Clyde FC; Season 2022-23

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

1 minute ago, Clydeside said:

I agree with Danny's comments about Love and Nicoll. Although both will have to be used sparingly. I think most supporters agree.

If we had to play an away game in the cup and it was to be played on a tight grass pitch, Nicoll's an ace up our sleeve. That's quite a limited niche of course! But even where we find ourselves in a slugfest away at Peterhead, Dumbarton or Morton if they come down, there I can see him adding something. Something that isn't easy to replace. However, inbetween those games, unless we're playing a Roberts/Miller style 3-5-2, I wouldn't want him pegged as a starter. He takes as much as he gives if he's playing all the time. He'll get caught in possession and lose us a goal, give away a penalty or get booked and become a liability. We experienced the same kind of diminishing returns with Marvyn Wilson toward the end of his spell with us.

Love's a more straightforward one. For a player without pace or stature to support his game he does very well. His decisions in possession are excellent. He holds the ball in strongly. He's got a bit of flair too. He's also the epitome of a team player which is more than enough for me. Solid on paper. Solid in practice. Might not start or last every game but he easily deserves his contract.

What Danny will need to measure with these two and whoever else he brings in is what kind of football he wants us playing. Love and Nicoll don't move it quite as quickly as Cuddihy does for example. So they could be inhibitive of the style that Lennon's tried for up until now. The really interesting thing for the summer will be what the players we sign suggest about the style we'll try to play.

Nicol definitely has his attributes and can be utilised well in certain situations and game types. I just hope we don’t end up relying on him every week.

one thing we can all be sure of is he will give it his all when he does play. He just needs to cut out the daft fouls and bookings he picks up. Saying that, that’s just part of his game, I suppose.

[David W]

Danny Lennon is hardly going to sign guys and then claim they're awful, is he?

We may well have conceded less goals but if he genuinely thinks we were defending better then he's lost the plot. Literally camping in your own half for entire 45 minute spells isn't defending better, it's defending more.

[Brian Carrigan]

30 minutes ago, BullyWeeStonehouse said:

You’re easily wound up, int ye?

the fact we are playing in a better league against better teams with better players in our squad than Stirling should be the selling point to Grant if he is ambitious about his career considering he is only 24. 
 

Also, given we haven’t really done any business, it’s a bit premature to say we will be in a relegation battle - which is exactly what Alloa were in last season, by the way.

Andy Ryan & Jack Leitch have been there for a grand total of 1 season each as well.

Well, no, it’s just you obviously haven’t got a clue and it’s frustrating having this exchange with you when I have much better things to do, like pull my facial hairs out one by one. 

As a part time footballer, being a big fish in League 2 is better than being a wee fish in League 1. Playing for Stirling this year instead of Clyde won’t look any worse on his CV. There really is hee haw between the top of that league and the bottom of ours.

Using the “Alloa last season” argument is silly on many levels, not least the fact that it was a chance to play in a full time league and that if he thrived, he may have got a decent move. He did not thrive and was released. Also his da was his gaffer ffs.

Andy Ryan and Jack Leitch have signed on for next season. Both could easily play for any team in League 1. The fact they’re sticking with Stirling says quite a lot.

Finally the main point is - if you have the choice between going for promotion and getting paid more money or potentially struggling in a league of similar level and getting paid less money, you pick the former. It’s a literal no brainer.

[shawfield shed boy]

Will our support ever stop talking about Ray Grant.

Hes joined a team 5th in L2 who had Leitch and Ryan last season

Move on

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

1 minute ago, Brian Carrigan said:

Well, no, it’s just you obviously haven’t got a clue and it’s frustrating having this exchange with you when I have much better things to do, like pull my facial hairs out one by one. 

As a part time footballer, being a big fish in League 2 is better than being a wee fish in League 1. Playing for Stirling this year instead of Clyde won’t look any worse on his CV. There really is hee haw between the top of that league and the bottom of ours.

Using the “Alloa last season” argument is silly on many levels, not least the fact that it was a chance to play in a full time league and that if he thrived, he may have got a decent move. He did not thrive and was released. Also his da was his gaffer ffs.

Andy Ryan and Jack Leitch have signed on for next season. Both could easily play for any team in League 1. The fact they’re sticking with Stirling says quite a lot.

Finally the main point is - if you have the choice between going for promotion and getting paid more money or potentially struggling in a league of similar level and getting paid less money, you pick the former. It’s a literal no brainer.

Aye mate I’ve no got a clue. 

