MelvinBragg

I was just about to post asking this myself. With that, and the proposed moves for Clarkson and Quinn, there's a lot we're waiting on at the moment. Don't think I've ever known a close season like this one...

Given we're getting closer to the games against Llanelli, and I've heard not a word about TV coverage, I'm working on the assumption there won't be any meaning I won't see the second leg. Even football cameramen get holidays...?

As someone else in this thread has stated, I don't think Gannon would have accepted the job had JB told him that two or three key players were being sold, three or four had already left and he was getting no money at all to replace them...

Good article, although... Also the article continues to perpetuate the myth that the only problem we had last season was the injury crisis in November and December...

Given we are expecting to be without Clarkson, Quinn, Smith, Hughes, McLean, Sheridan and Klimpl from last season's first team squad (I've not mentioned Malcolm because for the last 6 months of the season, he wasn't really in the squad), then 8 would be a bare minimum to add to what was a thin squad last season. Adding 8 players with hopefully the progress of the likes of Saunders, Forbes and Hutchison, will hopefully give us something resembling a squad. The names mentioned are simply evidence that journalists can make the same connections that we on this forum can. Oh, and, was Chris Porter not a league one player before coming here? I think we should try and not judge players on where the manager sources them from...

Aye, wages are one thing, paying fees is another. Not much of that goes on at clubs like Falkirk, Kilmarnock and ourselves...

Is the reputed lack of offers for the likes of Smith evidence that clubs are keeping their hands in their pockets more than ever this summer? Surely this means for us that there are bargains to be had in terms of players out of contract. On a side issue, I'm sure I read somewhere Eddie May saying that Falkirk would be paying fees for a couple of players. Surely this should be an indicator that we should have decent money to spend should the proposed sales go through...?

Correct. Or at least played one player within about 40 yards of Sutton...

I would have thought that although he may favour the one man up top with a couple of attacking midfielders behind, he may be beholden to the players we have at the moment. By that I mean, at least initially finding the formation that the players we have left are most comfortable with. And on the evidence of Nancy away, no, John Sutton is not really cut out for the lone striker role...

I think it's just too soon for Craigan. He has own international career to continue and has to concern himself with his own performances in order to maintain his place there. I know Scott Leitch was assistant manager for many players he played with, but I feel the spell away from the club with Ross County helped make a separation from the rest of the players. Craigan will not have that distance. If he gets it, he will of course get my backing. Just strikes me as the cheap choice, instead of the right one. And I say that with no malice to the big guy (and fully expecting that he will get the job). Leads on to, who takes the captaincy? Lasley? Hammell? I don't think you can be assistant manager and captain so where is Craigan needed more...?

I think Paul Quinn has all the tools to go quite far in the game. Strong, quick, determined, with the right coaching he could come on leaps and bounds...

Still quite excited by this appointment, interesting to hear what Gannon has to say regarding his plans/ambitions for us and what he makes of the squad (or lack of it). Have to say though, that of almost equal interest to me will be who is appointed as his assistant manager. If the name Stephen Craigan is the answer, I will be most disappointed after JB playing such a blinder most of this summer. Nothing against Craigan (in a couple of years, he should be a shoe in for the number two job), but to me, if it is done now, it will smack of the cheap option...

I think speculating as to specific targets that Gannon will have player-wise is useless at the moment until we know for definite which of Hughes, Clarkson, Reynolds or Quinn are going to be here this season (for my money, none of them). Also, if our friends from Stockport are to be believed, Gannon is a meticulous researcher who kept 'lists' of players. That could include players from anywhere and everywhere, not just those who played under him at Stockport. The only thing I would say is that as he is portrayed as an, ahem, rather abrasive character, I don't know how many friends in football management he'll have to call upon for favours (as opposed to Sheepy McShovelface with his contact book that stretched to, em, Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan). Actually more I think about it, this might be a good thing. He'll rely on his own judgement, rather than taking shite on loan from his pals to do him a favour. You can decide for yourselves which McShovelface signing(s) I'm referring to here...

While I'm not quite as anxious as El Grew about the future (I too think JB has been playing a blinder recently), I think he has a slight point here. Given the situation we've found ourselves in (no manager, players being sold apparently), I've found it very difficult to get excited about a new pitch or a new strip. To me these are the frills, the add ons, which don't really matter that much. The pitch could be a swamp again next season and we could return to the jester strip for all I care as long as we have a decent team. And I know a new pitch will help team performance but not as much as some players would...

