dennyc

Did you bring Tony Straker up with you? LOL

Put plainly, all the peripheral stuff....interviews, post match comments, clothes..... is bullshit and does not really matter. It is only being used by some to deflect from what matters. And it is easier to defend those things than the on field situation. What matters is the performance and results on the pitch. On that measurement Alexander has been woeful for six months although he deserved some leeway/credit based purely on the results pre Christmas and our position in the League which we thankfully managed to hold on to. Based solely on the outcomes this year and in the absence of any improvement over that time I fear for what the future holds if Alexander is allowed to continue (which I think he will be). I emphasise, my concern is not based on a one off game against Sligo. It is based on what I witness game in game out coupled with a refusal by Alexander to acknowledge a change of approach is required. Going back as far as Bobby Howitt, I have seen numerous managers come and go. Alexander is not the worst. By quite a distance. In trying to compare him to those others I think he is a bit like Stuart McCall in that he started well and carried fan support. Then it started to go wrong and his stubbornness and determination to be proven correct got in the way of what was good for the Club....... Fraser Kerr wide right to head long punts from the goalkeeper infield in the blind hope of linking up with a striker as an obvious example. How often was that resorted to as Plan B, and sometimes Plan A? I hope I am wrong but I have seen nothing to suggest Alexander can reverse the trend we have witnessed for 6 months. But I live in hope of an Alex Ferguson type resurrection.

I agree the solution could be to play play both and I agree the left is a worry. Carroll…and rightly so at times…does get flack but against Sligo I thought it was revealing how few pass options he was given. Nobody running wide for him and a tiring/limited midfield inside of him. So all too often he had to turn back or punt a hopeful cross into the box. In truth, it was similar when McGinlay played so I think the issue is as much about the options our left back has in front of him. Again against Sligo, who actually covered if Carroll pushed forward similar to McGinn in the first half? Slattery did that job on the right.

How about SOD as a wing back in front of McGinn on the right of a back three? Utilising his assets and offsetting the weaker part of his game. That’s how O’Donnell was deployed successfully at Kilmarnock and how he was deployed successfully for Scotland. I don’t see the point of signing a player based on performance and then playing him in a different role. Perhaps explains why it was always frustrating comparing his Scotland performances to his contribution at Motherwell.

I think fortunate rather than spoiled is a more accurate decision. But the thing that matters is the current performance under the current Manager. Whilst we were gathering points fans were prepared to set aside a lot of what we were watching. For six months that has not been the case. How long do we give him to turn it round? I don’t believe he is capable of change and unless he does, or goes, I think those spoiled/fortunate younger fans will soon experience the pain we have experienced in the past. And we will just have to disagree on the last point. I believe fans have had enough of Alexander because of what he is subjecting us to on the pitch and the results that are resulting from that, rather than his dress sense and condescending speech.

Not that I recall. SOD has been a target for some from the moment he signed but I do accept he has had some poor performances. Every player has. He has also had some good ones but his detractors are noticeably quiet then. Playing him in his natural position might help and might just provide us with some attacking threat down the right. It certainly seems to have worked out that way at both his previous club and for Scotland. As for Mugabi, everybody could see right away that he was a fish out of water at right back. The Hibs fiasco proved it and eventually Alexander appears to have accepted that. It took a while though. Fans did like Mugabi, yes, and wanted him to play . But as a central defender when questions were being asked of the other centre backs and when it was not clear who made the best pairing. Alexander playing him out wide was a gamble that failed. And repeatedly exposing Mugabi has certainly dented his confidence to this day. To link the two things and say that fans wanted Mugabi to play at right back ahead of O’Donnell is pushing it.

Ask Slattery. At least he is back in favour for a wee while though.

