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Former Motherwell Fc Players Thread


Andy_P
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Flow talks about this at length on the Longer Listen podcast just released this evening. 

Does not blame Cadden at all. 

Interestingly the MLS had agreed to adopt FIFA player compensation for the 1st time earlier this year. And given that by all accounts Cadden falls into that category I am totally bewildered why then the MLS believe there is no compensation due. It appears we are dealing with the MLS and not necessarily Columbus Crew.  Things may change but at the moment FIFA will need to arbitrate which sound like it will costs us money which would eat into any compensation due. That and the latter scenario would take a while to resolve. 

All a bit of a mess and would certainly take a turn for the strange if Columbus were to accept offer from Oxford. 

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2 hours ago, Shaka said:

Its essentially been a long trial! Cloumbus sign him knowing they can screw us out the money, give him to Ocford for 6 months to see if he is worth the £600k then do the deal. If not, they still have a Scottish International for a pittance. And there is absolutely fucking no chance Cadden was clueless to the situation. Not that I have a problem with a players self interest, just save the crocodile tears in the paper and have the stones to admit you are a cunt

Pretty much my thoughts on the matter

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23 minutes ago, siebsbarmyarmy said:

Hall now playing with Robbie Leitch who also left us for bigger and better things. 

Chasing the bucks isn’t proving overly fruitful for the majority of our youngsters in the long term. 

Thought strikes me that they both might have ended up at that level despite early promise. So you then wonder if they made the right decision because they've 'found their level' and having the career they were destined to have but have struck it lucky by getting a relatively lucrative contract early in their career.  Sensible decision by both of them? Or are we saying that by staying at Fir Park they would automatically have improved and be better players..?

Just a question...

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I think they would both have benefited from more first team games and training with the first team in an environment that is more accommodating for young players. Ultimately they may have ended up in the same place, but I suspect they are a year or two behind in their development compared to where they might have been if they stayed.

They are still young enough to prove themselves, though, so time will tell if they cashed in at the right time.

 

 

 

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15 minutes ago, superward said:

Amuses me no end how people get stuck in and vilify players here and elsewhere (not just talking Cadden here btw) without knowing the definite facts. Its rarely if ever so black and white as a lot think! 

It's the internet - the place where everyone's thoughts, opinions and theories magically turn into facts.

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If players stay with us (for comparatively low wages) there is no certainty their decent form will continue and that life changing offers will come in down the line. They could even find themselves far from guaranteed a starting position and eventually released. There is always the possibility of injury ruling out further opportunities. Injured long term on £5/8k per week is better than being injured long term on £1k per week. David Turnbull for instance may come to regret not moving on instead of extending his contract.  Hopefully he fully recovers and gets the transfer his ability and loyalty merits.
Securing a team with a respected coaching set up, on higher wages, with a two or three year guarantee is a no brainier.  It’s what every youngster is looking to achieve. And it shows ambition and self belief. Unless for personal reasons there is a reason for staying at Motherwell it’s a no brainier. Football is a short career and players need to take opportunities when and if they present themselves.
As fans it’s easy for us to talk about youngsters needing to stay for development reasons/first team football. But I’m pretty sure Clubs other than Motherwell can just as readily provide that progression. 
And of course Motherwell’s Business Plan requires transfer income to balance the books. I suspect they are more than content with the rewards of Hastie moving on. And with the monies received when youth players like McKinstrey opt out before graduating to our first team. 
 

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2 hours ago, MelvinBragg said:

Thought strikes me that they both might have ended up at that level despite early promise. So you then wonder if they made the right decision because they've 'found their level' and having the career they were destined to have but have struck it lucky by getting a relatively lucrative contract early in their career.  Sensible decision by both of them? Or are we saying that by staying at Fir Park they would automatically have improved and be better players..?

Just a question...

Leitch I have no idea....

Ben Hall was starting almost every game and looking like he was cementing his place as a first choice centre half.

Do you honestly think he would not have improved if he had stayed with us and played more first team games..... would he now be at Falkirk, honestly in my opinion I highly doubt it. 
 

If he had stayed and established himself as a first choice to then move as a first choice, ala  Murphy, Hutchinson and Cadden his career would have been in a far better place. 

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22 minutes ago, siebsbarmyarmy said:

Leitch I have no idea....

Ben Hall was starting almost every game and looking like he was cementing his place as a first choice centre half.

Do you honestly think he would not have improved if he had stayed with us and played more first team games..... would he now be at Falkirk, honestly in my opinion I highly doubt it. 
 

If he had stayed and established himself as a first choice to then move as a first choice, ala  Murphy, Hutchinson and Cadden his career would have been in a far better place. 

Not sure how Ben Hall would have developed in the clusterfuck that was McGhee's last season...

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As annoying it is seeing our youth moving on without getting a couple of seasons of being in the 1st team it does show the good work the staff are doing in our youth setup. Whether or not the players who leave early make a good career, it can help us attract the most promising youngsters in the area as we can show that being at Motherwell can potentially allow them to move on for much higher wages.

Ideally I would love us to keep our youth players and have them lifting us the occasional trophies before moving on but sadly in the modern day and age we are always going to get bigger clubs pinching them. 

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3 hours ago, siebsbarmyarmy said:

Leitch I have no idea....

Ben Hall was starting almost every game and looking like he was cementing his place as a first choice centre half.

Do you honestly think he would not have improved if he had stayed with us and played more first team games..... would he now be at Falkirk, honestly in my opinion I highly doubt it. 
 

If he had stayed and established himself as a first choice to then move as a first choice, ala  Murphy, Hutchinson and Cadden his career would have been in a far better place. 

