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2013 - 2014 Ins & Outs


Mad Dog
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Perhaps we decided that Lee Miller wasn't worth the money he was after and decided to go for a cheaper alternative who McCall thinks can do the same job. Lee Miller is a decent player who could have done a good job for us but the way you're going on you'd think we'd missed out on Didier Drogba.

 

However until the rest of us find out who this target supposedly is then we all we can make is assumptions. I for one trust McCall's judgment, his signings have been pretty good for the most part and he's made a couple of shrewd signings so far this summer in my opinion. If he thinks Miller isn't worth the money he's after then that's fine by me.

 

 

Spot on with everything you've said here. McCall hasnt let us down yet and I'm behind every decision he makes. Although I wouldnt like Sutton back I can see his logic as he knows the team well and would fit in easier than a rank outsider.

 

 

Im excited for the signings that make us all go :blink: and by the end of the season its a case of :yahoo:

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No idea, but I'm hoping whoever we bring in will be supported by a few Lee Erwin and Craig Moore appearances this season.

Indeed. You can add McHugh to that list.

 

McHugh has by my reckoning more goals than starts for Motherwell.

 

Moore, by all accounts, did well at Cowdenbeath.

 

Erwin was highly rated prior to injury problems.

 

If even one of these guys can make the step up, then maybe we won't need to bring in two starting strikers...

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If Higdon is offski, which i still think is likely....on account of the fact if he wanted to re-sign, he probably would have done so by now.

 

I don't know how old Sutton is, but I was sorry to see him go in the 1st instance, so if he is 1 of 2 strikers we sign I would be OK with that. Who knows he may have scored near Higdon's tally with Humphrey, OJamma and Faddy laying the chances on for him.

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1371798197[/url'>' post='387058']

Fear not positive news will be delivered early next week!

From this to the following conjecture...

 

1371900740' post='387137']

Yes Lee Miller had discussions with us and it was an extreme possibility that things were moving forward positively and the finance behind it all stacked up however and disappointingly instead of being a great and exciting replacement for higdon our club have (fact) opted for a cheaper and less proven option which will come very apparent....this I'm affraid a sign that when we have a chance we opt for a more of a 'gamble' in my opinion....yes the new striker will be a replacement and could do well but why do we choose to gamble when a replacement in Miller was an very realistic option and that's after discussion....he's signed a new contract at Carlisle as we never followed through!

 

Right, so you've a link to the player in question... Similar to a claim I heard that Craig Samson had discussions with us (he allegedly asked Mr McCall for a guarantee he would still be manager which Mr McCall wouldn't, when in fact he hadn't spoke to anybody at the club which I've had confirmed by the player himself) I'd wager Lee Miller wasn't directly involved in speaking to anybody at the club either.

 

Some of the chat this close season has been diabolical, a source we've never had reason to disbelieve previously was even misled a few weeks back that Higdon had resigned and that was prior to the manager being interviewed at the Blades and Henrik leaving for pastures new.

 

Personally happy with how the club has gone about their business so far with more to come in hope rather than expectation.

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If we can sell Hutchie maybe could fund a package to keep Higdon and Faddy. He'll be a big loss mind you but makes sense. Needs must.

 

To be honest, I'd rather keep Hutchy. Without a quality centre back in the squad next season we could be leaking goals all over the place.

 

Darren Randolph papered over the cracks in that regard and he isn't here any more. In my opinion we cannot afford to lose Hutchinson this pre-season.

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No point in wondering what might have been there. Form of Humphrey, Ojamaa and McFadden (and Murphy before him) would have ensured Lawless wouldn't have got any real game time with us last season. Aye, he could've had the minutes that Daley and Higginbotham had but what would that have amounted to? Had we kept him, it would only have stunted his development...

 

With all due respect (you know what comes next when someone says that!) I think this is a lot of rubbish.

 

As far as I was concerned it was never a case of 'what might have been' as 'what would be' because Lawless was clearly the best player to come through our youth set up since Paul Slane.

 

It was hardly a surprise then that he had a hugely successful season at Partick Thistle.

 

Daley and Higginbotham had something like 30 appearances between them last season, a mix of starts and substitute appearances and at the end of it we have nothing to show for it except wages paid out with no real return. If those appearances had been given to Lawless we would have a really hot young talent with a bit of SPL experience behind him in the squad now, instead we are scrambling around looking to bring in players when we already had a guy there and let him go for nothing.

 

So I disagree, I hardly think playing in one of the best Motherwell teams in recent times would have 'stunted' the development of Lawless.

 

I think our youth development is an area of major concern and isn't being utilised properly, especially at a time when money is tight. People are going on about Erwin and Moore but I'm afraid their fate is likely to be fairly predictable unless there is a major turnaround in our philosophy regarding young players and especially young local players.

