star sail

I don't think it is unreasonable for one very obvious reason, The six reasons (it could be argued, excuses) you gave apply equally to Gatehead. The game started on a level playing field and Gateshead came out on top. It is not just Scottish teams that go through a pre-season. Oh and there is no need to be condescending. I am fully aware of all six of the reasons why a Motherwell side at this stage of the season should not be firing on all cylinders. The very same six reasons why a Gateshead side should not be firing on all cylinders either and can still beat a Motherwell team.

I don't think it is entirely unreasonable to have some concerns about a defeat to Gateshead given the backdrop of the lack of confidence in Scottish football at the moment. Had our contemporary's produced fine European victories over the last week or two and Scottish football was riding on the crest of a wave then yes, a defeat to Gateshead could be greeted with a shrug of the shoulders. The fact is however that the second biggest team in our league has just been put out of Europe by Luxembourg minnows and St Johnstone ( a team that has consistently outperformed us over the last few seasons) has also gone out of the competition at the first round, Scottish football is going through a crisis of confidence more than ever before. A defeat to a team like Gateshead does raise a few questions. Is the quality of player within the Motherwell squad any better than than the players in a team that play in the Vanarama National League? It is very easy to say that results at this stage of the season are of no importance and that performances are of no importance and maybe they are not, but it is not unreasonable for supporters on a football forum to raise a few concerns, particularly after a season when Motherwell struggled to stay in a league that is proving to be one of the poorest in Europe. I think what irk's me is the acceptance of mediocrity in this country from managers, players and fans alike. Football managers up and down Scotland are giving interviews like Robinson's on Saturday, explaining the latest defeat because it's only pre-season or it's too early in the season or it's too late in the season or the players are exhausted...............etc,etc. My favourite was a few seasons ago when Craig Brown was the manager. He gave as the primary reason why Motherwell were out of European football as a lack of match fitness(where have we heard this before). He then gave as the reason for a lacklustre defeat in September as the players being exhausted due to an early start to the season because of the teams involvement in European football. By his reasoning there must have been a small window of opportunity in late August where conditions were right to put in a performance. Maybe on the other hand he was just talking shite. The point I am making is that a team like Motherwell have to earn the right to be able to shrug of a defeat to a team like Gateshead. I don't think that this team are anywhere near earning that right, so it is not unreasonable for supporters to question the result or the performances. One of the football managers mantra's is that confidence is king. If this is true the results in pre season games matter.

I don't think we can come to any conclusions regarding the position of other teams. In the play-off season we thumped St Mirren at Fir Park when St Mirren still had a chance to stay up and they then beat us a matter of a few weeks later when they were already relegated and the game was hugely important for us. If we are to believe that pressure is often the cause of some of the poor football and decision making that we witness then Killie should be on form tomorrow night.

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but it is possible that we can be safe on Tuesday even if Accies win. It would need us to win and Dundee to lose . Given that they play each other in the last game any result would work for us. I know that somebody mentioned that we can no longer have a scenario where both Dundee and Accies need only a draw in the last game. It shows how big a result that was yesterday. One question for the statos. Have Motherwell had back to back victories this season? I cannot think of any. Edit: Just realised the post above makes this very point.

Taking the last decade alone, every manager we have had has contributed in no small way to keeping us in the Premiership. Mcghee, Gannon, Brown, McCall, and Baraclough. Football management is a tough gig and the vilifacation of football managers, I find hard to stomach. The car salesman, imposter that was Ian Baraclough kept us in the division and yet his treatment by Well fans was terrible. I would argue that he actually did more than any other manager in the last 10 years for securing our future. That our future is in jeopardy again shows how difficult it is to stay in the league. These guys put more effort into their jobs that the average joe. I would thank every single one of them given the chance. Let's hope we can add Robinson to the list over the next two weeks.

It's amazing how a simple image like this can catch your breath.. I was calm but now the adrenaline is pumping. Big day!!!! COYW.

Agree with this. Decisions have not been kind and the only real bit of luck I can think of all season was boyds penalty miss in the last minute v killie. As an aside what has happened to Lee Lucas? Is he injured?

I have been getting tired over the years of defending manager after manager against unfair criticism but here we go again. Firstly Kilmarnock, 3 points nobody can argue with that. Aberdeen away is a very difficult place to go to. They have only lost one home game all season (I think to Cetlic) so to lose a last minute goal is no shame. St Johnstone today is disappointing but they are no mugs and we were without three of our first choice defenders. To match St Johnstone today for large spells shows progress, particularly given the circumstances. It could well be only 3 points from 12 after the Rangers game but Rangers at Ibrox is again a very touch challenge. Let's not judge Robinson on a potential loss to Accies that hasn't even happened yet. I think there has to be some degree of realism before we start crucifying yet another manager,

I would suspect that St Johnstone fans were underwhelmed when Tommy Wright stepped up from Assistant to Manager. Wright has turned out to be possibly the most successful manager in the SPFL in relative terms over the last few seasons. In terms of Motherwell manager appointments over the last 10 years, I was most underwhelmed by Stuart McCall. He turned out to be arguably the most successful Motherwell manager in recent history. Robinson's club record is not fantastic but in the case of Motherwell and Oldham he has been at clubs in transition and only a result or two away from crisis. Not easy circumstances to work under for any manager. All the very best to him and if he ends up being the next Tommy Wright then we can look forward to a few more seasons in the top flight.

