Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[capt_oats]

1 hour ago, qpfc said:

I’ve noticed he doesn’t seem to be most popular player from what I’ve read online. Been to a couple of Motherwell games this season and seemed to play out wide and looked fairly out his depth. Any chance he’ll do a job in the championship? 

He had a good record in his season with QotS in the Championship and that was broadly what led to us taking a punt on him. So that's a positive off the bat.

It just hasn't happened for him at Motherwell though. Whether it's a case of him not being good enough for the step up or him just being poorly managed or a combination of both IDK.

The story goes that he chapped Alexander's door in the first few months of him being at the club asking about a loan back to the Championship and wanting clarification about game time. Alexander said he'd get his chance, was true to his word and played him.

This season he's kind of become a lightning rod for fans frustrations because he's been getting flung out on the park regardless of form largely because Hammell's not had any alternatives. Like many other players in the team his form has regressed wildly under Hammell (and it wasn't a high bar when Alexander was here) so his confidence looks absolutely shot.

Like others have said he has tools but I don't think either manager he's had in his time at the club have actually looked like they've had any idea how to use him.

I'd imagine he'll be fucking delighted to get away from the place tbh.

Edited January 31, 2023 by capt_oats

[capt_oats]

9 hours ago, William Williams said:

How can stmirren afford to take watt on loan when they are supposed to be as skint as we are 

Tbf, we're not skint.

It was broadly covered in the post-AGM discussion about our limitations of our model vs peer group clubs with owners willing to write off substantial losses but despite our loss at the end of the last financial year we had £4.2m+ cash in the bank - which was marginally more than at the close of 2021 (£4.1m).

For context in the accounts 10 years ago (2012) our cash at bank was £400k.

Our ownership/funding situation means we run with a limited pay structure at the club (relatively speaking) but that's a completely different thing to being skint.

I can't speak with any great authority on St Mirren's situation beyond what I've read in @Div's posts on here and on Twitter but it seems like they've been burning through cash. Their cash at the bank in their latest accounts was c.£900k vs £2.7m in 2021.

It was pre-Lasley but it's generally acknowledged that they threw stupid money at Brophy to get him to sign (which is why they were desperate to off-load him) and generally speaking it seems they've increased their wage budget.

It also explains why they seem to be cashing in on some of their assets just now.

Either way, in answer to the question, it's a case of how each club is prepared to use the budget they have available.

Edited January 31, 2023 by capt_oats

[stu92]

Fair bit of recency bias with regards Shields’ application/effort from some I think. There is no job or profession in the world where you are going to try harder or go the extra mile when you are taking the sort of abuse he takes from his own supporters. 

I like Conor and still think he can be a half decent top flight striker with a bit of confidence and played with the right partner. I hope he gets a few goals with Queens and comes back to make a go of it with us next season, but you can guarantee that if he leaves for good that he’ll score the winner against us next time he plays us. 

[thisGRAEME]

15 minutes ago, stu92 said:

but you can guarantee that if he leaves for good that he’ll score the winner against us next time he plays us. 

Will take any cash bet you like that he does not.

Unless a team figures out a way that he can run in a straight line past a keeper, he'll be a championship striker.

[Archie McSquackle]

You're confident we won't be playing championship football next season?

[capt_oats]

11 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Yer man Nixon says you've bid for Gerard Garner from Fleetwood Town.

I don't subscribe to his patreon either, it just turns out he titles his posts with their names and it shows up on the preview page 

https://www.patreon.com/ReluctantNicko

It seems we're one of 5 clubs interested in Garner.

Given Garner appears to be a Scouser currently playing for Fleetwood then we're not exactly the most local of options for him.

We're 100% going to f**k this up today aren't we?

[ropy]

We’ll do no business, recall Barry Maguire and get on with things.

[capt_oats]

[tonicg]

12 hours ago, ropy said:

Don’t rule out some overseas business, is Lee Erwin still kickin’ a baw? 

He finished top scorer in Finland’s top flight in 2022 and has now bagged 4 goals in two games for Al Ahed of Lebanon. 

