Jack Reed Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 7 hours ago, airdrieman said: Ideally, you want a mix of your quality players with a track record and your young players with potential - the likes of Robert, MacDonald, McCann, Kerr, Sabatini etc. I suspect they are out of our price range but (a fit) Ross Docherty or Morgaro Gomis type in midfield would be perfect. I (perhaps naively) genuinely think a player like that would transform our team. It is difficult to get that mix at our level - you don't just want to sign players with experience for the sake of it, but who are middle of the road like Findlay did. But we have done it before. 03/04 when we won this division was that perfect mix and components of Bollans' teams had it too. We actually have it in our defence at the moment. I'm sure playing beside Crighton and Fordyce (and in front of Hutton and even Currie to an extent) has helped develop the games of MacDonald and McCann. We really don't have that anywhere else on the park though and it shows. I think our most experienced midfielder is Paul McKay. And he's A) possibly not even really a midfielder. B) His only senior experience is playing two sort-of seasons with us. Gallagher and Carrick are 26 and 27 respectively but the rest of our strikers have barely kicked a professional league football between themselves. Linked to the above but I completely agree that it's bizarre a manager who played at a high level in centre-mid, can't seem to build an effective one or identify the sort of midfielder that we need. We are reasonably good pretty much everywhere else on the park which makes it all the more frustrating, especially as you say this was also the case last season. I've noticed that as well. We can't break down teams very well at all so it seems to be the case that Falkirk and Clyde are the teams that we suit playing best. Falkirk because we can sit and hit them on the break and, oddly, score from set pieces, and Clyde because they seem to have a revolving cast of comedy characters in defence which means we never have to work particularly hard to score against them. It also helps David Mitchell seems to have a memory lapse of what a goalkeeper actually is and chucks in two or three himself every time he plays Airdrie. There is a few players that I would get short off, and fewer players I would keep, as long as Murray and Millar are here this is the best we can hope for, they just can't seem to be able to identify a player, signing's just get worse, to listen to players saying the dressing room is good and friendly and every one gets on well, when it comes to sat you would think they had never met, never seen any team to be so disorganised as teams have been under Murray and Millar , I could only emagine what would be said and shouted if fans had been at our home games, manager would have been gone for sure, and rightly so, we are Airdrie and this team is not, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr November Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I see someone’s posted an article on the Facebook page from one of the papers saying Stuart Millar has resigned. Seems quite abrupt and strange given only last week we were signing players with his comments in the announcement article. Interesting times ahead. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 26 minutes ago, Mr November said: I see someone’s posted an article on the Facebook page from one of the papers saying Stuart Millar has resigned. Seems quite abrupt and strange given only last week we were signing players with his comments in the announcement article. Interesting times ahead. On same page someone posted he had it on good source that Millar picked the team , not sure what else he done but if he picked the team then he never helped us improve, funny timing though, hope he doesn't forget to take his signing's with him, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tory Boy Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, Mr November said: I see someone’s posted an article on the Facebook page from one of the papers saying Stuart Millar has resigned. Seems quite abrupt and strange given only last week we were signing players with his comments in the announcement article. Interesting times ahead. Sorry to see him go. Had a few dealings with him and he always came across as a decent guy. Believe he was a popular figure around the club. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Haven’t seen it confirmed yet. If true, I ‘m sorry in one respect. He seemed a decent guy and tried hard to keep in touch with the fans in contrast with the invisible Board who tell us nothing. However, if he was signing players, I doubt if he will be missed. The recent signing of Mackay, if it was his doing, was little short of a disgrace. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballboy Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) https://www.airdriefc.com/2021news/210215/Club-Statement%3A-DoF Again something at our club that brings more questions than answers. From talking to Miller he always came across as open and honest. Didn't mind talking about how he liked to try and help the club improve. Will be sad to see him go. It was his connections and knowledge of lower league that got us decent lower league players like callum fordice and Callum Gallagher. However it seems we are now signing players who have been recommended by a 3rd party. I dont imagine Robert or sabatini will have been scouted or been on a list of transfer targets at the start of the season. So the questions raised are who makes the signings? Is it one man or an agreement from manager and board?. I'd imagine Miller as DOF would be the one to do the deals but surely the manager would have an input or maybe have players in mind he likes. Could it be the McKay deal is one that perhaps wasn't wanted but got told to sign him anyway? I dont think we singed a player in the last 2 seasons that I thought didn't have something to offer if given a chance in the team. With the latest signing could it be it wasn't wanted but were told he needs a club? Edited February 15, 2021 by Ballboy . