Ins & Outs

[LadywellToi]

I'm in-between Juan and Pidges arguments on Slane.

 

While on one hand I agree if I was good enough to be a pro and was playing at Clyde or alike and had the chance to join Motherwell however knew there was little chance initially of first team football would I go and take the extra money too ..... I probably would. So in that respect I can't blame him, grew up supporting the unwashed so fair enough.

 

He also didn't listen to Chris McCart's revelation at the Fir Park open discussion thing last year when he said if he had his Celtic hat on then sign up immediately, however as a neutral he thought he should stay at FP as that would offer the best development opportunities.

 

I think its fair to say he probably didn't make the decisions on his future career all by himself, no doubt an agent and family were involved too.

 

I suppose lets wait and see what Craig digs up, Gannon started nearly a year ago and brought some quality with him almost immediately.

 

I don't like the idea of grooming a former player to help him with his future career with a league rival. I also don't like the cloud under which he left, however the response of Boyle and Brown shows they didn't want him to leave, I can't see the same thing happening if/when Fraser leaves.

[Cakes]

He made his choice. Fuck him.

 

And fuck Scott Severin as well.

[LadywellToi]

Also been considering the Forbes discussion that's raged on here and in the Poll thread.

 

In the thread below there is a discussion about if someone offers x amount of points per season they are worth keeping:

 

Shuker Thread

 

I would say despite his leaden boots, apparent laziness/lack of fitness he does contribute significantly to our games. So far he's scored 3 times in 3 games. Last season despite falling away in mid-November he probably contributed directly to at least 10 points by his input.

 

I'd say 90% of his crosses seemed to be in the right area, looked dangerous and put the defence under pressure to deal with them. Humphrey managed 10% if that. I was as annoyed as Hateley when he ignored what they discussed before his 2nd half free kick.

 

So like Kooman do we carry him because of the threat he offers? Ideally he'd be a bit more complete and well rounded however he is a boy and still learning his trade. I suppose a lot of the criticism he gets is from frustrated fans who see/hope for a really class player but are disappointed. He also wouldn't get so much heat on here if he at least appeared to be giving 100% when he plays.

[Yir Elder]

It would do no-one any good for Paul Slane to have a loan spell with us. His presence could cause consternation in the dressing room, and most fans would be against it and give him pelters every time he was on the pitch, which could have an adverse affect on the team as a whole.

 

No, he's made his bed and he's going to have to lie in it.

[Motherwell89]

Wasn't slane at the Breidablik game? I could have sworn...

 

Anywaysss he is a good player... he has left to go to the team he has always dreamed about playing for since childhood! + he gets a nice bonus... keeps the family happy.. etc and its not like Celtic don't have the facilities and coaches to develop him as a player... and he doesn't owe Motherwell anything.... If you have a job... minimum wage but your company offers to train you etc... you get trained, qualified... and someone offers you a better job with a much better salary your going to take it!

 

He is good.. he is friends with the guys in the squad still... he would still fit right in and would do a good job for us if he did come back! And for people who thinks he owes the club.. what better way to pay it back than helping the club to success!

[Guest]

He'd fit in, would do a fine job and would get us goals and points. We all know what points make, so he can come here on loan if he wants.

 

I mean, this is all shite because he won't, so whatever.

['WellCobra]

Anyone know who the trialists were that played against killie?

[star sail]

I find the hypocrisy regarding Slane unbelievable. The analogy made earlier by someone about one of us as an 18 year old playing for Clyde, Queens Park etc and getting a chance to move to Motherwell is a good one. I think 95% of the people on this board would take that move even at the risk of not getting first team football because you would hold out hopes and dreams that you would make it. If Slane arrived and started scoring and setting up goals weekly the support would be behind him in an instant.

 

I would happily take Slane back. Someone mentioned Scott Severin too. Would have him in a minute. Way above average SPL player standard but I fear his wages might be likewise.

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Wasn't slane at the Breidablik game? I could have sworn...

 

Yep, I saw him there too.

[johnstone]

The fact Slane went to Celtic isn't the issue. The point is that many here would not want him to come here on loan as it would no doubt affect the morale of other young players at the club and would also be a total PR disaster for Motherwell.

