The Partick Thistle thread

[Firhill_Basin]

If you take out long term injuries and the likes of Melbourne leaving, we still have room to sit senior players in the stand. 

[bunglebonce]

The hump pun was worth the click.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

I did a bit of a double take when I saw Jagfox in there directly after jumping in from this thread, like he's some kind of football forum Doctor Who.

Or just has multiple accounts across different forums.

[Nightmare]

Went along tonight, and it was exactly what I was expecting, really. You could tell Caldwell had prepared certain quotes; he replied to plenty of questions with answers which, while well-articulated, didn't really fit the question asked. He was very vague for lots of it as well - every answer seemed to eventually trail back into him improving the squad mentality and us getting better. Which is all very well and good to be speaking about, but didn't really answer much.

Took a few notes on it:
- Quitongo and Bannigan in contract discussions right now, offers are on the table and seems like we're waiting on them.
- He got asked if he was re-assessing our target this season - the answer was a waffled version of "no". Still thinks promotion attainable.
- Asked if he would be signing players on short or long term contracts - deflected, talked about "getting better".
- Talked about the players doing some sort of speed dating role-play with each other to improve their confidence and get to know each other better. This, combined with Doolan's comments a couple of days back about the army training meaning players had to work with guys they wouldn't normally speak to, suggests pretty evident cliques in the squad.
- Injury updates - Lennox training again, O'Ware targeting March for a comeback, Coulibaly has just had an operation (I don't remember an estimated return being given), Slater was a worry for a long term injury but should just be a couple of weeks, Bell also back soon.
- Got asked how many signings he was going to make and how many will be leaving - deflected, says he knows what he wants but didn't actually give anything away, talked about "getting better" again.
- Asked if the players who he wants rid of are aware of this - said no, citing managing everyone differently.
- Questioned on our scouting network - wants players with experience in Scotland, isn't considering foreign players at all.
- Asked about Storey, and he thinks Miles is very talented and just needs more confidence, and that he's definitely a winger.
- Thinks Penrice is naturally a WB and it sounds like we won't be seeing him at CM any time soon.
- We've got much fitter since he took over and play at a higher intensity - mentioned mental fatigue being more to blame for late goals conceded than physical.

The one time he got rattled was by the question mentioned before by a few people, where he essentially got asked if he appreciated the severity of the situation and why the players are showing no heart or desire. He snapped back with stats about shots on target, which even if they were answering a question relating to them, wasn't a great reply. We've had 20 shots in target and 2 goals in his 6 games in charge, by the way. That's fucking piss-poor, and he tried to use it to defend criticism, which was baffling.

All in all, he got it it pretty easy in general. Only one time where he got really challenged (the question above), and lots of dancing around questions with soundbites. Which, unfortunately, seems to be Gary Caldwell in a nutshell.

[Distant Doonhamer]

9 minutes ago, Nightmare said:

We've got much fitter since he took over and play at a higher intensity - mentioned mental fatigue being more to blame for late goals conceded than physical.

Almost every manager who takes over at a club makes some remark about having to improve the players fitness.   It might or might not be true in this case but it`s easy point scoring and is of course a direct criticism of (cheap shot at) the previous manager.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Distant Doonhamer

[Nightmare]

Just now, Distant Doonhamer said:

Almost every manager who takes over at a club makes some remark about having to improve the players fitness.   It might or might not be true in this cae but it`s easy point scoring and is of course a direct criticism of the previous manager.

I actually thought in the two games I've seen recently (Inverness and Ayr) we have played at a higher intensity. No idea if it's relating to fitness or not, but I agree that it's an easy bit of lip service to give the fans, because it's such a hard thing to realistically measure.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

in relation to fitness - something I may have missed from the OS and don't have a twitter, but who's replaced Junior Mendes?

[oneteaminglasgow]

12 minutes ago, Nightmare said:

- Asked about Storey, and he thinks Miles is very talented and just needs more confidence, and that he's definitely a winger.

I once met Conrad Balatoni on a night out, and he went to extreme lengths to avoid agreeing that Gabby Picollo was absolutely shite, despite his real thoughts being self evident.

I really hope this is the same thing. Because there's no way that anyone can think Miles Storey is anything but wildly out his depth.

[Nightmare]

3 minutes ago, Thistle_do_nicely said:

in relation to fitness - something I may have missed from the OS and don't have a twitter, but who's replaced Junior Mendes?

Someone from our academy. Can't remember the name.

[Firhill_Basin]

17 minutes ago, Nightmare said:

Went along tonight, and it was exactly what I was expecting, really. You could tell Caldwell had prepared certain quotes; he replied to plenty of questions with answers which, while well-articulated, didn't really fit the question asked. He was very vague for lots of it as well - every answer seemed to eventually trail back into him improving the squad mentality and us getting better. Which is all very well and good to be speaking about, but didn't really answer much.

