2022/23 ins & outs discussion

[weeyin 4,193]

I don't even know why PCAs exist.

If you want someone in January, pay for them and take them in January.

If you want them when their contract expires. sign them after their contract expires

The rest is just unnecessary complication.

[Kmcalpin 1,212]

Nine senior players out. Agreet that we should bring in 3/4/5 better quality players. Our exact shopping list will depend on whether Lamie moves on of course.

[Big Wispy Flossy 388]

Hard to argue with that list tbh

[SteelmaninOZ 277]

Farewell Grimmy 

 

[wellsince75 247]

12 minutes ago, SteelmaninOZ said:

Farewell Grimmy 

 

out of all the players leaving he's the one I've got a soft spot for.  Appreciate he needs to move on and not the best player we've ever had but his attitude and effort was immense.

[fizoxy 635]

As a Duracell bunny right back, he was decent. As a mideifleder he was not. Great guy though, and I'm sad to see him go. I hope he finds a good gig where he can get regular game time.

[joewarkfanclub 932]

1 hour ago, texanwellfan said:

So 10 players out. Do we turn that into 3 or 4 higher level players at more competitive salary? 

Certainly be my preference.

Hopefully the lure of European Football will assist in that regard.

[joewarkfanclub 932]

38 minutes ago, SteelmaninOZ said:

Farewell Grimmy 

 

Not often a player comes into a club from outwith the area and immediately "gets it". Grimmy was one of those guys and its sad to see him go, but he wasnt going ro get a lot of gametime moving forward, so he goes with our best wishes and he is welcome back anytime.

[Onthefringes 797]

34 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:

Not often a player comes into a club from outwith the area and immediately "gets it". Grimmy was one of those guys and its sad to see him go, but he wasnt going ro get a lot of gametime moving forward, so he goes with our best wishes and he is welcome back anytime.

I concur. I’ll miss him

[Ya Bezzer! 1,836]

2 hours ago, texanwellfan said:

So 10 players out. Do we turn that into 3 or 4 higher level players at more competitive salary? 

We have a first team squad of about 18-19 players so I honestly don't see us bringing in much more than that.  Maybe about a 24 - 25 man squad?

Fingers crossed they are higher level players.

I said earlier we needed to replace our defence but it looks like it's going to be pretty much the same players - O'donnell/Mugabi. Ojala/Lamie/Johansen. McGinley/Carroll.

The number of goals conceded this season was the single biggest problem and it's hard to see leopards changing their spots unless there are substantial tactical changes.

[weeyin 4,193]

33 minutes ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

The number of goals conceded this season was the single biggest problem and it's hard to see leopards changing their spots unless there are substantial tactical changes.

I think tactics definitely played a part in our defensive woes, along with the fact that we never seemed to be able to field the same defenders in consecutive games for continuity.

I quite liked the back 3 strategy we used  with Carroll and O'Donnell as wingbacks, but doubt that is in GA's plans for next season.

On the Grimmy front, also sorry to see him go and hope he finds a regular starting spot with a new club. Always seemed like a positive asset around the club even when he wasn't playing.

[ohwulliewullie 164]

3 hours ago, weeyin said:

I don't even know why PCAs exist.

If you want someone in January, pay for them and take them in January.

If you want them when their contract expires. sign them after their contract expires

The rest is just unnecessary complication.

I don’t know the reasons for PCAs coming into existence in the first place, but I can see an argument for them in a league like Scotland with wages generally a lot more modest than elsewhere. If a player’s contract is up in the summer, it gives them a bit of time to sort out their options and make a decision.
 

I can imagine that if you’re approaching becoming out of contract, players would get very nervous towards the end of the season with nothing sorted… and the possibility of getting injured… medical bills and rehab to cover… with nothing coming in to pay your mortgage etc. 

[El Grew 269]

As others have posted I can’t argue with the release of the players on the club’s list.  However I think there are still a few players left who IMO have shown that they’re not good enough to be playing at Premiership level: 

Mugabi (Contracted to May 2022)

Carroll (Contracted to May 2023)

Ojala (Contracted to May 2023)

Goss (Contracted to May 2023)

McGinley (Contracted to May 2024)

Slattery (Contracted to May 2024)

I appreciate that they are still under contract but they really do need to be gradually moved out.

I also think that the manager has questions to answer surrounding his signing of Jordan Roberts and the loan signings of Liam Shaw and Victor Nirennold.  Between them they only started 12 games and contributed the square root of f*ck all.

[weeyin 4,193]

25 minutes ago, ohwulliewullie said:

I don’t know the reasons for PCAs coming into existence in the first place, but I can see an argument for them in a league like Scotland with wages generally a lot more modest than elsewhere. If a player’s contract is up in the summer, it gives them a bit of time to sort out their options and make a decision.
 

I can imagine that if you’re approaching becoming out of contract, players would get very nervous towards the end of the season with nothing sorted… and the possibility of getting injured… medical bills and rehab to cover… with nothing coming in to pay your mortgage etc. 

Wouldn't the players that sign PCAs just get snapped up at the end of the season by the same teams anyway?

[mfc 421]

The defence is definitely a big concern,other than lamie the rest are under contract and unless the plan is to move some on and it actually happens then there will be little scope to try and improve the defence.hopefully we can add a bit of quality and not just add numbers like we had to do this season due to covid.

