Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Desp]

Was a sore yin, no getting away from it.  

Usual criticism of McGhee getting banded about as well, I see.  Whether the tactics employed on Saturday were pleasing on the eye or not, they worked up until our two centre halves sold the jerseys.  

This supposed interest in Heneghan?  To borrow from the "Steelmen Online book of Favourite Phrases" if we get any offer of cash, whatsoever, I'll drive him there myself.  A 23 year old professional footballer being outsprinted by a 37 year old in the final minute of the game?  I'm not having that.  I've said before I didn't quite get the hype and I wasn't yet convinced.  It'll take some going to change my mind now.  

The only criticism I have of Mark McGhee on Saturday is for his lack of composure and professionalism during his post match interviews.  I know he was hurting, we all were, but he should have enough experience not to blurt it out half an hour after the final whistle.  It doesn't help anybody.  I've only listened to the one on MFC TV, so I've not heard the context of the "McDonald hurt his back carrying the team" comment.  I see most have jumped on it, rightly so if that was the context it was said in.  For those who heard it, was it possibly meant as a dig at McDonald?  For all the chat of toys-out-the-pram over MFC's refusal to agree to the transfer back home, was it perhaps a sly dig from the manager to McDonald's potential over-inflated value of his worth to the team?

Another thing with McGhee's comments (where I believe again he should have said the bare minimum until he had calmed down - experience should have come into play there), he's put a fair bit of pressure on the team ahead of Saturday.  If we were to lose by three or four on Saturday, there will be a lot of tough questions coming his way.

[Swello]

Yep - Some of the tear stained rants posted by supporters (that usually weren't at the game) within minutes of the final whistle are bad enough - but to see it from the Manager (and a vastly experienced one at that) wasn't the best. I would expect that McGhee was fucking raging because the legendary "keep it tight for an hour and nick one" approach that's been tried a hundred times actually looked like it was going to work.

On McDonald - he's clearly a fucking nightmare to manage (something that's been mentioned jokingly plenty of times by folk from the club) but during his current spell at the club, my view has always been that we need to live with it as he's our best player (IMO). I'm as far from ITK as it's possible to be, so I don't know if there were other reasons that he wasn't playing from the start on Sat - but if it was not an injury, then no-one comes out of that looking good.

I'm still on a bit of a downer - but the jump for Moult's goal was a thing of beauty, so it wasn't all bad.

[thisGRAEME]

1 minute ago, Swello said:

I'm still on a bit of a downer - but the jump for Moult's goal was a thing of beauty, so it wasn't all bad.

Correct. I had a horrible feeling about the whole thing leading up to the game, so to get a moment like this:

I suppose was something. The eagle eyed among you may be able to find me celebrating in a calm and reasoned manner.

We had our chances to not only take it to a replay, but win it. Both centre halfs, as desp says, chucking it, is something you just can't mitigate against.

[Swello]

1 minute ago, thisGRAEME said:

Correct. I had a horrible feeling about the whole thing leading up to the game, so to get a moment like this:

I suppose was something. The eagle eyed among you may be able to find me celebrating in a calm and reasoned manner.

We had our chances to not only take it to a replay, but win it. Both centre halfs, as desp says, chucking it, is something you just can't mitigate against.

You don't normally get a "this makes all the shite worthwhile" moment so close to a "f**k it, I'm no going back" moment, so well done Motherwell, well done.

[Busta Nut]

7 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:

 The eagle eyed among you may be able to find me celebrating in a calm and reasoned manner.

 

 

I clock ye, yer either bamming up Rangers fans or watching that steward who got flung out get bammed up.

 

 

On Saturday I left Ibrox disappointed. We all did, I don't know why though but I was actually still quite buzzing.

The high of scoring that goal, the nice bit of play for it, Louis Moult & Chris Cadden's celebrating was sheer class and then the bounce about I had. I did something I haven't done in years and rushed forward to the gates. Saturday afternoon I was drinking with my mates and I was still feeling that pleasure. I try not to get annoyed or upset at anything and I don't really after the initial let down. Within 10 mins of leaving Ibrox I'd forgot about it.

McGhee's Tactics where spot on for the first 80 mins.

After our goal we had another five minute spell where we continue to go at rangers. Then for some reason we went from sitting back 40 yards out to camping in our own box.

I went for a pish and missed their equaliser, to be honest I could feel it coming. I think Ben Heneghan has been good for us and I thought he was having a great game on Saturday. I haven't seen the Rangers goals back yet and I dunno if I will bother watching them back.

McManus sold us up the river but the pass from McHugh wasn't too clever, should still have hoofed it though.

 

I have only saw McGhee's MFCTV interview and I can understand how he was/what he said in that. I think you have to question MFC Media team for putting that up and running the interview then.

Having said that they probably have to get hold of him before he fucks off to brighton during the week

 

 

 

 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

That photo's fantastic. I fell over a seat and ended up about 6 rows down from my mate.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

I see McDonalds on Sportsound tonight btw, will hopefully find the time to shed some light on his situation between Hail Mary's.