[Swami]

Surely to f**k there’s some rumours of a midfield signing? I’m still not wanting Hammell sacked but if I need to watch the three of them fanny about and shite it out of tackles for the rest of the season then it’ll be clear he hasn’t got a sniff what he’s doing. Someone get on the phone to Celtic and ask for McCarthy and Turnbull. 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Cole Stockton still hasn't left Morecambe by the looks of things but I assume that rumour has died a death.

[Swello]

I know the way it works but the fact that we are on deadline day not needing a last signing to bolster the squad but are instead looking for multiple vital starting 11 signings and hoping that it all comes off is pretty worrying. Given that our problems were clear to everyone in December, going into February with a lot of same issues is far from ideal.

After seeing our midfield easily outfought and outplayed on Saturday yet again, I would settle for a defensive midfielder as our main priority as I think without one, we're simply not competitive.

Just because it's clear that our spending power in the English market is at an all time low (as wages there are at an all time high) - I'm kind of consigned to us going to the end of the season with a gaping hole in our team of some sort. 

 

[dezz]

Aye, agreed @Swello. A few of us mentioned back in December that we really could do with getting our January business done as early as possible given the very obvious requirements. Appreciate we're not exactly in a position in the food chain to dictate when transfers happen but going into the last day of the window still looking for at least 2 first XI quality signings to come in and hit the ground running is quite concerning.

Main priority for me is also a defensive midfielder. I think we could probably muddle through without a natural left back, Blaney has started reasonably well, and you'd hope with a bit more protection in front of them the defence could perhaps cut out a few of the stupid mistakes. 

Feels like a bit of a season-defining day, this. 

 

Edit: There's Gavin McCafferty tweeted some quotes from Hammell's presser.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by dezz

[Desp]

Chucking money at a guy from fucking Fleetwood Town because his other signings are crocked?  Jesus wept this is turning into a proper shambles.

[Ron Aldo]

I'll wait until the window SLAMS SHUT before going full heads gone but this is looking like a fucking shambles of a window. 

Crankshaw has looked okay when he's played but I'm going to stick my neck out and say that a loan signing from Stockport probably won't be a difference maker. Mandron looked good against lower league opposition but then immediately gets injured leaving us scrambling around for yet another "forward". None of us have seen Danzaki play so f**k knows what the script will be there. It might be a bit unfair but based on how things have gone this season I wouldn't bet on him being the next to be inducted to the Casper Sloth hall of fame. 

We're a left back down despite it being obvious to everyone and their dug that Penney had no intention of staying longer than January. There's still a gaping hole in midfield and Ricki fucking Lamie is somehow going to continue as one of our first choice centre backs. 

We're still lumbered with 3 right backs, 2 of which (in the loosest terms possible) are Scotland internationals. One of them could probably play left back if need be but it's far from ideal. Rumours are that Sol will be away and, while he's a fucking donkey, that will leave us short of another centre half. 

I appreciate that real life isn't like Football Manager but the club have (or at least should have) known pretty much since Hammell was appointed what was needed and that has only become more apparent as the season has gone on. That we're going into the last day of the January transfer window with most of these issues still outstanding is a joke. 

[Busta Nut]

I canny believe there isn't a hint of a midfielder. 
I know we're told nothing but there is usually a leak somewhere.

[Handsome_Devil]

Agree totally @Ron Aldo, that's exactly where I am.

I'm not on the 'Hammell out now' bus but as far as I'm concerned it's scheduled for departure at midnight and I'll be hopping on unless he's at least tried to address some of the issues we've all seen for months.

[well fan for life]

The two outcomes for our midfield are as follows:

1. We are sentenced to Goss, Slattery & Spittal in there from now until forever. 
2. We sign someone who seems like an ideal candidate to play in there and they get injured after about 8 minutes of training and are out for 6 months. 

There is no third option. 

[casinobay]

Posted this in the Raith vs Motherwell Scottish cup thread.

Despite saying that tickets will be available on 2nd Feb I managed t buy a ticket earlier this morning from the Raith website, in the tickets section.

[capt_oats]

I mean, I started questioning Hammell's judgement when I clocked that he's following renowned creep and all round goon Andrew Tate on Twitter dot com but f**k me this is genuine shambles territory.