one_luc_nijholt Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Mark McGhee: Motherwell fans should brace for relegation scrap next year May 16 2009 Anthony Haggerty MOTHERWELL boss Mark McGhee last night told fans to brace themselves for a relegation scrap next season. McGhee admitted his side could struggle because they don't have the money to compete with the likes of First Division champs St Johnstone. The Fir Park boss in frustration spoke out after Saints beat him to the signings of Livingston duo Dave MacKay and Murray Davidson. McGhee is also preparing to lose midfielder Stephen Hughes and keeper Graeme Smith as the credit crunch continues to bite. He said: "You've got to be realistic.Times are changing. We tried to sign a couple of players and couldn't afford them. "They'll be signing for St Johnstone - that says it all. We also wanted Stephen Dobbie but he's going to Swansea. "We are where we are but we have to be careful and not get carried away with talk about progress and getting better each year. "We're bracing ourselves for more of a scrap next season and other clubs are in the same boat." McGhee assured fans he'd be staying at Motherwell and denied he would be re-joining Reading. He said: "Reading's owner John Madejski is a great guy and he and I had one of the best relationships I've had with any chairman but I walked out on them and he will not forgive that." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFCGMFC Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 didney really rate dave mackay when he was at dundee anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 That's not really the point. If we can't compete with St Johnstone for players then we are snookered. Frazzle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFCGMFC Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 i know mate its a bad day when you cant compete with them if anything you would have thought they would have came to us? an established SPL side instead fo a team who might stay up or go down next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Frazzle is right. If we're being out matched in the market by a club that has been choking in the first Division for a good few years then there is problems at the very top of our club. If McGhee really wanted these players then the Board should have been able to out match St Johnstone. As for being relegated. I'll Say it again. Nae chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFCGMFC Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 na i dont think we will be relegated there is much worse than us in the league Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Shades of Maurice Malpas again. I'm not overly concerned about losing Hughes or Smith - especially the former as he's done little all season. However we don't have youngsters waiting to step up and so thats not an option. The team has shown a distinct lack of bottle this season in crucial games and so I would not be at all hopeful of our chances in a real relegation dogfight. If we're not careful we'll land back where we were about 3 years ago - cutting back our budget to such an extent that we really are fighting for SPL survival. At the time I recall the powers that be at FP saying that that would not be allowed to happen again. All I ask for is a side capable of battling and scratching for points as Tommy MacLean's sides did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammer Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Certainly doesn't inspire any confidence going into the new season and it'll probably put people off buying season tickets if before a ball is even kicked, we're talking about a relegation dogfight. Is this a knock on effect of the reduced Setanta TV deal? If so, most other clubs outwith the Old Firm will be in the same boat. So another year of overpriced tripe to 'entertain' us again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Football Club Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 He stops shots and had save of the season... What else can a keeper do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammer Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 He stops shots and had save of the season... What else can a keeper do? Command his box? Communicate with his defenders? Don't think Buzz will be as much as a loss as Hughes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 I don't see us facing a relegation battle, but never say never. How many of us at Christmas were worrying about our league position? That said, McGhee said at the time he would have us fighting for Europe and he was right. Whether or not he believed himself at the time we'll never know, however the team did fight back, but like Dave says, we haven't stepped up when it's come to crucial games. Hopefully, McGhee will be given some more money, where from I have no idea, but something has to be done, especially if we do end up in Europe and want to progress further than last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 'Flow Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 What he actually said, in full, was that with the amount of money being spent on the ground etc, he probably wouldn't be able to expand the squad to cope with the injuries we had last winter. "IF" we had to get the same run of personnel missing then we may struggle as badly, or worse, than Nov/Dec this season. He also said if, like 2007/2008, we didn't pick up any injuries then we're capable of finishing third again but that obviously doesn't make as good a story as the one the Record have printed. I'd have thought folk would have learned, by now, to not to take everything they read in the tabloids as gospel. They have taken one small part of a bigger point he's made and made a "sensational" headline from it. Don't panic.... 