Andy_P

Every time I go to reference a Mark McGhee press conference these days I have a mental image of weeyin in my head wagging a cautionary finger at me telling me not to believe everything you hear at a Mark McGhee presser. Yet it is hard to disbelieve the notion from yesterdays that these next couple of games are bordering upon the season defining. I don't quite buy into the "must win" that gets demanded of the team every other game but these fixtures most certainly are a time where they need to stand up. You can criticise the senior players with some justification for some of the plights we've got ourselves into over the past few years but by the same token many of them have been involved in some big big matches for us where their contribution has helped us through - think the play-offs, winning the last three that culminated in that glorious day in Aberdeen, picking themselves off the floor after the Albion Rovers and Celtic debacles to win five on the bounce, recovering from where we were after the loss to Kilmarnock in February as some examples. This to me feels like one of those times. A period where by hook or by crook they must be on their game collectively to get the results that desired and indeed required at Inverness and Hamilton.

I've always loved this photograph, there's just so much going on in it. Wullie P's hair taking on a life form of its own and trying to make a break for it, the wee boy picking his nose, another nipper caught mid-scream and another wee urchin with a look that someone's just drapped wan in his vicinity. And all that before some fine fashions. It's a belter of an image.

It's certainly not the Pat Quinn whose image it should have been! My guess, having been curious enough myself to try to work it out already is Jimmy Quinn who was a left-back converted from centre-forward under Jock Stein at Celtic. There is much to dislike about Celtic but that Celtic wiki thing they have on to go is first class.

That was a frustrating loss. Aberdeen were worthy winners by the end no question but in keeping with the Christmas spirit the points were largely gift wrapped for them by us. Definitely a case of what might have been. I thought it was a good start from us. Good game all in all in the first half in particular but there were several players who might all have done better with their first. How much did the wind play in it? I don't know but it was an awful goal to lose. But what a response and what a wonderful equaliser from McDonald. Only to let them in again. I haven't seen the penalty claim again so I don't know how much there was in it, but I have seen that movie of Samson failing to collect and things going tits up immediately far too often now. I thought our penalty was iffy at first glance with Las using his experience as they say but the longer he was down the more I wondered. But of course he's not purposely going to stay down as of course that only puts more pressure on the taker the longer the delay. And so the game pretty much went with the missed penalty and the Arthur Montford style "stramash" that followed. We were already riding our luck by half time when they passed up two good chances and I thought Aberdeen dominated and largely strolled the second half. I was pretty confident at half time that if we could make positive use of the wind we might be able to get back on level terms but we hardly kicked a ball. We did hit the bar of course but then so did they and had another three or four great chances on top of that. And then they got their icing on the cake at the death once more helped no end by us. Sometimes when you get toed you think well, fair enough, you've been soundly beaten and move on but it's games like this that often rankle more. That was a pretty decent opportunity to get a result and we've shot ourselves in the foot. Aberdeen weren't quite in there for the taking territory but we did almost the exact of opposite of everything you're looking to do a team on a dodgy run, under a wee bit of pressure and confidence has taken a dent. We made it easy for them. A good deal of remedying required in the immediate fixtures.

Your thoughts and votes please...

I could well be off the mark but I understood that it was better in heavy rain that the covers weren't on the pitch, That it was better that the water went through the surface and into the drains rather than collecting on covers which when covered in water were all the more difficult to shift without the potential for spillage and waterlogging a section of the surface.

Sorry to read that. Thoughts with his family and friends.

I guess perhaps it just illustrates that it is always better to see things with your own eyes for a true reflection but I can't help wondering if there's a slight element of damned if you do damned if you don't at play here amongst some. I was keeping up to speed via twitter yesterday and seeing the bare facts as they came through I viewed it as three positive substitutions made. A midfielder for a defender, a winger for a tiring defensive midfielder and a striker for another defender. I was perplexed then to read accounts of folk bemoaning that it was a backs-to-the-wall, hold what we have style of display when those changes seem to hint at an at least some kind of attempt to be positive and win the game. I say that's fair enough, I wasn't there. But when it looks like it's only through gritted teeth that some are giving credit for taking a point at a ground we've routinely shat in the nest at for several years now because the performance wasn't perhaps the greatest, that comes across in some cases as just seeking to find fault. I had a look at this stage last season and we're a point worse off than we were after 17 games but two places better off. Not a huge amount of difference at first glance but I'm reminded of McGhee's brief of the season in that we have to stay up and we have to develop our youth players. I guess positives there are that the likes of Cadden, MacLean, McMIllan, Hastie and Ferguson are now in and around the first team with the likes of Campbell and Turnbull not far behind.

