MelvinBragg

Can't see it happening somehow. If it does, disaster awaits...

It's alright, you'll be able to hear me abusing him from the car park outside the Phil O'Donnell stand...

Having read the statement on the Official Site, might I say something. Motherwell are going to do everything possible to get "him to stay". I know this is just flannel probably, but if not, please don't bother trying. He obviously doesn't want to be here, and irrespective of my previous opinion on him, do we really want a manager here who, quite frankly, will be staying under duress? If he gets a pay rise and stays, I will not be back...

Aye, and doing it through the media. Although it does strike me as deciding the thing you've picked up in the shop is exactly what you want to buy, you've put it in your bag and then start haggling over the price...

Either of those would do me. Am I right in thinking Boyd has done some coaching at Celtic? Or Nijholt with Tommy McLean would do...

I'm getting there too. I think we'd need to find the right assistant, someone who knows the current Scottish football scene. But with that proviso, I'm finding myself more in love with the idea as time goes on. Go on, JB, give the people what they want. You can blame us if it goes tits up...

Amen, brother...

Only problem I can see is that statement would suggest that in the two years since McGhee's appointment, Nijholt's stock has risen and we may not be the first in the queue for his services. More I think about it, and hear about his CV, the more I'm warming to the idea of him in charge. Sadly, the more I read his CV, the more I think he's destined for better than the Motherwell job this summer...

That wouldn't be Mr Miller trying to blackmail us into reducing our compensation claim, would it? Everyone knows McGhee wants to go there, it's in no one's interests for him to stay here now, so now Oor Wullie can start haggling on compensation...

About 9 posts up from yours...

22nd of June is the European draw, this much I know. Slight advantage of bringing a new guy in is that there may be players available that the gu has worked with before. Any new manager might also have a wider range of contacts than simply Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan...

While I wouldn't quite go that far, I'd be tempted to put Gordon Young in charge for the first round if a new guy isn't in place by next Monday. At least he knows the players and their various strengths/weaknesses. On a side issue, does anyone know when we were planning to start pre-season training...?

When you look at that, it does make for impressive reading. I guess the only thing really stopping me from wanting Luc as manager is the fear of it all going wrong and him being run out of town with his good name sullied...

I'm just wondering it at the very back of some people's minds, there's a thought that us qualifying for Europe was a bad thing. Might cause John Boyle to act unwisely in haste. I'm not saying this will happen, but I'm sure if we weren't kicking a ball in anger until August he'd feel less pressurised to make a quick appointment...

I'm kind of caught on the horns of a dilemma here. I want the club to take their time and get the right man in. But our first competitive game is in two and a half weeks. I'm just hoping that John Boyle had a think about it and sounded out a few people on the quiet as soon as the Aberdeen and Celtic jobs became available...

Brian Reid was a name I thought of yesterday. Would be a gamble, and to be honest I'd like to see someone with more experience (some South of the border), but I wouldn't be heartbroken if he were the choice. I would think we would need to be looking at an assistant with a bit of experience though. How about the Brian Reid/Luc Nijholt combo??

Would never happen, but the issue I would have is, if it didn't work out would the money go as soon as you needed a new manager? Very dangerous game...

What odds do they give on us getting relegated?

Too early to say, but I'd reckon you'd be looking at Butcher and McAllister with the bookies. I don't think either of them will get it, but as they're the early names mentioned, I reckon they'll be installed as favourites...

Aye, the Gary McAllister link was alwasy going to come. But if I remember rightly, he's been linked with a coaching position at Liverpool, in the shake up that's going to see Dalglish return as technical director. Maybe rules him out...

I find myself wondering if Boyle may repeat the trick of a couple of years ago and find it easier to bring in a number two with Motherwell connections first, just to keep things ticking over and give him time to get the right manager in. And, of course, possibly save money in case the new man wants to bring a full backroom team with him. Obviously it's early days yet, but I'd be interested who the media will push forward as the runners and riders for the job. Butcher's name's been mentioned but I reckon that's just lazy journalism...

If they're trying to make it sound like he was desperate to leave, they've succeeded...

McGhee was in the paper yesterday getting all sentimental about the pull of Aberdeen for him and how talks had went well and it was just a couple of things and compensation to be sorted out. I'd say that's all the confirmation we need. If Boyle wanted to play hardball, he could try and keep him but do we really want a manager here who wants to be somewhere else? I'd say it's safe to assume he's away...

I have to add at this point that my last post was not having a go at Luc Nijholt. Never would I hear a bad word said about my favourite ever Motherwell player. Maybe that's part of the reason I don't want him to get the job. As Frazzle posted in the thread suggesting Colin O'Neill, do we really want a Motherwell legend to tarnish his status? Looking at that list, I don't think there's anyone who would win universal approval. Having said that, I think Luc would be a populist appointment. He would get time (as other Well legends would - though he's the only one I reckon is a serious candidate) that a manager without previous connection to the club would. And it's not like the Shearer appointment at Newcastle, he has experience coaching. I just don't know if what's going to be a tough season next year is the right time for an experimental but populist appointments...

Interestingly most of the people who have voted for him in this poll could not answer that question for you. A serious case of heart ruling the head. Not saying he'd be a poor manager. But had he not played for Motherwell and his managerial CV was submitted for the job, I suspect it would be fired in the bin...