MelvinBragg

Is he not a midfielder?

Thing with Dom Thomas is that he is apparently a standout at U20 level. But generally is seen to be ineffective when he plays in the first team. Possibly should have gone on loan earlier as his development has been stunted by only getting 10 or 20 minutes in games when we're struggling and he's being asked as a very young player to turn it around for a team that's playing badly. Being written off on that basis. Bob McHugh anyone? Let's hope it ends differently this time around and it doesn't turn out that the second tier is his level...

I notice David Templeton has got a short term contract at Accies. Might it be worth watching to see if he can stay fit and find form with a view to replacing Ainsworth in the summer?

I know it's not the way we do things but were we to stay up this season, I'd like to see us offer contracts to those players with a year left on their current deal that we might be able to build a team around. The likes of Heneghan, Moult and McHugh could be the spine of a decent team. As others have said, it wouldn't be surprising if no one came in for Moult. Heneghan is another with room to improve but there are raw materials there. Offering these two guys contracts with a pay rise and an understanding that we wouldn't stand in their way should a certain bid be made or a club of a certain standing come in for them might be a way to go. McHugh, I'd be offering the captaincy. While I don't have a great deal of sympathy for McGhee, his performances since his return make me wonder if our season might have turned out differently had he not been out for so long. Pretty much every game I've seen him play for us, he's been one of our two or three best players. Other than that (assuming McDonald leaves), Frear, Tait, Cadden and the U20s that show the most promise would be the others I'd be looking to. The much maligned Clay would be a decent backup to have on the bench but Campbell and now Shea Gordon seem to be making an impression in the U20s midfield. If they're good enough they're old enough. For me, looking for a fair few players this summer. Goalkeeper, left back, centre back and striker being the priorities...

Even before you consider the likely quality of those available as free agents, have to figure that anyone available now will be a country mile from match fitness. We will have to go with the defence we have. Which may or may not see us relegated...

Were you at the game? I ask only because you single out players that always get singled out, but who actually played pretty well yesterday...

I actually thought Clay did alright. Not going to win you many games but did reasonably well in the unfussy defensive midfield role and rarely gave the ball away.

442 then. Or 352 with Cadden at wing back. Just need to wait and see. Injury and suspension means that options were limited anyway...

You said that, not me...

As long as I think a player is giving 100% then I wouldn't be giving them abuse. If a player simply isn't good enough but the manager keeps picking him, surely the manager has to have his judgment questioned? Individual errors, it's a similar situation. If a player continues to make the same errors and shows an inability to learn from it, the manager should see this and no longer select him. Only time I feel players should take the blame is when they don't apply themselves. Nothing frustrates me more than a player with ability who doesn't give it his all...

I agree with this 100%. Particularly regarding the length of contract and questioning how a gup with Robinson's CV becomes the outstanding candidate...

I think any perceived lack of attractiveness of the Motherwell job is not necessarily entirely down to fan ownership or finances. Anyone coming in was going to be tasked with 10 games to keep us in the division with no scope to bring in any new players. Given it's a team that had just shipped a horrendous number of goals in a handful of games, I'd hazard a guess that some managers thought "Do I really want a relegation on my CV?". When McCall and Baraclough left, those coming in had a lot more time and a transfer window to try and turn things around. Dare I say, if McGhee had left two months earlier, would the job have been slightly more attractive? I may be wide of the mark here, but I definitely see the timing of the vacancy as a factor...

Hammell not out of contract this summer. So the left side of our defence will still be old and slowing down next season...

Indeed, just picked Valakari as an example...

It just smacks of the cheap option. That may or may not be the case but that's how it looks. If Valakari with a track record of winning trophies as a manager was a poorer candidate than Robinson then Robinson must have given one hell of an interview. Or is Robinson the only candidate willing to work for what we were offering both in terms of salary and resources? Obviously, we all hope he does well but one word has been used several times already about the appointment and it sums it up for me. Uninspiring...

Close of business..

If interviews were done today, hard to imagine decision was already made unless the board were really wanting to waste people's time...

From Freddy Dindeleux??

Robinson until the summer wouldn't exactly get the pulses racing (did someone say underwhelming?) but club have perhaps made the decision to sacrifice excitement of a fresh face with a some might say dull appointment that might be able to keep us up. Assuming, of course, that he was their first choice... If Robinson only wants it til the summer as he has other things he wants to pursue then that's fine for him but it doesn't bode well for the summer that we can't find a candidate we'd rather have than him...

I've kind of always been of the same opinion as you in that having these guys who knew the club was a "good thing". So much so that I had concerns about how we replace Hammell and Lasley in terms of keeping new players right ("don't say you're looking forward to playing at Ibrox/Parkhead in your first interview"). That being said, some of these players have now been responsible for several managers losing their jobs (on some occasions appearing to down tools). The goodwill they hold at the club means that they could be perceived to have too much influence at the club. Fact is, most of these guys have to be replaced anyway so it kind of becomes a moot point. Do we have the players to build a new team around is maybe more the question...

I wouldn't go with Lucas, feel more industry is required. Had forgotten about Campbell. Might be a good shout. Would probably learn a lot playing alongside Pearson...

In the past you seem to have been right about stuff regards the club so I'll not be astounded if it proves to be the case again. I just get the feeling (as I said the other day) that the club may feel that the person they want to rebuild the team in the summer isn't the same person to come in and get the best out of the current squad in the particular challenge of a relegation battle. I feel as if they think the guy for that is someone who knows the squad and already has a rapport with them. Like I say, just my gut feeling and my gut told me we wouldn't sack McGhee so what do I know...

For me, it'd be.. Samson Tait Heneghan McHugh Jules Cadden Clay Pearson Frear McDonald Bowman

That'll be Robinson til the end of the season then...

While you are right on that, probably also find that most bookies don't even open a market on it to begin with for the reasons you stated. Obviously they don't remember the killing they can make through a Van Der Gaag situation...