Your thoughts and votes please...

I had a wee discussion with (I'm presuming it would be Craig Hughes?) the WS on Twitter this morning about the same thing. I'm told there is an email due out today to members and communications to those without email addresses thereafter. My own belief was that voting forms and notifications should have gone out to members first and then make use of the general release as a selling point to potential new members. That new members signing up now would have the chance to vote for the first new WS board member after the club became fan owned - an instant opportunity to use your influence as a WS member. That kind of thing. I find it a little odd that you wouldn't consider releasing the info. to existing members first the natural thing to do. Recollecting that at the AGM and Q&A about a week/ten days back it was conceded that an email released then about the new structure (which some felt was issued prematurely) was going to be clarified and a follow up released and now the voting information, I'm left with a slightly nagging feeling that each of these announcements and events haven't had the impact that they could or arguably should have. And this is the very point where we would want things to be spot on at the first time of asking to help build confidence. That all said I still hope the prospect of being able to use ones influence in the appointment process of the new board member will prove attractive to some and will help add some more members to the WS. it is also worth also pointing out given some criticisms of communication that my tweet was picked up very early on upon start of business this morning so I can't complain at all at the speed of the reply.

Very loosely related to Lanarkshire sporting figures a wee work related matter had me looking at some streets in Ferniegair of all places. It did make me wonder if the hand of a 'Well fan was at work noticing that Cooper Crescent leads into O'Donnell Drive. Could of course be recognition of their SL roots but still street names after Motherwell players in that side of the motorway. Nice.

Only because they were all still too busy having a pop at the pitch to notice there was no working generator to power the floodlights...

Shambles!! This would never happen at Fir Park......apart from those err two or three times. In all seriousness there was a bit of debate on the Podcast the other evening about making life easier for supporters, If ever there was an occasion for the club to step in and help get those who are there tonight up back up for as little cost as possible, then this is that occasion. I am presuming Aberdeen will issue folk with vouchers for the game when it is next scheduled.

Bet Gazzy is happy he didn't take the risk with that 2200 train back to Inverness now!

I had a look at the stats on the way back from the game on the FlashScores app and taking them to be correct I was a little surprised to see that they had Killie with more goal attempts and more shots on target to us. Although those figures don't take into account how dangerous the opportunities were my perception on leaving the game was that they really hadn't threatened us much at all with us having spurned at least four good chances. I thought Killie were easily the better side for much of the first half without really threatening. Arguably their best chance however was that attempted clearance from Lasley that almost rebounded into our own net. It was disappointing that we failed to take at least one of the two chances immediately before the break. MacLean at least made the Killie keeper work but it was pretty poor from Lionel with his chance, he's usually much more clinical from such situations. I thought we dominated most of the second half although we did lose our way for a spell midway through the half and it got to a stage where with about 15/20 minutes to go you began to think maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to get out of it without a defeat given the way it was delicately poised. But fair play we did actually make positive changes that gave us a freshness and we did get back on top and looked to win it. Again with the chances you might have expected Louis to do better but credit to the Killie defender for getting in the block and McDonald's effort was perhaps deserving of better given it would have finished perhaps the best piece of play all afternoon. It does however feel like a good opportunity missed, even more so that we would have picked up two points on practically everybody else about us with so many draws yesterday. But still a few positives to take. A clean sheet for one thing. And as already stated by a few in earlier posts, the increasing number of youngsters becoming more and more involved in the first team is pleasing to see. And more so you can see a gradual increase in their confidence and belief that they do fully deserve to be there the more they are involved. Much has been said about the contract offers to the more senior members of the squad and the dropping off of performances, particularly those of Lasley and Hammell. Whilst there is no question that sometimes this season it has left me with a heavy heart seeing how off the pace they have been on occasion (Las yesterday in the run up to his booking and before he got subbed for example) I'll repeat my view that a succession plan where they are gradually phased out as youngsters match and then surpass them was a much better idea than a complete cull. Take Ross MacLean for example who only this week cited McFadden as being a continuing positive influence on him. I don't doubt that McMillan, Chalmers, Ferguson and Campbell and so on won't feel the same about the benefits of having Hammell, McManus and Lasley around either as they seek to establish themselves. So all in all could have better, could have been worse.

