NottsMFC Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Poor journalism from the Evening Times No quote from McCall even mentioning McManus, all he says is "We are also looking to add defensively and we have options." Stu: I'll take the Mick to land ex-Celt MOTHERWELL are hoping to make former Scotland and Celtic captain Stephen McManus their fifth summer signing. Stephen McManus is in demand having left Middlesbrough The 30-year-old wants to return to Scotland for family reasons having come to the end of his contract at Middlesbrough. He has been training with the Fir Park club since their return to pre-season. Well gaffer Stuart McCall says he needs to make up to three more signings before Well begin their campaign on Thursday, August 4, with a Europa League qualifier. However, the Steelmen face competition for the big defender from Hibs and Dundee United, but McCall is prepared to make McManus one of the club's higher earners to secure his signature. McCall said: "I would say we need to make three more signings. We got Gunnar Nielsen last week and we probably need another three. "However, my priority is width. We have lost Henrik Ojamaa and Chris Humphrey and lost Jamie Murphy in January. "That has robbed us of a lot of width and that is probably the main thing. "We are also looking to add defensively and we have options." McManus could also be swayed to sign for his hometown team by the retention of close mate James McFadden. On the subject of the former Scotland talisman, McCall said he had not given up hope of keeping Faddy at Fir Park. The Well gaffer said: "James has not come back and said no to us so we are still hopeful. "But another option for us is a couple of loan deals, either from the English Premiership or Championship. "We had Fraser Kerr on loan from Birmingham last season and we ended up signing him. "So these types of deals can be very fruitful and are an option for us." Well headed to Spain for a week's training on the back of a 3-1 closed door defeat by Morton, at Cappielow, on Saturday. McCall has no doubt about the value of getting away from it all. The Motherwell manager said: "The opportunity to get away is of great value as it allows you to step up the intensity of your build-up. "It was good to get the closed-door game with Morton under our belts. "But now we will step things up in terms of fitness and tactics. Going away last summer proved very fruitful so I have no doubt it will lay the foundations again. "The other aspect is we have brought in three new lads to the club in Paul Lawson and Iain Vigurs and now Gunnar Neilsen and it will allow them to get to know their team-mates. "But I am happy with the lads' professionalism over the summer." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Depends who's paying his way, I suppose. But even if he's doing it himself just to keep himself fit and generally lend his experience, you'd have to think he wouldn't be bothering if re-signing was totally out of the question. Do you not think that the club has pre booked a number of flights and spaces at the training resort. Faddy going might be filling a vacant space and not adding any cost whatsoever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Do you not think that the club has pre booked a number of flights and spaces at the training resort. Faddy going might be filling a vacant space and not adding any cost whatsoever Could be I suppose, in which case I'm still not convinced he'd be asked (or would bother) if re-signing was already out of the question. If he was actively looking for another club he'd be better off staying at home, and if he just wanted a wee summer holiday he'd be better off taking the wife and kids somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave87 Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Steven Saunders set to sign for Ross County. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderpig Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Could be I suppose, in which case I'm still not convinced he'd be asked (or would bother) if re-signing was already out of the question. If he was actively looking for another club he'd be better off staying at home, and if he just wanted a wee summer holiday he'd be better off taking the wife and kids somewhere Positive thinking, he is off to the training camp because he will sign on for a new deal, SMC knows his abilities so no need to take him along to evaluate him, he is going because he will be a vital member of the team next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 So Faddy has travelled with the squad to Spain. Is anyone reading anything into that? I thought it was significant on two counts when I saw the photo on Twitter. There's the fact he's there in the first place whilst other players whose contracts have expired are not. Secondly whoever at the club posted the image to Twitter would surely have been well aware that it would be seized upon by supporters. If he was simply there to join in training I might have imagined that there would be a line in the article that accompanies the first images from Spain that he was there training to dampen down any excitement, but to actually draw attention to his presence as they've done has certainly raised hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiddy Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 would love to see him sign but surely we don't grudge him 5 days training in the sun even for his st Mirren free kick alone ?