StAndrew7

Fair comments. I think on Foster, if that's how he's behaving I agree it's not ideal, particularly for developing youngsters. Reminds me a bit of the chat around Hegarty back in the day. Foster did have a (very) short spell as a player/coach in the USA but I'm not sure that counts for much of anything. The 19/20 year old point is an interesting one; Kettlewell said at the AGM that there was an entire group of youngsters we had to let go because they just weren't good enough to compete for first team places; which begs the question why they were still on the books for so long. It does explain why we went from first team youth players in Max Johnston to Lennon Miller; a drop of what, 3 years in age terms? Also, I think Kettlewell is on record saying that we don't have the finances available (currently, anyway) to run a Reserve/B Team system, so we're basically working within the constraints of that. I do think there's a lot to be overhauled across the Youth Teams; it also raises questions on Hammell when he was Head of Youth Development. Particularly when he had 4 years of time in the role and we've barely seen youngsters come through and it's absolutely his fault we lost Johnston in the manner we did. I think the Loan Manager/Analyst type role is a good start to try and make sure we get our players out there and playing.

Well, you've clearly decided he's not based on what you've said there, so please do enlighten us as to why you think that's the case? And by getting the most out of our players, what d'you mean? What's the success criteria for you? I understand that, and as frustrating as it is, I'm not convinced many (if any) of them who left would have gotten into the team. Reece McAlear went to Norwich, played one game, went on loan and went to Tranmere for a couple of years. He's now at Livingston. @Kmcalpin has already mentioned Rice, who is no doubt earning a shit tonne of money but is probably looking at Lennon Miller thinking he could have been playing alongside him and regretting it. Unfortunately we can't control what allegiances or kind of money youngsters get offered elsewhere. I think we can demonstrate what we can do for them in terms of development, first team appearances and moves to bigger and better things. One thing I do think would help massively is an improvement in our training facilities; the pull of a better training ground with incorporated facilities would be huge (pool, gym, canteen, physio facilities etc.). That's expensive, sure, but it'd also help attract first team players, you'd expect.

Genuinely interested here; who, other than Max Johnston, have you seen from our recent academy/prospect releases or losses go on to perform at the same or higher level than the first team?

The Society AGM will be live on Zoom for folks who can't attend, I guess that might get recorded?

I think the former will be handled by Seddon and hopefully Kaleta. I agree that we definitely still need a 10 and I'd hope we show a similar level of spending/ambition in bringing in a key role, but time will tell... On the 3-year thing, not sure he'd have signed for much else given his family situation. It gives him some stability and also means if we sell him on in 12/18/24 months he'll be worth more. Particularly if we know there's interest and we can trigger his extension.

https://x.com/MotherwellFC/status/1818270328243868007

Aye, I was going to say similar. I would argue that when he came in more and more last season around October onward, we finally started to show a bit more solidity in the middle of the park in comparison to before. I thought he was one of the main reasons Spittal was able to go on and have such a successful season; he freed him up from having to play more of a complete midfielder role. I agree with @steelboy that his range of passing is limited. As I see it, his job/role as set out by Kettlewell is to win it back and give it to one of the wide centre backs to go and play it forward, or out to one of the wing backs. I don't think it's his fault they're absolutely shite at distributing the ball and using it once he's won it back. Hopefully with McGinn and Balmer coming back in (we can but hope and pray Casey is a back up option this season) we'll see an upgrade in terms of the overall distribution. I would like to see him try and take a chance with forward passes a bit more often but every time I saw him look up yesterday there was... no option other than Miller showing. Wilson and SODs were pedestrian breaking forward and when they did they barely got beyond their man. I did think a lot last year and already am this year, do we miss Goss, for all his other failings? Having an anchor/deep lying playmaker like him made a huge difference. Also, as much as I'm frustrated/infuriated by him and his lack of composure, we actually, somewhat terrifyingly, missed Harry Paton's energy yesterday. At least you can rely on him getting the ball to feet and driving forward at defenders; we sorely missed that kind of play yesterday until Wells came on. It was so passive and pedestrian; if that's how we're going to set up this season, it's going to be a long, hard slog in the bottom six yet again. Hopefully it's not, particularly once injuries are healed and we can field our starting XI. I would argue that of those starting yesterday, only one of the back five, and one of the midfield would/should be regular starters for us this season.

Genuine question here; why have you got such a dislike for Davor? Every time I see him play I think he does everything that's asked of him; he wins the ball back then passes it on to someone who's more creative (I accept that playing alongside Halliday, that's a bit of an oxymoron) and protects the back 3 as best he can with very little support. It's not his fault he's not Pirlo/Modric/whoever winning it back and spraying passes about to our forwards and wing backs. Particularly when our wing backs are utter dog shit and none of our strikers are able to hold the ball up.

Michael Stewart had the best line on that during commentary. Something akin to: "There's definitely contact there from the centre back and keeper, they don't win the ball, but it's not a penalty for me." 🤣 Just on that; I think Robinson needs a goal and he'll gain all sorts of confidence. You could see for the penalty claim that he just wasn't that confident taking the ball forward/round the keeper. Hopefully that comes with a goal or two, bit like it did for Bair.