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) Don't quite know what to make of that. From the outside anyway, it seems completely out of the blue, which is never usually a good sign. For instance I'm sure it was only a few days ago I saw him on Facebook talking about next season's kit. For him to leave so abruptly, in the middle of a pandemic as well, you would think there must be something pretty substantial going on either in his own life or at the club (which he disagrees with). I hope him and his family are well. Because on the face of it there's nothing that's occurred that would suggest his position was under threat or that he was unhappy. He seemed like he was the board's man and that he was a popular figure around the club. He was a good 'public face' of the club and link between the board, management and fans. Perhaps most importantly, he genuinely cared and wanted to take the club to the next level. He did a lot of good work and off the park during his tenure and any supposed transfer failings should not be exaggerated. At the very least we'll get fees for MacDonald and Robert out of this current team, not to mention we got something of a fee/compensation for Scott Stewart, Keiran MacDonald, Josh Edwards and Cammy Russell. When was the last time we made money out of that many players? I'll be sorry to see him go. Perhaps more will come out the wash in the next few days and weeks... Edited February 15, 2021 by airdrieman 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, Ballboy said: https://www.airdriefc.com/2021news/210215/Club-Statement%3A-DoF Again something at our club that brings more questions than answers. From talking to Miller he always came across as open and honest. Didn't mind talking about how he liked to try and help the club improve. Will be sad to see him go. It was his connections and knowledge of lower league that got us decent lower league players like callum fordice and Callum Gallagher. However it seems we are now signing players who have been recommended by a 3rd party. I dont imagine Robert or sabatini will have been scouted or been on a list of transfer targets at the start of the season. So the questions raised are who makes the signings? Is it one man or an agreement from manager and board?. I'd imagine Miller as DOF would be the one to do the deals but surely the manager would have an input or maybe have players in mind he likes. Could it be the McKay deal is one that perhaps wasn't wanted but got told to sign him anyway? I dont think we singed a player in the last 2 seasons that I thought didn't have something to offer if given a chance in the team. With the latest signing could it be it wasn't wanted but were told he needs a club? On the playing side McKay was just another one of our bad signing's, not being from Airdrie I don't have any inside knowledge about the club, as far as playing side has gone our DOF has not improved us one bit, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanish Armada Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I reckon Murray will be the next one out the door at the end of the season if it resumes or if it don't it will imminent after the leagues review 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballboy Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 22 minutes ago, Jack Reed said: On the playing side McKay was just another one of our bad signing's, not being from Airdrie I don't have any inside knowledge about the club, as far as playing side has gone our DOF has not improved us one bit, Personally I feel it's signing so many at the start of each season that's held us back. Last few seasons it's taken a few games / months to find a first choice starting 11. This season we were supposed to keep the core from last season and try to improve. A different signing policy was tried to bring a different kind of player from what's available in lower leagues. It can be view as a success and failure. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Every chance Millar has been offered a gig he fancies elsewhere and left himself. He left us in 2017 out of the blue as well and turned up at Stranraer a few days later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 51 minutes ago, Jack Reed said: On the playing side McKay was just another one of our bad signing's, not being from Airdrie I don't have any inside knowledge about the club, as far as playing side has gone our DOF has not improved us one bit, Sorry but I don't really agree with that. Even without looking at the specifics of the player signed in the last two seasons, the two teams that Millar helped to build have finished in playoff places, albeit with the caveats of not being able to actually compete in the play-offs last season and the possibility that this season may still come to some sort of conclusion. We've only been in the play-offs once (2016/17) in the last how many years? So immediately, whether you think we should be aiming for better or not, that's surely an improvement on where the club was before Millar arrived? But looking at the specifics of the players we've signed in the Milar regime, excluding the youngsters/reserve players: Kurtis Roberts, Craig Thomson, Kyle MacDonald, Reece Willison, Adam Eckersley, Callum Fordyce, Ally Roy, Calum Gallagher, Nat Wedderburn, Josh Kerr, Euan O'Reilly x2, James Cowan, Callum Smith, Paul McKay, Leon McCann, Charlie Reilly, Andy Ryan, Innes Murray, Max Currie, Thomas Robert, Harlain Mbayo, Dean Ritchie, Griffin Sabatini, Eoghan Stokes, Reece Murdoch, Kyle Connell and Jack McKay. There are gaps, and some who proved to be middle of the road, but there are really more genuine duds than successes there? Bearing in mind it's largely these signings that have taken us to a play-off place in two successive seasons. Probably the only real duds in terms of either not contributing much at all or significantly weakening the team when they have played are Cowan, Reilly, Mbayo, Stokes, Roy and O'Reilly. Can chalk Jack McKay as a dud also. I don't think that's too bad a ratio in all honesty. