Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Jacksgranda]

2 hours ago, dezz said:

 

I’ve always thought the same. It must be exhausting and bad for your health.

How can you get so worked up about a team with a tiny fraction of your budget celebrating something that has absolutely no impact on your or your club whatsoever? Peculiar behaviour.

 

But, but, but...people are DYING.

[Busta Nut]

The references on Follow Follow about Motherwell celebrating 3rd place "when people are dying" are fucking hilarious given the scenes Rangers have caused with the whole SPFL season ending thing and they also had there own "set yer alarm" and announcement video for the worst kept kit manufacturing secret in history.

utter cúnts, (as usual there appears to be one or two on there who have a bit of common sense but I don't understand how they can read that pish regularly.)

[wellfan09]

"How funny would it be that after legal action the vote was considered illegal, and all subsequent actions by the SPFL was declared null and void. Scottish football collapses, we spend several months playing glamour friendlies to keep the lights on while half the clubs go to the wall, and we pick up the pieces in a new, corruption-free league for 21/22. Fanciful at best, but it would almost be worth it. I have never been a bitter type, but the last few weeks might just have changed that. Really struggling to find a top club team that I don’t despise on some level."
Not rattled, deluded

“I have never been a bitter type”

[well fan for life]

My personal highlight:

Please. Tell me more about this "Big Red Button".

[capt_oats]

6 minutes ago, well fan for life said:

My personal highlight:

Please. Tell me more about this "Big Red Button".

Also, how did we treat them?

Was it this?

or this?

I'm keen to know...

Edited May 19, 2020 by capt_oats

[well fan for life]

1 minute ago, capt_oats said:

Also, how did we treat them?

Was it this?

or this? I'm keen to know...

 

[capt_oats]

Robinson's updated on the playing budget side of things in an interview with Scott Mullen on the BBC.

Spoiler

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson admits his playing budget has already been impacted because of the financial pressures caused by coronavirus.

Robinson said the Fir Park club could no longer "gamble" on players after revealing some have already been told their deals would not be renewed.

"It's the hardest bit of football," Robinson said of squad cuts.

"Everyone is going to have to tighten their purse strings... we aren't in a position to take gambles."

Robinson guided Motherwell, the only fan-owned club in the Premiership, to third place in the table.

And he revealed that he has already made some tough decisions regarding his squad for next season.

"Some are probably dictated by finance at the moment. Everyone is going to have to tighten their purse strings. So boys who we were maybe going to give another year to to see how they progress we weren't able to. We just had to get to the base squad we are committed to.

"Difficult conversations but I think it was only fair to them to do it as quickly as possible to give them a heads up on their livelihoods and careers, as up until then there was still a remote chance we may have come back to play the season out.

"We aren't in a position to take gambles. We take a couple each year."

A high turnover of players is nothing new at Fir Park. Thirteen first-team members left last summer, with Robinson retaining a core for this season's campaign.

While some were told they would not be staying on Monday, new contracts have been offered to several first-team players, with clarity expected by the end of the week.

However, Robinson admits terms offered to some may change as the club adapts to financial constraints.

"Boys we have offered contracts to we are still hoping to fulfil them. It may be at a lower rate of pay," he said.

"I haven't got the budget yet as all this only happened yesterday. But it's going to make an impact, make no mistake. Every club in the country will be exactly the same, not just us.

"We are in a decent position in terms of where we finished and European football, but there will be a big impact on budget and the club, staff and Scottish football as a whole.

"We have boys contracted. We will try to fulfil the contracts to the younger boys we have offered contracts to, as that is who the club is going to be built around.

"This will become clearer this week when Jim [McMahon, chairman], Alan [Burrows, chief executive] and the board sit down on Zoom and thrash out what we are able to give. There will be a worst-case scenario which is right now when we don't know when crowds are coming in, the next when it starts opening up a little bit and possibly back to normally."

Monday's announcement that the league season had been called meant Motherwell had secured European football for the first time in six years.

And Robinson added: "It's fantastic for the whole football club, the players should be very proud. Ultimately, I thought we would have finished third over the calendar year anyway.

"I think we thoroughly deserved it, some of the football we've played has been excellent and some of the young players have really stood up."

No huge surprises there...I'd think "boys who we were maybe going to give another year to to see how they progress we weren't able to. We just had to get to the base squad we are committed to." probably makes things a bit clearer.

Edited May 19, 2020 by capt_oats

[Killiefan]

39 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Also, how did we treat them?

