Onthefringes
-
Posts
204 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Store
Posts posted by Onthefringes
-
-
I’m sure Mr Burrows replied to one of the groupie type posts that Macron will be partnering again next season.
0 -
1 hour ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:
At the scenes from training in that video there was a big ginger / strawberry blonde guy who definitely wasn't Nathan McGinley that I didn't recognise. Wonder if it was a trialist.
That’s one of the academy graduates.
2 -
1 hour ago, 'WellDel said:
You may well be party to information or knowledge that I and others aren't, but I just don't see the club deviating too far from 'the model' that our whole player development and recruitment policy is based on. Surely Alexander would have come in with that as part of his remit, rather than an option he could choose to put low in his priorities. If that had been any of the candidates take on things, I'd like to have thought their interview wouldn't have lasted long.
What is this definite shift, and how badly is it going to affect young guys chances of breaking through to the first team squad?
Outwith the usual revenue streams of season tickets, tv money etc, our main hope of substantial extra income is by unearthing a gem or developing one of our own to sell on or gain compensation for. It'd be a pretty big shift to alter that too much and risk lessening the chance of attracting the best youngsters to come to us in the first place.
I don't think you can put too much weight behind the lack of playing opportunities for them in that cluster f**k of a season, when our safety was still in doubt up until the last couple of games. Not being argumentative, but just interested to see where people are seeing this definite shift coming from.
Answered your own question with your opening gambit.
How badly it may affect those involved may take seasons to realise - just the nature of development football.
Weight can be put on lack of opportunity. Playing experience is essential, although I’m mindful it isn't career ending if they’re not seeing as many minutes at a young age - there is a big difference in the soundbite though which for those only interested in the current form table won’t or refuse to buy into.
0 -
For the avoidance of doubt, a definite shift in player pathway isn’t rumour, guess work or panty wetting. Most departures are a natural wasteage - that’s just the nature of the business.
Bang on about it often enough, it’s about finding the right balance given the amount of variables. Development though is an additional funding stream that’s not transfer fees - Rangers & Celtic offered more game time to academy graduates than we did. That’s unsustainable at ours.
As much as recruitment will be pivotal, development must change also. I’m just not sure there’s the required joined up thinking. Time will tell...
1 -
19 minutes ago, capt_oats said:
Taking a look at who's out of contract:
GK: Fox, Chapman
DF: Dunne, Gallagher
MF: Campbell, Polworth, Semple, Cornelius, Foley
FW: Long, Seedorf, Robinson, ColeLoans: Kelly, Nolan, Magloire, Hastie, Smith, Roberts
We already know Gallagher and Campbell are away (though we need to keep Campbell's deal on the table), you'd think Mrs Polworth will have made her views clear and we've made Cole an offer. We're also keen on sorting something out with Kelly be it a loan or whatever.
That's 5 of 19 accounted for.
Magloire, Hastie, Smith and Roberts are all still contracted to their parent clubs for (at least) another year.
If Seedorf's injured would it be a massive surprise if he was offered a Tanner type deal over the summer? Same with Dunne and Fox especially so in Fox's case give Carson's still coming back from injury and Kelly's situation is up in the air.
Really that only leaves Semple, Cornelius, Foley, Long and Robinson. You'd imagine Chapman and Nolan are away.
We also need to cut about 10 bodies regardless as the current first team numbers are clearly unsustainable. There's not a chance we run with 33 "first team" players (which is how it stands currently)
Other than the obvious, expect less than 2 from those highlighted
0 -
20 hours ago, Onthefringes said:
No rumour mill about it, natural wasteage only of which I’d doubt many will have heard of.
In the absence of reserve football again next season, development has to change. I’m just not sure the manager views the player pathway the club do.
Was working off last weeks’ list...
0 -
7 minutes ago, santheman said:
I suppose the dillema is do we keep all our youngsters most of whom will probably never get a game and be loaned out next season or free up their wages to attract a better quality of player and keep 3 or 4 of the best prospects
An interesting take but, not generally how it works. Development of players is a funding stream not just related to player sales which our management have failed upon this season.
0 -
26 minutes ago, Well Well said:
Also dont think there will be many from the youth squad will be given a new contract either. Only rumour mill obviously and could be well wide of the mark but I don't believe GA thinks most of our youth team are good enough to progress and I expect a few will be in amongst the first team squad being released
No rumour mill about it, natural wasteage only of which I’d doubt many will have heard of.
