Motherwell Seagull

Sounds like your mate has a right cushy number there...correcting all the mistakes the Record makes!

Thought this was an interesting statement from the article: Under Boyle we have tended to offload valuable players in the last year of their contracts. If we can't get them to sign extensions (whether they want to move on, or we simply can't afford the wage demands etc) it seems like good business to me. This comment at the end of the BBC article now has me thinking about how active MFC have been in marketing these players. Has the interest in them been purely coincidental, or as others have suggested, part of a fire sale? Don't get me wrong, I am ok with the fact that every player has a price, but had hoped that we would not need to resort to a fire sale - if that is indeed what is happening.

If there is no TV deal it will not be long until the other clubs start offloading their big earners! Seems to me that our new man will have an opportunity to build long before the other clubs can start.

Aye - and unlike Skippy, he wont be back at FP scoring goals against us twice a year!

Seem to remember McGhee saying something to the effect that it would not just the the out of contract players that would be leaving the club this summer, and that this was part of his justification for jumping ship. If we are in no financial position to offer these lads new and improved contracts then we are as well to get the cash in rather than nowt in 12 months. The new man may have a decent war chest available to him if we are not too late to the party!

...or even the 2nd!! Is this not what the roller coaster is all about??

At a guess, this sounds like a pre-contract agreement. If we were not to honour this, I believe we would be due a fair bit of compensation to the lad

As Irish says, Gannon has certainly done the business on the pitch - but if County supporters are to be believed, his wages were roughly double that of McGhee (when he left us). If true, we will not be able to afford him, or his fancy suits!

Its not as black and white as you make out Irish. Yes MM could have had more money by moving to Hearts, but we all know it was a risk to take that job - as someone said on NSC this week: Hearts are the Newcastle of Scotland. Their owner is mental. Nobody knows how successful or otherwise McGhee would have been had he moved a year ago. In many ways McGhee probably played safe - Motherwell in Europe, a significant increase in salary, and a squad he felt still had room for improvement. During his time at Fir Park McGhee worked hard to do his best for the club - unfortunately he also rubbed a sizable section of the the fans up the wrong way with his antics in the press etc. Perhaps the fans did misconstrue what he was actually saying, but its not the first time this has happened. McGhee was good for Motherwell, but we were just as good for him! Aberdeen may have a place in his heart - but its another tough gig. I would not be surprised to see him move on again quickly if he gets an offer from England.

Given that we can't afford to pay him to leave have voted yes. He is professional in terms of managing the team - so its not the end of the world if he does stay. Seems ironic that the consensus appears to be that we now want rid of one of the best managers we've had in years... but am becoming used to this with McGhee.

Which wee freak you talking about McLean did have a run in with Keevins whilst he was at Fir Park - there is some suggestion that the two continued to have a mutual appreciation whilst McLean was at other clubs. Strikes me that Keevins is making Chick Young look like a quality reporter!!

I wonder if he will actually sign anyone up there, or if his standards will once again be too high?

Gannon is not a bad shout - did a good job for Stockport, although if the rumours are correct, his compensation package may well be a big part of the reason that they are now in Administration.

Fact is that we would be at the end of a long list of clubs trying to do something similar. Liam Brady who runs the Arsenal Academy is on record as saying that they are not prepared to listen to Loan offers until their pre-season starts - which is presumably too late for us given potential European games?

Don't be too quick to judge League 2 - I dont think its too dissimilar to Scottish League 1. I have been surprised at how ordinary ex Scottish Premier League standard players look in League 1 eg Alan Mccormack and dare I say it, Stevie Hammel and Jim Paterson. Not saying that they do not play well down here, just think it looks like they take a massive step back in terms of their football in comparison to their displays at FP. I think its just down to the pace of the game - the frantic nature of Scottish football perhaps covers up some more glaring mistakes that you pick up in the lower english leagues due to the more pedestrian nature? If we are happy to go down the leagues in Scotland, we should not be quick to dismiss the lower English leagues also - especially when it doesn't look like there is much money at stake.

Have seen a little of this season. Seems to play in a different position in the back 4 every time I have seen them. I think it would be a step up for him in terms of pace, and strength - but from what I have seen he could well make the jump. I question whether he is better than what we have, but that assumes that we keep Reynolds, Craigan stays fit etc. Still, if there is no fee, and financially he is not asking the world, he should be a decent punt.

