MelvinBragg

Having thought about it for a wee bit longer, I reckon it's safe to assume we won't be going for a foreigner in the post. I think the perceived failure of Harri Kampman puts paid to that idea. Even if it's someone with previous links to the club like Nijholt or Van Der Gaag. I'd be reluctant to promote Gordon Young as it smacks a bit of the Billy Davies appointment. Maybe one day, but not yet. I think it's possible that if we bring in someone from down south that you may see Scott Leitch return as assistant to add a Scottish perspective. The impression I get is that a lot of the problems that people had with Gannon was a dismissive attitude to those who had plied their trade in Scotland their entire career. So I reckon you'll get short odds on Leitch (or Craigan) as assistant manager. I know he was mentioned in early talk about the Aberdeen job, did Steve Clarke rule himself out? Worth asking the question...? Run the risk of Celtic or the like coming and poaching him if he does a good job and we have this discussion again in a year's time, but maybe worth it if he does a job that attracts such offers..?

2013. Nothing less than £1million please..

I've no doubt that they were promised more to spend than they would have got at Motherwell (might not come to pass, I recall McGhee being promised the same) but that doesn't mean they'll have the £1million minimum that we'd be asking for Murphy. And even if their budget was £1million, they've a few areas needing strengthening...

Reynolds - Possibly though he might get a better offer. Gow - Every chance. Blackman - Aye, probably. Sutton - Don't think so. Not the type of player they need right now. Murphy - Aye, where are they getting the truckload of cash...?

Not reading any names that get my pulse racing but then again, Brown's appointment didn't get me over excited and he did alright. When Gannon arrived, I knew it could go either of two ways. Turned out it went both ways(good results with young players, abrasive nature alienated a lot of people). McGhee, I lost faith in very early. Last Motherwell manager I remember with real fondness is Terry Butcher, and as someone (orinoco?) said on another thread he was the right man at the right time, maybe not so now. And he kind of fell into the job. I half expect as someone else said, an appointment from leftfield, a totally unexpected name. That's who I think we'll get. Who do I want? I haven't the foggiest. I set up this poll and still haven't voted in it...

As the old adage goes, the king is dead, long live the king. Whoever he may be... As Jay points out, new manager time is always pretty interesting. Exciting times. Could maybe do without it being every season, mind you. And I don't know who at the club worded that statement but they did a bang up job...

Aye, but would still expect to see Blackman and Gow (and probably McNamee but we don't really need a right back) in Aberdeen shirts come January. Shame for them as the player they really need is Stephen Craigan. They really need a leader up there. Despite his Che Guevara attempt at a beard, Hartley ain't it... Certainly seems like we might have a more interesting January transfer window than we expected...

At least we know what to do when we get a manager we really want shot of. Arrange a fans forum...

McGhee had no plan B and I wasn't a fan of his for a long time before he left. Perhaps it's only fair that since Aberdeen took a shite manager off our hands for a large wedge, they took a good one for free...

Being honest with you, Neil, likewise. I just rustled up a list of names that will no doubt be linked with it, either on here on people's wishlists or in the press. And threw in Tommy McLean given that our last appointment was of a cunning old guy and I couldn't think of anyone else who fit the bill. Should probably have added Derek Adams but forgot..

As it says on the tin. Who do we want as our next gaffer...?

I know what fatcalf and others have said about the fans being the club and we'll outlast every manager, player and chairman but if McGhee returns I'd consider handing my season ticket back. Probably the only guy I'd have below the likes of Gus McPherson on my wish list...

I demand a new thread!!! We could make it an annual thing. Or pin it at the top of the forum... Seriously, how about a new thread as some of the names on the actual poll part are no longer viable (McAllister, Jeffries, Craig Brown...) and it would be nice to have a better idea of which way the wind is blowing just now... Sod it, might do it myself, any names people want added to the list..?

You sound like many a young blonde. Allegedly...

They can take Casagolda if they want...

Mo Johnston...

Not much to say on this except three points, most of which have been said elsewhere... Firstly, anyone who wishes to portray Craig Brown as some kindly old gentleman is having a laugh. I mean this is as no disrespect to Craig Brown but you don't survive as long in a business as cutthroat as football without being, frankly, a bit ruthless. Anyone with an eye on the world of football over the last 20 years will tell you this. Secondly, it does strike me that maybe we jumped the gun a bit in releasing a statement. If there were only early overtures from Aberdeen, maybe we should have waitied to ensure they didn't want a second dance. I know the club would then have been slated for its silence on the matter. Perhaps a simple "We're doing everything we can to get Brown and Knox to stay" could have been issued? Thirdly, if he leaves, he leaves. We have a decent squad in place, no mad owner wanting to run the team, no major debt that will require selling off the full first team squad. If the last three or four years has shown anything, it's that the Motherwell job is an attractive one, you never know who might show an interest...

Chris Humphrey. The guy is a weapon. We'll struggle to hold on to him beyond June at this rate...

It is a list of personal favourites. And while Arnott is considered by most a legend, I don't really see him as one of my favourites. Both of his regular partners, Coyne and Cusack would be higher up my list of personal favourites than Arnott. By some distance...

Funny how many different top fives I've read. Everyone has their own favourites for their own reasons. For me (and I have to say, I found it very easy until I realised I had missed out Bobby Russell) it's.. Nijholt Dykstra McFadden Clarkson Valakari with The Shimmy King being the only guy even coming close...

100% agree...

100% agree on both counts. I thought last year that Humphrey had the tools to be a great player. This season he has come on in leaps and bounds. Like others, I wasn't convinced by Murphy at first. But the second half of last season and the start of this season, he's looked to be really maturing. Close to McFadden status, only in that it's getting to the point where we should be wrapping him in cotton wool between games becuase he's that crucial to us...

To paraphrase Morrissey, what he said...

I agree with much that Malky says but Hammell is a funny one. He's getting on now, but given Gary Naysmith's record with injury, Stevie Hammell should have a lot more caps to his name. Quite often Scotland have pushed guys out to left back who aren't even left footed or even full backs. He's been pretty consistent in the SPL over the years at a time when frankly that's been enough to get you in the Scotland squad. Kirk Broadfoot will end his career with more Scotland caps than Stevie Hammell and something about that is just not right...

Thing about having two out and out attacking players on the wing, it's not quite so cavalier if both your centre midfielders are defensively minded (which all our IMs are with the exception of Forbes). Humphrey tracks back, not always to the greatest effect but he gets himself back there. I'd imagine a player of Gow's experience would have the positional awareness to do likewise. I do suspect that it might be the last we see of Ross Forbes in a first team jersey at least til January. I reckon Gow's arrival (if it's to provide creativity from the left) will see him frozen out even more than he has been recently. I have a funny feeling this is the team we'll see a lot of... Randolph Saunders Craigan Reynolds Hammell Humphrey Hateley Jennings Gow Sutton Murphy Just get a feeling that Hateley will get the nod ahead of Lasley due to the fact he takes set pieces. Wouldn't surprise me to see Humphrey sacrificed though and see him used as an impact sub. I'd have him in the starting eleven but Brown might have other ideas...