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Of course, the flip side to that argumemt is that it's going to be difficult for any player to break into such a settled and successful side - the fortunate situation we have been in the past couple of seasons.

 

If we were in a comfortable mid-table slot the managent team might be more willing to blood a few more youngsters.

 

I also still need convincing that a second tier Dutch team is of higher quality than our first team from last season.

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With all due respect (you know what comes next when someone says that!) I think this is a lot of rubbish.

 

As far as I was concerned it was never a case of 'what might have been' as 'what would be' because Lawless was clearly the best player to come through our youth set up since Paul Slane.

 

It was hardly a surprise then that he had a hugely successful season at Partick Thistle.

 

Daley and Higginbotham had something like 30 appearances between them last season, a mix of starts and substitute appearances and at the end of it we have nothing to show for it except wages paid out with no real return. If those appearances had been given to Lawless we would have a really hot young talent with a bit of SPL experience behind him in the squad now, instead we are scrambling around looking to bring in players when we already had a guy there and let him go for nothing.

 

So I disagree, I hardly think playing in one of the best Motherwell teams in recent times would have 'stunted' the development of Lawless.

 

I think our youth development is an area of major concern and isn't being utilised properly, especially at a time when money is tight. People are going on about Erwin and Moore but I'm afraid their fate is likely to be fairly predictable unless there is a major turnaround in our philosophy regarding young players and especially young local players.

Those 30 appearances, how many (particularly in Daley's case) were late sub appearances? To think that 10-15 minutes every couple of weeks would have developed Lawless better than playing week in week out for Thistle, irrespective of how good our side is, is laughable. With all due respect...

 

Original point still holds. No point in wondering what might have been, no way to tell which of us is right on Lawless.

 

The general point regards our developing our young players is one I can agree with. My concern is Carswell. Here we're talking about a guy who with Law leaving could've been playing week in week out but we've signed Lawson. Difference between Carswell and Lawless is the fact that Carswell actually has shown he can contribute...

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Omar Daley and Kallum Higginbotham played a grand total of 611 minutes between them in the SPL last season. That's less than 7 full games. Regardless of how or why he left I can't believe anyone could think that Lawless would have been better served staying with us last season instead of going out and getting regular first team football. He was a decent prospect but from what I've seen I wouldn't put him near the same bracket as a Murphy or a Slane.

 

He had a good season last year although it tailed of towards the end and fair play to him but I remained to be convinced. In an ideal world he would have gotten more of a chance but I'll wait to see how he does in the SPL next season before passing any real judgment.

 

Bare in mind both Iain Russell and Stevie Craig hit double figures in the 1st division last season. Lets see if he can make the step up this season.

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Serious question. Does anyone think the strategy for next season changes on the back of Hearts starting 15 points behind? The board have often said that relegation is one of their biggest fears, and, while it's not a given that Hearts will go down the probability that we finish bottom has been reduced. Can we afford to try and bring through some young players rather than rely so much on getting experienced players? It's a risk but the potential rewards of finding a couple of gems could be worth it. Also, if it doesn't work there is the chance to change things in January.

Not saying this is what we should do, it's just a though.

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on the back of Hearts starting 15 points behind?

The fact that Hearts will be starting 15 points behind the rest will help ease the threat of relegation for all the other sides in the league. Partick probably can’t believe their luck as they would have been the bookies favourites to go down before Hearts went tits up. They now have a much better chance of survival, however I am sure they will take nothing for granted. Dundee proved last season you can amass points very quickly, and Hearts will still be quietly confident they can avoid the drop.

 

 

 

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Dundee proved a couple of years ago that when teams have their backs to the wall and feel that they have a point to prove that they gel better, are prepared to fight more and the players and fans come together to become better and become than what should be expected - any thoughts of hearts being fav for relegation and that we are safe is in my opinion foolish thinking.

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We finished 19 points ahead of Hearts last year. They will start 15 points behind everyone else this season and won't have Webster, Zaliukas, Sutton & Ngoo plus others.

 

Despite us losing a few, there's no fucking danger we'll be anywhere near a relegation battle.

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Yes Lee Miller had discussions with us and it was an extreme possibility that things were moving forward positively and the finance behind it all stacked up however and disappointingly instead of being a great and exciting replacement for higdon our club have (fact) opted for a cheaper and less proven option which will come very apparent....this I'm affraid a sign that when we have a chance we opt for a more of a 'gamble' in my opinion....yes the new striker will be a replacement and could do well but why do we choose to gamble when a replacement in Miller was an very realistic option and that's after discussion....he's signed a new contract at Carlisle as we never followed through!

We don't normally do this but can confirm no one from MFC has chatted to Lee Miller, let alone agree finance or opt for a ''less proven option".

 

All of that is completely false and unfair to both the club and the player himself...

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