Firstly, playing in league 2 just isnae better than playing in league 1. Does that mean playing for Dunfermline is better than playing for Accies, for example?

So could Grant not come to us in League one, have a good season and get a better move again compared to what he would doing well at Stirling?

what’s grant getting paid at Stirling, by the way?

[BullyWeeStonehouse]

1 minute ago, shawfield shed boy said:

Will our support ever stop talking about Ray Grant.

Hes joined a team 5th in L2 who had Leitch and Ryan last season

Move on
 

Good point.

[haufdaft]

Am I wrong to be concerned that we seem to be signing "bit part" players before we sign players as starters?

I fear sentimentality is rearing it's ugly head again.

This doesn't fill me with optimism for next season.

*Go on Clyde, surprise me with some cracking signings*

[SouthLanarkshireWhite]

33 minutes ago, Brian Carrigan said:

Well, no, it’s just you obviously haven’t got a clue and it’s frustrating having this exchange with you when I have much better things to do, like pull my facial hairs out one by one. 

As a part time footballer, being a big fish in League 2 is better than being a wee fish in League 1. Playing for Stirling this year instead of Clyde won’t look any worse on his CV. There really is hee haw between the top of that league and the bottom of ours.

Using the “Alloa last season” argument is silly on many levels, not least the fact that it was a chance to play in a full time league and that if he thrived, he may have got a decent move. He did not thrive and was released. Also his da was his gaffer ffs.

Andy Ryan and Jack Leitch have signed on for next season. Both could easily play for any team in League 1. The fact they’re sticking with Stirling says quite a lot.

Finally the main point is - if you have the choice between going for promotion and getting paid more money or potentially struggling in a league of similar level and getting paid less money, you pick the former. It’s a literal no brainer.

[SouthLanarkshireWhite]

All other Clyde fans should refrain from posting any clearly weak opinions whilst Danny and the Financial management expert, Player Psychology expert and Tactics expert get us set up for next season.

[SouthLanarkshireWhite]

34 minutes ago, shawfield shed boy said:

Will our support ever stop talking about Ray Grant.

Hes joined a team 5th in L2 who had Leitch and Ryan last season

Move on
 

This. You would think he was Xavi the way some people keep reverting back to players like him. 

[dave_binos]

I am absolutely delighted with the signing of Grant. He was always a stand out when we played you in League 2 and rather surprised he has dropped to that level but maybe he wanted his future sorted out quickly and maybe there weren't many other clubs in for him. We obviously failed to make the play-offs but even if we did, we wouldn't have done much.  Have to agree with a couple of others, Ryan and Leitch are two key players but as a squad there won't be that many top earners. Our defence is pretty decent as well. I won't bore you with the details of others who haven't signed up yet.

We are not a more attractive side to sign for than Clyde. You play in League 1 against better sides and we are stuck in the basement division. I've also been in the lounge before Clyde games. Danny gives a very convincing speech but players obviously love playing for him. I hope you guys manage to strengthen. Feel like League 1 will be strong again next season. 

Edited May 16, 2021 by dave_binos

[SouthLanarkshireWhite]

1 hour ago, David W said:

Danny Lennon is hardly going to sign guys and then claim they're awful, is he?

We may well have conceded less goals but if he genuinely thinks we were defending better then he's lost the plot. Literally camping in your own half for entire 45 minute spells isn't defending better, it's defending more.

I'm sure you will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe we scored more per game after he re-joined. If we were scoring more , and conceding fewer, it's hard to argue we are not performing more effectively as a team. It may be less enjoyable, may be less attractive, but in a season like the one just gone, if not all others , it is perhaps better to avoid relegation and be a bit less exciting on that journey?

[Jack Burton]

I'm sure you will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe we scored more per game after he re-joined. If we were scoring more , and conceding fewer, it's hard to argue we are not performing more effectively as a team. It may be less enjoyable, may be less attractive, but in a season like the one just gone, if not all others , it is perhaps better to avoid relegation and be a bit less exciting on that journey?

We were shite before the shut down and shite after it. We were just lucky that in Forfar and Dumbarton there was another two shite teams in the league.

If we sign another squad on par with the season just past then we will struggle to avoid finishing 10th. Queens Park will be a big improvement over Forfar.

We knew Nicoll and Love had been offered new contracts and I'm not surprised both are the first to resign. The clearly like it at the club and I doubt either would have had too many offers.

I'll be more interested to see who the first batch of the new signings are.

