Albion Rovers V Motherwell 30/11/13

[weesacs]

not been on for a while, so excuse the multiple quotes - the rovers game as i mentioned previously hampered my enthusiasm for tonights game, but its friday and i'm trying to get back involved!

 

If we can't replace any released loanees we would surely have the smallest squad to pick from in the SPFL. Not good if we get any serious injuries or suspensions.

 

this is the consequences of failing to perform in the cup, not just this year, but previous years too. we were told by Leann im sure, that cup runs are more financially rewarding than attaining a higher league position and european football. Extra revenue from the games, OF split of money if we reach the semis, tv money etc - you only have to look at the last couple of attendances in europe. this season 6500 for Kuban - we'd get more if we played Hibs, Hearts, Utd, Aberdeen in the cup at home

 

He knew he would have to rebuild the squad over the summer if he stayed with us and I'm afraid that the players he had brought in aren't good enough because we have an unbalanced midfield and zero pace and are thus an uninspiring side going nowhere and I believe that McCall has done as much as he can with us.

In answer to the question of who should be brought in though, I say....Paul Hartley.

 

There is no guarantee that changing manager will help though so the argument is perfectly sound. We are in the same position Aberdeen were in with Jimmy Calderwood where they were acheiving decent league results (including getting through to Europa League) and yet he lost his job over a couple of poor cup results. Since then their league position slumped and they still got knocked out of the Cup early and its only in the last few seasons that they have started to become a credible threat in the league again.

As for your suggestion of Paul Hartley, our board when we do look for a manager will seek someone with a good knowledge of English leagues (lower leagues in particular) as that is a market which has continued to prove fruitful for us in the past. I think this will knock suggestions like Hartley, Shiels or any of the other names commonly banded about in Scottish Football on the head. Were we to change manager, I think we could possibly look for someone like Owen Coyle who will have to work hard to rebuild his career given the allegations of unrest at Wigan and also meets the criteria of decent knowledge of english leagues.

 

As much as I'd love to see Coyle here it just isn't going to happen as he will demand a salary which we couldn't even begin to match.

 

A Paul Hartley type would be a good forward thinking appointment for us just now as he appears to be a good up and coming young manager who would bring his own ideas and philosophies to the table. Yes we've had success via the English lower league market in recent years but who's to say a newer approach wouldn't benefit us? Hartley will have his 'contacts' aswell in the game.

 

MJC / Dodge - we cant sack mccall - we cant afford it. we also wont sign a manager who is under contract - we cant afford it

I know some people say "a wage" is better than no wage - but there is no way in hell Owen Coyle would come to Motherwell - he'll get another job down south, easily 5 times more than we can offer. He doesnt need the money - im sure he's got enough in the bank to tick him over. If he's still unemployed this time next year, he may think about coming down to our level - but not at this time. I'm not one that wants McCall out, i personally feel the players are more to blame for saturdays performance than McCall. Would have Levein as your manager? I wouldn't! Shiels I think I could handle, although I dont know if he is too much like Gannon - too much to say rather than just getting on with it. One of the things that has made us flourish in the last few years is squad happiness and togetherness, I dont know if Shiels brings that

 

Assuming they actually give a toss then the players should be picking themselves up after that shambles, if they cannot lift themselves for a game against the Champions both incumbent and elect then they have no business playing football for a living.

Part of the Managers role is to interact with the fans he was quick enough to do so at the Sportsmans dinner where everyone was having a good time and everything was happy and positive.

Maybe the big book of excuses has gone missing.

I believe the players do care, from the one I spoke to, he said they were embarassed and need to live with the professional humiliation. When I said there were a few fans suicidal, he said there were a few players that way too - i have to take him at his word, i have no reason to doubt him

 

The proof of the pudding is this - is the current squad good enough? It's not, not only have most of the players brought in have failed to spark (not necessarily McCall's fault) but the make up of the squad, the balance of the squad is completely inadequate and heavily weighted to defensive players and strikers.

 

If budgets cuts are responsible when why did McCall sign Lawson? Anyone? He doesn't fit into our system and he's not going to change the system to suit Lawson. We never really needed a player like him in the first place. So why did he bring him in? Lawson is to all extents and purposes a wasted wage with Carswell and Lasley already on the books.

 

It's December and no one has any idea what our best XI is, because the manager doesn't have a clue how to cobble a team together out of the squad THAT HE ASSEMBLED.

 

If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least three wide midfield players, we have one contracted. If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least two creative attacking midfield players, we have one contracted and nothing else. If you are playing 4-4-2 you need at most 4 strikers. We have 5, including one that has been brought in on loan and is probably taking a large whack of cash out the club.

 

I don't doubt McCall works under difficult financial restrictions but those restrictions will only get worse next season due to his incompetence during the summer to build a balanced squad that was fit for purpose.

Bring back Ross Forbes and Steven Lawless!!! I dont think the players we have signed are bad ones - far from it. I think the problem lies with what formation suits the players we have. Thats McCalls job / responsibilty and I think he needs to establish this quickly. I also think if you were to ask the fans what our best formation/players are - there would be a multitude of answers. Whereas in the last few seasons, squad consistency has definitely been a key to our success

 

My mantra with McCall from day 1 is he is more concerned with limiting damage than inflicting it.

 

Still won't punt him, just ask him to explain why he is so slow to change style, formations, subs etc.

and i totally agree with that - that is IMO what has cost us in the cups - rather than saying to them - we're a good team, we can score goals, just play your usual game - he has changed the team/tactics are we have suffered because of it

 

 

#SIWY

[Bop]

Also bear in mind that we pulled out of a loan move for Dylan McGeough, someone capable of carrying the ball and beating a man, because he wouldn't get a game in the middle of the park...

 

He wouldn't come, didn't want to play in the position McCall fancied him at.