The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Scary Bear]

18 minutes ago, DaveT said:

My first post on this subject was to do with the loss to Morton from there it has grown arms and legs with everyone coming up with there interpretation of what we should do.

For me most of our issues started before the season even started, our new manager was left to build a team with possibly too little time to do it.

Doesn't matter we dont have a 20 goal a season striker, the issue is we dont score enough goals, we dont hurt teams when it matters, we dont control games at key times.

Again the manager brought in a number of the players we now have in the team and the do play some pretty football.

But the name of the game is scoring goals, if we cant score goals we can run all day and play as much pretty football as you like but we wont win games.

Can only hope the players on the pitch start to gell a bit more as a team and get the results there play often deserves.

[Jilted John]

25 minutes ago, Heid_The_Baw said:

This was always going to be a rebuild season after finally punting that dumplin McGlynn out the door.  

I wouldn’t call a promotion, a 3rd place finish and a cup win the work of a ‘dumplin’. I’d also argue that the squad didn’t actually need re built. It just needed a striker. 

[Ro Sham Bo]

3 hours ago, stevoraith said:

There is no room for such reasoned analysis in here.
Just because there are no obvious strikers that we could have realistically signed, doesn’t mean Murray shouldn’t have pulled a 20-goal-a-season striker out of his backside.

To be fair, Muirhead has more than double the league goals of any player in our squad.

[Scottydog]

I'm on record as not wanting rid of McGlynn, I said at the time I felt there was no better option out there and I still stand by that. I then said that with JM & PS gone Ian Murray was the best of a poor lot (other than Jack Ross, I didn't see that coming at Tannadice), and as a consequence was happy to se him arrive.  Now we have IM we have to stick with him for now. If the board were to sack him now they'd come across as clueless as the Conservative Government.  And in any case, as with when we lost McGlynn I cant think of anyone else who'd likely do a better job, there's certainly nobody available at present.

Murray is in the role for now and can only hope he get's it right and turns us around sooner than later. He promised unmatched fitness and a work effort that would see us never out-worked.... I've not been to every game but feel I'm still to see it. He promised us he wouldn't sign players if they weren't better than what we had yet he signed 2 midfielders who aren't any better than what we had,. As a former defender himself he abjectly failed to timely and adequately identify and sign a defence when everyone and his dog could have told him that should have been his number one priority, his signing of Nolan and O'Riordan reeked of last minute panic signings and Ngwenya for as good as he was against ropey old Cove was torn to bits by Jai Quitongo, is KN a better option than Young? I'm not convinced he significantly is to warrant using a loan spot.

Murray has had a few issues to deal with, the club not getting Ross Matthews his Op' back in May and then Spencer (who IM apparently was not too fussed about signing anyway) getting injured made his 2 midfield signings look a better bit of business than they maybe were, had both RM & BS been fit I'd reckon most would have expected them to be played ahead of the new signings.  Connell and McBride are complete panic buys and Big John is another Tade as far as I can see, he has a great touch one minute than cocks it up the next, hopefully he will go on to do as well for us as Greg did.

One of the most concerning aspects is the fall from form of Ethan Ross, there is a quality player signed most likely with a hope of selling him on, yet since the new manager came in he's struggled and lost confidence.

This situation isn't all Ian Murrays fault though, he has been hamstrung since day one with having so little funds available, but to be fair he was told exactly that at the interview stage and I'd guess his willingness to still come was a big factor in offering him the post. The four board members who not only sanctioned the signing of a 33 year old striker from a lower league but signed off on a 30 month contract on a ridiculous wage to boot! That sparkling bit of business is the real reason that IM hasn't the funds to bring in better even options f her could identify them.  The board were blinded by the opinion that DG's wages could be paid out piecemeal over the 30 months all the while with him banging in the goals to rocket us to the Premier league, they hadn't considered what the potential outcome could be if that didn't happen. The worse case scenario being exactly what transpired, that he'd never play and they'd not only have to pay a fortune for nothing but have to find that money fast to allow the club to move on and get back the support that they'd lost. They say the discussion is closed they aren't telling us how the deal was concluded but It doesn't matter whoever it was that paid out, it's money that surely would have gone into the playing budget.

