Stuart Kettlewell discussion thread

[Wellfan91]

Who's actually going to do a better job working within our budget?

SK has his faults, as do we all - I personally think his substitutions on Sunday were wild and effectively gave Rangers the tie however if we are being brutally honest with ourselves we had no right to be in the semi final given what we spend on wages/players compared to practically any other club in our league, he got us there and for that you have to praise the guy.

I think it's also abundantly clear and perfectly highlighted last season when we went on our long run without a win that he has full respect from the players and has yet to lose the dressing room, the same can't be said for his predecessors who lost the dressing room on a similar run to what we were on last year.

Nice guy into the bargain, I think we have a decent gaffer at the helm all things considered.

[Yodo]

Well Fan 91 are u trying to say we should just give up trying to compete ? Btw nice guys win nothing 

[Spit_It_Out]

I don't mind Kettlewell but he is a master of his own downfall with some of the tactics he uses he seems to over think things alot of the time and I really don't understand why we bothered to fork out a shit ton of money on Stam to use him utterly appallingly.

I am convinced we have a fantastic player in there but the way he is been used due to Kettlewells set ups is shocking but that also comes to not having someone creative in the midfield either.

[grizzlyg]

18 minutes ago, Spit_It_Out said:

I don't mind Kettlewell but he is a master of his own downfall with some of the tactics he uses he seems to over think things alot of the time and I really don't understand why we bothered to fork out a shit ton of money on Stam to use him utterly appallingly.

I am convinced we have a fantastic player in there but the way he is been used due to Kettlewells set ups is shocking but that also comes to not having someone creative in the midfield either.

Been saying this past few weeks,  I think stama is a player but not being used properly,  I think with maswanhise they deserve a run of 4 to 5 games to see if it works......but not if all they get is hoofball

[StAndrew7]

28 minutes ago, Yodo said:

Well Fan 91 are u trying to say we should just give up trying to compete ? Btw nice guys win nothing 

I don't think that's what they're saying at all.

It was our first semi-final in seven years and if you believe some of the pish spouted on here, it's with our worst ever manager, squad and tactics.

I think Kettlewell got his tactics wrong on Sunday but we competed with Rangers for the majority of the game. The issue is the massive gulf in quality makes it difficult to maintain that competitiveness, without adding in shooting yourself in the foot by making ridiculous/baffling/poor substitutions.

5 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Been saying this past few weeks,  I think stama is a player but not being used properly,  I think with maswanhise they deserve a run of 4 to 5 games to see if it works......but not if all they get is hoofball

I said it on another thread somewhere that Stama scored goals with proper supporting play; he was either always in a pair with wingers in a 4-4-2/4-2-4, or in a 4-2-3-1. We don't have the players fit and available to play any of those systems (yet). 

The clear difference in those formations is that they provide real attacking width. Our wing backs don't provide that as often as I'd like but I think that will come. Kaleta is raw but has capabilities that I think are similar to Gent. Definitely an athlete and with the right coaching could become a real threat. Seddon has quality in his delivery and I think him and Wilson down the left could be a real pairing if given time to develop more.

[joewarkfanclub]

1 hour ago, Yodo said:

Well Fan 91 are u trying to say we should just give up trying to compete ? Btw nice guys win nothing 

No. He is saying that despite his faults, our manager might be better than you give him credit for.

Re your second point. Thats just a poor trope. Peps a decent guy and Im pretty sure he has won a trophy or two.

[mio]

3 hours ago, Yodo said:

Well Fan 91 are u trying to say we should just give up trying to compete ? Btw nice guys win nothing 

🤣 yeah, we should have stuck with jim gannon. He was a right c@nt.

 

[grizzlyg]

Total tangent, some of the posts been bonkers since Sunday but not as bonkers as gig I was at tonight...They Might Be Giants at SWG3,  as surreal as my jokes but brilliant at same time,  one for the 1990 music fans

[joewarkfanclub]

8 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Total tangent, some of the posts been bonkers since Sunday but not as bonkers as gig I was at tonight...They Might Be Giants at SWG3,  as surreal as my jokes but brilliant at same time,  one for the 1990 music fans

Build a Little Birdhouse in My Soul! 😍

Is that too happy clappy? 😆

[grizzlyg]

That's Not to put too fine a point on it......🤣🤣🤣

[witchfindergeneral]

Some of the takes on this thread are howling, spent the last day going through after getting back from Portugal.

