Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[ropy]

Does Blyth match option 3

[Busta Nut]

On 8/31/2017 at 12:03, thisGRAEME said:

That explains that source then. Absolute virgin sitting refreshing twitter and endlessly rehashing stuff as his own. Amazed he's at 30k followers given he blocks half of twitter on a weekly basis.

He eventually blocked me yesterday. Took the c**t long enough

On 8/31/2017 at 16:39, Swello said:

Grimshaw isn't an orthodox full-back - so I'm not sure where he'd fit as we've got a ton of midfielders - as cover for both Cadden and Tait on the right maybe?

I am a bit weary or him covering full back. Seems a bit of a strange signing for me.

 

17 hours ago, capt_oats said:

So over the course of this window:

- Brought in 17 players across both 1st/u20s squads.
- Had 17 released/retired/returned to parent club. Including a player binned after ending up on the front page of The Sun taking a dunt of nitrous oxide with his bird.
- Transferred 3, including a reported £400k for a player we got for nothing a year ago (more than Thistle reportedly got for Lindsay who had another 2 years on his deal and £100k less than Dundee apparently got for Stewart with equally a year left on his contract).
- Dev loaned 5 players.
- Extended McHugh and Kipré's contracts.
- Brought in a shitload of cash, potentially £1m+ including a potential £750k from an initial investment of c.£30k on a player who's not even at the club.
- Heneghan's reported fee is more than we saw from; Randolph, Hutchinson, Nicky Law, Murphy, Reynolds, Higdon, McCormack and Sutton (twice) combined.
- Kept Moult and Cadden at the club (having rejected offers for both).
- Brought the average age of the first team squad down to 24.1. We now only have 1 first team player over 30, last season we had 7.

What a window lads, what a window. Fucking sensational work.

What a post!

[capt_oats]

Was looking at the squad list on the official site last night and with Grimshaw added that's 9 midfielders. Which seemed a lot though on reflection in a 442 then 2 players for each position is 8 midfielders and the thing we seem to have been emphasising re: Grimshaw is his versatility. So in that respect if we see him as an option at right wing back if Tait has to switch to the other flank then great, it means we're not sticking Cadden in there unless we actually want to. The fact we've loaned McMillan out on loan to Livi and brought Grimshaw in would suggest Grimshaw covering that area is at least part of the thinking.

Looking at the squad as it stands now and it's interesting comparing where we are now to this time last year. Assuming a 352 we're looking at;

GK: Carson/Griffiths
RWB: Tait/Grimshaw
CB: Kipré
CB: Hartley
CB: Dunne/Hammell
LWB: Frear/Plummer
CM: Cadden/MacLean
CM: McHugh/Campbell
CM: Bigirimana/Rose
FW: Moult/Fisher
FW: Bowman/Tanner
+ Petravičius, Newell

This time last year when the window closed we had:

GK: Samson/Brill
RB: Tait/McMillan
CB: Heneghan/Ferguson
CB: McManus
LB: Hammell/Chalmers
RM: Cadden/Ainsworth
CM: Lasley/Lucas
CM: McHugh/Clay
LM: Thomas
FW: Moult/Bowman
FW: McDonald/Blyth

Edited September 2, 2017 by capt_oats

[Swello]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

Was looking at the squad list on the official site last night and with Grimshaw added that's 9 midfielders. Which seemed a lot though on reflection in a 442 then 2 players for each position is 8 midfielders and the thing we seem to have been emphasising re: Grimshaw is his versatility. So in that respect if we see him as an option at right wing back if Tait has to switch to the other flank then great, it means we're not sticking Cadden in there unless we actually want to. The fact we've loaned McMillan out on loan to Livi and brought Grimshaw in would suggest Grimshaw covering that area is at least part of the thinking.

Looking at the squad as it stands now and it's interesting comparing where we are now to this time last year. Assuming a 352 we're looking at;

GK: Carson/Griffiths
RWB: Tait/Grimshaw
CB: Kipré
CB: Hartley
CB: Dunne/Hammell
LWB: Frear/Plummer
CM: Cadden/MacLean
CM: McHugh/Campbell
CM: Bigirimana/Rose
FW: Moult/Fisher
FW: Bowman/Tanner
+ Petravičius, Newell

This time last year when the window closed we had:

GK: Samson/Brill
RB: Tait/McMillan
CB: Heneghan/Ferguson
CB: McManus
LB: Hammell/Chalmers
RM: Cadden/Ainsworth
CM: Lasley/Lucas
CM: McHugh/Clay
LM: Thomas
FW: Moult/Bowman
FW: McDonald/Blyth

I think the only position where we haven't brought in someone of comparable or higher quality is the replacement for McDonald but that was always likely to be the case - but overall comparing the two squads - the word "upgrade" springs to mind. The difference in the level of physicality is almost bizarre - I can't ever remember us having such a big team but to move to that in one window is some achievement. Also - I think Moult is the only player where an injury would really scupper us - we definitely have a squad in the proper sense of the word....

[Al B]

On 9/1/2017 at 00:06, capt_oats said:

Heneghan's reported fee is more than we saw from; Randolph, Hutchinson, Nicky Law, Murphy, Reynolds, Higdon, McCormack and Sutton (twice) combined.

When you see that written down it becomes a whole different level of bonkers.

