Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Kapowzer]

Maybe Erwin would have worked out for them if they got Skippy at the same time.

[Archie McSquackle]

Strangely, I commented recently that there wasn't much happening on here and there was more talk about Motherwell on the St. Mirren thread there was on here. A case of the pot calling the kettle black I think.

[rowsdower]

David Devine's birthday today, forgot we even had him.

[thisGRAEME]

19 hours ago, capt_oats said:

Just chucking this in here but Kaiyne Woolery looks like he's having a fucking brilliant holiday.

Bevis as well, and fair play.

[capt_oats]

Interesting Ben Banks article in the Record today talking about bringing new staff in.

Quote

"We strengthened our medical provision as we felt there was too much load on David Henderson (lead physiotherapist) and Andy Boles. We strengthened that structure as we didn't want to carry a big squad.

"Then Andy left in the winter break and we couldn't get our replacement in until towards the end of the season. A lot was loaded onto Callum Davidson (performance therapist) so we went about four months understaffed there.

"Then there was Keith Lasley and Craig Hinchcliffe. Fair play to Craig, he had agreed to go to Dundee United but wanted to fulfil his duties here before going.

"I was told before I joined that Motherwell is constantly recruiting, mainly players, but staff as well."

"I don't come with a lot of staff so Chris [Lucketti] is really important to me.

"We have a brilliant working relationship, and a personal one. We now need to go again as people have gone to different roles and different places. We need not only player recruitment, but staff.

"I was made aware of these challenges before I joined.

"Staff recruitment is harder than player recruitment.There's good people out there but we work so, so much together.

"We work every day morning until night. It's a really challenging career, coaching and managing. You need to have good people around you.

"We have spoken to a couple of people so we have ideas. I'm sure we will get the right people in but if that needs to take a bit of time, I'm happy to take it, rather than make a wrong decision.

"I'd rather it be the right person. They need to fit in with Motherwell too. That is important."

Link

He's also saying in The Herald that the squad was a bit too big last season.

Quote

“When I got here there was an extremely big squad. 

“We trimmed it down last summer, but I still felt it was too big. This season is different because of that break for the World Cup. You are only getting the group ready for 15-20 games before that break. 

“That will give us time to assess whether we need to improve the squad. We had a few players on the fringes last season, some not even involved in the matchday squad. 

“Players can become demotivated. There has to be a balance. But we won’t sign players just for the sake of it. 

“Our players look after themselves really well and the sports science we have is good but it’s really more about the mental side of things."

Link

[well fan for life]

1 hour ago, thisGRAEME said:

Bevis as well, and fair play.

Who is the photographer appears to be the question people want answered.

[Busta Nut]

9 hours ago, rowsdower said:

David Devine's birthday today, forgot we even had him.

21, I suspect we won't see much of him.

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

 

He's also saying in The Herald that the squad was a bit too big last season.

Reading between the lines there, we won't see much action until January on squad additions.

[capt_oats]

3 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

Reading between the lines there, we won't see much action until January on squad additions.

Aye that's how I read it as well. We'll be looking at adding a couple this summer then see how it goes.

The headline is also a bit misleading (not the journo's fault) in saying "Alexander could pad out Motherwell squad" - he explicitly says that the initial 20 games should let us see whether we actually need to make any additions or not.

Either way it seems like the folk over on Steelmen who are working themselves into a shoot wanting another half a dozen in and complete rebuild are going to be disappointed.

[ropy]

In the outside chance that we make it through to the group stages in Europe we may see some business done in the last week of August.

[Swello]

7 minutes ago, ropy said:

In the outside chance that we make it through to the group stages in Europe we may see some business done in the last week of August.

I would imagine outdoing our seeding and getting to the playoffs would allow us to bring someone else in. 

I agree with the idea of not bringing in hordes of players and working with a smaller squad - but I'm kind of surprised if the manager doesn't know if we need to make additions now or not - there can't be too many surprises in the current squad (and he tended to play all of them in any given fortnight). January is also by all accounts the more difficult window to get what you need. 

[ropy]

5 minutes ago, Swello said:

I would imagine outdoing our seeding and getting to the playoffs would allow us to bring someone else in. 

I agree with the idea of not bringing in hordes of players and working with a smaller squad - but I'm kind of surprised if the manager doesn't know if we need to make additions now or not - there can't be too many surprises in the current squad (and he tended to play all of them in any given fortnight). January is also by all accounts the more difficult window to get what you need. 

My thought is more that the extra games would require extra bodies against the risk of running the existing squad ragged.

[santheman]

I find it quite a refreshing change from the usual pre season signing speculation that we normally have.

Although it's quite exciting hearing about hordes of new players coming in and the discussions about their merits or otherwise, its been years since we've had any kind of continuity with the squad and it'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

We can keep the pitch chat going for a while yet.

[well fan for life]

Just now, santheman said:

I find it quite a refreshing change from the usual pre season signing speculation that we normally have.

 

[Kapowzer]

When I’ve read all his stuff over the past week or so I kinda hope he’s being modest about the number of positions he needs filled. I noted he said positions rather than using “players” in all interviews.

