D'Jaffo Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Can't agree. Both took over mid season, Reid (and McGowan) rejuvenated an infighting aide. McCall barely improved us. Reid got us promoted in far more style, whereas both of their relegations were obviously pretty awful. Certainly nothing to suggest McCall is far better based on their records. ETA wouldn't let me quote the right part! I think McCalls experience with other teams in better divisions makes him a more suitable manager for me. Reid has definitely given me great memories as a fan but McCall edges it imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eez-eh Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Reid at least had an eye for a player and wasn't afraid to change the squad up a bit when it was required. I've seen very little from McCall to suggest he has either of those qualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Reid at least had an eye for a player and wasn't afraid to change the squad up a bit when it was required. I've seen very little from McCall to suggest he has either of those qualities. I would say that his signings last year worked out ok. Not many people would've taken a chance on Adams given his injury record but McCall did and it paid off. Docherty, Graham, Boyle, Preston, Moore were all good signings while Trouten was mediocre and Gerry started off well but couldn't keep it up. This year a lot of his signings looked good at the time but for what ever reason they haven't worked out. We were ecstatic when Harkins signed and had he signed for a top 4 team he would've been much better. Same goes for Balatoni. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpInTheAyr Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Maybe they haven't worked out because McCall has lost the dressing room and they don't respect or want to play for him anymore. Going into the last 6 games McCall said they were 6 cup finals, but aside from not even winning any the effort they put in was abysmal and lackluster. If he can't motivate them in that kind of situation, or they simply couldn't be arsed, then you need to clear out either the management team or the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas 62 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 18 hours ago, ayrunitedfw said: Of course you did. The money gained from the twice we visit is what keeps your club alive. Spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 17 hours ago, No_Problemo said: Can't agree. Both took over mid season, Reid (and McGowan) rejuvenated an infighting aide. McCall barely improved us. I remember looking into this at the time, the season McCall took over from Roberts they were both in charge for 18 matches. McCall's points per game record was worse than Roberts.. so he didn't improve you at all, actually got worse (the difference was marginal, but there was no improvement)! Yet he was treated like a hero. I pointed this out at the time but most fans didn't want to hear. His strength has always been recruitment, even going back to his Airdrie days when we had little money he put together a great team with smart signings. When he was at Partick he recruited really well which was probably not seen fully until after he left when those signings came into their own (players like Doolan and Erskine were signed from Junior level). His signings last season were good for that level and were why you (just) got promotion. However from the outside it looks like recruitment is where he has messed up this season which has just exposed his limited tactical and man-management skills. The fact that he still seems so reliant on signing his own former players would worry me, it suggests that his knowledge of players at various levels is not what it used to be so is resorting to 'what he knows' - which is ageing players reaching the end of their careers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 16 hours ago, somerset_lad00 said: McCall is a far better manager than Reid. Reid might have been more used to relegation dog fights but I'd take McCall in the dug out over Reid. All I would say is that Raith were the worst team that I watched last season. I think Hughes probably regretted taking the job after about a week after realising what kind of players he had inherited. That speech he made after losing to St Mirren all but confirmed relegation imo, just a matter of time. Not a scrap of evidence to suggest McCall is a better manager than Reid. I'm not convinced Reid was ever given the same level of financial backing - remember us not being able to afford to keep Ryan McCann and Scott McLaughlin after winning promotion? Contrast that with the money spent on Harkins and, I suspect Balatoni and El Alagui. We were a much better team to watch in our promotion winning seasons with Reid with some cracking cup victories as well. We'll gloss over that semi-final though. For all the shortcomings in the relegation seasons, we were much closer to survival than this time round when we looked relegated in mid-December. McCall is painfully one dimensional. Wouldn't be surprised if we line up on the first day of next season with Adams and Crawford in central midfield and Gilmour and Forrest out wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeathrowAUFC Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 I remember looking into this at the time, the season McCall took over from Roberts they were both in charge for 18 matches. McCall's points per game record was worse than Roberts.. so he didn't improve you at all, actually got worse (the difference was marginal, but there was no improvement)! Yet he was treated like a hero. I pointed this out at the time but most fans didn't want to hear. They both accrued 17 points each of our 34 point total that season but crucially McCall arrested a disastrous run of form which saw Roberts lose 7 of his last 8. Without McCall's intervention we'd have been relegated and he drew performances from a squad of players short of confidence & devoid of ideas. Undoubted improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nickydevlin Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 A canae wait tae next season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 We were a disaster area under Roberts and I probably bought in to the idea that McCall was some kind of messiah when in truth he brought capable, competent management and no more than that. In hindsight, we made heavy weather of staying up and last season we were hardworking with a good team