capt_oats Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I see we're being linked with a pre-contract deal for Dunfermline striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui. Comes from Scott Burns in the Express, who is generally very good when it comes to Motherwell news. If nothing else I'm quite encouraged that we're identifying targets now and looking to sort out PCAs. The outgoings in January presumably allow us a bit more latitude in sorting stuff like that out. Having read that earlier I can't help but wonder if McGhee was simply trolling everyone with the whole Higdon chat to the press the other day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desp Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yeah, as I said on Steelmen Online, I believe he was trying to get the fans back onside by referring to a possible deal for Higdon. However, when everyone and their granny knew it was always a non-starter, I'm not sure it got the desired effect, or the manager had/has any intention of pursuing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 We know fine well this isn't the case, Rangers have had it with some of the biggest in Europe, pal. Meantime Rangers Fans safety is paramount, if we are scheduled an away tie within 18 months we need to demand a neutral venue, we must refuse to go back to Fir Park We get a player banned for celebrating a goal. Motherwell get no punishment for invading the pitch and threatening women and children. Based on the report, it is quite obvious neither the SPFL nor Motherwell can guarantee the safety of our players and our fans within the 18 months. the b*****d who hit Jig with a flagpole should have been in jail. once upon a time i loved my country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casagolda Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 If nothing else I'm quite encouraged that we're identifying targets now and looking to sort out PCAs. The outgoings in January presumably allow us a bit more latitude in sorting stuff like that out. Am I not right in saying: Louis Laing Kieran Kennedy Joe Chalmers Luke Watt Josh Law Lionel Ainsworth Stephen Pearson Marvin Johnson Louis Moult Dom Thomas Are the only first team players who actually have contract beyond this season? If so it's no surprise McGhee's already looking towards signings for next season as it's going to be another massive rebuilding job this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglebonce Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yeah, I watched the Ross County game, but I hope we've kept an eye on him for a while and this is not just on the back of one good game. Nothing worse than signing a player on the back of one good cup game (hiya Stevie Nicholas, hiya pal!) I only saw the extended highlights of the first tie, but went to the replay. He looked the best player on the park, by some margin, for the first 30 minutes of the replay, but faded badly in his general play before missing one clear cut chance. I wouldn't hold that against him, he's still building his fitness up and those were two high tempo games in the space of three days. I don't know if they're looking at him, but I can see him being a good signing for Hearts next season. ETA: I think he's brilliant and would love it if County signed him, but his potential is way beyond a mid-table Prem team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Am I not right in saying: Louis Laing Kieran Kennedy Joe Chalmers Luke Watt Josh Law Lionel Ainsworth Stephen Pearson Marvin Johnson Louis Moult Dom Thomas Are the only first team players who actually have contract beyond this season? If so it's no surprise McGhee's already looking towards signings for next season as it's going to be another massive rebuilding job this summer. See to be honest, Chalmers aside, that's a pretty reasonable chunk of a squad, isn't it? That's sacking off McDonald, McManus, Hammell and Lasley, who, for better or worse regarding their ability as players, are probably our four top earners? You'd imagine we'll be offering a contract to Hall and Cadden, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Am I not right in saying: Louis Laing Kieran Kennedy Joe Chalmers Luke Watt Josh Law Lionel Ainsworth Stephen Pearson Marvin Johnson Louis Moult Dom Thomas Are the only first team players who actually have contract beyond this season? If so it's no surprise McGhee's already looking towards signings for next season as it's going to be another massive rebuilding job this summer. McDonald's got a +1 option on his deal but other than that sounds about right.I wouldn't be surprised to see Lasley, Hammell and McManus offered extensions. Especially given McGhee's been talking up McManus in terms of allowing him to drop Hall into the team and I'd think in Lasley's case the fact he's assisting Craigan with the u20s (and is club captain) would come into consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 McDonald's got a +1 option on his deal but other than that sounds about right.Wes Fletcher as well, though I'd imagine the chances of us triggering that clause are slim to none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Yeah, as I said on Steelmen Online, I believe he was trying to get the fans back onside by referring to a possible deal for Higdon. However, when everyone and their granny knew it was always a non-starter, I'm not sure it got the desired effect, or the manager had/has any intention of pursuing it. Fair shout, that seems to be the club's philosophy to get the fans onside nowadays, either re-sign or talk about re-signing a popular former player. I loved Higdon when he was at Fir Park and he was one of my all time favourite Motherwell players, but we as a club really need to get away from this policy of re-tracing old steps by signing ex players/managers and start showing some vision for the future. For a club of our size and stature, we need to be producing and developing youth and the fact that the last player that we actually brought through our ranks that made the grade and then moved on for a transfer fee was Jamie Murphy back in 2008 is frightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del_Superwell Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 That's the aim under Les Hutchison we are trying to get back to MJC, he wants young talent breaking into the team and