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I’m not trying to undersell him. I rate him highly and I think he’s been outstanding for us. But I think there are two different arguments being mixed together here. One is: how good is Elijah Just? The other is: what would a buying club realistically pay Motherwell for him? Those are not the same thing in my view. On the Ronaldo comparison, I don’t think it works at all. Ronaldo’s Juventus fee came after he had become one of the greatest players of all time, won multiple Champions Leagues, won Ballon d’Ors, and had enormous commercial value. That wasn’t a “finished article” premium in the normal sense. It was an elite global asset changing hands. In normal football markets, clubs often pay more for younger players because they are buying future upside. That’s why Lennon Miller’s fee makes sense. Udinese were not paying £4.5m because he was a better player than Just today. They were paying for an 18-year-old Scotland international with resale potential. If Miller develops properly, he could become a £15m–£25m player. That upside is priced into the fee. With Just, it’s different. He’s 26. He’s much closer to the finished player. That makes him more reliable, but it also reduces the resale premium in my opinion. His career history matters too. Before Motherwell, he had played in Denmark across the first and second tiers, then in the Austrian second tier. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a very good player, but it is part of the evidence a buying club will use. Clubs won’t ignore seven or eight years of career data because of one excellent season and a few World Cup games. That's just a fact. I'm not saying that the World Cup doesn't raise his profile though, it absolutely does. Three goals at a World Cup is a brilliant achievement, especially for a Motherwell player. Nobody should dismiss that. But context matters there as well. Two came against Iran. The other was a consolation in a 5–1 defeat to Belgium, and New Zealand still went out bottom of the group. That is still impressive, but it is not the same as dominating a knockout tie against France, Brazil or Argentina. The Engels and Fernandez comparisons are also a bit of a stretch. Celtic and Rangers sell from a completely different position. They have bigger wages, European exposure, stronger bargaining power, longer control in many cases, and clubs in England are more willing to pay a premium for players coming out of them. Motherwell do not get Celtic or Rangers prices just because the player may be comparable on the pitch. I wish it wasn't the case, but it is. I also agree that we should talk our players up. But talking them up doesn’t mean inventing a market that doesn’t exist. I'm trying to look at this from the position of a club who can afford someone like Just, and how they'll see it. For me, £4m for Just would not be insulting. It would be a very strong fee for a 26 year old attacking player from a non-Old Firm Scottish club. If we could get £3.5-£4m with serious add-ons and a sell-on clause, that would be very good business. Could a Celtic buy him for £4.5m and later sell him for more? Possibly. But that’s exactly the point. Celtic would be able to do that because they can offer Champions League exposure, a bigger platform and a stronger selling market. Motherwell selling directly from Fir Park are operating in a different market. So I’m not saying Just isn’t a class act. He is. I’m saying “class act” and “£10m player from Motherwell” are two very different things.
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Without all the sponsors on it the shirt wouldnt look too bad. I quite like the white Macron down the sleeves. A hark back to the old Scotland Umbro kits. However, the shorts/socks combo doesnt work for me. I also prefer claret shorts. But if we are going for white, the socks needed to be claret. All that said, Im also not the demographic its aimed at so it will probably go down a storm with the weans!
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Are you saying Just isnt worth £4.5m on todays market? I dont want to diminish Lennon Millers impact or legacy at Motherwell FC, but one of the reasons we didnt miss him at all last season was Elijah Just. I understand your point about sell on, but at 26 I dont think its outwith the realms of possibility that Just has at least 1 more big move in him if he develops further. For example (and Id rather this didnt happen) if Celtic bought him for £4.5m on a 4 year deal and sold him on in 2 years to the EPL after some Champions League level performances, they would easily double their money.
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Currently online looking to see if there are any affordable ways of getting to the Faroes. Anyone had any luck?
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I think you are underselling the player on almost every level. I am not an expert on transfer fees but I would imagine that finished articles sell for more than their younger selves. Would Ronaldo's first couple of transfers be anywhere near his transfer fee to Juventus? Three goals in a WC is three goals. As somebody joked earlier, he scored two more than the entire Scotland team combined and they played lowly Haiti. How many Scotland players in history have scored 3 goals at a WC? You can't underplay that sort of achievement. Just was fantastic last season and had more of an impact than Miller did at any time in his Motherwell career. EJ is worth £10 million. Compare with Engels at Celtic. Just had a better season and look at the money Celtic have turned down for Engels Unfortunately Motherwell will never get £10 million for him because he plays for Motherwell but there are worse players that have commanded more. Look at the valuation of Fernandez at Rangers. Was there not talk of £18+ million for him? We need to be talking our players up not talking them down.
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I understand the hype coming off last season and all that, but I think we need to row it back a little as far as expectations go. I think people are putting far too much weight on a couple of World Cup performances and ignoring the bigger picture. Just is 26 years old and, prior to arriving here, his career trajectory was hardly that of a player clubs were lining up to spend huge money on. He spent years in Denmark moving between the first and second tiers, then had a spell in the Austrian second division, before ending up at what is seen as a mid-table Scottish Premiership club. Aye, he had a very good World Cup, but let’s keep perspective. He scored twice against Iran, then got a consolation goal against Belgium in a heavy defeat, and New Zealand still finished bottom of the group and went home early. That tournament absolutely raises his profile, but clubs don’t suddenly ignore 7 or 8 years of previous evidence because of three good games. The Lennon Miller comparison absolutely does not work for me either. Udinese paid for an 18-year-old with massive upside and potential resale value. Just is much closer to the finished article, which usually means lower upside and lower transfer fee, even if he’s arguably the better player today. If he was 20 and had just put in those performances, we’d be having a completely different conversation. But he isn't, so we're not.
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It’s a bit busy and messy for me but I’m more concerned about how we play rather than how we look so, on we go. COYW!!!
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Amber shorts can be nice too
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I don't think the kids today could cope with Upside Down. 'What's that awful noise?' 'Scruffy hooligans' 'No tune'. etc.
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If I didn't already know I was too old to be wearing the new shirt, the music on the release video would have reminded me. I'm off to have a lie down and listen to some Jesus and Mary Chain.
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Obviously everyone's list would be different but John Sutton is our top league goal scorer since the 1975 league reconstruction so I think he should be on there somewhere. Was it double figures across 5 seasons? Not many Motherwell players have done that. Also we've won three major honours in post war history and a bunch of guys picked up two of the winners medals and a lot of them had long Motherwell careers so I'd tend to rate them higher than you have (Paton, Redpath, Shaw, Kilmarnock). I never saw them but on achievement they have to be right up there. I mean, you have them high, but I'd have them higher.
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Mine would be very similar to this but I would replace Randolph with Ruddy, I would have McKinnon in a back four and would replace Turnbull with Bobby Russell for nostalgic reasons only. That leaves me with 12 so Scott McDonald would probably have to make way. That probably leaves a 4-5-1 with Coyne being the most immobile lone striker of all time but he is my favourite Well player of all time so it will have to do.
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That tiger logo looks like it was made on chatgpt
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Wow. Well done on putting this together. It shows a tremendous knowledge of the players and the history of the club.
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My 'Best XI' (since '82 but probably not paying attention till '86) would be Randolph Martin, van der Gaag, Boyd McFadden, Lambert, Turnbull, O'Donnell, Cooper McDonald, Coyne. And because I've gone with the 3-5-2 I've had to leave out one of my all time favourite Motherwell players Rob McKinnon.
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Some folk will hate the shorts while others will think they are grrrrrrrrreeeeaaaaaatttttttttt! 🤪
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I rarely agree with you but yup I don't like the white shorts, should be claret
