dennyc

I agree those two were excellent in Athens. But two full games in four days was a step too far for both of them. They were done by half time and it showed second half. Clarke did nothing to help them Max J did originally struggle to get a start with Sturm Graz. That's true. But he is far from a bit part player now. He has been first choice for most of 2025. In the League and CL. The only games he missed this year were down to injury.

I tend to agree with you but when you dig deeper you find that (based solely on place of birth) Max Johnston is no more entitled to play for Scotland than Scott McTominey, Lyndon Dykes and Bryan Gunn. All three born outside Scotland but with a parent or parents who were born in Scotland. Both Dykes parents were born in Scotland. So if being born outside Scotland is the criteria then our pool is even smaller and some surprising players would be ineligible. Also for me it seems unreasonable to ignore players who were born outside of Scotland because a parent was 'abroad' for work purposes. It is not as if the child chose to be born outside Scotland. Max Johnston as an example when his dad was playing for Middlesborough.. Extending qualification to take into account a grandparent is a step too far for me though. So that would exclude Hirst, Conway, Slicker and Adams. Maybe that's a balance that's fairer? Just to add to the nonsense, although the Home Nations agreed as a group to ignore them, per Uefa/Fifa players can qualify based on the length of time they have been in a country and any player born in the UK can play for any of the four nations. Schooling in a country for a set number of years is yet another route to qualification. James Tavernier is actually eligible to play for Scotland. Not saying he should but technically he qualifies. And, for the more senior amongst us, Jack Charlton also has a lot to answer for. I think the current Manager is a bigger problem than qualification criteria though. His loyalty to players who hardly feature for their Clubs is nonsensical. As is his refusal to select in form players. Only one Manager learned anything from the Thursday night win in Greece. And it wasn't Steve Clarke. Did he really believe that Ralston and Hanley with next to no game time for their Clubs could survive two full games in four days at International level.

Of the players that featured on the right this season, either in a back three or as wing back, only McGinn has been an upgrade on SOD. And McGinn's best performances were when he was paired with SOD. They covered for each other when one pushed forward and looked comfortable doing it. Kaleta was the messiah for a week or so and could do no wrong in the eyes of a good few. Then we saw how poor he really was defensively. Casey was tried on the right side of the back three and anyone who was at Perth saw how much of a disaster that was. Even Casey himself going by the rumours of the fall out with Kettlewell. Katroumbis has hardly played so hard to assess. Sparrow has far more energy than most but his defensive positioning is poor and has cost us goals......although he is being asked to play a role that is new to him. Those criticising SOD as a centre back do have a point. But then Balmer, Blaney and Casey seem to get a much easier ride when they lose concentration or pass directly to the opposition. Or does anybody really think those three are error free? SOD is certainly not the player he was several years ago but I believe he can contribute as a squad player and as an 'old head' that can set an example to those less experienced. On that basis I am happy to see him back for another season. I do expect Wimmer to find a preferred starter for that right side though.

Listening to the Lee Miller interview I think Lennon does regret phasing his desire to be the best in the way he did. Nothing wrong with wanting and saying you want to be the best and McGinn readily acknowledged that. He also spoke highly of Miller's ability and maturity. McGinn revealed how badly he himself had been treated by senior players when called up, Charlie Adam in particular, and gave the impression that he would ensure Miller was not treated in such a bitter, jealous manner. I thought McGinn spoke well as a captain, supported Miller and said nothing wrong. It's only the media looking for a story and a few on here that seem determined to find fault. Steve Clark also spoke well on the matter and dismissed it as nonsense.

That brings back good memories. The second leg at Fir Park was something else. Under lights and a totally unexpected comeback. Almost 55 years ago though. That was a shock. Sadly after disposing of Morton we were then ran ragged at Hampden by St Johnstone. Aird, Hall and Connolly were just too good for us. That was a long and subdued journey back to Lanark on the supporters bus. I live and learn though. I had no idea Jumbo Muir had gained a few caps for Australia having moved there from Dumbarton. Well done him.

McGhee and Strachan were sitting with the Dundee Directors last week at Fir Park.. Hopefully that's as close as either get to being involved at Fir Park.

Easily sorted. Just tell all those lower league Clubs that they now have to adapt their grounds for VAR and bear all the costs associated with it's installation and usage. I suspect a good few might change their minds. Pretty damn quick. Reeks of when Brechin City used to run Scottish football. Maybe they still do. No doubt one Blazer has been swapped for another Blazer. On first class expenses of course.

The players can only be as good as the Manager sets them up to be. By playing to their strengths even if that means adopting a different approach at times. SK showed no intention of doing that even before LM and AP were injured. So I do not believe he would have done anything different when they returned. We can agree to differ. Anyway, irrelevant now as you say. Thankfully we have someone new at the helm so we get back to enjoying days like today. Well done to all involved and thanks for that. Best game day I have had this season.

