Clyde Season 23/24

[Brian Carrigan]

18 minutes ago, Clyde01 said:

Jon Craig was rank rotten last night too, the whole defence is a shambles and with Livi beating Cove 5-0 last night I dread to think what Saturday will bring.

I actually think that middle to front, we're perfectly serviceable for mid-table League 2 standard. Some of the actual football we played last night was fine, and the goal was a really good example of that. Obviously there are huge issues. Rennie had some superb touches to bring the ball under control before giving it away when he tried to move it on. Scullion and Leslie started moves off well which ultimately broke down because of a poor touch from Cameron or Mulvanny. We should have had a second goal, but unfortunately Dylan Duncan sent the ball into orbit. It wasn't great but at least it was *something*.

However, whilst not a surprise by any means, the defence was absolutely shocking - Parry included. McCulloch turned in the poorest performance I've seen since Hendji's 9 minutes against QotS in last seasons opener. It seemed like every pass from him was either straight to a Brechin player or sclaffed out for a shy. At one point, Ross Forbes dropped back to double up on his man because he knew what would would happen if McCulloch was left to deal with it. It said a lot that Erik Sula came on and we nearly scored a goal from him fairly quickly. It could be the case that he's got in his own head very early, which doesn't bode well going into what's arguably the clubs most important league campaign in several years. He looked like a fish out of water - the exact opposite of Kian Leslie who was constantly looking for the ball and moved it well.

I was actually looking forward to that game last night, but honestly now I just want to get the forthcoming season over with. 

[Neilly]

37 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

If that's the sort of energy and charisma McLean is showing in the dressing room I can completely understand why Duffy is still in the dug out barking orders. He sounds like the sort of shit pundit you get on BBC Alba alongside the gaelic speaking commentator. 

I was coming on to post similar.

He is obviously nowhere near the biggest issue at this basket case of a football club but I have watched the last couple of interviews and he must be one of the dullest and least inspiring men in management. I can't imagine that guy motivating you much in a dressing room nevermind having the tactical nouse to compete.

 

[RutherGlen]

57 minutes ago, Neilly said:

I was coming on to post similar.

He is obviously nowhere near the biggest issue at this basket case of a football club but I have watched the last couple of interviews and he must be one of the dullest and least inspiring men in management. I can't imagine that guy motivating you much in a dressing room nevermind having the tactical nouse to compete.

 

Some of the best managers in football have been fairly dull/uninspiring when confronted with a mic and/or camera. 

Personally, I don't give a damn how the guys comes across in an interview. I just want to see him given a fair crack at actually managing the team and bringing in at least one or two of his own signings. At the moment Duffy is pulling every bloody string going while McLean is forced to stand there, arms folded, probably wondering how to word his resignation letter.

Get Duffy to f*** and let's see what Brian can do. If it isn't working after say half the season, then we can look at other options - providing none of those involve bringing Duffy back...again!

Edited July 26, 2023 by RutherGlen

[theoriginalhedge]

17 hours ago, David W said:

Brechin are beyond dreadful, which makes this even more harrowing.

Leslie has had a couple of nice wee bursts. The rest of the game has been miserable. Dunachie looks like a donkey when we aren't defending deep, and as for McCulloch...

That first half was brutal from both sides.

I take it you went home at half time as it all perked up a bit in the second half and we started to play it about on the deck . Controlled things for large parts. 

[RutherGlen]

30 minutes ago, theoriginalhedge said:

That first half was brutal from both sides.

I take it you went home at half time as it all perked up a bit in the second half and we started to play it about on the deck . Controlled things for large parts. 

Well done on the win and I agree it was deserved. You may well have controlled things for the most part 2nd half but there was very little to control in terms of a Clyde threat so not gonna give you much kudos for that. 

All the best for the season ahead - looks like you're in for a much more enjoyable one than us!

[Shawfield78]

1 hour ago, RutherGlen said:

Well done on the win and I agree it was deserved. You may well have controlled things for the most part 2nd half but there was very little to control in terms of a Clyde threat so not gonna give you much kudos for that. 

All the best for the season ahead - looks like you're in for a much more enjoyable one than us!

 

[Shawfield78]

Mind you it will be hard to find any club who is going to have a less enjoyable season than us. 

[Right turn Clyde]

1 hour ago, Shawfield78 said:

Mind you it will be hard to find any club who is going to have a less enjoyable season than us. 

Let’s hope against hope there WILL be one as we’re away if not

[Shawfield78]

4 massive games against Elgin it seems. How sad it's came to this . What an ambition for the club finishing ninth in a league of absolute dross. Oh hold on the Chairman said we had a promotion budget available. 

[Bullyweeno1]

30 minutes ago, Shawfield78 said:

4 massive games against Elgin it seems. How sad it's came to this . What an ambition for the club finishing ninth in a league of absolute dross. Oh hold on the Chairman said we had a promotion budget available. 

We may well have a promotion budget but a blind man can already tell you that the squad is no where near good enough to be anywhere near the top half of the league

I know we aren’t even into the season but when most of the squad can’t do the basics of controlling the ball and passing it to another teammate you know you are in for a long season

We couldn’t do the basics last year and we can’t do them again this

Even BMcL admitted in his post match interview that we make mistake after mistake without learning from them

 

[Shawfield78]

20 minutes ago, Bullyweeno1 said:

We may well have a promotion budget but a blind man can already tell you that the squad is no where near good enough to be anywhere near the top half of the league

I know we aren’t even into the season but when most of the squad can’t do the basics of controlling the ball and passing it to another teammate you know you are in for a long season

We couldn’t do the basics last year and we can’t do them again this

Even BMcL admitted in his post match interview that we make mistake after mistake without learning from them

 

Apparently money available. Question is can you trust Duffy to spend it wisely bearing in mind his previous record in the transfer market ? 

