ONeils40yarder Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I've always felt that the 1994/1995 season was the best season a Motherwell side have had in the time I've followed the team, and I know its extremely difficult to compare teams and eras but how does this current team stack up in comparison to the last Motherwell team to finish 2nd in the league (assuming we manage that this season as well). Obviously there are some stand-out differences; Formation - we tended to play 3 at the back in those days, with two wing backs and 3 in the middle, in comaprison to the more gung-ho formation we have at the moment. The Old Firm - Celtic werent anywhere near the force they soon became in the Fergus McCann years, but we still managed to split the OF. This season we are 2nd best without Rangers in the league. Money - we seemed to have more readily available cash in this era, going by the money we shelled out in Big Ecks second season . Experience - the 1994/95 team was hugely experienced, 2 Scotland caps in the starting 11 and TC just back from starring in USA 94 with Ireland. Most of the team had been round the block a few times. 10 of the regular starting 11 were Scots, whilst the only 'non-Scot' was Scotsman Tommy Coyne. The State of Scottish Football - in general terms, we were a much better footballing nation than the one we are just now, although we missed out on USA94, we competed in the Euros in 1992 and 1996 as well as the WC's in 1990 and 1998. The League itself was also more competitive with much stronger Hearts, Dundee United and Aberdeen teams than we've seen this season Season 1994/95 finished with us looking like this P W D L F A GD PTS 2Motherwell361412105050054 Currently we are sitting with P W D L F A GD PTS 34 16 9 9 59 44 +15 57 Tommy Coyne finished the season as the Leagues top scorer with 16, so far Michael Higdon has 25 goals with 4 games remaining. For what its worth our 1994/95 team v our 2012/13 team would look something like this; Woods Randolph Shannon Hateley McKinnon Hammell Martin Hutchison McCart Ramsden Philliben Law Lambert Lasley Davies Humphrey Dolan McFadden Arnott Ojamma Coyne Higdon I'm not knocking our current team or their achievements this season for a second, I've enjoyed this season hugely, but I reckon the team of 1994/95, the team that split the Old Firm, the team that ran Borrussia Dortmund close, the team that went on to produce a Champions League winner, the team that had a guy playing beyond the group stages of USA94, was the better all round package, despite having Stevie Woods in goal. The big pity for me is that we allowed McLeish to spend a rake of cash to dismantle it and fill it withe Andy Roddies, Eddie Mays and Shaun McSkimmings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I agree with all of that apart from the "despite" part. I thought Woods was a good goalie. Would even have been a great goalie if it wasn't for his clangers, but sadly those are what people remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 i think the present team might beat the 94 team due to superior fitness and the game having moved on in 20 years however.... Relatively there is no comparison, this team were gubbed by two decent but nothing special european teams. The 94 team gave a great account of themselves in dortmund against genuine world class players. The 94 team had krivocapvic, lambert and coyne who all did well at a high level at different times plus phil, big buff and mvckinnon who were capped. This teams best players are likely to end up in 2nd or 3rd tier english teams. No one from this team is going to be making world class defenders look like mugs at the next world cup or winnig the champions league any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I agree with all of that apart from the "despite" part. I thought Woods was a good goalie. Would even have been a great goalie if it wasn't for his clangers, but sadly those are what people remember. being shite over the course of a decade is always going to be remembered. Everytime we thought we had seen the last of him he got back in. Anyone who loses their place to kaven and douberdeaux is gash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 If I was picking a starting 11 from both teams I would only include Randy, Law and Faddy from the current team. It may be harsh on guys like Ojamaa, Higdon, Hammell etc but It's only one man's opinion. This team looks pretty good to me. Randolph Shannon Martin McCart McKinnon Law Lambert Davies Faddy Coyne Arnott As I say it's only my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 He had deteriorated a bit by the end but for the first half of his time here I thought he was very decent. Better than the two you mentioned and Scott Howie and Mark Brown and yet he found himself behind all four of them in the pecking order at one time or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambo97 Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Personally I think the 93-94 team that finished 3rd was better than both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 If I was picking a starting 11 from both teams I would only include Randy, Law and Faddy from the current team. It may be harsh on guys like Ojamaa, Higdon, Hammell etc but It's only one man's opinion. This team looks pretty good to me. Randolph Shannon Martin McCart McKinnon Law Lambert Davies Faddy Coyne Arnott As I say it's only my opinion. Agree with that, but I'd be tempted to put Hateley in for Shannon - right back is probably the weakest position in both teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 He had deteriorated a bit by the end but for the first half of his time here I thought he was very decent. Better than the two you mentioned and Scott Howie and Mark Brown and yet he found himself behind all four of them in the pecking order at one time or another. I dont agree that he was better than Howie or Brown, the three I would say are much of a muchness. We've had three great goalies since I've watched Motherwell, Dykstra, Ruddy and Randolph, the rest vary from being average to downright pish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Personally I think the 93-94 team that finished 3rd was better than both. There wasnt a helluva lot of difference personnel wise between the 93-94 and 94-95 teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Agree with that, but I'd be tempted to put Hateley in for Shannon - right back is probably the weakest position in both teams. To be honest it was the toss of a coin for that position although if I could have Corrigan then I would take him . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 There wasnt a helluva lot of difference personnel wise between the 93-94 and 94-95 teams. Did we still have big Sieb and luc nijholt in 93/94? Otherwise, i suppose they were all a year younger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Dykstra was still there, but Nijholt wasnt. The other one was Phil, who left at the start of the 1994/95 season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 So maybe Dijkstra (for sentimental reasons) Shannon Hutchison Martin McKinnon Davies Lambert O'donnell Mcfadden Coyne Kirk Subs: Randolph Mccart Lasley Dolan Law Arnott Higdon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I'd take Mio, McCart and Softie over Hutchie every time. Well, maybe not Softie but definitely the other two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I'd take Mio, McCart and Softie over Hutchie every time. Well, maybe not Softie but definitely the other two mccart was murder at that point, punted to falkirk for a reason. i'm sure he got injured in one of those seasons and we went on a great run with philliben playing? randolph hateley hutchinson mio hammell mcfadden lambert o'donnell mckinnon arnott coyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Was it not that guy Gallacher, ex Dundee Utd, that did him in a preseason game (Coventry?) and he was never the same again? You are right he was rotten towards the end, I just don't remember what year that was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Nice to be able to say I've enjoyed both. I'd say perhaps that the 94'95 team was a more complete footballing team than our current side. From Mio, through to Davies, Lambert and the under-rated Dolan in the middle and up front to TC the spine of the team was built around wonderful, intelligent footballers. Some of the possession football was sensational. There was a game against Partick Thistle for example that sticks in the mind where we beat them 3-1 with one of the goals finished off after something like twenty-odd passes in the build up. There was a know-how about that side too that meant that Old Firm games were eagerly anticipated as we have no doubts whatsoever either mentally or ability wise that we were going to give them a game. But having said that I don't think the 94'95 compares just as well when it comes the current group in an attacking sense. Our current team have developed a wonderful knack of absolutely fucking scudding teams out the park. It has been a great feature of McCall's teams the way we've been able to take teams apart by three or four goal margins on so many occasions. I'd say the 12'13 vintage may not contain quite as many footballers as the 94'95 team but they are I think more clinical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 An even better team imho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gz_4NV0mnY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamH Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 mccart was murder at that point, punted to falkirk for a reason. i'm sure he got injured in one of those seasons and we went on a great run with philliben playing? randolph hateley hutchinson mio hammell mcfadden lambert o'donnell mckinnon arnott coyne I think McCart did his cruciate and wasn't the same player when he came back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 93/94 and 94/95 without doubt the best league campaigns I can remember. Genuinely challenging for the title with a real quality squad. The performance against Dortmund away was probably the best I can recall. We scared the crap out of a truly World Class team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew23 Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I love and loathe watching that video in equal measures. In true Motherwell style, a heroic failure. Anyone getting excited at the Euro trip though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I love and loathe watching that video in equal measures. In true Motherwell style, a heroic failure. Anyone getting excited at the Euro trip though? I know exactly what you mean. But dont forget they needed the referee at Fir Park. He was extremely eagre to show Doogie that red card which was harsh at best and totally changed the outlook of the tie. Would have loved to have seen what happened with 11 v 11. Thanks for the link SBCMFC. Great memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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