The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[HMIP]

28 minutes ago, callum-ayr said:

Thought I’d compile a list of Mark Kerrs signings as Ayr United manager. Will split them into good and pish, on how they performed for us rather than how good they actually are/how they are performing elsewhere or before they came:

Good: Houston (that’s a generous one as he signed permanently for us under Kerr, but was originally a McCall signing, Drinan, Ndaba, Smith, Sinisalo

On the fence: Reading, Miller, Walsh, Malley, Urminsky, Baird

Pish: Zanatta, Wright, McGavin, Chalmers, Anderson, Cameron, Tiffoney, Gillespie.

Think I’ve been quite fair with that.

Wright played well against Alloa for an hour and was a bit anonymous against Hearts.  Seems a bit quick to call him pish.  Chalmers has been a disappointment but certainly hasn’t been pish.  A change of shape in midfield might well help him. We barely saw Cameron so not much to judge him on, though he seems to be doing a job for Alloa (will no doubt score on Saturday).

[Thereisalight..]

2 hours ago, ryanayr1987 said:

Wright isn’t on loan

Completely forgot he had signed rather than it just a loan. "Permanent" signings this season have been on the whole poor as well tbh 

[rb123!]

1 hour ago, No_Problemo said:

Scott Tiffoney just went on loan to Partick. Seemed to score a few at the start of this season, and didn’t get much of a chance with us last season. Assuming Hopkin doesn’t rate him as Wouldn't have had to cast his net very far for that one! 

Seems bonkers that Tiffoney who was playing week in week out in the prem a couple of months ago has now been punted to league 1 and we're obviously turning our nose up to guys like him.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, No_Problemo said:

Scott Tiffoney just went on loan to Partick. Seemed to score a few at the start of this season, and didn’t get much of a chance with us last season. Assuming Hopkin doesn’t rate him as Wouldn't have had to cast his net very far for that one! 

He's not the only one, I saw nothing from him last season that would make me want to see him back, similar to what we have, poor decision maker and seemed quite moody in to the bargain.

[callum-ayr]

58 minutes ago, HMIP said:

Wright played well against Alloa for an hour and was a bit anonymous against Hearts.  Seems a bit quick to call him pish.  Chalmers has been a disappointment but certainly hasn’t been pish.  A change of shape in midfield might well help him. We barely saw Cameron so not much to judge him on, though he seems to be doing a job for Alloa (will no doubt score on Saturday).

He signed at the end of January, now coming into April and only played twice, unfortunately been a pish signing.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, callum-ayr said:

Thought I’d compile a list of Mark Kerrs signings as Ayr United manager. Will split them into good and pish, on how they performed for us rather than how good they actually are/how they are performing elsewhere or before they came:

Good: Houston (that’s a generous one as he signed permanently for us under Kerr, but was originally a McCall signing, Drinan, Ndaba, Smith, Sinisalo

On the fence: Reading, Miller, Walsh, Malley, Urminsky, Baird

Pish: Zanatta, Wright, McGavin, Chalmers, Anderson, Cameron, Tiffoney, Gillespie.

Think I’ve been quite fair with that.

I'd actually say Reading has done pretty well and so has Baird despite the constant negativity surrounding him. Houston is a maybe's aye, maybe's no for me as still feel he's tactically naive, Miller has probably lived up to expectations and even exceeded at times, considering he was only ever being touted as a squad / utility type.

The rest I'd definitely agree with.

[diegomarahenry]

2 hours ago, callum-ayr said:

Unfortunately Kerr has been the common denominator. It’s been his unorthodox signings for this league that has went tits up. As said earlier, McGavin was deemed not good enough last season, hardly kicked a ball this year and all of a sudden is fine. Wright not kicked a ball for months and is brought in to replace 2 strikers who never really got a shot in a role that plays to their strengths. 

It could be training, management, scouting doing their homework on the person as well as the player or a clique in the dressing room. Seems odd that so many signings have been woeful under Kerr but 1 or 2 are still causing issues with attitude or application. 

It is a different time obviously where guys will be coming to Ayr, not being able to socialise or go out much other than training but Ayr have a much higher ratio of duds to successes than any team I have seen. 

[super_carson]

Large part of the success with McCall was undoubtedly built on the squad and dressing room atmosphere, as well as talented players like Rose and Shankland.

Quite often in interviews you'd hear players talk about being close knit, and while that may sound like birthday caird pish, it's a massive part of the metal attributes that good players need to have, especially in tough times.

