Double Winning St Johnstone FC Thread

[Valentino Bolognese]

5 hours ago, Cardle is Magic said:

Then again, clearly the names at the top of the list said no

The only name that we know said no was Martindale - and that wasn't him saying no, it was the club owners not allowing him to talk to us which he complies with due to loyalty to them. Which given he clearly looks unhappy in his job right now is a pretty strange management decision and can surely only lead to further resentment. Nobody knows if Martindale wants to move to Saints or anywhere else.

I have a feeling that Levein was pretty high up the list and it would be interesting to know who else interviewed, although I doubt we ever will.

The negatives around him seem to be style of play (not sure that's a major factor, we need effectivel not stylish right now), time out the game (again, is that a huge issue as he's stayed very close to Scottish football with his other jobs) and some sort of personal animosity (which I don't get).

I'm OK with this but do have a bit of a concern over the length of contract, but who knows what the details of that are.

Willing to give him a chance for sure.

[tree house tam]

Just now, Valentino Bolognese said:

The only name that we know said no was Martindale - and that wasn't him saying no, it was the club owners not allowing him to talk to us which he complies with due to loyalty to them. Which given he clearly looks unhappy in his job right now is a pretty strange management decision and can surely only lead to further resentment. Nobody knows if Martindale wants to move to Saints or anywhere else.

I have a feeling that Levein was pretty high up the list and it would be interesting to know who else interviewed, although I doubt we ever will.

The negatives around him seem to be style of play (not sure that's a major factor, we need effectivel not stylish right now), time out the game (again, is that a huge issue as he's stayed very close to Scottish football with his other jobs) and some sort of personal animosity (which I don't get).

I'm OK with this but do have a bit of a concern over the length of contract, but who knows what the details of that are.

Willing to give him a chance for sure.

Having loyalty, morals and treating people's word as binding is very endearing. No problem with him being absolutely happy with his life and what he has at Livi. There really is no need to change, too many folk nowadays strive for things that won't bring happiness. Well done Davie.

[Valentino Bolognese]

1 minute ago, tree house tam said:

Having loyalty, morals and treating people's word as binding is very endearing. No problem with him being absolutely happy with his life and what he has at Livi. There really is no need to change, too many folk nowadays strive for things that won't bring happiness. Well done Davie.

Sure, very admirable qualities on his part but there comes a point where not allowing someone to move on, if they want to, becomes problematic. Wasn't a slight on DM at all, more that  I'd not want an unhappy manager hanging on through a sense of duty if they felt it was time for them to move on. From what we've seen on the telly recently it doesn't seem that he is 'absolutely hapy with his life and what he has at Livi'. But then again, that might be due to other factors.

[RandomGuy.]

10 minutes ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

I have a feeling that Levein was pretty high up the list

It sounds like, from the statement about hiring him, that the club wanted someone who could help sort out stuff on the pitch and off it.

Guess that narrows the field dramatically, while also helping explain why Martindale/Levein were the (presumably) top targets

[gingermunkie]

I don’t mind the length of contract. May 2026 is the end of the season after next.

If it was only 18 months and keeps us up this year and does well next year we’d be raging.

also if we’re wanting him to help sort off field issues surely we want that long term…

 

[Cardle is Magic]

31 minutes ago, gingermunkie said:

I don’t mind the length of contract. May 2026 is the end of the season after next.

If it was only 18 months and keeps us up this year and does well next year we’d be raging.

also if we’re wanting him to help sort off field issues surely we want that long term…

You do realise that if he was given an 18 month contract and he did well then the club could simply offer him an extension?

Edited November 6, 2023 by Cardle is Magic

[The Marly]

11 hours ago, die hard doonhamer said:

Hope you didn’t

He didn't say he'd put HIS house on it. He told the rest of us to put OUR house on it. He's a b*****d and I will never trust him again!

[Shuggie_Murray7]

From the outside, Levein looks like the type you would want to come in amidst a crisis and make you lot hard to beat ad try to fight to stay up this season.

A 3 year deal does seem pretty odd though TBH. You'd have to assume he will be in Perth next season, no matter what happens this season.

[tree house tam]

1 hour ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

Sure, very admirable qualities on his part but there comes a point where not allowing someone to move on, if they want to, becomes problematic. Wasn't a slight on DM at all, more that  I'd not want an unhappy manager hanging on through a sense of duty if they felt it was time for them to move on. From what we've seen on the telly recently it doesn't seem that he is 'absolutely hapy with his life and what he has at Livi'. But then again, that might be due to other factors.