 

Look beyond the Football Manager dream world of making transfers and look at the bigger picture people.

[Frazzie]

I think a few folk have already made the point about Slane as well as I could have, so I won't labour it, but my feelings are so strong that I would have to consider whether I would turn up to games during any loan spell for that ungrateful little prick. The same thing would apply if Pearson was ever to return. They have issued our club with the ultimate insult and should never be allowed to darken the door of Fir Park again.

[TAM]

I would happily take Slane back. Someone mentioned Scott Severin too. Would have him in a minute. Way above average SPL player standard but I fear his wages might be likewise.

 

The rule with any loan signing and any perm signing for that is that they need to add something to the squad that we don't already have or be better than what we have in that position. Personal issues cannot come into it, this needs to be for the better of the club.

 

Paul Slane - could be better than what we have in the wide position, he hasn't had the chance to show consistency (through his choice) but from what we have seen could improve our squad. IMO I don't think he'll come back but I'm sure Paw Broon will make the best call.

 

Scott Severin - I don't think he's better than what we have either at centre half or centre mid, however should Reynolds go he may well be a good loan signing to cover numerous positions. Not at the expense of youth in Hutchinson but to add experience - especially if we manage to make the Europa league stage. Again IMO don't think he'll come, he wants first team football and is going on loan as he can't get that at Watford and I don't think we would guarentee that either.

[Steve Diggle]

I find the hypocrisy regarding Slane unbelievable. The analogy made earlier by someone about one of us as an 18 year old playing for Clyde, Queens Park etc and getting a chance to move to Motherwell is a good one. I think 95% of the people on this board would take that move even at the risk of not getting first team football because you would hold out hopes and dreams that you would make it. If Slane arrived and started scoring and setting up goals weekly the support would be behind him in an instant.

 

I would happily take Slane back. Someone mentioned Scott Severin too. Would have him in a minute. Way above average SPL player standard but I fear his wages might be likewise.

 

Yes - but will you read, understand and acknowledge the response that's been made to those very clever points.

 

Yes we would all move to the 'Well - of course we would.

 

But most of us wouldn't royally screw the club we were currently playing for. In fact if we understood a bit about the state of the game in Scotland we would try if possible to ensure the club that gave us the opportunity would be compensated if we had it in our power to do so.

 

Paul Slane had that opportunity.

[Guest]

He didn't screw the club, he got us a tidy sum of cash.

 

True he didn't go about it in the perfect way, but whatever. Pearson was stitched up by the Journos as well.

[star sail]

Yes - but will you read, understand and acknowledge the response that's been made to those very clever points.

 

Yes we would all move to the 'Well - of course we would.

 

But most of us wouldn't royally screw the club we were currently playing for. In fact if we understood a bit about the state of the game in Scotland we would try if possible to ensure the club that gave us the opportunity would be compensated if we had it in our power to do so.

 

Paul Slane had that opportunity.

 

Did not realise that. Maybe I have not read carefully enough the circumstances of the move. Will give the player the benifit of the doubt in the sense that I don't think he has the intellegence to look at the bigger picture and was probably being advised by Celtic minded people.

 

The Old Firm clubs should take some responsibility in this regard. They are very short sighted when dealing in these situations. They consistently go about the business of weakening the opposition when in actual fact stronger opposition would make them more competive.

 

I think that this is a mute arguement anyway as I think that Craig Brown's attitude towards him while Slane was actually here suggested that he has no interest in playing him.

[Frazzie]

He didn't screw the club, he got us a tidy sum of cash.

 

True he didn't go about it in the perfect way, but whatever. Pearson was stitched up by the Journos as well.

 

 

Pish and double pish.

 

 

That is all.

[Motherwell89]

didnt we get 1.5 for pearson?

[Steve Diggle]

Did not realise that. Maybe I have not read carefully enough the circumstances of the move. Will give the player the benifit of the doubt in the sense that I don't think he has the intellegence to look at the bigger picture and was probably being advised by Celtic minded people.

 

The Old Firm clubs should take some responsibility in this regard. They are very short sighted when dealing in these situations. They consistently go about the business of weakening the opposition when in actual fact stronger opposition would make them more competive.

