Let's Hang On To What We Got

04 December 2012 15:18
Early Christmas presents being wished for by SPL managers

The festive season makes people turn their minds to the New Year and their plans for the future. Contracts are dusted off and end dates checked to make sure players that clubs would like to keep a hold of do not slip away without a decent go at keeping them on the payroll. Aberdeen would like to hang onto defender Gary Naysmith after his current deal runs out in January. Manager Craig Brown wanta him to sign a new deal that will see him stay on. Brown knows all about Naysmiths struggles with injuries since his move to Pittodrie in August, but wants him to be part of his squad for the whole of the 2012-13 campaign. Brown said: "We want Gary to stay. He is an international defender with a lot of experience. He has been unfortunate with injuries but he is getting back to fitness and I'm sure he will be very influential in the coming weeks. We'll sit down with him and see if we can arrange a new deal but it will be up to him and his family. I know he really enjoys being at the club and is desperate to do his bit to help us. It won't be long until he's fit. It will be great to be able to call on a player of that calibre. Hopefully we will have him for longer." Meanwhile Hibs manager Pat Fenlon is hoping Leigh Griffiths will be encouraged to look kindly on the idea of staying at Easter Road after Sunday's Scottish Cup win over Hearts. Hibs have benefited from the 13 goals Griffiths has scored since joining on loan from Wolves at the beginning of the season. However, his short-term contract expires next month. Fenlon is keen to keep the striker into the New Year at least and believes Sunday's 1-0 cup win can only help his please.  Griffiths was stretchered off with an ankle injury just after half-time during Sunday's win. Fenlon's backline helped inspire the win and he reserved particular praise for Lewis Stevenson, who played out of position at full-back. He said: "Everything helps in relation to attracting players, whether it's Leigh or somebody else. We have a fantastic stadium and great training facilities. We don't have loads of money to throw at players but we have good attributes to attract them. And winning football matches is the biggest attribute of them all. The back four were superb and left-back Lewis excellent."

Source: ScottishFitba

Source: FOOTYMAD