MelvinBragg

Let's hope so...

And there we have it. McCall not out the door and we have the first Nijholt mention...

He ticks some of the boxes that McGhee and McCall did. Looking to rebuild his managerial reputation after a spell down South, still has contacts down there and is good with the media. Still can't forget the fact that he didn't want the job before because he didn't want to have to sell a player as soon as he showed any kind of ability. While I admire the ambition it shows in wanting to build a team, it doesn't really fit in with the plan that the board have stated that they budget for selling a player every season. If he could buy into that, then not a potential appointment that I'd object to...

Personally, can't think of any names that I'd really want if McCall leaves. Which isn't as bad as it sounds as I hadn't given McCall any thought before we appointed him. Much like managers should know more about players that are available than fans do so club directors should have a better idea than fans about who would fit the bill. If McCall leaves, I'd guess his replacement will be a name that we've heard of but that none of us have put forward as a possibility... I'd rather McCall stayed. But if he goes, he does so with my thanks and best wishes...

Indeed... Given he didn't have the stomach for rebuilding a squad the last time he left, can't see him wanting the job. Still, he has got all those German contacts...

If McFadden and Higdon stay and we don't sell Ojaama (unlikely, I reckon we'll lose all three), we won't bring a striker in. Given Ramsden can play centre half and right back, I reckon we'll see only one right back coming in. If Lawson comes in, don't know if we'll see another central midfielder. This season we've only really had Lasley, Law and Carswell there. I can see us going with three again. Losing Hateley as an option might see us bring another in though. What our squad has benefited from over the last few seasons is players who can play in a couple of positions (Hateley, Law, Murphy, Ramsden, Clancy just off the top of my head). With a small budget, we'll need that kind of versatility in our squad again...

McGovern? Where is he now? Must confess that other than on here I haven't seen Cisak's name mentioned. And your post was the first I'd read McGovern mentioned...

I think we'll miss his pace and work rate. For a winger, he does a good job of tracking back. He's vastly improved from when he first arrived. He's learned to use his pace better and he doesn't panic as much now when he gets to the final third. From a point of view of spectacle, probably miss him more than any other player. Really could sense the excitement at Fir Park when he was in full flight...

Unlikely. More likely Hollis Kerr Ramsden Cummins Hammell Carswell Lasley Lawson McHugh and two others... If we were to have the team that's playing today (with Higginbotham in for Law), I would be delighted. Sadly I think we'll be a good bit weaker..

Hollis, Kerr and Ojaama in for Randolph, Hateley and Humphrey. Randolph on the bench, others not. Make of that what you will...

Not saying we're not interested but we wouldn't need to scout them given the number of times they've played against us...

I hope McCall stays but if not, the new manager threads are always entertaining. We could raise funds by having a sweep to see who's first to mention Luc Nijholt. And there's always a leftfield suggestion or two. I expect to see David Weir mentioned when the job comes up. Personally anyone but Peter Houston is fine by me...

Apparently during his first preseason at Parkhead, they were running and Artur Boruc was a mile ahead of him. That unfit...

I'm pretty relaxed about the quality of players we're going to be bringing in. We'd need to be very lucky to pick up similar quality or attributes that we've had at our disposal this season. Chances of a keeper as good as Randolph? Slim. Chances of a winger as quick as Humphrey to scare the life out of full backs? Negligible. I've accepted that it's likely we won't have as good a team next season. My concern is more with getting the right characters in. With the possible exception of the Gannon era, since administration the spirit throughout the club seems to have been a major factor in our continued success. Fir Park seems to be a pleasant place to work, if you listen to any player here or when they leave. If we're going to have a less skilful side next season, this team spirit could be even more crucial. McCall, for me, not only has to try and get players who will work hard on the park but who will fit in as personalities...

To be fair, Higdon regularly caused us problems, at least. Tade is quick but less of a threat than Humphrey...

Tade? No, thanks..

