Latest news with #NicolasMilanovic
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
How is your Premiership club shaping up for new season?
The new Scottish Premiership season begins on Saturday, with games spread over three is you club shaping up for the 2025-26 campaign? Aberdeen The Scottish Cup winners ended last season on the ultimate high - ending a 35-year wait to raise aloft the famous followed a rather up and down league campaign as Jimmy Thelin's side went from title contenders to competing for the runners-up spot to struggling to get into Europe at cup win guaranteed entry to the Europa League at the play-off stage and the security blanket of a Conference League campaign if they fall at their first friendlies have been the order of the day and a solid 2-0 defeat of Cove Rangers was followed by 4-1 and 3-1 losses to Fulham and Ipswich Town. Undoubtedly, the priority would've been getting minutes in the legs in those latter two have a tough top-flight opener on Monday evening away to Hearts, now managed by former Pittodrie boss Derek McInnes and it is he who is boasting four from four in his new job after a goal-laden Premier Sports Cup group opening fixture could give a (very) early indicator as to which team is most likely to get close Celtic and Rangers this Aberdeen have been fairly busy with six permanent signings, including forward Nicolas Milanovic, and two in on loan, including cup winner Alfie Dorrington. Recruitment was necessary with Thelin losing the services of regulars Jack Mackenzie and Jamie McGrath and loan players Oday Dabbagh and Kevin Nisbet.A period of bedding in may be expected but Thelin now knows the Premiership and, as a minimum, should be targeting a higher finish than last season's fifth."Everybody's looking sharp," said Thelin after the win against Cove. "It's still early and we have things to improve on."Hopefully we can create something good this season."Have your say on Aberdeen's upcoming season Celtic Brendan Rodgers' champions would've started as favourites in all three domestic cup competitions this season regardless of what kind of close season they had, such was their superiority in the Premiership last Aberdeen upset Celtic's apple cart with victory on penalties in the Scottish Cup final in a match that was seemingly just one furlong too far for the holders after another gruelling season that involved 10 Champions League Nygren and returning defender Kieran Tierney have been the most marquee signings so far with Nygren's fellow winger Nicolas Kuhn the highest profile club continue and will continue to be linked with players as the summer transfer deadline approaches on 1 September.A visit by St Mirren on Sunday will bring a sense of deja vu, with Stephen Robinson's side closing out last term at Celtic Park with a 1-1 too long, Rodgers' thoughts will have to turn to a potentially season-defining Champions League play-off, the draw for which takes place on Monday. Basel and Sturm Graz are among the five potential has been busy and varied in terms of results. Wins over Queen's Park, Cork City, Sporting and Newcastle have been offset by losses to Estrela da Amadora and Ajax and a draw with Al Ahli, with Celtic winning the penalty shootout that followed."The squad that we have currently is in a really good place," Rodgers said after the Al Ahli match."The guys that are here have worked very, very hard but we need to improve this squad in general so I'm hopeful that we can do that over the coming weeks."Have you say on Celtic's upcoming season Dundee Tony Docherty's sacking the day after Dundee secured their Scottish Premiership status in May was more than a little surprising. Docherty's sixth-placed finish the year before suggested he would've had more credit in the as surprising was Steven Pressley's appointment as head coach and return to the dugout six years after leaving Carlisle losses to Airdrieonians and Alloa Athletic did little to assuage any doubts among the Dens Park faithful but Pressley has steadied the ship with wins over Bonnyrigg Rose and has spoken of the need to sign more players with experienced Premiership campaigner Drey Wright and forward Emile Acquah two of the main captures so 1-0 defeats ended Dundee's Premier Sports Cup campaign at the group stage and they open their league campaign at home to last season's third-placed side Hibernian on Sunday."Much better as a unit, as a team, more synchronised in our pressing and our decision making," said Pressley on captain Simon Murray opened his account for the season with to goals against Montrose and is likely to be a talisman again this your say on Dundee's upcoming season Dundee United Every team and manager wants a winning start and Dundee United delivered against UNA the 1-0 margin of victory in the Conference League second qualifying round first leg at Tannadice makes progress far from certain. A tie with Decic or Rapid Vienna awaits if United can see off Strassen on Thursday.A Scottish Premiership opener away to promoted Falkirk on Sunday beckons for Jim Goodwin's among the experienced top-flight manager's priorities this summer would have been replacing the goals of Sam Dalby, who was on loan last Amar Fatah and Max Watters have been brought in on loan but Watters picked up a knock after coming on as a substitute in the win over was not expecting any more arrivals before this week's trip to Luxembourg."The squad, if everybody is fit, is really strong," he your say on Dundee United's upcoming season Falkirk Falkirk will be relying largely on the squad that won the Championship on their return to the top flight after 15 goalkeeper Scott Bain and veteran forward Brian Graham have been brought in while another seasoned campaigner, Scott Arfield, has signed on for another McGlynn's side eased through their League Cup group with the kind of style that led them to title will celebrate their second successive promotion with the raising of the Championship flag before Sunday's meeting with Dundee sides generally always want a strong start to avoid an immediate return