Onthefringes
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Posts posted by Onthefringes
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7 minutes ago, robsterwood said:
Yes mika looked best option. Why could we not have used wages of wilkinson plus bear plus 1 other to keep big kev? Clubs run by amateurs.
Give your head a wobble.
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40 minutes ago, MelvinBragg said:
Hearing some unconfirmed young Irish wing back rumours. Person who told me couldn't remember the name but said it wasn't Furlong. Anyone heard anything...?
Plays for Northern Ireland. Dependent on shifting Lamie?
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17 minutes ago, stv said:
Apprenticeships , as in real the lives of some of us common folks is where you learn your trade build up experience and move thru the system learning so you can progress . Some do it quicker than others . Thats the trick to find out when they are ready to step up i suppose . The better the apprenticeship the better the tradesman.
Well aware how an apprenticeship works, doesn’t really answer the question though.
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7 hours ago, stv said:
To be fair he was in a team that had gave up and was about the only one who looked to be trying when he played. May have been different in a better team. Should have completed his apprenticeship with us to get games under his belt then moved on ,don’t blame him for moving for better wages tho. Took the opportunity like other youngsters have and like them hasn’t really worked out for him.
At what point do they serve these apprenticeships? Not that it’s an exact science, player development has evolved. I’m not sure ‘there’s no substitute for first team games’ is a barometer of success.
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11 hours ago, joewarkfanclub said:
Not sure what definition of bigotry you are using, but happy to be enlightened....
Given your unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
Enlightened. We see you.
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9 hours ago, joewarkfanclub said:
If you cant see the difference between that and the new kit, then there is no explaining it.
We live in the West of Scotland.
I dont care about upsetting Celtic fans, but I dont want to be associated with an orange sash......
You only see what your own bigotry allows you to see.
There are none so blind...
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Far too many variables in emerging talent. Protecting the club interests is wholly different to the ‘can’t force anyone to sign’ theory of some.
On Maguire, his last contract award was the issue. At the magic age around his 22nd birthday in development terms, we’ve offered security and it certainly hasn’t worked for both parties with a career stalling. Some have scoffed at another recently who wanted to challenge that outlook.
Doubt I’ll be the only one of the opinion that it wasn’t a risk to offer him extended terms good enough to get him to sign - he was highly regarded as the next big thing even when Turnbull was still cleaning the boots of senior players.
Simply put, we’ve paid lip service to our player pathway for too long. Understand we drop development players in and out and there’s a plethora of reasons for doing so. Also well aware the approach doesn’t favour each and every prospect but, being allowed to make and learn from mistakes around the first team environment let Hibs with Doig and Aberdeen with the kid who folded twice in front of the East Stand realise multi million pound transfer fees - those who seen them in development (bearing in mind he can play either flank) would agree our player was better than both.
Feel Kettlewell has alluded to this in pre-season and last weeks’ interview. More power to him if he progresses on that front.
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2 hours ago, wellfan said:
I don't disagree that players need to move out before a club can bring others in to balance their squad. However, a significantly greater number of players have left than have come in, and the new 45-man squad list contains only approx. 17 recognised 1st team players, and that's me being generous. Instead of replacing the likes of Casey, Goss, KVV, Cornelius, Johnston, and Furlong, we've filled the 2023/24 squad with the boys, and then the manager has come out in the press and said we need to reduce this squad to bring in new signings. That is why I've used the 'odd' terminology and alluded to a lack of cash, be that correct or otherwise.
My point is that the squad has already been reduced by a factor much greater than the two signings, and that's even when it's acknowledged that the squad was bloated due to Kettlewell inheriting the (re)signings of two previous managers. Considering that reality, perhaps the plan is to operate with a much smaller playing budget and reduced squad, which is fine but means we will undoubtedly struggle if we fail to move certain players on this window, and Kettlewell knows that.
So, perhaps Kettlewell's dig was at previous management and their poor recruitment and forward planning apropos the promising youth, or it was directed at the Board and their 2023/24 budget because he knows they have the wages of KVV et al in their coffers. Whichever it is is a matter of opinion because neither of us knows what he meant.
Let's see what the next few weeks bring, and I include the forthcoming League Cup performances in that.
Considering that reality, probably nothing to add here.
I’ll take your last statement. Cup performances don’t matter a jot if we proceed through the group stage. For many, not a great barometer of where we’ll be the month after.
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20 minutes ago, steelboy said:
Aye but looking at it like that the likes of Maguire and Shields could be thinking sit tight and block new bodies coming in and they'll be in the match day squad come September.
Both players will be aware of club plans & match day squads won’t feature high on priorities.
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51 minutes ago, Spit_It_Out said:
Thats the worrying part when you think about it alot of players have left brought some money on KVV and Max and we still need to get rid of players before we can bring anyone according to the manager.
I wouldn't be shocked a few clubs reading that might put in a bid for Kelly see if we could be tempted to sell.
The glory days of Alan Burrows keeping in touch with us are sorely missed I feel now.
Worrying. I’m not so sure 🤔
This money you speak of - are we guaranteed of being paid up front? Fees are generally paid over the course of the players contract.
And again, players out before players in being misconstrued.
Think the Kelly analogy is poor. Anybody is free to bid, not on the strength of a press release that some of our support aren’t understanding, every player has a price though & we’d be expecting the going rate.
On Burrows - unique to that role. Halcyon days, unfortunately another fanbase now gets the benefit. We move on.
