Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[SteelyDosser]

3 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:

Don't take this the wrong way, but no. Having been in a similar role for...5 odd years+? I wouldn't.

Pay staff what they're worth.  

I was meaning give them some sort of comp though, free entry or something

[rowsdower]

Just now, Doctor Manhattan said:

Spookily, I was re-reading one of the early "Bosch" books last night, which explained that frequent licking of the lips is a sign that customs teams use to pick out possible mules who are smuggling drugs packed into condoms which they've swallowed and/or inserted.  It's a side effect of the large quantity of anti-diarrhetic drugs they take to ensure they don't make an early exit.

I'm sure this is just a coincidence. 

Ah, "quirky video" was just a smoke screen for the real fundraising initiative.

[thisGRAEME]

2 hours ago, Desp said:

Recent footage of @thisGRAEME getting his final month's wages.

I didn't say I was worth paying, only a mug would do that.

11 minutes ago, SteelyDosser said:

I was meaning give them some sort of comp though, free entry or something

 ... Still no. You either value it or you don't. The way that staff in roles like that are paid across Scotland (and wider tbh) is massively undervalued and underpaid, and asking people to do it as a volunteer or as a gift in kind should be left to the local amateur sides, not a business with a £6 mil revenue FFS.

[eliphas]

11 minutes ago, SteelyDosser said:

I was meaning give them some sort of comp though, free entry or something

There's definitely a place for volunteers in fitba clubs I think, personally, with some comping and added benefits etc. Can often be something people want to do and are more than happy to be involved with the club they love 

But, for core functions of the day to day business (of which media and comms is one..regardless of arguments over how valuable etc) I don't think we need to or want to go down that route really. Notwithstanding the fact we should pay folk what they are worth, it opens a right can of worms.

 

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Quite looking forward to the Alloa game now

[Gallus Numpty]

18 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said:

 ... Still no. You either value it or you don't. The way that staff in roles like that are paid across Scotland (and wider tbh) is massively undervalued and underpaid, and asking people to do it as a volunteer or as a gift in kind should be left to the local amateur sides, not a business with a £6 mil revenue FFS.

Agreed... amazing how often you hear about creative folk being asked to do decent chunks of work for free because it's "good exposure" or some bollocks. It's bad for the whole industry.

[eliphas]

See this is what happens if we get volunteers in. All the precious creative lads and lassies would get annoyed eventually because a ticket and a pie isn't 'enough'.

Draw a picture or talk about it on a podcast lads and dry yer eyes 

.....a joke, just to be clear 

[shivute]

In terms of timeline, he said he felt him leaving in March is realistic to get a CEO in. Unless we are well down the road i would say this sounds over ambitious. If the candidate is in a role already surely they would have some form of notice or gardening leave. 3 month notice  would likely to be a typical minimum but could be more at a senior management level.

[rowsdower]

My guess is weir picked March based on where we are currently in the process of hiring the CEO, i.e. we're far enough down the road to pick that as a date with some confidence. I'm assuming we're close, but we look to have been close 4 times before, so who knows.

SO really don't like the women's team, eh?

[santheman]

3 hours ago, CoF said:

One of the candidates pulled out because he went to a game and didn’t like media coverage of it. No idea what that means but I’d like to blame Kenny McIntyre. 

They also said that his partner ultimately didn't want to relocate up here as well.

[Eliphas Pettigrew]

One of the clubs linked with Greg Stewart

[Neil86]

@capt_oats How many players do we have signed up beyond next season (apologies I know you have posted this fairly recently)

 

[capt_oats]

54 minutes ago, Neil86 said:

@capt_oats How many players do we have signed up beyond next season (apologies I know you have posted this fairly recently)

Of the current first team? By my count 6? 7 with Tierney out on loan.

Casey, Blaney, Paton, Zdravkovski, Miller and Bair.

