The Partick Thistle thread

[banditjag]

19 hours ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

All this desperate signings because McCall has made a complete arse of it.

Can't agree. Any manager would be struggling under these circumstances. I hoped for better too but he was gaining momentum when last season was stopped and imo performances were improving. Season ended and well we all know what happened, this meant another re build for L1. Building a team for championship and L1 are completely different things. We were also gaining momentum when this season was suspended and performances improved but, yes, goals were a problem and seeing games out, but were better than when the season started.

So it is clear you don't rate nor want McCall, I'm not his apologist nor number 1 fan, I'd hoped for better but believe he is doing ok and should stick with it until end of next season. Clearly you have other ideas? Who would you want to replace him?

[Nightmare]

1 hour ago, banditjag said:

Can't agree. Any manager would be struggling under these circumstances. I hoped for better too but he was gaining momentum when last season was stopped and imo performances were improving. Season ended and well we all know what happened, this meant another re build for L1. Building a team for championship and L1 are completely different things. We were also gaining momentum when this season was suspended and performances improved but, yes, goals were a problem and seeing games out, but were better than when the season started.

So it is clear you don't rate nor want McCall, I'm not his apologist nor number 1 fan, I'd hoped for better but believe he is doing ok and should stick with it until end of next season. Clearly you have other ideas? Who would you want to replace him?

We hadn’t won in any of the 10 games in 2020 before the season was curtailed by COVID.

We’d also only scored 3 goals in the 5 fixtures prior to the recent postponement of the league, and were left sitting in 5th place in this dogshit division.

I really can’t agree at all about this momentum we were apparently gaining on either occasion.

[Jacky1990]

18 hours ago, Fuctifano said:

He retired in his early 20s after leaving us, Niall Keown appears to have done the same (tho he did technically play for St J after us, he was on loan from us). 

Thistle - we'll make you want to pack it in. 

Keown is such a bizarre one. Nearly two years out the game.

I know he ended up being shite for us, but he proven in his first spell that there was a player there. Even if it would end up being at English National League level or something. Given his age, Ireland U21 caps, came through a decent academy, Scottish Prem experience and who his dad is, you'd have thought some no mark club down south would have taken a punt on him by now.

[VictorOnopko]

7 minutes ago, Nightmare said:

We hadn’t won in any of the 10 games in 2020 before the season was curtailed by COVID.

We’d also only scored 3 goals in the 5 fixtures prior to the recent postponement of the league, and were left sitting in 5th place in this dogshit division.

I really can’t agree at all about this momentum we were apparently gaining on either occasion.

Couldn't agree more.  We were rank rotten before things were halted, and the best we can hope for here is that we come out of the enforced break in less of a shambles than December, perhaps with a tiny edge over some of the teams around us just because we're full time.  A few signings of journeymen and schoolkids and the usual long injury list are unlikely to give us much of a boost.  We're not getting out this division (in an upward direction) until we start scoring a lot more goals.

[Jacky1990]

1 hour ago, banditjag said:

Can't agree. Any manager would be struggling under these circumstances. I hoped for better too but he was gaining momentum when last season was stopped and imo performances were improving. Season ended and well we all know what happened, this meant another re build for L1. Building a team for championship and L1 are completely different things. We were also gaining momentum when this season was suspended and performances improved but, yes, goals were a problem and seeing games out, but were better than when the season started.

So it is clear you don't rate nor want McCall, I'm not his apologist nor number 1 fan, I'd hoped for better but believe he is doing ok and should stick with it until end of next season. Clearly you have other ideas? Who would you want to replace him?

In the last 4 games, we won 1, drew 2 and lost 1. We didnt score in 3 of those games. The game we won was against the bottom side. In those games we lost at home to Peterhead and drew nil nil against Dumbarton. It would barely be "gaining momentum" if we were trying to pull away from the relegation zone, never mind being a team who should be aiming for top spot or a title challenge at the very least. It is delusional to think otherwise.

I generally like McCall and I do think he is the best man for the job. However that doesnt change the fact that he has now had over a year in charge and we are worse than when he took over. You can think McCall is the right man but acknowledge he has been a disappointment since he took charge.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Jacky1990

[oneteaminglasgow]

30 minutes ago, VictorOnopko said:

Couldn't agree more.  We were rank rotten before things were halted, and the best we can hope for here is that we come out of the enforced break in less of a shambles than December, perhaps with a tiny edge over some of the teams around us just because we're full time.  A few signings of journeymen and schoolkids and the usual long injury list are unlikely to give us much of a boost.  We're not getting out this division (in an upward direction) until we start scoring a lot more goals.

You’d think that we should have more squad depth, particularly with the lowland league boys coming in, and that should give us an advantage if everyone’s playing twice a week, every week for the foreseeable. 

[banditjag]

1 hour ago, Nightmare said:

We hadn’t won in any of the 10 games in 2020 before the season was curtailed by COVID.

We’d also only scored 3 goals in the 5 fixtures prior to the recent postponement of the league, and were left sitting in 5th place in this dogshit division.

I really can’t agree at all about this momentum we were apparently gaining on either occasion.

