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Punt Or Keep?


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Looking at what's left we need a big Centre half. I know that most of you will be thinking Keep Webster but firstly I doubt he's planning on staying and secondly, he's been the biggest disappointment this season. Goodwin has a ? principally because I haven't seen him play 90 minutes for almost 6 months. Carswell and Howison I'm not sure about, sometimes I think They're ok but other times not. I'd keep most of the youngsters because I think they should at least get a chance to show what they do.

Thompson is done and so is gow,

Gallacher, and Clarkson should only go if we get something better in FIRST.

I'd keep Shankland if we can.

Agree with you on Webster, but I'd only get rid of him if we found a suitable replacement. Reckon we could benefit from bringing in another experienced (preferably big) centre half - who could potentially play along side Baird or Webster.

Similarly in midfield, Mallan needs a ball winning box to box midfielder alongside him - Mallan is a great player on his day, but he can be a bit lazy and occasionally gives the ball away too easily.

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On Clarkson

Since he came in, in the games he's played

We have;

Beat Alloa 3-1
Beat QOTS 1-0
Lost 1-0 to QOTS **
Beat Dumbarton 1-0
Lost 1-0 to Sevco
Drew 0-0 with Falkirk
Lost 4-3 to Raith
Beat QOTS
& Beat Livi 3-2
Underrated IMO. Even though his scoring record is a bit pish, he works hard and really helps to provide for Shankland.
*edit
Edited by Doakes
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On Clarkson

Since he came in, in the games he's played

We have;

Beat Alloa 3-1

Beat QOTS 1-0

Beat QOTS 1-0

Beat Dumbarton 1-0

Lost 1-0 to Sevco

Drew 0-0 with Falkirk

Lost 4-3 to Raith

Beat QOTS

& Beat Livi 3-2

Underrated IMO. Even though his scoring record is a bit pish, he works hard and really helps to provide for Shankland.

One of those beat QOTS 1-0 should be lost 1-0.

Between them he and Shankland have 9 goals this season.

That's our problem right there.

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All a bit whataboutery to be honest.

Now that we are, more or less, assured of where we will be next season the manager will hopefully be dusting down his "Plan A" of transfer targets. He'll already have identified who he wants to keep and who he's happy to let go. He'll also hopefully have a budget agreed for the next campaign.

This will be the first summer since the 2013-2014 season that we will finish the season with the same management team that we'll start the next campaign with.

That will hopefully mean we can expect a much improved recruitment policy. I think Rae did extremely well to get the players he did in January so he's obviously good at selling the club to prospective targets.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do given a whole summer to rejig the squad. Ultimately up to him and Faz who they keep but there are obiously a few players there who are still under contract for next season so likes of Webster and Langfield you feel will be there regardless.

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Good idea, get rid of our joint top goal scorer. 1eye.gif

You would expect our main striker, who has played more games in that position than anyone else, to be top scorer surely?

You'll be telling us next that we can't change the goalkeeper because he's kept more clean sheets than anyone else in the team... :lol:

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Isn't he out of contract at the end of the season?

He might be mate. He signed a 1 year deal with the Steelmen last summer but it had the option of a 2nd year;

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/06/25/david-clarkson-returns-home/

"And ‘Well boss Ian Baraclough took the opportunity to quickly add the forward to his squad on an initial one-year deal with the option for a second."

Guess it depends on whose option that is whether it gets taken up but I can't believe McGhee will want to keep him on.

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This will be the first summer since the 2013-2014 season that we will finish the season with the same management team that we'll start the next campaign with.

That will hopefully mean we can expect a much improved recruitment policy.

Murray was appointed before last season finished and had the entire summer to recruit players.

Look how that turned out!

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He might be mate. He signed a 1 year deal with the Steelmen last summer but it had the option of a 2nd year;

http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/06/25/david-clarkson-returns-home/

"And ‘Well boss Ian Baraclough took the opportunity to quickly add the forward to his squad on an initial one-year deal with the option for a second."

Guess it depends on whose option that is whether it gets taken up but I can't believe McGhee will want to keep him on.

Option is probably in Well's favour but I can't see them keeping him.

I haven't seen him in action. Is he any good?

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Murray was appointed before last season finished and had the entire summer to recruit players.

Look how that turned out!

Yes, but he then went on holiday, then he went on a coaching course.

I haven't agreed with pretty much anything Lord Lookatme has posted on this forum for a long time but he did point that out as being a cause for concern at the time and he was spot on as it happens.

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Option is probably in Well's favour but I can't see them keeping him.

I haven't seen him in action. Is he any good?

He's looked a bit sluggish but despite that I think he's done pretty well. Shanks looks a better player with him beside him IMO but then again I just don't think Shanks is a player who can lead the line on his tod anyway.

I wouldn't be averse to Clarkson coming back next season but I suspect we might be able to do better in an open market.

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Yes, but he then went on holiday, then he went on a coaching course.

