Onthefringes Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 2 minutes ago, welldaft said: This obvs falls into the punt category… 6 month deal. I have vibes he is going to be a phenomenon. A diamond in the rough. We will probably sell him in 6 months for £2m I suspect. I’ll wager he won’t realise market potential… 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well fan for life Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Absolutely cracked up at Alexander's endorsement there. He's definitely improved the squad by not being Robbie Crawford, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 42 minutes ago, Swello said: Same. One of the best bits of expectation management ever. He'll make a square pass tomorrow and we'll all be giving it the 8/10's tomorrow night. Heads back to the keeper under no pressure: rapturous applause. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Manhattan Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Anyone know how his first name is pronounced? Is it Michael, or Mikkel, or Michelle, or what? Only I'd hate to come across like a twat by getting it wrong while hurling abuse at him five minutes into his debut when he's taking too long over a throw-in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapowzer Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Based on his pedigree seems a scout once seen him drop a hip and do a stepover, got a gig out of it and has traded on that big name with each subsequent move. So Liverpool and Arsenal to us, on trial for 2 months then offered a 6 month deal ..... seems his value dropped quicker than a "England 2020 Winners" t-shirt on the Sport Direct Website. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 I hope he follows in the footsteps of some of the great Motherwell No. 26s. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'WellDel Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Kipré came from Leicester u21's, Grimmy was a former Man U u21 captain, Seedorf was on the books of Wolves. 3 examples of excellent, decent, and shite. Big name academy history is very subjective. I'll put myself down as cautiously optimistic that the boy will come good. I wish him well and hope it works out. I'll also still maintain my hopes of at least a seasoned centre half and midfield creator to arrive shortly. He also adds to our list of fantastically named players of recent years, alongside Lionel, Giles, Sherwin et Al. Welcome Mich'el. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 I know it's a short deal for this guy but our midfield seems like its all battlers and guys who can knock it sideways 5 yards. That'd be awright if our forward 3 were fucking dynamite. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) Apart from the hilarious level of expectation management from Alexander and the 6 month deal the main scepticism (from someone who has never seen him play) is surely that he's 22 and has literally never played a senior game of football. Not even a loan out to a bunch of National League jobbers. His career to date has been: Arsenal Youth (2013-14) Liverpool Youth (2014-18) Millwall u23s (2018-19) West Ham u23s trialist (2019-20) https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/insider-report-west-ham-take-free-agent-michel-parker-on-trial/ https://www.footballinsider247.com/revealed-update-on-free-agent-whos-headed-to-west-ham/ MK Dons - trialist (March 20 - August 20-ish) https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-overpower-mk-dons-stadium-mk-pre-season-outing-2952861 Honestly, if you google him you have to get properly Veronica Mars on him because his Transfermarkt hasn't been updated since he was released by Liverpool in 2018. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michel-parker/profil/spieler/340309 As I say, the short term element of this feels to me like we're heavy short of numbers in midfield (O'Hara's been nowhere to be seen on account of injury and Donnelly's still coming back from injury and we don't want to break him again) and haven't been able to get our actual targets in as yet. So seeing as he's been kicking around and our senior midfielders were given the runaround by one of our former Academy players on Wednesday we've asked big Mich'el if he fancies being a ringer for our Betfred games...sorry Premier Sports Cup games to see how it goes. Edited July 16, 2021 by capt_oats 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapowzer Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Makes you wonder if going for a proven SPFL midfielder in Sam Foley over someone who needed 2 months to convince the club of a deal is the right direction. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well fan for life Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 That, @capt_oats, is the reason we all come to this thread. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Just now, well fan for life said: That, @capt_oats, is the reason we all come to this thread. And the curry stuff? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well fan for life Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 Just now, ropy said: And the curry stuff? That's a given. