2026/27 Ins & Outs Discussion

[well_said]

26 minutes ago, santheman said:

South of France or East End of Glasgow?

Mmmmm let me think about that one🤔

I think jens will have seen enough about that rancid club last night to steer well clear of them.

[grizzlyg]

I am still hoping Jens sees unfinished business with us and with backing with board can bring in some quality, plenty to gain.....nothing toulouse 

Sorry folks 🤪🤪🤪

[Happy Dosser]

1 hour ago, grizzlyg said:

I am still hoping Jens sees unfinished business with us and with backing with board can bring in some quality, plenty to gain.....nothing toulouse 

Sorry folks 🤪🤪🤪

Oh, grizzly, grizzly.....

Actually a friend who has just arrived in France for a holiday mentioned that  the Toulouse/Motherwell connection is being discussed in the sports press there, so there may be something to it. When he leaves us, I hope it's for abroad.

[texanwellfan]

1 hour ago, grizzlyg said:

I am still hoping Jens sees unfinished business with us and with backing with board can bring in some quality, plenty to gain.....nothing toulouse 

Sorry folks 🤪🤪🤪

One of your better ones 😂

[grizzlyg]

18 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

One of your better ones 😂

Not a phrase I hear often! 🤪🤪

[grizzlyg]

21 minutes ago, Happy Dosser said:

Oh, grizzly, grizzly.....

Actually a friend who has just arrived in France for a holiday mentioned that  the Toulouse/Motherwell connection is being discussed in the sports press there, so there may be something to it. When he leaves us, I hope it's for abroad.

If he leaves for a broad his wife will be raging!!.........sorry......part deux 

[thewelllfan]

I hope if we are losing JBA it's done early so we have time to replace him. We should realistically have a shortlist ready to go as it shouldn't be a massive shock his track record shows he doesn't tend to stay long in jobs and you can't begrudge him a move for more money. The new manager needs to be in place for pre-season to get the recruitment done as we enter Europe in Conference League QR2 or league cup groups should Hibs win sat and Dunfermline win the cup/ That means next season restarts in July so not much turnaround. This rebuild should in theory be easier than the last as we have a decent core and lots of sellable assets which should attract some better players and managers than years gone by.

[weeyin]

54 minutes ago, Happy Dosser said:

When he leaves us, I hope it's for abroad.

If he stays in Scotland, that is abroad. For him, at least.

[stv]

1 hour ago, texanwellfan said:

One of your better ones 😂

Low low bar

[grizzlyg]

Nick Daws got new role as Head Of Football ( or Hand of Football) as John Beaton would call it! 🤪

Taken lot of stick over years for the poor signings but has unearthed some gems in unusual markets and players released.   Ie....ward....koutrombis...Sparrow...Maswanhise....watt.    Long may it continue

[yosemite sam]

19 hours ago, well_said said:

I think jens will have seen enough about that rancid club last night to steer well clear of them.

If he were to go there, at least he knows he"ll get all the dodgy decisions going for him. No change there!

[well_said]

43 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

Nick Daws got new role as Head Of Football ( or Hand of Football) as John Beaton would call it! 🤪

Taken lot of stick over years for the poor signings but has unearthed some gems in unusual markets and players released.   Ie....ward....koutrombis...Sparrow...Maswanhise....watt.    Long may it continue

So ward is a gem now , make up your mind.

[grizzlyg]

55 minutes ago, well_said said:

So ward is a gem now , make up your mind.

Drat!....that's a typo.....meant to say Priestman!! 🤪🤪🤪🤪

 

[wellfan]

With Daws being promoted, and clearly far more involved behind the scenes than many of us probably realised, it seems pretty clear to me that the club is laying the groundwork for JBA’s eventual departure and replacement. What’s encouraging is the apparent focus on internal continuity and structure, and preserving our new model over the longer term.

[Kmcalpin]

27 minutes ago, wellfan said:

With Daws being promoted, and clearly far more involved behind the scenes than many of us probably realised, it seems pretty clear to me that the club is laying the groundwork for JBA’s eventual departure and replacement. What’s encouraging is the apparent focus on internal continuity and structure, and preserving our new model over the longer term.