In the absence of reserve football again next season, development has to change. I’m just not sure the manager views the player pathway the club do.
0 -
2 hours ago, superward said:
Don't want to alarm anyone. But our chief scout lad was at the port vale game at the weekend. No idea who he is watching...but there was a 'Devante' playing. Imagine. Double Decanter
‘our’ chief scout is stretching it a bit... Recruitment will be different.
0 -
19 minutes ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:
The difference between here and Steelmen Online for me is that points are made with decent reason on this thread, whereas it seems people are unable to make a point without losing their head over there.
Looking back on the games rationally now, I would say the only one that merits proper criticism is the Killie game. There were factors that went against him in the St. Johnstone and Accies game that he couldn't control. Looking at St. Johnstone having made top six and now made two cup finals, them tearing us apart when we have 17 players out isn't that inconceivable. The Accies game, although we started on the back foot, there's no doubting that O'Donnell's red card totally finished the game off.
Disagree on the St Johnstone match Joe. Screamed of not learning from his mistakes for me. Nothing against their achievements, he knew what we had available and set up in similar fashion as the weeks previously rather alter to be compact and harder to beat, defeat was on him.
0 -
22 minutes ago, capt_oats said:
Tbh, I can understand that but from my POV the January window was a write off.
Robinson had pretty much maxed out our squad (even more so given the loans like Robinson, Semple, Morrison etc were recalled) so while Lang went back to Wigan, Archer moved to Boro and White to County we were (IMO) still pretty limited in who we could reasonably bring in and I think Alexander has actually been proven correct when he was saying that he didn't feel there was much wrong with the squad he inherited and we had good players in the building.
Sure, there might have been an element of not wanting to go full Butcher and antagonise a dressing room that seemed to already have a lot going on behind the scenes but overall it feels like even if it was just to bring in a few new faces without an expectation of them playing much (Smith for example was just a straight swap for White) the end justified the means. I wouldn't like us to make this a policy going forward but given the circumstances (especially with the pandemic and the fact the manager was literally just in the door) then it is what it is - we stayed up and Eddie Nolan can become a pub quiz question.
My enthusiasm for the GTFO list is really down to us getting shot of players who clearly couldn't wait to "get out of this shithole" (as Mrs Polworth eloquently put it) and Alexander at least having the opportunity to put a stamp on the team with more than a couple of weeks notice (and with the benefit of a few months having been in the job and working in the league).
Fwiw, I'm not entirely convinced we'll be cutting a lot loose and I definitely have a feeling that it'll be as tough a sell to get players up from England as it was last summer (unless they're folk who either have family up here and are looking to get back up the road or have played up here before and are comfortable with moving). Based on nothing beyond my own gut I still have a feeling he'll be leaning quite heavily on the recruitment staff at the club rather than his own contacts though.
I’d doubt that...
1 -
14 minutes ago, Phillips455 said:
How did he get in there with the whole lock down restrictions? He would be caught on camera during every game!
Droll. Very droll. When allowed obviously.
As for cameras catching anybody - not a chance. Your big mate Robert Park struggles with them... vandalism & theft by fans from other teams under cover of darkness. He’s even tried using them to see three of our own in court and failed.
0 -
20 minutes ago, supermarv said:
Who’s your son?
Behave. My son sits in the end section of the East Stand.
Was a genuine question. Without opening up the development player debate, was curios as to how you came to that conclusion.
0 -
45 minutes ago, supermarv said:
Interesting he talks about the competition as such in training maybe highlighting the younger and/or fringe players weren’t good enough or able to compete in training for starting positions etc.
Must say a could listen to this guy all day long puts a smile on my face everytime GA > Robbo.
Bit of a stretch that from the interview?
There is certainly a bigger picture, just not for debate on here for now.
I’ve said similar about Robinson’s media output. May we’ll be in the minority, not quite buying Alexander’s soundbite thus far.
0 -
2 hours ago, ropy said:
Semple back swelling the numbers
Not the case. Trained at the club throughout & lower down the pecking order than those kids who weren’t loaned.
0 -
56 minutes ago, rowsdower said:
I've been on SO since day1. It's funny that it was created to counteract the negativity of firparkcorner, but I don't think it's as bad as it's made out to be, particularly compared to the well fans facebook sequels. Some folk are going to be negative no matter what, but it's a nice replacement for the cooper stand during exile.
Half the folk on here are on SO too, watching the OTF and supermarv running battle across both is fun
I think they're the same person.
Definitely not the same person.
