Stuart Dickson Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Gow was Murray's first signing followed by Agnew, Thompson, Conlan and Howieson I think - none of whom are seen as starting XI players by Alex Rae. Rae also seems to have been able to source the kind of players Murray should have been trying to get in the summer, some experienced pros in late 20s / 30ish not getting games at clubs like Ross County, Dundee, Motherwell etc instead of taking a punt on lots of our U20's making the step up alongside other young inexperiened guys like McMullan, Gallagher, Shankland, Conlan, Howieson. Do you not think that this might have been down to an instruction from the board, perhaps at interview stage? I can certainly envisage a scenario where a new manager might have been told the board wanted to see better use being made of the development squad. Or a scenario where David Longwell has forwarded a report suggesting that a number of these kids were ready to make the step up to the first team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosferatu Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Do you not think that this might have been down to an instruction from the board, perhaps at interview stage? I can certainly envisage a scenario where a new manager might have been told the board wanted to see better use being made of the development squad. Or a scenario where David Longwell has forwarded a report suggesting that a number of these kids were ready to make the step up to the first team. Its a thought... And now we have a manager who says he doesn't like the way the youth team plays and wants to stop fannying about at the back. Man. Its as if the BoD have realised the error of their ways. Only, a little too late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Do you not think that this might have been down to an instruction from the board, perhaps at interview stage? I can certainly envisage a scenario where a new manager might have been told the board wanted to see better use being made of the development squad. Or a scenario where David Longwell has forwarded a report suggesting that a number of these kids were ready to make the step up to the first team. I reckon this is quite feasible. It's also possible that, with the genuine danger of another relegation, the BoD freed up more funds for Rae than Murray had at his disposal. Not sure I believe this to be the case (I reckon Murray just made an arse of it), but it isn't out with the realms of possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 I reckon this is quite feasible. It's also possible that, with the genuine danger of another relegation, the BoD freed up more funds for Rae than Murray had at his disposal. Not sure I believe this to be the case (I reckon Murray just made an arse of it), but it isn't out with the realms of possibility. Seems entirely plausible that the BoD are giving Rae more financial backing than they gave to Murray. The prospect of trying to punt a third-tier club down the boozer for 1.25 million must have seen them soil their breeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Seems entirely plausible that the BoD are giving Rae more financial backing than they gave to Murray. The prospect of trying to punt a third-tier club down the boozer for 1.25 million must have seen them soil their breeks. Plausible! That's the word I was looking for. Feasible? Dearie me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pozbaird Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Plausible! That's the word I was looking for. Feasible? Dearie me.... Storm Plausible... Coming soon. Mind and put a brick on yer' wheely bin, might blow over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibbles old paperboy Posted February 7, 2016 Report Share Posted February 7, 2016 Do you not think that this might have been down to an instruction from the board, perhaps at interview stage? I can certainly envisage a scenario where a new manager might have been told the board wanted to see better use being made of the development squad. Or a scenario where David Longwell has forwarded a report suggesting that a number of these kids were ready to make the step up to the first team. When Murray was appointed he said we had a lot of promising young players at the club and most of the older players were out of contract and the top priorities were to speak with John McGinn and to bring in experienced players to help bring the younger players on. After pre-season training began Murray said we may not need to sign as many players as he thought at first because the young players at the club looked so good in training. It could be that the budget was less than he thought and that's why he talked up our youngsters and questioned the need for lots of signings or equally plausible that Murray made a complete hash of the summer window and pre-season in general and was still bringing in Langfield, Webster, Shankland well after the league campaign had started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insaintee Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 How do you know what was going on behind the scenes or what was discussed at interview? I remember Gus McPherson claiming that he had been told that if you turned St Mirren into a winning side average crowds upwards of 10,000 were likely. It certainly raised my eyebrows at the time because neither Alex Ferguson nor Tom Hendrie had managed anywhere near that and the highest average gate I remembered through the 80's when the club was at it's best was only ever around 6,500 and that was in a larger stadium with at least four visits from the Old Firm every season. Of course not long after St Mirren moved to a stadium with a capacity of just 8,000 showing the board of directors clearly didn't think crowds of 10,000+ were ever likely so was McPherson talking rubbish, or was the potential of the club hyped up by a board keen to land their man? I'm no fan of Ian Murray. A check back on here would show that I wrote him off as a manager before and after his appointment to the St Mirren post. I think anyone dealing with recruitment at the club should have been able to pick up on the same clues as to how his career at the club was going to work out. Similarly I don't have sympathy with Murray. Had he known his stuff he should have known the strength and abilities of the youth players he was going to have to work with and surely with many spaces in his squad he should have been able to figure out what he was likely to be able to bring in on the budget available. But it is striking that in all the time Stewart Gilmour has been Chairman of the club not one managerial appointment has gone on to bigger and better things. I smell shite. Gus was an internal appointment. If he didn't know what the clubs potential was then he must be even thicker than eh,,, you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insaintee Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 (edited) When Murray was appointed he said we had a lot of promising young players at the club and most of the older players were out of contract and the top priorities were to speak with John McGinn and to bring in experienced players to help bring the younger players on. After pre-season training began Murray said we may not need to sign as many players as he thought at first because the young players at the club looked so good in training. It could be that the budget was less than he thought and that's why he talked up our youngsters and questioned the need for lots of signings or equally plausible that Murray made a complete hash of the summer window and pre-season in general and was still bringing in Langfield, Webster, Shankland well after the league campaign had started. Gow langfield Webster and Thompson are not exactly bargain bin buys. Edited February 8, 2016 by insaintee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 When Murray was appointed he said we had a lot of promising young players at the club and most of the older players were out of contract and the top priorities were to speak