to the division below. Whatever this season holds, McGlynn sounds like he's going to try and enjoy it."For a generation of the Falkirk fans, it'll be the first time they've seen their team in the Premiership, in the top league," he said."Everyone here deserves it."Have your say on Falkirk's upcoming season Hearts Derek McInnes' introduction as Hearts manager could scarcely have gone better. Four games, four wins and four goals scored in each game at the group stage of the Premier Sports form has set the Tynecastle side up perfectly for the Premiership campaign and they welcome Aberdeen to the capital in Monday's league attacking signings Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis have already made an impact and retaining captain Lawrence Shankland has been McInnes' main coup so finishing seventh last term, top six is a minimum target for the new season but supporters and pundits alike will expect more. McInnes' track record and the experience in Hearts' squad should be enough to secure European was pleased to have won Group E so comfortably to avoid "a crisis"."The players deserve a lot of credit that they've been professional enough and the approach has been spot-on," he would be fair to expect that same professionalism and quality from a McInnes-led Hearts side as the season wears your say on Hearts' upcoming season Hibernian Last season's third force Hibernian started the new season with a creditable draw away to Midtjylland in the Europa League second qualifying round first leg in conclusion to that tie takes place at Easter Road on Thursday before David Gray's side travel to face Dundee in Sunday's Scottish Premiership opener. Should Hibs progress, they will face Fredrikstad and defeat would mean a Conference League tie with Oleksandriya or Partizan signing, forward Thibault Klidje, made a late cameo in Denmark and fellow summer captain Jamie McGrath scored Hibs' all important last season's achievement of third will take some doing but getting off to a better start would help. Hibs had won only twice in the league by the time mid-December came around but then went on a 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions while those around them post-match comments after the first leg with Midtjylland could have been a motto for last season and he'll hope it again for this term."The players need to keep believing, keep working hard and stay humble to make sure they keep improving," said your say on Hibernian's upcoming season Kilmarnock Change has been in the air at Rugby Park this summer with Stuart Kettlewell replacing Derek McInnes as Kilmarnock manager and a raft of new players coming Marcus Dackers and Djenairo Daniels have already made their mark, as has academy graduate Ben on penalties by Kelty Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup proved only to be a speed bump as Kettlewell's side progressed to the last 16 as Group H host promoted Livingston on Saturday, the first game in this season's Scottish Premiership. The sides have already met at Rugby Park this term, with Livi losing 1-0 in the Premier Sports Cup through a Mo Sylla own Motherwell boss Kettlewell described his new team as "a work in progress" after their most recent win, the 4-0 victory over East Fife and urged them to "sustain the levels" when they are on season, Kilmarnock were ninth, a reasonable distance from the bottom two but closer to them than the top six. With Hearts already looking strong contenders for the top six, the challenge for Kettlewell to break into the top half looks challenging but not impossible. Livingston Having made an immediate return to the Premiership, Livingston have added top-flight experience to their ranks to boost their Carey, Stevie May and Mo Sylla have all been over the course while loan players Macaulay Tait and Adam Montgomery will hope to stake their Saturday, David Martindale's side return to the site of their only defeat so far this season, Kilmarnock's Rugby Park. Livi lost 1-0 there in the League Cup group stage but it didn't prevent them reaching the next up points at home will be crucial if Livi are to extend their top-flight stay beyond this have laid a new pitch at Almondvale for the coming season and Martindale commented after Saturday's 6-0 win over Kelty Hearts: "I think the surface is really, really helping us at getting our speed into the game."Have your say on Livingston's upcoming season Motherwell The spectre of Lennon Miller's Motherwell future looms large as the Steelmen's Scottish Premiership opener at home to Rangers midfielder's absence with injury did not harm Well's League Cup campaign, 11 points out of 12 securing top sport in Group Berthel Askou replaced Michael Wimmer as manager over the summer and has added forwards in the shape of Ibrahim Said, Eseosa Sule and Elijah Just. However, it is Tawanda Maswanhise who has been the most prominent attacker so far this in the table last season, relegation was never really a concern at Fir Park, though missing out on the top six was a happens with Miller will likely have a big say in Well's season. Should there be a sale, it could give Askou funds to strengthen. If Miller stays until January, Motherwell's potential windfall will diminish, albeit they'll benefit from his talent."A lot of the stuff we've been trying to implement went really well," the manager said."Then finally we also had a bit of effectiveness and some nice, beautiful goals as well."It's really good to have players who can, by individual quality, decide the game and they showed that."Whether Miller is one of those or not in the coming months is still your say on Motherwell's upcoming season Rangers Russell Martin said Rangers' Champions League qualifying tie with Panathinaikos would not be season-defining but coming through it on Wednesday definitely represented a major boost to him and the new Ibrox are now guaranteed some kind of European football until late January, either in the Champions or Europa League. The former is only two rounds former Southampton manager has brought with him to Glasgow a