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2016/17 Ins & Outs


David
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He is usually right, I think he’s away. I’m hearing it’s a two year deal.

 

 

I actually like reading that guys tweets and I always thought he was pretty accurate

 

 

He has a terrible habit of deleting tweets that don't turn out to be true and has posted many times things that never came to pass. Sure he was the source of Van Der Gaag had been offered the deal as manager before Baraclough.

 

That said, I personally think Skippy will be away. Just wait until a more concrete source confirms.

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He has a terrible habit of deleting tweets that don't turn out to be true and has posted many times things that never came to pass. Sure he was the source of Van Der Gaag had been offered the deal as manager before Baraclough.

 

That said, I personally think Skippy will be away. Just wait until a more concrete source confirms.

you're more on the ball than me then - I've never noticed that!

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We'll need 3 new central midfielders. At the moment its unlikely that an under 20 player like Alan Campbell will break through and hold down a regular starting slot. Assuming of course that Pearo will indeed be leaving us, that just leaves Keith Lasley, who I suspect will be "phased out" gradually this year. If we sign just two then that will in effect leave no back up whatsoever for this critical area of the team.

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It's rumoured today that Hibs are in to sign Holt, hopefully that means they are not signing McDonald.

 

I'm sure they also still have Cummings, Keatings, El-Alagui and Boyle. Surely you don't need six strikers. Unless you're Ian Baraclough.

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It's rumoured today that Hibs are in to sign Holt, hopefully that means they are not signing McDonald.

 

I'm sure they also still have Cummings, Keatings, El-Alagui and Boyle. Surely you don't need six strikers. Unless you're Ian Baraclough.

If they get McDonald for nothing, they can sell Cummings for cash...
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If you weigh up both of them then they have different pros and cons.

 

McDonald is 33 and has no sell on value, whilst commanding a big wage, that is true. But he is proven at this level and was absolutely vital to our team last season, I had him on nine assists as well as his fourteen goals. He has also been vital in the development of both Erwin in Moult since he returned. Moult had a fantastic partnership with him last season and the season before Erwin's stats were astounding. 1 in goal in 26 games before McDonald came and 5 in 12 after.

 

The Scottish lower leagues is a market we have underused in recent times, in comparison to other teams and I think signing El Bakhtaoui would be quite a coup, but at the same time have substantial risk attached to it. He had an exceptional season last season, but the season before he only scored nine goals (seven in the league) so he hasn't really proven himself over a period of time.

 

He's a player I'd love to sign and hope that we could nurture into a top flight player, but he's not one I would expect to come in, jump two levels straight away and take the place of one of our most vital, experienced players proven at that level. For me he's the type of player you'd sign to play alongside McDonald, not instead of.

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As much as I like skippy, I do hope he leaves in a sense to bring in Faissal el bakhtaoui just for the change of personnel and a smarter Motherwell business wise.

 

I'm not really sure that replacing one of out most influential and experienced players not to mention our 2nd top scorer last season with a 23 year old whose only experience is at League One level and tbf has only had one good season to date would get my vote as "smart business".

 

In fairness I've not seen much of El Bakhtaoui but regardless of what you think of the overall level of Scottish football it's a massive leap from League 1 to Premiership. With McDonald you know what's you've got and that's a former international who beyond anything else is proven at this level. As much I'd be interested to see us bring a player like El Bakhtaoui in and see what he can do I wouldn't be wanting to be pinning my hopes on him or for that matter bringing him in at the higher end of our pay bracket.

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2 or 3 new players, wasn't specific on midfielders but you'd have to imagine it's the priority given we've let Gomis and Leitch go and now Pearson has left.

 

Under three weeks to our first competitive game...

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2 or 3 new players, wasn't specific on midfielders but you'd have to imagine it's the priority given we've let Gomis and Leitch go and now Pearson has left.

 

Under three weeks to our first competitive game...

 

“We are light in central midfield but we are not going to panic,” he added.

“We have two or three new players in the pipeline."

I'd say the quote suggests that it will be midfielders, but maybe not all three.

 

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Under three weeks to our first competitive game...

 

That may well be true but going by McGhee's interview on the club's youtube site it's not the game he has in mind for the team to be at their peak levels of fitness and readiness. Over to McGhee's doubters, of which you are of course noted as being one Melvin, to determine whether that's an open goal for them to attack or otherwise.