with John McGinn and to bring in experienced players to help bring the younger players on. After pre-season training began Murray said we may not need to sign as many players as he thought at first because the young players at the club looked so good in training. It could be that the budget was less than he thought and that's why he talked up our youngsters and questioned the need for lots of signings or equally plausible that Murray made a complete hash of the summer window and pre-season in general and was still bringing in Langfield, Webster, Shankland well after the league campaign had started. Aye, the youngsters looked so good he went out and signed McMullan, Conlan, Howieson, Shankland - all under 21 at the time and Carswell and Gallagher at 22. The rest of his signings were all over 30 besides Agnew. A totally imbalanced squad considering out of the six players he inherited four of them were still Under 21 - Baird, Mallan, Kelly and Naismith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 I smell shite. Gus was an internal appointment. If he didn't know what the clubs potential was then he must be even thicker than eh,,, you. In fairness to our resident troll, he's right on this one - partially at least. I remember years ago someone else telling me that Gus had been told we'd get much bigger crowds if we were successful and being left disappointed by the attendances when he started putting together a good team. Not sure the 10,000 figure was mentioned though - he'd need to be an utter idiot to believe that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTOF Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 I seriously doubt that any of the four we've just signed would have signed for us at the start of the season. All four would have had designs on playing 1st XI football for their respective clubs. Come January, none of them were really even close to being regular starters and some of their contracts were up in June. It was a no brainer really to go to a struggling team with a great set up, where the new manager has assured them that they'll almost certainly be first picks every week and can put themselves in the shop window. Still doesn't excuse the shite that Murray signed mind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Sanchez Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 In fairness to our resident troll, he's right on this one - partially at least. I remember years ago someone else telling me that Gus had been told we'd get much bigger crowds if we were successful and being left disappointed by the attendances when he started putting together a good team. Not sure the 10,000 figure was mentioned though - he'd need to be an utter idiot to believe that! Gus himself once quoted a figure of 5000 that he'd been promised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleysaint1973 Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Is there any chance this mind numbing thread can be locked do we really care what an ex manager said or didn't say AR is our manager and we should get behind him and the team as clearly since taking over there has been an upturn in results with performances to follow. As wee Stevie mallan mentioned in today's evening times there is a wee feel good factor returning and his game has been helped no end by Rae so best we forget what went before and concentrate on the near future and what could happen under Rae in the remaining months of the season. Just my own opinion though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibbles old paperboy Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Aye, the youngsters looked so good he went out and signed McMullan, Conlan, Howieson, Shankland - all under 21 at the time and Carswell and Gallagher at 22. The rest of his signings were all over 30 besides Agnew. A totally imbalanced squad considering out of the six players he inherited four of them were still Under 21 - Baird, Mallan, Kelly and Naismith. Somehow Murray managed to turn every signing into a big gamble - the injury history and inability to hold down a starting place at the same club for more than a few months made Gow a risky signing and bizarre first signing choice. Thommo's age, injury problems last year made him another gamble, Agnew who is the kind of age we should be signing and had played for Murray before was stepping up from part time football at the age of 28... and after saying we needed experienced pros to help our young guys he signed a load of young guys stepping up from other development squads or within little first team experience. I had thought that even if we couldn't land the Irvines, Clarksons, Quinns in the summer from SPL clubs that Murray would have been able to land a few seasoned championship players who were out of contract but in the end the only Championship player he signed was Agnew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insaintee Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 In fairness to our resident troll, he's right on this one - partially at least. I remember years ago someone else telling me that Gus had been told we'd get much bigger crowds if we were successful and being left disappointed by the attendances when he started putting together a good team. Not sure the 10,000 figure was mentioned though - he'd need to be an utter idiot to believe that! To be fair when were we successful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlucifer Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 Gus himself once quoted a figure of 5000 that he'd been promised. And if the performances in the premier league had been better there was a chance of achieving those dizzy heights. Unfortunately many took his word for it and tried the cinema. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabinho Posted February 10, 2016 Report Share Posted February 10, 2016 And if the performances in the premier league had been better there was a chance of achieving those dizzy heights. Unfortunately many took his word for it and tried the cinema.Took Bobby Williamson's word for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlucifer Posted February 10, 2016 Report Share Posted February 10, 2016 Took Bobby Williamson's word for it. See. He couldn't even be adventurous or original in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Calder Saint Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Delighted that Ian has been appointed Scottish Scout for Middlesbrough.Hope he does well and he gets another crack at Management in the future.He will have learned from his time at Saints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTOF Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Delighted that Ian has been appointed Scottish Scout for Middlesbrough.Hope he does well and he gets another crack at Management in the future.He will have learned from his time at Saints. I look forward to Gow signing a pre-contract with Middlesborough................................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosferatu Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 And if the performances in the premier league had been better there was a chance of achieving those dizzy heights. Unfortunately many took his word for it and tried the cinema. Luckily, we are now happily being entertained in the bottom half of the Championship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigerian Panda Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 If Calsberg done a lager called Ian Murray it would be FLAT! .... FIM ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 Our former Gaffer will become Assistant Manager to Norwegian third tier Club, Asker FC. He should start his duties on the 1st of January. Good luck to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/336270/former-st-mirren-boss-ian-murray-has-agreed-to-become-assistant-manager-at-norwegian-side-asker-fc/?CMP=spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-scotsunsport-_-20161221-_-747144722 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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