Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[mjw]

I see Faddy is up at the presser today - I hope McGhee has a decent excuse and hasn't shat it and sent his assistant out to face the music...

Probably for the best.
He's been in enough memes,gifs etc this week.

[well fan for life]

McGhee sentenced to death by 1000 memes.

[capt_oats]

I wouldn't be surprised if the club advised against McGhee doing the press conference. This week has already been an absolute clusterfuck without them adding to it by sending him out in front of the press and let's face it their week won't get any better tomorrow after the utter humiliation we'll be served at Parkhead.

[RandomGuy.]

To be fair though, St Johnstone is one of a very small number of clubs in Scotland that can rely on income outwith match days. Although Mcdiarmid is a bit of a soulless shitehole, moving from Muirton to there is probably the best bit of business St Johnstone have ever done.

And the move was funded for us too, a glorious thing.

[Mr Pikey]

Motherwell to win 2-1 and Mcghee to stand at the next press conference looking around like Cantona when he scored yon goal

[Casagolda]

Bit late to the McGhee oot chat but in my opinion unless he actually has lost the plot, sacking him at this stage would be crazy. McGhee's remit was essentially to keep us up, does anyone really think he won't do it? I think he's a bit of a knob myself like and the performance on and off the park on Wednesday was completely unacceptable, however I do think he'll keep us up in the end. Which, along with bringing through the youngsters, was our target before a ball was kicked.

After we get tomorrow out the way we only have 13 games left and only 2 of them are against teams in the top 4(unless we make top six in which case happy days). Had a look at our head to head record against the other 6 teams round about us and ours is the best of the lot, only two defeats to this season to teams outside the top 5. Given that, plus McGhee's knack of getting results when required, I think we'll be safe enough. Guess the upcoming games against Dundee and Killie will tell us whether my confidence is misplaced.

After that, I'd think an amicable parting of the ways at the end of the season is inevitable. Rightly or wrongly, there's just too many fans now that are against McGhee that his position is becoming untenable. 

Tell you what though, whoever is in charge for next season is going to have a hell of a job on their hands. Cause McDonald will probably be away and so will Moult, not to mention Ainsworth so there goes your three top scorers. Long term replacements for Hammell and Lasley need to be found as this has been a season too far for both, certainly in terms of being relied on as first team regulars. Probably need a new keeper as well.

So essentially replacing half a team, including numerous key players, on a shoestring budget. Whilst also trying to integrate the youngsters into the first team all the while appeasing the fans by playing entertaining fitba, challenging for top six(even harder with Hibs coming up) and going on cup runs is going to be some fucking task. 

Good luck to whoever it is, he's gonna need it. 

[mjw]

Bit late to the McGhee oot chat but in my opinion unless he actually has lost the plot, sacking him at this stage would be crazy. McGhee's remit was essentially to keep us up, does anyone really think he won't do it? I think he's a bit of a knob myself like and the performance on and off the park on Wednesday was completely unacceptable, however I do think he'll keep us up in the end. Which, along with bringing through the youngsters, was our target before a ball was kicked.
After we get tomorrow out the way we only have 13 games left and only 2 of them are against teams in the top 4(unless we make top six in which case happy days). Had a look at our head to head record against the other 6 teams round about us and ours is the best of the lot, only two defeats to this season to teams outside the top 5. Given that, plus McGhee's knack of getting results when required, I think we'll be safe enough. Guess the upcoming games against Dundee and Killie will tell us whether my confidence is misplaced.
After that, I'd think an amicable parting of the ways at the end of the season is inevitable. Rightly or wrongly, there's just too many fans now that are against McGhee that his position is becoming untenable. 
Tell you what though, whoever is in charge for next season is going to have a hell of a job on their hands. Cause McDonald will probably be away and so will Moult, not to mention Ainsworth so there goes your three top scorers. Long term replacements for Hammell and Lasley need to be found as this has been a season too far for both, certainly in terms of being relied on as first team regulars. Probably need a new keeper as well.
So essentially replacing half a team, including numerous key players, on a shoestring budget. Whilst also trying to integrate the youngsters into the first team all the while appeasing the fans by playing entertaining fitba, challenging for top six(even harder with Hibs coming up) and going on cup runs is going to be some fucking task. 
Good luck to whoever it is, he's gonna need it. 

Jim Gannon then?

[Mr Pikey]

1 minute ago, mjw said:

Jim Gannon then?

I still have no idea what the real story was about Gannon.

[Casagolda]

1 hour ago, mjw said:

Jim Gannon then?

Pretty much, and much like Baraclough when he was found to be out his depth(and slightly unhinged) what did we do? Turned to a safe pair of hands to steady the ship, just like we did with McGhee last season.