I think that on Thursday we arrived "at a pinch". Still no O'Donnell. So he is not on the bench for emergencies. He is also fit enough to be in Scotland squads. And bringing him on would not really have been like for like. The formation could have been adjusted to accommodate him and McGinn. With Spittal moving to his natural position as another possibility. Nobody is showing any attacking end product, mainly because we create very few decent chances. I think playing in his proper position, with McGinn behind him, SOD might provide a few more of those opportunities. And maybe if that were the case Van Veen could get on with what he is good at. As it is we are stuck with the likes of Carroll. McGinn or numerous central players pushed out wide attempting to play decent passes into our strikers. Given that the situation has been dire since January I think SOD is worth a try. Alexander clearly thinks otherwise so I suppose we just carry as has become the norm. What a sad prospect. If he is not going to play him I just wish Alexander would just leave O'Donnell sitting in the stand.

SOD is on the Bench game after game. On that basis he must be fit enough...unless of course Alexander is playing games. If he is not fit, why is he on the bench in the first place? If he is fit, why is he ignored in games that are going against us? Games where we have no width and our midfield is being bypassed. If he is not considered good enough he should not be on the bench in the first place . Whichever applies, that should make you question the decisions our Manager is making. No matter what, it appears Alexander sees SOD as less than a last resort. No appearance on Thursday despite a shocking team effort with no attacking threat out wide. Central players shunted out wide looks more irrational to me than actually bringing on someone who has performed well at International level in that position. Especially given the financial opportunity that is slipping away. Last season Alexander chose to play a centre back at RB rather than turn to O'Donnell. We only need to look at the Hibs cup tie to see how that worked out. And the knock on effect of that lunacy is a Centre Back whose confidence has been shattered and whose indecision is now causing us even more problems. So as far as I can see there is no reason why O'Donnell could not play in front of McGinn in a position he has excelled in for Scotland. Or at least be given the opportunity. In the absence of any wingers at the Club, you never know he might even provide that attacking threat you are looking for. And McGinn played on the right of a back three at Hibs so he should be comfortable in that role also. For me, Alexander has made it personal regards SOD. O'Donnell is certainly not the best player on the planet but he surely has more to offer than a kick about at half time. Alexander's blinkered approach is damaging our Club and I wonder who the next player will be to fall out of favour. SOD is not the first and I don't think he will be the last

Although our views are polar opposites regarding Alexander, I found myself agreeing with your post until I got to the two sentences quoted above. How insulting to those who pay good money following Motherwell home and away and have the best interest of Motherwell at heart . Even the majority of the fans who are backing Alexander have expressed legitimate concerns regards performance (you included). And many of them are now voicing them more vehemently. The difference is a number are prepared to bear with him in the hope of improvement. And I don't quite get how MUCH of our fanbase are spoiled. Surely they are ALL either spoiled or not. And if I am being spoiled, god knows how down I would feel if I was actually being hard done to. Do you also stand by your reasoning as to why many Motherwell fans are anti Alexander? ie his dress sense and his manner as opposed to his style of football.

LOL. Not sure it is a word likely to be accepted in Scrabble..........but it should be.

So not only can we not change a Manager because other teams did that and did not have immediate success, now we cannot change a Manager because we would lose credibility. How about we concentrate on what is good for Motherwell on the pitch rather than fretting about what pundits with no connection to Motherwell think? Seems to me we are trying to look for reasons not to sack him rather than looking at what is good for Motherwell FC. Others can confirm the exact figures, but what is it? 3 wins in twenty odd games? How many League wins since Christmas? And that is setting aside last night and the style of football we are repeatedly being asked to support. Recruitment appears to be another issue. If rumours are true we are on the brink of signing another back up goalkeeper whilst areas in more in need of attention are not addressed. Surely those factors are what should decide Alexander's future rather than what people with no attachment to Motherwell think.

