Inthebasement

I can't pretend to know the detail of the various options and contractual negotiations, and neither do you. So it's an unanswerable question. But in broad terms, he could have instructed his agent that his move should not be structured in a way which avoids his boyhood club receiving a minimum development fee. If a player want to force a move which doesn't work well for the selling club, they can generally do that around the end of their contract. Some young players choose not to go down road out of respect or a sense of loyalty to the development club. There's an obvious example all over the papers - if Teirney was minded to force a move, Celic would most likely have accepted an earlier offer and he'd be an Arsenal player right now. Like it or not, Cadden has opted for a deal he would have known left Well screwed, to the degree we are now considering legal action. There is no point in pretending he was powerless, it's simply not true.

Personally don't blame the clubs involved in the Cadden swindle at all - it's legal and I don't doubt we'd have done something similar if the opportunity arose. I do however blame Cadden, at least to an extent. The player does has power in these circumstances, and can help ensure compensation for the club if so inclined, though it will sometimes be contrary to their own immediate interests. In short hand, he's taken the Hastie route rather than the Turnbull, and given the boys background and relationship with the club that's a little disappointing. At least it's not Hearts.

Setting aside the particular circumstances of the Turnbull affair, it seems increasingly like youth development is a busted business model for small clubs, and I can see why other small clubs are giving up on it. We are producing real talent at the moment, but are losing them before they can contribute to the first team, and without any substantial compensation. Hastie could easily wind up as a Scotland player (and he may well not of course) but either way all Well get is a modest fee and a good quarter season in the first team. With McAlear we look like getting neither. This is not just a Well thing and the club are not at fault, small clubs alomst never command large fees for their best youth players. The compensation regime must surely be overhauled in favour of the seling club, to protect the viabilty of provincial clubs working to develop talent.

He's signed to summer 2021, and is a genuine talent and a well fan. Every chance this will work out fine, he'll get back to fitness and form and move to england next summer.

Why is everyone assuming we will fold and embarrass the club - we won't.

Brilliant to see Cadden back in a well shirt, the boy's a powerhouse and a leader, i'd personally be happy if we offered the hastie deal to him, he is proven, versatile and can keep improving.

An incredible run! We clearly have a decent generation of young players coming through, each of Campbell, Turnbull and Hastie have arrived in the first team fully formed and looking undroppable. Would be sad not to see Cadden 's energy and power back before he moves on, if that's what's happening. Manager gets huge credit for the last month, blushes all round for contemplating his sacking, including myself.

Would be disappointing to see bigi go, particularly to a rival. Good guy, good player and much better chance of making an impact in new formation. Hibs move also an odd one i think? Just on window generally, turnbull has been the biggest boost. Plus rosco, he came unfit but seems to have been written off because he's, unfit. Could still be a dynamite signing and an additional season looks plausible.

How were we set up today?

Almost all of the upside here is premised on the idea other clubs will come hunting in the summer and he will voluntarily leave without compensation. With respect, that is not a 'look at the facts' analysis. If we finish 10th having exited both cups early, why will he be poached? The realistic upside on waiting til the summer and moving him on then, is a few months' wages.

Take the point that at this stage of his career RMcC may be best as a second striker, but that is the standard approach of our manager and the new signings will fit fine in a 442. If you watch McC's goals on Youtube over the last few years he basically scores the same 4 again and again - 1. pens; 2. belter free kicks; 3. placed shots from around the 18 yard line; 4. poached sitters at the back post. That makes him pretty versatile at our level as he'll find these kind of opportunities from any advanced position.

Best of luck to mcmanus, it's a step up sadly but he probably deserves it. Don't know why but i'll remember him by his wildly agro, edgy / cringy press conferences in the play off season.

Making cool banners is better than stealing cool banners. The theft and the video are a witless tribute.

Totally behind the manager desite the present form. Post-fan-ownership our lowly squad budget was always going to kick in hard over time. We need a solid, pragmatic and clear-headed manager to take us through this period and keep us competitive and in a position to sell players upwards. That's exactly what we've got.

F'n love Bowman!

Bigi by mile, a great wee player he has done so little wrong in a Well shirt and just needs his own and his managers confidence to become a mainstay. You put Bigi and Campbell on the teamsheet and go from there, experiment or mix and match to find the right third man in the middle. Also enjoyed Hartley's backwards glancing headers to Carson every five minutes of second half.

Neville's response is self evidently out out of step with Robinson's comments and he should publically apologise to our manager and club. No chance sadly.

Gauld would be phenomenal. Hard not to get hyped, especially as it doesn't sound 100% mental, and SR seemed to be suggesting the new midfielder is done deal.

Still a few minutes left but i'd say celtic failing to score in two games is definitely a good thing. Also liking Gordon's absence and Griffiths being rusty. This is going to be easy.

I take it there will be tickets at away gate. Neither ours or their site confirms, pretty frustrating.

We are not dirty, and this guff is costing us points. Hibs game in particular we were not allowed to compete for the ball and hibs were gifted continuous free kicks from midfield into our box (which led to first goal).

Getting sidelined players to co commentate has been absolutely brilliant.

Really like robinson but that was a shambles. So negative in set up and selection we couldn't change approach even when 2-0 down, and the ref had repeatedly made it clear that tackling would not be permitted. Cadden on the bench, he's our best player?? Hibs ordinary and cynical.

Feels petty writing this but that was the kind of brazenly bias coverage from sportscene you would normally only expect for OF games. In the highlights two outstanding chances for main were not shown at all, while they did show hearts pumping ball 5 feet over bar. Then the analysis of the pens - i honestly thought the pictures showed a clear pen or free kick for well (it doesn't really matter if the foul started outside the box, he stayed on feet and was impeded when going for ball within the box); then a blatent dive for hearts (the left leg of defender did not make contact as suggested, and the cheating dive was already well underway at that point). Gave a totally one sided impression of the game to the big team and only backed up nonsense from deluded levein. As an aside i thought we were brilliant on saturday and deserved fairer comment and coverage.

Video is genius and think it's pretty unfair to say the club has been slow with social media, we've been ahead of the curve (for a small club) for years. Re Cadden we've all seen players go for half their potential values umpteen times before, but Cadden has a number of fundamentals in place to do a lot better and will eventually raise a million imo.