Edited September 3, 2017 by Al B

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

You could list hundred of players who played their full contract and moved on without compensation but even from that small list we got more from Murphy, Reynolds and McCormack and that is before you count add ons.

McCormack went for £165k, Reynolds £130k, Murphy for £150k, that is more than the reported £400k for Heneghan.

Potential add-ons would be for McCormack goals and his Leeds transfer (which also included training compensation), Reynolds may have had a promotion add-on and Murphy definitely had a sell-on clause. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13600822.Motherwell_to_get_Murphy_windfall_after_Brighton_switch/

[capt_oats]

FWIW:

McCormack's listed as £100k https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008–09_Motherwell_F.C._season
Reynolds c.£100k (with add ons) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/9362829.stm
Granted Murphy's generally acknowledged as £150k with the add on eventually received when he moved to Brighton, the offer prior to the move was listed as £100k http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-blades-offer-100k-deal-for-jamie-murphy-1-5253954

I'll happily defer to the knowledge of those paying better attention than I was though an extra £45k over the £400k isn't really the point. The point was simply that getting a deal worth £400k for a player who had a pretty patchy season in comparison to previous fees received is a good thing.

Edited September 3, 2017 by capt_oats

[madwullie]

Maybe out stock is going up. Or maybe the transfer marker is more volatile 

[Onthefringes]

Jamie Murphy's transfer fee was way less than has been quoted...

[Swello]

Just listened to the latest MFC podcast there, where Alan Burrows was on reflecting on the (excellent) transfer window - a really good listen, so credit to the lads for that (even if it wasn't the toughest level of questioning he'll ever get ).

The main thing that can't be stressed enough is that in term of communication with supporters (owners ), we are genuinely lucky that our club (and especially 'Flow) are as open as they can realistically can be and actually do more than pay lip service to it.

[Busta Nut]

A bit late but here is the link to the above

http://www.mfc1886.com/mfc-podcast-2017-18-episode-8/
 

[capt_oats]

7 hours ago, Busta Nut said:

A bit late but here is the link to the above
http://www.mfc1886.com/mfc-podcast-2017-18-episode-8/

Really enjoyed that one. Good work.

Loads of info there and well worth the listen.

Was really interesting to hear that they think Turnbull's already outgrown dev league football and wanted him out on dev loan but it didn't happen. I suppose it's about finding the right club for him to play and develop and obviously not weakening the u20s is a consideration but it's hard not to agree that he looks a level or two above dev league football already.

His goal last night was smashing and his touch and involvement in the 2nd against Crusaders (having already scored the first) was above what you'd generally expect from a 17 year old.

Other than that there's a lot to be positive about. Especially hearing Robinson's approach to recruitment, the detail he's gone into and the specific qualities he's been after. The reference to Dyche and Burnley was interesting.

Edit: Srsly though that goal from yesterday. Picks the ball up, goes past the midfielder, nutmegs the centre half and places it past the keeper. Doesn't even look like he's trying either.

 

Edited September 6, 2017 by capt_oats

[Antiochas III]

If only there was a way in football for our players to play competative football every week without needing a third party  to be willing to take them on (and maybe not use them right).  Maybe one used by 13 of the top 15 leagues in Europe, one that the Scottish league has dabbled in with one of the cups and Non-league... 

[thisGRAEME]

What a fucking club we are lads.

[Lichtie78]

Just seen that on twitter, great stuff from the players.

[Del_Superwell]

Did anyone notice our former player and assistant James McFadden has signed for queen of the south on a short term deal

[MJC]

16 hours ago, thisGRAEME said:

What a fucking club we are lads.

It's great to hear talk of players talk of bonding with the support and it helps fuel the feel-good factor that we've already got going at the start of this season.

For years the club's PR was utterly dreadful; from Dempster's time when the only communication we got was about how we were skint and making losses despite qualifying for Europe; to McGhee's second stint when he seemed keen to argue with supporters and throw players under the bus resulting in a bad atmosphere in general around the club.

I feel like since the summer we've seen a bit of a sea change at the club for the better. Gone are the 'old boys network' with the exception of Hammell from the first team, something which greatly held us back as a club and we now have a younger, hungrier looking squad who actually seem to enjoy playing football.

In Stephen Robinson as manager we have an enthusiastic and dare I say it, adventurous individual who puts his heart and soul into the job, something we definitely did not have last year, this reflects on the players too. He was not my first choice as manager but he's done well so far and I get the feeling we could be entering into an era like the Butcher one where we surprise a lot of people, even ourselves. We have done reasonably well in the past with managers who have failed elsewhere yet been a good fit for us, ala Butcher & McCall and hopefully Robinson falls into the same category.

Since the win at Queen's Park in July this season has been more enjoyable than the last two put together and long may it continue.

Edited September 9, 2017 by MJC

[thisGRAEME]

Anyone else concerned about the rapture being upon us? Just me?

[Busta Nut]

1 hour ago, thisGRAEME said:

Anyone else concerned about the rapture being upon us? Just me?

any excuse to post this

KRS-One - Step Into A World (Rapture's Delight)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Busta Nut]

 

Apologies in advance for this as we have had major issue with Skype and the recording material. We would have maybe just recorded again but we couldn't be arsed.

http://www.mfc1886.com/mfc-podcast-2017-18-episode-9/