star sail

Is this the propaganda machine rolling? It just so happens you are absolutely right. He is a top notch keeper. His three consecutive saves at Dundee Utd were the best saves I have ever seen at a live game of football. I could not believe he had kept the ball out of the net that day. Had that been MacGregor, Chick Young and the gang would have wanted him knighted.

Could a certain Mr Gannon be causing problems in the background preventing Boyle from making a decision about the Managerial future at this time? (Sheer speculation) On another note this is a bit long winded but makes a point. Below is a list (in order) of the no of managers the SPL clubs have had over the last 20 years (1990-2010) with the average time for each manager alongside. Makes intereting reading (I think) Hearts- 16 Ave (1.25 yr per manager) Hearts have had 13 managers in the last 6 years Hibs- 12 Ave (1.7 yrs per manager). Alex Miller was there for 10 yrs (86-96) Celtic- 11 Ave (1.8 yr per manager) Dundee Utd- 11 (as above) Jim McLean did have 22 yrs in charge from 71-93. MWell- 10 Ave (2yrs per manager) This includes Craig Brown Aberdeen- 9 (2.2 yrs) Falkirk-9 Ham Accies- 8 (Ave 2.5 yrs) St Mirren-8 Gus MacPherson has been manager since 2003. St Johnston- 8 Killie- 6 (Ave 3.3 yrs) Jeffries had 8 years. Rangers- 6 Including PLG's short spell and Ian Durrant, suggesting this is not the hardest job in the SPL as some would have us believe. The point is that to get two years from an SPL manager is actually fairly good going so the issue of age should not really be a factor with Craig Brown. If he could give us to the end of season 2011/12 he would become one of the longest serving Well Managers of the last 20 years.

You might be right and to be honest I did not enjoy what I was watching from October onwards however what struck me was that he had the balls to try something different. Hooking players after 15 mins, playing young boys in all areas of the park, insisting (at least at first) that the ball be played patiently from the back were all really positive signs and gave my Dad and I the enthusiasm to travel to Aberdeen in September, something we have not done for some time. That it did not work is really disappointing and we could be getting the very opposite end of the spectrum with Craig Brown. Not that I'm expecting John Collins and Gary McAllister to start on Saturday but I would expect some very experienced if not entirely exciting players to be coming to the club if Brown stays. I really hope I am wrong and that Craig Brown can bring something that the average Scottish Football Manager can't but the fact that Murphy, Saunders and possibly Forbes have already dropped down the pecking order does not fill me with hope for the future.

I suppose it is all speculation but there was certainly enough to suggest that there was player unrest from a very early stage. I remember watching Laslay, McGarry and Hammell warming up at the corner flag in the early stages of the Flamutari game and they looked like three schoolboys talking behind the teachers back. I remember JOB making a couple of mistakes early doors at right back and the reaction from the three players was (at least looked) less than supportive. Added to that there was mention (was it from Gannon himself?) that there was a player/players trying to undermine what he was doing at the club. Maybe Craigan, McGarry et al had the best interests of the club at heart but I would be more inclined to think that there may have been a little bit more self interest involved. It's seems strange to me that a man who was almost naievely loyal to Stockport should only a short while later be so disloyal to Motherwell. I have no doubt that he wanted to go but there must have been exceptional circumstances that made him appear to give up so quickly. I am sure than Gannon is no angel and will not be blameless but I would guess that there will be some players at the club who have had some say in the failure of Gannon's time at the club. Interestingly we hear an article from Saunders today talking positively about Gannon's time. It's seems like the players view of the man is somewhat dependant upon which side of the touchline they found themselves on, on a Saturday afternoon. No doubt the truth lies somewhere in the middle but I feel really dispondant that the Gannon experiment did not work as it was maybe the one chance we had to rise above the crowd.

So what you are trying to say Postie Jim is that you are happy for Scottish Football and Scottish players to wallow in mediocrity just so long as nobody comes along and tries to rock the boat and drag them forward. This my friend is the reason why Scottih football is heading for oblivion. Here is an example (Rangers dressing room) P Le Guen ' Boydy, I don't think you should be turning up for training hung over and eating Monster Munch as a diet' B Ferguson ' How dare you treat my friend in such a way. Come on Boydy, let's go to Newcastle get hammered and get this guy the sack' Result PLG gets the sack and Rangers are to this day playing the same old shite they always have and getting pumped 4-0 in Europe. I would guess you could swap a couple of well players in this general scenario and you would have a similar story. Gannon will be delighted that he has got himself out of the hole that is Scottish Football.

Great post and hits the nail on the head for me. Last night for me shows why Gannon did not think much of our little squad of players and wanted out. The fact is that a 2-0 defeat to ICT has become acceptable and nobody is overly surprised. The old guard really showed us last night what we have been missing.

Got ya!! Cheers

That sounds a bit too Rangers like for me. Can we ditch 'Britannia' and 'loyal' from all things Claret and Amber? (or am I missing something?) Delighted with the result today. Only word of caution, we had a similar comfortable 3-0 win over Killie earlier in the season. Actually forget those negative vibes. Europe here we come!!

I agree to some extent. I think players are often very quick to deflect responsibility, however the Motherwell players were still getting on with their jobs in the sense that they turned up and were playing a game of football. The difference is that they were giving maybe 80% effort when for a club like Motherwell 100% is required at all times just to stand still. I think where Gannon has got it wrong is that he has been too focused on the technicalities of the game and not focused enough on the man management of the players.

