jk2205 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Haud the bus, we've just had around a year of a management team rely on a flawed system that was to the detriment of our own youth development. Why is it seen by many as 'positive' that an injury prone 34 year old is added to the squad? Mr McCall even classed him as a stop gap till the summer... Boyle really has taken his eye off the ball, delegation of his authority has me worried. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi-1991 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 has the smell of malpas about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Have you not noticed? Every other post from Kmcalpin is about how we need a midfield full of hard-tackling bruisers with good engines Good to see some experienced signings today albeit they're loans. That'll give Stuart McCall some breathing space. Stephen Hughes? A very, very talented player who was nothing short of electric on his game. The problem was that in his second season with us he was hardly ever on his game. I seem to recall someone on these boards calling him the "Invisible Man". In too many games he was anonymous. Cast your minds back to a critical game at Rugby Park when we needed the points badly (0-0 draw), and on paper stood a good chance of collecting them. A perfect stage for him to show off his undoubted talent. What happened? He didn't turn up and did little until the closing stages - all too little too late. Cup replay at Paisley on a good pitch - same story. No thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Seems Jonesy has had his share of injury problems... http://www.walsall.web-fans.com/index.php?...1:as-it-happens Steve Jones has joined Scottish Premier League side Motherwell on loan until the end of the season, when his contract will expire. The 34 year-old made 50 appearances for The Saddlers and scored 10 goals during his time at The Banks's Stadium. ‘Jonah’s' time at Walsall will be remembered for his unplayable period during October and November 2009. He terrorised League One, scoring 8 times in 11 games before injury sidelined him for nearly 2 months. Jones would only go to score one more goal for Walsall, later that season against Swindon Town, in the current campaign he has failed to find the net in 16 outings. Injuries have been a major frustration this term meaning he has come in and out of the side, without being able to get a run of games under his belt. At Motherwell Jones is reunited with former Bradford City manager Stuart McCall, who managed him during his 6 month loan at Valley Parade prior to him joining The Saddlers on a free transfer over the summer of 2009. The move has been rumoured in the past week and is probably best for all parties. He is a big loss to the Saddlers squad on paper but with him being so injury prone and one of our higher earners, caretaker manager Dean Smith or whoever may take over on a permanent basis will have a bit of money freed up to strengthen the side for a ‘great escape’ attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Haud the bus, we've just had around a year of a management team rely on a flawed system that was to the detriment of our own youth development. Why is it seen by many as 'positive' that an injury prone 34 year old is added to the squad? Mr McCall even classed him as a stop gap till the summer... Boyle really has taken his eye off the ball, delegation of his authority has me worried. Reason I am willing to accept it as a positive and give him a chance is that we do not have a left sided midfielder in the first team. Haven't had one in years! Should at the very least give it balance Halsman, Pollock, Lawless....none of them left wingers. Let's not develop our youth in positions they don't play in. We all know what our "fans" would be shouting at them after a couple of less than perfect games..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 got to welcome new faces comming into an extremely light squad. Whilst i understand our younger players need game time, hence loans out, we probably wont get a better opportunity than this season to blood more of them in OUR first team. Our squad is not the biggest hence todays signings, so it seems strange to weaken it almost instantly by sending two out. Seems it's a balancing of books situation to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Reason I am willing to accept it as a positive and give him a chance is that we do not have a left sided midfielder in the first team. Haven't had one in years! Should at the very least give it balance Halsman, Pollock, Lawless....none of them left wingers. Let's not develop our youth in positions they don't play in. We all know what our "fans" would be shouting at them after a couple of less than perfect games..... Short term gain? It's that policy that has us in this position. As for the very least, give it balance, Marc Fitzpatrick fitted the bill of giving our midfield balance whether the porridge dribblers liked the kid or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Loan deals scunner me but there isn't much else kicking about this time of year. Just hope McCall has the scope to bring in 1 or 2 quality pre-contracts in the summer. Listening to him on the radio tonight, it worries me a bit that he doesn't see the right back slot as an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star sail Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Please make it be Hibs or Aberdeen...please. I am surprised by that Kmcalpin. Shows that it is all about opinions. I thought Stephen Hughes was one of the best players we have had in awhile at FP. Would love him to come back and would think it a real blow if he went to Hibs or Aberdeen. Thought he was the main reason for our purple patch im McGhees first season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Stephen Hughes was a class apart. Sure his form dipped in his 2nd season and he went missing in games but there aren't many creative players in Scotland where you get high levels of consistency. I'd take him back in an instant. With Jennings doing all the donkey work he would be dynamite. It's been a while since we have had a midfielder that can play with his head up. Murphy & Humphrey would reap the rewards of his invention. Long shot though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Has it been confirmed which two young players are going out on loan...