I reckon Gullan will maybe need surgery and that we will end up being forced to rush back Lewis Vaughan, there's a frightening thought if ever there was one.

Most of the players aren't confident, and in particular by the 85th minute on Saturday you could smell the fear coning off the Rovers defence in waves. Easton doesn't have the confidence (or ability) to take a shot with his left with the goal at his mercy. If I'm being honest other than Stanton and Connolly there's a lack of quality in  general to go with the lack of confidence. We have looked great this season against : Peterhead, Hamilton, Morton (h), Cove and strangely Ayr but apart from that  we've looked toothless, guileless and generally hapless in most games.

Like most fans I'm happy we no longer always try to play it out from the back every single time passing through every single defender but we are still too pedestrian and far too easy to read. McGlynn's tactics have mostly gone but some of the same malaises remain, strange considering that more than a third of last seasons team (some rightly so) were jettisoned in May and June.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Scottydog

[GhostZapper]

26 minutes ago, Scottydog said:

I'm on record as not wanting rid of McGlynn, I said at the time I felt there was no better option out there and I still stand by that. I then said that with JM & PS gone Ian Murray was the best of a poor lot (other than Jack Ross, I didn't see that coming at Tannadice), and as a consequence was happy to se him arrive.  Now we have IM we have to stick with him for now. If the board were to sack him now they'd come across as clueless as the Conservative Government.  And in any case, as with when we lost McGlynn I cant think of anyone else who'd likely do a better job, there's certainly nobody available at present.

Murray is in the role for now and can only hope he get's it right and turns us around sooner than later. He promised unmatched fitness and a work effort that would see us never out-worked.... I've not been to every game but feel I'm still to see it. He promised us he wouldn't sign players if they weren't better than what we had yet he signed 2 midfielders who aren't any better than what we had,. As a former defender himself he abjectly failed to timely and adequately identify and sign a defence when everyone and his dog could have told him that should have been his number one priority, his signing of Nolan and O'Riordan reeked of last minute panic signings and Ngwenya for as good as he was against ropey old Cove was torn to bits by Jai Quitongo, is KN a better option than Young? I'm not convinced he significantly is to warrant using a loan spot.

Murray has had a few issues to deal with, the club not getting Ross Matthews his Op' back in May and then Spencer (who IM apparently was not too fussed about signing anyway) getting injured made his 2 midfield signings look a better bit of business than they maybe were, had both RM & BS been fit I'd reckon most would have expected them to be played ahead of the new signings.  Connell and McBride are complete panic buys and Big John is another Tade as far as I can see, he has a great touch one minute than cocks it up the next, hopefully he will go on to do as well for us as Greg did.

One of the most concerning aspects is the fall from form of Ethan Ross, there is a quality player signed most likely with a hope of selling him on, yet since the new manager came in he's struggled and lost confidence.

This situation isn't all Ian Murrays fault though, he has been hamstrung since day one with having so little funds available, but to be fair he was told exactly that at the interview stage and I'd guess his willingness to still come was a big factor in offering him the post. The four board members who not only sanctioned the signing of a 33 year old striker from a lower league but signed off on a 30 month contract on a ridiculous wage to boot! That sparkling bit of business is the real reason that IM hasn't the funds to bring in better even options f her could identify them.  The board were blinded by the opinion that DG's wages could be paid out piecemeal over the 30 months all the while with him banging in the goals to rocket us to the Premier league, they hadn't considered what the potential outcome could be if that didn't happen. The worse case scenario being exactly what transpired, that he'd never play and they'd not only have to pay a fortune for nothing but have to find that money fast to allow the club to move on and get back the support that they'd lost. They say the discussion is closed they aren't telling us how the deal was concluded but It doesn't matter whoever it was that paid out, it's money that surely would have gone into the playing budget.

