Glenmorangie

I know how much went into this - very well done guys, you deserve great credit!

Towards the end of last season I must admit to losing a fragment of my obsession with MFC, and questioned why I should be so passionate about our club when there were those on the park and those in charge who seemingly couldn't care less, intent on pursuing a selfish self-centred agenda elsewhere. We had a manager that viewed us with increasing contempt, we had players influenced by whoring agents and as a team / club we had lost any direction or focus that had filled us with such optimism just a season before. This downer was exaggerated by the fact that I'd become totally pissed off at Scottish football as a whole... I'd become sick at the total disregard for loyal supporters, the systematic stifling of attempts to create atmosphere / trying to support your team, the expectation that we'll all turn up no matter what, the patronising way we're dictated to by the authorities telling us what we want / what we need, the ever increasing charging structure which defies basic economics and supply & demand, the old firm totally shafting 'others' & the 'others' becoming sickeningly submissive pandering to their every whim and the exasperatingly monotonous influence of the media attempting (as usual) to condescendingly prejudice the masses whilst nauseatingly worshipping the Glasgow parasites. I spoke to Yir Elder towards the end of the season and vented my frustrations... he simply said "forget the disappointment" "it's Motherwell" "it's in your blood" "it's the way of life you've had for 40+ years" "you'll renew your season tickets and you'll be back, fully committed by the start of the new season".... And do you know what – he was spot on! I love Jim Gannon's enthusiasm, I love the new generation of players, I love the excitement of what we might achieve, I love the way we've represented ourselves in Europe, I love the optimism that has enveloped our club, I love the eternal passion, friendship and loyalty of our support... and most of all, I've remembered that no matter what - I unconditionally love and support Motherwell FC! So now I look forward with a childish Christmas expectation to a fulfilling new season full of the usual heartache and euphoria served up in copious measures. I expect the rollercoaster to churn my stomach inside out, I expect to witness fantastic performances tempered with numerous kicks in the balls, I expect to be let down and lifted up in the space of a heartbeat, I confidently expect Jim Gannon to build a team we can be proud of and I optimistically expect us to once again challenge defiantly against the evil from Glasgow... but most of all - I expect to love every minute of it! My prediction – if we get off to a good start, Motherwell to finish fourth and embark on another European adventure in 2010!

Totally shocked & saddened by this... RIP Mowgli

Well there you go, it seems like Marky boy has finally negotiated his 'big move' – I wonder how loyal he'll be to Aberdeen? I wonder how long before the speculation starts all over again and he's all over the papers, linked with another 'big move'? Probably after his first season, just like all the clubs he's been at! Not that I blame him mind, it's just the way whorish football is these days, players are the worst – quite sickening! Just like the contempt shown by MMG in the press towards his 'current' employer. Now I've got that off my chest, I would like to wholeheartedly thank him for the way he turned round our club when we were on our knees after Malpas. He gave us a bit of pride back, he gave us good football, he gave us a reason to buy our season tickets, he gave us credibility and (lest we forget) he gave us Europe. His leadership gave us focus and direction - our club is FAR better off today than it was before he came... and I'm very grateful! As for his replacement I don't really care, but I want experience, I want a manager that is driven, I want proven leadership and most of all, I now want a manager that will give us loyalty! Someone who will give us long term stability and build a team with the same qualities... without the lamentable season to season mercenary merry-go-round – don't know if that's possible, but that's what I want! And the 'Well goes marching on, on, on!

Remember well the day we had over 20,000 inside FP against them in the cup! Fergie, Fergie, get tae Fcuk! Your right, give both sets of supporters a financial break, give the teams the lift of a big crowd and reinstate our faith in football being about the fans before profit!

It would be nice to win by more (especially for the hardy souls that have made the journey north) but 1-0 without injury would do me at full time! The weather conditions, pitch and background circumstances make it a get a win and fuck off cup tie for me! Seen enough fuckups in my time to know when to accept a win above everything else.

Time will tell, and maybe he's the best option we had in the circumstances, but I must say that I'm pretty much underwhelmed by his signing... from what I've seen of him (admittedly not much as watching either of the bigot bros invariably results in immediate nausea) he's looked like a wee lost boy unsure of what he should be doing. We'll see, perhaps I'll be proved wrong and he'll be a fantastic signing - certainly hope so!

I thought that Semih Aydilek was a holiday destination!

Well done big fella - £2.50 aint bad for a nights work!

I'd be sitting him down demanding he gives me assurances of his total unequivocal unconditional commitment to our club. I'd be insisting that he pledges his full consideration to Motherwell's present plight and future ambitions, with no hankerings to jump ship at the first opportunity! If he gives me the dedication I'm looking for then I would back him all the way, but even if he wavers in his answer I'd show him the same fidelity he's shown us and pap him out on his arse as soon as I identified his successor!

Yes I noticed this too, not for the first time this season our players have made a b-line for the dressing room ignoring the fans as if they don't exist. Even if some of the supporters are giving a bit of stick, not all are... plus, they are professional sportsmen and I would at least expect them to acknowledge (even a token gesture would suffice) their customers that pay good money to watch, support and contribute to the cause. My personal take on things is that none of them really want to be there at the moment, not that I mean away from Motherwell, just not around their team-mates or manager or the park... almost as if they turned up, clocked in and cant wait to get home from work. I hope I'm wrong, because if I'm even half right - we DO have big problems!

Deeply disappointed with our performance today – in fact, I've been deeply disappointed with the majority of our performances this season! What's the difference from this term to last you ask 'Grew? Well for me the biggest difference is without doubt the evaporating intensity & focus from our manager transmitting itself to the players! We're short on bodies and short on talent compared to some but we gelled as a team last season, we were up for it right from the start with a fresh dynamism, and most of all we got where we were by focusing on doing the basics brilliantly – defend solidly, pass to one of your own, shoot on target and work, work, work, don't hide or pass the buck! I was desperate to retain Marky boy after his heroics, but what I failed to appreciate was how much his head was up his own arse looking for a move that suited - and this has cost us big time! For the manager sets the tone, he sets the example, he sets the team up on a Saturday – and most of all he ensures that we have the heart and attitude that brings the momentum of success. For me McGhee lost all his hunger and intensity to take Motherwell forwards ever since he stepped off the plane to see Romanov. He seems to be (consciously or unconsciously) somewhere else, almost as if he thinks that he's done as much in his first season as he can for our club and deserves his next big move! I've lost count of the number of games this season where I've thought in the first 10 minutes that we just didn't look up for it, we seemed to be a team set adrift... and instead of a playing with collective purpose we have descended into a bunch of individuals devoid of ideas who end up punting the ball in the vein hope of getting a break... totally forgetting that good things don't just happen, you've got to be up for the fight and make them happen! We need a change, not necessarily in personnel, but a change in our approach. We need to see McGhee getting back to the basics; giving our team a shape and game plan that suits the players we've got... giving our players confidence and stop them from feeling so under pressure they forget how to play and make silly mistakes or hide... drilling our defence hard so they know where they're at instead of leaking easy goals... changing our set up to bring a freshness to our play and give the opposition something to worry about... and most of all bring back the intensity, focus and total belief in the cause we thrived on last season rather than the disjointed, dispirited, defeated team we are descending into!

Ginger ale my arse!

Hello again! And a hearty thank you to all who have sustained / resurrected such a wonderful place for the MFC community! 'Mon the 'Well