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12 minutes ago, wellfan said:
I'm not panicking yet, as the window doesn't close until the end of August. However, this threadbare and uninspiring squad has the hallmarks of the weak squad that Alexander took into the start of last season, and we all know how that panned out.
It does, however, seem odd that Kettlewell has said we still need to move on some players to secure the budget for further signings, yet we apparently had the budget to put offers to Johnston, Cornelius, Goss, Casey, and KVV. And we've only signed Wilkinson and Obika and released several others.
The Board needs to enable Kettlewell to clear the decks of rubbish and bolster a few key positions. If not, I fear he will also be forced out the door in 6 months, and Clarky will be handed the job and another blank cheque to save our season.
In short, it feels like the Board has had a habit of behaving reactively instead of proactively in the recent past, and it seems like that is set to continue, as Kettlewell's bemoaning of the lack of budget would suggest. We may be completely skint, which answers my above questions; however, reactionary solutions, which we've seen a few of recently, are even more expensive than proactive strategies.
Perhaps a hard reset is needed somewhere behind the scenes?
Odd? If you take the manager’s words too literally, maybe.
The key point being made was we need to move players out before we bring others in which is a different thing to not having money to sign players unless we move players on. Simply, the numbers don’t stack up squad wise.
Leading to your next point, moving the players out is the clearing the decks of rubbish as you put it. Nothing to suggest the board aren’t backing Kettlewell. Too many variables, the process is a slow burner - some just need to suck it up.
Proactive or Reactive decisions by the board are for another debate, I’m not sure Kettlewell was bemoaning anything at all and favour it was a thinly veiled dig at previous management.
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11 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:
Or maybe the job and package on offer is not attractive enough for an experienced CEO, maybe that's how we ended up with Burrows he was already at the club and a nice cheap option.
For me it's the governance of the club that's the problem, run by well meaning amateurs.
The truth will be somewhere in between.
Not sure I share the amateur description given the business acumen of those involved. Although, club AGM gives heavy ‘bowling club committee’ vibes.
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If he can do a white kit with a claret sash in his recovery I’d be obliged.
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3 minutes ago, joewarkfanclub said:
Seriously?
Thats quite bizarre.
On both counts!
When any credible information is thin on the ground, this will tend to stick out.
Variables on what constitutes bettering offers. St Mirren’s problem now.
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14 minutes ago, Coatsy said:
Good
Not in disagreement
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2 hours ago, grizzlyg said:
Mandron signs for Buddies. Unusual for them to sign an ex well player. Probably tempting fate when they play us but I am glad we didn't offer him a new deal
We were still chasing him last week, they’ve bettered an offer.
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9 hours ago, Villageman said:
Any tips on where to stay overnight Saturday. Choice online very limited, either pricey I need twin beds, taking my adult grandson. So far Fochabers or Forres only choices.
It’s busy season in a fairly busy tourist area. Forres would get my vote.
Decent rail links nowadays and the station is definitely under a mile via town centre.
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6 hours ago, maz said:
Fair enough if true but Scott Burns is generally quite accurate with his news and it hardly screams lucrative to bolster Bohemians mid-season for the short term but again that term lucrative doesn't necessarily just mean they can offer more cash or such.
Obviously, we can only take it at face value but another poster suggested eariler that Casey has told the club he won't be returning.
Which reinforces my point…
Scott Burns airs what his contacts want aired giving him accuracy.
Smart money was on the Casey ship having sailed some weeks ago.
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1 hour ago, maz said:
Apparently, Bohemians have put in a better offer for Casey than we did, plus other Scottish clubs have been sniffing about, but his pref seems to be a club in England, according to Scott Burns.
Think the better offer can be easily discounted before usual suspects tell us we’re now being priced out of moves by League of Ireland outfits - Bohemians will be wanting him to bolster them mid-season.
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The finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow like they did in January as our recruitment approach isn’t a best practise.
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1 up. Ferrie
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6 hours ago, SteelmaninOZ said:
He’s from the East Stand at Fir Park
How did you recognise him?
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6 hours ago, Wellfan91 said:
Any idea what formation was played? I'm interested to see if SK changes it up this season, still always feel our squad is best suited to a 4-2-3-1 for some reason
Not seeing any real change except personnel. a 3 of McGinn, Mugabi & Campbell with Wilson (who impressed again) pushing further forward in the first half certainly.
Second half much the same.
I’m not seeing 4-2-3-1 with current squad - it failed spectacularly last season.
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2 minutes ago, supermarv said:
No offence taken at all as I said I hope it works out for him and one day he comes back here a better player for Motherwell. However facts or not some murmurs were said about Dean not being a guaranteed starter hence that swayed his decision not saying that’s factual or not, in my post I said it as an example, obviously a reason a boyhood fan would leave the club when offered a new deal, again maybe not factual but could be down to money etc too.
Regarding Paton I don’t see him being a starter, Spittal, Slattery and hopefully Goss re-signs so there’s a pretty strong middle 3 that will start most games unless better come in.
Was only taking the highlighted point in isolation, got your others. Could flip the thinking - no player should be a guaranteed starter.
Think you’ll find the lad had made the decision even before Kettlewell took charge. Gametime & progress under the new manager will have made the decision tougher without doubt.
The Goss ship has sailed methinks. Him & Slattery as midfield pivots doesn’t have the hallmarks of success for me, plenty of evidence last season to support.
Like I said, I’ll reserve judgement to see how the manager shapes us moving forward.
2023/24 ins & outs discussion
in Club Chat
Posted
Who was getting their picture taken on Knowetop Avenue this morning?