He didn't immediately present his case for a starting position, I agree. I was impressed at points with how he looked up and tried to get Moses in behind. He played a great ball round their defence that was just slightly over hit, that was probably one of our better attempts at a forward pass like that for the whole game. There's definitely something there but I agree with you and @wellfan; he reminds me a bit of Gent last season. He'll probably be introduced slowly and start to stake a claim around October/November.

He's played 90 minutes of football i.e a game in total; we're arguing over semantics here. That's 90 mins over 4 appearances, when one of them was 45 minutes. Nowhere near enough for someone to get up to speed with a totally different brand/type of football. He's shown flashes as an impact sub but he was definitely "aff it" today. But I'd argue the set up was far from ideal for the majority of the players. How long did it take Gent, Davor and others to settle into the team last season? Weeks, against much stronger opposition than we've faced so far.

Aston for me. One of very few who gets pass marks today.

I think a fair few on the bench are there for emergencies. Feels like a few might still be carrying niggles; otherwise you'd have to question why Balmer wasn't starting based on Casey's performance today, same for McGinn and Seddon. At least we saw the latter today; hopefully that's a sign he's good to go by the weekend. Stama was in the stand today, he must have the absolute fear about his ability to score goals with such awful service.

Ctrl C + Ctrl V from P&B: Awful, turgid, Clarke-ball type stuff. Setting up to defend and take no risks, with absolutely no creativity or desire to take a risk with a pass. Wilson has now shown to me that he's absolutely not a starting wing back and should only be used as back up. It took him 68 minutes to deliver a decent ball into the box. Seddon did it inside 68 seconds. He also showed very little awareness of his role as an outball or a willingness to get in behind; he stopped the play so often and countless times he stopped his run after playing it into feet. Miller left several flicks for him to run onto he just didn't bother with. He also put our centre backs under unnecessary pressure with some badly under hit passes and by letting the ball run out of play over his foot almost led to Blaney being sent off. I'm singling him out a bit here because he's the perfect example of what's wrong across the team; inexperience in the system, lack of concentration etc. which will cost us against better opposition. I get that he's young, I get that we need to be patient and give him time, but when the system we play relies on our wing backs being able to deliver in attacking areas he's just not good enough. SODs wasn't great in that regard either. Casey was a bomb scare yet again; caught out several times looking for a foul that didn't come and his distribution/passing it to the opposition really puts us under pressure. Wells looked good when he came on, had a willingness to drive forward and try to be creative at least. We are in dire need of a proper number 10; the gap between Robinson and the midfield at times was absolutely huge. The less said about his missed header the better. Superb save from the Thistle keeper on his first half effort. I could go on and on about each player but won't (as I'm sure we all could). I think the biggest issue I have is that if it's so glaringly obvious to all of us how bad this has been and it's not being fixed what on earth is Kettlewell's Plan B!? All he does is cycle the same players and positions with his subs and keep the same turgid nonsense going.

So you're think we should make, in total, 15 or so signings and an additional six to add to a squad of 21 already? And have five or six trikers on the books? Are you the reincarnation of John Boyle from the late 1990s?

It's been said that he can play there, yeah. Former coach of his was quoted saying that I think. I guess we'll find out!

I think he's as "midfieldery" as a midfielder can be. Probably not found his true position yet, as I imagine he's played all over the place in the different teams he's been with.

From what I understand, the Exec Board voted before the WS Board did to reject it, which I think is what @dennyc is alluding to, as well. I believe the HoT were presented to the WS Board after the Exec Board had voted on it, too. I think this was clarified by a few folk who asked Feely at the WS engagement session a few weeks ago. It does make it worse that they voted on it without discussing the views of the majority of the WS Board. They could have at least abstained.

Only two WS Board members were on the Exec: Dickie and Feely. Dickie resigned as a WS Board member. The Club's Financial Director, David Lindsay, sits on the Exec Board. He was appointed at the same time as Brian Caldwell. Agreed; a healthy board/management group is made up of a broad range of expertise, experience and views. It should be the same for the Exec Board, too.

His disagreement being public isn't helping nor do I necessarily agree with it. However, if he's willing to acknowledge that it was mistake and support the Society moving forward, I would say he should see out his term and then if he wishes stand again. The Society Board are, I would imagine, holding off on any new Chairperson appointments prior to the next round of elections to see who is elected and what sort of skillset the new members bring. As for the Exec Board, I'd need to go back and check what the new AOA are in terms of minimum numbers for a quorum etc.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with someone holding a contradictory opinion to the majority whilst sitting on a board, in fact, I personally see it as quite a healthy thing. Otherwise nothing would be critiqued appropriately and it would just get nodded through. If Feely is willing to say publicly that he is 100% supportive of the direction the Society is wanting to move in, then I don't have an issue with him remaining on the WS Board. I do have an issue with him remaining as Chair and as an Exec Board representative, however. My biggest issue is with Dickie and McMahon.

I would imagine he's still in Aus, given his Mrs gave birth yesterday. Probably agreed but not confirmed until he's here/signs on the dotted line etc.

I played football with and know his cousin pretty well. Totally agree that Wishart is a decent guy. Does a pretty good job as head of the PFA too, by the sound/look of it. Walker has always come across as a Grade A prick. He absolutely hated us chanting at him during The Masters all those years ago, too... I on the other hand, absolutely loved every second.

Christmas.

I had a quick look at his Wiki and saw this under "Personal Life". I know it's likely lost in translation but it's quite amusing.