There was a coo

[Cowdenleith]

3 minutes ago, Mon_The_Fife said:

The fact that the season is already pretty much over for Cowden and it’s still August is pretty grim. The Lowland League is a shit show and needs an overhaul with more promotion places and a much more fluid pyramid system.

If you had a play off system for example for teams from 2nd-5th at least it will keep more supporters interested for longer, but already being 16 points behind 1st place no wonder the crowds are low and will continue to dwindle.

We need to survive the season somehow, it’s far from over and could be the most significant in club history for the wrong reasons.

I think the teeth grinding about the shortcomings of the LL with the B teams and the lack of promotion/pyramid etc are so far removed from what matters to Cowdenbeath now that I don’t even care about that any more, or not at the moment for sure.

Right, daughter’s first match of the season this morning, must get off and do Dad football stuff. ️️

[silkybeath]

3 minutes ago, Cowdenleith said:

One thing I remember reading at the start of the season (unless misremembering) is that the player budget would be cut by 30%.

Now to a layman with no idea of contracts, signings on etc that doesn’t sound like the worst situation that we could have been in for 22/23, presumably it could be even more dire next season for reasons stated.

It does seem a bit weird that we were unable to attract any experienced players at the start of the season, given that other clubs in the LL were able to do exactly that, and we must have had bigger budgets than some of them.
 

Surely to god we are not paying this group of youngsters 70% of what we were paying the likes of Craig Barr, Cammy Gill, Fraser Mullen etc last season?

I also counted 11 players sitting on bench/at the side of bench yesterday. We would have been better with a smaller squad and a team in under 20s development league with the likes of Hillfield, Jeanfield and Crossgates and introducing these youths when required or ready

[Deanburn Dave]

49 minutes ago, Mon_The_Fife said:

The Lowland League ....... needs an overhaul with more promotion places and a much more fluid pyramid system.

What has happened to Cowdenbeath is not likely to persuade league 2 sides to embrace a more fluid arrangement.

[CowdenPhil]

52 minutes ago, Mon_The_Fife said:

The fact that the season is already pretty much over for Cowden and it’s still August is pretty grim. 

It's grim stuff knowing we are in a relegation fight yet again. 

[cowdenbeath]

11 minutes ago, Deanburn Dave said:

What has happened to Cowdenbeath is not likely to persuade league 2 sides to embrace a more fluid arrangement.

Other clubs getting relegated from League Two would maybe take a totally different approach to relegation than Cowdenbeath have.

The leagues not the problem in their case.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

What are your proposals for sorting it? How does it get sorted and sorted now?
You allude earlier should have went for a blend of youth and experience. You are paying biscuit tin money so are left with what you are left with, what experience players are going to go to Cowdenbeath for buttons a week? Some names of realistic, experience players who could have pitched up at Cowdenbeath?
You are barely scraping 100 fans and that could get worse so yes, unfortunately, Cowdenbeath's short to medium term goal has to be survival as a club and a blend of youth and experience is fantasy land stuff at this stage. It must be difficult watching what you are watching but the likes of yourself and Aberdeen Cowden throwing in the towel with the club you have supported all your life (I'm assuming) isn't the answer either. Be stronger, get your head around where you really are as a club and get behind them moving forward or times will never change for the better. 
I look forward to seeing you all next season in the Lowland League.

If you spend five hours driving (and that’s for a home game) and the best part of £80 every Saturday I’m sure it would make you think twice. It’s not so much the cost but when you see what’s on offer it is so depressing.

[Deanburn Dave]

50 minutes ago, cowdenbeath said:

Other clubs getting relegated from League Two would maybe take a totally different approach to relegation than Cowdenbeath have.

The leagues not the problem in their case.

Honest question..........if the Cowdenbeath squad from last season had started this season where do you think they would be sitting in the LL ?    

Mid table would be my guess.

[PELE]

55 minutes ago, Cowdenleith said:

One thing I remember reading at the start of the season (unless misremembering) is that the player budget would be cut by 30%.

Now to a layman with no idea of contracts, signings on etc that doesn’t sound like the worst situation that we could have been in for 22/23, presumably it could be even more dire next season for reasons stated.

It does seem a bit weird that we were unable to attract any experienced players at the start of the season, given that other clubs in the LL were able to do exactly that, and we must have had bigger budgets than some of them.
 