Quite honestly I could not care less about those three teams. And I'm not sure any other Motherwell fan cares about them either. My concern is only about Motherwell and the performances under Alexander. Are you suggesting we should stick with the wrong man simply because other Clubs did not see an immediate benefit from change, even if it continues to harm us ? Or are you saying Alexander is the correct man for the job? If so, say so. I might disagree but I will respect your view. If you believe he should be given more time, then how long and how bad does it have to get? Perhaps you could clarify. If last night had been a one off, then fair enough. Painful but fair enough. Benefit of the doubt and all that. But it wasn't a one off. Far from it. Fans have been suffering performances like that since January, and before if folk care to be honest. When you are winning it is easy to turn a blind eye to the direction that is being taken, but when you lose in the pathetic manner we lost last night then it is impossible to ignore. And please don't confuse a lack of surprise at the result with a desire for wanting Motherwell to lose just to prove a point. I don't for a minute believe any Motherwell fan thinks like that. I had hoped that the different approach to the last few games of last season, which ultimately secured a creditable fifth place and Europe, was an indication that Alexander had had a rethink and was prepared to amend his set up. But last night and his moves so far in the transfer market/coaching recruitment do little to support that hope for change. Neither did his post match analysis. Also his game management last night was simply a rerun of last season. How long into the game was it before he made a substitution having watched us struggle? What options has he actually given himself tactics wise? What did he do to affect the way the game was heading? I could just about live with him being given leeway on the basis of of the achievements last season, but only as there was a hint of change. Well I suppose there is a hint of change. We are even poorer, with even less leadership. I read in another thread a theory that folk had an irrational dislike for Alexander because he came across as arrogant and wore nice clothes. Seriously? To me that's deflection tactics by the lessening number that are still behind him. The only reasons folk don't take to Alexander are the product he is putting on the field and the outcomes on a game by game basis since January. If we were performing on the pitch nobody would care if he wore a Tutu and spoke Morningside. Success, entertainment and avoiding embarrassment are what fans hope for. And they could not really care less who delivers it. I might be wrong but I think it is inevitable that Alexander will not last the season, even if we do win in Ireland. For the sake of the Club and the fans I would rather it was sooner rather than later, even if it does cost us financially. Surely the positives about making a change are what should be the deciding factors, not the negatives. especially if those potential negatives are based on other Club's experiences.

Or Wullie P for Hibs if we are being nostalgic. That Graham - Pettigrew double act was some partnership given they were not good enough going by some folks criteria. And let's add Vic Davidson.

If they sell Rice and Soucek as seems likely, they could buy Turnbull with the loose change. Losses of £27m are only a slight inconvenience in the Premier League. It's a different world thanks to Sky and sponsor deals.

Maybe the rule has changed and if so, apologies. TNS used Wrexham's ground in 2013 and 2017 for European ties so I don't think it is an English Leagues thing. If Bala wanted to and Wrexham were agreeable I think they could switch unless they are tied to Oswestry contractually.

We really should hope Sligo get through. Their allocation for the away leg was increased to 300 (almost one third of Uefa capacity) and sold out in minutes... but only after major problems with the ticketing site. Reads like Sligo fans had to purchase tickets direct from Bala. That 300 total was a big concession as Uefa regulations state that only 5% must be made available to away fans. Hopefully if we do end up facing Bala, the tie is switched to a larger ground but that is not even being mentioned as a possibility as yet. Although Bala are seeded higher, Sligo are well into their season and I think that makes them favourites.

Not all fans. The vocal minority. And the majority of those were against him from day one. Other than that I agree.

All speculation of course, but that's close season boredom for you. Of the teams that finished ahead of us, three are likely to improve and even if they don't they will still be stronger than us. Money talks. Dundee Utd could stay about the same level even with Siegrist gone. Jack Ross knows what he is doing and has a point to prove. So it would not surprise me if they do improve but not to the extent of top three. Of those clubs who finished below us, I could see County and Livi struggling to stay at last season's level as top players leaving such limited squads must have an adverse affect. But how often have we thought that about those two Clubs? And been proven wrong. Aberdeen and Hibs will be much better and recent/pending recruitment indicates they will be stronger. Again finance plays a huge part. And if anybody wants to wager Aberdeen will not end up better than 3rd bottom please get in touch. St Mirren I think will be much the same, although they will be harder to beat under Robinson. St Johnstone are the team I think could go either way. Can they possibly be as bad as last season? They strolled through the play off, a bit like us against Rangers, so will start this season on a high. If pushed, I expect them to improve. Finally, I think Kilmarnock will offer much more than Dundee. Especially given that atrocious home pitch and with McInnes in charge. As for us, I think to improve we have to bring in at least four quality players....a striker, two midfielders (one holding one creative) and (given the question marks regards fitness) one Central defender. Beyond that a left back and a winger would be a bonus. With Woolery, Carroll and McGinley still around I don't expect those two areas to be a priority for Alexander no matter what us fans think. Also for us to improve I think Alexander has to take a much more flexible approach to how we set up game to game. Become a bit more unpredictable. He moved on from 4-3-3 towards the end of the season and we were able to secure 5th place. I don't think we would have been looking forward to Europe had he not made those changes. I do fear he will go down the 4-3-3 route once again though and I am far from convinced the current squad can make that formation work for any length of time. Oh, and no Mugabi at right back please. That experiment failed. So in summary, unless we recruit wisely and are flexible formation wise I can see several clubs pushing past us. Like others have said, let's go for quality above numbers.

