Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Al B]

3 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Anyone else finding themselves more invested in games again? Probably a combination of the novelty factor around a new manager as well as the 6 point fiasco tightening things up again significantly but I'm actually finding myself paying full attention to games and anxiously checking the league table during the week again after basically watching the first half of the season in autopilot.

Absolutely. I do feel that in a lot of ways Robinsons Motherwell career was a casualty of Covid, I liked him (although I did feel it was time for a change) and so I felt a bit bad about it, but I said the day after he resigned that it was the first time in ages I'd felt any kind of excitement about the football.

[dezz]

Anyone else finding themselves more invested in games again? Probably a combination of the novelty factor around a new manager as well as the 6 point fiasco tightening things up again significantly but I'm actually finding myself paying full attention to games and anxiously checking the league table during the week again after basically watching the first half of the season in autopilot.

Yeah, I’d go along with that. I was glued to the game today and last week. Earlier today I even went as far as checking what the other teams in the bottom 6 fixtures are like over the coming weeks. Contrast that to games during November and December when I was just glancing up at the games when I heard Jock Brown getting excited and spent most of the 90 mins amusing myself on Twitter or P&B.

As you say, I think the uptick in enthusiasm is down to a combination of factors; new manager, a couple of positive results/performances, new signings coming in, and the fact there’s only 5 points separating the bottom half of the table.

Unfortunately I don’t see any way where we’ll get fans back inside stadiums before the season finishes but if there’s even a glimmer of a chance that some sort of crowd could be in come April/May time, my enthusiasm levels would take another jump.

[Gallus Numpty]

3 hours ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Anyone else finding themselves more invested in games again?

A wee bit, though I'll never be anywhere near as invested living abroad as I was back home. A new manager always brings the promise of something different and hopefully better to watch, and it's particularly nice to have one that half the support hasn't immediately taken an irrational dislike to.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

The Herald is claiming today that Dundee Utd are in for Gallagher too. As much as that might a bit of sense with him living up there, I wish they'd make their mind up if they are skint or not! It also mentions Aberdeen and QPR. 3 more games till the auto-extension...

[Swello]

What I didn't understand was the talk of Utd offering him a pre-contract. Presumably a pre-contract would only be possible if he doesn't trigger the extension in 3 games time and so surely the choice is to leave in January for a fee or leave in the summer for a ( presumably) larger fee. Obviously hidden option 3 is that he triggers a sore leg and doesn't play until next season, ruling him out of the Euro's.

Am I missing something?

[capt_oats]

9 minutes ago, Swello said:

What I didn't understand was the talk of Utd offering him a pre-contract. Presumably a pre-contract would only be possible if he doesn't trigger the extension in 3 games time and so surely the choice is to leave in January for a fee or leave in the summer for a ( presumably) larger fee. Obviously hidden option 3 is that he triggers a sore leg and doesn't play until next season, ruling him out of the Euro's.

Am I missing something?

That's the only way I can see that the auto-extension is an issue. If the option is on his side he can just choose not to take it up and there's no problem for him.

Alternatively his Mr 20% is just running to the papers with a story and isn't that bothered if it joins up.

Live scenes from Fir Park...

Edited January 18, 2021 by capt_oats

[RiG]

Jordan White is being linked with some kind of move to County. Only really being reported on Twitter by some "fly on the wall" Twitter account which is sometimes spot on and other times it's miles off. One to keep an eye on potentially.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

The bit that I don't get is this - he's currently got less than six months left on his deal, so he can negotiate with other clubs. He's played 22 league games, so he's 3 away from the auto-extension. What happens if he signs a pre-contract, today for arguments sake, then goes on to play our next three games to trigger the extension. Is the pre-contract he signed still legally binding? Have been trying to get my head round that scenario for a couple of weeks.

[well fan for life]

You'd be pretty fucked off if your employer came round saying you needed to take a wage cut for a while in order to keep the place in business, only for them to then start throwing money at a new guy to come in as one of the highest earners, eh. 

[LiviLion]

25 minutes ago, Swello said:

What I didn't understand was the talk of Utd offering him a pre-contract. Presumably a pre-contract would only be possible if he doesn't trigger the extension in 3 games time and so surely the choice is to leave in January for a fee or leave in the summer for a ( presumably) larger fee. Obviously hidden option 3 is that he triggers a sore leg and doesn't play until next season, ruling him out of the Euro's.

Am I missing something?

 

8 minutes ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

The bit that I don't get is this - he's currently got less than six months left on his deal, so he can negotiate with other clubs. He's played 22 league games, so he's 3 away from the auto-extension. What happens if he signs a pre-contract, today for arguments sake, then goes on to play our next three games to trigger the extension. Is the pre-contract he signed still legally binding? Have been trying to get my head round that scenario for a couple of weeks.

Pre contracts aren't worth anything. He could sign one then still trigger the extension, just means his PCA gets ripped up (and Motherwell potentially pay a tiny bit of compensation, depending on what the SFA/SPFL decide the rules are that week).

