Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

['WellDel]

6 hours ago, Swello said:

The thing that we never take into account is the the thing that practically limits the transfer fee - the fact that if we blocked a guy that's done *really* well getting a good end of career move for the the sake or 2 or 3 hundred grand (or a "hypothetical league position is worth x" argument), we'd be an even less appealing move for players that could be making more playing for a League 2 non-entity down south. 

In short, our "shop window" thing is our only real selling point and our (really good) track record there is worth more to us than hanging onto any particular player at the end of the season will ever be. If someone offers a few hundred grand for KVV in the summer, there is no way we're rejecting it. 

Absolutely what I was meaning. I think a few hundred grand is easily achievable and would be more than acceptable in the eyes of the board and most level headed fans  as a return on a free transfer, and following the model he was sold. I imagine he'll be expecting his agent to earn his 10% by attracting a few bids, and doubling that also wouldn't be unrealistic. 

Interested to see how it pans out, and hopefully he earns the big payday he's after.

[capt_oats]

I thought that KVV articulated it pretty well in his post-match. It wasn't even a case of him saying the quiet bit loud it's just what has really seemed pretty obvious to me about how we position ourselves with this stuff:

Quote

“It’s very important to me, but on the other hand, because I’m 31, and I feel like I’m in my prime, I’m feeling very good, it doesn’t hurt me to say if there is somebody coming in, and it’s the right step – because it could basically be my last move – then I will talk to the owners and the gaffer, and have a conversation.

“That might be my last chance, and maybe we can all have a green light and everybody’s happy.

“If they do get a certain money for me then I’m helping the club, too.

“I’m 31, maybe they get younger people in who make the change, and make my own step as well, because I think that’s important."

“But I would never just force my way out, because I’m very happy here and I am getting older.

“If there is an amazing step for me I would be willing to take, it has to be all positive and on a good note from everybody’s side.

“Otherwise I won’t press anything through, because that’s my respect towards this club as well – they gave me the chance to perform at this level."

Link

And that's it, there will be a number that all parties know and broadly agree that it's worth having a conversation about - it'll be an amount that makes it worth our while and protects our interests but not so much that it actively puts people off.

There are probably two examples of the model that stick out and show the extent to which it's a balancing act:

Marvin to Oxford where he/his agent chucked their toys out the pram and made the (not unreasonable) point that we were being offered several multiples of what we actually paid for him (IIRC around £40k).

Sidebar: can we patch this idea that we haven't paid a transfer fee in 15 years or whatever. We've paid fucking loads of them - the accounts have us spending £500k on players last season FFS.

The other is McInnes persistently (and tediously) low-balling us for Moult (with Dick Gordon and Willie Miller aghast at our temerity in knocking them back - how very dare we, who do we think we are etc) only to eventually sell him to Preston 6 months later for considerably more than Aberdeen were offering when he still had a full year left.

As @Swello says, actively blocking, in KVV's words, "an amazing step" (rather than just a sideways move to an Aberdeen, Hibs or Hearts) for the sake of £100k here or there doesn't really do us any favours in the broader scheme of things if we're making a pitch that we're a club that will help a player progress their career.

Edited April 27, 2023 by capt_oats

[ropy]

43 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

 we're a club that will help a player progress their career.

improve player’s lives

[Desp]

Of course the club are actively happy to sell KVV in the summer.  Firstly, it's something we'd have never have budgeted for (getting money for a 31/32 year old who we got from Scunthorpe for hee-haw?  Sign us up!).  Secondly, as has been pointed out, it's what we do as a club.  The only reason the last offer from China was KB'd was the timing.  As far as I'm aware, the bid was bang in the middle of the selling prices of Moult & Kipre.  The club couldn't/wouldn't take the risk of selling our main man when relegation was/is still a possibility.

He'll go in the summer, and I can't imagine any Motherwell fan having an issue with it. He's certainly earned it. 

[capt_oats]

There he is...

Edited April 27, 2023 by capt_oats

[steelmen]

5 hours ago, ropy said:

improve player’s lives

relentlessly 

[Swello]

1 hour ago, steelmen said:

relentlessly 

I love the idea where they said "I think we're coming across a bit pretentious here Grant" "*sigh* - ok drop "relentlessly". 

[capt_oats]

[ropy]

1 hour ago, capt_oats said:

That was a great night and every player did something in football after their time with Motherwell.

[Busta Nut]

7 years f**k me

 

[Swello]

Have they actually found a picture with no Cadden showing? World class pettiness - I'm upping my Well Society sub right now.

[Doctor Manhattan]

9 minutes ago, Swello said:

Have they actually found a picture with no Cadden showing? World class pettiness - I'm upping my Well Society sub right now.

You can't see him for the long grass, the fucking snake.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Didn't notice Scunthorpe have been relegated two seasons in a row. Trying to imagine the reaction if that happened to us while a guy we'd released was cutting about on almost 30 goals at his new team. 

[ropy]

Cedric Van Basten 

 

[joewarkfanclub]

Anything less than £500k for KVV would be bonkers.

If we hold him to the last year if his contract he needs to replicate this seasons form to get the move he craves, but he will go for free and all the money goes in his and his agents pocket.

Given the league placings at stake and the corresponding moneys available, anything less is short changing us.

[capt_oats]

9 hours ago, ropy said:

Cedric Van Basten 

 

Still no backflip.

[capt_oats]

Can't imagine who will win?

[Self-raising Lazarus]

14 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Can't imagine who will win?

Carroll. 

[Alanos]

38 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Can't imagine who will win?

Morris.

[Swello]

51 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Can't imagine who will win?

It will be the most one-sided for a few years but for instant impact and kind of saving our season, I'd hope that Dan Casey and Calum Butcher get on the lower steps of the winners rostrum.

The change in shape had a huge impact post-Hammell which is down to Ketts but not having the uphill battle of conceding one (and to be fair it tended to be just the one) avoidable, soft goal every single game as we did with Lamie/Sol put us in a position to win games so signing Casey and Butcher late on was totally pivotal.

Max a shoe in for young player although Furlong has been really good too and I'd love either or both still to be here regardless of how unlikely it is.