spirit but a team with obvious shortcomings and a real lack of quality in attack. We didn't address those shortcomings in the Summer and when things started to go wrong this year, McCall proved to be tactically one dimensional and seemed to lack any imagination or inspiration in the transfer market. I struggle to see what's going to change for next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One John Doyle Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Let's see who we sign in the summer, looks like the whole Raith squad is leaving plus some pretty decent players from QoS. If we are full time we could end up with a decent squad. Raith could go part time and plummet like Cowdenbeath. Ayr fans are unbelievably negative but I think Ian McCall will have learned from two seasons ago and be better prepared for league one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meathead Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 41 minutes ago, Mgc1910 said: We were a disaster area under Roberts and I probably bought in to the idea that McCall was some kind of messiah when in truth he brought capable, competent management and no more than that. In hindsight, we made heavy weather of staying up and last season we were hardworking with a good team spirit but a team with obvious shortcomings and a real lack of quality in attack. We didn't address those shortcomings in the Summer and when things started to go wrong this year, McCall proved to be tactically one dimensional and seemed to lack any imagination or inspiration in the transfer market. I struggle to see what's going to change for next season. I don't think a team at League 1 level featuring Jordan Preston, Craig Moore, Ross Caldwell and Alan Trouten can justifiably claim to be short of quality in attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 So the dust has stared to settle on what was a very disappointing season for everyone associated with the club. Next season is absoulotely massive and it's pivotal that we go and win the league the title, Obviously the season has just finished and managers haven't built their squads for next season but at this stage I'd expect the championship to be between ourselves, Raith Rovers and Alloa(if they stay down). Hopefully Alloa beat Brechin in the playoffs as I see them as a much bigger threat to us and also Brechin is by far a better day out. I think we're currently looking at this squad wise Signed Up: Greg Fleming Jordan Hart Paddy Boyle Craig McGuffie Gary Harkins Brian Gilmour Departed: Farid El Alagui Conrad Balatoni Peter Murphy Nicky Devlin Unknown: Darryl Meggat Michael Rose Ross Docherty Paul Cairney Jamie Adams Alan Forrest Robbie Crawford Declan McDaid Michael Wardrope Craig Moore (Loanee) Sean McKenzie Personally from that list I think Ross Docherty and Darryl Meggat are the key players to get signed up. I think the likes of Forrest, McDaid, Rose and Crawford will all sign up again although I've heard the latter is wanting away. I wouldn't be overly bothered by this as I don't think he's all that. I'd be more than happy with Docherty and Geggan if we can get him as our centre mid pairing. I would sign one of Cairney and Adams, not particularly got any preference but think McCall will go for Adams. Would keep Craig Moore and think we've got a fairly decent chance of getting him as I can't see any championship club taking a gamble on him with his injury record. Think time is probably up for Wardrope and McKenzie, I think Wardrope is a decent player but at this stage in his career he will be wanting to play week in/week out which we can't guarantee. As for the out of contract players I have heard a lot of shots for Paddy Boyle to be released. I actually disagree with this while he is out his depth at championship level he is a very solid league 1 left back, think he got into the league 1 team of the year last time around? Gilmour will be fine for the bench. Hope we can somehow move Harkins on as his 1k wages would get us 2 or 3 really decent league 1 players however I can't see who'd take him, based on this season no championship club is going to want him and no league 1 club could afford him #somoney. There has been lots of names banded about for signing, Wullie Gibson, Chris Higgins, Michael Moffat, Andy Geggan etc if we could attract players of this ability then I'd be fairly confident of at very least challenging for the title. Raith are a total shambles at the moment and long may that continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 12 minutes ago, Meathead said: I don't think a team at League 1 level featuring Jordan Preston, Craig Moore and Alan Trouten can justifiably claim to be short of quality in attack. Fixed that for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrmad Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Christ, I'm 51 and we've won the 3rd tier twice in my lifetime, you'd think we won or challenged for the title every time we're down there, your Craig Moores of this world ain't firing any team to League One titles and we don't have a single midfielder that's going to provide a better striker with the ammunition necessary to win titles either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 7 minutes ago, ayrmad said: Christ, I'm 51 and we've won the 3rd tier twice in my lifetime, you'd think we won or challenged for the title every time we're down there, your Craig Moores of this world ain't firing any team to League One titles and we don't have a single midfielder that's going to provide a better striker with the ammunition necessary to win titles either. If he signed Craig Moore would be the best striker in league 1 by a long shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoBNob Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 [emoji38] Would he aye? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 5 minutes ago, Grant228 said: Would he aye? He would Grant, aye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoBNob Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 He would Grant, aye. Dreadfully sorry to break it to you, but no, he wouldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 2 minutes ago, Grant228 said: Dreadfully sorry to break it to you, but no, he wouldn't. Footballs all about opinions Grant, 14 goals in 25 apps the last time he was in the division is very decent though. With Moffat supporting him I can't see why he can't get double that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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