Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[Handsome_Devil]

8 hours ago, Gianfranco said:

How long before the Alex Neil shouts start? 

Usual caveats apply to having no idea about his personal motivations but you can't imagine he'd be remotely interested in us at this stage in his career and our sub-optimal off-field conditions.

['WellDel]

38 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Usual caveats apply to having no idea about his personal motivations but you can't imagine he'd be remotely interested in us at this stage in his career and our sub-optimal off-field conditions.

Nah, he's still young in managerial terms and will easily bounce about the lower reaches of the Championship or so down there for a few years yet. Doubt he'd come back up the road for anything less than a city club at this point. After that he'd maybe look at us, before going full circle and ending his day's back at that shitey basket case mob the other side of the Clyde.

There's not a chance that anyone managing at English Championship, or even League One level would consider us unless they ended up out the game for an extended period. Purely on a financial basis, it's world's apart.

[capt_oats]

11 hours ago, Costanza said:

Obviously I’m reading that from a different perspective but it didn’t seem all that salty to me. The last section praises Motherwell (correctly) for being able to sign a striker like Biereth and suggests (again correctly) it would make a massive difference to us if we were able to attract somebody of similar quality.  

Mea culpa. "Salty" was probably the wrong choice of words, "snarky" would have been more appropriate.

Even in that last section you mention praising us for being able to sign Biereth - which in itself seems to be written with the subtext of, "if Motherwell can do it then Saints can too" (which whilst being true begs the question of, if it's that easy or straightforward then why haven't you?) - his opening sentence is "Motherwell might not get all their signings right – or even get close to it these days".

Again...shots fired from Eric. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by capt_oats

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Usual caveats apply to having no idea about his personal motivations but you can't imagine he'd be remotely interested in us at this stage in his career and our sub-optimal off-field conditions.

He'll stay in England as long as he can, with the knowledge he hasnt been found out up here yet so he'll still get a decent job.

[Swello]

14 hours ago, capt_oats said:

Eric Nicolson being salty about Motherwell? I for one am shocked. (You should be able to read it in an incognito window)

The number of digs at us in one article is quite funny especially when his team are currently below us in the league.

I actually found the BBC report weirder than Weird Eric's - this quote jumped out as "was I at the same game?"

Quote

The second-half was, by and large, a much different story. Motherwell were camped in their own box and eventually fell behind when Matt Smith's free-kick was missed by Kelly, with Mugabi bungling it into his own net.

We've all seen games where we are backs to the wall and wouldn't be shy to admit it - but the 2nd half on Saturday was not that. St Johnstone created some decent chances over the 90 minutes but I never felt that either side dominated and there was no inevitability in the goal (even if the fact it came from a Kelly mistake was a stick on).

The writer also gave big Theo MOTM - which was certainly an interesting take...

[thisGRAEME]

10 hours ago, Gianfranco said:

How long before the Alex Neil shouts start? 
 

 

Now.

Back to Lanarkshire, Alex, 'mon.

[capt_oats]

5 minutes ago, Swello said:

I actually found the BBC report weirder than Weird Eric's - this quote jumped out as "was I at the same game?"

We've all seen games where we are backs to the wall and wouldn't be shy to admit it - but the 2nd half on Saturday was not that. St Johnstone created some decent chances over the 90 minutes but I never felt that either side dominated and there was no inevitability in the goal (even if the fact it came from a Kelly mistake was a stick on).

The writer also gave big Theo MOTM - which was certainly an interesting take...

I hadn't read that but yeah, that's a weird write up.

It appears Andrew Petrie is the St Johnstone correspondent for BBC Scotland.

Good for him.

[Swello]

15 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said:

Now.

Back to Lanarkshire, Alex, 'mon.

He's probably got a better win rate at Fir Park than some of our actual managers.

[Handsome_Devil]

Society update:

CEO position

A few of you have been in touch – or have taken to social media – to ask questions of the Society around the CEO position, and to seek reassurance about the direction of travel. We've noted your comments and concerns. As the majority shareholder, the Society has received regular updates over the past few months from Acting CEO, Derek Weir, and the Chairman, Jim McMahon. Here's an update of what has been happening...

Despite interviewing a shortlist of potential candidates earlier in the year the club was unable to appoint a suitable CEO earlier in the year. Former vice chair of the club Derek Weir then agreed to step into the role on an interim basis. At that time there were a number of outstanding issues which needed attention, including: 

Agreeing the continued use of Braidhurst High School for the Academy and Dalziel Park for first team training. 