On 04/06/2023 at 23:41, capt_oats said:

Goalkeepers:

1. Liam Kelly (27) - 2024
13. Aston Oxborough (25) - 2024

Defenders:

2. Stephen O'Donnell (31) - 2024
3. Georgie Gent (19) - 2024 - season loan from Blackburn Rovers
5. Bevis Mugabi (28) - 2024
15. Dan Casey (25) - 2025
16. Paul McGinn (32) - 2024
19. Nathan McGinley (27) - 2024
20. Shane Blaney (24) - 2025
66. Calum Butcher (32) - 2024

Midfielders:

6. Barry Maguire (25) - 2024
7. Blair Spittal (27) - 2024
8. Callum Slattery (24) - 2024
12. Harry Paton (25) - 2025
17. Davor Zdravkovski (25) - 2025
38. Lennon Miller (16) - 2026

Forwards:

9. Jon Obika (32) - 2024 + 1 year option
14. Thelonius Bair (23) - 2025
18. Oli Shaw (25) - 2024 - season loan from Barnsley
24. Mika Biereth (20) - 2024 - season loan from Arsenal

In

• 19/06/23 - Jon Obika (from Morecambe - free transfer)
• 04/07/23 - Conor Wilkinson (from Walsall - free transfer)
• 17/07/23 - Pape Souaré (from Morecambe - free transfer)
• 21/07/23 - Davor Zdravkovski (from AEL Limassol - free transfer)
• 01/08/23 - Thelonius Bair (from St Johnstone - free transfer)

In (Loan)

• 03/08/23 - Mika Biereth (from Arsenal - season)
• 24/08/23 - Brodie Spencer (from Huddersfield Town - season)
• 31/08/23 - Oli Shaw (from Barnsley - season)
• 01/09/23 - Georgie Gent (from Blackburn Rovers - season)

Out (Loan)

• 14/07/23 - Robbie Mahon (to Edinburgh City - season)
• 15/07/23 - Sam Campbell (to Annan Athletic - to January '24)
• 24/07/23 - Ross Tierney (to Walsall - season)
• 04/08/23 - Adam MacDonald (to Cowdenbeath - season)
• 18/08/23 - Barry Maguire (to Kidderminster Harriers - to January 24)
• 25/08/23 - Robbie Garcia (to Cowdenbeath - to January 24)
• 26/08/23 - Ricki Lamie (to Dundee - season)
• 29/09/23 - Mark Ferrie (to Stenhousemuir - to January 24)
• 29/09/23 - Ewan Wilson (to Stirling Albion - season)
• 30/09/23 - Nathan McGinley (to Partick Thistle - to January 24)
• 22/12/23 - Matty Connelly (to East Kilbride - season)
• 03/01/24 - Brodie Spencer (to Huddersfield Town - loan recall option excercised)

Out

• 20/06/23 - Kevin Van Veen (to FC Groningen - undisclosed )
• 22/06/23 - Dean Cornelius (to Harrogate Town - undisclosed)
• 24/07/23 - Riku Danzaki (to Western United - free)
• 25/07/23 - Max Johnston (to Sturm Graz - £300k - development compensation)
• 26/07/23 - Connor Shields (to Chennaiyin FC - free)
• 09/08/23 - Ali Gould (to Watford u21)
• 16/09/23 - Joe Efford (to PAS Giannina - free)
• 01/01/24 - Pape Souaré (contract expired)
• 03/01/24 - Conor Wilkinson (to Colchester United - undisclosed)
• 04/01/24 - Sam Campbell (contract expired)

Players confirmed departing club at end of contract:

• Jake Carroll
• Logan Dunachie (signed for Clyde)
• Daniel Hunter (signed for Broomhill)
• Kian Spiers (signed for Caledonian Braves)
• Jack Aitchison (signed for Exeter City)
• David Devine (signed for Alloa)
• Corey O'Donnell (signed for Broomhill)
• Max Johnston (signed for Sturm Graz)
• Sean Goss (signed for Asteras Tripoli)
• Mikael Mandron (signed for St Mirren)

Loans expired:

• Stuart McKinstry (signed for Queens Park)
• James Furlong (sold to Hull City)
• Oli Crankshaw (signed for Altrincham)
• Jon Obika (signed for Motherwell)

Contracted players released:

• Josh Morris
• Riku Danzaki (signed for Western United)
• Joe Efford (signed for PAS Giannina)

Edited January 10 by capt_oats

[well fan for life]

8 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Of the current first team? By my count 6?