 

Me? Given the opposition it would be ideal but I can certainly see why an optimum level of readiness for the team would be the opening league fixture rather than the first League Cup tie, and that of course has a bearing on the work being undertaken on our squad building.

 

Again in an ideal world it would of course be fantastic if we had our full squad for the new campaign pitch up on the first day of pre-season and give the manager the benefit of working with them for an extended period. Very rarely however is the world ideal.

 

One recalls for example the infamous tractor image which showed off the plethora of new signings the manager had to work with in preparation for the new campaign. Equally I also recall a guy nearing his mid-thirties pitching up the day before season arrived and having the impact of taking the club to the next level. His name ofcourse, Davie Cooper. In which scenario did we gain most from there?

 

So again in a sense if the recruitment is being done with diligence (which with the three from England at least suggests that is the case) then for me better we wait and get the right players in than - even if we have to wait until the English squads are confirmed and it takes a game or two into the league season than hitting the panic button and getting players in just to fill shirts.

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That may well be true but going by McGhee's interview on the club's youtube site it's not the game he has in mind for the team to be at their peak levels of fitness and readiness. Over to McGhee's doubters, of which you are of course noted as being one Melvin, to determine whether that's an open goal for them to attack or otherwise.

 

Me? Given the opposition it would be ideal but I can certainly see why an optimum level of readiness for the team would be the opening league fixture rather than the first League Cup tie, and that of course has a bearing on the work being undertaken on our squad building.

 

Again in an ideal world it would of course be fantastic if we had our full squad for the new campaign pitch up on the first day of pre-season and give the manager the benefit of working with them for an extended period. Very rarely however is the world ideal.

 

One recalls for example the infamous tractor image which showed off the plethora of new signings the manager had to work with in preparation for the new campaign. Equally I also recall a guy nearing his mid-thirties pitching up the day before season arrived and having the impact of taking the club to the next level. His name ofcourse, Davie Cooper. In which scenario did we gain most from there?

 

So again in a sense if the recruitment is being done with diligence (which with the three from England at least suggests that is the case) then for me better we wait and get the right players in than - even if we have to wait until the English squads are confirmed and it takes a game or two into the league season than hitting the panic button and getting players in just to fill shirts.

I agree with much of what you say and my post was (surprisingly, given my track record, I'll grant you) not a dig at McGhee specifically.

 

I am not expecting all our transfer business done by 16th July. But I do feel that to be starting preseason training with only one recognised centre midfielder (aged 36) strikes me as bad planning by the club. I don't pin this on McGhee as I imagine that he has already identified his targets for that area. And I am aware that some deals take longer than others for any number of reasons. But I'd have hoped that it would have been a priority for the club to sort this as soon as the Pearson deal was even hinted at.

 

It's not only Rangers I'd be concerned about from our league cup group if we're going in short in midfield...

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With the exception of Rangers, I'd be more than happy to see the young guy Campbell pitched in for the League Cup games and allow him to develop. I'm not saying he couldn't handle the Rangers game but with the hype that is bound to build it woudl be unfair to expect him to show what he can do in that game.

Signings will come and I'm sure more guys will go. The Rangers game isn't the target in the bigger picture and I agree with McGhee on that. I'd happily let the Rangers group game go, so long as we progress and then get the chance to beat them in the same competition further down the line when we are up to speed - I'd also add that Rangers will be in the same boat, they are still making signings and haven't taken some of their so called 'key' players with them on the pre-season trip suggesting the team that lines up at Fir Park in mid-July will be some way from a team we may play in September.

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With the exception of Rangers, I'd be more than happy to see the young guy Campbell pitched in for the League Cup games and allow him to develop. I'm not saying he couldn't handle the Rangers game but with the hype that is bound to build it woudl be unfair to expect him to show what he can do in that game.

Signings will come and I'm sure more guys will go. The Rangers game isn't the target in the bigger picture and I agree with McGhee on that. I'd happily let the Rangers group game go, so long as we progress and then get the chance to beat them in the same competition further down the line when we are up to speed - I'd also add that Rangers will be in the same boat, they are still making signings and haven't taken some of their so called 'key' players with them on the pre-season trip suggesting the team that lines up at Fir Park in mid-July will be some way from a team we may play in September.

Given our previous struggles in cup games against lower league sides, could argue there will be more pressure/expectation in those games for young players to have to handle...
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