That's your right nightmare. All about opinions.

I hope you'd agree that results don't always tell an exact story. And I did submit we are lacking goals.

Who would you bring in to replace McCall?

[banditjag]

57 minutes ago, Jacky1990 said:

In the last 4 games, we won 1, drew 2 and lost 1. We didnt score in 3 of those games. The game we won was against the bottom side. In those games we lost at home to Peterhead and drew nil nil against Dumbarton. It would barely be "gaining momentum" if we were trying to pull away from the relegation zone, never mind being a team who should be aiming for top spot or a title challenge at the very least. It is delusional to think otherwise.

I generally like McCall and I do think he is the best man for the job. However that doesnt change the fact that he has now had over a year in charge and we are worse than when he took over. You can think McCall is the right man but acknowledge he has been a disappointment since he took charge.

Completely agree with your second para. Just my opinion in performances were going in the right direction. I don't expect everyone to agree, just how I saw it. I'd also submit this season is no season to judge anyone. Get this finished and he needs to start winning from day 1 of next season. Just to clarify, I'm not a huge fan of McCall and acknowledge the failings but in the absence of any alternative? If he left today I wouldn't be bothered but we need to have a plan B which seems to have been beyond our last few boards. 

[Highlandmagar]

3 hours ago, banditjag said:

Can't agree. Any manager would be struggling under these circumstances. I hoped for better too but he was gaining momentum when last season was stopped and imo performances were improving. Season ended and well we all know what happened, this meant another re build for L1. Building a team for championship and L1 are completely different things. We were also gaining momentum when this season was suspended and performances improved but, yes, goals were a problem and seeing games out, but were better than when the season started.

So it is clear you don't rate nor want McCall, I'm not his apologist nor number 1 fan, I'd hoped for better but believe he is doing ok and should stick with it until end of next season. Clearly you have other ideas? Who would you want to replace him?

His record was better under the players he inherited from Caldwell than from the players he has brought in over two transfer windows. At best those signings have been underwhelming.  And this jobs for the boys stuff, Britton, Archibald and the return of Erskine is appalling.  We are a badly run club and McCall is part of that. I was delighted when he came back. But, he has utterly failed.

[banditjag]

19 minutes ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

His record was better under the players he inherited from Caldwell than from the players he has brought in over two transfer windows. At best those signings have been underwhelming.  And this jobs for the boys stuff, Britton, Archibald and the return of Erskine is appalling.  We are a badly run club and McCall is part of that. I was delighted when he came back. But, he has utterly failed.

You're well entitled to your opinion. I'm disappointed too but not as much as yourself. I didn't and still don't think archie should be anywhere near the club and his influence on tactics is undeniable.

On the Caldwell point, some yes some I'd say no but would point out Caldwell was a buffoon, McDonald papers up the  cracks of his other signings. And he had more cash to spend. It can be argued that McCall has not had a proper summer transfer market, it has been blighted by this pandemic and so my main point remains that it isn't fair to judge on the last and this season as harshly as you are, but that's your right.

You're not offering an alternative. Who would you replace McCall with and Archiebald and Britton for that matter. I'm genuinely interested. It's one thing for us as fans to be shouting for a manger out, a backroom out, a board out but back it up with a plan, thoughts even on what manager we should expect or hope for. Clearly our board have no alternative plan but to press on regardless.

[Highlandmagar]

4 minutes ago, banditjag said:

You're well entitled to your opinion. I'm disappointed too but not as much as yourself. I didn't and still don't think archie should be anywhere near the club and his influence on tactics is undeniable.

On the Caldwell point, some yes some I'd say no but would point out Caldwell was a buffoon, McDonald papers up the  cracks of his other signings. And he had more cash to spend. It can be argued that McCall has not had a proper summer transfer market, it has been blighted by this pandemic and so my main point remains that it isn't fair to judge on the last and this season as harshly as you are, but that's your right.

You're not offering an alternative. Who would you replace McCall with and Archiebald and Britton for that matter. I'm genuinely interested. It's one thing for us as fans to be shouting for a manger out, a backroom out, a board out but back it up with a plan, thoughts even on what manager we should expect or hope for. Clearly our board have no alternative plan but to press on regardless.

Preferably someone NOT connected with the club. Stewart Petrie at Montrose for example. 

[dave.j]

6 hours ago, banditjag said:

Can't agree. Any manager would be struggling under these circumstances. I hoped for better too but he was gaining momentum when last season was stopped and imo performances were improving. Season ended and well we all know what happened, this meant another re build for L1. Building a team for championship and L1 are completely different things. We were also gaining momentum when this season was suspended and performances improved but, yes, goals were a problem and seeing games out, but were better than when the season started.

So it is clear you don't rate nor want McCall, I'm not his apologist nor number 1 fan, I'd hoped for better but believe he is doing ok and should stick with it until end of next season. Clearly you have other ideas? Who would you want to replace him?

Define "gaining momentum"

[dave.j]

Neil Scally must feel like the luckiest guy at the Club. Assistant Manager but never gets any blame.  Always the manager and coach who are at fault.