Think we should leave Mccormack well alone. Is certainly one of the better players in his team, but I think he is a shadow of the player who was at Fir Park. I think he is less mobile now, and it would be a real leap of faith to ask him to step up into a much quicker league. That said, he looks good given the extra time he gets on the ball, and has a nasty habit of creating/scoring goals against Brighton every time I see him!

I could understand businesses that have sponsored players accepting this, but it must be a punch in the guts to the average fan who has forked out a fair bit of money. Seems to me that this should have been sorted out long ago - even with provisional dates pending fixture clarification. The explanation given is lightweight, and highlights a lack of organisation by the club (lack of shirts, lack of time to organise etc etc) Ceske Bairn's post is quite damning to be honest simply because that is an impartial post from a neutral. Having been put off by the cost of sponsoring this year, its difficult not to find B.K.'s rationale compelling. I think this issue may well have cost you a fair bit of the good will the club have deservedly built up from all the hard it has clearly put in over the last few months. Having signed a formal agreement with the sponsors, what would the club have done if the sponsor had not honoured this?

Sounds like a business plan for a budget airline to Zoom all us fans about the place

To be fair - that's not actually saying much!

Andy Agree with you entirely regarding McGhee's record on bringing players in - it was not too much different down at Brighton IIRC. The other side of the coin is that he has clearly improved certain players eg Clarkson (and he did too at Brighton - no other manager has been able to get anything out of Virgo, and a fair list of others) I have to be convinced on the other points. I think McGhee can rightly point to factors outwith his control (excuses as other would have them called), but also think that he is answerable on some points. Perhaps there is more to the Quinn and Hammel switches than we know? I certainly do not think McGhee sends a team out to loose a game of football. He has had to change from 4-4-3 (which we all lapped up) to 4-4-2 due to changes in personnel. He has also had to change how we defend set pieces to reduce the number of silly goals we concede. In both of these moves he was absolutley 100% correct to make the changes. Whether or not his changes have made us less cavalier is another matter. Do we need to apportion blame for the football played this season - has it really been that terrible? It may not have been the step forward that we had all hoped for, but were we right to expect a repeat of last season? Perhaps answers best saved for a chat over a pint rather than long winded posts?

Am bored of this recurring news story. If the OF wish to leave Scottish Football they are welcome. They may well bring added revenue to the Scottish game, but they certainly make sure that they keep the Lion's share! Most folk in England that I speak to quite like the idea of the OF playing down here, but then you can see them thinking a bit and realising all the baggage that comes with them. If truth be told, I like Boyle's attitude on this - if it is indeed good enough for the OF, then why not Motherwell? IMHO, we are good enough currently to play in (and do quite well in) the Championship, and we manage this on a fraction of the money that the Championship clubs enjoy. Quite galling then that we loose players to League One! Appreciate that this would in effect be the end of Scotland as a footballing nation - but is it no just us provincial clubs that care about such things now anyway?

Am not one to overly wax lyrical on McGhee, but.... Last season we played most of the season with 3 talented centre forwards, who each brought something different to the mix. When you have that, you can afford to be more adventurous in the style of football played. Given that we are a team who naturally like to get the ball down and pass (even occasionally having the odd flowing movement), how on god's earth is that possible on the current tattie field at the arc? Neither the loss of 2 talented strikers, nor the pitch (let alone the lengthy injury list we have endured for large parts of the season) can be laid at the door of the manager, yet all have contributed to the standard of football on display. I believe the best football we have played under McGhee was with Uncle Phil pulling the strings. Hughes has the potential to replicate this (and on occasion does), but we shouldn't under estimate just how much our fallen leader gave to the team (and club). Perhaps I am missing your point? What could/should McGhee have done to improve the football on display this season?

As much as I am disappointed by the complete lack of a mention of the return of our Hoop, I have to admit to being very impressed by this announcement! The club deserves credit for Saturday's ticket initiative - shame I'll be watching my other team try to avoid the impending drop! Getting the Coop back is something I have to admit I thought would never happen whilst Mr Boyle was at the club. Well done to all concerned - time to join the rush for those season tickets now! I realise that the cost of the SPL is too high, but even holding prices on the season tickets is a big step to take, and deserves credit. Lastly, well done to Leanne for bothering to come on here to make the post - I hope there will be many more opportunities for her to post good news on here (starting with the return of the Hoop)!

I suspect that McGhee would see potential up there - bigger crowds, a proper beach (sorry, meant pitch), and possibly a club that should be doing better than it is already. Not sure if this is the sort of thing I'd like to see the MST getting involved with, although I guess the sheepy variety believe they are merely representing the fans views?