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Like a few others I was beginning to lose faith in Robbo going into the winter shutdown. We failed to kick on after last season and the summer recruitment drive was less than successful. I didn't like the longball style of footie we played but was lesss concerned than many others about that. What concerned me most was our poor results. However Robbo has turned it around suddenly and dramatically. We're now winning gmaes albeit against bottom 6 opposition but we're also playing attractive footie with home grown talent featuring prominently. So, I take my C&A hat off to him. What he has done, unlike many others before him, such as Maurice Malpas, is acknowledge he had made mistakes and change things. Thats why I've really warmed to him in the last month or so. No manager is going to get things 100% right be it tactics or signings. He's really turned things around and deserves credit for that. I'm happy to say that my opinion of him was wrong.

I remember walking with my pals through Stirling town centre one afternoon when I was 13 or 14 (around '94), giving it "theres Mark Hateley" and laughing when we saw a tall guy with a baldy/mullet combo, "theres Basile Boli" when we saw a big bald Black guy, etc. Being a Well fan,I shouted "theres John Philliben" when I saw a guy who looked like Softy, only for the actual guy to turn round and say "its Mr Philliben to you, ya wee prick!" lol

Frear is in my opinion a bog standard bottom 6 level winger. No better, no worse. I've stated on many occasions that I felt we played better with Frear in the team than not because he is a winger and gave us width we just didn't have otherwise. Now we have two better wingers. The new system probably suits Frear better because I always felt previously he was a bit timid about getting forward but with the four at the back he doesn't need to look over his shoulder so much. He can be an option off the bench but I don't see him really ever becoming an established first team player and his value over the course of his contract is borderline. That's how we need to judge players, not on purple patches. Can he make an impact off the bench - yes. Has he done that consistently enough? - don't think so. Can he perform better in the new system - perhaps. I'm neither a hater or a proselytizer of Frear but overall though I don't think Frear is crucial to our re-invention. Campbell comes in and bang an impact. Turnbull comes in and bang, an impact. Hastie comes in and bang, an impact. Gillespie comes in and bang, an impact. Frear has kind of floated around the squad and I think that tells you something but I wouldn't load him on the siege catapult like a few others.

The same thing happened to me at Cappielow. Had been giving big 'Softy' pelters all game - he got the ball about 30 yards and like you I roared SHOOOT. Well you know what's coming next, he nearly took the goals, net and everything away with a worldly. Turned, ran half the length of the park to give me the fingers .

Personally I would let Frear go, I think we can find better regardless.

What his AGENT wants?

I really hope hastie and all our other young talent for that matter look at the careers of lee erwin, ben hall, robbie leitch etc to see that chasing the money early on doesn't usually pay off. Another one is matt kennedy of st j, left killie after a few promising appearances and now, arguably, he's 5 years behind where he could/should be. I know, I know.... short careers, could get injured and so on..... but surely you'd rather make a name for yourself in the game?

Lambert certainly scored a screamer at Fir Park against us for Celtic - just a couple of seconds after I mockingly bellowed "SHOOOOOOOOOT!" at him from row E in the East Stand. :facepalm: Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I agree with the main points that have been posted about Turbull, ie composure on the ball, ability to pick a pass, and to shoot. The one thing I’d like to see more of is for him to get about the park a bit more, in order to get on the ball more and do what he does best. I’m not saying he’s Ross Forbes or anything, but that I think is what he has to work on to get to the real top level. Time’s on his side... hopefully can develop that with us.

I notice a lack of “shoe eating” posts these days !

Hastie will sign. Bookmark this post.

My Dad told me Johnny Aitkenhead took the p*ss out of Corky Young at Ibrox in this manner in the early 1950s. Different game then, only posting to prove to my Dad that I was listening.

Absolute ludicrous to think Frear is a better player than Ariyibi. Ariyibi is far superior, faster, more skilful, creates a lot more space for the team, actually works hard going track back. I used to really like Frear but really don’t see the fuss. When have you ever seen Frear beat 3 or 4 players with so much skill and ease. Stats mean nothing except for a goalscorer.