Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

['WellDel]

59 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

Much like others here changing the day of this game is nae hassle for me. I haven't made any plans.

However changing the fixture on 4 days notice when it isn't an emergency is fucking farcical.

The short notice, I'm sure, is the main gripe for most.  I've got a day out planned for Saturday, then football and a couple of curers on Sunday. I can change it and will still get along, but 4 days notice is just pish. As one man a complete irrelevance to the decision makers, but a pain in the arse for me. There will be others in a similar position, but likewise there will also be those who couldn't make Sunday who would now be able to attend on Saturday. There will also be some season ticket holders who might not be able to attend due to work commitments etc if days swapped who will rightly be miffed at missing out and losing value on their tickets. Again though, small numbers and not really a consideration in the scheme of things.

The time for Rangers to voice any concerns over dates/times was when the post-split fixtures were being drawn up. They already knew the dates for the European games should they progress, and that there is a 50/50 chance each week of themselves or Celtic being given the Sunday tv slot. A simple bit of foresight and pre-planning from them, the beaks at Hampden, and Sky could have prevented the whole palaver in the first place. Useless c***s the lot of them.

[Casagolda]

Recruitment

Came across this interview from our head of recruitment which I thought was quite intriguing. Seems like we could be going back down the Scandinavian route again this summer.

Also thought the line - “This is still a new team… and you will have some bumps in the road putting it together. For us there was a plan in place last summer, but the plan did not necessarily come together.” - was quite interesting. 

Wonder what the general consensus of our summer recruitment is now. It seemed to flip flop throughout the season depending on how we were playing at the time but overall it seems to have gone alright?

January however definitely felt like more of a lucky dip and I’m not sure any of them would truly be considered a success. Big Victor’s played once, Shaw has hardly played and despite a few goals Efford has been far from convincing. 

Suppose you could argue they all looked like short term measures though while the one long term investment in Tierney would probably be the only success. 

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, Casagolda said:

Recruitment

Came across this interview from our head of recruitment which I thought was quite intriguing. Seems like we could be going back down the Scandinavian route again this summer.

Also thought the line - “This is still a new team… and you will have some bumps in the road putting it together. For us there was a plan in place last summer, but the plan did not necessarily come together.” - was quite interesting. 

Wonder what the general consensus of our summer recruitment is now. It seemed to flip flop throughout the season depending on how we were playing at the time but overall it seems to have gone alright?

January however definitely felt like more of a lucky dip and I’m not sure any of them would truly be considered a success. Big Victor’s played once, Shaw has hardly played and despite a few goals Efford has been far from convincing. 

Suppose you could argue they all looked like short term measures though while the one long term investment in Tierney would probably be the only success. 

My take on January was that it was really dictated by the market in so much as we're pretty much limited in what we can do in that particular window. Do we have the means to directly replace the league's top scorer (at the time) in January? Probably not.

In fact, losing our top scorer in December is another parallel between this season and Robinson's 17/18 (less the 12 cup finals). Our slump this year arrived later than Robinson's December where he went 1 win in 11 in the league around the Celtic Trilogy.

It feels like we've brought Efford in to take a look and see what he can do. The 18 month deal isn't a massive commitment. In fact it's really the equivalent of giving big Justin his year given the timing/circumstances.

It's interesting you mention Tierney as a long term investment and being the only January recruit we'd call a success given it's been confirmed by both player and club that we actually wanted him in last Summer but Bohs wanted to keep him til the end of their season.

In that respect all our "long term" recruitment seems to have been done in the summer.

It'll be interesting to see if the profile we're looking at for this summer remains the same given Alexander's had a year in Scottish fitba.

Edited April 19, 2022 by capt_oats

[thisGRAEME]

Any word on how that consultation went?

[Doctor Manhattan]

I’m currently sat in a bar near Loch Lomond listening to some fat p***k in shorts with an RFC tattoo on his calf talking about how it’s teams like Motherwell that hold Scottish football back. If you don’t hear from me again for a while it means I’ve let a few pints cloud my judgement and engaged with him on the subject,  and am either in the jail or in hospital (he’s a bit of a big c**t.)

