Cowdenbeath 2014/15 Championship Thread

[CowdenConvert]

OK and that means in essence you agree with me - a majority (4 you feel) were not bizarre is your assessment

I do. I think the 4 i mentioned are well worthy of a place in the squad. 2 aren't. Scullion made the bench through injuries but glad to see he's not a first team squad player normally. Higgins Jnr will never be a footballer. If they have no impact on the budget then great. Keep them around. If injuries get that bad again then Pat could get another run out. We've since added Marshall though who does look decent so I doubt it.

Jurisic and Campbell were terrible signings. The rest have been fine.

[CowdenConvert]

Bit harsh tagging Higgins senior as a lower league player the boy has only ever played one season below the level we are at currently.

Didn't he make a choice to go part time because of university commitments or something like that. Surprised he didn't get a championship club last season.

[adopted beath]

Bit harsh tagging Higgins senior as a lower league player the boy has only ever played one season below the level we are at currently.

I thought Higgins was a cracking player a few years ago when he was as you say a player at this level.He isn,t now and his season down a league wont have helped him.

[adopted beath]

Yes I can carry on - Higgins has been an OK signing and a good experienced pro - why would we just want to sign youngsters? Good job we signed Thomson, (he has been OK as well - don't remember saying he was better or worse than Flynn), with Thomas deciding to move back to Newcastle. You cant have it both ways - Sutherland and Brownlie if you think they should be in the team then you cant say they are bizarre signings. Higgins jnr and Scullion were signed to supplement the under-20 team as we no longer have under-17s, etc who can step in to play given the Fife Elite Academy - there are a number of other players who are under-20 who play in that side over and above first team squad players/apprentices. It is a mix of reserves, trialists, youngsters, others. We also need good injury cover to allow us to regularly field under 20s including the fact that if you have first team injuries some players may not be risked in under 20s because of risk of further injuries and then we want to put some of our apprentices out to juniors for a more competitive experience. There is no impact at all on the 1st team budget from non-apprentices, young Higgins and Scullion.

Thus I repeat don't accept your claim that a majority of summer signings were bizarre.

Ah the good experienced pro line.Why would we just sign youngsters when the policy of playing youngsters won us the league one title.You yourself posted the average age of our playoff winnig side to counter the claims of Pars fans that their side was young.These are the young players that have given this club the financial windfall its currently getting.You also posted that the season started with the QOS game disregarding the first half dozen games.You keep trotting out the great management party line and i,ll keep supporting the lads in the real world.

[cowdenbeath]

Didn't he make a choice to go part time because of university commitments or something like that. Surprised he didn't get a championship club last season.

Yes I remember reading he went pt due to his university commitments.

[big al]

Knee jerk reactions spring to mind.

If we win our next 2,or even 4 points,and i know its a big if!, everything will be rosy. Its early days of what was always going to be a very tough season. So as long as we keep in the mix we can do it for sure.

[CowdenConvert]

Knee jerk reactions spring to mind.

If we win our next 2,or even 4 points,and i know its a big if!, everything will be rosy. Its early days of what was always going to be a very tough season. So as long as we keep in the mix we can do it for sure.

4 points in the next two will keep things on track. It doesn't hide the frustration of where we could have been. The first three home games and both games against Hibs were all missed opportunities. Thats a lot of missed opportunities already.

[big al]

There will be many more perceived missed opportunities but as long as we finish 1 point or even 1 goal above relegation it will all be worth it.

its a marathon not a sprint and trust me you cant sprint in marathons!

[Cowden Cowboy]

Ah the good experienced pro line.Why would we just sign youngsters when the policy of playing youngsters won us the league one title.You yourself posted the average age of our playoff winnig side to counter the claims of Pars fans that their side was young.These are the young players that have given this club the financial windfall its currently getting.You also posted that the season started with the QOS game disregarding the first half dozen games.You keep trotting out the great management party line and i,ll keep supporting the lads in the real world.

OK I see since the bizarre claim was shown to be completely wrong you use the 'change the subject' tactic. However, we don't have or had a policy re playing youngsters - we have a youth development programme whereby we try and homegrow some of our own players - there has always been a mix - that successful League One season you speak about had Joe Mbu, Colin Cameron, Derek Lyle, David Cowan, Craig Winter and Marc McKenzie playing so we had plenty of good experienced pros in our championship season. There is no windfall - nothing lucky or fortunate at all in what we have achieved - everyone at Central Park worked hard to get the club where it now is. Please don't deliberately take quotes out of context e.g. Queen of the South, trying to spin that into meaning something different from what the real message then was. There is no management party line - I have an independent viewpoint - and I don't just have to agree with any bizarre view. The real world is what I deal with including all the problems and issues that the real world throws up

[Cowden Cowboy]

There will be many more perceived missed opportunities but as long as we finish 1 point or even 1 goal above relegation it will all be worth it.

its a marathon not a sprint and trust me you cant sprint in marathons!

Correct

[NELLY]

My biggest grievance is our inability to sign a left side player who can play left back or left of a midfield 4 or 5. We sign marshall (who looks a good signing may I add) where we are top heavy with midfield players. Jimmy should have been looking at a left sided player initially when Kenny was first ruled out through Injury.

