Sons' sorrow

[RandomGuy.]

28 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

 

Considering he just served a 2 match first team ban (when we really needed numbers) for abusive behaviour at an under 17's match I'd say he's miles away from being ready for a managers gig. Making Ciftci cry is funny, being a notorious heider merchant is funny, being a gaffer with zero discipline and a tendancy to be a bit of a heidcase isn't so funny.

 

Yeah I'm not overly convinced he's managerial material, was just curious as with Dave Mackay getting a gig it'll be interesting to sad acts like me to see how many of our former players move into it. 

[Silverton End]

Come back Ian Murray, we seen ye strutting around the perimeter today with the wee lad, mingling amongst the Sons fans.

You know you want to.

[microdave]

At the meeting on Wednesday, there was a comment about the board would be considering a succession strategy. At the time, I wondered if it was at board or managerial level. I just can't quite remember whether it was during the agm part or the stadium part of the evening. I'd forgotten about it until today when Ian Murray and Colin Nish were in the social club.

[albundy]

11 minutes ago, Silverton End said:

Come back Ian Murray, we seen ye strutting around the perimeter today with the wee lad, mingling amongst the Sons fans.

You know you want to.

Not sure about a Murray return. The last six months were horrible, felt like he was going through the motions.

[Silverton End]

Just now, albundy said:

Not sure about a Murray return. The last six months were horrible, felt like he was going through the motions.

Can't see it happening anyway tbh

[DumbartonTheSons]

To be honest if we're going to be going down then I'd like to do it in a sea of tears, rage and touchline bust ups. I'd imagine he'd guarantee all three.

At least then it wouldn't be the continued predictable guff we're currently being served up.

[sonsanorak]

At the meeting on Wednesday, there was a comment about the board would be considering a succession strategy. At the time, I wondered if it was at board or managerial level. I just can't quite remember whether it was during the agm part or the stadium part of the evening. I'd forgotten about it until today when Ian Murray and Colin Nish were in the social club.

Succession planning was hinted to be about Alan Jardine i think. Getting on a bit and putting his hand inhis pocket regularly it seemed to help us along.

Without funding new signings and the opportunity to sign them in january, im not sure how many managers would find the challenge of keeping this squad up appealing. Upcoming routine away defeats and another poor show in the cup could be enough for the board.

I feel a little for Aitken; today was another limited squad, 2 kids on the bench with young Don starting, a RB at LB and a LB at CM. Better players unavailable through injury or loans.

But that doesnt excuse how we performed and were set up today, or how little was done during the game to address it. The Rose players Ive heard speak about the game have been spot on; they should have won, they matched or bettered us all over the park and our biggest threat was set pieces.

Big Fraz would be interesting. Im not sure if darren barr wouldnt be a good choice too.

[pleslie99]

Murray won't be back, much more likely to end up at a QOTS, Raith etc. He isn't the only manager to have a disaster at st Mirren so maybe won't hit his stock too much.
On the subject of mccallum, I totally agree, he should've been punted on loan to a junior team to toughen him up! Proper big lads play at that level with the instruction of 'if it moves kick it', would have done him the world of good rather than sitting on our bench for 3years. Likely to be released at end of the season and another youngster lost to the game.

[microdave]

Btw I wasn't saying we should re-appoint Murray. I was just reminded of the point I made about the meeting when I saw Murray and Nish today. When it was said on Wednesday it was hinted that the succession strategy was for boardroom level but I wondered if it might be the management team that might be under threat. Whether that's now or the end of the season, who knows!

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

I feel a little for Aitken; today was another limited squad, 2 kids on the bench with young Don starting, a RB at LB and a LB at CM. Better players unavailable through injury or loans.

It's up to Stevie to ensure we have an adequate enough squad to cover injuries. We have a 3rd choice goalkeeper receiving a good wage to sit in the stand drinking bovril, Stevo (our marquee signing) receiving what is believed to be an eye watering wage to sit on the bench/contribute ziltch. Guys like Stirling and Thommo wont come all that cheap and both are contributing very little.

Had the Brown situation been handled better that could be us + 1 outfield player. Had we not taken a risk on a pretender like Stevo we probably could've signed 2 outfield players. Wright is practically 40 and can barely run nevermind play regularly. You get my point.

His budget isn't that small that we should have 1 useable sub, despite the 4 unavailable players. He should be ensuring we're better equiped, he signs the players and chooses how to spend his budget.

[Sons Fan]

Replay is on Tuesday 6th

Unless there's certain rules on pricing then it should be £10 for adults and £5 for everyone else.

Considering the dismal performances, run up to Christmas and people less likely to turn out for a week night, those prices would be good.

 

[sonsanorak]

BBPF; thats my point, if all the players that he'd signed were available it would have been a different line up. Gall (love him or hate him), stanton, joe and harvie were all first eleven players.

I do agree however that Stevo has not contributed enough and that the Mark Brown issue seems to have been badly handled. I thought Andy Stirling was our best attacking player yesterday and that Thommo done better than both Garry and the Don when he came on.

[sonsanorak]

Replay is on Tuesday 6th

Unless there's certain rules on pricing then it should be £10 for adults and £5 for everyone else.