[well fan for life]

Having watched it back in a spell of self-abuse, I'd say it was a shite pass from McHugh. That being said, at that point in the game McManus should have fucking blootered it out the park if he was in any doubt.

[Richie]

Ha, I can be seen in that picture as well... Must have been shortly after I retrieved myself from under a pile of bodies and fixed my glasses.
That's a few good goal celebrations at Ibrox now, although the ending was all too predictable.

[capt_oats]

The Scottish Sun reporting the McDonald to Australia thing now. Seems like it's been resolved. Western Sydney Wanderers came in with a bid, they've been told to GTF that he's too important to the team and McDonald has been made aware of the situation and accepts the clubs reasoning.

I'd imagine he'll be over there in the summer though.

[well fan for life]

8 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

The Scottish Sun reporting the McDonald to Australia thing now. Seems like it's been resolved. Western Sydney Wanderers came in with a bid, they've been told to GTF that he's too important to the team and McDonald has been made aware of the situation and accepts the clubs reasoning.

I'd imagine he'll be over there in the summer though.

Aye. Not a chance is he going to be here next season. I reckon he's keen to move, but alright with seeing out his deal.

Would be a boot in the baws to lose him now. When he's not in the team we have absolutely nobody who can join up midfield and attack which leave Moult running about like a headless chicken trying to make something.

[capt_oats]

12 minutes ago, well fan for life said:

Aye. Not a chance is he going to be here next season. I reckon he's keen to move, but alright with seeing out his deal.

Would be a boot in the baws to lose him now. When he's not in the team we have absolutely nobody who can join up midfield and attack which leave Moult running about like a headless chicken trying to make something.

If nothing else I'm quite reassured that the club seem comfortable kb'ing offers for him and are in a position to do so. Wouldn't be surprised if they've even said he's free to sign a PCA with WSW if he wants as long as he sees out his contract. That'd actually seem like a quite reasonable compromise IMO.

Edit: obviously he'd be free to sign a PCA regardless but you know what I mean.

Edited January 24, 2017 by capt_oats

[Desp]

Western Sydney Wanderers is such a shite name.  It's basically the Australian version of Wishaw Wycombe Wanderers (familiar, I'm sure, to those who played boys club football in the local area).

[Ron Aldo]

Western Sydney Wanderers is such a shite name.  It's basically the Australian version of Wishaw Wycombe Wanderers (familiar, I'm sure, to those who played boys club football in the local area).

You're not from Wishaw unless you've played for the mighty Wishy Wycombe.

[Desp]

Pishy Wycombe Wanderers whenever I played against them...

[Mr Hahn]

I loved playing football at that age. We all thought we were superstars until my father was driving us home and reminded us how incredibly shit we actually were and that it was rather tedious watching 22 boys with no idea how to really play the game run after the ball for 90 mins.

We played Wishy Wycombe several times in my youth, the most memorable of which was mid-week in the cup when I was about 16. Basically the game went to extra time with just about every player on the park starting to get cramp. With light almost completely faded, the game eventually came down to a ridiculous penalty shootout in which I did take a penalty with almost entirely seized up legs. I aimed for the bottom left corner and put in straight in the top right bin.

Edited January 24, 2017 by Mr Hahn

[Desp]

I played with Jerviston BC from '92 until '98.  Crazy to think, the whole time I played (started at under 8s) it was 11-a-side football.  The idea of smaller sided games just wasn't an option back then.  

I remember a trophy presentation night when I got a trophy from Owen Coyle.  I was delighted! Mark Brown (then a youth 'keeper at Rangers) was also there but he was, and still is to be fair, a bit of an irrelevance.  

Speaking of penalty shoot-outs, I remember being in Wales for a tournament, circa '96, and the semi-final (I think) went to a shoot-out.  I stepped up first, having scored every one in training that week, confident as you like, and proceeded to 'Baggio' it.  There was a set of Rugby posts behind the pitch we were playing on, and the penalty was so high and shite I technically scored a conversion.

 

** Insert 'Cool story, bro' picture here **

[thisGRAEME]

Hugh Dallas came to my Boys Brigade to award trophies. I did BBs instead of playing boys football because I was, and remain, fucking shite at football.

[Mr Hahn]

Aw you missed out. The 7-a-side years were some of the best of my childhood. Even when we moved to 11's I think we were too small (I forget how old we were). The goalies weren't big enough for the goals which, as a striker, made being prolific barely an achievement when you effectively had a barn door defended by a chicken to aim at.

[Swello]

2 hours ago, capt_oats said:

The Scottish Sun reporting the McDonald to Australia thing now. Seems like it's been resolved. Western Sydney Wanderers came in with a bid, they've been told to GTF that he's too important to the team and McDonald has been made aware of the situation and accepts the clubs reasoning.

I'd imagine he'll be over there in the summer though.

Did we not turn down an Aussie bid about the same time last year? Also - how does the Australian season line up with Europe - would a (Scottish) summer move for McDonald line up with their season?