weeyin

He'll need to be quick. The MLS regular season ends on the 25th of October and Philly are already officially eliminated from the play-offs.

He had a winning team as a baseline. Baraclough had a team in serious decline. He was also allowed to buy players like Coyne, Cooper and Russell. First season in the SPL we were saved by reconstruction. Later season we finished 9th out of 10 when relegation was reduced to bottom one instead of bottom 2.

Based on last season, that is his "glass half full" demeanour.

Apart from cover for Pearson, we should have enough quality to be fighting for top 6 this season. Not saying we'll make top 6, but should be at least in the fight.I don't think it's the signings Baraclough made, so much, as his inability to find his best starting 11 and/or tactics. Of course there have been guys that didn't work out, but that is par for the course for any manager. I think Craigan has shown he's not ready for the step-up yet (even if he wanted it), but someone with a bit more tactical nous should be able to stabilize things in the short term. Having said all that, I think some fans understimate what a bad state we were in last season - or rather, how much effort it takes to address that state of affairs. It took wee Tommy 4 or 5 seasons to build us from a newly promoted First Division team into a team that challenged for the top of the SPL. It could take the same again for any new gaffer.

After some of the comments about Craigan's post match, I thought maybe I had heard a different interview. But no, seems it was the same one. Given that it was an MFC TV video, I think his direct quotes below aren't exactly happy clappy: "2nd half for some reason took us 23 minutes to bring 3 or 4 passes together. If you're going to be in a game where you can't keep the ball then your always going to be on the back foot". "Do they sit back a bit and invite the opposition on..." "Again, poor goals conceded" "I think back to lots of games this season where the opposition is getting into our box too easy, scoring goals too easy" "A cross ball, and you set up a wall for a free kick and just disintegrates. There's no excuses, the players just have to face up to it. The players have to understand where they're going in their careers first and foremost at Motherwell." "You don't come up to football games and just get through them, just play and get a couple of touches of the ball. You have to show that bit of heart sometime. Put your foot in and be strong. If you don't do that then you're always going to be on the back foot." "Anger and frustration because people are paying good money to travel up" ".. it's about understanding 'do I really want to win that ball - do I really want to get on the end of that ball?'... you know, the opposition gets one and it goes in the back of the net".

He might not have been blunt, but it sounded like his comments were spot on given that he basically accused the team of needing a long hard look at theselves for the effort (or lack of) they put in, giving away too many soft goals, too many bad decisions when passing, and missing easy chances.

Just some PR fluff from his management company while he looks for his next job. Probably not even written by him.

Best reader of the game and best timer of a tackle I have ever seen. How many seasons was it he went without even a booking? One of the MFC greats.

Did he not win those with teams other people assembled, though and not even being manager for a full season? I seem to remember he relegated a couple of those with the teams he actually built.

I think in his entire management career, McGhee has had one good season, and it was his first one with us. He had some great players at his disposal during that season, too. I'm on the fence about any potential return as, inevitably, as soon he gets back into the club scene you just know he'll be touting himself for bigger and better things. They way he left didn't really bother me, and seems like an affable kind of guy. Might be the right person to get the best out of our team.

Butcher is currently the manager at Newport County.

He certainly seemed to be aiming his sights on a media career as his football playing days wound down. To me, some TV work mixed in with coaching the youngsters sounds like a great gig. Guess it depends if he really is looking for a managerial career path now.

I think he's still beelin' about the fact the new owner gave Baraclough some cash to spend when he came in.

I'd say Marvin's good/bad ratio since he joined is much better than 1/10.

The training facilities are obviously better, but I'm not convinced about the coaching (in the lower leagues at least). Given what we've seen from the English players that end up at Fir Park it's rare that they have better technique than their Scottish counterparts. Like you say, though, could still work out fine for him. Maybe the ideal would have been for us to sell him, but hold in to him for a year.

Of course he went for money. And I don't blame him. I blame the people that advise guys like him. When you're that age, taking the money now rather than waiting a year and getting more later will always seem the best approach. And if you're an agent, you want your player to make as many moves as they can. That's why so many end up back here.

We made him two offers and suggested he'd be better off playing in our first team than Leeds' development squad. He decided otherwise, so we drafted in replacements. We don't need him back.

Don't forget Pearson and the re-signing of Dom Thomas too. EDIT: Browser went mental there for a minute.

I still think his biggest flaw was not so much underestimating the standard of the SPFL as underestimating how poor the team he took over actually was.. I think most managers would have thought that the team that finished 2nd in the league the prior season couldn't turn so bad so quickly.

Sorry, was replying to Brazilian's request for a reason not to re-hire him.

He was also managing one of the best squads we have had in recent times. All in place before he took over. He did a great job his first season, and managed the whole Phil situation with great dignity. All that good work was offset by the signing of Bob Malcolm and the contract extension of Bob Malcolm.

OK, if that won't float your boat, how about the fact that within a week he'll be touting himself for the Celtic job. Or interviewing for the Hearts job.

If we need to sign any new players it will be this time in 2018 before he hears back from his German contacts.

As always during our hiring process, I'd be surprised if anyone in the media has an actual clue about who is the leading candidate.

Depends how you look at it. If Dundee Utd decided their business model depended on selling on young players, then giving the man who develops them a cut could be seen as a good idea. If it was up to him who to sell, then to would be shady, but presumably he had no say in the matter. In general, I'd much rather someone like him received a cut, than an agent who does nothing to develop talent and is only interested in how many times they can move on a client so they get their 15%.