Jump to content

2020/21 Transfer Discussion Thread


David
 Share

Recommended Posts

A piece from the Scotsman earlier in the week about Tony Watt.

 

Quote

Wanderer Tony Watt happy to settle at Motherwell

Watt pitched up at the Fir Park club in February following his return from a nine-month spell with Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia.

Like everyone else of late, though, Watt hasn’t crossed his front door much. Or even his living room door, it turns out. That is down to the fact his gusto for being a gamer – and streaming his jousting with team-mate Declan Gallagher and new-found virtual buddy and Hearts striker Liam Boyce – has gone off the scale.

Watt said: “I’ve become unbelievable at the PlayStation [and] Big Dec and I are sharing most of our lives away.

“It’s got to a stage where my wife is a bit angry that I’m not spending time with her. So I’m just going off and annoying her so that she lets me play the PlayStation.

“I’ve known Boycie through external sources, through other boys. He has been on a similar path to me, he came from Cliftonville [in Belfast], I came from Airdrie. We always had the respect. We have played PlayStation together through this lockdown and we have become close friends, me, him and Dec. It’s got to the stage where we are shouting and going mental at each other. Dec and Boycie are having it out, me and Boycie are having it out. It’s quite refreshing because we are slaughtering each other and people get to see it. I think big Dec actually muted me last night. He was raging at me.”

Perhaps that has to do with the fact that the defender features in a lowly position in Watt’s ranking table of the gaming trio. “It probably goes Boycie one, me two and Dec probably about 10th,” said Watt, who maintains that his love for football – sometimes strained in the past – has been bolstered by the absence of it for the past three months.

That contention touches on the fact that familiar sentiments are expressed by the forward whenever he inks a new deal, or fronts up at a new club. Watt declares that his wanderlust days are over and that he has found a club to allow him to stand still, and yet move forward.

He doesn’t change the habits of a lifetime when articulating the pull of Motherwell. He sees manager Stephen Robinson as someone who “just wants to help others and coach” players for their betterment, which is “refreshing”. In “keeping to their word” pre-lockdown to award Watt a contract, the broader appeal of the Fir Park side is that “from top to bottom it’s a good club”.

So much so that “money and everything else” beyond playing didn’t come into his decision to commit.

No doubt because it is the perennial subject where he is concerned, but Watt is sensitive to the question of whether he is no longer a restless spirit.

A question inevitably raised by the fact that he has never hung around long at any club since he left Celtic in 2014. A loan spell when in Glasgow with Belgian Side Lierse gave way to two years with Standard Liege, then two years with Charlton, including loan spells at Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers and Hearts.

Watt then spent the 2017-18 season back in Belgium with OH Leuven, and the following one with St Johnstone, before a lucrative contract offer from CSKA led him to depart from Perth.

“If you want to go and do your research… three of those clubs – one was a transfer embargo, one was an injury, with the team that sent me on two of them trying to get the money back they paid on me because they were in trouble financially,” declared Watt, who initially elected not to name that team as Charlton.

“Charlton then sent me on loan to Hearts. That is four in the space of six months. That is nothing to do with being restless. That isn’t me being cheeky. They wanted to make the money. I never came out and said that. Why come out and slaughter a club? I could have come out and spoken, but what do you get for arguing and going to papers about a club?

“Charlton spoke to me in the November and said I was doing well and they wanted to make money on me. I went to Cardiff, but they got a transfer embargo. I went to Blackburn but ripped the groin off the bone and was out until I went to Hearts. The loans add a few clubs on but it doesn’t bother me. They improve you as a player. When I went to Hearts it was the first time I had experienced an injury and it was about how you deal with it.

“For me St Johnstone, CSKA Sofia and Motherwell, I’ve enjoyed all three clubs. Now I am here I want to focus on Motherwell, and hopefully I’m here for a long time, feeling stable and settled.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Yorkyred said:

Probably more acceptable to many than Campbell. He has always divided opinion within the fanbase.

Not sure how much is in it but the Stoke and Michael O'Neill connection seems to be getting mentioned in some places. Wigan  too but not sure the background to that one.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, superward said:

Not sure how much is in it but the Stoke and Michael O'Neill connection seems to be getting mentioned in some places. Wigan  too but not sure the background to that one.

 

No real surprise on the Donnelly rumours. 

Pretty sure O'Neill will be looking at every NI player he knows with a bit of a pedigree and playing at a decent level

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, santheman said:

Pretty sure O'Neill will be looking at every NI player he knows with a bit of a pedigree and playing at a decent level

He was also Edinburgh based for years and is on record recently saying that he plans to recruit young Scottish players in his new role (or, at least, young players from the Scottish leagues).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, middleeastdave said:

I see MFC web site have removed Gillespie, Hartley and Tait from the squad, but I still see Long still there, so here is hoping that he will sign a new deal and remain with us!!!

You’ll find all the players that were offered extended terms have remained on the site until a decision is made. The ones that have been removed are the ones that have obviously rejected or not been offered new deals, and have definitely left the club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18507188.ricki-lamie-poised-sign-motherwell-following-livingston-departure/

Quote

Ricki Lamie poised to sign for Motherwell following Livingston departure

Exclusive by Mark Hendry  @mhendry92
Sports Writer

Motherwell set to sign Ricki Lamie after Livingston departure
EXCLUSIVE

Motherwell set to sign Ricki Lamie after Livingston departure

Ricki Lamie is poised to sign for Motherwell after leaving Livingston.

The former Morton defender made 30 appearances for Gary Holt's men last season before the coronavirus pandemic hit. The 26-year-old was then released by the Lions earlier this month.

Herald and Times Sport understands Stephen Robinson is a fan of the player and Motherwell have been tracking Lamie for some time and have finally got their man. 

And on a free after his departure from Tony Macaroni Arena. Lamie, who can also play as a left-back, will arrive at Fir Park just over a month after club captain Peter Hartley left.

The defender scored four goals for Livi last term and counts Queen's Park, Airdrie and East Stirlingshire among his other former clubs.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

If confirmed, Lamie seems to be more of a utility defender than an out and out central defender.  That could still leave us a little short in the middle, depending on whether or not Dunne re-signs. 

Listening to Livingston fans talk about him, they generally feel he's a better centre back than left back...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Stevie73 said:

Any news on O’Hara, is he out of contract, got better and better the more he played, would be a great bit of business, especially if we can get him for free...

Still 1 year left. I heard we were negotiating a transfer wi a small fee but imagine thats down the swanny now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lamie?   Rubbish,  a career with Morton and Livi says it all....nahhhh dont rate him.  ...........Calm doon folks this isn't actually my opinion. I am just predicting what some folk might say as some are good at judging a player before he has kicked a ball.   I think it's a good signing especially if at centre back alongside Declan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...