AyrExile Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 2 hours ago, pandarilla said: Yes mistakes have been made but I think a lot of them look particularly bad only in hindsight. You also use the phrase 'could have been sorted easily' which is a bit of a bugbear of mine. Many of our problems have not arisen due to a lack of effort, or through 'schoolboy errors'. It's dead easy running a football club from behind a screen, and much harder in reality. Getting players in who are good enough is not an easy thing to do. This is not football manager. I think huge praise has to go to dumbarton for what they've achieved in recent years. That doesn't make it easy, and I'd say they are the exception rather than the rule. McCall will have to shoulder the blame and many will want him replaced. Whether that happens or not, we'll have to wait and see. Yes you are correct the bulk of them do only flag up in hindsight. There are also a good few plus points which is good to see however there definitely more than a few schoolboy errors been made. Firstly signing Donald again and having him as your only wide attacking player was always going to give a bad outcome. Last season we almost blew our chances by having an imbalanced squad and a run of injuries that caught us well short. That should definitely not have been repeated in such a short space of time. Relegation contenders like ourselves usually have the best chance of survival by picking up points at home. For the bulk of the season we haven't had any strikers or wide midfielders that actually allow us to play well at home. Can you think of too many other teams out there who can't attack at home? I don't want McCall replaced yet as I'm sure a lot of lessons will have been learned this season. Still think there are plenty of players out there who might not be at the level of Harkins or Ballatoni but by having all positions covered would make us a stronger team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I find it hard to excuse McCall on the basis of hindsight. Last season, we had no pace in the wide areas or effective movement in the forward line. Neither of these fundamental problems have been addressed,. He chose to retain dross like Donald and Gilmour who were never going to be good enough at this level. He signed 4 strikers, 3 of whom wouldn't get a game at League 1 level. Thomas might have been worth a punt, but O'Connell is hands down one of the most baffling signings I can remember. No pedigree at any level, useless in 1 pre-season game, patently unfit and I'm not even clear he played as a forward in Ireland. He hasn't been particularly creative in the loan market either. The fact that we lined up against St Mirren a fortnight ago with 5 players inherited from Roberts demonstrates how little we've progressed. He is also over reliant on players he knows such as Adams and Cairney even though they both have longstanding fitness issues. He also plays favourites, taking 2 months too long at least to drop Harkins. Describing him as "wonderful" in the Ayrshire Post when he's hasn't broken sweat since last November is ripping the pish. The fact that we're stuck with that waster as 1st team coach when we need a quality pro in that role (Peter Murphy?) just makes it worse. But surely his most inexplicable move was dropping Meggatt and/or Murphy in favour of Scott McKenna, a player who was mediocre at best in league 1. For me, it's just the same tactics and formation week after week after week with no attempt to try something different. He very rarely seems to change the pattern of play in games either. Punting long balls at El Alagui against Queens was soul destroying to stand and watch, Whatever happens now, we should thank McCall for steadying the ship after the horror of Mark Roberts, then accept its time to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Terrace Gazza Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I find it hard to excuse McCall on the basis of hindsight. Last season, we had no pace in the wide areas or effective movement in the forward line. Neither of these fundamental problems have been addressed,. He chose to retain dross like Donald and Gilmour who were never going to be good enough at this level. He signed 4 strikers, 3 of whom wouldn't get a game at League 1 level. Thomas might have been worth a punt, but O'Connell is hands down one of the most baffling signings I can remember. No pedigree at any level, useless in 1 pre-season game, patently unfit and I'm not even clear he played as a forward in Ireland. He hasn't been particularly creative in the loan market either. The fact that we lined up against St Mirren a fortnight ago with 5 players inherited from Roberts demonstrates how little we've progressed. He is also over reliant on players he knows such as Adams and Cairney even though they both have longstanding fitness issues. He also plays favourites, taking 2 months too long at least to drop Harkins. Describing him as "wonderful" in the Ayrshire Post when he's hasn't broken sweat since last November is ripping the pish. The fact that we're stuck with that waster as 1st team coach when we need a quality pro in that role (Peter Murphy?) just makes it worse. But surely his most inexplicable move was dropping Meggatt and/or Murphy in favour of Scott McKenna, a player who was mediocre at best in league 1. For me, it's just the same tactics and formation week after week after week with no attempt to try something different. He very rarely seems to change the pattern of play in games either. Punting long balls at El Alagui against Queens was soul destroying to stand and watch, Whatever happens now, we