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Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons


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1 hour ago, Londonwell said:

I think you might be slightly surprised but I guess it comes down to wording. I remember Stuart McCall talking about Craig Reid earning practically nothing outside an appearance fee. That would for all intents and purpose be a ‘pay as you play’ deal. A very small basic wage (relatively speaking) and incentives based on appearance and performance to top it up.

Is there anyone else that's been on a pay as you play deal? Anywhere?

Also what is "practically nothing"? Bonus money aside, Who signs for absolutely nothing?

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9 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

Because we signed him last season and he was clearly done? 

We're not a charity and when there's talk of limited budgets and having to get players out to get others in, signing a player that we know to be ravaged by injuries is a massive waste of money given where we're at. 

Ach, you’re probably right.

Is what you’re saying not true of Obika, Wilkinson, Efford and the new left back though? All arrive with questionable injury records do they not? 

Edited by Allroy for Prez
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I guess that is the dilemma. Do you sign a good player with an injury record or an average player who has a history of being fit all the time. 

Some players do have bad one off injuries others are just perma crocks. The likes of Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate spring to mind for some reason. Very good players but one injury after another.

Talking of which I hope Efford is not in the perma crock variety. He really was starting to motor when he got injured. He has been out now for 10 months. I thought he was back fit, but not in the squad last Saturday and no mention of him being unavailable for tomorrows game. Not mentioned by Kettlewell either unless I missed it…. 

Edited by welldaft
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57 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

Is there anyone else that's been on a pay as you play deal? Anywhere?

Also what is "practically nothing"? Bonus money aside, Who signs for absolutely nothing?

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13166068.reid-position-pay-debt-motherwell-manager/
 

Here’s an article about Reid. I guess the people who play for “practically nothing” are very few and far between but maybe it’s the ones who don’t have a better offer and are looking at a short term opportunity - would be an educated guess. 

Edited by Londonwell
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39 minutes ago, Allroy for Prez said:

Ach, you’re probably right.

Is what you’re saying not true of Obika, Wilkinson, Efford and the new left back though? All arrive with questionable injury records do they not? 

You probably could argue that to an extent tbf. Every signing for us is a gamble in some respects and with the names you've mentioned above (Efford apart who got injured with us) the club must see them as gambles worth taking. 

We took the gamble on Moult last season and, IMO, it didn't pay off. He was great for us and will go down as one of our best players in recent times but he's done now. 

No doubt Dundee United will throw a comparatively silly wage at him so fair play to him in that respect. 

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8 hours ago, Allroy for Prez said:

Ach, you’re probably right.

Is what you’re saying not true of Obika, Wilkinson, Efford and the new left back though? All arrive with questionable injury records do they not? 

There's questionable injury records, then there's literally not having kicked a ball in about 5 years. 

Since he left us Moult has been permanently broken. I'm as sad for the guy about that as anyone and really hope he can get back playing regularly at a decent level. With our disastrous recent dealings in the transfer market and subsequent tight budget though, Kettlewell is right not to be even considering it.  Removing sentiment and being purely  objective, it really is time for everyone to admit it's All the best Louis but it's a hard pass on a return.

Edited by 'WellDel
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Folk really need to move on from this. We risked it last season it didn't work, wild that people would happily see budget used for someone who looked like they were really struggling and could barely get fit enough to play.

This whole "he gets it", "bleeds claret and amber" birthday caird pish is what got us into bother last season, especially when deciding on the manager who made these risky signings. 

Louis was class for us when he was here first time, and is loved by supporters for that, but we canny have folk taking places in the squad if it's unlikely they will play, Kettlewell literally said this last week. 

 

Edited by MurrayWell
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Mind last season when Hammell said after the fact that <paraphrasing> we knew that we’d have to “manage” Moult and we wouldn’t be getting 90 mins out him </paraphrasing>?

To have done that once is one thing, to do it a second time a year later after we’ve had to cancel his previous loan because he needed another operation would be daft.

Edited by capt_oats
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Aye sadly Moult should be nowhere near the club in a playing capacity. I think it’s a sign that we’ve now got an adult in the room in Kettlewell that we don’t seem to be entertaining the idea. It’s hard not to be impressed by the guy so far. 

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See, I’m sympathetic (in a “…but it might work for us” way) to the idea of having Moult as cover or an option off the bench. That was essentially Hammell’s rationale when he brought him back.

I get that.

I suppose something worth considering is that if we’re looking to replace Shields (as seems to be the plan) then given we already have Obika in the building there’s a chance we’re not actually in the market for someone who just offers cover or an option off the bench?

Edited by capt_oats
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4 minutes ago, MurrayWell said:

Did Kettlewell not indicate we were looking for two strikers? I took from his comments, and the fact he didn't feature at the weekend, that Shields was away. So maybe a replacement for him and another? 

You would hope so. Meaning that Shields is away and that we are looking for a couple of forwards. If Efford is fit and can stay fit then 1 may suffice but as stated in previous post him missing is a worry. 

As unlikely as it is I would still like to see Stephen Fletcher at Fir Park. Played most games for United last season. Was one of only a couple their supporters gave a pass too in a dismal season. Experienced and will chip in with the odd goal. Who knows may have the same impact a certain Tony Watt had.

Even based on one competitive game v lower league opposition I worry of we are to depend on Obika and Wilkinson to score the goals that Van Veen did or even come close. I do like Obika but for me he should be back up only. 

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44 minutes ago, MurrayWell said:

Did Kettlewell not indicate we were looking for two strikers? I took from his comments, and the fact he didn't feature at the weekend, that Shields was away. So maybe a replacement for him and another? 

It depends how literally you want to take him and whether you take his "one or two" as a turn of phrase.

What he said in his presser was:

Quote

"I would like to add to two areas. I think that certainly defensively we look as if we have good options. I think we're pretty decently set in the middle of the park. I think we maybe need to add one or two in the wide positions and I think we need to add one or two in the forward positions."

Spoiler
Edited by capt_oats
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8 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

It depends how literally you want to take him and whether you take his "one or two" as a turn of phrase.

What he said in his presser was:

Ahh, cheers Captain. I didn't listen to the presser, just had seen comments suggesting that he was after two. 

As long as turns of phrase don't become the dreaded "can play anywhere across the front three"... 

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46 minutes ago, welldaft said:

I do like Obika but for me he should be back up only

With Obika - I go back to the Hearts game at the start of Kettlewell's time. That day he was a nightmare for the Hearts defence - balls came in at chest height and they couldn't get near them as Obika's control and layoffs were brilliant. 

If we use him like that, it makes perfect sense - if we are expecting 10-15 goals, we're going to be disappointed. 

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