Surely to god we are not paying this group of youngsters 70% of what we were paying the likes of Craig Barr, Cammy Gill, Fraser Mullen etc last season?

As you say, It does seem strange that we can't attract more experienced players. Our budget must still be higher than a lot of the teams in the league. It might be Mo Ro's preference to have a squad full of youngsters, although it has been said that we tried to sign some older more experienced players. Maybe he struggles to handle older players. Maybe he wants players who are not set in their ways. Or, maybe, like most people, he hates ageing and he prefers to be surrounded by younger players. Reliving his youth .

I hope at least that we are not blowing all the money on this team. Surely this is a cheaper option. Maybe we are trying to lay the foundations for next season. Trying to identify good, reliable and cheap youngsters and then spending on more experienced players to join them for a title push. Some of the current players clearly can't cut it, but you never know until you give them the opportunity.

The fixtures have not been ideal for starting from scratch with a totally new and inexperienced young team and we can't afford any injuries or suspensions, but we have had to do without players when we really needed them. Playing Saturday then midweek every week didn't help either. The upcoming fixtures are still congested, but we have a little bit of a breather for the next four weeks. Let's see if it helps. The next 2 league games should be 2 of the easiest fixtures we will have. We really need a fit Martins, Slaven and Sinclair back from suspension to give it a real go.

As for signings and loans. Stop taking duds from the likes of Dundee United. We would be better recruiting from teams in the EosFL or Lowland League. Players that are used to this level and can handle it and do well at it. Not molly-coddled youngsters from youth academies. I thought that's why we went for Colin Jack as assistant, to spot these type of players.

I doubt any of our fans thought we would be challenging at the top end of the league this season, but it is worse than we expected. However, at least we are trying something different. Going for youth (hopefully on the cheap) and persevering. The other option would have been spending heavily on a mid table team with no serious chance of promotion. It's painful, but being realistic, we either do it on the cheap, or we disappear (or we find a rich and stupid benefactor).

[Neilly]

I get it, and your dedication over the years can only be commended, but there is just a general vibe in here of everyone in the cream puff saying how shite it is and it needs sorted out but there doesn't seem to be any ideas of how that happens or any solutions. There's nothing constructive.

I feel for the guys who are inside the club who will be working their arses off to even have a club at all and make the operation continue to function whilst others are handing in their notice in late August because the team are having the season that most should have expected anyway.

[PELE]

2 minutes ago, Deanburn Dave said:

Honest question..........if the Cowdenbeath squad from last season had started this season where do you think they would be sitting in the LL ?    

Mid table would be my guess.

Same. We would have been mid table or slightly higher. Doubt we would have challenged for the title.

[cowdenbeath]

1 minute ago, Deanburn Dave said:

Honest question..........if the Cowdenbeath squad from last season had started this season where do you think they would be sitting in the LL ?    

Mid table would be my guess.

They would probably be mid table only players still in the SPFL are Cammy Gill (Arbroath), Sam Denham and Alex Ferguson (both at East Fife the later on loan from St Johnstone).

Craig Barr  and Kris Renton are at Tranent, Robbie Buchanan and Fraser Mullen at Pollok,  Bobby Barr is at Ashfield,Dave Carty is playing in the League of Wales and Joe Moore is with Portadown.

[Cowden Cowboy]

2 hours ago, Cowdenleith said:

One thing I remember reading at the start of the season (unless misremembering) is that the player budget would be cut by 30%.

Now to a layman with no idea of contracts, signings on etc that doesn’t sound like the worst situation that we could have been in for 22/23, presumably it could be even more dire next season for reasons stated.

It does seem a bit weird that we were unable to attract any experienced players at the start of the season, given that other clubs in the LL were able to do exactly that, and we must have had bigger budgets than some of them.
 

Surely to god we are not paying this group of youngsters 70% of what we were paying the likes of Craig Barr, Cammy Gill, Fraser Mullen etc last season?

 

2 hours ago, Cowdenleith said:

One thing I remember reading at the start of the season (unless misremembering) is that the player budget would be cut by 30%.

Now to a layman with no idea of contracts, signings on etc that doesn’t sound like the worst situation that we could have been in for 22/23, presumably it could be even more dire next season for reasons stated.

It does seem a bit weird that we were unable to attract any experienced players at the start of the season, given that other clubs in the LL were able to do exactly that, and we must have had bigger budgets than some of them.
 

