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We’ve played 2 rounds of fixtures and the manner of our performance in games is a whole new level for us but after 22 games+ it doesn’t look like a flash in the pan so in this instance I’d go with option 2 thinking back to Jake Hastie, I think he performed over a handful of games and was a good move for him going to rangers.

That's right. It's the same with selling players. Do we cash in on Watt, JT and Just in January for guaranteed money or keep them in the hope they keep us in the top 4 and help with a good cup run? Option 1 is money in the hand, but with the risk of sliding into the bottom half of the table, losing to Aberdeen in the cup and crowds falling again. Plus not repeating a season like this in the forseeable future. Option 2 is speculative, but the rewards could be a good cup run, a European spot, maintaining higher crowds and a season to remember. Risk/reward can be a difficult calculation for players and clubs.

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Yeah but the money was guaranteed, turning into something special with us if he'd stayed was not and never would have be guarenteed

We should definitely not be selling any of our good players in this window, or in the summer if we can help it. I’ve not given up on a top 3 spot yet. Shankland out for a bit so maybe Hearts will struggle. We still have to play rangers and Celtic twice. Both uglies are capable of dropping points against any team in the league, as well as against each other. Of course, we are also capable of dropping points but there is still 16 games to go amd a lot can happen. At full strength and playing well, we are more than capable of beating either of the uglies.

of course we don't - certainly not in the Scottish medias view We should simply pi55 our pants with happiness and glee just for one of our players to be considered by the mighty Glasgow (Insert either of Old Firm here)

My exact tongue in cheek point earlier. Going by such rumours, we would appear to have little or no say in the matter. The fact that he is contracted to us seems to be of no relevance whatsoever.

Also played at Montrose if my memory is correct.

Given the way Kettlewell preferred to play, you do have to question the wisdom of signing a player in that mould. Obviously not going to be an issue in a Jens team, but he will still require to put the hard yards in pressing opponents.

In the Scottish game, "lazy" often means "prefers to make a pass than chase down a hopeful punt"

He did. He looks to have some ability and had early pedigree. But from the very little seen (and reading between the lines) he seems to be your stereotypical technically gifted but lazy type (Ciftci). Thats not to say Jens might not be able to get a tune out of him but it would take a change in mindset and application

Not these days. They tap up the player first to stir up some unrest and then go to the club and say "see, he wants to move - you'd better let him"

From BBC website: Rangers explore move for league rival's in-form forward, with German interest in a Celtic midfielder... Rangers are keen on Motherwell winger Tawanda Maswanhise and have initiated preliminary discussions by sounding out the 24-year-old Zimbabwe international's agent. (TeamTalk) Do they not need to have 'preliminary talks' with his club first ???

Exactly, with being able to do that save the money or spend it elsewhere.

Your last paragraph is exactly my point. I see it as an opportunity for MFC to make some money and have a quality player in the squad till we sell him. I think that would come down to Welsh willing to take a drop in wages for short time. of Course, remains to be seen if a suitable loan deal will be offered which is probably a more likely outcome if we want to see him play for us the rest of this season.

I think he might of actually in the early league cup group stages last season either way he's barley featured so it's hard to form an opinion on by all accounts seemed to do well on his loan at Morton last season so must have some ability.

Did Stuperevic not play (and score) for us in a cup game? I seem to recall a 20 yarder against Clyde at NDP.

I agree with Wilson needing moved on he tries his best but he's probably not premiership level with the other 2 I don't think Stuparevic has played a game for Motherwell so it's hard to know what his level actually is and Robinson I think by all accounts isn't due back till March so he'll be here the rest of the season at a minimum.

A good assessment but for me wilson needs moved on hes not not up to the standard required, irrespective of how many minutes he gets at Raith, so we need LB cover. As for the strikers Robinson and Stuparavic wont play for us again, they will be moved on as soon as they are fit. The other 2, Stamatelopoulos and Hendry are hopeless and show no signs of being anything else so they need moved on as well, maybe in the summer though as i cant see another striker coming in during this window.

2 keepers is always fine to me Connolly looked decent enough against County and worst comes to worse we bring a keeper in on a short term deal to see us through the season.

We probably do need to trim the squad some, but we need 3 keepers. We're only a year removed from a goalie crisis, and you jist need to look at killie for an example of the downside of not having decent backup keepers.

If you look at our squad we have something like 25 senior players + 2 out on loan as much as we want new signings I can only really see 1/2 more coming in. GK - Ward/Oxborough/Connolly - probably need to shift Oxborough RB - SOD/JK/Sparrow - Fine all utility players who can cover other pos CB - McGinn/Mcghee/Gordon - Need 1 more in that area and we will be paying a portion of Balmer's wage. LB - Longelo - Need 1 more in that area as cover/competition and let Wilson get minutes at Raith CM - Watt/Preistman/Fadinger/Slattery/Halliday - Probably enough depth might need 1 if Halliday goes. RW - Maswanhise/Just/Nicholson - Enough options with all 3 able to play other pos need 1 if Maswanhise goes. LW - Said/RCC - Fine ST - Bjorgolfsson/Stama/Hendry/Robinson/Stuperavic - Probably need to shift 1 or 2 If you take injured players out of that and the loans we have 20 available

They also have to consider the alternative. Imagine Jake Hastie had stayed with us and taken on board the coaching turning him into a better player and was now a regular starter for Cardiff City on 7 grand a week, I get that it's a tough decision, and never criticise any player that chooses the money option. No idea what I would have done in the alternate universe where I was a player in that situation.

Football doesn't work like that, say he takes a wage cut, highly unlikely, gets a serious injury with us, career ruined. What then for him? Players cannot play fast and loose with a short career. Imagine Jake Hastie had stayed with us and became the pish he is. He wouldn't have had a 3 year contract on 5 grand a week to soften the blow. As it is he should be comfortably off even though his career came to fuck all. Players have to live for the moment.