MelvinBragg

I'm interested to read people saying that we'll need to sign "at least one more" midfielder. If you take wingers and "wide midfielders" into account, by my reckoning we have McHugh Clay Campbell Cadden Frear Bigirmana Tanner Campbell MacLean Thomas Gordon You can argue about whether Gordon, Thomas and MacLean deserve to be on that list. I'd argue that in Gordon's case, Robinson's willingness to use him in crucial games after the split suggests he will be considered an option. MacLean was breaking through before his injury (albeit under McGhee) and if Thomas isn't considered a first team squad member, we'd be as well moving him on. That's a lot of midfielders, irrespective of what you think of their abilities. Signing another midfielder without moving anyone on would make the squad look unbalanced to me. Part of me suspects that if we sign another midfielder then it will mean we're selling Heneghan and McHugh may become our first choice centre half. Not saying it's a choice I would make but wouldn't astound me to see it happen. On the subject of unbalanced squads, while I don't think Fisher is a bad signing (certainly explains Mackin's release), all four strikers we currently have are what I would term "number nines". None of the four seem suitable for the McDonald role of playing off a striker who's leading the line, unless that's a role Robinson has Tanner earmarked for (judging by his comments, I wouldn't rule it out). Clearly we're nowhere near finished our transfer business but I don't think we'll see as many additions as some are expecting unless others leave...

Notice Scott Mullen on Twitter saying that Motherwell are closing in on a couple of signings and that the deals could even be done tomorrow...

Four managers from Northern Ireland in the Scottish Premiership. Why are we the only ones being linked (even if only on Twitter and on forums) with any and every player from Northern Ireland? Is that the extent of the club's imagination? Or is it more likely that once again that the club is keeping a lid on accurate news and people are just guessing? Would we even consider it a possibility that we would sign Lafferty this summer if he wasn't Northern Irish? Don't see why his nationality makes it more likely...

I wouldn't be breaking the bank to sign him but I don't think we'll be breaking the bank for anyone. McDonald's wages to go to him? Would he be worth it..?

It would be good to see some early movement. Ignoring Blyth, the early signings like Heneghan, Tait and McHugh faired better than those picked up on trial or in last minute desperate moves (Belic and Lucas being the obvious examples). I know we can't always get our number one target and sometimes we need to wait to see who is available but too often recently our approach has been to grab whoever is available at the last minute...

Shirt sponsor?

I know we need new signings but one bit of business I'd like to see the club doing this summer is extending McHugh's contract if possible. Out of contract next summer and could be a really crucial player for us next season. I know it's not really how we normally do things but if nothing else, it may get us a fee next summer. If Heneghan has caught some clubs' eye, pretty sure McHugh might if he gets a full season...

I'm assuming that they'll be in the North section. Although with the SPFL, you never know...

I was at the wind up with the reference to to Gunning and Law even though Robinson signed Law last summer. Regards the alleged offer for Moult. Could O'Halloran play a similar role to McDonald in playing off a striker leading the line? Possibly. But we are in a peculiar position of swap deals not really suiting us as, as has been pointed out, transfer income being used to pay off specific debts. On the other hand, Rangers are alleged to have paid £500k for O'Halloran. That would technically see Moult valued at £700k. Club could certainly make a case for saying that they got value there and address the need for a replacement for a key player without spending on a transfer fee. Would that tempt the board? It might. As much I'd rather not see Moult join Rangers, I'm braced for it...

Not sure whether this should be in former players thread or in here but I notice Gavin Gunning and Josh Law have been released this summer...

Aware of the situations with Scougall and Henderson. Would hope we would at least ask the question...

You would have to think that Scougall will get better offers than ours, maybe from the Edinburgh clubs but we would offer more of a chance of regular first team football. Another name that has come up in the past and I'd love us to ask the question is Liam Henderson. May be time for him to move on permanently from Parkhead...

Couple of rumours I heard today. Steven McManus to be assistant manager. Keith Lasley apparently had a clause in his contract that if we stayed up, he automatically would get another year. Might be absolute garbage but it's the season for it...

Apparently (don't listen to it myself) the 'experts' on Clyde Suoerscoreboard were saying last night it was 99.9% certain that Moult would be joining Rangers for £500k plus O'Halloran on loan. Assuming that's where Rangers fans are getting the idea it's a done deal...

I expect to see some movement from us well before the window officially opens as it's mainly the free agent market we operate in. Most clubs will have their released lists up already or soon...

Funny enough we were talking during the Killie game about who would win, this season's team or the Malpas team and the subject got on to the first Butcher season. There were some dreadful performances, much like this season. But unlike this season, as you pointed out, there were some real highs (coincidentally or not, most of them under floodlights at Fir Park in the winter). That together with the particular set of circumstances you mention regards still having a team to watch means that there will be fond memories of that season long after this one has been forgotten...

As long as we stick to that. No point in selling him for £200k at the risk of getting relegated...

Hibs, I heard...

Noticed an ad on the BBC stating that Liam Boyce is up for sale. In a wee favour to a former employee, they let Billy Dodds wax lyrical about Boyce and how they wouldn't stand in his way and how he has a year left on his contract. Interestingly, if we're looking to sell Moult, the BBC reporter kindly asked Dodds if it would take more than £1m to get Boyce to be told it would need to be there or thereabouts. Obviously free advertising aside, they probably won't get £1m but we should be making the same noises...

No mention of McFadden, I note with interest. Obviously the fact that he is assistant manager may complicate the issue. Not much discussion of the fact that we are apparently discussing a contract with Lasley. A player/coach role possibly with possibly more emphasis on the coach role? I reckon I'm not the only one who thought he would be leaving this summer...

Question is whether he will get a better offer...

That's the impression I had got as well. Maybe he hasn't shown any signs of progression and perhaps has gone backwards...

Interestingly no Hanley or Greer. Only three centre backs in Martin, Berry and Reynolds. Assuming that despite his possible regression that he's only been selected due to lack of other options. Could have been worse. They could have promoted Zak Jules from the U21s...

Another aspect of last season's spending which strikes me is that we signed three midfielders. One clearly targeted, McHugh, looks like a good player. The other two, Clay and Lucas, came on trial and we're offered contracts. I know that you can find decent players by taking some on trial (thinking McDonald and Ojaama) but when two of your three signings in a key area of the team are brought in this way, it seems like poor preparation or a squad cobbled together. Obviously we may have had other targets that we missed out on but it smacks of desperation. The Belic signing strikes me as a similar case. Reading between the lines, Frear was our intended target (and had we got him, our season might have worked out better) but the Belic signing seemed symptomatic of our business last summer. Rushed and taking whoever was readily available. We can't repeat that this summer...

I tend to agree. Bowman was signed as a backup 'number 9'. Thing is, when he played, he often ended up playing with Moult which meant one of them playing out of position. The bizarre thing about the Bowman signing was signing both him and Blyth. If you listen to both Blyth and Bowman giving their interviews upon signing, they both describe themselves in exactly the same way. Can play as a target man but also like to run in behind are phrases I distinctly remember from both. I remember thinking when Bowman signed that it was a very early admission that the Blyth signing was a mistake...