So it begs the question, who do you go for next season? Take a punt on some unknown who could be great, could be shite or go for a safe and steady option to ensure we keep our heads above water?

As I said, it's a massive decision and one that if we get wrong could easily see our long stay in the top flight come to an end. 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Casagolda

[thisGRAEME]

With each year that passes as well, the top flight seems to be evening out, or strengthening.

Aberdeen and Hearts getting their shit together has been terrible for us, frankly. Chuck in Hibs (who it seems to have been decided, are a Premiership team in all but...being a premiership team...), remove Accies or ICT and there's a distinct lack of bad teams in there. Could do with Falkirk or some other, similar, no-mark to come up.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

Motherwell to win 2-1 and Mcghee to stand at the next press conference looking around like Cantona when he scored yon goal

Hopefully he karate kicks some of the c***s in the East Stand at the next home game too.

[thisGRAEME]

4 minutes ago, jam20 said:

Can see Mark Mcghee becoming some kind of Director of Football at the end of the season as the Old Boys love in continues and Lasley/Hammell/Craigian/Faddy take over the manager role.

Selection committee? Sound.

[mjw]

Selection committee? Sound.

Am a owner a want a say.
Said some Well Society members.

[capt_oats]

25 minutes ago, Casagolda said:

Pretty much, and much like Baraclough when he was found to be out his depth(and slightly unhinged) what did we do? Turned to a safe pair of hands to steady the ship, just like we did with McGhee last season.

So it begs the question, who do you go for next season? Take a punt on some unknown who could be great, could be shite or go for a safe and steady option to ensure we keep our heads above water?

As I said, it's a massive decision and one that if we get wrong could easily see our long stay in the top flight come to an end. 

Looking back to the managers we've had since McLean (not including interim) win %s in brackets;

McLeish (28.36%), Kampman (23.81%), Davies (31.48%), Black (25.93%), Butcher (30.52%), Malpas (26.32%), McGhee (40.79%), Gannon (25.53%), Brown (45.14%), McCall (45.89%), Baraclough (34.38), McGhee (36%)

The ones who seem to have worked out best to me are the ones who had a bit of management experience at a decent level which I suppose should stand to reason, for all McCall possibly wasn't a stand out at Bradford he still managed them for 133 games. Obviously with Butcher you have to factor in the admin etc and you can look up McGhee's record on Wiki.

Personally, with the club set up as it is I don't think we can really afford to go for an unknown, inexperienced option as you say, there's far too much act risk there and as thisGRAEME points out every other club in the top half of the league seem to be getting their shit together and Hibs looking like they'll be a Premiership side once again. One thing that does seem clear, which possibly wasn't before, is that the club have a definite idea of how they view the key components of the manager's role and how that fits in to the overall structure of the club;

- work within a budget

- promote youth

- develop "sellable assets"

- stay in the league

Craigan and Lasley seem to be doing a great job with the u20s (youth cup winners, 2nd in the league, Youth Cup semi-finalists this year) so I really don't see why the club would want to disrupt that. Cadden's already broken through, McMillan, MacLean, Turnbull, Hastie, Fry, Mackin seem to be developing well under their guidance while Semple's started to appear on the fringes of the 20s team and that's surely the foundation of the club's business plan.

What would be required is finding a candidate with experience, a good coach with some sort of record to improving players, has a reasonably progressive overview of management and who's going to be on the same page as Craigan, Lasley, Leitch and Burrows.

[PauloPerth]

4 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

 

To be fair though, St Johnstone is one of a very small number of clubs in Scotland that can rely on income outwith match days. Although Mcdiarmid is a bit of a soulless shitehole, moving from Muirton to there is probably the best bit of business St Johnstone have ever done.

 

In business terms, it was.  Compare our soulless shithole to a soulless shithole like Dens and you see why the board took that option.

[mjw]

that's Simo Valakari sacked.
There's got to be a rumour in that.

[capt_oats]

that's Simo Valakari sacked.
There's got to be a rumour in that.

Was Rudi Vata not touting him for the Killie job before Clark got it last season as well?

Quite surprised to hear he's been binned as his record with them seemed pretty good; promotion, won the league, won both cups since taking over in 2012.

[The_Craig]

that's Simo Valakari sacked.
There's got to be a rumour in that.

Simo was mentioned for the job when Barraclough took over. IIRC he took his side to the league title that season.

I would've welcomed him back then and I'd take him now. Hopefully the manager situation will be sorted out relatively early in the summer.

[Steve_Wilkos]

It was particularly pleasing to watch "Lazzo" make an arse out of himself at Pittodrie again. What a clown.

[Mr Hahn]

11 hours ago, Steve_Wilkos said:

It was particularly pleasing to watch "Lazzo" make an arse out of himself at Pittodrie again. What a clown.

Who the f**k is Lazzo?