wellsince75

I can't believe we gave Nicholson a 2 year contract. He hardly kicked a ball for us last season, to give him 2 years is wasteful. Think Stuparevic is also contacted until '26. Another player hasn't seen the light of day. Thankfully Barney is out of contract end of this season, that should be the end of his time. Got to say out of the dozen or so who are injured there's really only Ox, McGin, Stam that impact starting 11. So many poor signing choices , appreciate a couple of the injuries were hard to foresee but many of them are not surprising.

Anyone know when Stam will be back ? last I read he was due out for a couple of weeks back in Jan , is he close to returning ?

I don't disagree - was thinking more about the options it provides - moving away from a back 5 would really help fill up the midfield - be interesting to see what the gaffer goes for.

Personally I'd go 4-3-3, drop playing 3 centre halves for this game enabling an extra man in midfield . Would likely go with something like Balcome Sod/Koutro. Gordon Casey Thompson Paton Miller Haliday Plange Armstrong/Watt Maswanhise Push wingbacks forward and ask Haliday to hold - get more energy from Paton & Miller moving back/forth. Upfront we need pace and energy together with Armstrong/Watts ability to bring in others. I'd seriously consider 4-4-2 add Slattery or Sparrow to midfield . Dropping Plange to the bench.

Agree that there's problem areas - this is where having a set formation can cause issues as we put the best person available into the role. For me we don't have a good back 3 with McGinn injured. Nor do we have a decent LWB. As such I'd rather we change formation to suit what we have right now. This year we've conceded 13 goals and scored 4. (9 games). We need to create a team/formation that attacks teams without giving cheap goals, which may be easier said than done but with 8 forward thinking players fit it should be possible.

Huge ask for the gaffer . 1) he knows nothing about the league 2) only a week with our squad 3) lack of creativity in the team . We’ve scored 4 goals the last 9 games. unless some of the loanees have energy and pace it’s going to be difficult .

I think need need a different formation and significantly different starting 11 there’s almost zero creativity in the team

nice to see summer signing Koutroumbis getting a start and a few other changes. If nothing else provides people with an opportunity to show what they can do

There was a long slow demise where it looked like the job got to him . From the cup semi onwards a similar decline to the previous season . personal view is he was overworked and would benefit from having balance . CEO applauded him for being in the office from 7am to 8pm - I don’t see this as a plaudit - the guy came across more and more stressed as the weeks went on . Working all hours isn’t good for anyone . wish him all the best but tired of listening to his rhetoric .

I'd be fine for Obika and Foster to go - Did Obika get a job to help cancel out his 2 year player contract. I'd also send Dawes on his merry way. Lead of recruitment who doesn't live in the same country doesn't work for me. Keep Clarkson - but that's purely based on him being a Well man.

could be - stop pumping this up in the air and keep in on the deck lads.

I'm not sold the next 10 days will shape our season. Dundee game is important but that's not long to give the new mgr time to assess the team, formations etc. Not losing the Dundee game feels important.

It's the same squad now that had us 4th in the league albeit with lack of entertainment. Long term there's probably 4-5 players I'd retain and the rest can go, 9 other SPL clubs will be saying the same. Short term can be turned around, we've proven to be good enough and with a decent manager it's not inconceivable that we'll secure another 3-4 wins this season 3 things need to happen before end of season, 1) New manager gives us something to cheer for on the park 2) sort the squad out - who stays and goes 3) sort the broader roles out eg I'd like to see majority of backroom staff who came in in last 3 years leave. (example - Dawes and Foster)

Graham Arnold. He got himself a new job in Aus - suspect he touted himself to show open to offers. https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/graham-arnold-joins-rabbitohs-as-for-2025-season

Just watched the lowlights - very poor defensively . That could the last game for several players , why anyone thinks SOD should be in central defence is beyond me. Not his fault but he’s not suited to that role. there’s several players not offering anything , Paton and Davor aren’t the long term solution but at least they’d put in a shift . new gaffer has a pretty tough gig for now - sorting the wheat from the chaff we need to change formation - even just to do something different

The CEO needs to sort both the manager and the broader senior roles within the club. A few folk have mentioned McCall being one of the last decent managers we had 10 years ago. just comparing some of the squad from then to now (on McCalls last season when the wheels came off) Lee Hollis, Steve McManus, Shaun Hutchinson, Simon Ramsden, ZFA, Stevie Hammell, Chris Cadden, Keith Lasley, Faddy, Lee Erwin, John Sutton, Lional Ainsworth. Majority would breeze into our starting 11. We're probably not that different but it was clear we had 1) better quality 2) several players who came through the youth team 3) 22/30 from the squad were Scotts now 1) quality lacking 2) Miller & Wilson from youth team 3) 10/30 are Scotts. Majority now from England. Overall I feel we've really lost our way, the model of brining in journeyman from all over has lost our identity. We were always known for being a little bit amateurish but had plenty of folk around who cared. The core of players I'd question how many really care about the club. Same for some of the senior roles. In addition to appointing a new manager we need a long hard look at our strategy and getting back to our core. I know people often joke about having Van Der Gage, Nijholt, McFadden, Craigan, Lasley etc all back but at least they gave a damn.

A back 3 that includes SOD and Blaney will always concede . Appreciate some injuries but Jesus wept - when will we ever learn

OMG - this guy gives me the fear and suspect more bonkers than Gannon. I hope this is all media speculation due to club being tight lipped.

Well done Frail . refreshing to cover all pre match questions in 5 mins vs the 15 mins that SK span out . honestly our players must feel the benefit of the same message but in 1/3 of the time . overall he’s covering himself very well , a good hard working pro . Glad we have his support and equally glad he’s not touting himself for the job

I may be dreaming - A couple of points to challenge your foregone conclusion. 1) Does Frail want the role ? It's not been obvious if he does. 2) It would have been easier to announce that by now. He may get the gig short term I'm struggling as it's not often that managers leave at the end of the season, that's more a players contract. Think it's more probable the club didn't see this coming and it takes time to run a recruitment process and get the right hire - which is a bit boring for us fans but reasonable none the less.

Yes we did - almost like we had a good signing policy back then. 😊 Mcall did really well for first couple of seasons and a good guy. i can’t see him being the long term answer .

I'm with you 100% on this. I don't see any Scottish based candidates that we should go for. There are a few decent Scottish managers in the championship/D1. Alex Neil, Gary Caldwell, Darren Ferguson, Shaun Maloney. We'd need timing to be on our side to land anyone of that type of quality. Id stay away from D2 onwards as that's the likes of GA, Adams etc - learn from our mistakes and the mistakes from others. Overall not many obvious quality candidates available.

Yes to fit with Robinsons vision you had to be wiling to play anywhere ocross the front 3 :). On a serious note we've been wasteful in recent years and wasted a lot of money. I can't ever remember a time when we signed players who don't event get a game. The guy from Japan, New Zealand, Koutrombous, Stuparevic, Tavares and that's before we reference the perm a crocks. We must have pi55ed away the money from KVV & Bair on some these non starters.

Any news on incomings. Thinkjng we need a few more strikers 🤭

Appreciate he’s had some poor games . Personal view is when he’s played in left side he’s decent , if central or right he’s not as strong . add to that he and Blaney never pair up week . overall though my thoughts are we started the year strong in defence but have now reverted to playing SOD as a central defender which for me doesn’t work