I reckon Gullan will maybe need surgery and that we will end up being forced to rush back Lewis Vaughan, there's a frightening thought if ever there was one.

Most of the players aren't confident, and in particular by the 85th minute on Saturday you could smell the fear coning off the Rovers defence in waves. Easton doesn't have the confidence (or ability) to take a shot with his left with the goal at his mercy. If I'm being honest other than Stanton and Connolly there's a lack of quality in  general to go with the lack of confidence. We have looked great this season against : Peterhead, Hamilton, Morton (h), Cove and strangely Ayr but apart from that  we've looked toothless, guileless and generally hapless in most games.

Like most fans I'm happy we no longer always try to play it out from the back every single time passing through every single defender but we are still too pedestrian and far too easy to read. McGlynn's tactics have mostly gone but some of the same malaises remain, strange considering that more than a third of last seasons team (some rightly so) were jettisoned in May and June.

 

 

McGlynn chose to leave, and his form the second half of this season was worse than what we are currently seeing. 

I do see plenty of positives from the performances we are putting in, but we need to start finding solutions sooner rather than later! A few of the games we've lost, on other days, we could easily have won with a bit of luck on our side. 

The back 4 have been doing well, we look decent enough in midfield - we've had a few injuries as well, with Ross, Gullan and Nolan in previous weeks. I don't think we are far away from turning this around, but time will tell. I do think Murray needs to bring in someone to help him out, and give him a few fresh ideas. wouldn't hurt! 
 

Edited October 17, 2022 by GhostZapper

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

To be fair, Muirhead has more than double the league goals of any player in our squad.

And signed his extension with Morton on 30/5/2022…giving IM no realistic chance at getting him signed, eh?

1 hour ago, Jilted John said:

I wouldn’t call a promotion, a 3rd place finish and a cup win the work of a ‘dumplin’. I’d also argue that the squad didn’t actually need re built. It just needed a striker. 

Well, actually. We had a RB who was possibly the best in the league who was leaving, period…we had a pair of aging starting CB’s, one of whom wanted a deal we couldn’t offer due to declining form, and another who was looking like he might be good for 50% of the games…we had another CB recovering from doing his knee, and was considered the cover for the aging one when the seasons toil caught up with him…yet another CB needing either an assured starting role or he needed to leave to get time (and did)…we had two midfield stalwarts with nagging injuries, and whose form on return was unknown, but whose return to form was critical for the play of another midfielder…we had a toothless attack for the last half of the previous season, one where a significant portion of the crossing threat in the box came from our departing RB…yea, we needed a rebuild.

[Ro Sham Bo]

5 minutes ago, TxRover said:

And signed his extension with Morton on 30/5/2022…giving IM no realistic chance at getting him signed, eh?

 

I didn't know that, but regardless, he was written off as someone we shouldn't be touching with a bargepole yet he's twice as effective as any of the dross we have up front. 

[bobbykdy]

1 hour ago, GhostZapper said:

McGlynn chose to leave, and his form the second half of this season was worse than what we are currently seeing. 


 

Come on now, if your employer said you could stay but they were going cut your current salary and/or working conditions would you happily accept it? It is disingenuous at best to say he "chose to leave" the club made it clear he was no longer wanted by the reduced offer he was made. Poor form and reflects badly on the board, would have been much better to make him no offer, shake his hand while telling him straight his time was up and wish him all the best for the future rather than go down that road.

[Enigma]

1 hour ago, bobbykdy said:

Come on now, if your employer said you could stay but they were going cut your current salary and/or working conditions would you happily accept it?

If you’d just cost your employer hundreds of thousands of pounds would you expect anything but?

Edited October 17, 2022 by Enigma

[bobbykdy]

Just now, Enigma said:

If you’d just cost your employer hundreds of thousands of pounds would you expect anything but?

I'd expect to be shown the door but expect them to be straight up about why and how it was done.

[Enigma]

3 minutes ago, bobbykdy said:

I'd expect to be shown the door but expect them to be straight up about why and how it was done.