Was it this?

or this?

I'm keen to know...

One of my favourite non Killie games ever was the play off at Fir Park, loved the way you never gave them a big allocation and then got it right up them at the end.

Other favourite was the Hibs v The Rangers cup final. Closely followed by any game where they get beat by anyone.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

I'm struggling to compute how some fans on that follow-follow thread think that quietly celebrating finishing 3rd at home during a pandemic (when people are dying) is somehow worse than trying to order a full internal investigation of the authorities during a pandemic (when people are dying).

You couldn't paint a red neck on Rangers and their fans.

[Swello]

38 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Robinson's updated on the playing budget side of things in an interview with Scott Mullen on the BBC.

  Reveal hidden contents

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson admits his playing budget has already been impacted because of the financial pressures caused by coronavirus.

Robinson said the Fir Park club could no longer "gamble" on players after revealing some have already been told their deals would not be renewed.

"It's the hardest bit of football," Robinson said of squad cuts.

"Everyone is going to have to tighten their purse strings... we aren't in a position to take gambles."

Robinson guided Motherwell, the only fan-owned club in the Premiership, to third place in the table.

And he revealed that he has already made some tough decisions regarding his squad for next season.

"Some are probably dictated by finance at the moment. Everyone is going to have to tighten their purse strings. So boys who we were maybe going to give another year to to see how they progress we weren't able to. We just had to get to the base squad we are committed to.

"Difficult conversations but I think it was only fair to them to do it as quickly as possible to give them a heads up on their livelihoods and careers, as up until then there was still a remote chance we may have come back to play the season out.

"We aren't in a position to take gambles. We take a couple each year."

A high turnover of players is nothing new at Fir Park. Thirteen first-team members left last summer, with Robinson retaining a core for this season's campaign.

While some were told they would not be staying on Monday, new contracts have been offered to several first-team players, with clarity expected by the end of the week.

However, Robinson admits terms offered to some may change as the club adapts to financial constraints.

"Boys we have offered contracts to we are still hoping to fulfil them. It may be at a lower rate of pay," he said.

"I haven't got the budget yet as all this only happened yesterday. But it's going to make an impact, make no mistake. Every club in the country will be exactly the same, not just us.

"We are in a decent position in terms of where we finished and European football, but there will be a big impact on budget and the club, staff and Scottish football as a whole.

"We have boys contracted. We will try to fulfil the contracts to the younger boys we have offered contracts to, as that is who the club is going to be built around.

"This will become clearer this week when Jim [McMahon, chairman], Alan [Burrows, chief executive] and the board sit down on Zoom and thrash out what we are able to give. There will be a worst-case scenario which is right now when we don't know when crowds are coming in, the next when it starts opening up a little bit and possibly back to normally."

Monday's announcement that the league season had been called meant Motherwell had secured European football for the first time in six years.

And Robinson added: "It's fantastic for the whole football club, the players should be very proud. Ultimately, I thought we would have finished third over the calendar year anyway.

"I think we thoroughly deserved it, some of the football we've played has been excellent and some of the young players have really stood up."

No huge surprises there...I'd think "boys who we were maybe going to give another year to to see how they progress we weren't able to. We just had to get to the base squad we are committed to." probably makes things a bit clearer.

I think this is quite important as a bellwether for the league next season.

Without having huge cash reserves, we are in a reasonable position with (unbudgeted for) prize money for 3rd place, a good transfer fee for Scott and no external debt. If we are (as the article alludes to), cutting loose more players than we previously anticipated and bringing less in/relying more on young players, you can be pretty sure that other clubs of our size (and bigger) will be doing the same, some in a far more swingeing way than us. 

I think for most clubs, it's going to be all about surviving next season with the top flight league place intact in order to be able to return to some normality in 21/22....

[Archie McSquackle]

This will be happening throughout Scotland and England so wage demands are likely to drop in the short-term as supply exceeds demand. The ability to pick up the right players will never be more critical if we need to get by on minimum numbers.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

Rohan Ferguson has posted a "top club, wish them all the best for the future" message on twitter, so I reckon he must've been one of the ones Robbo wasn't taking the chance on.

[capt_oats]

13 minutes ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

Rohan Ferguson has posted a "top club, wish them all the best for the future" message on twitter, so I reckon he must've been one of the ones Robbo wasn't taking the chance on.