I haven't agreed with pretty much anything Lord Lookatme has posted on this forum for a long time but he did point that out as being a cause for concern at the time and he was spot on as it happens.

WTF

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Jamie Langfield - punt

Daniel Wilks - not sure


Jason Naismith - keep

Sean Kelly - punt

Andy Webster - punt

Jack Baird - punt

Keith Watson - keep

Jordan Stewart - punt

Gary Irvine - keep


Jim Goodwin - keep, but will never happem if Rae thinks hes not good enough to play in the current team he really must not rate him !

Alan Gow - injured

Stuart Carswell - punt

Cameron Howieson - punt

Stephen Mallan - keep

Scott Agnew - punt

Lewis Morgan - punt

Lewis McLear - punt

Barry Cuddihy - punt

Alex Cooper - punt, Tommy Cooper could have done better against Raith .

Kyle McAllister - not sure

Rocco Quinn - not sure maybe keep


Cal Gallagher- punt

David Clarkson - punt

Lawrence Shankland - punt

Stevey Thompson - punt sadly


Spend the budget on another 5-6 quality players rather than having 20 players of very average standard , keep a few youngsters in the squad, better chance of playing for them in smaller squad also, if some of them cant get a game in this current team its unlikely they will ever make it.


Clear out required, please sign someone with pace, severe lack of pace in the team we have no out ball or a winger delivering crosses so no surprise the strikers have such a poor scoring record.


If Rae not keeping Goodwin must get a ball winner in midfield also.
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Having 'punted' in the last few seasons the likes of Craig Samson, Jeroen Tesselaar, Paul McGinn, Darren McGregor, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Paul McGowan, Gary Harkins and Doug Imrie, it might be argued that the last thing we need is another clearout of players.

However, things are now so bad at Greenhill Road that there is no other choice than to offload as many of the current passengers as possible.

Some will no doubt argue that we could not afford to keep some of the above players, but I can't help wondering that if we had had more competent management of the playing resources since 2013, whether a top four finish might have been enough to persuade some of these players to stay, or to persuade others, of proven ability, to join St Mirren. After all, on paper, we had a team capable of a top four finish. The problem was we had to play on grass instead.

Alex Rae has a huge task ahead of him in turning things around with even a nucleus of the current squad for next season. The sad reality is that we are all going to severely regret, for the foreseeable future, the palpable failure by the BoD and management of the club in recent years to optimise the resources at their disposal.

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Having 'punted' in the last few seasons the likes of Craig Samson, Jeroen Tesselaar, Paul McGinn, Darren McGregor, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Paul McGowan, Gary Harkins and Doug Imrie.

.

Samson - left for more money at Killie

Tess - said he had no desire to remain in Scotland during the final year of his contract.

P McGinn - Was offered a deal but left for first team football at Dumbarton.

McGregor - left for more money at Sevco.

McGinn - left for more money at Hibs

McLean - left for more money at Aberdeen

McGowan, Harkins and Imrie - were punted.

If we want players to stay and they choose to leave there's nothing the club can do. That will likely happen with Watson in the summer, we won't punt him though.

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Having 'punted' in the last few seasons the likes of Craig Samson, Jeroen Tesselaar, Paul McGinn, Darren McGregor, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Paul McGowan, Gary Harkins and Doug Imrie, it might be argued that the last thing we need is another clearout of players.

Another significant difference is that the fans wanted to keep most of the above players. Other factors meant they left. On the current list in many cases it is unanimous that the fans do not want them around.

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If you were in charge, on current form, who would you want to punt / keep at the end of the season?
Jamie Langfield - punt, one of the more error prone keepers I can remember in over 35 years watching the team
Daniel Wilks - worth giving him a few games at the end of the season to see how he does
Jason Naismith - not fussed either way. Had a good first season and then very poor last year. Would be OK at our current level
Sean Kelly - Ditto - has been OK at centre half and in midfield, not great defensively when played at left back.
Andy Webster - not fussed, 1 year deal but no clauses about play x games and get an automatic extension!
Jack Baird - keep, still has lots to learn but given time might develop into a no nonsense centre half
Keith Watson - keep, has been good once he got his match fitness up
Jordan Stewart - keep
Gary Irvine - not fussed
Jim Goodwin - keep, new 1 year deal no clauses about play x games and get an automatic extension
Alan Gow - punt
Stuart Carswell - not fussed, expected more of him than he has delivered
Cameron Howieson - punt - tidy enough at retaining possession
Stephen Mallan - keep, lots of areas to improve but is young and scores a lot of important goals
Scott Agnew -not fussed, punt if we get the chance to... expected more of him than he has delivered
Lewis Morgan - keep
Lewis McLear - keep
Barry Cuddihy - not fussed
Alex Cooper - keep
Kyle McAllister - keep
Rocco Quinn - been ok, not fussed
Cal Gallagher - punt
David Clarkson - keep
Lawrence Shankland - keep
Stevey Thompson - punt... thanks for 3 great seasons and lots of important goals
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