https://www.linfieldfc.com/ticketinfo.aspx?id=26442 If the link doesn't work. it is on their site under ticket information. Posted June 18.

Linfield quoting a capacity of 1000, all seated. And as for numbers, they are having a ballot as way more than 200 members had registered as wanting to go. And that's from an official statement so tends to ring true.

TNS at home to Linfield at that stadium in Oswestry. Linfield are getting 200 tickets per their official club site. Hopefully if we end up playing Bala, the game is in Rhyl which MIGHT end up with us getting a few more than 200 tickets. But it wont be enough though. If Bala wanted to cash in, they should approach Wrexham now just in case.

Best draw we could have gotten from a playing sense. Minimal travel for the players, British style of play so no surprises, home leg first and and with the proper preparation one we should win. Plus an easier away trip for the fans than the likes of Bosnia. Hopefully a great turnout. The fans can get the more glamorous away trips in the third and play off rounds. If we are lucky the third round could even be against a team lower seeded than us, if there are are a few surprises in the second round. Fingers crossed.

Clarke was likely seen as a safe pair of hands to take over what had become a shambles. And he did steady the ship. Credit to him for that. But now he is a barrier to progress. More intent on not losing than trying to win. And how's that working out? How to stiffle our opponents appears to be his game plan. Then of course he plays favourites and the likes of Christie, McTominey, Armstrong, Hanley, Hendry get undeserved game time ahead of apparent squad fillers such as Turnbull, Ferguson, Campbell, SOD and Souttar..... who was a revelation when he was brought in. Others have not even had the chance to show what they can do in squad get togethers. Jason Kerr and Ryan Hardie spring to mind. Where on earth did Jason Brown come from? Certain players appear undroppable no matter how many poor games in a row they have, McGinn and MacGregor as prime examples. In my opinion he is also influenced by the media, so players such as Hickey, Patterson, Ralston, Stewart are fast tracked at the expense of others. And where is his forward planning? Who has been blooded in case Gordon gets injured? Inexperienced strikers left on the bench against Ukraine where he preferred to move Hanley forward rather than take a risk on two strikers with less than 90 minutes of game time between them. Despite a couple of meaningless games where Clarke could have have given them a proper run out, just in case.. But in my opinion the issue goes a lot deeper than Stevie Clarke. Anybody who has watched the U21s will witness a mirror image of the senior team. Gemmill has failed miserably and the latest performance against Denmark was just as worrying as we witnessed yesterday. The entire set up needs overhauled and braver/ innovative Management put in place. We likely have four meaningless Nations Cup games coming up. It would be encouraging to think Clarke might give others a chance, with a view to the future. But I wont hold my breath on that one.

Clarke might as well just stick to a squad of 16 players. A good number of the current squad must wonder why they gave up their holidays just to carry the kit. The regulars have played an excessive number of games this season and it showed today and against Armenia and Ukraine. I get that these are tournament matches, but even when it's meaningless games Clarke trots out his favourites. Refuses to give bench players meaningful game time to see what they can contribute. And the result? Against Ukraine when needing a goal and the usual strikers running on empty, he moves Hanley to centre forward and ignores the strikers left sitting on the bench as they have no international experience under their belts. Total and utter mismanagement. No doubt Clarke will trot out the usual excuses. His post match interviews are an insult to fans who make the effort to go along. Ask them if they thought Scotland did well against the mighty Armenia, as Clarke and his media buddies reported.