weeyin Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 We don't need to try and replace Eli. We "just" need to build an effective midfield that works with Alfred's preferred style. Last season's midfield was different from the midfield that had Miller and Spittal, but it turned out OK. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsince75 Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 Caught my eye that 3 of our 5 perm signings came from clubs relegated last season - wonder if that’s partly how we landed them - or perhaps just a coincidence 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purestate Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 10 minutes ago, wellsince75 said: Caught my eye that 3 of our 5 perm signings came from clubs relegated last season - wonder if that’s partly how we landed them - or perhaps just a coincidence Yes, seems like more than a coincidence. Surely makes probably easier to deal with both club and player. Them to reduce wage bill and him to step back up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 47 minutes ago, purestate said: Yes, seems like more than a coincidence. Surely makes probably easier to deal with both club and player. Them to reduce wage bill and him to step back up. Players often have a relegation release clause too, which no doubt helps. Talking earlier about the U19 trialist striker - if he's anything like that 17 year old playing for Aston Villa tonight we should get him signed up! That Villa guy is an absolute unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 11 hours ago, Mad Dog said: I wonder if A.Trialist cut the mustard yesterday? Can't find any highlights yet. https://x.com/keltyheartsfc/status/2087547283302650364?s=61&t=PGc8UcmdT5aDdco-qWkrFw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well_said Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 21 hours ago, Mad Dog said: I wonder if A.Trialist cut the mustard yesterday? Can't find any highlights yet. No, he was nothing special. Just a young lad starting out in the game . It will be a long time before he is first team material , if ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Saw headline saying we paid €600,000 euros for Hodge!!, now that's a statement of intent. Good to see club investing some of that transfer money received Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 2 hours ago, grizzlyg said: Saw headline saying we paid €600,000 euros for Hodge!!, now that's a statement of intent. Good to see club investing some of that transfer money received I saw that. If true, its certainly a statement. Would be close to a club record fee paid for a player I would imagine. I know we did get a helluva lot more than that for Watt, so the money is there, but even still. Alfred did make a point of saying we would stick to the model that has been successful, so we wont be throwing cash around left, right and centre. But it certainly allows us to target a higher calibre player than we maybe could in the past. Obviously with the caveat we will be hoping to develop Hodge into another Eli Just type fee in a couple of years. Good times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted August 13 Author Report Share Posted August 13 I'd certainly hope we're spending a bit more on players than we were, and not just because we have money to spend at the moment. It should be part of the model. We have progressed from getting players on a free transfer and hoping to get a million or so for them, to spending a couple of hundred grand and hoping to get a bigger profit margin, and now we're looking at players who cost around half a million and while the ceiling in what we can command in transfer fees is real, we'd hope that spending that half a million means the player is more likely to be worth four or five million in a year or two. It's not an exact science, of course, but it stands to reason that someone valued at half a million with the pedigree that Hodge has is more likely to have a higher ceiling than someone we get for nothing and who doesn't quite have that background. A calculated risk for sure, but hopefully it'll pay off more often than not. And that's not to mention that we are able to sign players on longer deals when we're spending more, rather than a season at a time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 42 minutes ago, David said: I'd certainly hope we're spending a bit more on players than we were, and not just because we have money to spend at the moment. It should be part of the model. We have progressed from getting players on a free transfer and hoping to get a million or so for them, to spending a couple of hundred grand and hoping to get a bigger profit margin, and now we're looking at players who cost around half a million and while the ceiling in what we can command in transfer fees is real, we'd hope that spending that half a million means the player is more likely to be worth four or five million in a year or two. It's not an exact science, of course, but it stands to reason that someone valued at half a million with the pedigree that Hodge has is more likely to have a higher ceiling than someone we get for nothing and who doesn't quite have that background. A calculated risk for sure, but hopefully it'll pay off more often than not. And that's not to mention that we are able to sign players on longer deals when we're spending more, rather than a season at a time. And the bonus of hopefully being able to attract players due to the style of football we are playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 The gaffer today: Quote After the arrival of midfielder Joe Hodge from Portuguese side Tondela on Wednesday, Johansson insisted Motherwell’s shopping isn’t done, with more recruits to help an injury-depleted side. He said: “We’re not done in this window. There are still things to be done but for us we’re in a situation where we want to be patient and make the right decisions. We don't want to force anything.” