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The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond


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On 07/04/2021 at 13:28, Ballboy said:

Hope something will be done about the TV camera for future games.   At this time of year with the low sun we can expect this again everytime the suns out.  

I know that at some games this season the previous camera operator has manned the Pixellot system which has helped to make it a bit more consistent in terms of tracking the ball, covering the whole pitch etc. I assume they weren't there on Tuesday night though! That was as bad as the camera system has been so hopefully the club learn from it. 

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You'd think after the performance and result against Falkirk I'd be feeling more confident going into this Montrose game but I'm really not. Our record against Falkirk is great, and because of that I wasn't really expecting us to lose the other night. Can't say the same for our record against Montrose, if I remember correctly we've lost our last three games against them. Considering our poor record against them and where we're both sitting in the league, a win would be a huge result if we pull it off. We definitely can beat them, but I'm expecting an ugly and cagey match.

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The problem with this squad is that when you expect them to turn up and put in a winning performance, they don't.

Lets hope they break that habit this weekend and give us 3 wins in a row.

Edited by G_H
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13 hours ago, CapitalDiamond said:

Monthly round table podcast now available with Andrew Duffy and Emma Quigley emoji1303.png

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/s8u6Mhjsgje3iGWm6

Enjoyed this. On the point of signing proven, experienced players, I suspect that has become quite difficult for us and is going to continue to be so for us over the next few years. We’re the smallest full-time team, Falkirk, Thistle and Queen’s Park will always be able to outbid us for any players nevermind Championship teams. We should be well placed to attract the best part-time players but Arbroath and Alloa have the advantage of Championship football and we’ve also seen teams like Darvel, Kelty and even Stirling Albion in the case of Andy Ryan outbid clubs at our level and above for part-time players. I think the club is in quite a difficult position, do we continue with a hybrid system that in theory allows the best of both worlds but in practice probably isn’t a huge benefit or revert back to being completely part-time, even if that doesn’t guarantee being able to offer the best part-time wages. 

I’ve posted about this before but the club’s recruitment strategies over the last five years have been a shambles. Trying each different strategy is fair enough but as none of them have worked out, we’re left with very little continuity over that time period. We’ve tried going completely full-time with a squad full of young guys which never worked out as the team lacked quality and experience, as well as a good manager. We then went in completely the opposite direction with Findlay’s experienced League One jobbers, who were really dull, slow and ultimately nothing more than a bang average League One team at best. Any successful team needs a mix of youth and experience and I had hoped we were moving towards that but last summers recruitment was almost entirely focused on bringing in younger players. That’s fine when we already have guys like Carrick, Crighton, Fordyce and Gallagher around but when they’re having poor games it means we’re very reliant on an inexperienced group of players. 

Ultimately, I think the club has a big decision this summer in terms of whether we stay as a hybrid or not. If the suggestion of us only training Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday before the restart is correct then that would suggest we might be moving back towards a part-time system. Either way, I think there’s always going to be a few clubs who can offer more than us for the better players at this level. 

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2 hours ago, CapitalDiamond said:

 


Very kind thanks emoji815.pngemoji1303.png

 

Good listen as always, would encourage anyone who hasn't yet to give it a shot.

Well done on getting this out "on time" as well - with the games coming thick and fast it'd be easy to be a game or two behind, must be a lot of effort going into putting it together.

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11 hours ago, Mr November said:

Enjoyed this. On the point of signing proven, experienced players, I suspect that has become quite difficult for us and is going to continue to be so for us over the next few years. We’re the smallest full-time team, Falkirk, Thistle and Queen’s Park will always be able to outbid us for any players nevermind Championship teams. We should be well placed to attract the best part-time players but Arbroath and Alloa have the advantage of Championship football and we’ve also seen teams like Darvel, Kelty and even Stirling Albion in the case of Andy Ryan outbid clubs at our level and above for part-time players. I think the club is in quite a difficult position, do we continue with a hybrid system that in theory allows the best of both worlds but in practice probably isn’t a huge benefit or revert back to being completely part-time, even if that doesn’t guarantee being able to offer the best part-time wages. 

