Stuart Kettlewell discussion thread

[wellsince75]

9 hours ago, wellgirl said:

Very possibly - but I don't think he was going to be sacked any time soon. 

No - doesn’t sound like he would or in fairness should have been sacked . 
 

A combination 3 wins in last 14 games,  losing the togetherness of players and fans. His stock may be higher now than in 2-3 months had he stayed - we’ll never know .

i honestly think he’ll end up back as RC before too long . Perhaps StJ will swoop for him  

[Ya Bezzer!]

9 hours ago, 0Neils40yarder said:

Not sure I agree with this...Robinsons blood and thunder style of play with Moult, Bowman, Hartley, Aldred etc was far easier to watch than the passive, stand off-ish, 30% possession at McDiarmid park daftness that's been served up recently. 

 

Not that I want Robinson back, nor think he would come back either

Robinson's tenure featured three terrible runs of form the last of which almost got us relegated.

It wasn't all bad but here's the thing about 'style of play'.

When Robinson had either of the two outstanding players during his reign, Moult and Turnbull, we were decent to very good.  When those players weren't there (or not being played) we were mostly garbage.

To play good football you need good footballers.  Under Robinson, under anyone.

I'm in my fifth decade going to Fir Park.  In that time we've had 4, 5, maybe at a push 6 teams that actually played consistent good football and all of them had, at our level, outstanding players whether it was Tom Boyd, Davie Cooper, Tommy Coyne, Brian Martin, Paul Lambert, David Turnbull, Ross McCormick, Darren Randolph, Michael Higdon or who ever.

Outside of Lennon Miler we don't have anyone and he's had two periods of injury that, both times, has seen our form fall away.

At its most innocent the quest for good football without good footballers is like the alchemy of the modern day.  It's a bird brained folly.  It's just not going to happen.

At its worst it's a re-write of the clubs history to justify the most atrocious toxicity.  It's like alt right weirdo Trump stuff that denies actual reality.

It used to be you went to the football to escape all the bad things of life.  Now the football is all the bad things of life magnified.  

Support the team and stop all this idiotic, toxic hatred.  

 

 

 

[Richie]

Now the dust has settled a bit, the phrase that keeps popping in my head is 'Rage quit'.

His pride has maybe got the better of him.

[numpty]

Accidentally clicked on the wrong mailbox when looking for my daily dose of SO comments this morning, and this was the first email I saw. Took me a minute to figure out what was going on...

Quote

Before speaking to anyone else, I would like to send my final correspondence as Motherwell manager directly to the most important people, you, the supporters.
 
It’s fair to say that the last 24 hours or so have been incredibly difficult and emotional for me personally. However, it has also given me time to reflect on what has been a wonderful four years.
 
I’ve enjoyed terrific highs throughout – my first season we beat Celtic, turned in excellent Scottish Cup Quarter and Semi Final performances before getting to Hampden. Seeing what getting to a National Final meant to the fans, but also the town itself is something that will live with me forever.
 
I think back to the night we beat Hearts to qualify for the Champions League then the atmosphere at Fir Park for that game against Panathinaikos. For a lot of our players, that was the highlight of their career playing at that level.
 
We’ve managed to beat Celtic three times at Fir Park, including back-to-back wins. I remember coming back from 2-0 down at Easter Road to win and no one will ever forget that game at Pittodrie in the last game of the campaign. That will go down as one of the best days I’ve ever had in football.
 
You think back to those games and others with real enjoyment and satisfaction, but not just for ourselves, for what it did for you as supports and the highs they brought. We scored over 120 league goals in the last two seasons, so there have been plenty of positives.
 
Don’t get me wrong, managers always hold on defeats longer than victories and I acknowledge there have been some hugelydisappointing lows. I suppose, in hindsight, I wish I had enjoyed the victories more at the time, but I was always too focused on the next game.  I just hope the amount of highs cancel out some of the disappointments when people look back at what we’ve achieved here.
 
We then come to this season, which has been a huge disappointment and my ultimate decision to step down yesterday. After the win at Ross County and the performance at Celtic Park, there was a real belief that we could get our confidence back and kick on, but the defeat at Hamilton in the Cup, and in particular, the manner of it, really knocked the stuffing out of us.
 
I struggled to sleep after Friday’s game with St Johnstone then woke up again during the night Saturday into Sunday, thinking about the Dundee United game and I just couldn’t come up with any answers. I felt that with the International break coming up, now would be a good time to step aside to allow the club time.
 
