2024/25 Ins & Outs Discussion

[wellfan]

3 hours ago, David said:

Someone just as good, if not better than Kelly on a fraction of his salary.

Not impossible given that we found ourselves in a diminishing returns scenario with Kelly this season. 

[steelboy]

10 hours ago, David said:

Kelly drawing interest from both Celtic and Rangers, then?

You have to wonder why either of them hasn't chosen the "just as good but half the wages" option that certain people on here have been talking about.

Guess that means we can jump in now and grab that guy though, whoever he is.

Rangers want Kelly to be their back up goal keeper because it gives them extra players in their European squad due to him coming through their academy. 

The Celtic story that was planted will just have been to make it palatable to Rangers fans when they sign him ie 'he can't be that bad if Celtic were looking at him as well'. 

 

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Today's BBC Gossip:

Quote

Motherwell striker Theo Bair is being chased by Blackburn and Bristol City, with a deal of around £800,000 plus add-ons in the offing. (Daily Mail)

[Spiderpig]

1 hour ago, wellfan said:

Not impossible given that we found ourselves in a diminishing returns scenario with Kelly this season. 

Kelly was never good enough to attract a transfer bid from a bigger club during his time with us so we were never making any cash from moving him on,he was always going to end up a free agent.

With no interest from the ugly sisters etc he would probably have resigned the new contract we offered, but the chance to sign for Rangers for more cash and an easier gig as back up is a no brainer for him, I wish him well if it happens.

[bobbybingo]

11 minutes ago, Toxteth O'Grady said:

Today's BBC Gossip:

If it's Blackburn, they can add on Gent and Vale on loan for next season.

[Kmcalpin]

If it turns out that we're offered £800K + add ons for Bair then we should take it. He may not replicate this season's form next year. Yes, that will leave us short up front, but hopefully SK has been preparing for this very scenario. 

My one proviso is that that any fee received is not used to plug financial gaps. Those gaps should be addressed by external investment and/or the Society proposal.

[grizzlyg]

2 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

If it turns out that we're offered £800K + add ons for Bair then we should take it. He may not replicate this season's form next year. Yes, that will leave us short up front, but hopefully SK has been preparing for this very scenario. 

My one proviso is that that any fee received is not used to plug financial gaps. Those gaps should be addressed by external investment and/or the Society proposal.

Yup I agree, not convinced Bair will be as prolific next season and if he is then teams will get him cheaper as 1 Yr left of contract.  However if we can get him to sign year extension I would be tempted to keep him.

Regarding next goalie I would happily take a loan goalie for a season. Has worked for us before and it also didn't do killie and st mirren harm this season

[StAndrew7]

25 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

My one proviso is that that any fee received is not used to plug financial gaps. Those gaps should be addressed by external investment and/or the Society proposal.

There aren't any financial gaps to plug, though. The club is on course to break even this season, before any additional transfer income is considered and will have a decent reserve of cash, so why would it be?

As for Bair; take the money, although there's a bit of a double-edged sword with the Copa America. If he scores a couple there and catches the eye (although he absolutely won't be starting ahead of Jonathan David), we should be looking for a bit more, imho. Perhaps a clause in the negotiations that increases the price by £xyz if he scores some international goals.

Use 50-75% of it to bring in a bit more quality/replacements for him and Spittal, then keep the rest for January. Although we all know that's not really how transfer fees work these days, so it'll be what it'll be.

[Toxteth O'Grady]

https://x.com/Record_Sport/status/1793195908487684322

Barry Maguire being linked with Hamilton, according to Scott Burns.

[StAndrew7]

12 minutes ago, Toxteth O'Grady said:

https://x.com/Record_Sport/status/1793195908487684322

Barry Maguire being linked with Hamilton, according to Scott Burns.

Captain, leader, two footed legend.

[Ya Bezzer!]

55 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Yup I agree, not convinced Bair will be as prolific next season and if he is then teams will get him cheaper as 1 Yr left of contract.  However if we can get him to sign year extension I would be tempted to keep him.

Regarding next goalie I would happily take a loan goalie for a season. Has worked for us before and it also didn't do killie and st mirren harm this season

Bair scored 1 goal in his last 6 games and that was a penalty so the idea that he might not be as prolific next season is valid until disproved.

For goalie can I throw in the name of Kevin Dabrowski.  He's been excellent for Raith Rovers this season.  He's got a year left on his contract at Hibs and spent all this season out on loan.  Hibs will have a new manager who might want to bring in his own players.  Think it's worth a shout.

[Throughthelaces]

On the Kelly subject he’s played for us for a bit im not convinced he was the worst but far from the best. I don’t think it’s a position we should have much trouble covering. We need a defence and a midfield however. 
 

I do hope that Kettlewell signs some wide attackers as well I sometimes think we need to change our shape up or at least give ourselves the option to change it up. 