I’ve posted about this before but the club’s recruitment strategies over the last five years have been a shambles. Trying each different strategy is fair enough but as none of them have worked out, we’re left with very little continuity over that time period. We’ve tried going completely full-time with a squad full of young guys which never worked out as the team lacked quality and experience, as well as a good manager. We then went in completely the opposite direction with Findlay’s experienced League One jobbers, who were really dull, slow and ultimately nothing more than a bang average League One team at best. Any successful team needs a mix of youth and experience and I had hoped we were moving towards that but last summers recruitment was almost entirely focused on bringing in younger players. That’s fine when we already have guys like Carrick, Crighton, Fordyce and Gallagher around but when they’re having poor games it means we’re very reliant on an inexperienced group of players. 

In Stuart Millars first season as DOF I feel the recruitment and the process was a lot clearer,  signingGall, Fordyce,  Roberts, Big Nat and latterly Ryan as well as good young uns, Kyle Mc, McCann etc,   we had a plan which for the first time in many years, gave us a head of steam , hit top of the league prior to xmas and hitting form at the right time before covid struck......

 

I think we are not too far away if recruitment this close season is corrected,  There are plenty players even in this league that would improve us.    CCFG as you mentioned are good pros, but are they consistent enough in there own performances to baby sit younger players who need , guidance and coaching on the pitch..  Remember Alex Nei! At Hamilton who was top class at this level, took the heat of McCarthy and Mc Arthur....and look where they ended up....

This season for allclubs has been a train wreck, not helped by our crazy ego driven signing po!icy,     certain players have real!y not been involved as said before why sign Burke, Moore, Hughes who are on full time deals apparently, obviously not on a kings ransom,  but with no team to play in there wages could have been used to top up offers for better players, which was and still is clearly needed..

11 hours ago, Mr November said:

Ultimately, I think the club has a big decision this summer in terms of whether we stay as a hybrid or not. If the suggestion of us only training Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday before the restart is correct then that would suggest we might be moving back towards a part-time system. Either way, I think there’s always going to be a few clubs who can offer more than us for the better players at this level. 

Somehow we have to navigate out this league,   we have tried many different ways and basically end up where we start...   Is reconstruction a way, probably the most realistic way to kick start and protect many clubs,   on the downside if that happened we would have to embrace the "colts"...  

If no reconstruction fast forward five years,   realistically clubs like Brechin, cowdenbeath and the rovers (no disrespect to any of them) will be lowland league,  it will be impossible for these clubs to fight off ambitious clubs Kelty, EK, Brora, BSC at the pass......How far can these ambitious clubs go and how long can we as a club tread water......

 

Reference the Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday training etc,  this looks a sensible approach due to the game schedule till end of the season,   and with the furlough scheme still there, the club could claim something back for the full timers.

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4 hours ago, TheBuckfastTriangle said:

Good listen as always, would encourage anyone who hasn't yet to give it a shot.

Well done on getting this out "on time" as well - with the games coming thick and fast it'd be easy to be a game or two behind, must be a lot of effort going into putting it together.

Have taken it to 40 minutes but KO is approaching so I will confine my comments to : Very enjoyable and covered much of what I have been thinking about- I was just about to say "what about the club's communications" and Emma then set this up for listening later. I agree with much of what Mr November posted above , and am desperately hoping for at least a draw today!

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33 minutes ago, Jack Reed said:

It was a great result last week, but once again first names on sheet McKay, did the manager watch the same game as me, they must have been OK when we could hardly watch it and I missed it, anyway best of luck to the team, 

I assume it’s Paul replacing Ritchie in midfield and Jack McKay back at right-back. I don’t mind P. McKay in centre mid but Jack at right-back I could do without. Would rather stick with Paul there or give Walker a chance. 

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11 minutes ago, airdrieman said:

I assume it’s Paul replacing Ritchie in midfield and Jack McKay back at right-back. I don’t mind P. McKay in centre mid but Jack at right-back I could do without. Would rather stick with Paul there or give Walker a chance. 

No its Turner at right back and the brothers holding hands again in midfield this time, 

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It’s an absolute disgrace we’ve got ourselves into a position where we’re forced to play the two McKay twins no matter what.

Robert & Sabatini are good players for this level but nowhere near good enough to justify this arrangement we appear to be in with McKay Snr.

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21 minutes ago, Diamond Oracle said:

It’s an absolute disgrace we’ve got ourselves into a position where we’re forced to play the two McKay twins no matter what.

Robert & Sabatini are good players for this level but nowhere near good enough to justify this arrangement we appear to be in with McKay Snr.

Time will tell 

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