Kettlewell has his faults and is so frustrating at times but he's also doing well enough this season even with a couple of disappointing results, we've had a couple of better ones we expect nothing from. Transfers have been mostly fine but could have been better, is that down to him being shite, or him not being able to secure top targets? Maybe he's a better coach than a manager? That shows with his record in player development but some baffling tactical changes. But the players seem to fight for him and he seems to care enough about the club/fans. What more do folk want? We're not an attractive prospect for a Jimmy Thelin regen.

 

Even the seasons we finished 2nd we lost double figures of league games and had bad cup results. When we were good back then, we still only got around 4-5K fans in the stands. A lot of users here just need to realise that's Scottish football, and we have our place in it. 

[wellon]

20 hours ago, joewarkfanclub said:

No. He is saying that despite his faults, our manager might be better than you give him credit for.

Re your second point. Thats just a poor trope. Peps a decent guy and Im pretty sure he has won a trophy or two.

Jurgen klopp seems a decent geezer too with great teeth

[stv]

17 hours ago, grizzlyg said:

That's Not to put too fine a point on it......🤣🤣🤣

Have u got a bee in your bunnet

[David]

The international break is upon us, and we're currently three places and six points better off than we were at this stage last season, as I recall, and we've made it to a cup semi-final.

Admittedly, we're not top of the possession table, but you can't have everything. The best part? We haven't even seen all of our new signings in action, and those who were long-term injured haven't yet returned to full fitness.

I'm cautiously optimistic for the rest of the season and rather glad we stuck by the manager last year when things looked a bit shaky at times.

[grizzlyg]

7 minutes ago, David said:

The international break is upon us, and we're currently three places and six points better off than we were at this stage last season, as I recall, and we've made it to a cup semi-final.

Admittedly, we're not top of the possession table, but you can't have everything. The best part? We haven't even seen all of our new signings in action, and those who were long-term injured haven't yet returned to full fitness.

I'm cautiously optimistic for the rest of the season and rather glad we stuck by the manager last year when things looked a bit shaky at times.

I am a fan of him and can't argue about league position and getting to a semi final. 

I feel he overthinks at times and I don't like the way he uses our strikers, I don't think he is getting the best out of them.

Kaleta....Gordon....maswanhise been success so far with Sparrow...Stama and Balmer improving I feel

Hope we can continue to progress 

COYW

[StAndrew7]

20 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

I am a fan of him and can't argue about league position and getting to a semi final. 

I feel he overthinks at times and I don't like the way he uses our strikers, I don't think he is getting the best out of them.

Kaleta....Gordon....maswanhise been success so far with Sparrow...Stama and Balmer improving I feel

Hope we can continue to progress 

COYW

Aye, I think all of us are guilty of expecting new signings to come in and immediately set about playing every week and dominating matches.

We've had it pointed out to us on several occasions just how shite the Australian league and the defending there is, so perhaps giving Stama some time to properly bed in and get used to the standard here before writing him off isn't a bad shout.

Or, y'know, we could just decide he's shite and should head back home.

Cautiously optimistic about the rest of the season but I do feel our next run of games are crucial, prior to the absolute car crash of fixtures over the festive period.

[joewarkfanclub]

6 hours ago, David said:

The international break is upon us, and we're currently three places and six points better off than we were at this stage last season, as I recall, and we've made it to a cup semi-final.

Admittedly, we're not top of the possession table, but you can't have everything. The best part? We haven't even seen all of our new signings in action, and those who were long-term injured haven't yet returned to full fitness.

I'm cautiously optimistic for the rest of the season and rather glad we stuck by the manager last year when things looked a bit shaky at times.

No argument here.

We are far from perfect and SK still makes his fair share of mistakes.

But he as a manager and we as a club are getting more right than wrong.

The big test is going to be around the turn of the year when the majority of players are fit and available for selection.

SK is going to have some serious decisions to make. Hopefully he makes the right ones.

Oh, and hanging on to Lennon Miller until the end of the season, even if it is a loan back, would be good!

[Cameron_Mcd]

I don't particularly like Kettlewell, his lack of willingness to move from the back 3 annoys me, his substitutions are often reactive rather than proactive, some of his decision making is terrible at times (Tavares on in the Semi-Final) and that 15 game winless run have put me off of him.

