Rammer Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Surely we've got to put some sort of time-limit on the offer to let us know where we stand and let us plan for the future. We already have by signing the ICT keeper on pre-contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mon_da_well Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Sorry to see him go but I'm confident Fraser can come in and do a job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 If he's talking about splitting the Old Firm, unlikely as it may seem we have as much chance of doing that as anyone. As Noah said last week, outside the Old Firm we're potentially the best side in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Motherwell is the highest level a goalkeeper that can't deal with crosses at all, is going to get. He started the season in terrible form but has improved over the course of the season but Graeme Smith is never going to be an international level goalkeeper unless he starts to show ability that he hasn't across his entire career so far. He had a good first season and a terrible second season, this season being middling, so its not like he's shown amazing consistency either. Basically he thinks he's better than he is but you can't blame him for trying to climb the ladder of success but I'd be surprised if it benefits his playing career. In a sense he's had it easy here with no real competition, that won't be the case at a bigger club. However, I will be sorry to see him go if Fraser is the first choice next season. For all his faults he's better than Fraser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 He started the season in terrible form but has improved over the course of the season but Graeme Smith is never going to be an international level goalkeeper unless he starts to show ability that he hasn't across his entire career so far. Have to totally disagree with you here Bezzer - I think this season has been his best in Claret & Amber and a vast improvement on previous years! He saved our blushes against Nancy Away with a superb display and has been quite consistent this year. As much as I like him, it wouldn't be as devastating to lose Buzz as it would Shuggie or Klimpl - but I hope he stays. One thing he has never had is competiton - and Fraser arriving could provide that. I believe there is more to come from Buzz and he is improving each year, in my eyes at least, and is one of the best shot stoppers in the league. If we lost him, we'd struggle to find as good a replacement, but arguable maybe with other stregnths (ie coming for crosses, etc) One things for sure - if he goes I'll miss his super high pitched shouting during a match! Fecking quality! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I like Buzz, and I think he's the type of guy we really need to be holding onto if we want McGhee to stay. Hughes could end up, like Porter, too expensive for us to keep and that's fine, but Buzz isn't going to be getting offerred £10k per week elsewhere so we should do our best to keep him as the gaffer obviously rates him. If he stayed, with Fraser competing for the jersey, it may well improve him even further and we could end up getting a very decent amount of money for him in a year or two, with a replacement already in position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yabba's Turd Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 He started the season in terrible form but has improved over the course of the season .......... Beg to differ, he had the game of his life in Nancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellArmy_88 Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I like Buzz, and I think he's the type of guy we really need to be holding onto if we want McGhee to stay. Hughes could end up, like Porter, too expensive for us to keep and that's fine, but Buzz isn't going to be getting offerred £10k per week elsewhere so we should do our best to keep him as the gaffer obviously rates him. If he stayed, with Fraser competing for the jersey, it may well improve him even further and we could end up getting a very decent amount of money for him in a year or two, with a replacement already in position. Agree with you there. Say buzz had a year left on his contract. How much would we get for him if someone came in for him in the summer? Could the club be losing out in a large amount of money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammer Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Any footballer that wants to stay at his current club wouldn't be in the papers advertising his availability for all and sundry a la Smith. He's off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Stall Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I think he forgets he's never had competition at Motherwell. If we had any decent back up keeper buzz would have spent reasonable spells on the sidelines over the last few years with some of the calamities he has produced. Saying that, he has improved. His kicking is so much better than last season, if he could fix his ability to deal with high balls into the box he'd be a very good keeper. I'de like him to stay but its not the end of the world if he buggers off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 We already have by signing the ICT keeper on pre-contract. If Smith is leaving and Fraser is going to be our No.1 keeper then we would still need to bring in back-up. If Fraser is intended to be back-up then we would still be looking for a replacement for Smith if he leaves. Either way, if he is leaving, the sooner we know for definite the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Beg to differ, he had the game of his life in Nancy. Did we play Nancy at the start of the season? The Nancy game was the turning point for him. However before that we dropped 5 points out of 6 entirely down to howlers against Dundee United and Aberdeen and he was far from convincing in other games. Since the penalty save against Nancy he's been better but he's never entirely convinced. Do other Motherwell fans really feel comfortable when any high ball goes into our box? About a third of the time he misses them completely. He's not ironed out the problems in his game which re-occur, perhaps not as frequently as last season but still on a regular basis. Poor command of the box, poor distribution, dealing with crosses and high balls. In the end, he's probably a middle ranking Motherwell goalkeeper, not the worst but certainly not one of the better ones either. I'm not really having a go at the guy other than to say I don't think he's good enough to step up to a higher level than decent SPL side. Look at Craig Gordon, he can't get a game at Sunderland and he's miles ahead of Smith as a goalkeeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammer Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 If Smith is leaving and Fraser is going to be our No.1 keeper then we would still need to bring in back-up. If Fraser is intended to be back-up then we would still be looking for a replacement for Smith if he leaves. Either way, if he is leaving, the sooner we know for definite the better. I'm sure it was said a while back that we couldn't afford two full time keepers so it would always be Smith/Fraser and a loan signing to compliment them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inverhunt Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 I'm sure it was said a while back that we couldn't afford two full time keepers so it would always be Smith/Fraser and a loan signing to compliment them? MM said at the start of this year that he intended having 2 full time goalkeepers only, which would mean that only back up next year to them would be an under 19's goalie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Look at Craig Gordon, he can't get a game at Sunderland and he's miles ahead of Smith as a goalkeeper. He can't kick nor come for a cross ball... sound familier! Although the current Sunderland number 1 is no better at either of those either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFCGMFC Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Do other Motherwell fans really feel comfortable when any high ball goes into our box? bring back Sieb!! he looked sharp in Dougies testimonial!! Sieb Sieb Sieb Swing on the bar!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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