The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Been going too long]

2 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

And for arguments sake if he did get our job and done well and someone else wanted him he would do it all over again… I’m kinda glad we got Murray as he’s the type of guy to stay if he believes somethings going in the right direction 

We dodged a bullet with an attention seeking pre madonna like Thomson, never the right fit for us

[TxRover]

2 minutes ago, Been going too long said:

You said very similar about bene last year Tx and I definitely would have kept him, if a younger team you want an experienced keeper to help younger players and Macdonald seems a good egg as well as a good keeper. We didn’t get better than bene last season and think it will be hard to improve on Macdonald, only my opinion 

I suggested Bene wasn’t an ideal starter for us, and would he even be willing to become our third choice CB going forward. The Bene matter was settled before IM even had a choice, as for MacDonald, I’m asking a question, not saying toss him out.

[baillieinleeds]

3 minutes ago, Been going too long said:

We dodged a bullet with an attention seeking pre madonna like Thomson, never the right fit for us

Thomson is an arse pipe

[CALDERON]

I went to watch the Buckie vs Brechin game yesterday, and whilst it was a great occasion, it all felt a bit "nice".  There was an instance with about 15 mins to go when Brechin were chasing the game, when they ended up passing the ball back to the keeper after not creating an opening.  A few over and under hit corners, some short corners that didn't work out.  Barely a peep from anyone.

It actually made me miss the South Stand, there's something quite fun about how angry a support can get

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by CALDERON

[Passionate]

7 hours ago, RRFC_Liam said:

And for arguments sake if he did get our job and done well and someone else wanted him he would do it all over again… I’m kinda glad we got Murray as he’s the type of guy to stay if he believes somethings going in the right direction 

What Murray doesn't like is interference from a,Director of football,  Raith are rumoured to be going down that route, I hear

[TxRover]

13 minutes ago, Passionate said:

What Murray doesn't like is interference from a,Director of football,  Raith are rumoured to be going down that route, I hear

A good DoF doesn’t interfere, he/she assists, investigates and locates. The open question is can our BoD/Owner(s)….new or old…not screw it up.

[Scottydog]

John Sim wants a young team too, his buzz word are "young and hungry", the problems with that are manyfold.

Fist off to get youngsters you need some sort of academy, to get good youngsters you need a good academy. At the moment we have a handful of Modern apprentices but no youth team so without adequate investment we are now relying on signing other team's cast offs.

Secondly, even if we manage to produce another decent crop a La Bowie, Tait, Arnott etc they will be sold off at the earliest opportunity, like as not long before the the Rovers reach the promised land where they'd be taken seriously for really big money transfers.

Thirdly, as things stand Rovers actually have quite a young team, outwith Jamma and Thomson (both 30+) there a handful around the mid to late-mid 20's (LV, Dicko, Spencer, Stanton, Matthews and Millen but at least 11 of the rest are under 23. That is not an old team. What Sim of course means isn't "Young and Hungry" but "Cheap".

Fourthly and this is the main reason why this idiotic bean counting idea won't work, you need a few old heads in the team, you have to have some experienced guys. Just take a look at the defence this season for example, we have been crying out for a Berra/Anderson type to steady the ship, to take control and organise defending balls into the box.  Further to that just look at our bench for the last 4 or 5 games, Saturday saw Thomson (GK), McBride (22), Young (19) & Masson (18). Ok we were light on options to put on to chase the game obviously but had we got a goal there simply wasn't anything on the bench we could use to help shore things up.

 

Most of the kids whom we have produced that have gone on to better things have come from a decent Rovers youth set up and broken into a Rovers side that wasn't struggling at the wrong end of the table. LV, RM, RC and even the Ginger Ramos all mostly came into a team that was doing well. Our latest sales (Bowie and Tait) came from the youth set up and broke into a team that was challenging (albeit in L1).

Our recruitment has been awful and our management of finances even worse! And that includes dealing with players and their agents.

McGlynn brought in Ross and Gullan in the belief they could be easily sold on if we did not get promotion, he didn't bargain for them having the injuries they got.

Why do we get so many players with so ,many injuries? Is it the surface? Is it the training methods? Or are they all just made of chocolate?

Edited April 24, 2023 by Scottydog

[Brashy's Boots]

1 hour ago, Scottydog said:

John Sim wants a young team too, his buzz word are "young and hungry", the problems with that are manyfold.

Fist off to get youngsters you need some sort of academy, to get good youngsters you need a good academy. At the moment we have a handful of Modern apprentices but no youth team so without adequate investment we are now relying on signing other team's cast offs.

Secondly, even if we manage to produce another decent crop a La Bowie, Tait, Arnott etc they will be sold off at the earliest opportunity, like as not long before the the Rovers reach the promised land where they'd be taken seriously for really big money transfers.

Thirdly, as things stand Rovers actually have quite a young team, outwith Jamma and Thomson (both 30+) there a handful around the mid to late-mid 20's (LV, Dicko, Spencer, Stanton, Matthews and Millen but at least 11 of the rest are under 23. That is not an old team. What Sim of course means isn't "Young and Hungry" but "Cheap".

Fourthly and this is the main reason why this idiotic bean counting idea won't work, you need a few old heads in the team, you have to have some experienced guys. Just take a look at the defence this season for example, we have been crying out for a Berra/Anderson type to steady the ship, to take control and organise defending balls into the box.  Further to that just look at our bench for the last 4 or 5 games, Saturday saw Thomson (GK), McBride (22), Young (19) & Masson (18). Ok we were light on options to put on to chase the game obviously but had we got a goal there simply wasn't anything on the bench we could use to help shore things up.

