2024/25 Ins & Outs Discussion

[bobbybingo]

15 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

Did he ever really exist?

He was flat sharing with Eddie Nolan.

[Thunderlips]

What was the story with Callan Elliot? Did he ever make the bench? That other player we had as well that got sent back home for "sinister" reasons too? What was the point of these signings?

[joewarkfanclub]

Bair is a tricky one.

Id rather he signed an extension/improved deal so that we are not scrambling around for another striker that will get us goals next season, and obviously we protect our investment in him.

However, he is still far from the finished article and with no guarantees he will repeat the same numbers next year, £1.25m seems an awful lot of money, even if it is only £750k up front. It would keep the wolf from the door for another season.

But with Spittal already away, the chance that Miller could also be off it kinda feels that losing him as well would pretty much be a whole new squad next season.

Thats a big ask of the manager and the recruitment team.

He seems like a good guy to have around and clearly has a relationship with the manager, so who knows?

Be nice to get some good PCAs in early once the season has ended to calm everything down!

[joewarkfanclub]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

I'd rather keep Bair tbh. Even if it's only till January. 

He will be harder to replace in January.

If we cant get him to sign an extension we need to take the money.

We cant let him go for nothing.

If hr signs a new deal, brilliant. Id be just as happy.

[joewarkfanclub]

23 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

I get your point but I really don't want him to go. I don't think 750k is enough. Maybe he could just play shite for the next few games and no one will want him 🤣. 

 

Hope he scores 5 in the next 2 games and the fee goes up to £2.5m! 

Seriously, more than happy for him to stay but it can only be on extended terms. He likes the manager and the manager has got the best out of him so if he is earning more and consolidating his position next season and continuing to develop he could go for even more money next year.

Bottom line is it will be down to Theo and his agent as to where they see his future......

[wellsince75]

If we have an offer in/around £1M then we should take it.   I can see many championship level clubs being interested and think it's good money for someone we pulled in for free. 

Also helps attract other players to join us.  The club and mgr are doing a great job at getting. XX% more out of players. 

[Kmcalpin]

3 hours ago, Thunderlips said:

What was the story with Callan Elliot? Did he ever make the bench? That other player we had as well that got sent back home for "sinister" reasons too? What was the point of these signings?

I don't know for sure, but suspect he was brought in on a low cost "trial" basis if you like. A project. I doubt he was brought in as cover. 

[Kmcalpin]

I hope Bair signs an extension  but we can't afford to let him leave for nothing when his deal expires. Our record for picking up decent strikers is exceptionally good. Dixie Deans, Joe Mcbride, Willie Pettigrew, Louis Moult, Chris Porter, Scott MacDonald, Dougie Arnott, Michael Higdon, Kevin Van Veen et al. He can be replaced. 

[bobbybingo]

2 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

We can. If we can let Spittal go for nothing and Kelly go for nothing we can let Bair go for nothing. I absolutely agree with the fact that we will probably need to sell him but if we can let other players go for nothing at the end of their contract then why can't we keep Bair? Or at least hold out for a much better offer. 1.5 min before add ons in my view. 

Holding out for a better offer works if Bair maintains, or improves, his form. If he doesn't, which is entirely possible, and we've failed to cash in, it's a double whammy. Holding on to him till January might seem like an ok compromise, but as someone else said, finding a half decent, fit replacement during that window will be virtually impossible. Our decision may depend on what Theo Bair wants to do, I suppose.

[David]

If we get a decent offer, such as the ones being mentioned, and he's open to moving, then it's pretty much a done deal. We're in the business of selling players for profit. 

It's then on the club to find the next guy we can utilise for a season or so and move on.

[bobbybingo]

17 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

We don't know if he's going to improve or not as you say . I would suspect on current form that he probably would. 

I hope he does.

I think there are key differences between the players you mentioned. Kelly and Spittal were both in the final year of their contracts - Kelly's dip in form was unlikely to see anyone make an offer for him, while Spittal's improvement was guaranteed to attract bigger fish and provide the player with an opportunity he was unlikely to ignore. By the time he became a financial asset/must keep, it was already too late.

Bair's form in the first year of his deal potentially allows the club to make decent money from selling him - I doubt they'll take a gamble.

[bobbybingo]

1 minute ago, wellgirl said:

Like other people have said we don't cash in on goalkeepers as a rule anyway. I just think it's a shame in a way - maybe because I think we might get sold short because we are Motherwell if that makes sense. On the one hand it's great that other clubs recognise the talent we have. I just think too many other clubs think they can get our players on the cheap. Just need to wait and see how it all pans out. 

Yeah, I think you're right, we'll probably be sold short because we're Motherwell. Unfortunarely, it's just the way it will always be. Clubs understand we have to sell our best players and know we can be forced to accept less than a bigger club could hold out for. It would take the emergence of a very, very special talent to change that and even then, they wouldn't be around here long enough to be seen as anything other than a prospect, which would impact their price.

[David]

1 hour ago, wellgirl said:

I just think it's a shame in a way - maybe because I think we might get sold short because we are Motherwell if that makes sense.

It's mainly because bigger clubs see a player do well with us, but there's always that doubt they can make the step up. There's a whole bunch of factors that go into it I think.

[David]

20 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

And the fact that we cant say no really because we aren't a wealthy club. I do think we do sell ourselves short at times though because we have had players who have made that step up and maybe at some point we can hold out for more money for our best players. 

The determining factor in such a situation would be multiple clubs wanting the player. Then, it turns into a bit of a bidding war, but if we have interest from one club and they offer what they're offering, then that's what he's worth in the market. 