To be honest I don’t really disagree with you. We shouldn’t have bothered offering McGlynn a new deal. Part of me thinks that was a move to just appease element the support that still wanted him. “Ah well, we tried”

Edited October 17, 2022 by Enigma

[bobbykdy]

1 minute ago, Enigma said:

To be honest I don’t really disagree with you. We shouldn’t have bothered offering McGlynn a new deal. Part of me thinks that was a move to just appease element the support that still wanted him. “Ah well, we tried”

Exactly this. Sim said "McGlynns time was up" in a recent interview, fair enough. The lowballing was just the usual modern day smoke and mirrors pish.

[Scottydog]

11 minutes ago, Enigma said:

To be honest I don’t really disagree with you. We shouldn’t have bothered offering McGlynn a new deal. Part of me thinks that was a move to just appease element the support that still wanted him. “Ah well, we tried”

 

8 minutes ago, bobbykdy said:

Exactly this. Sim said "McGlynns time was up" in a recent interview, fair enough. The lowballing was just the usual modern day smoke and mirrors pish.

Pretty much the way I heard it. John McGlynn was going to be sacked after the home defeat to Morton and Smudger was to be asked to take over, but the board bottled it preferring to give him his cup final at The Excelsior. 

I'm sure there was no dialogue between the club and McGlynn until it was leaked he was going to Falkirk, then there was discussion an arse covering exercise.

As a manager McGlynn certainly had his faults, chief amongst those being that he was too one dimensional and stuck in his ways (thus the terrible form last season) but perhaps his biggest failing was how he trained the team, it'll be interesting to see how many injuries we accumulate without him.

[Enigma]

12 minutes ago, Scottydog said:

but perhaps his biggest failing was how he trained the team, it'll be interesting to see how many injuries we accumulate without him.

It’s not just in the training, his whole attitude to injuries in general seemed archaic. Chis Duggan just one who was given injections and made to play through pain for a large chunk of a season despite needing an op. You have to wonder what long term damage doing that rather than just getting the op does.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Enigma

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

5 minutes ago, Enigma said:

It’s not just in the training, his whole attitude to injuries in general seemed archaic. Chis Duggan just one who was given injections and made to play through pain for a large chunk of a season despite needing an op. You have to wonder what long term damage doing that rather than just getting the op does.

He did the same with Brian Graham.

[bobbykdy]

Just now, Zen Archer (Raconteur) said:

He did the same with Brian Graham.

Who could also forget the whole farce with Keatings? Either listen to the physio and manage his situation as his previous clubs had done or don't sign the guy at all.

[CALDERON]

Tear down the statue!

[Been going too long]

3 hours ago, TxRover said:

And signed his extension with Morton on 30/5/2022…giving IM no realistic chance at getting him signed, eh?

Well, actually. We had a RB who was possibly the best in the league who was leaving, period…we had a pair of aging starting CB’s, one of whom wanted a deal we couldn’t offer due to declining form, and another who was looking like he might be good for 50% of the games…we had another CB recovering from doing his knee, and was considered the cover for the aging one when the seasons toil caught up with him…yet another CB needing either an assured starting role or he needed to leave to get time (and did)…we had two midfield stalwarts with nagging injuries, and whose form on return was unknown, but whose return to form was critical for the play of another midfielder…we had a toothless attack for the last half of the previous season, one where a significant portion of the crossing threat in the box came from our departing RB…yea, we needed a rebuild.

But we signed Ross Millen as a replacement for RT  

[Hank Scorpio]

Excluding the Inverness penalty, someone please give me 5 things Millen has done that were really glaringly terrible. The abuse he’s getting is way, way OTT.

[Rovers1992/1993]

Excluding the Inverness penalty, someone please give me 5 things Millen has done that were really glaringly terrible. The abuse he’s getting is way, way OTT.

Exactly the same as Ross Perry in the game against Livingston when he got sent off. He’ll forever be remembered for the sending off in the first 2 mins of that match.

Millen will forever be remembered for that penalty.

It’s just the way it is.