Kmcalpin

I don't know too much about Hammell's time in charge of the youth set up but it does take time to identify and bring through talent; years in fact. However when he took over he made a play of promoting youth and giving it a chance. He hasn't followed through on that - maybe the pressures and realities of management have got to him.

January is now looking to be an even more important month for us than it was just 12 hours ago. A lot, and increasing amount of pressure on Hammy and the Board. It simply won't be enough to bring in 1/2/3/4 players. They have to first picks, improve the team and be fit enough to hit the ground running. We don't have the luxury of giving them 4/5/6 weeks to get up to speed. A big ask for a January window.

!00%. Even if we sign 2/3/4 first pick players next month Hammy has to get far more out of the current 7/8/9 as you say and he just isn't doing it. Looking back over his 5 months in charge - has the squad gradually improved? No, if anything its gone backwards.

Hammell had some say in the signings so it's not 100% Alexander's fault by any stretch of the imagination. We need at least 4 players next month or we'll be in deep deep trouble. What's more Hammells had a few bad games now. Yes a rookie manager will make mistakes but he doesn't seem to be learning from them. Favoured formation and personnel are mismatched at the moment. One possible small mercy this week from a footballing, not financial, perspective is that the St Mirren game was postponed until after 1 January

As Steven Craigan said its all very well playing nice football but it's the here and now that matters. Not convinced that Stevie Hammell has what it takes to be a manager. Is he learning at all from his mistakes?

Is he a central defender at all?

Let's not. Gives me the fear.

An on form Slattery brings out the best in Goss, but they are very different types of players - both having been played out of position so far. Cornelius would add energy and drive as I've said before. Like you though, I'm not convinced of Spittal.

A tad negative if I may be allowed to say so, Yodo. We do have some decent players in there like Goss, Slattery and Cornelius. However, for whatever reason, Hammy isn't getting the best out of them. Thats not to say we couldn't strengthen that department - we could by bringing in an experienced Number 6, for example.

Just listening to Hammy's interview and I'm not sure what to make of it in terms of transfers. It will be a difficult window, thats for sure. Maybe he's just playing his cards close to his chest but its slightly corncerning that he refers to bringing in maybe 1 or 2 and having to be creative. Make of that what you will.

Good stuff Ian. I can now access the site via Android again.

Like many fans I don't like postponements in principle and Friday falls into that category. However, in pure footballing terms, I'd rather face Sevco at Ibrox than Kilmarnock at home in our first fixture after the World Cup. The Killie game is more important to us. My only fear of Sevco being our first game back would be our match fitness for Livingston.

Thats Scott Fox left the club. He was never really going to feature.

Good post and I agree with most of it. However concentrating on schools is a huge no no. Teachers stopped taking an active interest in schools football years ago and why should they? Where would the money to pay for it come from? It would have to come from the SFA coffers, as Local Authorities would not be interested. A good idea though if it can be funded properly.

You're plumbing the depths now.

I agree with much of that. Do you though, subscribe to any TV sports channels?

Televised games were as predictable as night follows day.

Presumably we have insurance to cover this kind of situation? Not the first time we've suffered frozen & burst pipes if thats the cause.

A good summing up. We have 4 very tough games coming up (aren't they all?) including two extremely tricky home fixtures before Christmas. I'm pinning a lot on January signings as they could well make or break our season, as you say. The central defence, midfield and strikeforce all need urgent attention. Whether that objective is feasible in a notoriously difficult window is another matter entirely.

Or Joe Efford.

I didn't find the review to be that illuminating to be honest. Stevie didn't tell us much more than than we already knew or surmised.

I'm not overly bothered who the opposotion is to be honest. Whats important to me is that its another opportunity to keep players match fit against a decent of opposition, end of. If we were playing Huddersfield, Crewe, Rotherham or Raith Rovers I'd be just as happy.

According to Callum Davidson in the Courier, we are playing St Johnstone in a friendly.

Ian Maxwell, the SFA's Chief Executive insists VAR is working. Interestingly he says "I would disagree that they [fans] don't think it's working" when asked about those criticisms. "I'd say they have issues potentially with the time it takes, potentially with the communication opportunities we've got within inside the stadiums - and those are challenges we need to face." It seems he is speaking for us, but has he actually asked the fans? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63812494

I thought originally it could be a tricky game and we might flounder, but really if we play to form we should skate it.