Have to disagree. We were in total freefall with confidence shot. SK had had plenty of opportunities to change things up but either would not or could not. Those last 5 away matches were poorer than anything I can remember in years. Even the better players looked at a loss. It was that refusal to adapt that convinced me we were headed for the play off spot at best. And then it's a lottery. Just compare our approach today with our approach in the Semi Final. What Wimmer has brought out tactically and energy wise on the pitch coupled with the raised spirit in the Stands in his three matches only highlights what SK was unable to achieve. The support the fans gave the team when Dundee equalised was highlighted by both Manager and players. Early days and we need to remember that. But what a difference. The players certainly appear to appreciate the change.

Cheers. So basically set up to help bigger Clubs offset FFP......or bankrupt themselves hopefully. No regard for teams that have youngsters enticed away to bigger Clubs. I guess the good aspect is that Fulham who developed the boy should have benefited from a Development Fee pay out when he moved on from Arsenal ......and possibly Sturm Graz?

How does it work when Biereth spent most of his youth career at Fulham, having belatedly joined Arsenal to be part of their U21 (EPL2) set up? Is he regarded as an Arsenal youth development player? If so teams should just buy up 18 year olds, loan them out and then sell them on to gain the advantage you outline.

Livi in a play off a possibility. Nightmare. Let's hope we can all feel a bit more secure after tomorrow.

Like you I have seen us relegated a few times, and seen us escape on a technicality a few times as well. But those last games under Kettlewell were has bad as I can remember suffering and I think it speaks volumes that not one fan I know was surprised at how poor we were. The signs have been there for months. The lack of a regular goal scorer combined with the year on year drop in quality has finally come home to roost. Kettlewell's speculative signings hastened the decline and if Wimmer gets us out of the mess we are in he should be Manager of the Year. I hope you you are spot on with your positive forecast but I think 8th or 9th is a reach. Wellgirl is right to be worried.

At our level they usually can't. And certainly not when denied support to help them out. Casey on the right of a back three, Wilson in midfield, Blaney on the left of a back three as examples.

Kettlewell was the master at playing players out of position. Hung several out to dry when they were clearly struggling, seldom providing them with any support. I fear Frail was part of whatever thinking was behind that nonsense being repeated time after time. Only my opinion of course, but I believe that led to a lot of the frustration and dissent we saw from players prior to Kettlewell manuevering his way out.

Good point. Also helps when the possession is in the opponents half of the field.

According to the BBC, he switched his formation around to counter Falkirk in this match. Audition passed.

Been mulling the interview over for a wee while to give me time to clear my head. Mainly because I found myself with more questions than answers. And a few things that I struggled to make sense of. Firstly, for me, there is no doubt that Brian Caldwell was at a low ebb and was shocked by the whole turn of events. He clearly feels empathy for his employee and is supporting him as best he can. It was a difficult and disturbing watch. I also get his unease at how quickly folk were applying to fill Stuart Kettlewell's shoes. But I find it strange that given the close working relationship we are told the two had........meeting or talking nearly every day and almost certainly more so in January given our downturn in form, injury situation and the need for action in the transfer window.....that our CEO had no inkling whatsoever of the mental anguish Stuart Kettlewell and his family were going through. To a lesser extent that also applies to other Board Members. Also we are told that the abuse situation heightened during the home victory against Aberdeen. Initially I thought it must have been during the cup loss to St Johnstone. I sit directly behind the home dugout and have witnessed fans screaming at SK to sort things out. At the Aberdeen game and at others throughout this season and last. So it does happen but not to any greater a degree than Alexander, Hammell and others before them had to endure. Not excusing or justifying it but just trying to get things into perspective in my own head. Given that I and others were aware of it, I find hard to accept that those sitting in the Directors' Box a few rows behind me did not see or hear what was a fairly regular occurrence. Or did they see it and disregard it as something that happens at matches the length and breadth of the country? Either way it makes no sense. It also struck me that there appears to have been no serious attempt to persuade SK to hang on a bit longer. possibly following a Club Statement asking for calm and informing fans that such abuse would not be tolerated. If I was to take a cynical view I might think that Caldwell was in part relieved at Stuart's decision as it might have avoided him having to take action if the performance on the pitch continued to spiral downwards. I don't do Facebook or Twitter so apologies if more details of the abuse Kettlewell suffered was revealed on those platforms. But I have witnessed nothing first hand that merits the all out assault on what feels like ALL Motherwell fans by the media,. And which sadly seemed to be supported by the statements initially released by MFC and the Well Society. I am not in any way playing down the abuse that most definitely takes in football be it aimed at players, Managers, Officials or even fans. But this whole situation makes less and less sense to me the more I try to understand it. For me, there are far too many contradictions. Hopefully Stuart Kettlewell and his family are now in a much better place. Time for everybody to move on.