We can only ask for more money if we think a club is willing to pay it. They can easily say "no thanks, we'll go elsewhere" and then we get nothing.

[thewelllfan]

The thing I will give our scouts credit for is they always find at least 1 half-decent St. There's also times tho i'm sat questioning if they have a brain. Over the years some of the signings have been exceptionally bad

[David]

On Lennon Miller, I think Kettlewell addressed it quite recently...

"I'm not worried about it and are we sitting here with a figure? Definitely not. You see Lennon walking about the place and playing out on the pitch. We're as relaxed as he is.

"He signed an extension to his deal we were absolutely delighted to get. To secure the services of a very good player for a longer period of time is a good thing for us. He's come through the academy and from our side Lennon knows, we know, and his parents and agent and everyone who's behind him have all got that same focus.

"That focus is that more minutes and games at this club is only going to enhance his reputation and help enhance him as a player. We know he'll have goals and so will his family. But if we can work together in the fashion I believe we have done then that's going to line the stars up and ensure he goes on to have a very prosperous career."

Unless a really good offer comes in that appeals to both club and player he'll be here next season I think.

[thewelllfan]

42 minutes ago, David said:

On Lennon Miller, I think Kettlewell addressed it quite recently...

"I'm not worried about it and are we sitting here with a figure? Definitely not. You see Lennon walking about the place and playing out on the pitch. We're as relaxed as he is.

"He signed an extension to his deal we were absolutely delighted to get. To secure the services of a very good player for a longer period of time is a good thing for us. He's come through the academy and from our side Lennon knows, we know, and his parents and agent and everyone who's behind him have all got that same focus.

"That focus is that more minutes and games at this club is only going to enhance his reputation and help enhance him as a player. We know he'll have goals and so will his family. But if we can work together in the fashion I believe we have done then that's going to line the stars up and ensure he goes on to have a very prosperous career."

Unless a really good offer comes in that appeals to both club and player he'll be here next season I think.

Good news, we'll definitley cashing in on Bair then tho

[texanwellfan]

1 hour ago, thewelllfan said:

Good news, we'll definitley cashing in on Bair then tho

I hope not but you might be right. I’d like to see the club and Bair work out an extension that sees him stay here another season and both player and club go on to make even more money than if they parted ways just now. The questions being, do both parties have the confidence that Bair will continue to improve? How much of a risk is it that an injury could thwart any plans? 

[texanwellfan]

2 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

I hope not but you might be right. I’d like to see the club and Bair work out an extension that sees him stay here another season and both player and club go on to make even more money than if they parted ways just now. The questions being, do both parties have the confidence that Bair will continue to improve? How much of a risk is it that an injury could thwart any plans? 

Maybe along the lines of new 2 year contract at higher rate. Ok so he could be getting even more if he moves. So, offer him a cut of any transfer fee we will get to make up for the difference. Could be a percentage or could be a set amount. Similar to a signing on fee but instead of getting it at sign on he gets it when he transfers. 

[thewelllfan]

22 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

I hope not but you might be right. I’d like to see the club and Bair work out an extension that sees him stay here another season and both player and club go on to make even more money than if they parted ways just now. The questions being, do both parties have the confidence that Bair will continue to improve? How much of a risk is it that an injury could thwart any plans? 

I don't think if we keep him for another season hell get the same number of goals and assits think with Spittal leaving his numbers will drop off to probably 15 G/A next season. So personally I'd take the money and try get Simon Murray if County end up going down

[David]

When it comes to Bair, the old saying of "strike while the iron is hot" likely applies. For both club and player.

[thewelllfan]

11 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

I think Murray will have a fair few offers that we would probably struggle to match - plus he's 32 - which some folks probably wouldn't be happy with.  Although to be fair so is Van Veen and a lot of fans wanted him back. Just saw an interview with Kettlewell and he's just said that it's going to take a significant offer to prise Theo away from Motherwell. 

On Murray you may well be right but we still should be in for him. On Bair if we get anything around 1.5M for him your taking it and running only way we'd get more is if there's a bidding war. 

[David]

1 hour ago, wellgirl said:

It depends what the club feels is significant. The Bristol City rumour was 750k initially then it went to 750k plus 500k add ons. The only other club I've seen that are supposed to be interested in him at this stage is Charlton. 

We won't really know what's on the table anyway because this kind of thing is very fluid. One team could sound us out about Theo but also look at other options, and I'm sure we'll see more than one inquiry this summer.

For me, considering Bair's track record outside of this current season, anything over £1 million in total is good value. 

Not to mention, the player is likely all too aware of where he's been and how he's performed in his career. He'd be absolutely mad not to cash in on his best season yet and try to secure as high a salary as he can on a solid three—or four-year contract.

[DunnyMFC]

Think £1m would be good bit of business for a guy who wasn't rated at the start and we got for free.

[joewarkfanclub]

3 hours ago, texanwellfan said:

Maybe along the lines of new 2 year contract at higher rate. Ok so he could be getting even more if he moves. So, offer him a cut of any transfer fee we will get to make up for the difference. Could be a percentage or could be a set amount. Similar to a signing on fee but instead of getting it at sign on he gets it when he transfers. 

I think that would be the dream scenario.

Theo stays another year, develops more, a Championship club come in with a big offer next close season and he moves on to bigger wages in a really strong position to hold down his place and we gain a significant fee.

Everyone is happy.

Edit: But anything over £1m I would expect us to sell.