Aye, that's the worry for me about signing Lawson. Once again we might see Carswell's development impeded...

Stuart McCall to Everton...? I, of course, know this isn't going to happen. Just know someone would say it. Thought I'd get in first...

Ojamma sent off..

As I say, goal difference is a concern...

2-0. No real surprise. Players must have been going into today thinking the job was done. Risk may be goal difference...

Funny what you say about Clancy. Sutton's time at Hearts hasn't worked out for various reasons. Stephen Hughes at Aberdeen isn't setting the heather on fire. Just shows that, through luck or judgement, we've brought the best out of those players we've had. And that's what we've done this season. The small squad we have has performed as well as we could have hoped. Have we lost to teams we shouldn't have? Aye, but so have Celtic. The only 'what if' I have this season is the cups. I reckon if we'd still been in the cup when McFadden arrived, then it could've been our year. He seems to relish the big games. But that may have taken its toll on our league form. So I'll not dwell on that...

The debate about the current team vs the 93-95 vintage has gone on in another thread regards which is the better team. But the last couple of months, this team has been the most exciting attacking team I've seen at Fir Park. The second half today and the second half against Hibs will live long in the memory. I could worry about how we'll replace half this team but I'm too busy enjoying what they're serving up. Thank you, Stuart and the team. It's a rare pleasure watching a team committed to playing football in the right way. It doesn't always come off, but when it does then it's magic...

Which is being funded by the generosity of two directors. Can't sustain that forever. McFadden will be away, I'm sure. Fans of other clubs have been saying to me how obvious it is that he could cut it at a higher level...

Kind of illustrates my point really. Over a period of a number of years we've been outperforming other clubs of a similar stature to ours (and some would argue bigger clubs), despite the fact all clubs in the SPL are pulling from the same pool of players. It's not like we've brought in a higher pedigee of player than the other clubs by paying big money, more that we've brought in the right players. We're just going to have to do it again. And given that McCall has brought in nearly half of our first team, no reason to doubt that with a bit of luck and clever management of the budget, we mght be able to do the same again. I do take your point about a settled team though. If we lose three of four guys who've been fixtures in our first team, i will be a challenge to get the team to gel quickly. Having said that we lost three leaders last season, and we shuffled our pack and kept going. Should we lose Law, Randolph and Ojaama (who I reckon is more likely to leave than Higdon), we have replacements within the club who wouldn't let us down. Carswell may be a different type of player to Law but he would be provide legs playing alongside Lasley, and would protect tha back four allowing our wingers more freedom. Hollis has shown sigs he could be a solid goalkeeper, albeit not of the standard of Randolph. And for me McHugh could easily play alongside Higdon. Replacing McFadden? Well, we won't get a player of his calibre but I'd like to see us try and bring in Higginbotham. He seems to fit the way that McCall likes us to play and has shown enough to think he could contribute. Assuming we keep the three Hs (Higdon Hateley and Humphrey), we could be looking at a lineup of Hollis Hateley Ramsden Hutchinson Hammell Humphrey Lasley Carswell Higginbotham Higdon McHugh Would that team finish second? Probably not, but it nwouldn't be struggling at the bottom either, I reckon. This season's team has performed as well as any Motherwell team of the last twenty years. To be looking to match that again next season would be a tall order. I'd settle for mid table and the team still trying to play attractive, attacking football. For me the key is keeping Higdon and Humphrey (I'm assuming Randolph and Law are gone). Higdon for obvious reasons, Humphrey because, as erratic as he can be, he still gives SPL defences pause for thought and opens up space for other players by doing so. I'd like Ramsden and Hateley to stay but I think we could replace them if we had to. I reckon we'll sell a player that's not out of contract as well this summer. Hutchinson or Ojaama? Ojaama seems more likely as there's been stated interest in him already. Obviously the eleven I've listed above leaves not a lot on the bench, but I'm confident we'll see a few new faces this summer either to provide cover or to take the place of the players I've listed...