He's in a weird position I suppose, he's always been "one for the future" but he'd be going from first choice who's playing week in, week out with Linfield (who last I checked were top of the league) to sitting on the bench behind Carson. He's been first pick at Airdrie and now Linfield. 

You'd think at his age he might fancy getting regular games as he's proven he's capable, if not at Premiership level. We're also sitting with 3 x first team 'keepers and 3 x Reserves (though 4 of those 6 are out of contract - Ferguson, Gillespie, Morrison and Hemfrey).

Edited May 19, 2020 by capt_oats

[Jacksgranda]

1 hour ago, crazylegsjoe_mfc said:

I'm struggling to compute how some fans on that follow-follow thread think that quietly celebrating finishing 3rd at home during a pandemic (when people are dying) is somehow worse than trying to order a full internal investigation of the authorities during a pandemic (when people are dying).

You couldn't paint a red neck on Rangers and their fans.

Aye, but you were celebrating exuberantly and enthusiastically while they were pressing for an investigation with dignity and decorum. Or something.

[crazylegsjoe_mfc]

22 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

He's in a weird position I suppose, he's always been "one for the future" but he'd be going from first choice who's playing week in, week out with Linfield (who last I checked were top of the league) to sitting on the bench behind Carson. He's been first pick at Airdrie and now Linfield. 

You'd think at his age he might fancy getting regular games as he's proven he's capable, if not at Premiership level. We're also sitting with 3 x first team 'keepers and 3 x Reserves (though 4 of those 6 are out of contract - Ferguson, Gillespie, Morrison and Hemfrey).

Even before any budget cutbacks, I think we all knew Gillespie was off when Carson signed. I guess Ferguson probably doesn't want to come back and sit on a bench, I thought he'd make a good number 2 as a young keeper on a modest wage, but one who at the same time has played over 100 first team games.

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, Swello said:

I think for most clubs, it's going to be all about surviving next season with the top flight league place intact in order to be able to return to some normality in 21/22....

We seem to be just rebuilding the 19/20 squad at the moment, so looks the route we'll be going down.

How are Motherwell looking in terms of numbers just now?

Feel sorry (I dont) for teams like County who are filled with dross and usually just spunk a wad of money every transfer window to improve, they wont be able to do that this Summer so will be forced through a season with dross.

[capt_oats]

13 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

We seem to be just rebuilding the 19/20 squad at the moment, so looks the route we'll be going down.

How are Motherwell looking in terms of numbers just now?

Feel sorry (I dont) for teams like County who are filled with dross and usually just spunk a wad of money every transfer window to improve, they wont be able to do that this Summer so will be forced through a season with dross.

Here you go...

16 hours ago, capt_oats said:

here's who we've got under contract:

GK - Carson
DF - Carroll, Grimshaw, Mugabi, Gallagher, Devine
MF - Campbell, Turnbull, Polworth, Donnelly, Semple, Cornelius
FW - Seedorf, Hylton, MacIver

Total - 15 (inc 4 current reserves)

Pre-contracts we've been linked with: Rickie Lamie (Livingston) and Jordan White (ICT)
Loan made permanent: Mark O'Hara

Out of contract/loans expiring:

17 hours ago, Casagolda said:

Who do we reckon is getting kept on for next season then?  

By my reckoning- 

Mark Gillespie 
Rohan Ferguson 
Richard Tait
Charles Dunne
Peter Hartley
Adam Livingstone
Barry Maguire 
Chris Long
Tony Watt
Christy Manzinga
Christian Ilic 

Are all out of contract and the following loans will expire- 

Mark O’Hara
Mikael Ndjoli(mind we signed him?)
Rolando Aarons

Gillespie's been linked with Newcastle though whether their new oppressive regime ownership changes that who knows. Going by the interview with him in the Record there's been Championship clubs interested too.

Edited May 19, 2020 by capt_oats

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Just realised we'll be the last top flight team to play at Tynecastle for ____ years.

[Swello]

1 hour ago, YassinMoutaouakil said:

Just realised we'll be the last top flight team to play at Tynecastle for ____ years.

I think that was the last time I was out the house. The fact I didn't catch the 'rona in the Caley Sample Rooms was a miracle

[dezz]

https://plzsoccer.com/latest-news/stephen-robinson-sets-about-reshaping-motherwell-squad-after-third-place-finish/

A few quotes from Robinson here which shed a bit more light on things, albeit nothing particularly unexpected. Confirms the bold Christy Manzinga is away, and from the quotes I’m guessing probably Ilic as well as Maguire, Ferguson and Livingstone.