Surely to god we are not paying this group of youngsters 70% of what we were paying the likes of Craig Barr, Cammy Gill, Fraser Mullen etc last season?

It’s a 30% reduction in the overall budget not just the wages of big earners - not every player would be paid at the rates of the higher earners 

[big al]

2 hours ago, Cowdenleith said:

Ach, she has training Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week, can miss just the one for the vital game.

[Deanburn Dave]

One of the problems with having a squad of calves (Coo youngsters) is that the contracts will be only 1 or 2 years.  The good ones will be snapped up next summer by clubs prepared to pay them a few quid more......or the youngsters move to clubs heading in an upward direction.  

 

[PELE]

5 minutes ago, cowdenbeath said:

They would probably be mid table only players still in the SPFL are Cammy Gill (Arbroath), Sam Denham and Alex Ferguson (both at East Fife the later on loan from St Johnstone).

Craig Barr  and Kris Renton are at Tranent, Robbie Buchanan and Fraser Mullen at Pollok,  Bobby Barr is at Ashfield,Dave Carty is playing in the League of Wales and Joe Moore is with Portadown.

I see Robbie got a start yesterday in Pollock's cup match against fifth tier WoSFL new boys Eglinton. He managed a hat trick. Although I see he managed to fool the ref and win a penalty with his trademark dive.

[big al]

Big problem now die hards aren’t going. A massive reason for this must be that the games are garbage. I have been to 4 and the only decent football I have seen was from Airdrie.

I’m willing to bet if I went to a Haws game or Crossgates the game itself would be a better watch. 
Also must be a good chance they are now attracting bigger crowds than Cowden.

 

[PELE]

3 minutes ago, big al said:

Big problem now die hards aren’t going. A massive reason for this must be that the games are garbage. I have been to 4 and the only decent football I have seen was from Airdrie.

I’m willing to bet if I went to a Haws game or Crossgates the game itself would be a better watch. 
Also must be a good chance they are now attracting bigger crowds than Cowden.

 

I didn't go yesterday. Chose to work instead. I actually seriously considered going to the Glenrothes v Open Goal Bawbags match or even dare I say it, the Kelty v Townies match. The thought wouldn't have entered my mind a few years back. I need to see a shrink I think .

[Burnieman]

As perhaps results showed yesterday, you need a manager who knows tiers 5, 6 and 7 because there are good, experienced players at that level who Cowdenbeath can afford, and the name would probably still be attractive to them to make the move. Maybe a little too late now for that for this season, and Ross probably doesn't have that knowledge unlike, say, Calum Elliot at Tranent (although to be fair he probably has a far bigger budget).

[The_Pit_Owns]

2 hours ago, silkybeath said:

I also agree with point regarding experienced players. We have tried but players dont want to sign or offered more money elsewhere.

Why don't the players want to sign? Is it because they talk to their friends in the game? "Hi Bobby Barr (who's had a few digs at Maurice on Twitter with those Tweets liked by last season's squad), I'm thinking about signing for Cowdenbeath. Good club?"

Or they speak to Kris Renton who talked to the papers about a clash with Maurice. "Hey Rents, been approached by Cowden. Decent move?"

Cowdenbeath should absolutely be able to attract and sign good, experienced players within the budget. 100%.

[silkybeath]

44 minutes ago, Neilly said:

I get it, and your dedication over the years can only be commended, but there is just a general vibe in here of everyone in the cream puff saying how shite it is and it needs sorted out but there doesn't seem to be any ideas of how that happens or any solutions. There's nothing constructive.

I feel for the guys who are inside the club who will be working their arses off to even have a club at all and make the operation continue to function whilst others are handing in their notice in late August because the team are having the season that most should have expected anyway.

Unfortunately negativity is the case at all football clubs. The cowden fans have had a rotten time of things lately and impacting badly on morale.

I and I'm sure most others never expected Cowden to challenge this season or next. I think second bottom, not looking like scoringand being mocked by opposing players is a bit of a shock. The manager in an interview promised exciting football but not yet.

There are lots of fans who work extremely hard as volunteers as do members of the board and nobody is happy with how things are going. There is no magic wand but this situation maybe could have been avoided with better decisions over the years and this season. Could I or others done any better...probably not but opinions are important because we all care. I will certainly keep giving my all for the club (and voicing my praise and dissatisfaction). My parents have been on the terracing for over 50 years. This club must continue!