clutch of new players, with Thelo Aasgaard and Djeidi Gassama the most notable attacking recruits, the latter the hero against the continue to be linked potential signings, particularly wingers. This may indicate expected departures, with Hamza Igamane continually linked with a move to France and Rabbi Matondo's future Martin had a warning for his squad following Saturday's 2-2 friendly draw at home to Middlesbrough: "If you're not going to play with enough intensity or enough speed or enough aggression, then you'll be put into difficult situations way more than you are if you want to bring all of those to the party."Have your say on Rangers' upcoming season St Mirren St Mirren's early season set-back in the League Cup, drawing then losing a penalty shootout against Arbroath, did not prove fatal in the end, with Stephen Robinson's side finishing top of their the Buddies' start to their Premiership campaign could not be any more difficult, travelling to face defending champions is going for three top-six finishes in a row and has bolstered his squad with Jamaica internationals Jalmaro Calvin and Richard King."We would have liked to have added to the squad sooner," Robinson said last week. "We're getting there."Have your say on St Mirren's upcoming season
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Milanovic can be main man & more season predictions
Where will you finish in the league and why?I don't foresee such a Dandy start as last season. A tricky opening game at Tynecastle followed by the champions at Pittodrie gives us an opportunity to put down a marker or find ourselves behind the group-stage football, in whatever competition, will bring excitement but challenges domestically. I still think we will have enough about us for a top-four is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?Our best signing could prove to be the one we know the least about. Kjartan Kjartansson has impressed in cameo appearances in pre-season. I still have Nicolas Milanovic as the signing who has potential to excite us the most, alongside Adil do you want from your manager this season?I want him to be braver when it comes to changing his gameplan. There was a lot of criticism last season that Jimmy Thelin didn't have a 'Plan B'. We have enough defenders to play a back five or back three, and I think this will be one we see changed on European and domestic will be the breakout star in your squad?I have already mentioned Kjartansson, but if afforded more consistent game-time this season, then indications from pre-season suggest it could be Fletcher Boyd. After breaking on to the scene he didn't feature much last term, so I'll put him down to break out and really make his is your one major concern?Up front. Yes, Thelin teams tend not to rely on an out-and-out striker for goals. But fitness concerns around Kusini Yengi and Ester Sokler alongside the still relatively untried Peter Ambrose leave me worried we could lack goals if our wingers don't create/ Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Nisbet not a Hearts target after Dons loan
Kevin Nisbet, who was on loan to Aberdeen from Millwall last season, is not a target for Heart of Midlothian, with head coach Derek McInnes hopeful of convincing fellow Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland to stay at Tynecastle Park. (Hearts Standard), externalNicolas Milanovic rejected offers from a number of European clubs before signing for Aberdeen and the striker has the weapons to take the Scottish Premiership and European group stage football by storm, according to Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Alen Stajcic, whose club sold the 23-year-old for a fee of around £400,000. (Press & Journal), externalRead Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Zac Sapsford leaves Western Sydney Wanderers to join Dundee United
Zac Sapsford is set to go head-to-head with his former Western Sydney Wanderers teammate Nicolas Milanovic in the Scottish Premiership after joining Dundee United. Sapsford has signed a three-year deal with the Tangerines for an undisclosed transfer fee. The 22-year-old attacking weapon scored nine goals in 26 A-League appearances for the Wanderers last season, and was part of impressive forward line that also included Johnny Warren Medal winner Milanovic, who joined Aberdeen last month for a deal that landed Western Sydney a club-record transfer off about $800,000. Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin said the acquisition of Sapsford was a 'terrific piece of business' for the Tangerines. 'He's a dynamic forward with a killer instinct in the final third off both feet or with his head, and also has the awareness to intelligently bring his teammates into play,' Goodwin said. 'We feel he's someone that will get our supporters out of their seats and we can rely on in big moments given his mentality and track record in those situations. 'Zac immediately bought into our vision for him and his development. I'm looking forward to closely monitoring his progression during his time in tangerine.' Meanwhile, teenage Sydney FC midfielder Wataru Kamijo has signed a new four-year deal with the Sky Blues. 'This club has given me my opportunity and I feel like I'm in the right place to grow and develop into a first-class midfielder,' Kamijo said.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
What do Aberdeen need in transfer window?
The transfer window opened on Sunday - albeit for 10 days initially, mainly so sides competing in the Club World Cup can get early business done - before reopening for the rest of the summer on 16 have already been active this summer, with Australian winger Nicolas Milanovic on his way from Western Sydney Wanderers and goalkeeper Nick Suman signed from Cove there still an area of the squad that needs improving, or certain players you are desperate for the Dons to sign? Or maybe holding on to a key player is the biggest priority?And what about departures? Jamie McGrath and Jack MacKenzie have gone, but does anyone else need to go?Let us know here