Or are we now dependent on DC leaving to fund squad rebuilding? Has Gannon already been promised some cash from the deal? I don't think selling him was necessarily the right move, but have we now painted ourself into a corner where we can't afford to back out of the deal...?

It's quite telling that line-up for today, isn't it? For those who say that they feel there won't be money to spend, it must be truly terrifying. The result I'm not too bothered about. Even next week's result is pretty much immaterial in the long run (don't get me wrong, I want us to win). The sqaud needs major work. Everyone knows this. Just how much work might become more evident with the removal of certain players. People might debate about the relative qualities of the likes of McGarry, Smith and Fitzpatrick, but any flaws that are in their game may be more exposed by the removal of the key guys who were only too aware of their weaknesses and would adjust their game to compensate. For example, any new striker might take some time to realise how unfit Steven McGarry is and not, like Clarkson, burst his arse to get back and cover him when the ball gets lost. As Wellfan1984 points out, should we negotiate the Llanelli tie, we would have to hope that players will have been signed with the Albanian challenge in mind. Should we go out against the Welsh, it might remove the urgency to get players in, but it might make it more clear that more surgery than was originally anticipated is required. I reckon if after next Thursday's game, it looks like we'll go through, you'll see frantic transfer activity before the 10th. If it looks like we'll go out, we'll take longer but maybe bring more players in. Interesting times...

From all we hear about him, Gannon certainly seems like he brings a fair bit to the job. The only negative comment I've heard about him is from a fan of another league two team who said that he tends to do a fair bit of moaning in the media after the game if things don't go his way. Our very own Jim Jeffries? The Stockport fan who said that Gannon kept lists of players for every position, we might well need that kind of list right now. The fact that he seems equally willing to give youth a chance might well be a good thing for the situation we find ourselves in. He'd have been a very close third choice for me, but I'm happy with his appointment. Perhaps that says more about the quality of candidate than anything else. I'd have been happy with any one of four or five that have been mentioned...

I was of the same opinion as you a few days ago. I'm led to believe that it's a wee bit more than £600,000 and that some of the transfer fees brought in will be given to the new manager to strengthen. Personally, Clarkson is the one guy I would have kept. But, strange as it might have seemed two years ago, he is our most saleable asset. And while, he will in my opinion be difficult to replace with similar quality/commitment to the cause, it may force us into a new way of playing. Since January, Clarkson has to an extent carried the team on his back. Maybe a good thing if he moves on if it stops an over reliance on one player. Given the team we had since January, were I an opposition manager I would know that if I stopped Clarkson, chances are you'd be seeing 'Motherwell 0' at full time. I love the guy, but maybe this is the best thing for everyone concerned...

I take your point that a set of fresh eyes might be a good thing. But in terms of knowing your opponents' strengths and weaknesses, the press, the referees and all the other factors influencing the game, having someone in the management team who is up to speed with things (as Scott Leitch was last time), can only be a good thing...

Hughes' interview tells me he wants to stay in the central belt. So it's us or Hearts. I'd be surprised if he was still at Fir Park next season. He makes mention of the fact we've been linked with some good managers. I reckon if Gannon has a talk with him and Hughes is impressed with what he has to say, he might stay. But the fact that Gannon is the least well known name on the list might see him off to Tynecastle..

Where does it say that...?

Given Devlin's track record with Motherwell stories, does this mean we can halt speculation? I await with interest the appointment of his assistant...

If the final four (as published in the media) is accurate, my one concern is that none of the individuals has any first hand experience of Scottish football. Could this indicate that we're going to appoint an assistant with said knowledge or will the new man bring his own number two with him? Things seem to be moving on a pace now, and I reckon we could see a lot happening in the next seven days. And that's without thinking about the European game...

Someone on here (can't remember who, sorry) and someone in a PM suggested to me that the manager was already in place and wasn't being announced as yet in order that he didn't take any of the flak for the selling of popular players. The talk of players auch as Bryson arriving would certainly suggest that's the case. Either that or there is an understanding with the candidates that certain player have been identified by scouts/the previous manager. Particularly given the fact that if the list given in the paper is correct, none of the candidates have any experience of Scottish football, surely some assistance would be required...