Casey, Blaney, Paton, Zdravkovski, Miller and Bair

Miller would be hard carrying that fives team at Powerleague. 

[Desp]

It won't be a busy time for contract extensions, will it?  I can see us trying to keep Slattery (but he'll leave), Spittal (he'll stay) and possibly McGinn (he'll also stay if offered).  The others can jog on. 

[capt_oats]

Just updated that last post. Tierney is also contracted to 2025 so technically it's 7.

By my count it gives us 11 permanently contracted players of a 20 man squad (plus Lamie) who our OOC this summer.

Which ironically is fewer in terms of numbers than other seasons recently.

Edited January 10 by capt_oats

[Handsome_Devil]

29 minutes ago, Desp said:

It won't be a busy time for contract extensions, will it?  I can see us trying to keep Slattery (but he'll leave), Spittal (he'll stay) and possibly McGinn (he'll also stay if offered).  The others can jog on. 

I doubt Spittal will get a big move but suspect he'll get more money than we can offer from somewhere.

['WellDel]

1 hour ago, Desp said:

It won't be a busy time for contract extensions, will it?  I can see us trying to keep Slattery (but he'll leave), Spittal (he'll stay) and possibly McGinn (he'll also stay if offered).  The others can jog on. 

It really is a very meh and uninspiring group isn't it? Gone are the days of having a few club stalwarts like McCart, Martin, Arnott and co in the 90s, or more recently Craigan, Hammell and Lasley that you built your squad around, and who you'd genuinely be worried about losing/replacing. Just a ragtag bunch of journeymen and jobbers chasing a wage.

Other than Miller, Spittal and possibly Casey (if he could get back to his original form), there's absolutely no-one there that you'd be remotely sad to see pack their bags and gtf. 

[thisGRAEME]

51 minutes ago, 'WellDel said:

It really is a very meh and uninspiring group isn't it? Gone are the days of having a few club stalwarts like McCart, Martin, Arnott and co in the 90s, or more recently Craigan, Hammell and Lasley that you built your squad around, and who you'd genuinely be worried about losing/replacing. Just a ragtag bunch of journeymen and jobbers chasing a wage.

I realise this is very much old man screams at cloud type stuff, but I actually think this is where some of our problems stem from. As much as Hanlon and Stevenson at Hibs, for example, at now more fringe elements of the playing squad, it's pretty clear they hold a fairly significant influence within the dressing room. We moved on from Craigan, Hammell, Lasley and even guys like Tait who had a reasonable spell here and feel quite a lot more waifs and strays than we have in a while. Numerous players have cited the influence of guys like Lasley off the field, and we just don't really have anyone like that on staff anymore.

[Self-raising Lazarus]

15 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said:

I realise this is very much old man screams at cloud type stuff, but I actually think this is where some of our problems stem from. As much as Hanlon and Stevenson at Hibs, for example, at now more fringe elements of the playing squad, it's pretty clear they hold a fairly significant influence within the dressing room. We moved on from Craigan, Hammell, Lasley and even guys like Tait who had a reasonable spell here and feel quite a lot more waifs and strays than we have in a while. Numerous players have cited the influence of guys like Lasley off the field, and we just don't really have anyone like that on staff anymore.

Even after that, wee Al seemed a similar character to have around the club in terms of progressing through the youth sides, whilst now it seems the youth development is at  low ebb excluding lennon Miller. We could do with players who seriously buy into the club and stick around for more than 18 months.