Your thoughts and votes please....

There was a post or press release that gave the sums involved in the League Cup and from memory it was £30,000 per live game in the League Cup. I think it's £84,500 per live Scottish Cup game.

Important distinctions to be made I think. We don't have to pay the debts back in two-and-half years or they demand what's left of their loans or close the doors on us. What we have is two-and-a-half years to pay back - through the route of player sales - before a structured re-payment plan commences. It's obviously in our interests to have the debts cleared when the terms are more favourable to us but that doesn't mean we need to sell at the first opportunity or below our valuation. Indeed all the signals that have come out of the club for the last year or so have emphasised the very point that in comparison in recent times we are now in much stronger negotiating position. Equally there is not the same pressure to sell at anything less than a fee or our choosing in January because in contrast to previous seasons we are in a position to see us through to the end of the season without the need for loans from directors or the Well Society.

You would be correct in your assumptions, at least in part, steelboy. Though it wasn't referenced at the AGM itself there was mention at the WS section of a 14/15 year old whom Rangers have paid money for despite attempts to retain him. But what was felt to be significant in addition to the Old Firm was the presence of Hamilton on the steering group. Read into that what you will...

It actually came up last night. McGhee was asked directly at AGM what the situation was with him and as has been alluded to above, he responded that as of yet he hasn't shown a sufficient amount to justify much of an inclusion in the U20's far less the first-team. He comes at no cost to the club. McGhee then went on to make a more general point that it perhaps gave an indication of the perception of the level of Scottish football when the parent club made the offer with the belief that he might add to our first team.

Between the two meetings I felt it was a pretty positive evening. There was certainly cause for optimism at the club's AGM from a financial perspective. Losses to May of this year were cut considerably on the previous year, the suggestion was made that for the first time in a decade and a half or so that the club have sufficient funds to see them through until the end of the season without loans being required to help cover things and that no sales are required in the January window. Going forward increased revenue is anticipated from two more Old Firm home games next season, an increase in the solidarity payment from Celtic's Champions League progress and increased prize monies through the SPFL's TV deals. Crucially of course that rests on us remaining in the top flight! Interestingly there were also moves to issue some shares with a view to allowing some investors to have a modest stake in the club. There is apparently some interest from people wishing to put money into the club on the proviso that it goes directly to the club and not for servicing existing debts. The new governance structure was covered at both. Most seemed happy to let the club do as they saw best fit although one Gent raised concerns at both meetings. Personally I do believe the email we received yesterday should have been issued only after discussion at both meetings last night - particularly since it appears there will be a follow up clarifying points and issues that have been subsequently raised - however in principle like most I'm happy enough with what they have proposed. There are some causes for concern ahead. The currently trailed structure by the SFA for elite youth development is clearly causing the club concern and it was made clear no options will be left off the table in terms of the club fighting its corner. The worry is that we would be marginalised and would miss out on future talent if a limited number of academies are the route taken by the SFA. This was particularly frustrating in light of the current successes of the U20's recently and obvious excitement there is about some of the talent we have at the club in lower age groups. It was mentioned for example that May is a key month where players can move clubs and the club have to fend off challenges from clubs in leagues such as the English Premier League for their youngsters. There are also future changes to the structure of European competition imminent which are a short-medium concern for fear of the ability of mid-ranking sides like Celtic to make progress in Europe thereby limiting what we might receive in the solidarity payments. Not nice perhaps to be hanging on their coat-tails but an indicator that it is now a fairly important revenue stream. Anything more that comes to mind I can add later.

Sorry about that. Been otherwise engaged today and this was a bit of a rush job first time I was able to get on.

Your thoughts and votes please...

They're certainly beatable, or the very least we could bring them back to Fir Park. For all they've beaten us twice this season already we could easily have won that League Cup tie if we'd taken some of our chances and a draw was of course well within our grasp at Ibrox. But it is a kick in the baws getting a same division team, and worse still them. I did enjoy the East Fife and Cove Rangers Cup ties (well perhaps enjoy isn't the right word for East Fife) last season because they were something a little different. Certainly getting payback for that this year.

Hibs at Easter Road? I have memories of being behind the goals as we were knocked out the Cup there. And I could be miles out here but I'm sure the game was indirectly mentioned in an adaptation of an Irvine Welsh short story The Granton Star Cause either a line of commentary from the game or someone talking about how he "blasts the ball past the Murrawell goalie". The fucking shit that sticks in my head!