David

I know everyone is upset at the way we were handily turned over yesterday, but it's worth bearing this piece of information in mind: The quotes above come from a few years back as well, so there's a good chance the gulf has grown even larger. Coincidentally, the last three games between Celtic & PSG ended 4-0, 7-1, and 5-0 to PSG. So, we see what happens when the shoe is on the other foot, so to speak.

I shouldn't imagine so. But still, tiring it is. It's like watching a cat toying with a half-dead mouse.

I'm annoyed reading this back & forth between you two.

They seem to be in for him, that's for sure.

As much as I'm not a fan of "anti-football," if we go out against this lot and sit back, try to play on the counter, we'll get walloped. We need to be in their faces, pressing hard, and dare I say it, putting some added physical pressure on the likes of Hatate and Maeda if he plays. We know how good they are if they're given space and time to do their thing, but we've not seen how they react to a bit of close attention. I wouldn't pay too much attention to how the Rangers game went. That was a one-off. The atmosphere, the opponents, the chance to go top. This is still the same team that laboured against Dundee United and Hearts.

The thing with Griffiths is, if he's playing football somewhere he's appreciated and is gelling well with team mates and manager he seems able to get his shit together. That period of time where he was playing for Scotland and scoring regularly for Celtic he seemed fit and up for it. Could Alexander get that kind of dedication and form out of him? Who knows. The guy has knocked back Dundee though, which makes me wonder if he maybe has other offers down south. Getting himself out of Scotland and Scottish football wouldn't be the worst thing for him.

Have to think that's not through choice.

Depends how they utilise him really, doesn't it? Still, if we keep on keepin' on then we'll be fine.

It makes zero sense, really. Well, except for Tony Watt. He'll happily take their money and will be laughing all the way to the bank.

You do realise that his "threat" is to shut you up by booting you off this forum, don't you? Not only is that not against the law, but it's looking more and more likely every time you post. Let's get back to the football chat.

I personally think Shields has done pretty well with the chances he's been given. In fact, he could even be a potential replacement for Watt in my opinion.

Okay, the football's back, we're all looking forward to seeing our team play. Let's leave the political and Covid chat for elsewhere. Back on topic, discussing the football please.

I fear we'll see the fallout from that over the next six months or so. For many of these businesses the revenue generated at Christmas and New Year is crucial, and without that many will likely go to the wall.

Let's not pretend that our politicians are any different than other politicians worldwide. This whole situation has long been more about political oneupmanship than saving lives for quite a while now. The Scottish government took the gamble that by closing shit down when their counterparts down south didn't they'd see their Covid numbers sky rocket while ours didn't, thus providing the ammunition for our government to play the "see? This is what happens when the 'Tories run things. If we were independent we wouldn't need to answer to them at all" card. Ordinary people are just fodder to these megalomaniacs. On both sides of the border.

Well, Australia are marching to the beat of their own drum at the moment it would seem.

Well, there has to be a benefit to the loaning club otherwise what's the point in them doing it? It works both ways. They get a player out who can hopefully get some game time and develop a bit, while we get a player that the manager obviously rates and who we probably wouldn't be able to sign on a permanent deal. It's a win/win really. Unless the manager thinks this lad is better than what we have, in which case it's a very sensible signing.

I'm not actively wishing him bad luck, of course. Just not wishing him good luck. I'm happy for him as an individual, but once he leaves Fir Park for the last time I have scant regard for his professional accomplishments.

I'm not particularly looking for you to say anything, I'm just highlighting that it's not the case that Watt has performed like this before only to drop away. He's never shown this kind of form and willingness to work before. He basically existed on one goal against Barcelona for years. I certainly hope he falls away though, that's for sure. United are a competitor, and as much as I'm chuffed for him that he's landed a good financial deal I don't wish him any luck professionally, as it would likely be to our detriment.

But his history also shows that he's never actually had the work ethic he has now, and he's never attained the kind of playing stats he has now either. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't want him to carry over his performances to his time with United, with there's nothing to suggest that he won't. He seems to have matured, and with that maturity has come the realisation of what he needs to do in order to exploit his talent to the full.

My point is that there's a lot of players in a similar position, and that we really don't know how those players, including Watt, will react. I'm confident the manager will do what's best for the team.

Would you trust any of the following to go into a 50/50 with full commitment? Ricki Lamie, Bevis Mugabi, Nathan McGinley, Darragh O'Connor, Liam Grimshaw, Mark O'Hara, Liam Donnelly, Barry Maguire, Robbie Crawford, and Justin Amaluzor. Because every single one of them is also out of contract at the end of the season, and in fact, unlike Watt who has a deal in place, these guys have nothing lined up. If they get injured they might not get resigned by us or find another club, so the risk to them is even greater. Truth is, some players will react differently to others. We don't know how Watt has reacted in training since signing his deal. If his head is straight and he's still committed in the managers eyes then we play him until his contract expires or he leaves for a fee.

Oh, come on. You'd rather he didn't build a rapport with a clubs fans because he'll end up leaving one day? That's insanity. If I was a footballer and I was playing at Dundee United, loving my time there, glad to get my career back on track and hitting career-high numbers I'd be more than happy to build a bond with the fans. What I wouldn't expect is grown men and women thinking that by doing so I was signalling my intention to turn down more money to stay there. That's the kind of thing I imagine we'd need to explain to our kids who support the club, not actually deal with it ourselves. You did see that I'd said "Unless the player gives the manager a reason to take such harsh action it shouldn't be considered," didn't you? If the manager drops him it will be because he doesn't believe his head is in the game or he's not focused enough, which is fair enough. What I wouldn't want to see is a player "punished" for having the sheer audacity to take a deal that secures his financial future. What would that say to the rest of the squad? Or future signings? That we're happy to bring you in, give you a platform, but if you don't do things our way we'll treat you like a leper and force you to train with the kids and sit in the stands? Not a good look.

What exactly is annoying you about how it was done? The media getting hold of it? As far as I can tell nothing else has been denied or confirmed by the club or player, so I'm not sure what you expect from him? Any club who does that to not only their top scorer, but the league's top scorer, is mental. Apart from the fact we'd be intentionally depriving ourselves of a very good player who we will be paying very good money by our own standards, what kind of message does that send to the rest of the squad? From what I gather, Watt is well liked and respected in the dressing room. Unless the player gives the manager a reason to take such harsh action it shouldn't be considered. He's a Motherwell player, being paid by us until he signs for another club. So what's the moral of the story there? Don't show any ambition? Stay where you are and where there's less expected of you? Although, I don't think Dundee United will expect anything more of him than we have. There's not that huge a gulf between the clubs and their targets each season. If Tony Watt is good enough to lead the scoring charts for Motherwell, he's good enough to do the same for Dundee United.

I'm not sure a statement is the way to go. As of now there's nothing been announced, has there? So no need to be doing or saying anything. All he has to do is keep training, make himself available if the manager needs him. If he signs a pre-contract then fine, but unless United pay the required fee he won't be leaving in January, so he's our player and as long as his mentality is right and he's training well there's no need not to play him. He was supposedly being looked at by Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City, Birmingham City and Preston North End. But while they could more than likely blow United out the water with any offer, it has to be considered if he and his family want to up sticks and move to somewhere like Lancashire, Bristol, Birmingham or Preston. Dundee United are an hour and a half up the road from Fir Park, so maybe he was looking to stay in Scotland.

I think he does genuinely have a lot of affection for the club, but he has even more affection for a bump in salary, which is understandable. As I've said to a few of my mates when discussing this, as much as I like Watt, we've lost far better in the past, and we will lose far better in the future. Onwards and upwards.