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldonmac Posted August 14 Report Share Posted August 14 8 hours ago, weeyin said: The gaffer today: Someone is going to have to have a wee word with AJ. This cautious, patient approach to signings is not the Motherwell way. Does he not know, that each season, we sign 15+ loan signings, who fall into one of three categories: signed while injured, injured during first appearance or injured during training session. This sensible approach is worrying ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted Sunday at 07:26 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 07:26 PM We're now several games into the new season and its clear that the squad has deficiencies. The good news is that we have to rectify them. We desperately need another attacking midfielder and striker. Maybe another left back if Longelo moves on. Loan move for Mikey Booth and maybe Ewan Wilson, if he can't be offloaded. I wouldn't lose any sleep if RCC found a new club as he's just not doing the business. We almost have a strong enough strating 11 but the fringe players are not impressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewelllfan Posted yesterday at 01:36 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 01:36 AM On 8/16/2026 at 8:26 PM, Kmcalpin said: We're now several games into the new season and its clear that the squad has deficiencies. The good news is that we have to rectify them. We desperately need another attacking midfielder and striker. Maybe another left back if Longelo moves on. Loan move for Mikey Booth and maybe Ewan Wilson, if he can't be offloaded. I wouldn't lose any sleep if RCC found a new club as he's just not doing the business. We almost have a strong enough strating 11 but the fringe players are not impressing. I doubt we'll do much business before the window closes unless their is more outgoings (Maswanhsie, Longelo, Fadinger all been linked with moves in last few weeks) If you go position by position we're probably at the maximum we can afford. GK - Paulsen, Connolly RB - Sparrow, Koutrombis, SOD CB - Moormann, Girdwood-Reich, Knight-Lebel, McGinn, McGhee LB - Longelo, Williams, Wilson CM - Fadinger, Preistman, Hodge, Whyte, Booth AM - Said, Lowry RW - Vogt, Ross LW - Charles-Cook ST - Maswanhise, Bjorgolfsson, Hendry, Stamatelopolous I think in an ideal world we'd bring in another 3 but how financially viable that is who knows. The positions would be: - ST - LW - RW/AM depending on what position you think Said will be more effective in - Potentially another CM but I feel Whyte is probably fine as a squad option in midfield. Booth needs a loan. Ross and Wilson as squad options are fine they just can't be starting or playing significant minutes as the cup game showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted yesterday at 07:50 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 07:50 AM Signing reveal imminent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted yesterday at 07:56 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 07:56 AM 6 hours ago, thewelllfan said: I doubt we'll do much business before the window closes unless their is more outgoings (Maswanhsie, Longelo, Fadinger all been linked with moves in last few weeks) If you go position by position we're probably at the maximum we can afford. I suspect a few, including Mikey Booth, will go out on loan and that will increase leeway for a couple of signings. BBC and Rancid reporting that we're hoping to secure a loan deal for Bobby Wales, but that Dundee is likely to beat us off. New signing teaser on X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted yesterday at 08:24 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:24 AM Seb Palmer-Houlden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbybingo Posted yesterday at 08:28 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:28 AM 4 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said: Seb Palmer-Houlden? Looks like him. Definitely not Bobby Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxteth O'Grady Posted yesterday at 08:31 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:31 AM https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2026/08/19/seb-palmer-houlden-is-in-ml1/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted yesterday at 08:36 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:36 AM 24 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said: I suspect a few, including Mikey Booth, will go out on loan and that will increase leeway for a couple of signings. BBC and Rancid reporting that we're hoping to secure a loan deal for Bobby Wales, but that Dundee is likely to beat us off. New signing teaser on X. Yup, trying to work out who it is....ohhhhh the tension. Doesn't look like Bobby Wales though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzlyg Posted yesterday at 08:41 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:41 AM Is our new signing policy to sign guys with double barrelled surnames! 🤪🤪 Rumour is Gannon-Doak on loan next followed by Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal 🤣🤣 At least its a striker so fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted yesterday at 08:47 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 08:47 AM 6'2 pressing machine apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted yesterday at 09:32 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 09:32 AM Another signing that very much fits our current model/process. Young, former academy graduate, struggling to find a home he feels comfortable in. Paid an undisclosed fee. I presume the signing is data driven again, so should fit all the metrics we require. Be interesting to see if this means Stama will be heading out the door or if we will try to use him to supplement what we have. If he goes, Id personally like to get another one in as Hendry looks crocked and Eythor is still a bit unknown. Looking forward to seeing what the young man can do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted yesterday at 09:35 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 09:35 AM Most importantly, we need to try and hang on to Fadinger & Longelo this window. They are integral to what we do and would leave holes that are too big to fill this late in the window. They can be next seasons big money sales! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benson Posted yesterday at 09:52 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 09:52 AM Going by gills supporters a lot sad to see him go,thought of as plenty of potential but didnt get game time he deserved,mobile with great work ethic,great attitude but not a lump it at him striker.heres hoping better coaching and passing football can bring the best out of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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