The Trip To Austria

[Harold Finch]

We all knew Stewart was going sometime over the summer and El Bak was lined up as his replacement and we would have developed El Bak with the help of Harkins feeding him the ball and Hemmings making the same runs that he made last season.

What we didn't expect was the alleged incident in Austria that led to Harkins being released and Hemmings triggering the clause in his contract. Hartley has struggled with the dressing room since and the players he's brought in haven't performed the way they had for their previous clubs

 

The ghost of GGH is haunting the dressing room

[Bubster]

13 hours ago, Harold Finch said:

We all knew Stewart was going sometime over the summer and El Bak was lined up as his replacement and we would have developed El Bak with the help of Harkins feeding him the ball and Hemmings making the same runs that he made last season.

What we didn't expect was the alleged incident in Austria that led to Harkins being released and Hemmings triggering the clause in his contract. Hartley has struggled with the dressing room since and the players he's brought in haven't performed the way they had for their previous clubs

 

The ghost of GGH is haunting the dressing room

How do you know he is struggling with the dressing room?

Every interview I have seen from players says the dressing room is great and they are all right behind the manager?

Gary Harkins is no longer with the club - I suggest people get over it. He was a player who had 1 exceptional game in 5 and struggled with the pace of the game a lot of the time. He was seriously on the wane the latter part of last season as well as his lack of professionalism over his career combined with his increasing age. I can't really ever remember him playing well against a Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen, certainly not on a consistent basis.

If an alien was reading this board, he would think Gary Harkins was some kind of demi-god.

He was actually a very talented player who had a horrendous level of professionalism that stopped him achieving what he could have. He is seeing his career out as a part time footballer with the pinnacle of his career coming representing Dundee, St Mirren and Kilmarnock  in the Scottish top flight.

A player I loved but sometimes sentiment goes out the window when the best interests of the club are at risk. He would have been a squad player at us this season and was one of our highest earners. Regardless of any alleged incidents or managerial "arrogance" he was no longer worth what we were paying him.

[Abdul Latif]

Ironically PH was part of the Ricarton Three making a stance at Hearts, but can't take revolt of 1 of his players in GGH it seems.

I'm far from Harkins biggest fan, but Hartley really seemed to f**k that one up big style.

[kumnio]

Rather have Harkins over Hartley any day, yes he was overweight and slow, but at least he could play football. He is head and shoulders above anyone at Dens right now.

[Ranking Roger]

1 hour ago, Bubster said:

How do you know he is struggling with the dressing room?

Every interview I have seen from players says the dressing room is great and they are all right behind the manager?

Gary Harkins is no longer with the club - I suggest people get over it. He was a player who had 1 exceptional game in 5 and struggled with the pace of the game a lot of the time. He was seriously on the wane the latter part of last season as well as his lack of professionalism over his career combined with his increasing age. I can't really ever remember him playing well against a Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen, certainly not on a consistent basis.

If an alien was reading this board, he would think Gary Harkins was some kind of demi-god.

He was actually a very talented player who had a horrendous level of professionalism that stopped him achieving what he could have. He is seeing his career out as a part time footballer with the pinnacle of his career coming representing Dundee, St Mirren and Kilmarnock  in the Scottish top flight.

A player I loved but sometimes sentiment goes out the window when the best interests of the club are at risk. He would have been a squad player at us this season and was one of our highest earners. Regardless of any alleged incidents or managerial "arrogance" he was no longer worth what we were paying him.

How do you know what we were paying him? Also to say a player who played with a bad foot injury, during the defiant season, plus also the doon derby, has a horrendous level of professionalism is quite frankly, astounding.

[CW 90+3 02/05/16]

2 hours ago, Bubster said:

Gary Harkins is no longer with the club - I suggest people get over it. He was a player who had 1 exceptional game in 5 and struggled with the pace of the game a lot of the time. He was seriously on the wane the latter part of last season as well as his lack of professionalism over his career combined with his increasing age. I can't really ever remember him playing well against a Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen, certainly not on a consistent basis.