 

I think that this is a mute arguement anyway as I think that Craig Brown's attitude towards him while Slane was actually here suggested that he has no interest in playing him.

 

Craig Brown told him he was making a huge mistake and would have given him a run no problem at all (and was quoted as such) - but unfortunately Slane had a 'really bad injury'

 

In that regard - i'm pretty sure he won't be back

[Neil]

didnt we get 1.5 for pearson?

 

300k

[Motherwell89]

what did faddy go for? 1.5?

[Guest]

If anyone thinks that the two of them wouldn't improve us they're mental. Take them both in a heartbeat.

[Steve Diggle]

didnt we get 1.5 for pearson?

 

Celtic parade Pearson

Celtic have paraded Stephen Pearson as their new signing.

Motherwell "very reluctantly" accepted a £350,000 fee for the Scotland midfielder Stephen Pearson on Wednesday after protracted negotiations.

 

The 21-year-old signed a four-and-a-half year deal worth £2m and could make his debut against Ross County.

 

He told BBC Sport on Wednesday: "I have obviously supported them all my life. My heart has always been set on Celtic, so it is a dream move for me."

 

Pearson passed a medical on Friday but had already enjoyed a champagne celebration with his family at the conclusion of a week of negotiations between the clubs.

 

"It had dragged on a bit, so I am very relieved as I did not want to leave on a pre-contract agreement," he said. "I wanted Motherwell to get as much money as possible.

 

"Now I can concentrate on my football as I know that Celtic have a team full of world-class players and I might have to bide my time before breaking into the first team."

There had been interest from Blackburn Rovers and Everton, who had signed Pearson's former Well team-mate, James McFadden, earlier in the season.

 

But, despite McFadden singing the praises of the English Premiership, that was never really a possibility as to sign for Celtic was "a dream came true" for Pearson.

 

The Scottish champions elect were the only realistic bidders and had warned Well that they would sign a pre-contract agreement with the player on Thursday if their latest offer was not accepted.

 

 

But more negotiations followed, with Motherwell dropping their insistence that they would receive a percentage of any future transfer fee.

Motherwell stressed in a statement that they and manager Terry Butcher had made strenuous efforts to retain Pearson at Fir Park but finally agreed to the transfer, believing the player had "emotionally and contractually" left the club.

 

"We have very reluctantly accepted an offer of £350,000, " said chairman Bill Dickie.

 

"Initially, Celtic offered £250,000, but that was wholly unacceptable.

 

"Although the offer was increased, we still feel it is substantially below the true value of the player and we were perfectly prepared to leave the matter to a tribunal.

 

"However, after extensive discussions with Terry Butcher, it became clear he did not have any confidence in Stephen Pearson being ready and willing to meet the challenges that will lie ahead at Fir Park until the end of the season.

 

"In view of that, it was agreed it was in the best interests of Motherwell to sell the player to Celtic."

 

 

 

Story from BBC SPORT:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi...ell/3368747.stm

[steelboy]

it's hard to critisce him. he's done well for himself to end up with probably a couple of million in the bank, married to an ex miss scotland, two scottish league titles, a scottish cup medal, scored in the champions league, played at the nou camp, played in scotland's win over france in paris, scored in the play off final and played in the premiership. no bad for a guy who a lot of people (including myself) didn't rate very highly when he was here.

 

the same could be said for lee mcculloch. not many people would have predicted either of their CV's when they were playing for us.

[Andy_P]

Is there actually anything in this at all or has it all stemmed from the fact he was at the game on Thursday night?

[Steve Diggle]

If anyone thinks that the two of them wouldn't improve us they're mental. Take them both in a heartbeat.

 

I don't think they'd improve us - there ye go.

 

If you mean there as good or better than some of the players we have - then I'd agree.

 

But there's much much more to MFC than that

 

We have young players that could come in and do a job - and I'd like to support Hutch and Saunders and Hateley who have committed for the next few years in preference to Severin.

 

Same goes for Slane - I'd rather support a new signing or one of the lads we already have - even though they may or may not be capable of the wee touches of flair that Slane showed.

 

I wouldn't stroke his ego for a couple of points. Give me someone that wants to be here and contribute to the MFC cause anyday.