[Handsome_Devil]

Re the transfer stuff...I think our recruitment last summer was largely ok. Mixed bag with some tricky ones. SSJ has looked absolutely honking recently but prior to Xmas he was fine. Is it his true self coming through or is he just unsettled in a poor team out of form? Ojala was clearly quality, if we'd got even 25 games out of him you could say fair do's but that last injury looks like it sent him to the glue factory. Bad recruitment, bad luck or a worthwhile punt which didn't quite work?

Shields and Woolery both have potential and I can understand that on a medium-term plan, there are bumps  and you need to give guys time to make the step up. I think - in theory at least - we all prefer that to the one-year deals given to 20 players plan of previously and we'll try to take X many steps forward in summer.

What I understand less is that we didn't adapt our plan when we saw our situation in January. Not only were we fourth but we were fourth in a season when two of the three clubs we want to challenge against were clearly having absolute shiters...at that point I think we could have been a bit bolder and gambled a little as these chances don't come around every year. Europe was absolutely there for the taking even if you think investing in the hope of a cup run is a risk too far.

I can understand us not being able to replace Watt directly but there's largely the impression we didn't even try. In contrast there was a hint of realisation we needed a genuine second striker with the interest in Rudden - now I'm not that fussed we didn't break the bank for him in particular but having apparently looked seriously at him was there really no one - absolutely no one - we could have got on loan, free, or for a small fee with a similar profile who could have complemented what we had? Instead Efford just replicated what we basically were getting, to varying degrees, from Roberts, Woolery, Amaluzor, and Shields.

[Mr Pikey]

After their shithousery with the Ibrox play off tickets  ,we should never ,ever do these c***s a favour over anything. Tell them to get to f**k.

[Swello]

50 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said:

Any word on how that consultation went?

I'm more fucked off about this than I probably should be. 

I'm in the really annoying position of being totally disillusioned with "fan ownership" - but not being enough of a dick to cancel my monthly subs.

[ropy]

30 minutes ago, Doctor Manhattan said:

I’m currently sat in a bar near Loch Lomond listening to some fat p***k in shorts with an RFC tattoo on his calf talking about how it’s teams like Motherwell that hold Scottish football back. If you don’t hear from me again for a while it means I’ve let a few pints cloud my judgement and engaged with him on the subject,  and am either in the jail or in hospital (he’s a bit of a big c**t.)

Has he developed his argument any?

[Kapowzer]

1 hour ago, Casagolda said:

Recruitment

Came across this interview from our head of recruitment which I thought was quite intriguing. Seems like we could be going back down the Scandinavian route again this summer.

Also thought the line - “This is still a new team… and you will have some bumps in the road putting it together. For us there was a plan in place last summer, but the plan did not necessarily come together.” - was quite interesting. 

Wonder what the general consensus of our summer recruitment is now. It seemed to flip flop throughout the season depending on how we were playing at the time but overall it seems to have gone alright?

January however definitely felt like more of a lucky dip and I’m not sure any of them would truly be considered a success. Big Victor’s played once, Shaw has hardly played and despite a few goals Efford has been far from convincing. 

Suppose you could argue they all looked like short term measures though while the one long term investment in Tierney would probably be the only success. 

 

Really interesting article. I'd be interested to know how many other SPFL clubs went to this networking event. Maybe it will pay dividends, certainly building rapport and pressing palms (or elbows) is how the world works. Using the SPFL as a means to end up in England is one we need to exploit especially as home grown players will seemingly be more scarce.

Safe to say Goss was brought in as a result of the summer plan not "coming together", reading the Barrow forum, it seems Robbie Gotts would have been a perfect Alan Campbell replacement, his youth pedigree seems to be showing there and they are very complimentary.

Elsewhere, Woolery must be a bit miffed at how Efford has bumped him out the starting lineup.

A big thing was made of players (Mugabi was cited) who can play in a few different roles at the AGM. McGinley has been retained because I can only think replacing him with another British based player was seen to be an issue.

What is fact, we're losing O'Hara, mibbies Lamie, I'd be surprised if Grimmy, Nirennold, Roberts and Amaluzor are retained. I think Grezza values Donnelly seen by his perseverance with him.