A good few years ago we had Callum Elliot set to join at the end of the season, playing for Alloa at the time and after one of their games on Alba he was talking about how excited he was to join etc. Fast forward a month or so and Raith announced him.

Edited January 18, 2021 by LiviLion

[Ludo*1]

Just now, well fan for life said:

You'd be pretty fucked off if your employer came round saying you needed to take a wage cut for a while in order to keep the place in business, only for them to then start throwing money at a new guy to come in as one of the highest earners, eh. 

It didn't stop them with McNulty or Fuchs.

[Ludo*1]

1 minute ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

The bit that I don't get is this - he's currently got less than six months left on his deal, so he can negotiate with other clubs. He's played 22 league games, so he's 3 away from the auto-extension. What happens if he signs a pre-contract, today for arguments sake, then goes on to play our next three games to trigger the extension. Is the pre-contract he signed still legally binding? Have been trying to get my head round that scenario for a couple of weeks.

What's to stop him just refusing to play if the auto-extension is enforced?

[well fan for life]

1 minute ago, Ludo*1 said:

It didn't stop them with McNulty or Fuchs.

Aye. Did they not announce McNulty less than 24 hours after the pay cut was agreed?

Just now, Ludo*1 said:

What's to stop him just refusing to play if the auto-extension is enforced?

I mean nothing, really. But you'd have to imagine his chances of going to the Euros would be out the window if he downs tools completely. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by well fan for life

[Swello]

2 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

What's to stop him just refusing to play if the auto-extension is enforced?

He fucks his chances of playing the euros.

[welldaft]

9 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

What's to stop him just refusing to play if the auto-extension is enforced?

He would almost certainly miss the Euros and if he is not playing at all his options are probably more limited than if he played. (swello beat me to it..) 

I like Big Deccy. He has been very good for us and at 29/30 I would quite happy if he got a life changing (earnings wise) move. But that all depends if anyone comes in for him and what they are prepared to pay. If he only had 6 months left and signed a pre contract then we would probably take £300-500k and let him move on this window assuming we could get an able replacement. Otherwise he is worth more to us in a relegation battle. 

If this auto trigger is a thing then we have a Scotland International starter for another 1.5 years. That makes  difficult for us to accept anything less than £750k to £1m+. I mean Celtic are apparently paying £2m for Duffy for a year ! 

We will find out soon enough..

Edited January 18, 2021 by welldaft

[Ludo*1]

4 minutes ago, Swello said:

He fucks his chances of playing the euros.

That's idealistic.

[Mitch]

This is a bit of a nightmare scenario for us with Gallagher.
1. He refuses to play to avoid triggering the contract and we are left with a high earner in the stands when we are up to our neck in the shit.
2. We punt him in January for a nominal fee and we bring in a replacement (unlikely to be to the same standard as Gallagher).
3. We agree to allow him to leave in the summer and not trigger the extension.

I’m probably in the option 3 position. Whilst we are a club that relies on transfer income, having him available and focused between now and the end of the season is key. Having him sitting in the stands refusing to play is a nightmare scenario for everyone. Don’t think there is any solution that is perfect for us!

[Ludo*1]

Just now, welldaft said:

He would almost certainly miss the Euros and if he is not playing at all his options are probably more limited than if he played. 

I like Big Deccy. He has been very good for us and at 29/30 I would quite happy if he got a life changing (earnings wise) move. But that all depends if anyone comes in for him and what they are prepared to pay. If he only had 6 months left and signed a pre contract then we would probably take £300-500k and let him move on this window ass7ming we could get an able replacement. Otherwise he is worth more to us in a relegation battle. 

If this auto trigger is a thing then we have a Scotland International starter for another 1.5 years. That makes  difficultl for us to accept anything less than £750 to £1m+. I mean Celtic are apparently paying £2m for Duffy for a year ! 

We will find out soon enough..

Again, idealistic. If Clarke thinks he's one of the best options at CH, he'll be in the squad. A contract dispute won't stop that even if it means a lack of playing time.

There's also not a chance you're getting £300-500k for a player that's about to turn 30 with 6 month to go on his contract.

Gallagher holds the cards here.

[Swello]

4 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

That's idealistic.

You think Clarke would pick someone in June who hasn't kicked a ball since January (and may even have been training on his own) - can't really see it TBH.

[welldaft]

1 minute ago, Ludo*1 said:

Again, idealistic. If Clarke thinks he's one of the best options at CH, he'll be in the squad. A contract dispute won't stop that even if it means a lack of playing time.

There's also not a chance you're getting £300-500k for a player that's about to turn 30 with 6 month to go on his contract.

Gallagher holds the cards here.

There might not be a chance but if we go down that will cost us £1m + assuming it is for only one season. Several million if longer. 

We would rather have arguably our best player in these next few crucial months than take less than £250k. Does not Even begin to make sense. 

And you like the media are commenting that he only has 6 months left. This auto extension may be bullsh1t but the info seems fairly detailed and no one has disputed it which I am quite sure an agent would do...