'Flow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 I think those quotes may be taken out of context. I don't think we can't compete with St Johnstone, I think it's more they NEED the players to survive in the league and have a very astute chairman who has been saving for years and they have added immediately to their squad. Chances are we were ojnly offering back-up wages and St J were offering first team wages. We'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Command his box? Communicate with his defenders? Don't think Buzz will be as much as a loss as Hughes. Personally, on this season I would rather keep Buzz than Hughes. Get down to the first division and get hold of one of those midfielders that like to hit the ball from 25 yards. We need a goal scoring midfielder more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherwell Football Club Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Command his box? Communicate with his defenders? Don't think Buzz will be as much as a loss as Hughes. Name any 'keeper in the league that does any of the above with any success. Not as much a loss as a midfielder that only came back on to any sort of form in the last month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Personally, on this season I would rather keep Buzz than Hughes. Get down to the first division and get hold of one of those midfielders that like to hit the ball from 25 yards. We need a goal scoring midfielder more than anything. Agreed. I would rather keep Buzz than Hughes, although saying that I think Hughes has upped his game lately. Definitely deserving of a place in the Scotland B squad. As for Buzz, there are times I watch him with hands over my eyes, but more often than not he puts in a good shift and has kept us in many a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 I don't read the papers as a rule anymore, but the fact remains we were outbid by St Johnstone for two players. I'm not sure how much spin could/can be put on that, but it doesn't make good reading from where I'm sitting. If Buzz and Hughes leave we will need at least 4 quality additions to even keep our heads above water. If McLean and Klimpl don't re-sign then I don't even want to think about it. Questions need to be asked of Boyle and his penny pinching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickoza Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Unless I actually hear MM say the words, I don't belive a word of what is in the papers. Especially the Rancid. They were giving it away for free outside the Central Station all week. I politely told them I wouldn't wipe my arse with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Questions need to be asked of Boyle and his penny pinching. Why do questions need to be asked??? As far as I understand he put up the wages for Porter or Hughes or even both. The man may not be flavour of the month or even year with some of our supporters but he as lost a heck of a lot of money over the years - some may say that was his fault - maybe, but he did it with the best of intentions - that and he is a well fan through and through unlike Romanov etc. Our Season ticket sales will be down this year. Hopefully not by much but they will down at Motherwell as they will around the country as a lot of people will not be in a position to afford because of the economic environment. As for losing two players to St J - Mackay would have been a squad player at best and probably knew that. St J may run a tight ship but they have a fan base that is very poor and will I suspect still have a weaker squad than Motherwell next season even if we do not add any players/ I would like to see McLean and Klimpl stay. Probably also Buzz and Hughes, although out of the two I would take Buzz. He is a vastly underrated keeper and in the top 3 or 4 shot stoppers in the SPL - I hope I am wrong but I do not see Fraser as a capable replacement. Next year will be tough, but if we get the fair play place and can negotiate a couple of rounds that might give McGhee a bit of extra cash towards the end of the summer transfer window. I certainly feel we need a goalscoring midfielder and another striker to keep Sutton and Clarkson on their toes. We may not be able to afford transfer fees, but we will have the wages available for Porter, Hughes, Malcolm and Buzz available - if McGhee can work his magic then there should be enough floating around in the summer to pick and choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East_Stand_Al Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 They have taken one small part of a bigger point he's made and made a "sensational" headline from it. 'Flow The Daily Record and sensationalism ! Surely not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burn_Broomfield Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 MacKay is murder and no loss, Murray Davidson has potential to be a decent player, but again at this present time is no great loss. St Johnstone have to sign about another 10 players on top of these two to have any chance of surviving as they have a distinctly journeyman, first division look about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yabba's Turd Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 That's not really the point. If we can't compete with St Johnstone for players then we are snookered. or perhaps we only value them at £1500 a week and St.Johnstone are breaking their bank to overpay these players at our expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Maybe if the board had done to the pitch what we were told had been done to the pitch over the past couple of seasons then this wouldn't be coming back to bite us on the ar5e. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East_Stand_Al Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 or perhaps we only value them at £1500 a week and St.Johnstone are breaking their bank to overpay these players at our expense. That's a really good point and a view I hadn't considered obviously players are worth more to a team joining the SPL whereas we perhaps view them as squad payers and cover for injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Sounds like McGhee is getting his excuses in early doors. Financially we are all in the same boat, indeed we are probably better off than many of our SPL counterparts. It is somewhat concerning that we lost out on the boy Davidosn but I reckon McGhee could have had him if he really wanted him. Time to knuckle down and get the best out of what we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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