Hearing a rumour of Allan Campbell to Dundee Utd. Anybody know if any truth in it, I know they tried for him last year.

Several Hibs fans I know would have Lennon back in a heartbeat. Don't know much about previous issues but the fact the fans still back him must mean something. As we have seen this week a Club's fans know more about what is going on at their Club than the gutter press. Much easier to write headlines than facts.

I wrote off the Tynecastle performance as a lesson to be learned. I then gratefully accepted the point at Rugby Park despite another woeful performance. We might even have stolen it at the end. Then came Easter Road followed by McDiarmid Park twice. Each game worse than the game before and against teams that ought to have been as fragile as us. We lost those three games and each time the margin of the loss flattered us. That is our current form and I saw nothing from SK to say he had any answers. We can revisit this at season end when hopefully your optimism will have been proven well placed with us sitting well away from and relegation battle.

What are we saying is actually abuse? Within a match/football environment as opposed to normal life. Does it include fans voicing their opinion on team selection, tactics, application, performance? Does it include those fans who choose to boo a team and players off the pitch following an insipid, toothless and passive performance? Does it include shouting at opposition Managers and players? Does it include criticism and frustration vented online? Does it include fans demanding a player be dropped or a Manager dismissed? Does it include charming ditties from the Stands defaming opposition players? All very easy to be offended by but is it abuse in the world of football? And sadly all of that regularly occurs within sport. Particularly in open debate. Not saying it is palatable at times. But it is reality. If the above is abuse, Goodwin and then Thelin at Aberdeen, Naismith when at Hearts, Clement at Rangers, Montgomery when at Hibs, Rodgers upon his return to Celtic, Adams when at County were all subject to abuse. Neil Lennon and Dougie Imrie everywhere. And numerous others. Possibly greater than SK experienced. But I heard little from the media regarding those situations and the Boards involved were also pretty silent. I also suspect those I listed would have been upset but saw it as part of modern day sport. Not great, but again reality. So what exactly is the abuse that Stuart Kettlewell was subjected to? If it was unlawful or threatening or even occurring when out and about with family and friends etc then that is disgusting and anybody in their right mind would condemn it. And action against those responsible would be support by most. Is it vile and offensive behaviour during matches in which case the authorities have the power to intervene and MFC could ask for restraint. I did not witness anything of that nature either Saturday in Perth. Others may have? I suppose I am asking for evidence that convinces me the media in response to the Resignation Statement are not blowing everything out of proportion. I feel sorry for Kettlewell and wish him well. But the cynic in me does wonder about the timing and the Club Statement. Whatever, I hope he can now get on with his chosen career.

Current form. In 2025 we have played six matches, all but one against teams sitting below us in the League. We have won one match, against an Aberdeen time that has not won in over a dozen league games. We have lost four games and stolen a very fortunate point at Kilmarnock. We are out of the Cup at the first hurdle. With Celtic to come followed immediately by games against teams with us in their sights. Good on you for not being concerned about current form and performance and for setting aside the narrowing gap between us and the play off spot. Nobody in their right mind believes abuse of any kind is acceptable but all the talk of what or was not aimed at SK should not deflect from the woeful performances he oversaw of late. As recently as November being drawn into the relegation zone was not a consideration. It is now. And he shares responsibility for that. I'm truly sorry it ended this way for Kettlewell but I think it was time for change. Having supported him throughout last year's run, I had hoped the SF defeat would have proven to him that a passive approach was not the way to go week in week out. Had he not walked, I'm not convinced he would have lasted much longer. Has anybody seen anything in recent matches to suggest he had the ability to turn things round? Or seen a willingness to try something a wee bit different? That might just have been enough for many of those fans keen to see him succeed.

Very much my own thoughts. Spot on and in fact I thought he might walk after the Cup game having seen his reaction at the end. You mentioned the two Perth games in a previous post and again your experience mirrors exactly what I saw and heard. All I would add was that at the League match most fans were that disgusted they just wanted to get out of the Stadium as quickly as possible. A good number had left before the team made the tunnel. Possibly due to much reduced numbers I thought the discontent at that game was not as loud as it was after the previous shambles. Anyway, time to all get behind the team and whoever is in charge. Other teams will have us in their sights and the priority now must be avoiding the relegation places. The County game needs to see us back on track. Anything from the Celtic game will be a bonus but hopefully we will at least see a more determined set of players.

I think that is out of date. 12 Month Rolling Contract agreed August 2024. Whatever that means in reality I haven't a clue.