I have a hope that with a fresh voice and maybe some new ideas, it will give the players that little boost they need. I felt that if I didn’t have the same hunger or desire, if I was deflated, then the players would sense that and that’s not what they, or the club, needs at this point.
 
I remember saying at Bradford prior to leaving that I take defeats really badly and carry it with me for a long time. This season has been difficult and when you become apprehensive about the next game, that’s your body’s way of telling you that maybe things have come to an end.
 
Both as a player and manager, you should work all week and really look forward to matches, but if you have that negativity in your head, it’s difficult and I don’t want that to make our situation any worse. I care too much about the place and the people who work here.
 
I would like to finish by thanking some people who have been invaluable to me. First, to the board – Derek Weir and others – who gave me a chance to manage this fantastic football club. They have all been hugely supportive through both good and bad times.
 
To all the staff I’ve worked beside: Kenny Black, Gordon Marshall, Jonatan Johansson, Adam Stokes, John Porteous and latterly Aileen Anderson, Alan MacDonald, Bobby Jenks, Scott Leitch, and before him Gordon Young. We’ve been a really close-knit, tight unit who has worked hard through it all and I want to put on record my thanks for all their terrific work and effort.
 
To the players, both current and past, who have represented themselves and the club so fantastically and achieved so much. You can talk all you like about tactics, formations and shape, but it’s footballers that win you games and they have been outstanding.
 
I would also like to acknowledge all the superbly dedicated and hard-working staff that work at the club.
 
Alan Burrows, who has been a great help to me throughout my whole time in both his roles, and the two guys in media, Ross Clarkson and Ally Reilly, who have contributed more than anyone will know to the success of this club in recent times. Karen Paterson, the football administrator, has been a huge source of advice and guidance too over the years.
 
To Elaine and all the groundstaff, the kitchen and office staff – each one of them have been a pleasure to work beside and made coming in to Fir Park so enjoyable. I will miss them all.
 
And finally to you, the supporters. I’ve enjoyed an excellent rapport with you all and I hope some of the great days and nights we’ve had together over the last four years have made supporting this football club an enjoyable experience.
 
The group of young guys in the corner has given home matches a heart, a soul and an atmosphere and it’s fair to say Motherwell FC is certainly a club that gets under your skin.
 
I would ask you all to rally around the club and the players in the next few weeks and months. We’ve achievedeverything with hard work, dedication and a real togetherness and that’s particularly the case when things aren’t going right.
 
Nothing would give more pleasure if I am back up the road next May with my Claret and Amber scarf, with the team having picked up in the league, watching ‘Well at the Scottish Cup Final once again.
 
It’s been a pleasure. Thanks for the memories.
 
So long and farewell.

Stuart McCall

 

[dennyc]

9 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

I can't say I was surprised to hear that SK has resigned. The signs have been there for some weeks now that he's been under pressure. He's been in trouble several times with officialdom. I don't know exactly what he said or how he said it but would be surprised if he merely said in a quiet voice  "I think you've got it wrong ref".  He criticised the fans in public and thats a definite no no - not much was made of that in the BBC or media. He then threw the players under a bus in public and thats never a good sign.  Then we have rumours of a bust up in the dressing room and the players doing a passable impression of the walking dead in the Perth games. Now you can dismiss any one of these factors on their own as being something and nothing but not when taken together.  Had he lost the fanbase? Not totally, but on the admittedly crude basis of an online survey I'd say somewhere between 70 and 80% of them.

As said by a few others, I suspect there are other reasons for his departure and there's more than meets the eye to this.  Thats not to dismiss the personal abuse issue though. 

I think the club could have handled it better as it seems to have to have allowed him free rein to say whatever he wanted in public.  Very few other clubs would have allowed that degree of freedom. That said, perhaps there was more to the glowing reference that meets the eye.

Anyway on a personal level, good luck to Stuart Kettlewell. A decent hard working pro.

Very much my own thoughts. Spot on and in fact I thought he might walk after the Cup game having seen his reaction at the end.

You mentioned the two Perth games in a previous post and again your experience mirrors exactly what I saw and heard. All I would add was that at the League match most fans were that disgusted they just wanted to get out of the Stadium as quickly as possible. A good number had left before the team made the tunnel. Possibly due to much reduced numbers I thought the discontent at that game was not as loud as it was after the previous shambles. 
Anyway, time to all get behind the team and whoever is in charge. Other teams will have us in their sights and the priority now must be avoiding the relegation places. The County game needs to see us back on track. Anything from the Celtic game will be a bonus but hopefully we will at least see a more determined set of players. 