Except for a Scottish cup.

Jane Lewis said 5 would be interviewed. We now know 3, Robinson, Valakari and Hughes, all names that have been suggested on here. Guesses for the other two? I think Alan Stubbs would be a possibility but can't think of a fifth.

Did not realise he had said this, I suspected this might have been the case though. Cheers.

Is it at all possible that the club are actually looking for two men literally. Director of Football roles are a hot topic at the moment with clubs like Hearts and Rangers going down that road. Robinson's strength seems to be as a first team coach. The question mark might be, would he have a long term vision for the team and the club? If there was a Director of Football working with him, he could concentrate on what he is good at. Maybe a Director of Football, is simply not an option for a club our size but is it all possible that the announcement of Robinson's appointment is being delayed because they are looking for that very thing?

My thoughts on the names mentioned: Stephen Robinson: I would be happy with this, A well respected coach who has seen success with NI as is at the point in his career where management of at team our size seems the next logical step. I would not hold his time at Oldham against him. I listened to an interview with John Sheriden where he admitted that he left the club first time round because he did not believe that he had the resources to keep the club in the Championship. As a first managerial experience it would have been a baptism of fire. If would be a real shame if he does not get the job because he seems like a decent guy who has done much in a positive sense for the club over the last few seasons. Yogi Hughes: I really like him has a character and as others have said, I don't think he will be nearly as daft as he comes across. Won a Scottish Cup for ICT and had them playing good football with little resources. I have heard him speak very positively about Motherwell as a club and I think he has the personality to unify the club. Again would be happy with this. Simo Valakari: Normally this would be the kind of appointment that would excite me. A hungry, up and coming manager, with fresh ideas and success at a slightly lower level. On this occasion however I am not so sure. Maybe it is the memories of the Harri Kampman experience or maybe it is just because I feel that it is just too much of a step into the unknown. As I have said before our support does not have the patience or stomach for an experiment and a few poor results could see the mood change very quickly. Heart says yes to Simo, head says no. Owen Coyle/ Billy Davis: Not for me. Would be expensive options and may be guilty of thinking, like McGhee, that the job is beneath them. Not sure that they would have the hunger for the fight. Alan Stubbs: Seems to be unpopular on here but for me would be a great option. Took on a team in Hibs that were in freefall. Calderwood and Butcher had been able to do nothing to stop the rot, Stubbs rebuilt very succesfully and achieved a Scottish Cup win. People would argue that he could not get Hibs out of the Championship but he had the not so small matter of Rangers and Hearts to contend with. Young coach with a wealth of experience looking to rebuild his reputation. Would be delighted if it was Stubbs. Jim Duffy: Part of the Scottish football establishment so for that reason alone, it's a massive NO for me.

Lost out to two of the other biggest teams in Scotland, Rangers and Hearts and as I said above he won a Scottish Cup. If we are ruling out people like Stubbs as not Motherwell standard then the pool is going to become very small indeed.

Indeed. The very same man. There was the small matter of a Scottish Cup victory as well. I guess he was just lucky.

I suspect that Alan Stubbs would be beyond our price range but if he was looking to re-build his reputation then he would be an exciting option: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alan-stubbs-management-getting-sack-12638634

Three managers sacked in the last two and a half years with the 'senior players' holding some influence throughout that time would suggest to me that in-house is not the way to go. There is something not quite right about our squad of players and has not been since the last day of the season at Aberdeen in 2014. We need a fresh start now. We need a manager who will not pander to the senior players. Two relegation battles in 3 years, with these players apparently having a hugely positive influence at the club. Something does not add up. The play-off's showed us how these players could play, when they could be bothered. Whoever takes over has a very difficult job on their hands. I would not like to be the person charged with getting the decision right.