 

Most of the kids whom we have produced that have gone on to better things have come from a decent Rovers youth set up and broken into a Rovers side that wasn't struggling at the wrong end of the table. LV, RM, RC and even the Ginger Ramos all mostly came into a team that was doing well. Our latest sales (Bowie and Tait) came from the youth set up and broke into a team that was challenging (albeit in L1).

Our recruitment has been awful and our management of finances even worse! And that includes dealing with players and their agents.

McGlynn brought in Ross and Gullan in the belief they could be easily sold on if we did not get promotion, he didn't bargain for them having the injuries they got.

Why do we get so many players with so ,many injuries? Is it the surface? Is it the training methods? Or are they all just made of chocolate?

At least you're staying positive, eh?

[Heid_The_Baw]

On 22/04/2023 at 19:52, Craigus said:

Turning on Macdonald is peak P&B Rovers fan behaviour.

His distribution can be erratic, and he isn't the tallest so can be caught out with some crosses, but he is by far the best keeper we've had since McGurn (and you could probably also aim those criticisms at him).

To say Macdonald hasn't dug is out of a hole in any games is lunacy. Maybe he hasn't single handedly made us avoid defeat, but that's because the defence infront of him have been absolutely rancid for most of fhe season and there's only so many worldie saves he can make.

 

^This.

But it my be moot anyway, as I think he might either be released (higher wages than norm at Rovers) or retire.  Worrying that everytime he makes a worldy save he ends up injured.  If he is continuing, I hope he signs for another year though, as he is deffo one of the best keepers we have had for a long time.

 

[Heid_The_Baw]

On 22/04/2023 at 21:24, Ro Sham Bo said:

That's 1 point from 5 matches now. I said it last week, and I'll say it again this week, if/when we lose the last two matches that's sackable form and Murray will be under serious pressure to start next season well, if he makes it that far. 

Meaningless games.  But yea sack him, pay off his next years contract too, and bring in who? 

Murray has my backing next season.  

 

[SirJimmyofNic]

The biggest problem we have to get sorted out is what's causing all the injury woes that plague us, or no prospective players will want to come, interestingly it appears that most were McGlynns signings, maybe our resident statistition can clarify that one

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Thomson with his added coaching duties has to be on about the same wage as McDonald so why the constant digs at McDonald from some posters 

[Beachbum]

20 minutes ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

The biggest problem we have to get sorted out is what's causing all the injury woes that plague us, or no prospective players will want to come, interestingly it appears that most were McGlynns signings, maybe our resident statistition can clarify that one

Why not ask the Falkirk fans what their injuries have been like this season.

[Brashy's Boots]

33 minutes ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

The biggest problem we have to get sorted out is what's causing all the injury woes that plague us, or no prospective players will want to come, interestingly it appears that most were McGlynns signings, maybe our resident statistition can clarify that one

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Thomson with his added coaching duties has to be on about the same wage as McDonald so why the constant digs at McDonald from some posters 

IM has already intimated he knows what the problem is, or is at least fairly sure. He hasn't said but a few have speculated on medical and physio provision at the club. It'll be interesting if any of the current backroom team leave between now and next season.

[Specky Ginger]

1 hour ago, Brashy's Boots said:

IM has already intimated he knows what the problem is, or is at least fairly sure. He hasn't said but a few have speculated on medical and physio provision at the club. It'll be interesting if any of the current backroom team leave between now and next season.

We've apparently been looking for a new physio for months, but the current one has agreed to stay until we find a replacement.

[Specky Ginger]

If MacDonald is keen to stay next season, we sign him. End of. Even if it means making savings in other areas of the wage bill.

You go for the best goalkeeper available to you. 

Look at how Hearts have regressed since they lost Craig Gordon and look at the mess Leicester have been since they let Kasper Schmeichel go and replaced him with his understudy.

 

[TxRover]

2 hours ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Thomson with his added coaching duties has to be on about the same wage as McDonald so why the constant digs at McDonald from some posters 

But does he? He’s likely not getting a massive paycheque for being a keeper…the added coaching duties pay is likely less than a stand-alone keeper coach would get too…and he seems to be a very good coach.

I suspect that Kirkcaldy works well for Thomson, and his academy and Celtic related work. So there is likely some discount in his pay versus what another team outwith the immediate area would have to offer him.

Why, because MacDonald is likely our highest compensated player and dropping Thomson would require hiring another coach…and because of what Sim has said.

Edited April 24, 2023 by TxRover

[Michael W]

Let's also bear in the mind that, all going to plan, it will not be John Sim calling the shots next season. 

[Scottydog]

3 hours ago, Michael W said:

Let's also bear in the mind that, all going to plan, it will not be John Sim calling the shots next season. 

Hopefully, but hat depends on what Mr Sims plan is, if he remains the single biggest shareholder (as he intimated at the AGM), my guess is he'll still stick his neb in.

[Ro Sham Bo]

I wonder when we will announce details of season ticket prices for next season. I thought we might have done it by now considering we are guaranteed to be in the same division next season but I suppose we could be holding off until we can generate some positivity by announcing details of our new era, if it happens. 

[Brashy's Boots]

1 hour ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

I wonder when we will announce details of season ticket prices for next season. I thought we might have done it by now considering we are guaranteed to be in the same division next season but I suppose we could be holding off until we can generate some positivity by announcing details of our new era, if it happens. 

Will you be buying one, what with the "village idiots" as you call them, in charge?