”A couple” undoubtedly when prioritised would be left back and centre half, which I wouldn’t be upset with two bodies coming in, but I think Ojala would have to walk first.

We’re still a defensive midfielder shy unless Maguire, Cornelius or Slattery is expected to fill the Donnelly role to stop the squad bloating.

As for upfront, my top three would be KVV, Shields and Woolery from who’s available but again an injection of quality and competition here especially when we’re due a wee UEFA windfall would be welcome.

10 minutes ago, Swello said:

I would imagine outdoing our seeding and getting to the playoffs would allow us to bring someone else in. 

I’d hope minimum of €650k and higher than budgeted SPFL prize money would be given to Alexander to strengthen, otherwise what’s the reward for finishing 5th? Holding off till the playoff round ….. is it giving us a fighting chance of progressing past Q3?

As mentioned before, we’ve not really got any loanees of decent pedigree or note in recent years which is a surprise. Other premier league clubs have benefitted as a conduit to competitive game time for EPL hopefuls.

As we head off to Austria In less than a fortnight you’d hope there were additions made in advance to benefit from bedding in and bonding.

[Handsome_Devil]

18 minutes ago, Swello said:

I agree with the idea of not bringing in hordes of players and working with a smaller squad - but I'm kind of surprised if the manager doesn't know if we need to make additions now or not - there can't be too many surprises in the current squad (and he tended to play all of them in any given fortnight). January is also by all accounts the more difficult window to get what you need. 

He might consider it is impossible to know yet on some - we hope that Shields and Woolery, with a full season behind them, can kick on now and become bigger contributors, we hope that Tierney can play 90 minutes regularly, we hope that whatever happened to SOD around this time last year is cured and so on. Maybe even Ojala regains fitness (ok, I took that too far). There are a lot of, shall we say 'maybes' in our squad and if the majority turn out positive I think we'll be looking very solid with only two-three new signings in summer. If it goes the other way though it's clear more work will need to be done - but I don't think giving it till November to see is a bad plan at all rather than committing early and being stuck with a 30 man squad again for the next 12-24 months.

[Handsome_Devil]

7 minutes ago, Kapowzer said:

I’d hope minimum of €650k and higher than budgeted SPFL prize money would be given to Alexander to strengthen, otherwise what’s the reward for finishing 5th? Holding off till the playoff round ….. is it giving us a fighting chance of progressing past Q3?

I would love us to get business done early and have a fighting chance in Q3 but I think the club will be realistic about our chances there even should we strengthen. From Kassiesa's list, Beer-Sheva who tonked us before (and we know to have a much bigger budget, group stage experience yada yada) are down as 17th seed from 27 and the two below them are Sparta Prague and Anderlecht, who on reputation at least you expect to rag doll us royally.

I absolutely agree we should be funneling as much of the 'extra' money into the team as possible but it should be with a view to the season as a whole and if that means waiting beyond Q3 then so be it. Unless we get an incredibly fortunate draw we'll be clear second favourites in that round and if we get one of the toughest teams then €650k is what they spend on the team Xmas dinner...I just don't see us spending anything significant to tip the odds marginally in a knock-out tie in these circumstances unless the draw (on July 18 - so there'd still be a bit of time) gives us a potential match with Flora Tallinn or someone else right at the bottom.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

I walked by Sol on Byres Road last night. I've obviously seen him up close at games etc but still, jesus f**k, man.

[Kapowzer]

I'm not advocating opening the wallet just for that one game against higher quality opposition. I'm just suggesting using some of what we've got to strengthen to at least give it a chance. McGinley starting and a bench with Goss and Efford on it does not inspire any confidence.

Getting players in early does not equate to a poorer standard than if we get them in later in the summer. A player secured for Q3 is with us to May 2023 at the earliest, that's 38 league games and you'd hope at least half a dozen in the cups.

While there was a bit of a gulf this season, I'd look at the targeted next step for us would be to get closer to and potentially challenge Hearts and not be papped out the cup by Dundee and Hibs. Europe is a lucrative but very tough sideline. Progression in the ECL brings with it cash windfalls beyond what a Cup Final would bring domestically. However, we need to show up on our best day and we've not been on song at all under Alexanders tenure.

I'd be surprised if Spittals wage isn't covered by and large by O'Hara's now he's off the books. A top end starter for us must command around the £3k a week/£150k a season mark. If we do secure the couple of positions Alexander talks about, I'd be wondering what's happening with the extra +£500k that must be in the coffers.

There's nowhere that says you can't do your business before Q3 and do it well. Of course some players will hold off to exhaust all opportunities and come deadline day some may take offers they wouldn't have countenanced months before and we could benefit from that. But as conveyed in countless articles and reference sources, UK based footballers are getting snapped up because of Brexit. I don't see the same number being around in late August as previous years.

[Busta Nut]

I know folk aren't getting their hopes up but we've fuckin no chance of getting to the group stages.

[well fan for life]

31 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

I walked by Sol on Byres Road last night. I've obviously seen him up close at games etc but still, jesus f**k, man.

Sadly I don't think the big man was at The Avalanches. Probably for the best because nobody would have paid attention to the gig.