Agree with this. I was really excited at the start of the season by what Gannon was trying to do and really thought we were onto something. I was happy till I heard his interview after the St Johnstone game and suddenly began to worry. The real story will come out but I somehow feel that we have missed a great opportunity here. I would think that Gannon could still go on to be an excellent manager. His comments about the press and referee's were ill adviced but ultimately he was speaking the truth. Look how the old boys network of Scottish Football rounded on him. Maybe the same has happened on a smaller scale at the club. I happen to think that Scottish Football generally is a bit of a poisoned chalice at the moment and we should rule out a manager from outwith Scotland. Get someone who knows how this weird little microclimate of Scottish Football works. Lets humf it up the park and be done with it. Really down about all of this. It has a bit of the Paul Le Guen's about it.

I was not at the game yesterday and when I heard the result I was disappointed but not concerned because I have been thinking 'bigger picture' all season. However I have just listened to Gannon's interview and I am now concerned. That is not a man thinking 'bigger picture' It's a man who sounds beat, concerned and out of ideas. It's sounds to me like his teenage hero's have let him down and he has decided to turn on them. Really poor interview. Could this be another manager who has underestimated what is required in the SPL?

I had a problem with tickets a few weeks back and found the service from the ticket office and Leann Dempster herself absolutely first class. I sent an e-mail late on a Friday eve and got a reply almost instantly and the problem was solved the next morning. I should point out that the initial problem was not of the ticket offices making. Can understand the frustrations on both sides in this case but I think we have to support the obvious effort the staff at Fir Park are making.

Pleased to see Lasley get a chance today. I thought he looked good last week and yes he did have a couple of slack balls in midfield but for a man who is not match fit you have to expect that. Also Cokes been losing critical balls in the midfield for weeks. Pleased that Gannon has seen the positive aspects of his game.

I agree with much of what you say Andy and I feel a bit uneasy about the current situation but I feel that these quirks in our Managers personality may be the price we have to pay for having a really good manager. This attention to detail, everything should be perfect attitude can be antagonistic but it is maybe the characteristics that brings him success on the football field. I am not saying that we have the next Alex Ferguson but Ferguson has done ok without pandering to anyone. On the other hand we may have the next Alex Ferguson, after all the next bright hope has got to come from somewhere.

I was in the South Stand for that game. Can't remember why but I'm sure it was an all ticket game and because of demand they opened up the South Stand to Well fans. Remember me and my Dad getting hastle from Well fans on the way round because they thought we were Pars fans. I remember the goal well. Straight as a dye. Nearly fell down the South Stand celebrating.

Just watched highlights and for me, but for the offside (which is shocking) the ref got the big decisions right. The penalty claim for Sutton was a good tackle and the one on Coke at the edge of the box was clumsy and looked worse than it was imo. The one on Laslay is a shocking tackle and how Levein, Gannon, Craig Brown etc can all agree that it was not a red card seems incredible to me. It was dangerous, late, from behind. What else does it have to be? Is it only if Laslay gets stretchered of that it becomes a red? Surprised that Gannon thinks it was an ok challenge given that he likes to see players being protected.

+1

Slightly disappointed by the final result but I enjoyed the game today because I was watching two teams play football. The standard of play was good and better than a lot of the dross I have watched at FP over the years. Dundee Utd look like a decent side so a draw is ok in the big scheme of things. There is a consistency of performance at the moment that we have being crying out for for years. It's just going to take a bit more to turn these draws into victories. The foundation is strong. I am away to happy clappy myself to a good Sat night. We'll beat Hibs!!!

I don't have an agenda my friend. Looking back over the thread the point's were made that he was annoyed with the press and that he may have been annoyed with the performance as well hence not speaking to them after the game incase he said something he shouldn't. Gannon himself comes out and says just that so for once the speculation on a thread nearly hits the mark. To say that Gannon has had an excellent season so far does not make me a sycophant. I'm genuinely baffled by your anger? There is more to life! Take it easy.

The more important question seems to be Steelboy 'Would SteveDiggle approve of you starting this thread?' I think some of us need to take a long hard look at ourselves as see if we pass the SteveDiggle test.

Don't understand your outrage. What I am saying is that the speculation as to why he did not talk to the press pretty much hit the mark this time round. I am also saying that Gannon has had an excellent season but for a minor mistake. Sorry for the offence. Is a pant wetter someone who hits his head off walls and displays mock outrage? Have not heard the term before.

It makes me laugh when the righteous come on and tell us how we should and should not behave on a football message forum. These places exist so that we can speculate, analyise and make things up till our hearts are content. Professional pundits get paid money on a Saturday afternoon to do the very same. Much as the advice on self improvement is greatly appreciated I need some way to enhance my bare existence so am going to continue to read and contribute to the true and the make believe on the boards. Thanks for the advice though.

Looks like for once on these boards we have put 2 and 2 together and got 4. I still don't think he has much grounds for complaint for although he did not name players individually, when you have a small squad and can rule out the players who are on the team sheet, it leaves a very small group of players who will have felt that the comments were aimed at them. The only way that he can be given the benifit of the doubt is if we assume that he was talking about a football club in a general sense rather than Motherwell specifically i.e at any club you would be looking to move on players that are not earning their wages. Having said this, for me it is one mistake in what has been a flawless start to the season so really pleased to hear him dampen down speculation about a possible move. I have a sense of future about the club that I have not had for some time. Good time to be a Well fan.

I think though Tweed that the free flowing football and goal scoring that we remember from that season came after this point in the season.

The most relevant stat there is that we are 2 points better off than either of the last two seasons at this stage. Given that 2007/2008 was one of the most succesful campaign in years that sounds good to me. What's interesting about the last few seasons was that after this point (on the run up to Xmas) we had very different fortunes. In 07/08 we started playing some of the best football I have ever seen a Well team play and last year we started to plummet down the table at this time. If we have 36 pts after 22 games I will be delighted.