Working with the manager and head of recruitment regarding contract issues. This included, amongst others, extending Lennon Miller’s contract and getting the player budget to a realistic and manageable level. 

This required Derek to stay in the role – supported by heads of department - longer than first envisaged. During the last six months he has committed significant time to the role with positive progress made in a number of areas. It is currently the intention to re-start the process of hiring a permanent CEO in the New Year. 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

8 hours ago, Swello said:

He's probably got a better win rate at Fir Park than some of our actual managers.

I'm pretty sure it's literally 100% so aye

[CoF]

10 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Society update:

 

 

I suppose it’s at least confirmation that we’re completely directionless. 
 

P.s. Did that come in an email? Didny get anything myself.

[Wellwatcher]

7 minutes ago, CoF said:

 

I suppose it’s at least confirmation that we’re completely directionless. 
 

P.s. Did that come in an email? Didny get anything myself.

Well Society email that just landed

[Swello]

37 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

It is currently the intention to re-start the process of hiring a permanent CEO in the New Year. 

At least it's an update but this is some boss-level non-committal language.

[rowsdower]

I received the email about an hour ago. The subject is Junior Steel Membership.

All seems pretty fair, we have an experienced person in Weir keeping things going business as usual, and helping get our budgets on track. I know he isn't tweeting reply guys, but seems that he's doing the job otherwise.

I'm not particularly happy at us not having a permanent CEO either, but the day to day running of the club looks to be functional, and it's not like we haven't made big decisions in this period. I think some people confuse the board not doing something they want them to (sacking the manager) with them not doing anything. For whatever reason they're sticking with SK, and whether we agree with that or not, they'll have their reasons.

How many sackings and hirings was the previous ceo actually responsible for? The board brought in McGhee and Robinson, so at most it was Alexander and Hammel, right?

These issues only tend to come up when we're shite on the park.

I think our head of recruitment is piss poor, and I'd have him sacked before anyone else. That role is key for continuity since managers come and go at a crazy rate these days, but all he has done is throw shit at a wall.

[eliphas]

44 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Society update:

CEO position

A few of you have been in touch – or have taken to social media – to ask questions of the Society around the CEO position, and to seek reassurance about the direction of travel. We've noted your comments and concerns. As the majority shareholder, the Society has received regular updates over the past few months from Acting CEO, Derek Weir, and the Chairman, Jim McMahon. Here's an update of what has been happening...

Despite interviewing a shortlist of potential candidates earlier in the year the club was unable to appoint a suitable CEO earlier in the year. Former vice chair of the club Derek Weir then agreed to step into the role on an interim basis. At that time there were a number of outstanding issues which needed attention, including: 

Agreeing the continued use of Braidhurst High School for the Academy and Dalziel Park for first team training. 

Working with the manager and head of recruitment regarding contract issues. This included, amongst others, extending Lennon Miller’s contract and getting the player budget to a realistic and manageable level. 

This required Derek to stay in the role – supported by heads of department - longer than first envisaged. During the last six months he has committed significant time to the role with positive progress made in a number of areas. It is currently the intention to re-start the process of hiring a permanent CEO in the New Year. 

Like, why the actual f**k has it taken so long to say that.

There's 3 places that comms should be coming from throughout the months that have elapsed.. three chances...

Firstly, I want to hear it from Derek Weir or Jim McMahon as the club only board members, CEO and Chair 

Or secondly, if Weir and McMahon, aren't arsed about comms, then from Well Society/Club board members in Tom Freely and Douglas Dickie. 

Or thirdly, if even all the club board aren't arsed about comms, then from any of the active well society board members pushing the club to get stuff out there. 

That's 11 people who have a responsibility to keep the fans informed I'd say that haven't. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by eliphas

[capt_oats]

49 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

Society update:

CEO position

A few of you have been in touch – or have taken to social media – to ask questions of the Society around the CEO position, and to seek reassurance about the direction of travel. We've noted your comments and concerns. As the majority shareholder, the Society has received regular updates over the past few months from Acting CEO, Derek Weir, and the Chairman, Jim McMahon. Here's an update of what has been happening...