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkySuperSub Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Secondly whoever at the club posted the image to Twitter would surely have been well aware that it would be seized upon by supporters. If he was simply there to join in training I might have imagined that there would be a line in the article that accompanies the first images from Spain that he was there training to dampen down any excitement, but to actually draw attention to his presence as they've done has certainly raised hopes. I hope someone in an official capacity isn't reading that thinking "Oh, shit!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 I hope someone in an official capacity isn't reading that thinking "Oh, shit!" That's exactly what I thought too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Steven Saunders set to sign for Ross County. Confirmed on the Staggies' website. Good luck to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Good chance to reestablish himself in the SPL, Good luck, fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Fan Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Michael Higdon has signed for NEC Nijmegen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Target Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 New striker Michael Higdon NEC Posted onJuly 8, 2013 Last Updated July 8, 15:50 The Englishman Michael Higdon is the new vanguard of NEC. The attacker is a free transfer from the Scottish Motherwell and draws in Nijmegen a two-year contract. He is regarded as old-fashioned target man. Higdon (29) scored in the last season in the Scottish top division 26 times. He became top scorer of the Premier League. The two seasons before that scored the able-bodied Englishman in competition every fourteen times. Higdon was born and raised in Liverpool, but has been playing for several years in Scotland. He was taking off for St. Mirren and Falkirk. He was also active for some time for Crewe Alexandra. http://www.gelderlan...n-nec-1.3904972 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Who?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaretAndBamber Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Michael Higdon has signed for NEC Nijmegen. Good luck to him, hope he got a decent deal. Wonder if he'll take the Steve McLaren approach and adopt the accent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammer Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Fuck knows why they are so small. Taken from NEC official site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Who?! Michael Higdon, he used to play for us.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Who?! I'm sure Luc Nijholt ended up there at one point IIRC, if that's any help… EDIT: Nah, it wisnae him, but I'm sure one of our players did. They're a pretty mediocre team though, albeit by Dutch standards… usually finish bottom half of the league, have never won a major trophy, and haven't played in Europe since 2008. I'm sure it's probably a nice place to live and work, but it's certainly a bit of an unusual choice for the big man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishielad Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 I'm sure Luc Nijholt ended up there at one point IIRC, if that's any help… EDIT: Nah, it wisnae him, but I'm sure one of our players did. They're a pretty mediocre team though, albeit by Dutch standards… usually finish bottom half of the league, have never won a major trophy, and haven't played in Europe since 2008. I'm sure it's probably a nice place to live and work, but it's certainly a bit of an unusual choice for the big man. Was it not Alex Burns or Rab McKinnon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 Burns was Heracles, Rab was FC Twente Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaretAndBamber Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 van der Gaag played for them (on loan) before he came to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weesacs Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 I'm sure it's probably a nice place to live and work, but it's certainly a bit of an unusual choice for the big man. ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ my keyboard doesnt have the Euro symbol!!!! fair play to him and good luck - dont grudge anyone a move (financially or not) as long as they gave their all whilst they were with us and he certainly did that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 van der Gaag played for them (on loan) before he came to us. Aha. That could well be what I was thinking of then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ my keyboard doesnt have the Euro symbol!!!! fair play to him and good luck - dont grudge anyone a move (financially or not) as long as they gave their all whilst they were with us and he certainly did that No arguments from me, I wish him all the best, and it can only help to raise the profile of our own league a little bit if he does well. I'd be surprised if the smaller Dutch teams were really offering a huge amount more than the sort of Championship clubs that were supposedly interested in him, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 8, 2013 Report Share Posted July 8, 2013 I hope someone in an official capacity isn't reading that thinking "Oh, shit!" Nah. Someone in an official capacity will have authorized it in a subtle attempt to boost season ticket sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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