[joewarkfanclub 932]

17 minutes ago, El Grew said:

As others have posted I can’t argue with the release of the players on the club’s list.  However I think there are still a few players left who IMO have shown that they’re not good enough to be playing at Premiership level: 

Mugabi (Contracted to May 2022)

Carroll (Contracted to May 2023)

Ojala (Contracted to May 2023)

Goss (Contracted to May 2023)

McGinley (Contracted to May 2024)

Slattery (Contracted to May 2024)

I appreciate that they are still under contract but they really do need to be gradually moved out.

I also think that the manager has questions to answer surrounding his signing of Jordan Roberts and the loan signings of Liam Shaw and Victor Nirennold.  Between them they only started 12 games and contributed the square root of f*ck all.

Other than KVV who is very inconsistent, Slattery is the best footballer at the club....

[Yorkyred 791]

I think Lamie is getting slightly talked up. Being the best of a very poor bunch does not automatically make you a good player. He’s very average at best in my view.

[grizzlyg 710]

3 minutes ago, Yorkyred said:

I think Lamie is getting slightly talked up. Being the best of a very poor bunch does not automatically make you a good player. He’s very average at best in my view.

Compared to ojala... Johansen and mugabi he is definitely better. I would definitely keep him

[mfc 421]

11 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Compared to ojala... Johansen and mugabi he is definitely better. I would definitely keep him

Ojala started off really well for us but after getting injured at pittodrie and being out for a while he hasn't looked the same,he seems to be quite injury prone in his career and maybe this time has been an injury to many.i think Johansen also started well but since coming back from the winter break he has been been poor,maybe playing the number of games he did before joining us had caught up with him.im hoping that after the summer break they might offer us something going forward.mugabi while having improved this season was starting to go backwards towards the end,the shuffling between centre half and right back isn't the answer.the defence needs some serious attention though as there's no way we can go into next season defending like we just did.

[wellsince75 247]

every defender in the team has deserved some criticism.  It can't help to chop and change as often as we do.  Get a settled back 4/5 in place. 

We need at least a very decent left back and ideally one very good central defender. 

[ohwulliewullie 164]

8 hours ago, weeyin said:

Wouldn't the players that sign PCAs just get snapped up at the end of the season by the same teams anyway?

Not necessarily… I’ll use the example of Liam Grimshaw. It’s January ‘22 and he’s out of contract at the end of the season. Even if MFC hasn’t formally told him that he won’t be offered a contract extension, the writing’s on the wall and it’s not looking good. At least with the existence of PCAs (and the ability to ‘legally’ talk to other clubs) he and his agent can see what other options are out there. Kilmarnock (say) are interested, and he signs a two year contract, to start when his MFC one ends. Security for him and his family. 
 

Same scenario without a PCA. There may well have been an informal conversation with Kilmarnock (as we all know that kind of thing happens), and they shake hands on a rough agreement. Grimshaw comes on during the last game of the season for a farewell to the fans, gets injured and is out for six months. Kilmarnock renege on the gentleman’s agreement and the player is stuffed.  
 

I’m speculating here, but in those circumstances I can see why it makes sense for PCAs to exist.

[Ya Bezzer! 1,836]

7 hours ago, mfc said:

Ojala started off really well for us but after getting injured at pittodrie and being out for a while he hasn't looked the same,he seems to be quite injury prone in his career and maybe this time has been an injury to many.i think Johansen also started well but since coming back from the winter break he has been been poor,maybe playing the number of games he did before joining us had caught up with him.im hoping that after the summer break they might offer us something going forward.mugabi while having improved this season was starting to go backwards towards the end,the shuffling between centre half and right back isn't the answer.the defence needs some serious attention though as there's no way we can go into next season defending like we just did.

Pretty much agree with that.

The full back issue is really big.  Carroll and O'Donnell are decent going forward but struggle defensively in a back four.  I've never really been convinced by us playing three at the back, the Hearts game being a good example, we were much better 2nd half when we switched back.  So what do you do?  It's hard to see a solution with the existing resources.

I'd be happy enough with Lamie and A. N. Other.

Mugabi is fine as a 'John Philliben' type fill in at the back for injuries and suspensions.

Ojala and Johansen both looked decent when they first arrived but have been injury prone and dodgy since then.  

In an ideal world I'd ditch McGinley and bring in a better defender at left back and bring in a strong central defender to partner Lamie - if he sticks around.

O'Donnell needs to do better as well.  He's a current international and should be a first pick but his form last season was all over the place, he made too many individual errors and I don't blame the manager for dropping him.  Big improvements needed from him.  I was enthusiastic about the signing but he's been a big disappointment for me.

 

[Yodo 218]

On 5/19/2022 at 10:58 AM, Kmcalpin said:

A link to the Blair Spittal rumour.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/sport/football/blair-spittal-wanted-motherwell-graham-27001308

If that’s the quality of our targets then heaven help us he’s a championship player at best 

[SteelmaninOZ 277]

Would take CK back. I think he really liked being here.

 

[Spiderpig 1,166]

3 minutes ago, Yodo said:

If that’s the quality of our targets then heaven help us he’s a championship player at best 

So who should we be targeting then thats got lots of premiership experience, plays well and is in our price range, feel free to share your wisdom