[robsterwood]

Scathing attacks on our fan base on BBC website. I think without evidence. Lots of comments from alleged well fans calling us clueless and being less than positive about our character. This all stems from this statement. Surely if your tarnishing name of a club there should be evidence? Too easy to lay blame at fans door 

[gaz7]

1 hour ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

Robinson's tenure featured three terrible runs of form the last of which almost got us relegated.

It wasn't all bad but here's the thing about 'style of play'.

When Robinson had either of the two outstanding players during his reign, Moult and Turnbull, we were decent to very good.  When those players weren't there (or not being played) we were mostly garbage.

To play good football you need good footballers.  Under Robinson, under anyone.

I'm in my fifth decade going to Fir Park.  In that time we've had 4, 5, maybe at a push 6 teams that actually played consistent good football and all of them had, at our level, outstanding players whether it was Tom Boyd, Davie Cooper, Tommy Coyne, Brian Martin, Paul Lambert, David Turnbull, Ross McCormick, Darren Randolph, Michael Higdon or who ever.

Outside of Lennon Miler we don't have anyone and he's had two periods of injury that, both times, has seen our form fall away.

At its most innocent the quest for good football without good footballers is like the alchemy of the modern day.  It's a bird brained folly.  It's just not going to happen.

At its worst it's a re-write of the clubs history to justify the most atrocious toxicity.  It's like alt right weirdo Trump stuff that denies actual reality.

It used to be you went to the football to escape all the bad things of life.  Now the football is all the bad things of life magnified.  

Support the team and stop all this idiotic, toxic hatred.  

 

 

 

Great Post and quite simply put.

The toxicity at cup game was terrible and it seems this is happening now all the time . These people that spout that nonsense would not do it in any other situation and I'd imagine if they saw players/manager in the street would be all pally wally with them.

It's been interesting since SK resigned seeing the keyboard warriors all over social media who slaughter managers players etc saying "wasn't me". They need called out by someone for being the eejits that they are. They are obviously a wee bit worried of getting the blame.

I've saw a lot of I've not heard anything bad at games etc which is nonsense as I certainly have and this notion that you pay entry to a game gives you jurisdiction to spout pish to players is ridiculous. 

Also the email from stuart mcall which someone else has put up shows managers can leave with dignity. 

[wellgirl]

26 minutes ago, robsterwood said:

Scathing attacks on our fan base on BBC website. I think without evidence. Lots of comments from alleged well fans calling us clueless and being less than positive about our character. This all stems from this statement. Surely if your tarnishing name of a club there should be evidence? Too easy to lay blame at fans door 

You're right in the respect that it's unfair that all Motherwell fans are under the microscope - but, there have been fans posting saying that the abuse that Kettlewell got (players too) from a small section of fans at the St Johnstone games was pretty toxic.

Someone posted on Facebook saying that he had been wrongly accused of sitting screaming abuse at Kettlewell for the duration of the match (because he looked like someone who did). 

I think people reading this stuff should realise that if he's had abuse - it's been from a small section of fans. (not saying that's acceptable either). 

[SteelmaninOZ]

18 hours ago, wellwell91 said:

Neil Lennon till the end of the season

NO! NO! NO! and NO! 

[wellgirl]

Lennon gets touted every time we need a manager for some reason. 

[wellfan]

There's clearly more to Kettlewell's reasoning for his departure than he and the club are letting on, although I'm sure it'll all come out in the wash soon enough. That isn't said to diminish the reality of any hurt he or his family have sustained due to alleged/reported/whatever verbal abuse dished out at matches; it's just odd to have resigned over a few nutters shouting vitriolic shite at you, particularly when it's considered that he's been getting that level of in-person abuse since the bad run of 2023. In the meantime, however, apparently we're the most evil disgusting bastards in football, and we have that club statement to thank for that.

[El Grew]

Let me say at the outset, that abuse from fans, in whatever form, towards anyone in the employment of their football club should not be tolerated.

I harbour no ill-will toward Mr Kettlewell but I firmly believe that he has done a fantastic snow job with his resignation and likely gotten exactly what he wanted from it. All of the reactions from the football media and football fraternity towards him have been highly positive and in his favour and allowed him to walk away with his football reputation intact. Bravo!!