Scullion was signed to supplement the U20 side fair enough but he has been on the bench for the first team twice. Thus in my opinion is using up a first team squad place.

Higgins has been a good player for us. He has to do a LOT of unselfish work and is a worker his first touches brings our midfield into play. There is no inclination to me of what I have seen that Sutherland will be any better for us in that position. Id like to say also Robbo has started to perform very well recently and some of his touches and movement + workrate have been first class.

Mone the Cowden

[adopted beath]

OK I see since the bizarre claim was shown to be completely wrong you use the 'change the subject' tactic. However, we don't have or had a policy re playing youngsters - we have a youth development programme whereby we try and homegrow some of our own players - there has always been a mix - that successful League One season you speak about had Joe Mbu, Colin Cameron, Derek Lyle, David Cowan, Craig Winter and Marc McKenzie playing so we had plenty of good experienced pros in our championship season. There is no windfall - nothing lucky or fortunate at all in what we have achieved - everyone at Central Park worked hard to get the club where it now is. Please don't deliberately take quotes out of context e.g. Queen of the South, trying to spin that into meaning something different from what the real message then was. There is no management party line - I have an independent viewpoint - and I don't just have to agree with any bizarre view. The real world is what I deal with including all the problems and issues that the real world throws up

The bulk of the new signings don,t play and three of the young loan players do so i,ll stand by my opinion if thats all right with you.Are you saying that there is no financial gain being in this seasons championship.You made the QOS statement,sorry if i chose not to forget the games before that one.I completely agree that the work done by everyone at Central is above and beyond and have never claimed otherwise.I,m not a fan of our manager,have disagreed with you in the past on this,but i,m as entitled to my opinion as you are.

[Cowden Cowboy]

No problem - lot's of people stand by daft opinions. A financial gain though isn't really a windfall - a windfall comes due to luck but it isn't luck that got and kept us in the championship. The financial position is different every year - depends on which league you are in, what teams you are playing against, and how you use/adapt your budget. Seems though some think that being in the championship this year is a licence to print money and will generate enough money to keep the club going for 3/4 years (that's what someone suggested to me) but it wont. Yes I know what I said re Queen of the South and my objection is you are using that completely out of context thus twisting its actual meaning - the sort of things politicians love to do. Don't ever remember saying you weren't entitled to your opinion although it's interesting how often folk who say they are entitled to their opinion don't like it if folk don't agree with them or point out the flaws in their arguments - suggesting Cameron, Mbu, Cowan, etc were youngsters for example - that's bizarre.

[Cowden Cowboy]

Scullion was signed to supplement the U20 side fair enough but he has been on the bench for the first team twice. Thus in my opinion is using up a first team squad place.

Don't get that - you now have seven subs at any time and at one point we had about 8 players absent so no surprise that sometimes we need to bring in extra subs to supplement the 1st team squad. Sutherland, O'Brien and Flynn have all played in the under 20s but we don't consider them part of the under 20 squad. If we have 7/8 players injured we are not going to be able to sign 7/8 replacements to top up the 1st team squad. Mind you if Pat was to be the best player for the job, I have no problem with him playing or being on the bench - however he isn't keeping anyone out of the first team squad or using up cash that is allocated to the 1st team budget so is not using up a 1st team squad place.

[NELLY]

Don't get that - you now have seven subs at any time and at one point we had about 8 players absent so no surprise that sometimes we need to bring in extra subs to supplement the 1st team squad. Sutherland, O'Brien and Flynn have all played in the under 20s but we don't consider them part of the under 20 squad. If we have 7/8 players injured we are not going to be able to sign 7/8 replacements to top up the 1st team squad. Mind you if Pat was to be the best player for the job, I have no problem with him playing or being on the bench - however he isn't keeping anyone out of the first team squad or using up cash that is allocated to the 1st team budget so is not using up a 1st team squad place.

So he is not entitled to a win bonus like all squad players if we win on a saturday.Im merely pointing out that it was said Pat and Higgins jnr to a degree have been signed as players to compliment(right phrasing?) the u20s squad. albeit on little or no wages. If pat is in the first team squad regardless of our injury situation or the fact we can have 8 subs he is part of our first team squads plans/thinking. Why are lads like Lynas or certain other players not on the bench ahead of him.

I have no problem with Jimmy and I think he is a good manager albeit erratic in his team selection and tactics. Case and point being at falkirk when you could see him switch players and there was no cohesion or fluency in our team set up... Jimmy plays around with tactics and players too much in my opinion. His signings are "ok" the old phrase any signing is a gamble is certainly true for a club like cowden but some of Jimmys signings have been poor - others have been good however more often than not they are loan signings which have been his most successful signings and I hope they continue. Especially with Fraser and Gallacher likely returning to parent clubs?

[NELLY]

Im going to be controversial btw and say I think the fans praise of Brownlie is sometimes OTT. He is a good defender yes and I believe he is one of our very good signings. I think he is a better defender as part of a back 3 with wing backs. As part of a 2 man partnership I dont think he is as good if im honest. Armstrong and Fraser would be a good partnership but Nat is a big presence and his use of the ball is better than brownlies. Just my opinion though.

