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Pre-Season Friendlies


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Agreed. If we had got through and been playing a friendly the Saturdays in between we would have been knackered come the actual euro games and the usual army on here would be decrying the fact we organised friendlies.

Knackered 5 days after a pre season friendly? A game where you can play a weakened team at 75% effort and make virtually as many substitution as you want?

 

Seriously?

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Aside from the issue of whether we should have games lined up or not (we should but let's move on), I tend to feel that all pre season games should be closed doors. At our level, how much money does the club make from these games? For the fans, the entertainment from a pre season friendly is next to nothing. Like alcohol free beer, I don't see the point.

 

Maybe I'm in the minority but these games do nothing for me and I'm quite pleased if Saturday's game is behind closed doors...

 

I think there is still a place for friendly matches under ideal circumstances. First of all it gives fans a chance to come along and see any new signings. Secondly you can watch your own team play against slightly exotic opposition that you wouldn't otherwise see them play. And thirdly even a shit game of football at Fir Park is better than sitting in the house.

 

The problem is thought we don't have any really have any new signings to come and see and the matches are played without any edge whatsoever, something that wasn't always the case.

 

Somewhere along the line it seems that in Scotland anything that wasn't a important competitive game was completely disregarded. You can see it spread out like a cancer in the game....club friendlies, then international friendlies, the league cup matches, now even Scottish Cup, European matches and competitive international football doesn't seem to matter to a lot of people. It's a total lack of professionalism in my opinion and the Scottish game has, surprise, surprise, gone right down a hole, since that sort of attitude started to invade the game. You don't pick and chose what games you perform in. You go out there and give it your best shot every time.

 

I wasn't very good at football, or rather, my coaches didn't think I was as good as I thought I was but you know what if I was playing Fulham or anyone else for that matter in a friendly I'd still want to go out there and get stuck right in. How can you want come off a pitch and think that you made it easy for the opposition, or as I prefer to think of them 'the enemy'.

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Knackered 5 days after a pre season friendly? A game where you can play a weakened team at 75% effort and make virtually as many substitution as you want?

 

Seriously?

 

Yes, seriously. This is about where we are now as a team. If our first team had been playing 2 times a week for the past 2 weeks that would have had an adverse affect as the base fitness just isnt there.

 

Given our apparent stage of fitness at the first Stjarnan game (i.e. gubbed at half time) if our first team had then played on the weekend (which is the people who should be playing to get the benefit?), then played the 2nd leg, then the weekend again, then the 1st leg of Lech Poznan we would be knackered. We also would have cut the amount of time for actual training way down due to having to schedule in rest and recovery. You would have 2 games a week, 2 days of active recovery, leaving only 2 at a stretch 3 days of actual training for drills, tactics and fitness. Absolutely would have an adverse affect. How often do you hear managers early in the season moaning about having 2 games a week as it is just too early?

 

Whilst it's important to play games for sharpness the balance needs to be right between training and match time. We obviously thought we would get through, and like in previous seasons, use the games in Europa to get sharp before hitting a 'big' team and then the start of the season. That was risky, for me, and what we should have been doing is coming back earlier to get core fitness up to sctratch (ala McGhee pre season) which would then leave us in a better position to play more games now and more competitively at this time.

 

But, yeah, of course we could play a weakened team, at 75% effort and make loads of subs - because that would be very beneficial.

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Yes, seriously. This is about where we are now as a team. If our first team had been playing 2 times a week for the past 2 weeks that would have had an adverse affect as the base fitness just isnt there.

 

Given our apparent stage of fitness at the first Stjarnan game (i.e. gubbed at half time) if our first team had then played on the weekend (which is the people who should be playing to get the benefit?), then played the 2nd leg, then the weekend again, then the 1st leg of Lech Poznan we would be knackered. We also would have cut the amount of time for actual training way down due to having to schedule in rest and recovery. You would have 2 games a week, 2 days of active recovery, leaving only 2 at a stretch 3 days of actual training for drills, tactics and fitness. Absolutely would have an adverse affect. How often do you hear managers early in the season moaning about having 2 games a week as it is just too early?