Despite interviewing a shortlist of potential candidates earlier in the year the club was unable to appoint a suitable CEO earlier in the year. Former vice chair of the club Derek Weir then agreed to step into the role on an interim basis. At that time there were a number of outstanding issues which needed attention, including: 

Agreeing the continued use of Braidhurst High School for the Academy and Dalziel Park for first team training. 

Working with the manager and head of recruitment regarding contract issues. This included, amongst others, extending Lennon Miller’s contract and getting the player budget to a realistic and manageable level. 

This required Derek to stay in the role – supported by heads of department - longer than first envisaged. During the last six months he has committed significant time to the role with positive progress made in a number of areas. It is currently the intention to re-start the process of hiring a permanent CEO in the New Year. 

I mean, the positive I'm taking from that is that they've not just cracked on and appointed some random.

If the stance is that Weir continuing in the role as interim is a better position to be in than bringing in someone who doesn't meet the requirements we're looking for then...yeah, cool I can see that. It raises the question as to how realistic either our expectations are or how competitive our package is and we really don't need to re-litigate the whole timeline of Burrows' exit, public statements made by the board and the fact that we're closing in on a full year since AB announced he was stepping down without finding a replacement.

They've fucked it. That much is clear but as I say, the current situation feels like the least worst option vs filling the position with an actual moron or whatever.

The fact that it's taken people "taking to social media" along with presumably the article from Nick McPheat on the BBC and McGarry's Thursday Mailer in the Herald (sign up if you haven't already) to prompt an update again raises the points about comms and the post from @eliphas above hits the nail on the head on that score.

It's basically confirming that we're ensuring that the short term stuff is being dealt with eg: Miller's extension (good), budgets being manageable (also good).

To read between the lines though, it's essentially saying that there's no mid-long term strategy being implemented and from the sound of it @thisGRAEME's post the other day is, to all intents and purposes, what's happened:

On 07/12/2023 at 11:27, thisGRAEME said:

I'm sure we had this conversation last year before Ketts turned us around so swiftly, but it's death by a thousand cuts. None of the individual things are that bad, but it's the combined total of them that leaves us in the shit, and will continue until someone has a firmer grip on it. We basically had a guy appointed CEO, it seemed like, then he decided against it so we've... just given up on recruiting? Like, don't get me wrong, relatable feeling of "I tried once and it didn't work so why bother trying again" and that, but nnnaaaah.

Like, I get that I'm being snarky and that if we've invited applications and from the sound of things none of them met our criteria then rather than continuing the search relentlessly it's probably wise to take a pause.

That said, we're going to "re-start the process" in the new year? Sound. I'm sure that will go well.

Edited December 11, 2023 by capt_oats

[Handsome_Devil]

17 minutes ago, Swello said:

At least it's an update but this is some boss-level non-committal language.

Yes. The language is, to put it mildly, amateur.

To play devil's advocate, I can just about understand why we've delayed. Ideal candidate wasn't available, tight budget due to sackings and last January, if Weir is there as interim, is it really worth taking another 100k-plus out the squad budget now or can we muddle through for a bit?

And, as ever, results cloud perception of governance - our lack of CEO was a quirk when we were third after Tynecastle, now it's a farce.

So I have an element of sympathy for sure. But it continually amazes me those involved, amateurs or not, don't grasp the need to keep the fans onside with proper transparency and updates. Even if you have to share negative news, it needs to be done.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Handsome_Devil

[MurrayWell]

5 minutes ago, Handsome_Devil said:

So I have an element of sympathy for sure. But it continually amazes me those involved, amateurs or not, don't grasp the need to keep the fans onside with proper transparency and updates. Even if you have to share negative news, it needs to be done.

Spot on. Even with this update you could argue there's been an attempt to bury the lede. If we're still looking for the right candidate that's absolutely fair, just say that at the time of extending Weir's temporary post. Shouldn't really require folk getting in touch with the club or asking on social media for fans to get a transparent update on how the club is being run. 

[camer0n_mcd]

Why has it taken this long for an update? The fact that it took 10 months for any sort of update is astonishing. Seems like the whole thing has been run really poorly. 

[capt_oats]

3 minutes ago, camer0n_mcd said:

Why has it taken this long for an update? The fact that it took 10 months for any sort of update is astonishing. Seems like the whole thing has been run really poorly. 

Tbf there have been other updates in that time. They've not really said anything different but it's not like this is the first they've addressed it.

Here's one from August for example: https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2023/08/04/a-note-from-the-chairman-ahead-of-the-2023-24-season/