MelvinBragg

Didn't realise he had signed for Killie. Agree with much of what you said though...

I recon we've more chance of seeing Pearson one day than Clarkson. Speaking of former players, I'll just put this out there. Given we've lost (or look like we're losing) a lot of our creative players, and he was training at the club until recently, there must be a temptation to see what Paul Slane is looking for in a deal... Not that it'd be something I'd do but might the club look at it...?

With that you're working on the assumption that every manager can see the same potential in players. Hateley was released and knocked back by several clubs and has been good enough to play a couple of hundred games for Motherwell in a very successful period. Clancy, Ojaama and Scott McDonald are another three either knocked back by other SPL clubs or deemed surplus to requirements there...

Clarkson won't come back, Pearson is still featuring for his club down South. Only realistic one is Kenneth and "no, thanks" to that one..

A vision of our future? Were they not stripped of all their better players by clubs with more money...? Or maybe just shows how consistent we've been...

Maybe we have other targets. Or maybe we're getting signals that Higdon will stay and are focussing our efforts on replacing Law, Humphrey and Hateley who have left or seem more likely to leave. Certainly seems to be the case with the names we're hearing through rumours...

I'd imagine that we'll not be making an approach until we know what's happening with Higdon...

No preference for either but what I will say is this. I grew up surrounded by Rangers supporters. Did that make me Rangers minded. No, if anything it meant I hated losing to them more and hated them more. Now I know people on both sides so feel as if I hate both equally. So option A for me. Suggestion that most Well fans favour one or the other is, in my opinion, utterly ridiculous...

If we lose Hateley, we lose an option for centre midfield so not a bad thing necessarily...

If we sign those two and keep Higdon then we'll be laughing...

Having stood with Frazzle at the games for as long as I can remember, I can confirm that he's an equal opportunity hater of the Old Firm. Hateley, it's a funny one. A guy who's played that many games under different managers obviously has something to offer. His father could have been Pele but if he hadn't performed, he wouldn't have played as often. But for some reason, he hasn't been embraced by the Well support as much as others in the team who've contributed less. Is it who his father is? Maybe. Is it the perception that he earns more than others who contribute more? Maybe. I don't dislike the guy but I don't think he's ever going to be a favourite of mine. But if he were to sign a new contract, I'd be perfectly happy. We're never going to be in a position to happily let go solid SPL performers because guys like that offer the base for our flair players to work from. The last few months have seen some of the best football I've seen at Fir Park. I don't think I'll be talking down any of the players that leave. Smacks of St Mirren and Oldham fans when we signed Higdon and Porter saying "Aye, yer welcome to them..". Let's be better than that. These guys have given us some wonderful moments. They deserve our respect...

I'll wait for official confirmation given STV isn't the most reliable source. But if he stays, question is, can he convince Higdon (or any others) to follow suit?

I kind of know what you mean. If we're to change manager in the next year or two (which if McCall continues his good work, is likely), now would be the best time to do it. A new manager coming in would have a strong base to start with in Hutchinson, Lasley, Hammell and Ramsden but scope to build his own team round about that...

Did McCall not say recently he'd turned down approaches front Burnley and Blackburn..? Claims which haven't been denied. Actions of a man desperate for a move..?

Don't get me wrong, I give as much credence to the rumours on Titter (no typo) as I do to steelboy's. My instinct still says he'll be at Bramall Lane next season and that there may be a degree of hard negotiation going on here. But again, I wouldn't blame him for that. Before I would move jobs, I'd want to ensure the best conditions I could. At least it shows he's not jumping ship for the first offer that comes along. Despite what steelboy wants us to believe...

Everton? Stoke? Real Madrid...? If every unsubstantiated rumour on here were true, we'd have a first team squad of three players and no manager... And there's a difference between courting a move and being willing to discuss it when approached (and I might add, when the board has given permission). If you really can't see the difference between how McCall and McGhee have conducted themselves then you really should see a mental health professional...

If (and it's a big if) he stays, he's obviously not that keen on a move...

Paul Lawson=Simon Mensing...?

Doesn't rankle more for me. Humphrey feels more like one of "ours" as we've seen him develop and improve over the years. That's why it'll disappoint me more...

Must confess that although I understand Law's decision, it'll annoy me more if Humphrey signs for them. Law was only here two seasons and I think we all knew two seasons was all he'd be here so I never got that attached to him. Humphrey, on the other hand, has been with us for four seasons (or three managers to put in Motherwell terms) and I've kind of got used to having him around, he's one of my favourite players to watch. Having a seat at the Cooper end of the East Stand, you got used to looking forward to his tearing up and down the wing in the second half of games. That and the immediate removal of shinpads at full time. It'll be an abiding image of him for me, applauding the East Stand with said shinnies under his arms...

You might. But I suspect you'd be in the minority...

+1

To be fair, McCall played there for a number of years and McCoist is his pal. He couldn't say "It's a shitehole and the manager's a dick.." Pretty sure McCall would have been honest about the downsides without making himself look like a hypocrite...

Not a lot we can do, I'm afraid. The way Scottish football is, you either get sacked or a bigger club comes in because you've impressed people. So if you want us to do well, it's a risk you run. Could be wrong, but sure his two and a half seasons made McCall one of the longer serving managers in the SPL Butcher, the two Lennons and Lomas maybe longer. Doesn't make it easier to take but we're not the only club in the situation. At least ours have been leaving because we're doing well...

There are negatives to the move for him, but anyone who says they can't see reasons why it would appeal is having a laugh...