Elgin Macca

Not the manager alone no but..... We have a majority shareholder with absolutely no interest in the progress of the football club or even just the football club as a whole. We have a chairman/board who have no ambition to progress. And are happy just to plod along and 'what happens, happens' We have a manager who has ran his course and ran out of ideas but will be there for the foreseeable according to the chairman, no matter what happens in the coming weeks. we have a playing squad who on the whole aren't good enough. Any signings made are no better than what we've got and last a few months before being offloaded to highland league/junior sides. We seem to still be getting decent numbers at the games so the fans are doing their bit. We need others to step up now!!

Has anyone saw the chairman’s interview in the press? Shambles! ”if we finish bottom we finish bottom” ”we have gave the manager everything we can”….. does this not tell you his time is up then? “hopefully now Hester’s case is out the way he can change his attitude and performance”……considering he’s been one of the best players in the league for some time now I’ve no idea what he means by this. we are a total mess just now

Agree mate, thought it was strange one. It really is a dire situation just now. We don't look like laying a glove on anyone. I get the feeling there is a 'see what happens' attitude from the board aswell.

Agreed. Hadn't saw much of him at club level to be honest but last week he just 'looked liked a modern goalkeeper'. We now have a lot of players very comfortable on the ball so the fact he looks happy with the ball at his feet is a big plus. As good as Gordon is/has been i break out into a sweat every time the ball is at his feet!

Bit of a random observation but every time i see a video/picture of Liam Cooper he looks genuinely buzzing to be away with Scotland. At full time, after games he's always right in the celebrations whether he started or didn't play a minute. Great to see and sums up the togetherness of this squad right now

Everyone has their own opinions but i just don't get the hype about Jack Hendry and him being a starter for us. I always think he looks a bit lightweight and not very consistent ( and it looks like the majority of his club managers feel the same). He did play well the last games he was involved but out of all our squad if people were dropping out through injuries he would be one of the ones I wouldn't be that worried about replacing. I think its Porteous' position to lose now.

Would Hickey be our Number 1 right back/wing back now? I think if both fully fit Hickey is a better defender but Paterson looks better going forward. Could be a horses for courses type thing with them depending on the opposition.

I'll just be repeating whats been said but just want to join in this tremendous chat! What a team of rides this is! To a man absolutely faultless. Although i predicted the line up i thought SJM and christie would end up a lot deeper but fair play to Clarke. right up against them! The bit that summed it up for me was the ball dropping to Mcgergor in his own half near the end. How many times over the years would we be leading a big game and that ball just getting booted to f**k? instead he takes it in then skins a Spain player, bursts forward and lays it into Shanklands path. Suuuuperb!

Boy, are things looking grim. 2 games in hand means nothing if you cant win them (which looks unlikely the way we are playing). With Albion punting their manager aswell I worry they might get the 'new manager bounce' for a few games. A defeat on Saturday is surely the end for Gavin. We need a lift from somewhere or its Highland league bound

Think Mctominay,christie and Dykes will be in tonight. Same back 3/5 with Mcginn playing deeper and christie off Dykes. Got a feeling we will either shitfest a beautiful 1-0 win or get pumped 4-0. nothing inbetween!

Sadly, would have to agree. Watched him 3 times recently and looks a mile off it. Haven’t saw much of Clarke since he’s been at hearts so can’t really comment but I would be stunned if Angus Gunn isn’t our Keeper next week

I always feel we look a lot more balanced with the 2 attacking midfielders playing off the 1 striker. For me that would be christie,Mcginn,Adams. Although Ferguson seems to be playing in a more advanced role for Bologna and playing regular/well so may come into contention.

No real surprises there. A few guys very lucky to be called up this time round but its the Clarke way to not make drastic changes at once. I have no idea what Jacob Brown has done to become an international footballer. Always baffles me his inclusion. Are shankland/Nisbet still injured??

Was thinking this aswell yesterday. Stinking luck with the draw. Northern Ireland in pot 5 have ended up with an easier looking group than us!

I had forgotten about Mckennas injury picked up recently so yea i agree, Hanley in instead. Ferguson must be in the thoughts of Clarke just now. seems to be on a good run of games/form in Italy

I agree about Hackney. I thought he would have been in the senior squad. Seems to be having a great season in the championship. Yea, Doaks injury probably ruined an outside chance of a call up. Would have loved to have seen him in the squad also. My first thought on Anderson is that he has refused a call up as i cant see him being in the full squad. Disappointing if that's the case as he also looks a real talent.

What would everyone's line up be for the Cyprus game if they were in charge? I'd go.. Clarke Hickey, Mckenna,Porteous,Robertson Mcgergor,Mctominay Doak Mcginn cristie Adams. Obviously the next game against Spain would probably call for a more compact formation and a more experienced 11.

They gave the manager a new contract when the rot had already set in. I found this very bizarre. Gavin seems a top guy and his dedication to the club has been exceptional but I think everyone can see its needing a fresh input now. If we stay up and they let him carry on next season and he turns things around ill be the first to hold my hands up and get behind him but I genuinely believe we are miles off that and we will be fighting relegation next season if nothing changes.

A manager out of ideas, a squad stale and out of ideas. Our best player/goalscorer possibly played his last game for the club. Are the board not seeing any of this? I genuinely try and stay positive and try and see the bigger picture but there is only one place we are heading if nothing changes....wick away on a cold Wednesday night

It's going to be an interesting squad announcement this time. Does Clarke stick with the tried and tested even though we have a lot of players struggling with injuries/form/game time or does he need to freshen things up with players playing more regular/in form. Hayden hackney, off the top of my head. Does Doak have an outside chance? Confidence must be sky high. Bags of pace. Would have no problem with him being involved against Cyprus at the very least.

jacob Brown is absolute jobbies and shouldn't be anywhere near our squad.

That's a fair reply and I agree to an extent but we've watched Caley,county,perterhead (to a lesser extent cove) all get out of this league with similar issues. I've always got the feeling we, as a club ,are just happy to plod along without having much ambition to do more but with relegation now in play this is very dangerous as I genuinely believe without Hester we would be rock bottom by some distance.

I've always been a fan of the way Clarke is loyal to this group of players and tried to get a club feel going but I do feel the squad needs a bit of a freshen up this campaign. The goalkeeping department is well documented but I really like the look of Hackney at Middlesbrough and Anderson at Newcastle. Also if Doak had kept going the way he was going but an unfortunate injury coinciding with Liverpool getting players back will probably put an end to his run in the first team squad for a while.

I've watched some dross served up at BB this season but Saturday is right up there. As soon as Kanes hearing/trial is done we are either losing him to a massive ban or another team at which point we are going to be in big trouble. The squad isn't good enough. And the club/recruitment need to start thinking outside the box rather than just 'sign anyone that's been released by Caley or Aberdeen'. Back to looking over our shoulders again....

I can see Clarke just putting all these names in a hat and just picking one out.