None of us know what would have happened but I suspect this is correct. 

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It would be interesting to hear the opinion of these young ‘coulda beens’ on whether they stand by their decision to leave early or whether in hindsight they should’ve stuck around a bit longer. I can’t think of many players/retired players that have ever publicly stated their regret at a premature transfer. 

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I kind of agree that some of these players just find their level.

Perhaps some get ideas above their station and stop developing and others become disillusioned being a small fish in a big pond?

Obviously having the talent and physical attributes are massive factors in “making it” in football, but having your head screwed on, making the right decisions and a huge chunk of luck in terms of being in the right place at the right time, or a manager taking a shine to you are probably equally important for many.

Loads of guys who made a good career out of football will admit to not being the best in their age groups coming through, but they got a chance and took it.

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I find the open goal stiff quite hard listening, but listening to Paul Slane, I’m not sure things would’ve panned out a great deal differently if he’d stayed at Motherwell?

It sounds like he had real issues with confidence etc. Some sort of imposter syndrome.

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10 hours ago, sbcmfc said:

I find the open goal stiff quite hard listening, but listening to Paul Slane, I’m not sure things would’ve panned out a great deal differently if he’d stayed at Motherwell?

It sounds like he had real issues with confidence etc. Some sort of imposter syndrome.

Id disagree with that. He's said he was getting coached to play centrally at Celtic, whereas at Motherwell he was out wide which he felt was his strongest position. There's also a massive psychological difference between being part of each club. The standard of player he was competing against to get game time at Celtic was obviously miles from at Motherwell. If you've already got shakey confidence that extreme competitive environment isn't ideal. 

Not saying he would have been a success for us, but it's two totally different environments for a young player so I guess we'll never know. 

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51066728

Chris Cadden: Motherwell graduate on Columbus, Oxford & Irn-Bru

By Scott Mullen

BBC Sport Scotland

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Chris Cadden has spent the first half of the season on loan at Oxford United
Chris Cadden has spent the first half of the season on loan at Oxford United

Around 528 years ago, Christopher Columbus opened the door to the New World.

Setting sail across the Atlantic in the Santa Maria, the Italian explorer eventually spotted landed after 10 choppy weeks at sea, fortuitously stumbling across the Americas by accident.

Over half a millennia on, a different Chris will also embark on a journey west into the unknown, this time destined for the city that now bears his namesake's surname.

Last summer, Scotland international Chris Cadden left Motherwell to take the plunge in MLS, with the right-back now preparing to leave home for his maiden season with Columbus Crew.

With his American Dream beginning this week, he talks to BBC Scotland about the hardest decision of his life, the financial saga enshrouding his departure, mindset coaching and bottles of Irn-Bru.

'It's a monumental decision'

In four days, Cadden knows life may not be the same again. With his family and girlfriend in Scotland, the 23-year-old will step on to a plane to a new country, all in the name of furthering his career.

Given he has spent most of his life living and playing in his hometown, he acknowledges the stark new dawn that awaits him and the dilemma that led him to it.

"I was at Motherwell since I was nine so it was a monumental decision to leave and something I was annoying everyone from my girlfriend to my dad to my mum about," he said.

"It's probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I loved going in every day and I didn't lose the buzz. It was an honour and a privilege. I just felt I needed a different challenge."

That challenge came in the form of Columbus and also Oxford United, a club that had previously shown an interest in signing him. In the end, the English League One side eventually took Cadden on loan from Columbus until the start of the MLS season.

Cadden's departure from Motherwell has, through no fault of his, been anything but smooth.

Due to a loophole whereby MLS sides have yet to be categorised for training compensation, the Scottish Premiership club face missing out on around 280,000 euros for their academy graduate.

"It's not ideal or the way I wanted it to happen. There's nothing I can do about it," said Cadden of an issue that will likely have to be resolved by Fifa.

"It was an opportunity I wanted to take and someone told me about the loophole. I know Motherwell haven't been happy but I can only thank them for the support they have given me. It's nobody's fault."

'I don't mind a wee square sausage'

Despite just being 23, Cadden shows a maturity beyond his years, perhaps no surprise given he has played 162 games since making his Motherwell debut at 17.

James McFadden, his former team-mate, coach and mentor, often praised his work ethic during his teenage years, but the player says it is help with the mental side of the game that has benefitted him most.

For the last two years, Cadden has worked with John Johnstone of Football Mindset, who has helped him - as well as the likes of Hearts' John Souttar and Rangers' Greg Docherty - deal with everything from relegation threats, playing in cup finals, fan abuse to his potentially career-defining move.

"I've always been interested in the mental side of the game," said the two-time Scotland cap. "It really helps me and it's a big part of my preparation for games. He helped me with my decision to go.

"If it's going to get you one percent better than why not do it?"

Once Cadden steps off the plane on Thursday, there will be little time to acclimatise. Three days will be spent in the capital of Ohio, before a training camp in California, with his side's first away trip in March being seven hours away in Seattle.

He has yet to visit Columbus, with his only trip to America being a three-hour stop off at Houston Airport en route to facing Mexico and Peru with Scotland.

Despite that, the American lifestyle is one he is relishing, despite missing the odd taste from home.

"I don't mind a wee square sausage, I missed them in England. And I might take a couple of bottles of Irn-Bru to just get me through," he said.

"I'm a bit nervous about leaving my family and friends. At Oxford, I had to get used to living away from home for the first time and making sure I could actually do it, learning to cook and do washing.

"You can look at it that you are travelling six hours or you can look at it that it's a flight to California. You have to look forward to it."

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