The players signed this year were/are, mostly, good on paper. Whether they necessarily have the right attitude to do well at Ayr in very difficult circumstances is a other question.

[diegomarahenry]

Surprised Roscoe isn't getting a start tonight, Miller is obviously a straight swap for Muirhead but with the lack of action you would have thought he'd have given him some game time. 

[UpInTheAyr]

It could be training, management, scouting doing their homework on the person as well as the player or a clique in the dressing room. Seems odd that so many signings have been woeful under Kerr but 1 or 2 are still causing issues with attitude or application. 
It is a different time obviously where guys will be coming to Ayr, not being able to socialise or go out much other than training but Ayr have a much higher ratio of duds to successes than any team I have seen. 

He made a big deal about scouting players beyond just their ability and whether they were right for the club. Poor judgement or just desperation on his part, prob a combo of the two.

[Guest]

Lots of variables involved, ranging from our playing style not suiting guys like Anderson, Wright picking up an injury early on at a new club in a different country plus the club on a bit of a downer / losing streak. Cameron getting injured and as a result not getting much of a chance, some of the new guys such as Walsh and Zanatta just not gelling or doing it for a variety of reasons such as injuries and poor team confidence etc, etc.

Over and above this we've got a pandemic, lots of restrictions and pressures on normal life, a change of club ownership, a relatively new Management and backroom team and possibly most importantly the loss of many of our key players and leaders in the team such as Bell, Geggan and Docherty.

I'll also chuck in the poor state of the pitch which undoubtedly has affected our playing style and just not suited the type of guys we have in the squad.

[Trogdor]

42 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

He's not the only one, I saw nothing from him last season that would make me want to see him back, similar to what we have, poor decision maker and seemed quite moody in to the bargain.

I think that was just his face tbf. He always looks grumpy even when celebrating.

[Trogdor]

28 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

It is a different time obviously where guys will be coming to Ayr, not being able to socialise or go out much other than training but Ayr have a much higher ratio of duds to successes than any team I have seen. 

I think this has a big effect given the size of rebuild Kerr had to undertake in the close season. There were quite a lot of new players and not eating together or socialising together has to have an impact on building up the team spirit. Its obviously the same problem for every club but when you retain the core of your team/squad it's probably not as problematic.

[Lochwood]

Great Ndaba injured

[Thereisalight..]

0-3 already is pleasing. I went for that scoring on the Honest Men picks. Regretting being pessimistic! 

[Rodders1910]

Great Ndaba injured

F*ck sake, did it look like a bad one?

[callum-ayr]

Ndaba off injured, disaster. 

[Pick that one out Marshall]

Hope the injury isn't too bad and he's off as a precaution.

Pretty decent stream from Elgin.

[Hursty]

Ndaba seemed to take a knock in a challenge and played on for a bit, then stayed down after another one and was straight off.   Hopefully the fact he walked off without any obvious limp means it isn't anything too serious.... was very pleased with first half today, went about it exactly as we should be doing these games, work rate and tempo was excellent.  Game died out a bit 2nd half but that's to be expected, it was well won by HT and no need to keep that effort up and risk tiredness etc.

My only actual downer of the night was the Hearts result - feel we really missed a trick going there and sitting in for a defeat a couple of weeks ago.  They've lost points to Morton and Arbroath recently and think quite a few others will take points off them between now and end of season.  Opportunity missed that one, but I'm prepared to give Hopkin benefit of the doubt as he was just in the door so didn't know players that well etc.  

[pandarilla]

Ndaba seemed to take a knock in a challenge and played on for a bit, then stayed down after another one and was straight off.   Hopefully the fact he walked off without any obvious limp means it isn't anything too serious.... was very pleased with first half today, went about it exactly as we should be doing these games, work rate and tempo was excellent.  Game died out a bit 2nd half but that's to be expected, it was well won by HT and no need to keep that effort up and risk tiredness etc.
My only actual downer of the night was the Hearts result - feel we really missed a trick going there and sitting in for a defeat a couple of weeks ago.  They've lost points to Morton and Arbroath recently and think quite a few others will take points off them between now and end of season.  Opportunity missed that one, but I'm prepared to give Hopkin benefit of the doubt as he was just in the door so didn't know players that well etc.  

That's a strange downer to take.

Neilson isn't a great manager but that squad are churning out a lot of victories and can score goals at anytime.

Going to Tynecastle was going to be difficult even if we were flying in the league and challenging them, never mind just off the bottom and in no form at all.

Hopkins has made an excellent start, and long may it continue.