Thats my take too. We need to build on current success and take that forward to even out troughs and peaks. JBA will move on be it on Sunday or 2027. Its reassuring that the club is preparing for that event. 

[weeyin]

2 hours ago, wellfan said:

With Daws being promoted, and clearly far more involved behind the scenes than many of us probably realised, it seems pretty clear to me that the club is laying the groundwork for JBA’s eventual departure and replacement. What’s encouraging is the apparent focus on internal continuity and structure, and preserving our new model over the longer term.

It does look like that. While you often hear new managers talking about "laying foundations" and other corporate lingo, JBA and the Board seem have to been implementing some actual strategies and ideas to do exactly that. 

You always want a manager to leave a club in a better state, and even if he does go in the summer, there is no doubt he has done that.

[si91]

Another take could be that JBA is putting more of his stamp on the back room things (I hope)

[FirParkCornerExile]

On 5/14/2026 at 11:25 PM, thewelllfan said:

I hope if we are losing JBA it's done early so we have time to replace him. We should realistically have a shortlist ready to go as it shouldn't be a massive shock his track record shows he doesn't tend to stay long in jobs and you can't begrudge him a move for more money. The new manager needs to be in place for pre-season to get the recruitment done as we enter Europe in Conference League QR2 or league cup groups should Hibs win sat and Dunfermline win the cup/ That means next season restarts in July so not much turnaround. This rebuild should in theory be easier than the last as we have a decent core and lots of sellable assets which should attract some better players and managers than years gone by.

I suspect the next manager is already with us. The assistant manager is very much on the same mould, he had St Mirren youths playing the style we do now but the first team wouldn't adopt that style. 

[thewelllfan]

57 minutes ago, FirParkCornerExile said:

I suspect the next manager is already with us. The assistant manager is very much on the same mould, he had St Mirren youths playing the style we do now but the first team wouldn't adopt that style. 

I would be fine with that

 

[texanwellfan]

Forget about the Celtic thread! Forget about the hibs thread!!

this is the important thread now.
 Can we keep JBA?

If not, who takes over?

How many players can we keep?

Can we sign players to improve the team? 

[Mad Dog]

Yes.

Max Rogers.

Twelvety.

Yes.

[wellsince75]

It would be great if JBA want's to stick around for a second season, if he does I suspect a quite a few players would  agree to stick around for another year as well, including securing Welsh. 

TW - probably already has something signed  - if we're cashing in c£4M for him then thats outstanding business. 
Just also likely to leave for decent money, 

Quite a few will likely leave Ox, McGhee, Gordon,  Robinson, Nicholson, Hendry 

[bobbybingo]

23 minutes ago, wellsince75 said:

It would be great if JBA want's to stick around for a second season, if he does I suspect a quite a few players would  agree to stick around for another year as well, including securing Welsh. 
 

Sometimes, the stars align, and my gut feeling is, he'll stay. As you say, I think that's the key to convincing a few others to give it another shot.

[Kmcalpin]

I would say that Slattery, Gordon, Nicholson, Ap Stam and Welsh are stick ons to leave. Halliday and Balmer already confirmed. Oxborough - season long loan to Dunfermline? Hendry and Wilson? There will also be interest in Watt, Just and Manwhanise. 

If some or all of these moves come to fruition, then that will bring in some cash and free up spaces in the squad.  I'd like to see another LB brought in. At least 2 physical ball playing CBs? Another couple of midfielders?  2 main strikers?

Olly Whyte to step up? 

Irrespective of what we think, management will have a very good idea of who is likely to move on and will have been preparing to replace them and strengthen other areas since January. Our financial position has improved since this time last year; we've qualified for Europe; and our stock and profile have increased.  We'll never compete financially with the Dundee Uniteds and Aberdeens of the world but we will be more competitive in the transfer market this year.  

 

[stv]

I am a wee bit hopeful that JBA will see.

That the club has backed him, bought into his ethos, implemented his ideas re facilities infrastructure, crowds have nearly doubled,he is deeply involved with the whole club and he gets a crack at Europe . He feels its unfinished and owes us a wee bit for the absolute backing he has had from everyone associated with the club, it is a two year project and will stay another year.

In the real,world tho money is everything in football now, hopefully with JBA loyalty means something. Stays and his stock rises even more.