If he hadn't found a club do you think he wouldn't have been offered a second chance to come back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Things have changed. We've signed players and used up the budget. So the offer that would be on the table, won't be the same. The same would apply to SOD. We've signed to players-Miller and Amoo-because he has gone. Things don't stand still. It is also a two way street. We are trying to better ourselves. Maybe the manager thinks he can add better quality players-Muirhead, Cerny and Booth for example with the money available? It's not personal with Conrad. I like him. He did a great job. Was brilliant with my wee boy every time in player zone. However, having four centre backs who are essentially first teamers would be a waste of a very limited budget. Edited September 2, 2015 by La Scimmia Rossa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Passenger Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Here we go... Every walk of life, eh? If most of us went back to their employer to request a contract that they'd knocked back two months ago then they'd be told to get tae. A lot of sugar coating the issue simply because of who's involved. Thankfully, to his credit, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that Balatoni's considering an embarrassing reversal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneteaminglasgow Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Balatoni would want to be a first team player most weeks. We have better players than him in both Frans and Lindsay at least. If we sign a new right back then it would leave Miller able to fill in at centre back as well. There's no real need to get him back, and I doubt whether it'd be a good move for him to come and sit on a bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThickAsThieves Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I would assume if Balatoni was to return it would be because the club approaches him to ask if he'll re-consider, most likely on different terms, rather than him approaching us. And as they will most likely be different terms, I don't see him returning. Wouldn't have a problem with him returning though if it's right for the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Back on the subject of Hendry...... Even if the £250K-£280K is nonsense it will still be by and large the perceived amount we received. I hear McNamara hasn't done his already damaged popularity any favours loaning out Muirhead. Don't suppose missing out on a sizable transfer for Hendry will do anything to repair the damage. Just the opposite, which is nice . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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