[Jacky1990]

5 hours ago, dave.j said:

Neil Scally must feel like the luckiest guy at the Club. Assistant Manager but never gets any blame.  Always the manager and coach who are at fault.

Tam OWare has got to run him close by getting a contract extension last year.

Dont get me started on Shea Gordon being lucky as all f**k to be able to call himself a professional footballer.

[dave.j]

2 hours ago, Jacky1990 said:

Tam OWare has got to run him close by getting a contract extension last year.

Dont get me started on Shea Gordon being lucky as all f**k to be able to call himself a professional footballer.

Or Ryan Williamson. As if by magic change from a Cab Horse to a Must Start. 

 

Or James Penrice. Never has a player failed to fulfill their promise or even failed to deliver, like Penrice. Been a mainstay in one of our worst periods in the history of the Club. But "he's one of our own", so all is forgiven. 

 

Edited to add, Joe "one good season left in him" Cardle. A guy who should have been thanked for his efforts and shown the door at the end of his first season.

And that's before we even fucking mention Spittal. Folk are actually gutted we didn't get him back in this window. Another one who should have been out the door when we got relegated never to return.

Christ, rhyming off these names, you'd be forgiven for thinking a lot of the Thistle Support have a strange acceptance of failure. But maybe that comes from the Top of the Club and seeps its way through the support, with every well crafted statement from the person who above all others is luckiest to still be at The Club. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by dave.j

[banditjag]

17 hours ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

Preferably someone NOT connected with the club. Stewart Petrie at Montrose for example. 

Good shout, very impressive record at Montrose and is a good fit there. I would wonder if he is settled there whether he has aspirations to by down in Glasgow. He did a fair amount of moving around whilst playing, apart from Australia he had always been an Angus lad. Being from Dundee he might have desires for managing at a higher level in tayside. He'd be an exciting prospect for us.

[banditjag]

15 hours ago, dave.j said:

Define "gaining momentum"

Improvement on the pitch. Better ball retention, better distribution, stronger at the back. The back line has improved very much since end of last season, beginning of this. It's far from perfect but was going in the right direction. Just how I saw it Dave.j

Plenty of room for improvement, especially in front of goal.

[banditjag]

7 hours ago, dave.j said:

Or Ryan Williamson. As if by magic change from a Cab Horse to a Must Start. 

 

Or James Penrice. Never has a player failed to fulfill their promise or even failed to deliver, like Penrice. Been a mainstay in one of our worst periods in the history of the Club. But "he's one of our own", so all is forgiven. 

 

Edited to add, Joe "one good season left in him" Cardle. A guy who should have been thanked for his efforts and shown the door at the end of his first season.

And that's before we even fucking mention Spittal. Folk are actually gutted we didn't get him back in this window. Another one who should have been out the door when we got relegated never to return.

Christ, rhyming off these names, you'd be forgiven for thinking a lot of the Thistle Support have a strange acceptance of failure. But maybe that comes from the Top of the Club and seeps its way through the support, with every well crafted statement from the person who above all others is luckiest to still be at The Club. 

Some good points, especially the last para. I've been wondering since the relegation from the premier season why there is such apathy at the club. I don't want to out words in your mouth but you seem to be saying it comes from the top, if so, I couldn't agree more. Is it perhaps also that there is a lack of passion in out support these days (pre covid), that infects the team on the pitch. There is a lack of direction within the board, poor communication, poor connection with fans. The chair has developed a relationship with a small core of our support and seems to have effectively build a defensive wall around herself.

In the past, two relegations would have resulted in her removal. f**k me she doesn't even have shares in the club. Do any of the board own shares? Have any of the board out their own money into the club like past custodians.

[dave.j]

57 minutes ago, banditjag said:

Improvement on the pitch. Better ball retention, better distribution, stronger at the back. The back line has improved very much since end of last season, beginning of this. It's far from perfect but was going in the right direction. Just how I saw it Dave.j

Plenty of room for improvement, especially in front of goal.

You know we're playing in a league full of Part Timers, right? 

Of the games we've played this season, I've yet to hear one mate, or read one poster claim after a game, bloody hell we were cracking today, we ran over the top of them, we played them off the park, XXX was unplayable today he tore them apart 

All phrases I would expect to hear, whilst playing in this godforsaken division 

[dave.j]

53 minutes ago, banditjag said:

Some good points, especially the last para. I've been wondering since the relegation from the premier season why there is such apathy at the club. I don't want to out words in your mouth but you seem to be saying it comes from the top, if so, I couldn't agree more. Is it perhaps also that there is a lack of passion in out support these days (pre covid), that infects the team on the pitch. There is a lack of direction within the board, poor communication, poor connection with fans. The chair has developed a relationship with a small core of our support and seems to have effectively build a defensive wall around herself.

In the past, two relegations would have resulted in her removal. f**k me she doesn't even have shares in the club. Do any of the board own shares? Have any of the board out their own money into the club like past custodians.

You've got the nail firmly on the head.

 

Every statement that comes out the club has been a rush to blame everyone else for our failings. Repeat repeat repeat. A club that never looks in the mirror.