Considering the dismal performances, run up to Christmas and people less likely to turn out for a week night, those prices would be good.

 

Tuesday to have a smaller attendance than yesterday. Decent chance there ll be more bonnyrigg fans there than home.

[albundy]

BBPF; thats my point, if all the players that he'd signed were available it would have been a different line up. Gall (love him or hate him), stanton, joe and harvie were all first eleven players.

I doubt from the comments on here that it would have made any difference had everyone be available. Surely we had a good enough starting eleven to take care of business yesterday.

[Howlin' Wilf]

Replay is on Tuesday 6th

Unless there's certain rules on pricing then it should be £10 for adults and £5 for everyone else.

Considering the dismal performances, run up to Christmas and people less likely to turn out for a week night, those prices would be good.

 

Might be lucky to get a quarter of the crowd Bonnyrigg attracted.

[Jan Vojáček]

3 hours ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

 

It's up to Stevie to ensure we have an adequate enough squad to cover injuries. We have a 3rd choice goalkeeper receiving a good wage to sit in the stand drinking bovril, Stevo (our marquee signing) receiving what is believed to be an eye watering wage to sit on the bench/contribute ziltch. Guys like Stirling and Thommo wont come all that cheap and both are contributing very little.

Had the Brown situation been handled better that could be us + 1 outfield player. Had we not taken a risk on a pretender like Stevo we probably could've signed 2 outfield players. Wright is practically 40 and can barely run nevermind play regularly. You get my point.

His budget isn't that small that we should have 1 useable sub, despite the 4 unavailable players. He should be ensuring we're better equiped, he signs the players and chooses how to spend his budget.

 

Absolutely this. Stevie built the squad, and he made a mess of it. Again. Just like last season. Do people really think we are running a budget that is massively low when we still have guys like Stevo, Buchanan, Barr, Martin, Thomson etc in the squad? I could understand it if we were scrabbling together a team of lower league jobbers, but we aren't. He's not used the budget wisely, and (certainly in my opinion) that's one of the main reasons he needs to go. Unfortunately we won't sack him, and I doubt he'll resign - so it could make for an unpleasant next few months. 

5 minutes ago, Howlin' Wilf said:

Might be lucky to get a quarter of the crowd Bonnyrigg attracted.

We got 274 for Alloa in the Scottish Cup last season at home on a Tuesday. I'd imagine Bonnyrigg will bring at least a bus load, but I can see the home end being fairly, erm, spacious.

I'd imagine the entry prices will be £6/£12 FWIW.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

BBPF; thats my point, if all the players that he'd signed were available it would have been a different line up. Gall (love him or hate him), stanton, joe and harvie were all first eleven players.

I do agree however that Stevo has not contributed enough and that the Mark Brown issue seems to have been badly handled. I thought Andy Stirling was our best attacking player yesterday and that Thommo done better than both Garry and the Don when he came on.

My point is that regardless of 4 first team players being unavailable, we should have enough players to at least semi fill the bench. As it was we had one goalkeeper, two 16 year olds, a player who is physically unable to warm up and Robert Thomson. Realisticly that's one player. Simply nowhere near enough.

If Stevie hadn't spunked big wages on guys who don't contribute anything like what is required then we could've invested in more players.

Stevie gets allocated a budget and needs to use it wisely. He hasn't, unfortunately.

[Howlin' Wilf]

I didn't make the game yesterday so I can't comment on what seems to have been quite a desperate performance. As for the manager's position, whilst those calling for him to go are quite justified and entitled to their opinion, a look at St Mirren's situation since appointing Jack Ross might introduce a note of caution. As for Aitken's demeanour/decorum, it is a very difficult thing to be seen to be failing and be on public display. He'll probably be disappointed with his grin gesture and some of his comments being relayed here.
In the 80s we were bottom of the second tier, sacked Mark Clougherty and brought in Bertie Auld who had a pretty decent track record in management. We still got relegated. Then again, the switch from Adamson to Murray had a significant contribution to us staying up that season.

[Jan Vojáček]

On the McCallum still being young patter by the way, aye he is. But he's not that young. He's 20, a year younger than Jason Cummings and two years older than Daniel Harvie. This is his make or break season for us and, as much as it pains me to say it, he's currently not going to make it with us.

I think he has the potential to be a very decent goalscorer, but he's spent pretty much the whole of the past 2 years on the bench, making brief sub appearances and playing in the old 20s league. He's not developed as a player at all - he's still exactly the same as the wee guy who came on under Ian Murray in January 2015. In fact, if anything, he's regressed slightly due to the lack of football he's playing.

That's why he should've gone out on loan a few years ago, and I think it's great to see us (and I'll assume it was Tony McInally who was involved in this idea) now loaning young lads out to junior teams at an early age. Guys like Prior (Vale of Clyde), Hambleton (Irvine Vics) and Jay Cameron (Newmains) can only benefit from playing real football now instead of stagnating in the 20s league/bench.

 

 

[Howlin' Wilf]

You also have to wonder who would or could be attracted to Sons at the moment. You can forget somebody who is doing well in the lower leagues as it surely wouldn't be an attractive proposition for advancement. It really would have to be someone out of work with a point to prove. If only I could think of someone....[emoji848]