Drained me yesterday so reckoned I’ll take a break from offering opinion.
Few acquaintances on both here & SO that can vouch reliability.
For me, there’s been merit in negativity of some this season, for some it’s been incessant.
0 -
1 hour ago, Londonwell said:
Bore off. Hardly a revelation that.
0 -
1 hour ago, supermarv said:
“Same every window?” I’ve said it for the last 2 windows as that was the information I was given that we had simply “enquired” about the availability of Moult never said it was happening.
Also I don’t claim to be ITK I just pass on information that I’m given which the last 2 times in this window has been true and most for the past windows...
Some things will no doubt be wrong and with comments on here made about yourself from others it certainly seems like you’ve had plenty things that haven’t happened from your information.
Turn it up.
0 -
2 hours ago, MP_MFC said:
Don't forget the two Dutch wingers.
Sizeable chunk of our support & Nijmegen’s were in on that as was a senior figure at the club - got the groupies (not fans) we have heads spinning at some rate.
Borne from collecting two of the Nijmegen lads who’d travelled to meet friends & go to the game that weekend given the links that have been forged between the two clubs.
0 -
2 hours ago, Antiochas III said:
Still waiting Nicky Law to sign for Sheffield Utd which was done and dusted years ago according to ITKFringe
Not quite getting that, said my piece elsewhere. Never once claimed to be ITK, those that know will back that.
0 -
2 hours ago, supermarv said:
I simply said the club “enquired” meaning the club have approached Preston in the last 2 windows. Simply just passing on information that I was told, same person who told me we were signing a Scottish player who was based down in England last week but I guess you’ll have forgotten that one.
Its hardly a surprise as Preston have offered him to clubs to take him on loan until the end of the season, however if you actually read my post I’d have said about his injury/ fitness issues which may not be worth the risk.
Laughable. Simply untrue and same every window when you resurface.
“Enquired” for Moult yet, courted & signed Jordan White
Forgotten that one? Signing the Scottish player from England was hardly a revelation - player admitted that in his post signing interview. Holding it up as some sort of virtue for your source being correct is a bit of a stretch.
“Hardly a surprise?” A freelance journalist playing on a link from Preston to Hearts new recruitment staff is offering him on loan? I did read your post in relation to fitness issue - it was in contradiction your opening gambit. Timescales render it highly unlikely Scotland as being a credible destination given the window is up in less than a fortnight.
Do yourself a favour, I’m certainly not anymore ITK than the next, just happen to come across information that is better & checks out with more than 1 other. It really isn’t that difficult.
0 -
1 hour ago, supermarv said:
Well as you can see he’s been offered to clubs on loan so it’s hardly a surprise this window if he ends up here. In the summer there was too much doubt about his injury and lack of fitness and we wanted to go with other options. Not saying he’ll sign here but we will certainly be involved in trying to get him as well as others just depends who we want more and who wants to be here more.
In my honest opinion I’d rather we went for someone who’s fit and slots straight into the team and try for Moult again in the summer if he’s available, if he’s fit right now then it’s a no-brainer but I’m going to guess not as he’s not played all season basically so as said above it would take weeks/months to get him upto speed and into the team, in a relegation battle we need instant impacts.Is there a Pinocchio emoji?
Hardly a surprise this window? 4 to 6 weeks from fitness and that’s from the horse’s mouth.
Too much doubt in the summer? It wasn’t even up for debate, again from the horse’s mouth...
Anybody else seeing a recurring theme here?
0 -
Pointing towards Alexander - albeit he has other options.
0 -
11 hours ago, Swello said:
In terms of where we are - I actually think we have a decent enough (ie - mid table) starting 11 when everyone is fit. I think a front 3 of Watt, Lang and Cole is potentially very decent in our league - I'd be quite happy to persist with it. We also have a good centre midfield when Campbell, O'Hara and Polworth are available and playing well. Defence is weird - but you would think that between O'Donnell, Gallacher, McGinley (who was mystifyingly dropped for Lamie after looking like he was settling in a bit) and AN Other, we would have something passable. Keeper is a difficult situation but we will potentially have one of the best in the league back in the new year.
Therein lies the problem. O’Hara in midfield and playing well is lost on me, almost mythical.
What does he offer? Certainly hasn’t protected the back four at any point nor drive the team forward yet, an ever present.
0
Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons
in Scottish Premiership General Chatter
Posted
It’s baffling. Perfect summations by all here, it’s beyond me how club or player can be seen in a bad light.