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 I am surprised by that Kmcalpin. Shows that it is all about opinions. I thought Stephen Hughes was one of the best players we have had in awhile at FP. Would love him to come back and would think it a real blow if he went to Hibs or Aberdeen. Thought he was the main reason for our purple patch im McGhees first season. +1 Apparent on this board that players with genuine ability aren't welcomed at Fir Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star sail Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Looks like McCall has worked with Jones before so he is going to have a good understanding of his capabilities. I actually find this a reassuring signing (unless it end up like the Andy Roddy- Alex McLeish bombscare, Mcleish made some real howlers did'nt he). I agree 100% with OntheFringes comments having said this. There does seen to be a lack of a long term stratagy. 6 month loan deals are very much a quick fix. I am disappointed as well that the likes of Hutchison and Page still seem to be seen as squad players rather than first choice options. If they can't get a run in the team now when will they ever? Does this mean that the left midfield player that played in the bounce game has gone home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Tenner's bet on a new song on Saturday featuring something along the lines of: "We've got Michael Grella, ella, ella - hey, hey, hey... etc". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rex everything Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Tenner's bet on a new song on Saturday featuring something along the lines of: "We've got Michael Grella, ella, ella - hey, hey, hey... etc". Possibly the worst effort I heard while he was at Elland Road was that version of Rihanna's song Umbrella, can't remember the exact words only that it ended "Grella, Grella", thank God it didn't catch on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Possibly the worst effort I heard while he was at Elland Road was a version of Rihanna's song Umbrella, can't remember the exact words only that it ended "Grella, Grella", thank God it didn't catch on. Aye, that's the song I was meaning! It's an absolute stick on for Saturday if he comes on. Thankfully I'll be in the middle of a subcrawl in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyslappy Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Cheeky 6 month contract for ColletAll we need is Jamie Navarro and were sorted! So are we getting Collet as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweazles ring piece Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Haud the bus, we've just had around a year of a management team rely on a flawed system that was to the detriment of our own youth development. Why is it seen by many as 'positive' that an injury prone 34 year old is added to the squad? Mr McCall even classed him as a stop gap till the summer... Boyle really has taken his eye off the ball, delegation of his authority has me worried. I remember quoting that finance wasn't the be all and end all of the wellfare of Motherwell FC. A huge part was down to management structure, organisation and team spirit. Unfortunately IMO, all three have been considerably weakened in the past months. I might be surprised by McCall and Black and it could end up the perfect appointment. But, somehow I just have the feeling that this will not be the case. Hibs on saturday will be our benchmark. Majorly concerned about M.F.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rex everything Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Grella links deleated, bad news for all concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyslappy Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Thanks Rex. Sorry to hear about your mum. Hope the old man feels like coming to see the well soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welldaft Mk1 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Even though it is a shitty little article - there cannot be many times we feature on the Washington Post website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...1012003688.html Have we ever had a yank play for us before? Collet sounds like a good prospect - so hopefully we can add him to the squad also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 It's an AP article, but also made it into the New York Times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Glad we have made two signings but if I'm honest I'm like a few other posters on here. Wary of our second of the day. Still, we will have a clearer picture on Saturday night whether getting Jones up here was a touch of genius or a moment of madness. Did think our new left sided winger would be at LEAST 10 years younger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingu Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 it worries me a bit that he doesn't see the right back slot as an issue. I don't really, there are greater priorities which McCall is addressing. I think Hateley and Saunders are both good enough at right back against the run of the mill SPL teams. If you want someone better than that then they're outwith our price and salary range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Short term gain? It's that policy that has us in this position. As for the very least, give it balance, Marc Fitzpatrick fitted the bill of giving our midfield balance whether the porridge dribblers liked the kid or not. May have not explained myself properly... I would definitely like to see the youngsters given more time - very very happy for them to come on as subs, give them some decent time as well - not 5 mins, to play in the correct position (e.g. Meechan on Saturday - although that was forced). If they then punt a regular starter due to good play then all is good. Surely this is a better way to develop in the long term than starting untried kids? In my mind what we cannot have is all our hopes pinned on a youngster to fill a position for the rest of the reason - especially when we do not have a youngster who plays in that position. Needs to be a balance between the development of youth and the risk of putting too much pressure on someone and harming their development/confidence. Fitzy did give the team balance which I think worked well - but as has been said before he was not a winger. One thing I hope McCall does, and Brown didn't, is give youth a bit more time on the park per game and not just as injury time subs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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