[wellsince75]

8 minutes ago, El Grew said:

Let me say at the outset, that abuse from fans, in whatever form, towards anyone in the employment of their football club should not be tolerated.

I harbour no ill-will toward Mr Kettlewell but I firmly believe that he has done a fantastic snow job with his resignation and likely gotten exactly what he wanted from it. All of the reactions from the football media and football fraternity towards him have been highly positive and in his favour and allowed him to walk away with his football reputation intact. Bravo!!

Indeed - it’s masked that we have the lowest possession, lowest shots on target , won 3 in last 14 games . Moved from 12 point lead against likes of hearts and hibs to be overtaken any week now .

or the stress and strain of a role where in September it was all laughs and smiles to several yellow and red cards 

or the lack confidence with all of those who backed him last year that we’d continue to end the season anywhere need the top 6. 

Re the £2m made in transfers - it doesnt reference how much of that has been blown on the 35 signings he’s made 

perhaps the club have played a blinder with using toxic fans and really being against SK resigning .

 

 

 

[wellfan]

14 minutes ago, El Grew said:

I firmly believe that he has done a fantastic snow job with his resignation and likely gotten exactly what he wanted from it. All of the reactions from the football media and football fraternity towards him have been highly positive and in his favour and allowed him to walk away with his football reputation intact. Bravo!!

Yep. Exactly as I posted yesterday. Rather ironically, he's pulled off a tactical blinder here. 

[MelvinBragg]

15 hours ago, wellfan said:

As you say, Frail pretty much has a free hit until the end of the season. 

Since when was a relegation battle a free hit?

[FirParkCornerExile]

https://x.com/transferscot/status/1884225167284675063

[Villageman]

7 minutes ago, FirParkCornerExile said:

https://x.com/transferscot/status/1884225167284675063

Coincidence Musk is getting rid of his Fact Checkers ?.

[Yoshi-1991]

I'm very sceptical of the level of "abuse" being leveled at the fans and where it really sits in the scale of reasoning for him resigning. 

I'm absolutely sure there will have been a small minority that take it way too far in their venting of criticism but you can't convince me this is some anomaly that everyone in football doesn't come across on the regular. 

It very much smacks of a full blown ego driven temper tantrum in the "it's ma baw and you're no playing with it" style. No doubt he's probably fed up of the criticism being leveled at him, but let's be honest, the criticism is valid. 

I've never been a big fan and other than a couple of purple patches he's been poor on several fronts. It might end up being a case of be careful what you wish for, but it also might not. 

 

[weeyin]

17 minutes ago, MelvinBragg said:

Since when was a relegation battle a free hit?

I know the league is pretty tight, but we're still more involved in a fight to stay in the top 6 than a fight to stay out of the bottom 2.

[weeyin]

3 hours ago, gaz7 said:

Also the email from stuart mcall which someone else has put up shows managers can leave with dignity. 

Of course McCall had a lot more credit in the bank, so much easier to leave on good terms.

It's also quite funny that some posters (not you, btw) are happy to hurl dog's abuse at someone and then moan about lack of respect or dignity when they leave.

[FirParkCornerExile]

7 minutes ago, Villageman said:

Coincidence Musk is getting rid of his Fact Checkers ?.

My thoughts exactly . I wouldnt want any of them for a start LOL

[Big Tosh]

29 minutes ago, wellfan said:

Yep. Exactly as I posted yesterday. Rather ironically, he's pulled off a tactical blinder here. 

I take him with a pinch of salt. He's the master of setting a stall for any agenda. Wasn't that long ago he was all over the media claiming his Dad was to stop going to matches until something was done about VAR. At least that's one member of his family who wouldn't be getting abuse at games! 

[weeyin]

39 minutes ago, FirParkCornerExile said:

My thoughts exactly . I wouldnt want any of them for a start LOL

Aye, I wouldn't any of them for free, never mind wasting money buying out a contract.

[wellfan]

33 minutes ago, MelvinBragg said:

Since when was a relegation battle a free hit?

It’s not, but many were/are of the belief that we weren’t in bother and that Kettlewell and Frail should remain as they were.

[well_said]

42 minutes ago, wellfan said:

Yep. Exactly as I posted yesterday. Rather ironically, he's pulled off a tactical blinder here. 

That's a first.