Mone the Cowden

[Blueminer]

So he is not entitled to a win bonus like all squad players if we win on a saturday.Im merely pointing out that it was said Pat and Higgins jnr to a degree have been signed as players to compliment(right phrasing?) the u20s squad. albeit on little or no wages. If pat is in the first team squad regardless of our injury situation or the fact we can have 8 subs he is part of our first team squads plans/thinking. Why are lads like Lynas or certain other players not on the bench ahead of him.

I have no problem with Jimmy and I think he is a good manager albeit erratic in his team selection and tactics. Case and point being at falkirk when you could see him switch players and there was no cohesion or fluency in our team set up... Jimmy plays around with tactics and players too much in my opinion. His signings are "ok" the old phrase any signing is a gamble is certainly true for a club like cowden but some of Jimmys signings have been poor - others have been good however more often than not they are loan signings which have been his most successful signings and I hope they continue. Especially with Fraser and Gallacher likely returning to parent clubs?

I would say 1 of his best signings is sitting on the bench nearly every week!

[Cowden Cowboy]

So he is not entitled to a win bonus like all squad players if we win on a saturday.Im merely pointing out that it was said Pat and Higgins jnr to a degree have been signed as players to compliment(right phrasing?) the u20s squad. albeit on little or no wages. If pat is in the first team squad regardless of our injury situation or the fact we can have 8 subs he is part of our first team squads plans/thinking. Why are lads like Lynas or certain other players not on the bench ahead of him.

I have no problem with Jimmy and I think he is a good manager albeit erratic in his team selection and tactics. Case and point being at falkirk when you could see him switch players and there was no cohesion or fluency in our team set up... Jimmy plays around with tactics and players too much in my opinion. His signings are "ok" the old phrase any signing is a gamble is certainly true for a club like cowden but some of Jimmys signings have been poor - others have been good however more often than not they are loan signings which have been his most successful signings and I hope they continue. Especially with Fraser and Gallacher likely returning to parent clubs?

Well Lynas is out on loan at Ballingry just now - Pat is an experienced old pro who can play in a variety of positions so I can see when we are shorthanded it could make a bit of sense to add him to the subs - throwing youngsters/young apprentices in isn't always the best thing for their development/confidence (though it can be).

[NELLY]

Well Lynas is out on loan at Ballingry just now - Pat is an experienced old pro who can play in a variety of positions so I can see when we are shorthanded it could make a bit of sense to add him to the subs - throwing youngsters/young apprentices in isn't always the best thing for their development/confidence (though it can be).

You mention add him to the subs so therefore he is part of our first team squad. Im not saying having him there is wrong. If he doesnt earn any wages then makes sense to have him on the bench for a last resort or if JN feels he is the best player to bring on then thats JN decision. I think my point is more gearing towards he is not simply a player signed to be an U20S Player otherwise he wouldnt make the bench and even come on in one game (forget which one). So Jimmy has signed him and Pat should be viewed as a signing and our fans can rate that signing as part of Jimmys wheelings and dealings.

Agree throwing youngsters in is not always best but sitting on the bench and watching and learning up close can be a vital part of a young apprentices future development.

Does the club have money/wages to sign players in January or are requring some loan players/squad members to be out the door so we can sign players? Basically is there money in the budget available to sign another player or two should Jimmy feel the need to sign players?

[Cowden Cowboy]

You mention add him to the subs so therefore he is part of our first team squad. Im not saying having him there is wrong. If he doesnt earn any wages then makes sense to have him on the bench for a last resort or if JN feels he is the best player to bring on then thats JN decision. I think my point is more gearing towards he is not simply a player signed to be an U20S Player otherwise he wouldnt make the bench and even come on in one game (forget which one). So Jimmy has signed him and Pat should be viewed as a signing and our fans can rate that signing as part of Jimmys wheelings and dealings.

Agree throwing youngsters in is not always best but sitting on the bench and watching and learning up close can be a vital part of a young apprentices future development.

Does the club have money/wages to sign players in January or are requring some loan players/squad members to be out the door so we can sign players? Basically is there money in the budget available to sign another player or two should Jimmy feel the need to sign players?

Not something to be aired on a football forum. But in general terms, my experience over the years tends to be there is never enough money in the budget so you always have to find more! That's how football works - you get injuries, signings don't work out, etc. I think people tend to think you start with a figure and that is in tablets of stone - that doesn't work because the world doesn't stand still - you need to have some flexibility. Then again if you say to any manager they have £X - £X will be spent - never a bit less than £X! If you need more money what do you do - well you maybe make more than budgeted from other activities or save money elsewhere, or you get the directors to put their hands in their pockets or maybe even ask the fans to help. The real driver tends to be what do we need to do/spend to achieve what is in the club's interests and then how do you fund that without being stupid. Is it better to gamble say £20k extra spend to stay up if relegation reduces your future income by hundreds of thousands of pounds?