Livi didn't not let Martindale move on. They had a meeting at which they said Saints had approached wanting to speak to him. Davie then asked if they were happy to keep him at the club, they said they wanted to reject the approach and were happy with him, that was that.

A very short conversation was had.

 

Edit: by all accounts it was between him and Levein from the start and both were to be spoken to, take one out of that then there really only was one choice for the job. Welcome to Saints you boring auld walloper.

Edited November 6, 2023 by tree house tam

[Valentino Bolognese]

1 minute ago, tree house tam said:

Livi didn't not let Martindale move on. They had a meeting at which they said Saints had approached wanting to speak to him. Davie then asked if they were happy to keep him at the club, they said they wanted to reject the approach and were happy with him, that was that.

A very short conversation was had.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't that not letting him move on? Sounds like the decision wasn't in his hands? They're essentially saying 'we don't want you to talk to another potential employer'. Fair do's to DM for being loyal, but if he's not happy in his job, not sure what not that acheives.

Not that it matters now. Fully on board the er, 'Levein hype train' or whatever it is.

[TheScarf]

Grady McGrath to St Johnstone in January NAP, imo.

[tree house tam]

Just now, Valentino Bolognese said:

Not to be pedantic, but isn't that not letting him move on? Sounds like the decision wasn't in his hands? They're essentially saying 'we don't want you to talk to another potential employer'. Fair do's to DM for being loyal, but if he's not happy in his job, not sure what not that acheives.

Not that it matters now. Fully on board the er, 'Levein hype train' or whatever it is.

It really isn't. Davie is on record having said he'll be at Livi until he's told he's not wanted by the folk in charge. He asked the question, they said they still wanted him there, end of conversation. Everyone gets on with their lives 

[tree house tam]

Just now, TheScarf said:

Grady McGrath to St Johnstone in January NAP, imo.

Is he any good?

[TheScarf]

7 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Is he any good?

It's hard to tell given the standard of the opposition he plays against.  In 21/22 he scored something like 439 goals in the Midlands League, about 130 in the Highland League last season for Brechin and about 40 so far this season.  He knows where there the goal is alright. 

A 4 tier step up would be extreme, but the boy's clearly got talent, and time on his side having just turned 21 a few months back.

Edit - I've only seen him play 5 times ever but I was impressed every time.

Edited November 6, 2023 by TheScarf

[tree house tam]

3 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

It's hard to tell given the standard of the opposition he plays against.  In 21/22 he scored something like 439 goals in the Midlands League, about 130 in the Highland League last season for Brechin and about 40 so far this season.  He knows where there the goal is alright. 

A 4 tier step up would be extreme, but the boy's clearly got talent, and time on his side having just turned 21 a few months back.

Edit - I've only seen him play 5 times ever but I was impressed every time.

Would love for us to have a Dundee/United reject to come in and tear it up and god knows we need a freshen up in the striking department.

[TheScarf]

3 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Would love for us to have a Dundee/United reject to come in and tear it up and god knows we need a freshen up in the striking department.

Raith and Cove were looking at him last season but obviously nothing came of it.  He could definitely step up to full time IMO (I'm not sure if he was full time when he was a youngster at Dundee).

[PauloPerth]

2 hours ago, tree house tam said:

Having loyalty, morals and treating people's word as binding is very endearing. No problem with him being absolutely happy with his life and what he has at Livi. There really is no need to change, too many folk nowadays strive for things that won't bring happiness. Well done Davie.

Beautifully put.  But who the f**k stole Tam’s login details??!

[mizfit]

48 minutes ago, tree house tam said:

Livi didn't not let Martindale move on. They had a meeting at which they said Saints had approached wanting to speak to him. Davie then asked if they were happy to keep him at the club, they said they wanted to reject the approach and were happy with him, that was that.

A very short conversation was had.

 

Edit: by all accounts it was between him and Levein from the start and both were to be spoken to, take one out of that then there really only was one choice for the job. Welcome to Saints you boring auld walloper.

I honestly reckon Martindales loyalty will bite him on the arse. From the way he’s spoken he’s come across as being very interested in the role. 

[PauloPerth]

All the talk about boring unattractive football from other premiership club fans is magnificent.

I don’t think I’ve seen a team play attractive entertaining football in this league for years.

 

[Sortmeout]

7 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

All the talk about boring unattractive football from other premiership club fans is magnificent.

I don’t think I’ve seen a team play attractive entertaining football in this league for years.

 

If your team wins you are happy it’s that simple.

I’m sure everyone playing us so far this season will feel it’s eye-bleeding stuff whereas I’m enjoying the matches and performances for the most part.