It is very harsh to say that Baraclough and Gannon were catastrophic failures. Both managers rebuild squads that had been severely depleted by the previous managers who were both Scottish and familiar with Scottish football (McGhee and McCall). In Gannon's case the list of good players he brought in was almost unprecedented and let's not forgot that he left the club at Christmas with Motherwell sitting fifth in the league. They finished fifth that season under Craig Brown (as experienced in Scottish football as they come). In Baraclough's case he kept us in the SPL, something that can hardly be classed as a catastrophic failure. it would be a brave man that would suggest that any manager could have kept us up that season, so surely he must be given some credit. Baraclough also brought us a victory at Ibrox, something that no other Motherwell manager has been able to for decades. He was also responsible for bringing Marvin Johnson and Louis Moult to the club, Motherwell's best sellable assets in some time. Also has the tried and tested Scottish manager worked this time round? I don't have a strong preference as to who any new manager should be, in fact I hope that McGhee can turn this round and remains our manager but I would like to keep an open mind rather than trashing people because they are a) not Scottish b) don't know the Scottish game. It is that parochial attitude that has left Scottish football in the sorry state it's in. As an aside Alex McLeish gives me the fear. Turned one of the best Motherwell sides of my lifetime into relegation fodder while spending a relative fortune in the process. Report's of his time at Motherwell and Rangers suggest that he was very relaxed when it came to things like player discipline and the players eating/drinking habits. Maybe I am not so opened minded for that kind of 1980's style management after all.

It is very similar to other challenges in recent weeks in that there is a genuine attempt to win the ball but contact is made after the ball has been won. If by the new rules of the game these challenges are deemed to be a red card, fair enough but it would be a real shame if Motherwell developed a reputation as a dirty team on the basis of these challenges. Ironically,I feel that Motherwell are actually a bit light weight and tend to be bullied by bigger more physical teams.

What will be the structure of the club when he returns? Does this suggest the possibility of Mark McGhee becoming a Director of Football or will it push James McFadden onto the sidelines? It would seem a luxury to have a manager, assistant manager and a first team coach.

I think that McGhee is about as good as we are going to get as a manager. He has vast amounts of experience and has shown that he can bring success, even if that success is often short lived. Just like Lionel Ainsworth who's inconsistency makes him a Motherwell standard player, despite his obvious ability, McGhee would not be our manager if he was consistently good. I always feel that we have two choices as a manager. A tried and tested Scottish manager with a chequered past, or a young manager trying to build a reputation. My preference would always be for the latter because there is always that hope, however slim, that the club has unearthed the next Alex Ferguson. I enjoyed the Gannon and Baraclough era's if only because they brought a freshness of thought to the the often parochial, narrow minded Scottish Football old boy's club (that includes the press and senior players). They also did not have the Old Firm fear that drips from the likes of Stuart McCall, Craig Brown and McGhee himself. As a collective support however, we have proved that we don't have the stomach for an experiment. That leaves us with the Scottish managers, the ones who ensure mid-table respectability but are happy to accept losing 5+ goals to the Old Firm eight times a season. McGhee has been unlucky this season. He has drawn Rangers twice in separate cup competitions and Celtic once (both away from home at the knock out stage) and he has had to over-see a player budget reduction. As a positive, he has introduced some of the young players to the first team squad and has kept pace with the other teams in the league (outwith the top four). I think if we had a fully focused Mark McGhee, we would be absolutely fine. Maybe the board can use recent results as leverage, to make him focus a little more on his Motherwell responsibilities. For now I would rather have the continuity and maybe it can be looked at again in the summer.

One of the lads. Love it. That's the problem with Scottish football. It's an old boys club that has been stagnating for decades now, From the SFA down, the so called 'lads' have strangled the game in this country so that we now have one of the poorest leagues in Europe. That the Kris Boyd's and Crag's of this world, themselves mediocre at best, feel qualified to comment, I find laughable. From Paul Le Guen onwards, managers with modern ideas have been bullied from the moment they enter the Scottish game. I am no fan of Hearts, Walter Kidd saw to that, but I hope that Cathro is a massive success. The Scottish game needs something to bring it out of the dark ages.

Looking at the red card decisions, I think there was no doubt about the O Halloran challenge. Dangerous, high and reckless. On the other two, they are either both yellow or both red. Whichever way you look at 2 out of the 3 decisions are correct in my opinion. When looking at the Kiernan decision against the McDonald decision, there are a couple of factors that have clearly affected the decisions, none of which have anything to do with the rules of the game. The first is the circumstances of the game. Rangers have already had a player sent off and it is only twenty minutes into the game. It would take a very strong referee to send a second rangers player of at that time. That does not make the decision right but can make it understandable. The second is the position of the McDonald incident on the pitch. It happened directly in front of the dugout. The whole rangers bench would have been on their feet in a second instantly adding to the perceived severity of the challenge. Again does nor make the decision right but most referee's are going to take the path of least resistance. The frustration for me is that McDonald was stupid enough to lunge into the challenge. He must have known as a seasoned pro the tightrope that the whole Motherwell team had to walk for the remainder of the game. It was yet another poor decision from one of the more senior players in the squad. It must be very frustrating for a manager to watch a weeks preparation go down to the tubes in one moment of madness.