[wellfan97]

2 minutes ago, Throughthelaces said:

On the Kelly subject he’s played for us for a bit im not convinced he was the worst but far from the best. I don’t think it’s a position we should have much trouble covering. We need a defence and a midfield however. 
 

I do hope that Kettlewell signs some wide attackers as well I sometimes think we need to change our shape up or at least give ourselves the option to change it up. 

If it's true we're signing Easton from Raith I know he can play out wide and through the middle not sure if we're rumoured with any other attacking players though.

[StAndrew7]

12 minutes ago, Throughthelaces said:

I do hope that Kettlewell signs some wide attackers as well I sometimes think we need to change our shape up or at least give ourselves the option to change it up. 

Absolutely this. It's clear there was no Plan B last season and I guess that comes from him being so wedded to the 3-4-2-1 / 3-5-2 / 5-3-2 system with (eleventy billion) wing backs. There absolutely must be a different style/formation for us to play next year, otherwise we'll be found out and teams will know the exact recipe required to nullify us.

[bobbybingo]

10 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

That's Kelly been named in Steve Clarkes provisional squad. 

Kelly or Gordon must be one of the two getting cut. Johnston didn't make it, and Turnbull's career is going from strength to strength.

[wellfan]

21 minutes ago, bobbybingo said:

Kelly or Gordon must be one of the two getting cut. Johnston didn't make it, and Turnbull's career is going from strength to strength.

Unless Clark, Gunn or Gordon are kidnapped, Kelly will be dropped. 

I'm disappointed that Johnston didn't at least make the provisional squad, but it was obvious that Clarke would choose Ralston and McCrorie ahead of him. 

It's a shame about Turnbull, who's done nothing since joining Cardiff. 

[bobbybingo]

8 minutes ago, wellfan said:

Unless Clark, Gunn or Gordon are kidnapped, Kelly will be dropped. 

I'm disappointed that Johnston didn't at least make the provisional squad, but it was obvious that Clarke would choose Ralston and McCrorie ahead of him. 

It's a shame about Turnbull, who's done nothing since joining Cardiff. 

Yeah, Turnbull's a mystery. I'd have bet money on him being a Scotland regular by now, but it just isn't happening for him. Postecoglou, Rodgers and Clarke obviously had doubts/issues with him and he's settled into the same sub or subbed routine at Cardiff, but without the goals.

[texanwellfan]

39 minutes ago, bobbybingo said:

Yeah, Turnbull's a mystery. I'd have bet money on him being a Scotland regular by now, but it just isn't happening for him. Postecoglou, Rodgers and Clarke obviously had doubts/issues with him and he's settled into the same sub or subbed routine at Cardiff, but without the goals.

Get him back on loan along with Campbell 

[texanwellfan]

9 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

Don't think we would have a hope of landing either of them to be honest. 

Probably not but it’s a nice dream. 

[Mccus28]

15 hours ago, wellgirl said:

I also personally think that clean sheets don't matter that much. Livi Ross County and St Johnstone had more clean sheets than us but we finished higher. 

And Kelly was outstanding for us in a couple of big games. When we beat Rangers and the draw at Parkhead. His clean sheet stats were much better for us in previous seasons. So clearly the dip in form for the defence must have contributed. 

"Clean sheets don't matter that much"

Of course they do, thats quite an odd thing to say 🤒

[bobbybingo]

17 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

Get him back on loan along with Campbell 

Another guy who needs to kick start his career. Just hope it's not back in Scotland at one of the usual suspects.

[texanwellfan]

1 minute ago, bobbybingo said:

Another guy who needs to kick start his career. Just hope it's not back in Scotland at one of the usual suspects.

Yep. Was doing well by all accounts then new manager comes in and it’s downhill from there. Must have been a sickner to have played such an important part in promotion and then never get the chance to play in the EPL 

[bobbybingo]

2 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

Yep. Was doing well by all accounts then new manager comes in and it’s downhill from there. Must have been a sickner to have played such an important part in promotion and then never get the chance to play in the EPL 

And to add insult, getting sent out on loan to Millwall and left to rot there, despite hardly getting a game. 

 

[Mccus28]

9 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

I did put my post in context that other teams with more clean sheets than us finished lower down the table including Livi who were relegated. 

In that context I dont think they matter that much - if other people don't agree that's completely fine. There's also the question of our defence - which has been underperforming as has Kelly. 

The context isn't great either

If we get clean sheets we get more points, its that simple really

If we score the amount of goals we did this season AND get more clean sheets we generate at least a top 6 finish.

All hypothetical I know but clean sheets obviously matter, even in the context you articulated.

[Spiderpig]

1 hour ago, bobbybingo said:

Yeah, Turnbull's a mystery. I'd have bet money on him being a Scotland regular by now, but it just isn't happening for him. Postecoglou, Rodgers and Clarke obviously had doubts/issues with him and he's settled into the same sub or subbed routine at Cardiff, but without the goals.

Maybe they all thought he's just not as good as we think he is, apart from earning loads of Cash his career since he left us has been distinctly underwhelming.