[Brian Carrigan]

23 minutes ago, Shawfield78 said:

Apparently money available.

Pointless at this juncture isn’t it? Surely any players that would improve our starting 11 have already signed deals for the coming season.

Its so worrying that there’s apparently money available but our squad is in its current nick. 

[BonnieClyde]

Last night is one of the worst attendances I can remember. As for the performance Brechin were entirely beatable but it seems any team that tries and sticks to a basic game plan against us will have a good chance. I can't see how we are going to attract any other players. What would be the big selling point of coming? Mcculloch for instance, as poor as he was, must be wishing he'd stayed where he was. Completely shattered confidence when hes only started a few senior games and I don't see it recovering with the abuse that gets shouted. The stadium feels soulless. The whole game had negative vibes about it and I kind of wish id have just walked away when there was issues at the gate and let them keep the 12 quid. 

[clydenil]

According to BBC stats only 312 there last night.

[Fast_Action]

8 hours ago, theoriginalhedge said:

That first half was brutal from both sides.

I take it you went home at half time as it all perked up a bit in the second half and we started to play it about on the deck . Controlled things for large parts. 

I think we probably did dominate the first half, but without doing anything with the ball, and apart from one bit of (uncharacteristic) excellence from Euan Cameron, we could be playing yet without scoring.  That said, there is no doubt that Brechin were the better team over the two halves and were well worth their win.   Our defending was nothing short of criminal.   Our right back made so many mistakes that I actually started to feel sorry for him.

Last night proved that it is going to be a very long season.  I expected Brechin to be good having won the Highland League and only being beaten by the Spartans on penalties.  I did not think that we were guaranteed anything last night and I was right.  

With that defence, I fear that we might be the next casualty of the pyramid system and crash out of the league.  Last night did nothing to quell those fears.  

Always had a soft spot for Brechin and their fans, and never tired of visiting the Glebe.  I wish Brechin City well.  But I do suspect that you might pass us on your way back up.  

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

How can Clyde even afford to have even a vaguely competitive budget? 

Must be circa £150,000 gate receipts + SPFL money + cup money + sponsorship - rent. Given you're paying Stenhousemuir a top end League 2 player a week, I'm surprised your squad is as good as it!

[Sergeant Wilson]

10 hours ago, clydenil said:

According to BBC stats only 312 there last night.

At least you publish them.

[Brian Carrigan]

10 hours ago, Fast_Action said:

I expected Brechin to be good having won the Highland League and only being beaten by the Spartans on penalties. 

I felt the same - From the outside, it seemed as if Brechin had a great season last year winning the league in such a dramatic fashion and only falling short in the penalty lottery. Whereas Clyde have had some of the poorest seasons in recent memory back-to-back. A winning mentality goes a long way to bridging perceived gaps in quality and Clyde do not have that mentality at the moment.

It's so disappointing that we didn't do more of a deck-clearing, Duffy and McLean included, to try and overcome that. As a result we have half a team (including the head coach) who are in the habit of getting beat, of falling behind and not being able to turn it round. The other half are boys who have been released from academy systems that are in no way good enough.

It's clear from watching that game the other night that our main hope of winning was 'hope Kian Leslie can do something'. On that, starting him in the centre as a 10 to me was a big error in judgement considering the experience of Euan Spark and Hamish Thomson, and sure enough it was only when he was moved outside due to the forced reshuffle that he really came into the game, cutting inside and running his man.

[SLClyde]

Said the other night but still can’t get my head round changing to a 433 system the other night. 
 

Rennie needs someone up there with him, and we stuck Forbes on the right of the 3 and moved Mulvanny left when he’s clearly better at centre forward. 
 

Mclean spoke at the owners meeting about players just want simple instruction but changing formation 3 games in doesn’t say that to me. 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

On 26/07/2023 at 10:11, Ocelot1877 said:

In the circumstances that we are in the DOF is a good idea for 3 main reasons in my opinion 

1) In Brian McLean we have an inexperienced coach cutting his teeth at being in charge of a senior team. Having someone above him who has been around the block to mentor and guide whilst using contacts they have made in the game to help implement their vision is on paper a good thing

2) With the boards attention being drawn elsewhere and with them under their own admission looking to find a more experienced and “football minded” individual to run that side of things ( this statement is also a bit mad from a football club board at this level but c’est la vie), I feel a director of football is a good step to take. 

3) The board have stated numerous times that the intention is to get promoted again, considering how we struggled previously in league 1 , having this structure in place would be a fresh approach to what clearly didn’t work before. Implementing this as early as possible when the goal is to move up the league again is a good step. I don’t think we will be close to getting promoted for what it’s worth but if we were I’d rather have this structure in place now than implement it the season we go up for example

 

It’s an absolutely dreadful setup for a club like Clyde and it is verging on laughing stock material the longer it goes on. Why didn’t they just keep Duffy as manager? He’s quite clearly making all the signings and he’s now in the dugout? McLean is clearly just being used as a pawn for the Clyde board to make it out like they bagged an underperforming manager and moved him upstairs when in reality old dinosaur Duffy is still quite clearly in charge and making the signings.

What contacts does Jim Duffy have? The guy who organises the exit trials? Players he’s managed before? Young managers don’t need some old duffer who the game has left behind giving them guidance and signing players for them.