should thank McCall for steadying the ship after the horror of Mark Roberts, then accept its time to move on. Never read such rubbish in all my life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftk Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I would keep McCall. Yes he has made mistakes but honestly can't think of anyone better to take over that we can afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 25 minutes ago, ftk said: I would keep McCall. Yes he has made mistakes but honestly can't think of anyone better to take over that we can afford. The man sacked from Dundee today, Paul Hartley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftk Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 The man sacked from Dundee today, Paul Hartley. Could we afford him? Is he any better? Anyways Lachlan isn't a sacking chairman he will give Mcall another shot at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 The man sacked from Dundee today, Paul Hartley. Hartley will be looking for a bigger job than us.But I wouldn't want him anyway. Dundee have been a pretty horrible team to watch under him - even when he had them doing well. Too many Dundee fans don't rate him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Just now, ftk said: Could we afford him? Is he any better? Anyways Lachlan isn't a sacking chairman he will give Mcall another shot at it. I can 100% say Paul Hartley is a lot better than Ian McCall. He took Alloa from League 2 to Championship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Just now, pandarilla said: Hartley will be looking for a bigger job than us. But I wouldn't want him anyway. Dundee have been a pretty horrible team to watch under him - even when he had them doing well. Too many Dundee fans don't rate him. Aye and Ayr are brilliant to watch with those wingers bursting down the line at pace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I can 100% say Paul Hartley is a lot better than Ian McCall. He took Alloa from League 2 to Championship. Hmmm. Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Aye and Ayr are brilliant to watch with those wingers bursting down the line at pace. So would you not want something different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 If we stay up it'll be great and a bloody miracle.If we go down it won't be the end of the world. The club won't fold. McCall will get another crack at it and if we don't go up at the first time of asking then he'll probably leave. I don't see why he's not the right man to bring us back up from League 1. If we're the only team that go down and we build on our squad with the exception of Devlin and Balatoni we will have a better squad than last year. Either way I can't see McCall leaving for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joma Boo Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 1 hour ago, North Terrace Gazza said: Never read such rubbish in all my life! Are you serious? It's almost all completely spot-on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 8 hours ago, North Terrace Gazza said: Never read such rubbish in all my life! If you are happy with what you've watched this season, fair play. Maybe we'd be doing better with Scott McKenna in defence, Donald and Gilmour on the wings and Andy O'connell and Kevin Nisbet up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyrTroopMajor Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 12 hours ago, North Terrace Gazza said: Never read such rubbish in all my life! Eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 One of the free busses is picking up in Glasgow btw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 12 hours ago, North Terrace Gazza said: Never read such rubbish in all my life! Lol wot m8? He's spot on with almost every point he's made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Problemo Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Lol wot m8? He's spot on with almost every point he's made. The only aspect I would possibly argue with would be Gilmour. He was excellent last season and probably has the ability to step up however hasn't remotely shown it. I can think of one game where he showed last seasons form. If we go down, unless we can get a Hartley or Young/Stark combo I wouldn't want to get rid of McCall. We know that he should manage to have us challenging again fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joma Boo Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Have to say I even disagree on Gilmour. I would've have him in a promotion-chasing League One side, and the writing was on the wall when he was kept on along with Donald and Murphy. The praise given, and expectations of, those players set alarm bells ringing as far as I'm concerned. Regarding McCall, sorry not for me. I like my football a little bit more footbally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Problemo Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Have to say I even disagree on Gilmour. I would've have him in a promotion-chasing League One side, and the writing was on the wall when he was kept on along with Donald and Murphy. The praise given, and expectations of, those players set alarm bells ringing as far as I'm concerned. Regarding McCall, sorry not for me. I like my football a little bit more footbally. I wouldn't have wanted Gilmour as a first choice this season however on last seasons form would have been fine as a squad player. Agree about Donald, Murphy probably fine as a squad player too especially with all his experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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