Onthefringes

Well aware how an apprenticeship works, doesn’t really answer the question though.

At what point do they serve these apprenticeships? Not that it’s an exact science, player development has evolved. I’m not sure ‘there’s no substitute for first team games’ is a barometer of success.

Given your unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group. Enlightened. We see you.

You only see what your own bigotry allows you to see. There are none so blind...

Far too many variables in emerging talent. Protecting the club interests is wholly different to the ‘can’t force anyone to sign’ theory of some. On Maguire, his last contract award was the issue. At the magic age around his 22nd birthday in development terms, we’ve offered security and it certainly hasn’t worked for both parties with a career stalling. Some have scoffed at another recently who wanted to challenge that outlook. Doubt I’ll be the only one of the opinion that it wasn’t a risk to offer him extended terms good enough to get him to sign - he was highly regarded as the next big thing even when Turnbull was still cleaning the boots of senior players. Simply put, we’ve paid lip service to our player pathway for too long. Understand we drop development players in and out and there’s a plethora of reasons for doing so. Also well aware the approach doesn’t favour each and every prospect but, being allowed to make and learn from mistakes around the first team environment let Hibs with Doig and Aberdeen with the kid who folded twice in front of the East Stand realise multi million pound transfer fees - those who seen them in development (bearing in mind he can play either flank) would agree our player was better than both. Feel Kettlewell has alluded to this in pre-season and last weeks’ interview. More power to him if he progresses on that front.

Considering that reality, probably nothing to add here. I’ll take your last statement. Cup performances don’t matter a jot if we proceed through the group stage. For many, not a great barometer of where we’ll be the month after.

Both players will be aware of club plans & match day squads won’t feature high on priorities.

Worrying. I’m not so sure 🤔 This money you speak of - are we guaranteed of being paid up front? Fees are generally paid over the course of the players contract. And again, players out before players in being misconstrued. Think the Kelly analogy is poor. Anybody is free to bid, not on the strength of a press release that some of our support aren’t understanding, every player has a price though & we’d be expecting the going rate. On Burrows - unique to that role. Halcyon days, unfortunately another fanbase now gets the benefit. We move on.

Odd? If you take the manager’s words too literally, maybe. The key point being made was we need to move players out before we bring others in which is a different thing to not having money to sign players unless we move players on. Simply, the numbers don’t stack up squad wise. Leading to your next point, moving the players out is the clearing the decks of rubbish as you put it. Nothing to suggest the board aren’t backing Kettlewell. Too many variables, the process is a slow burner - some just need to suck it up. Proactive or Reactive decisions by the board are for another debate, I’m not sure Kettlewell was bemoaning anything at all and favour it was a thinly veiled dig at previous management.

The truth will be somewhere in between. Not sure I share the amateur description given the business acumen of those involved. Although, club AGM gives heavy ‘bowling club committee’ vibes.

If he can do a white kit with a claret sash in his recovery I’d be obliged.

When any credible information is thin on the ground, this will tend to stick out. Variables on what constitutes bettering offers. St Mirren’s problem now.

Not in disagreement

We were still chasing him last week, they’ve bettered an offer.

It’s busy season in a fairly busy tourist area. Forres would get my vote. Decent rail links nowadays and the station is definitely under a mile via town centre.

Which reinforces my point… Scott Burns airs what his contacts want aired giving him accuracy. Smart money was on the Casey ship having sailed some weeks ago.

Think the better offer can be easily discounted before usual suspects tell us we’re now being priced out of moves by League of Ireland outfits - Bohemians will be wanting him to bolster them mid-season.

The finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow like they did in January as our recruitment approach isn’t a best practise.

1 up. Ferrie

How did you recognise him?

Not seeing any real change except personnel. a 3 of McGinn, Mugabi & Campbell with Wilson (who impressed again) pushing further forward in the first half certainly. Second half much the same. I’m not seeing 4-2-3-1 with current squad - it failed spectacularly last season.

Was only taking the highlighted point in isolation, got your others. Could flip the thinking - no player should be a guaranteed starter. Think you’ll find the lad had made the decision even before Kettlewell took charge. Gametime & progress under the new manager will have made the decision tougher without doubt. The Goss ship has sailed methinks. Him & Slattery as midfield pivots doesn’t have the hallmarks of success for me, plenty of evidence last season to support. Like I said, I’ll reserve judgement to see how the manager shapes us moving forward.

Sorry, to take this part post in isolation, at least keep things factual. Career choice and a stepping stone don’t fit the narrative for some. About how we shape the squad now. Paton not being a starter is for the naive thinkers. Fair to reserve judgement.

As did a few of us. Good player at that level. Lead the line when they turned big spending Darvel over last time I seen him - do you think he’s capable of the step up?

😂 You never know. Can a wummin be a smartarse?