Took a few notes on it:
- Quitongo and Bannigan in contract discussions right now, offers are on the table and seems like we're waiting on them.
- He got asked if he was re-assessing our target this season - the answer was a waffled version of "no". Still thinks promotion attainable.
- Asked if he would be signing players on short or long term contracts - deflected, talked about "getting better".
- Talked about the players doing some sort of speed dating role-play with each other to improve their confidence and get to know each other better. This, combined with Doolan's comments a couple of days back about the army training meaning players had to work with guys they wouldn't normally speak to, suggests pretty evident cliques in the squad.
- Injury updates - Lennox training again, O'Ware targeting March for a comeback, Coulibaly has just had an operation (I don't remember an estimated return being given), Slater was a worry for a long term injury but should just be a couple of weeks, Bell also back soon.
- Got asked how many signings he was going to make and how many will be leaving - deflected, says he knows what he wants but didn't actually give anything away, talked about "getting better" again.
- Asked if the players who he wants rid of are aware of this - said no, citing managing everyone differently.
- Questioned on our scouting network - wants players with experience in Scotland, isn't considering foreign players at all.
- Asked about Storey, and he thinks Miles is very talented and just needs more confidence, and that he's definitely a winger.
- Thinks Penrice is naturally a WB and it sounds like we won't be seeing him at CM any time soon.
- We've got much fitter since he took over and play at a higher intensity - mentioned mental fatigue being more to blame for late goals conceded than physical.

The one time he got rattled was by the question mentioned before by a few people, where he essentially got asked if he appreciated the severity of the situation and why the players are showing no heart or desire. He snapped back with stats about shots on target, which even if they were answering a question relating to them, wasn't a great reply. We've had 20 shots in target and 2 goals in his 6 games in charge, by the way. That's fucking piss-poor, and he tried to use it to defend criticism, which was baffling.

All in all, he got it it pretty easy in general. Only one time where he got really challenged (the question above), and lots of dancing around questions with soundbites. Which, unfortunately, seems to be Gary Caldwell in a nutshell.

Triffick assessment of the whole thing.

[Nightmare]

1 minute ago, Firhill_Basin said:

Triffick assessment of the whole thing.

[jagfox]

19 minutes ago, Thistle_do_nicely said:

in relation to fitness - something I may have missed from the OS and don't have a twitter, but who's replaced Junior Mendes?

 

15 minutes ago, Nightmare said:

Someone from our academy. Can't remember the name.

That was the only point where Britton and Caldwell showed some genuine rapport. Only mentioning the guys first name. He's been around the squad for a couple of seasons I think.

[Firhill_Basin]

Carlos something

[MrDust]

No mention of this tonight ?

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/3580295/scott-mcdonald-partick-thistle-celtic-signings-transfers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1543957992

[South Lanarkshire Jag]

36 minutes ago, Thistle_do_nicely said:

in relation to fitness - something I may have missed from the OS and don't have a twitter, but who's replaced Junior Mendes?

Carlos Valenzuela Sanchez is our new head of Sports Science. It was mentioned in the written preview ahead of the Falkirk game - https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-fixture/falkirk-v-partick-thistle-17th-november-2018/#match-preview

 

[jagfox]

20 minutes ago, MrDust said:

No mention of this tonight ?

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/3580295/scott-mcdonald-partick-thistle-celtic-signings-transfers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1543957992

No mention. Joe Cardle rumoured to be training too. All that was said was the players were doing various 11 vs 11 games today.

[GrahamJags]

Someone from our academy. Can't remember the name.

 

Neither can Caldwell. Said he couldn’t pronounce/always forgets his name. Carlos Valenzuela Sanchez.

 

ETA - CEO Gerry Britton also didn’t know.

[Distant Doonhamer]

6 minutes ago, GrahamJags said:

 

Neither can Caldwell. Said he couldn’t pronounce his name. Carlos Valenzuela Sanchez.

 

These double barrelled  surnames are tough TBF.

That said Gary Fucking-Caldwell is a particular favourite of Scotland fans

Edited December 5, 2018 by Distant Doonhamer

[RandomGuy.]

Had no idea you lot were in 10th.

Caldwell was a horrendous appointment, and he'll take you down, no question.

Worst thing is you'll get a swathe of folk claiming it proves you were wrong to sack Archibald.

Edited December 5, 2018 by RandomGuy.

[Pie Of The Month]

12 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Had no idea you lot were in 10th.

Caldwell was a horrendous appointment, and he'll take you down, no question.

Worst thing is you'll get a swathe of folk claiming it proves you were wrong to sack Archibald.

There's already been a few c***s acting smug saying "see we're still shite" as if it somehow validates their refusal to admit Archibald had turned utterly shite too. I think they'd be happy if we went down even though it proves absolutely nothing.