If an alien was reading this board, he would think Gary Harkins was some kind of demi-god.

He was actually a very talented player who had a horrendous level of professionalism that stopped him achieving what he could have. He is seeing his career out as a part time footballer with the pinnacle of his career coming representing Dundee, St Mirren and Kilmarnock  in the Scottish top flight.

A player I loved but sometimes sentiment goes out the window when the best interests of the club are at risk. He would have been a squad player at us this season and was one of our highest earners. Regardless of any alleged incidents or managerial "arrogance" he was no longer worth what we were paying him.

1 in 5 is an exaggeration (1 in 3 and i'd maybe agree with that point) and he put in many a top class performance last season at any point of it he was involved up until and including the Doon derby where he played with a serious injury.

Hartley played him in front of the defence early last season or droped him. We seriously struggled during this period.

As soon as he reinstated him to the team as an attacking option, the team hit much better form with a lot more points picked up where Harkins was absolutely instrumental and a key part in this improved form.

To suggest he would only be a squad player this season in a team that is rooted adrift at the bottom with one win in ten and our forwards having scored two goals from open play in ten games is quite frankly laughable of coin one of your phrases ;-)

He is a demi God compared of this season's creative options 

GGH  

Edited 26 October 2016 by CW 90+3 02/05/16

[CC33]

1 hour ago, Abdul Latif said:

Ironically PH was part of the Ricarton Three making a stance at Hearts, but can't take revolt of 1 of his players in GGH it seems.

I'm far from Harkins biggest fan, but Hartley really seemed to f**k that one up big style.

 

He signed Roberts knowing his past but couldnt handle that player.
Harkins being another - who had previous with managers
Calder made a tweet PH didnt like so he was soon emptied

[Edin_Dee]

Don't have a problem with Hartley doing what he did. If you undermine the manager then you are fair game to be punted. I've played in teams myself with disruptive players and they don't work.

The biggest problem is that Hartley has failed to replace Harkins. Pretty much every other team in the league has a player who can do something special. We don't. Possibly El Back can become that player but he's not shown it at all so far

[Ivan Drago]

4 minutes ago, Edin_Dee said:

Don't have a problem with Hartley doing what he did. If you undermine the manager then you are fair game to be punted. I've played in teams myself with disruptive players and they don't work.

The biggest problem is that Hartley has failed to replace Harkins. Pretty much every other team in the league has a player who can do something special. We don't. Possibly El Back can become that player but he's not shown it at all so far

This is where I am I have to say. If GGH did breach discipline then he had to go. I don't believe that he did I should add however.  

The failure to bring in a replacement of the required standard is the main failing here. 

[Bobby123]

Agree Harkins would not influence the games against the top 5 but they are not the games we would have needed him-he would just need to play well against the bottom 7.

 

Even then not every game - just enough to keep us up

Unless Hartley. Hanged his tactics and team selection I fear the worst.

[Prince Buster]

26 minutes ago, Bobby123 said:

Agree Harkins would not influence the games against the top 5 but they are not the games we would have needed him-he would just need to play well against the bottom 7.

 

Even then not every game - just enough to keep us up

Unless Hartley. Hanged his tactics and team selection I fear the worst.

But there's only 12 teams in the league so would be top five and only be bottom six. What you're saying therefore is he would only need to be playing 54% of games - that would make him a part time player on a full time wage wouldn't it?

[Bubster]

6 hours ago, Ranking Roger said:

How do you know what we were paying him? Also to say a player who played with a bad foot injury, during the defiant season, plus also the doon derby, has a horrendous level of professionalism is quite frankly, astounding.

I'll do you a deal, you tell me how you know Harkins left because of PH's arrogance and I'll tell you how I know that Harkins was our 3rd highest paid player (I have no idea what he was earning, just the position in our wage structure)

If your response is credible I'll let you know. Just to warn you, I probably know a good bit more than I'm letting on about this whole thing but unlike certain posters I won't be the source for leaks nor betray the trust of the people or person who chose to tell me.