developed to the extent that we can move them for fairly big money. One good thing I see is that so far we have seen Ben Hall and Chris Cadden so far break into the team and not look out of place, I think they could have a big future with us if they keep progressing and I believe there is one or two to follow them before the season is out. Its not gonna be an overnight thing but at least the long term vision is in place we just need to get a stable team that can pick up points and start moving up the table again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianfranco Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 We certainly got compo for Erwin and possibly Hutchy since Murphy but MJC is right we haven't sold anywhere near enough home grown players on. The likes of Falkirk and Accies put us to shame in this regard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Smiled at this interview with Willie Pettigrew that ran on the Evening Times earlier that highlights the whole "bringing through youth" thing. Highlighting the problem in the McCall era and also just pretty much rinsing Baraclough. Amusingly blunt too: "They were absolutely terrible to watch last year." It's funny because it's true. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/14265472.Motherwell_legend_Pettigrew_throws_weight_behind_Mark_McGhee/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Did we actually bring Hutchinson through? I always thought he was brought here from an English outfit. Yes I remember Les Hutchison outline this philosophy of us getting back to being a club who develop and sell youth on for a good fee, but in the last year alone we have brought back to the club; Scott McDonald, Stephen Pearson, David Clarkson and James McFadden(for a second time), all of those players were the wrong side of 30 when we signed them. We have also re-appointed a former manager into the bargain! My point is we need to move away from this backward looking, re-sign old players/old pals just because they made an impact or were popular with the support or people within the club many years ago and have a complete change of direction, otherwise we're going nowhere but backwards and downwards as a club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del_Superwell Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hutchinson came to us at 16 from exit trials at wallsend boys club and we signed initially as midfielder believe it or not before being used as a centre half with the under 20s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 It depends on how you're defining "brought through" I suppose. Hutchinson was signed from school and brought in from Wallsend Boys Club but played at youth level. He signed in 2007 and didn't make his senior debut til 2009 so make of that what you will. Is that enough for him to qualify as having been "developed" by us? I don't disagree with MJC's broader point above about re-signing former players however you can sort of see what they're at least trying to do in so much as having a core of "experienced" players who they can hopefully integrate the younger players coming through around. McGhee for all he's been fairly divisive has been pretty consistent in pointing out that having McManus in there was one of the reasons he felt he could play Hall in the centre of defence and I'd imagine that having Pearson and Lasley both there is one of the reasons Cadden is getting a run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hutchinson came to us at 16 from exit trials at wallsend boys club and we signed initially as midfielder believe it or not before being used as a centre half with the under 20s. Fair enough then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gianfranco Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Faddy has signed till the end of the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Faddy has signed till the end of the season And the flogging of the dead horse continues. As I said on another thread, until the club move away from this backward looking policy of signing popular ex players then we are going nowhere but backwards and downwards. As for Faddy, good luck to him, but what an utterly, utterly pointless signing and waste of a wage. Still, I'm sure his army of misty eyed fan boys will be delighted so I'm sure there'll be much popping of champagne corks along with some big cigars being lit up and smoked in the Cooper Bar and the electric tonight. It is 2002 after all and the smoking ban hasn't been enforced yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dosser-fae-the-shire Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 And the flogging of the dead horse continues. As I said on another thread, until the club move away from this backward looking policy of signing popular ex players then we are going nowhere but backwards and downwards. As for Faddy, good luck to him, but what an utterly, utterly pointless signing and waste of a wage. Still, I'm sure his army of misty eyed fan boys will be delighted so I'm sure there'll be much popping of champagne corks along with some big cigars being lit up and smoked in the Cooper Bar and the electric tonight. It is 2002 after all and the smoking ban hasn't been enforced yet... Whilst I agree that the Faddy signing is a bit strange (why sign him if we don't play him), the rest of your post just makes you seem like a wee crying faced w****r. No offence though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well fan for life Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 And the flogging of the dead horse continues. As I said on another thread, until the club move away from this backward looking policy of signing popular ex players then we are going nowhere but backwards and downwards. As for Faddy, good luck to him, but what an utterly, utterly pointless signing and waste of a wage. Still, I'm sure his army of misty eyed fan boys will be delighted so I'm sure there'll be much popping of champagne corks along with some big cigars being lit up and smoked in the Cooper Bar and the electric tonight. It is 2002 after all and the smoking ban hasn't been enforced yet... To be honest, I'd rather have Faddy on the bench to bring on rather than Clarkson or the atrocious Robinson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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