2025/26 Ins & Outs Discussion

[Onthefringes]

15 hours ago, well_said said:

Not good enough.

I’d put money on you rating Harry Paton

[well_said]

1 hour ago, Onthefringes said:

I’d put money on you rating Harry Paton

Naw he's worse

[wellfan]

We do have a bad habit of fetishising former Motherwell players. That said, Cornelius is probably still a better option than the likes of Paton, Davor, and Callachan. I do imagine, however, that Wimmer has his eyes on other potential targets, and that Cornelius will end up at another League 2 side or similar. 

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Paul McGinn signs on for another season

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2025/05/09/paul-mcginn-remains-for-2025-26-season/

[mio]

8 minutes ago, Toxteth O'Grady said:

Paul McGinn signs on for another season

https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2025/05/09/paul-mcginn-remains-for-2025-26-season/

As long as he’s fit he’s definitely worth another year. Hopefully we’ll see a number of new faces who wimmer knows from Austria or Germany this summer.

on a separate note, I saw a picture of fir park today and the surface looks like it’s the first day of the season. Absolutely incredible job these groundsmen do.

[grizzlyg]

Delighted McGinn has signed for another year, massive loss in my opinion plus only for a year incase folk worry about us signing experienced players

[wellsince75]

if we've signed him on a pay as you play then fair enough. 

No question a younger fitter Mcginn was an excellent signing. 

He'll be 35 this year, he missed several 3-4 months last season and missed c6 months this season.  It's highly likely he'll miss a large chunk of next season. 

If this was a single signing of retaining experience then OK but that's Halliday/SOD/McGinn all been extended. 

We needed to have a massive clean up this season and move forward.  I don't see us learning any lessons here at all. 

[mio]

Tony Watt putting up a cryptic message on Twitter tonight of him celebrating a Motherwell goal. 
seems to have annoyed some Dundee Utd fans but I’d guess he’s signed with us.

[Kmcalpin]

51 minutes ago, mio said:

seems to have annoyed some Dundee Utd fans

Thats not difficult to be fair. 

[wellgirl]

4 hours ago, wellsince75 said:

if we've signed him on a pay as you play then fair enough. 

No question a younger fitter Mcginn was an excellent signing. 

He'll be 35 this year, he missed several 3-4 months last season and missed c6 months this season.  It's highly likely he'll miss a large chunk of next season. 

If this was a single signing of retaining experience then OK but that's Halliday/SOD/McGinn all been extended. 

We needed to have a massive clean up this season and move forward.  I don't see us learning any lessons here at all. 

I don't think anyone gets signed on a pay as you play. He's got a contract for another year and I assume he'll be getting a salary. I actually don't know where this pay as you play comes from tbh. It only seems to be discussed on Internet forums and I would be hugely surprised if it were a thing for our club. I personally don't think anyone should have to have these restrictions placed on them. You'll be paid if you play and not if you don't No one would want that for themselves - and we would be a shite club in my view if we signed players on those terms - particularly as there are players who play for us who hardly get any game time who get a salary. Why should McGinn be treated differently? Clearly Wimmer sees something in McGinn and he wants to keep him and if so he should be paid a wage like everyone else 

As for the clean up - also not going to happen - because we have a lot of players still under contract 

[wellgirl]

1 hour ago, mio said:

Tony Watt putting up a cryptic message on Twitter tonight of him celebrating a Motherwell goal. 
seems to have annoyed some Dundee Utd fans but I’d guess he’s signed with us.

Nothing about his tweet made me think that he's signed on again - but hopefully I'm wrong and he has 

[MelvinBragg]

McGinn re-signing in itself is not the issue. On top of O'Donnell though it makes no sense...

[wellgirl]

1 minute ago, MelvinBragg said:

McGinn re-signing in itself is not the issue. On top of O'Donnell though it makes no sense...

O Donnell had a clause in his contract that would trigger an extension I believe. Obviously there's been reasons why Wimmer wants to retain McGinn. I'm personally not bothered - he's a decent player and he's been missed in my view. 

[The African]

While the signings so far might not be the major 'clear out and replace" style revolution that some might see as a requirement for next season, it is perhaps worth looking at the situation as a whole before discounting it completely.