Saying that, we've been broadly successful with him in charge. He took us from relegation favourites in February to comfortably safe on 50 points in his first season whilst getting KVV + Max Johnston flying and getting us decent transfer fees.

Last season was a real rollercoaster, we started brilliant, then didn't win for about 4 months, then finished the season okay with a win at Ibrox but also a pathetic early cup exit to Morton and a 9th place finish. A bonus point for the 1.6 million pounds sale of Theo Bair. A relative Disappointment.

This season so far we're in 4th on 19 points after an entire round of fixtures and have made it to a Semi-final for the first time in 8 years, however I do there have been disappointments such as the Semi-Final/that Dundee game, I do also feel that we've had a fair bit of luck go our way so far. So far: Success 

Overall if I was to grade Kettlewell's time with us it'd be a 6.5/10, at this point it would be daft to sack him as we could certainly do a hell of a lot worse.

[texanwellfan]

Some very civil posts.  Am I on an alternate steelmen in line?  😂

No trying to convince each other that your viewpoint is correct. Just sharing opinions on individual perceptions of SK and his time here. I find it quite interesting seeing how each person views his performance and interested to see if people’s assessments will change/align as we go through the season and beyond and also to see if SK changes/learns as he progresses. 

[David]

9 hours ago, Cameron_Mcd said:

I don't particularly like Kettlewell, his lack of willingness to move from the back 3 annoys me, his substitutions are often reactive rather than proactive, some of his decision making is terrible at times (Tavares on in the Semi-Final) and that 15 game winless run have put me off of him.

Saying that, we've been broadly successful with him in charge. He took us from relegation favourites in February to comfortably safe on 50 points in his first season whilst getting KVV + Max Johnston flying and getting us decent transfer fees.

Last season was a real rollercoaster, we started brilliant, then didn't win for about 4 months, then finished the season okay with a win at Ibrox but also a pathetic early cup exit to Morton and a 9th place finish. A bonus point for the 1.6 million pounds sale of Theo Bair. A relative Disappointment.

This season so far we're in 4th on 19 points after an entire round of fixtures and have made it to a Semi-final for the first time in 8 years, however I do there have been disappointments such as the Semi-Final/that Dundee game, I do also feel that we've had a fair bit of luck go our way so far. So far: Success 

Overall if I was to grade Kettlewell's time with us it'd be a 6.5/10, at this point it would be daft to sack him as we could certainly do a hell of a lot worse.

Can't disagree with most of what you've said.

It should also be remembered that Kettlewell is still only 40 years old and before coming to us he had six months of experience as the sole senior manager at any club. Last season, unless I've mathed it wrong, was his first full season in charge of a club as the manager. He's certainly improving with more experience, and while he does get a fair bit wrong, the important thing is learning from it.

I'd give him a solid 7/10. 

[joewarkfanclub]

8 hours ago, texanwellfan said:

Some very civil posts.  Am I on an alternate steelmen in line?  😂

No trying to convince each other that your viewpoint is correct. Just sharing opinions on individual perceptions of SK and his time here. I find it quite interesting seeing how each person views his performance and interested to see if people’s assessments will change/align as we go through the season and beyond and also to see if SK changes/learns as he progresses. 

😆😆😆

It'll never last! 

😆😆😆

[grizzlyg]

Watched interview on YouTube with Kettlewell and Derek Mcgregor of The Sun.

Really good interview.   He frustrates the hell out of me at times but comes across a genuine nice guy who is trying his best and got genuine affection for club and all of the staff.

https://youtu.be/5-jHlIT3rjI?si=FrX0vLKTjQL986Dw

 

[robsterwood]

Will this part of forum lights up if we loose today? 4 fairly comprehensive defeats in a row, 3 against lower teams  and no sign of any improvement.Surely society  got to take note. Especially given last season.

[Spiderpig]

48 minutes ago, robsterwood said:

Will this part of forum lights up if we loose today? 4 fairly comprehensive defeats in a row, 3 against lower teams  and no sign of any improvement.Surely society  got to take note. Especially given last season.

He survived a winless run of 15 games last season, absolutely no chance he's getting sacked if we lose today and extend this run to 4 winless, he's here for the season.

[grizzlyg]

Today and next 2 home games are crucial in my opinion.  Given him plenty of support so it's a sudden knee jerk reaction. Since semi v rangers some of decisions, tactics and line ups been baffling.

Hopefully a win today can lighten the mood