 

Whilst it's important to play games for sharpness the balance needs to be right between training and match time. We obviously thought we would get through, and like in previous seasons, use the games in Europa to get sharp before hitting a 'big' team and then the start of the season. That was risky, for me, and what we should have been doing is coming back earlier to get core fitness up to sctratch (ala McGhee pre season) which would then leave us in a better position to play more games now and more competitively at this time.

 

But, yeah, of course we could play a weakened team, at 75% effort and make loads of subs - because that would be very beneficial.

 

 

The Aberdeen game was on the 11th of May at most the players had 4 weeks off before they came back pre season, you dont become unfit etc in that space of time. Is it really asking too much of players on a decent wage to play 2 games of football a week, i dont think so.

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The Aberdeen game was on the 11th of May at most the players had 4 weeks off before they came back pre season, you dont become unfit etc in that space of time. Is it really asking too much of players on a decent wage to play 2 games of football a week, i dont think so.

 

No, in monetary terms its not but in fitness terms, yes it is.

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For once we have a really big team over for a friendly and they have to have it Closed Doors?

 

 

Would have been a decent crowd for this.

 

 

The translated article:

 

"The preseason Real Betis already has closed all dates regarding friendly matches is concerned. A scheduled meetings in Britain before the Stoke City FC at the Britannia Stadium on August 6 and commitment against Sunderland a day later, adds a new rival, the Motherwel l FC . The Scottish side, who play in the Premier League in his country, will face Velazquez on 2 August at 15:00 (16:00 at Spain) at Fir Park Stadium. Thus, will be 11 friendlies played Betis team to complete the set-up overlooking the start of the 2014-2015 campaign.

 

The bética expedition will depart tomorrow, Friday August 1st to British shores to play three friendlies commented, although the first contestant on the calendar is the Marbella FC rival with which he shall rule forces the Real Betis this evening at the 21:00 pm in the Municipal Stadium. This preparation phase will end with a return to Sevilla on day 8.

 

 

 

 

For the week of 11 to 17 August, the last prior to the curtain of the league competition is elk, Julio Velázquez set even played two matches, the first one before the AC Fiorentina on 11 August at 21:00 in the Estadio Benito Villamarín. Four days later, on August 15, the block Heliopolitan visit the Nuevo Colombino Stadium to face the RC Recreativo de Huelva . "

 

 

 

 

 

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is this club just trying to cost its self money? Would have been a brilliant crowd for this. This after last weeks fiasco and missing out on a polish team that would have probably filled the place.

 

brilliant crowd are you serious i doubt we would have anymore than what was at the fulham game

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Of course we're not trying to cost ourselves money!

 

The facts are that the various bodies required to make games like this go ahead are currently occupied elsewhere (the same reason why there are virtually no other senior club playing football in West Central Scotland on this weekend) so it was either take the game and play it behind closed doors, or don't take the game at all. We had looked into several other fixtures against teams from England that may have made it possible for fans to attend (hence the delay in actually confirming) but nothing would quite work.

 

Given the pertinent points people make about having games - and Betis XI will be the eighth of the summer thus far - and the time between the last game and St Mirren, no fixture wasn't an option.

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The club were keen to have the match made open for ‘Well fans, but with the commitments of the local Police force, stewarding companies and other contractors currently elsewhere, the match will have to be played behind closed doors.

 

It will be Motherwell’s eighth fixture of the summer after bounce games against Livingston, Morton, Peterhead and Arbroath, an open door fixture against Fulham and two Europa League qualifiers against Stjarnan.

 

 

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Of course we're not trying to cost ourselves money!

 

The facts are that the various bodies required to make games like this go ahead are currently occupied elsewhere (the same reason why there are virtually no other senior club playing football in West Central Scotland on this weekend) so it was either take the game and play it behind closed doors, or don't take the game at all. We had looked into several other fixtures against teams from England that may have made it possible for fans to attend (hence the delay in actually confirming) but nothing would quite work.

 

Given the pertinent points people make about having games - and Betis XI will be the eighth of the summer thus far - and the time between the last game and St Mirren, no fixture wasn't an option.