For a start, Wimmer has a background in coaching rather than management, so the whole buying and selling aspect is probably new to him, and an unknown. If he believes that there is a good chance that he can improve the players and performances of current players individually and the team collectively through coaching, then he needs to be given a chance to do it. I think it is fair to say that most of the players have, for whatever reason, underperformed this season. It must be within Wimmers remit to try and get more out of them as there is undoubtedly some quality there.

It also should not be forgotten that all players can improve and that a change in environment brought about by new people at the helm and revised tactics and ideas can work wonders on some individuals. I sometimes despair at the speed with which certain players are simply written off as not up to the required standard after one or two games. If Wimmer has the vision to see us getting more out of players already on our books, then perhaps it should be seen as being less of a gamble than trying to replace them from the limited market that we operate within. He will need time, patience and the support of our fans while he attempts this. I hope he gets it.

That is not to say that I am against some comings and goings within the squad. He inherited a bloated and unbalanced group of players, caused at least partly by a horrendous run of injuries. Once the loanees are returned to their parent clubs and the out of contract players head off to pastures new, I will get as excited as anyone over the possibilities that new faces will bring. Give them, and Wimmer, a decent chance and let's see where we end up.

[MelvinBragg]

2 hours ago, wellgirl said:

O Donnell had a clause in his contract that would trigger an extension I believe. Obviously there's been reasons why Wimmer wants to retain McGinn. I'm personally not bothered - he's a decent player and he's been missed in my view. 

I'm aware of O'Donnell triggering a clause. When that happened, fairly or not I would have let McGinn go. We now have four central defenders under contract, two are well past 30 and one is Kofi Balmer...

[wellfan]

I’m pleased we’ve given McGinn a contract for what’ll likely be his final year in top flight football. He’s proven to be a real asset to the team providing he remains injury free.

I also think we’ll offer Watt a 1-2 year deal and I won’t be pissed off by that. He seems like he’ll do well under Wimmer. Should he flop next season, he can always return to flogging socks full time. 

[wellsince75]

8 hours ago, wellgirl said:

I don't think anyone gets signed on a pay as you play. He's got a contract for another year and I assume he'll be getting a salary. I actually don't know where this pay as you play comes from tbh. It only seems to be discussed on Internet forums and I would be hugely surprised if it were a thing for our club. I personally don't think anyone should have to have these restrictions placed on them. You'll be paid if you play and not if you don't No one would want that for themselves - and we would be a shite club in my view if we signed players on those terms - particularly as there are players who play for us who hardly get any game time who get a salary. Why should McGinn be treated differently? Clearly Wimmer sees something in McGinn and he wants to keep him and if so he should be paid a wage like everyone else 

As for the clean up - also not going to happen - because we have a lot of players still under contract 

@wellgirl point well made re the zero contract hours/pay as you play. 

McGinn has been very decent for us  - I just don't believe he'll play many games. At his age and recent history it's unlikely he'll remain injury free. 

Time will tell , but fair challenge on my comments.

[Kmcalpin]

I'm not hung up about numbers of retained players or new faces. What I am concerned about is structural weaknesses in the squad. Whether they're addressed by coaching or new arrivals is irrelevant.

* injury prone squad: we need to bring in proven fit players

* lack of pacy wing backs

* we need to stiffen our central defence

* we need to harden our midfield and make it more physical; some pace too wouldn't go amiss

* we need a lethal striker (who doesn't?) and acquire a big target man

I'm not overly concerned about losing Lennon Miller. Great prospect though he is, he doesn't seem to fit our system and has never been the type of player to set a match alight.

It'll be interesting too to watch any young players coming through:

Luca Ross

Dylan Wells

Mikey Booth

Olly Whyte

They're young but are they ready and good enough?

 

[Mad Dog]

5 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

It'll be interesting too to watch any young players coming through:

Luca Ross

Dylan Wells

Mikey Booth

Olly Whyte

They're young but are they ready and good enough?

 

As we're safe now, I'd rather see these boys on the bench for the remaining games rather than the loanees that have had opportunities but haven't impressed at all.

[wellgirl]

11 minutes ago, Mad Dog said:

As we're safe now, I'd rather see these boys on the bench for the remaining games rather than the loanees that have had opportunities but haven't impressed at all.

One is injured I believe and the others are on loan