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 hour ago, airdrieman said: Sorry but I don't really agree with that. Even without looking at the specifics of the player signed in the last two seasons, the two teams that Millar helped to build have finished in playoff places, albeit with the caveats of not being able to actually compete in the play-offs last season and the possibility that this season may still come to some sort of conclusion. We've only been in the play-offs once (2016/17) in the last how many years? So immediately, whether you think we should be aiming for better or not, that's surely an improvement on where the club was before Millar arrived? But looking at the specifics of the players we've signed in the Milar regime, excluding the youngsters/reserve players: Kurtis Roberts, Craig Thomson, Kyle MacDonald, Reece Willison, Adam Eckersley, Callum Fordyce, Ally Roy, Calum Gallagher, Nat Wedderburn, Josh Kerr, Euan O'Reilly x2, James Cowan, Callum Smith, Paul McKay, Leon McCann, Charlie Reilly, Andy Ryan, Innes Murray, Max Currie, Thomas Robert, Harlain Mbayo, Dean Ritchie, Griffin Sabatini, Eoghan Stokes, Reece Murdoch, Kyle Connell and Jack McKay. There are gaps, and some who proved to be middle of the road, but there are really more genuine duds than successes there? Bearing in mind it's largely these signings that have taken us to a play-off place in two successive seasons. Probably the only real duds in terms of either not contributing much at all or significantly weakening the team when they have played are Cowan, Reilly, Mbayo, Stokes, Roy and O'Reilly. Can chalk Jack McKay as a dud also. I don't think that's too bad a ratio in all honesty. Oh aye, he has team playing well, what team have you been watching, the performances are dire, never improved for years, still if fans are happy that's the main thing, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G_H Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 Ironically, I'd probably rather have Stuart Millar playing than Jack McKay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballboy Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 37 minutes ago, Jack Reed said: Oh aye, he has team playing well, what team have you been watching, the performances are dire, never improved for years, still if fans are happy that's the main thing, What kind of signings did you expect from a league 1 club? The players brought in the last few seasons like it or not are our level. To bring the better players in our league or championship level means we would have to pay higher wages than they get now. We can't offer more money than Falkirk or thistle. East fife / Montrose players will have jobs and we have been told before most part time players dont want to travel hours for training. We are 3rd in the league. That was the target for this season. As most have said not pretty football but it's not like we were struggling. Last season finished and we were still in a position to win it. Ok would rely on other results but it was still possible. This season has had good and bad but they only played 10 league games. Almost everyone on here said they didn't care about league cup results but ok it's hard to take a defeat by a lower league team but other teams have made improvement too. As I said before something different was tried this season and can be view as good and bad but this happens at every club. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 38 minutes ago, Ballboy said: What kind of signings did you expect from a league 1 club? The players brought in the last few seasons like it or not are our level. To bring the better players in our league or championship level means we would have to pay higher wages than they get now. We can't offer more money than Falkirk or thistle. East fife / Montrose players will have jobs and we have been told before most part time players dont want to travel hours for training. We are 3rd in the league. That was the target for this season. As most have said not pretty football but it's not like we were struggling. Last season finished and we were still in a position to win it. Ok would rely on other results but it was still possible. This season has had good and bad but they only played 10 league games. Almost everyone on here said they didn't care about league cup results but ok it's hard to take a defeat by a lower league team but other teams have made improvement too. As I said before something different was tried this season and can be view as good and bad but this happens at every club. It's the standard of football we are playing under Murray that's hard to take , yes league one is where we are at but we are not a good league one side,this is only the way I see it, if this is what we are happy with there is not much to look forward to, maybe some hype at start of season like every other season about the players that are coming , 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passionate Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 If we are being honest it is not a complete surprise, has he fallen on his sword or a mutual parting of the ways, the ITK crowd are awfully quiet on this whole matter, he was a guy with the club at heart , but his signing policy has went rogue and in my opinion that was his downfall, that and getting involved on a day to day basis on the training field and also in the dug out.... Moving forward I would expect Ian Murray to get another season with an assistant that he wants with playoffs the bare minimum expected.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I might be in a minority but I have no idea why Airdrie needed a DOF, especially after the disaster that was Gordon Dalziel and that guy from the media. I also have no idea why Stuart Millar has gone but it will not be a decisive event in this season. I did think he communicated a bit better and did seem to be a supporter but it's the "coach"/manager who should drive on the team. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 2 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said: I might be in a minority but I have no idea why Airdrie needed a DOF, especially after the disaster that was Gordon Dalziel and that guy from the media. I also have no idea why Stuart Millar has gone but it will not be a decisive event in this season. I did think he communicated a bit better and did seem to be a supporter but it's the "coach"/manager who should drive on the team. Don't think we need a DOF what we do need is anyone that has Airdrie at heart, can't see it making a lot of difference on the pitch, that's if we get started again, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 1 minute ago, Jack Reed said: Don't think we need a DOF what we do need is anyone that has Airdrie at heart, can't see it making a lot of difference on the pitch, that's if we get started again, I agree about no DOF etc . I just want a manager that gets the best out of the squad on a consistent way. As to being "Airdrie at heart" I thought the world of Kenny Black/Sandy/Jimmy as players but as managers? I also have doubts about this season concluding, and certainly we will not be in the grounds. Stay safe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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