 

Are you not allowed to just blame the Commonwealth games?

 

 

What if the club mistakingly left the gate to the East stand open? whistling.gif

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Are you not allowed to just blame the Commonwealth games?

The commitment to the Games is one thing, certainly, but there are actually other pre-arranged events happening at the weekend (non football/sport related) that also takes up the time of those relevant bodies.

 

It's a Betis XI but should make for a good test for the guys for sure...

 

 

 

 

 

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Of course we're not trying to cost ourselves money!

 

The facts are that the various bodies required to make games like this go ahead are currently occupied elsewhere (the same reason why there are virtually no other senior club playing football in West Central Scotland on this weekend) so it was either take the game and play it behind closed doors, or don't take the game at all. We had looked into several other fixtures against teams from England that may have made it possible for fans to attend (hence the delay in actually confirming) but nothing would quite work.

 

Given the pertinent points people make about having games - and Betis XI will be the eighth of the summer thus far - and the time between the last game and St Mirren, no fixture wasn't an option.

 

You are aware there is a full fixture list for the Scottish Communities League cup this Saturday. 14 games in Scotland being played in total. I take it they also have had trouble getting stewards in, and will just tell the crowd to be on their best behaviour?!?!

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You are aware there is a full fixture list for the Scottish Communities League cup this Saturday. 14 games in Scotland being played in total. I take it they also have had trouble getting stewards in, and will just tell the crowd to be on their best behaviour?!?!

 

I am sure they police and stewarding companies are also aware of the other games hence the reluctance in being able to support our game at short notice.

 

Like others have said, the most important thing is the team get a game. People need to relax a bit and stop criticising every action the club is taking at the moment. Focus on the important things, not the trivial things like this.dash2.gif

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Yes, you are right Sup3rw3ll.

 

Perhaps should have made it more clear in that those official matches, most of which are lower league clubs, already confirmed in the League Cup (four of which are Lanarkshire based) was another issue for relevant authorities, agencies and suppliers in arranging this in the current time frame.

 

I was meaning pre-season friendlies for clubs i.e. Rangers at Derby, Killie at Morecambe, Thistle at Fleetwood, St Mirren at Carlisle, Celtic in Helsinki etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jesus, I'm sure this is closed doors with the club having its hands tied buy the H&S brigade and over caution (I'll point out there were cones all the way from Strathclyde Park to Flemington roundabout .... WTF overkill).

 

Some right shanner comments on this thread so far (don't know why it comes as surprise though).

 

If we got through Starjnan then we would be playing tonight, we've missed out on two games and the associated revenue so I think the club's done pretty well to get this game arranged with a La Liga club as short notice. Just another case of you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

Makaveli, your distinct lack of even a rudimentary knowledge of how the club is run, the constraints it finds itself in and your half baked sums on the back of a fag packet are getting boring.

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I know it's closed doors but I'd like us to go 433 on Saturday.

 

Nielsen

 

Ramsden

Kerr

McManus

Hammell

 

Lasley

Carswell

Law (Leitch 60)

 

Ainsworth (Thomas 60)

Sutton (Erwin 60)

Vigurs

 

Might lessen the need for Ainsworth and Vigurs to track back...

 

EDIT Also easily changes to 4231 if that suits with Lasley and Carswell anchoring the midfield, lessening the need for Lasley to charge upfield, therefore less chance of tired tackles from him...

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I know it's closed doors but I'd like us to go 433 on Saturday.

 

Nielsen

 

Ramsden

Kerr

McManus

Hammell

 

Lasley

Carswell

Law (Leitch 60)

 

Ainsworth (Thomas 60)

Sutton (Erwin 60)

Vigurs

 

Might lessen the need for Ainsworth and Vigurs to track back...

 

EDIT Also easily changes to 4231 if that suits with Lasley and Carswell anchoring the midfield, lessening the need for Lasley to charge upfield, therefore less chance of tired tackles from him...

 

Nowt much wrong with that for me. I don't think Reid has done much wrong but I'd be keen to see Kerr in the middle and Ramsden back to RB where he played so well last season before injury.

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