[David W]

9 minutes ago, SouthLanarkshireWhite said:

I'm sure you will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe we scored more per game after he re-joined. If we were scoring more , and conceding fewer, it's hard to argue we are not performing more effectively as a team. It may be less enjoyable, may be less attractive, but in a season like the one just gone, if not all others , it is perhaps better to avoid relegation and be a bit less exciting on that journey?

I had no issue in the season that's just gone past for us to play like that. Even if the reality was that it didn't actually work; it got us a couple of wins against Forfar and a win at Peterhead/Ayr. However, I'd have a serious issue if we were planning to go into a season in that manner. We're basically resigning ourselves to finish in the bottom two; we're not overtaking Montrose/East Fife playing that way, which has to be our target.  

We were a diabolical attacking team throughout the campaign. To be honest, I don't think there's much difference in goals either side when you take into account the fixtures. We played Forfar three times in the second part of the season and stuck 7 past them. I daresay it would be skewed the other way if we'd played them pre-Christmas. We also had Jamieson post-Christmas. Suggesting it had anything to do with Nicoll, or a dire style of football, is a bit of a leap of faith.

 

[TheBigGuy]

The irony of us calling out Stirling for being but for two players a mediocre squad is comedy gold. 

Glad to see Ally back though. Hard working and usually gets a few key goals every season. 
 

 

 

[Guest andyp1301]

11 hours ago, Brian Carrigan said:

What exactly do you think makes us more attractive than Stirling Albion at the moment?

League status would be a good place to begin I guess and his history with us and our manager.

[Guest andyp1301]

10 hours ago, Ignoramus said:

Am I reading too much into it or do those quotes from Lennon make it sound as if Nicoll might be rather more than a sub and good guy in the dressing room next season?

Our defensive record did improve when he came into midfield but not sure that wasn’t as much to do with tightening our style of play as anything else.

I got that too from his statement......but he certainly did offer the back 4 more protection, that is indisputable, except when conceding the pens that is....

[Guest andyp1301]

On 15/05/2021 at 22:50, Clydeside said:

As good a player as he is, having Grant back would probably have meant playing a certain way. At least if he was to be a starter. For that reason, I'm not too bothered about him going to Stirling. Nor am I surprised. Had he Tom Lang's or even David Goodwillie's physical attributes he could be an SPL player. As it is, to really stand out, he probably needs to be playing in slower tempo matches with a team that's not on the ropes for long spells. A league two season with Stirling could be a good option. Particularly as he doesn't seem to have full-time ambitions.

On the playing a certain way point. I don't think we'll get out of this league other than by the back door if we try to replicate the shape and system that got us up. That is, the out from the back approach with one up top and a five man midfield. It would require some really extraordinary signings to work. Goodwillie isn't as sprightly as he was two years ago. Rankin, McStay and Grant were an unusually good footballing three. And then you had the likes of Lang, Boyle, Cogill, Syvertsen and Banks. The technical skill, flair and speed which that bunch had was really out of market for league two. And even then, remember, we came second to Peterhead who had the ability to be more direct than us through players like McAllister and McLean. Over the piece I thought that was the telling factor, albeit the margin was small.

It's usually cheaper to get players who're a bit limited technically but who're decent athletes and good team players. I think if we're as cash strapped as is rumoured, we should be going down the 'big team' route, with the odd bit of star quality here and there if we can find it. That is, so we don't wind up like Dumbarton. But we've already got David Goodwillie so that couldn't happen, happily.

It's not so much about Grant for us or not...that's gone...it's more about why? and is Danny going to face issues with convincing others to join us....I think that is what we have progressed to discussing.

As for being cash strapped....I think there are stronger rumours that we are most certainly NOT cash strapped.

[Guest andyp1301]

9 hours ago, haufdaft said:

Am I wrong to be concerned that we seem to be signing "bit part" players before we sign players as starters?

I fear sentimentality is rearing it's ugly head again.

This doesn't fill me with optimism for next season.

*Go on Clyde, surprise me with some cracking signings*

The bit part players are part of the existing squad and there comes a time at the end of the season where the squad meet with the manager to discuss whether they are leaving or staying. Those meetings took place last week...just a timing thing HD....settle down.

[Guest andyp1301]

9 hours ago, SouthLanarkshireWhite said:

I'm sure you will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe we scored more per game after he re-joined. If we were scoring more , and conceding fewer, it's hard to argue we are not performing more effectively as a team. It may be less enjoyable, may be less attractive, but in a season like the one just gone, if not all others , it is perhaps better to avoid relegation and be a bit less exciting on that journey?

Welcome to the cabal SLW....you can be our stats expert.......;))))

Edited May 17, 2021 by andyp1301