I'm unhappy that because we shifted our policy there's a few players hanging around for another year. But it's swings and roundabouts, you can't have everything. If they all worked out then I'd have no issue with them on the books. Based on what I've saw I'd be saying to Ojala, Carroll, Goss, (and before he resigned McGinley) that if they want first team football we are OK if they wish to go and find it elsewhere.

Not that this exemptions panel quotas but maybe worthwhile unloading as many of our foreign players as possible to be deemed to have too many.

My summer shopping list in the following order would be:

1. Left Back - Don't really need to qualify this.
2. Central Defenders x2 - Shipped goals since Xmas and it needs addressed. Ojala slow and crocked, Lamie off? Mugabi may have to be used at RB increasingly and Sol blows hot and cold. O'Connor at QotS will have to be retained if he is deemed a prospect. Devine got the tools to step up?
3. Midfielders x2 - Maguire coming back may be a bonus but he really needs to fulfill his potential, O'Hara offski, Goss I don't rate, shirks 50:50's and used like Koeman, Cornelius good but form will fluctuate and needs backup, Tierney skillful but lightweight and he could be a battler but can't see Grezza employing him in that role.
4. Forward - Only because we're likely to lose Amaluzor & Roberts .... but have gained Mahon but is he first team ready?

Due to lose/release 7 probably, I'd happily say goodbye to 3 more contracted and bring in 6 of better quality with those 10 wages.

 

['WellDel]

Think your 6 for 10 ratio in incomings/outgoings is about right @Kapowzer. Alexander cited the uncertainties around covid for carrying a slightly bloated squad, and some on the books are obviously hopeful punts as filler that haven't been up to scratch.

Along with those like Grimshaw whose time here has come to an end, it's time to to move them on and see Daws' worth in who we have in our sights. Get the dead wood and fringe players out and use the money to replace them with fewer, but better quality additions.

[beesher]

I'm a bit scunnered with this as I had arranged to go to hospitality with a few friends, had to cancel as I work on a Saturday.

Also twitter **** giving it claiming it's because we need the 'blue pound' so we do as we are told, has turned me into a seething mess.

[Doctor Manhattan]

1 hour ago, ropy said:

Has he developed his argument any?

It’s not so much an argument, more a world view, and like debating with a flat earther it’s best just to save your breath. In the end I let discretion be the better part of valour and opted instead for a passive aggressive approach where I discussed Neanderthals with my wife in the context of the surrounding geology. I doubt he even noticed. 

[Doctor Manhattan]

1 minute ago, beesher said:

Also twitter **** giving it claiming it's because we need the 'blue pound' so we do as we are told, has turned me into a seething mess.

Aye, that’s some of the shite I’ve just been listening to. 

[Mr. Brightside]

Why are we doing these c***s a favour? What a fucking joke.

[bennett]

Never expected this, fair play Motherwell. 

 

 

['WellDel]

44 minutes ago, beesher said:

I'm a bit scunnered with this as I had arranged to go to hospitality with a few friends, had to cancel as I work on a Saturday.

Also twitter **** giving it claiming it's because we need the 'blue pound' so we do as we are told, has turned me into a seething mess.

Would we not still have got their blue pound if the game had went ahead as planned on the Sunday, like? Fucking morons.

Edit to add - also the same as we needed the blue pound when we played them at their own game and halved their allocation in the play off game? Just our club bring civilised and charitable, an alien concept to a lot of those mouth breathers.

Edited April 19, 2022 by 'WellDel

[Swello]

Not a good day for petty b*****ds that also hate VAR.

[Self-raising Lazarus]

2 hours ago, Doctor Manhattan said:

I’m currently sat in a bar near Loch Lomond listening to some fat p***k in shorts with an RFC tattoo on his calf talking about how it’s teams like Motherwell that hold Scottish football back. If you don’t hear from me again for a while it means I’ve let a few pints cloud my judgement and engaged with him on the subject,  and am either in the jail or in hospital (he’s a bit of a big c**t.)

Given I'm near the Loch, any disposal services can be arranged.......

[Richie]

Meh.
I'll probably go now as its the Sat.
In the grand scheme of things its not an unreasonable position for the club to take.
For all that us fans want to get it right round them, you need to take a step back a bit when making the decisions.