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegsjoe_mfc Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 The thing that I’m annoyed about regarding this signing is that I don’t feel like we need numbers at centre back or centre midfield, but quality. At least when we signed Lee Lucas, he had been Wales’ under 21 captain and promising before injuries at Swansea. This fella just seems totally non-descript. Alexander’s midfield last season was lacking creativity and turgid to watch, but I cut him slack based on him playing the card he’s been dealt but it’s now even worse with Campbell gone. You can’t really place Maguire, Crawford or O’Hara in any of the anchor (Gorrin / Donnelly) box-to-box (Campbell) or playmaker (Turnbull / Polworth) roles. None of them have a real identity in there. I’m still thinking that for our midfield to be do well, we’re relying on Campbell / Polworth replacements and Donnelly seamlessly fitting back in and staying fit. That, along with an experienced centre back to replace Gallagher is beginning to sound like a tall order. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 12 minutes ago, well fan for life said: That, @capt_oats, is the reason we all come to this thread. I mean, no shade on big Mich'el it's just that signing two trialists up on relatively short term deals the day before LC group games has strong "messaging the group chat that you're a couple of bodies short for 7s an hour before kick-off" vibes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said: The thing that I’m annoyed about regarding this signing is that I don’t feel like we need numbers at centre back or centre midfield, but quality. To that point, for all I'm having a wee moan the approach this summer has generally been that we're waiting for the "right" players. That's something I'm broadly advocating. I don't think anyone has a problem with the Kelly signing (if you do then make yourself known you massive weirdo), I for one am on the Budget Bergkamp hype-train, Swindon paid £325k for Woolery a couple of seasons ago and he's off a double figures season with Tranmere and Shields was a Championship Team Of The Year player last season and also in double figures. To give the club the benefit of the doubt I'd imagine that our targets for the centre back and midfield positions are of a similar profile to those players and we're not pinning our hopes on an extremely Irish re-gen from Leicester's Academy and someone who's quite possibly an Ali Dia clone. I mean, I hope we're not because we're absolutely fucked if these signings are part of a grand plan. However the hand we've been dealt at 23:50 on a Friday night is that as yet we haven't actually signed those replacements and if Mugabi, McGinley and O'Hara aren't fit and we don't want to re-break Donnelly we're extremely light on numbers unless we want to play some actual school weans (and who knows maybe the weans are good). Going by the interview Alexander did on Tuesday it sounds like he's been focusing on having the squad in place with a view to the first game of the season rather than the LC groups so the Queen's Park game may have very much been a live action "life comes at you fast" meme as he watched his midfield get dismantled by a League 1 side. Edited July 17, 2021 by capt_oats 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 3 hours ago, capt_oats said: Absolutely no harm to big Mich'el (I've literally never seen him play) but there's a huge Lee Lucas energy here. It's similar to when we signed Lucas up on a short term deal to allow us to play him in the Betfred games. Still maintain that Lee Lucas was world class for 60 minutes against Ross County. And also cemented some Accies p***k. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) See as an aside, where did the "welcome to our great wee club" patter to every new signing originate from? Swear I'd never seen it at all until a few seasons ago and can't say I'm a fan. Edit- it's surprisingly difficult to find photos of our man Mich'el where he doesn't have at least one foot off the ground, I approve. Edited July 16, 2021 by YassinMoutaouakil 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezz Posted July 16, 2021 Share Posted July 16, 2021 See as an aside, where did the "welcome to our great wee club" patter to every new signing originate from? Swear I'd never seen it at all until a few seasons ago and can't say I'm a fan. Edit- it's surprisingly difficult to find photos of our man Mich'el where he doesn't have at least one foot off the ground, I approve.It’s terrible patter… ‘Welcome to the best wee club in the world’ If signing the bold Mich’el means that come September Robbie Crawford is out on loan at Accies/Dunfermline/Thistle then I’m all for it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 17, 2021 Share Posted July 17, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, YassinMoutaouakil said: See as an aside, where did the "welcome to our great wee club" patter to every new signing originate from? Swear I'd never seen it at all until a few seasons ago and can't say I'm a fan. Edit- it's surprisingly difficult to find photos of our man Mich'el where he doesn't have at least one foot off the ground, I approve. +1 on reply guying with the whole "welcome to our great wee club" patter putting my teeth on edge but then again most comments on Motherwell socials posts are an absolute riot of cringe. That said, on the subject of comments and mentions I smiled when I saw the comments on the bold Mich'el's IG announcement had quite the who's who of Young English football including but not limited to: Joe Willock, Rhian Brewster and Harry Wilson. OK so Wilson's Welsh but whatevs blue ticks all over the place. Ach, good luck to him #WelcomeMich'el. Edited July 17, 2021 by capt_oats 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.