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There’s a world of difference between writing someone off as a lost cause and taking them off at half-time after a shocking performance. He’s clearly a project player and should be treated as such. Probably not, but that’s on the manager for starting him in the first place. Regardless, I’d argue that the overall wellbeing of the team on the pitch takes precedence over any one player’s feelings about being hooked after a shite performance. At the end of the day, we lost to Celtic for a variety of reasons, one of which was shockingly bad player management.

I see Johnny K is available for selection on Saturday. I wonder if we will see him make an appearance or whether SOD goes to RB with Sparrow in front of him. We certainly need to strengthen the RHS of the pitch somehow. We cant be go into Saturday as wide open as we were last week.

Think of the levels of self sabotage by the Motherwell support in that reaction. You don't need opposition fans if you are going to heap unnecessarily amounts of pressure on your own struggling player. We don't know the full reason for picking Vogt over other players but if confidence was an issue for the player before it certainly is now. I know the response to that is that AJ should never have played him in the first place but going by that logic he would never get an opportunity and a potential talent goes to waste.. Hooking him at half time would have done nothing for his confidence. The manager has to stick or twist. By gambling it allows the fans to stick the boot in. A crazy scenario when you think that the interests of everyone should be aligned. 'We like to see the development of young talent (but only when they come out the box as the finished article)' It's one of the reasons I think the word supporter should always be treated with significant poetic license. It is so easy to clap our hands and cheer when all is Rosey in the garden. To boo and ridicule one of your own players lacking in confidence isn't support. As a matter of fact it is the very opposite. Of course football fans are a sensitive bunch and do not like being criticised so we blame the player and we blame the manager and walk of into the sunset singing with a sense of smug satisfaction that we have paid our entrance fee and can do as we please with little care for the reputations we destroy. Stand up and sing, stand up and sing.........!!!

Fingers crossed pal

The Motherwell fanbase hasnt lost its shit though? There are some dissenting voices, sure. But it was always thus. What there has been is vigorous and open debate about our current shortcomings and what can be improved upon to get better results. Any organisation that has a desire to improve needs that. Just nodding and pretending everything is fine never helped anyone.

Ah'll dae the jokes.....or at least attempt to....

I see Hibernian are taking decisive action with some of their support for allegedly misbehaving, i wonder if it will catch on. Hibs ban fans group for three games after disorder - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cmde8dx2263lo

I dont condone fans booing individual players at any time. As you say, it is entirely counter productive. Im also sympathetic to the general theme of your posts. But I agree wholeheartedly with the subsequent posts of KMcAlpin and Wellfan. Giving Willy Vogt his first start in weeks against the best team in the league was frought with danger. I could understand giving him 30 minutes at the end if the game was going well. But Alfred effectively threw him in at the deep end and told him to go swim.

In terms of responsibilty to individuals, we have discussed Willy Vogt's situation and understandably so. That includes the effect on him personally of hooking him. However, what about the effect on Tom Sparrow, of not hooking Vogt? Sparrow was made to look silly, by having no effective cover in front of him. That said, he still isn't a full back. So, its not as simple as looking at Vogt in isolation.

I certainly don't condone any of our fans who barracked Vogt when he was substituted, if indeed that happened to any extent. Its certainly counter productive and not a good look. However, there is dubiety about this. We sit near the dugouts and the impression that I got was that many of those involved were directing their ire at AJ and not the player. I didn't hear any loud shouts aimed at the player, although there was much private discussion, if I may call it that. The manager has a fine balancing act in man management to weigh support for a player against responsibility to the team. Its not easy, but AJ got that very badly wrong. The lad is clearly nowhere near ready for first team football in our league let alone playing against the current champions. Why he chose him and what advice he was given by the coaches we don't know. AJ did him no favours by firstly picking him to start and secondly by not taking him off at half time. The lad's confidence will now be rock bottom. It raises serious questions about AJ's man management skills, as did other personnel decisions before and during the game.

Counting skills can be a big help also.

GA 15 is a quality dram! 🧡❤️🧡

An irishman, called English working in Scotland, its all double Dutch to me 🤣

Just my opinion and certainly wouldn't expect folk to agree but seeing as Jens and our wonderful club were loved by the media, do you think some journos might have an agenda against AJ? we all know recent run not good but funny how john mcglynn not getting hard time despite Falkirk struggling and also buddies were honking at weekend yet no backlash against mcleish. I could be totally wrong and personally AJ needs to address the issues and hopefully get a great victory on Saturday COYW

You’re not mistaken. It’s his MO on here at times. Just look at my recent ‘debate’ with him.

On here is definitely more balanced and folk giving their reasons. I just avoid Facebook as would end up getting rattled. We are seeing just how special a manager we had last season. Was always going to be hard for who replaced him. My concerns are we have spent a lot of money and product on pitch not matching that. I am very much in give AJ time but he needs to stop over complicating things and get the line up correct. At same time the players need to look at themselves as a good few are not performing. COYW

Kelly couldn't catch the cold he was terrible at cross balls. Never an international keeper in a month of Sundays. We were his leval . Liked him when he played with us.