David
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Posts posted by David
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The post-cup final email has been sent out;
It’s Monday afternoon after a really disappointing weekend and just watching the game back, it just adds to the emptiness.As the game got nearer our belief got bigger, preparations had gone well and everyone was fit and focused, but we knew we would have to be at our best and carry a big slice of lady luck, unfortunately, we got neither.
After the second-half mauling against Rangers, I knew we couldn’t start the game 4-4-2; the two occasions we’ve played well against the Old Firm this year was going 4-3-3 (in our unlucky defeat in the Co-operative Insurance Cup Semi Final and our memorable 2-0 win over Celtic at Fir Park).
The shape had been decided on weeks before, it was the personnel which needed sorting and the unfortunate injury to Maurice Ross, which restricted him to only two proper days training with the squad before the Final, forced my decision.
Tom Hateley had played Commons fantastically well in our 2-0 win in February so I needed a third midfield player to join Keith Lasley and Steve Jennings, and watching our 2-2 draw with Dundee Utd up at Tannadice where Stevie Hammell had done well in that role, I opted for him which enabled us to play Gavin Gunning in an attacking full-back role whilst giving us extra height when defending set plays.
So that was my thinking behind the selection and, in honesty, if you watch the game back, Commons, Hooper and Samaras were well marshalled all afternoon.
The disappointing aspect was that although they had rarely troubled us up to the half-hour mark and the shape was solid, our possession and use of the ball wasn’t as good as we know it can be and we carried little threat.
That said; going in 1-0 down at half-time was harsh! They had one long range left-footed strike that flew in; ours crashed back off the bar and that was all there was between the sides. On another day, we could very well have been level.
We had a brief spell in the second half where we were on the front foot but couldn’t sustain any real pressure. But, having gone to 4-4-2 with 18 minutes left, we were still in there fighting until a cruel deflection and lady luck went against us. The second goal, and not the first as was widely predicted, was the defining moment of the game.
We all left Hampden gutted because we failed to produce our best which you need if you are to beat either half of the Old Firm.
You, the fans, were terrific and stayed with the players. The players, to their credit, gave there all in terms of endeavour and effort, and should be remembered for an outstanding season with their performances in Europe, in both Cup competitions and finishing in the top six of the SPL after a long season.
We will be doing everything we can to keep most of the squad together as the spirit in the dressing room is excellent. We’ll know where we stand in the next few weeks.
Finally, I would like to thank the fans, the staff and the players for making me so welcome and pulling together after the disruption in the middle part of the campaign. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions but one I can’t to be going through again soon.
Hopefully see you all back, refreshed and raring to go, come the 23rd July.
All the best,
Stuart McCall
Manager
Motherwell Football Club
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theres a whole 5 page thread started on talk celtic because of a comment i made on here about them
Link?
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There were a few of these characters shouting shite like f****n b******s and so on sitting directly behind me. They saw fit to let rip with racist abuse at Ki as well.
I'd also like to point out that there were stewards & police within earshot yet nothing was done. I'm not sure what the majority of fans are supposed to do (and the majority were well behaved in my opinion) when they see the authorities doing fuck all.
The police & stewards did however spring into action when some 'Well fan had the sheer audacity to stop halfway down the stairs to his seat and wave his Motherwell flag whilst urging others around him to cheer the team on.
Thank God they sorted him out, threatening to turf him out if he didn't sit in his allocated seat.
He's exactly the type that our club can do without.
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A decent game against a good foreign outfit at Fir Park would suit me just fine.
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Good call. Thread title altered accordingly.
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fair play, there is good and bad amongst us all
I think that's a fair statement to make. It just so happens that, as in most cases, the more vocal among their support is the paranoid plastic Paddy types.
The regular fans just get on with supporting their team.
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There lies the reason I don't give a fuck about our national team, struggle to support a team of c***s like Brown.
Personally I wouldn't let someone like Brown deter me from supporting my national side. He's a twat. There have been plenty who played for Scotland before him, and there'll be more after him.
Still a club before country kind of guy though
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That would be a surefire desktop photo if it didn't have the big logo at the bottom.
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Following the end of one of our more memorable seasons I thought a thread for folk to post their photos in might be a good idea.
Be it pub-related shenanigans abroad during our European adventures, or Scottish cup final related pictures, we can all post our memories (both good & cringeworthy!) in this thread.
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That article fails to mention that a fair chunk of non-Old Firm supporters, such as myself, really couldn't care less which of them wins the title.
The only difference it makes is the colour of shirt the twats who will be lurching around Wishaw main street that evening are wearing.
I've had Celtic-supporting mates (and family!!) telling me that I must be a bigot simply because I get big laughs out of watching both of them make roaring c*nts of themselves in Europe every season.
I also want to see United get scudded by Barca on Saturday, so that must make me anti-English as well?
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Regardless of the money made I don't see any reason for us to break with the system we have at present when it comes to bringing in new players. If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Perhaps one bonus aspect we'll have this close season is if a player becomes available that McCall really likes the look of we can afford to push the boat out slightly in order to get him in.
Before anything else is done I'd rather we started by offering the players we currently have out of contract better deals where possible.
I certainly wouldn't complain if the likes of Sutton & Jennings were offered improved contracts.
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Randolph was subject of a 400k bid from Celtic the day of the Co-op Cup Semi....
I'd be bitterly disappointed if we only got £400,000 for Randolph, especially from one of the bigot brothers.
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mmmm ... how do you top a green mushroom surrounded by stripes and paranoid fannies?
Who cares about the Celtic display?
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Now that the cup final is done & dusted it'll be interesting to see what the number of season tickets sold for next season will be.
I'm sure we'll see a decent increase, it's really just a question of by how much?
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If we kick off next season with at least two of Sutton, Jennings & Randolph I'll be very happy indeed.
I'd also like to see Jeffers kept on as well.
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suprised there are no photos on the offical site
Give it time, I'm sure they'll have one or two up in due course.
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What was the GB one? Didn't see/notice it
I'm not sure, but it looked impressive as well. Both displays were superb, and I thought both sets of fans were a credit to their teams today.
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Brilliant display guys, especially the way it was done in reply to the GB one.
I may be wrong, but I think our lads had their idea for a display long before we knew the Green Brigade were doing anything.
It stands alone in my book, independent of anything the Celtic fans did.
Also, credit where it's due. I saw this on a Celtic forum when they were discussing their own display;
Top notch from both teams.Both displays were amazing (credit to Motherwell fans too).both were class. -
But facts are we just weren't good enough today. You can't blame McCall or any player. As a collective we just weren't good enough to win.
100% bang on the money. We just didn't play well enough today.
A good season though, which shouldn't be forgotten about just because we lost today.
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I hope i'm not tempting fate here, but apparently with Porto winning the Europa league this season the winners of the Scottish cup will only have to play one qualifying round.
Anyone heard anything similar?
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It's a non-story, but if it serves to wind up the more paranoid among the Celtic fans then so be it
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That's a fair point to make, especially considering the fact that the prices these guys charge aren't all that much cheaper than the official shop does. You can bet that the quality will be much lower though, plus there's no comeback if you end up with something faulty.
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Speaking of Jeffers, has there been any update on what he's doing after this season?
I'd like to see him stay on until at least January.
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I doubt there's anyone more deserving of lifting the trophy this coming weekend.
2011/12 Ins & Outs Thread
in Club Chat
Posted
According to chat on P&B Sutton is on his way to Hearts. I'm not sure about the £6,000 per week wage that's being mentioned over there right enough.
I'm guessing that if he was staying at Fir Park he'd have signed by now though.