WE NEED A NEW MANAGER WHO CAN DO THE BASICS!!!

[Wellup4it]

I don't think its so much as not being fit as we have zero pace all over the team. Frankly that has been the case for Motherwell teams for years something I've always moaned about. Other teams can get up the park in 5 seconds it takes us 5 mins its nothing new... That makes fans wonder why they should bother when they see no vision or aspiration from those leading the club... The very fact that very few know who is actually leading the club doesn't help

You make a lot of points Stevie but these two ring true.

We are chronically short of pace and that has cost us big time. Last weekend it was demoralising watching us trying to mount a counterattack. When Keith Lasley was breaking for example he would advance at a walking pace then stop to get the ball to his right foot, only to find himself closed down by far quicker players and then inevitably make a sidewards or backwards pass to a colleague who was covered. No wonder w

[Handsome_Devil]

We certainly have an issue now - fraction harsh saying for years, we scored plenty of goals in 12/13 with Ojaama and Hump powering down the park. The breakaway goal at Tannadice would would have graced any league in the world.

[Sup3rw3ll]

I think some folk need to take a chill pill on here. Sure, there are some first team players that are not performing and that sure be called out. But the overall team performance is not helped with 4 or 5 places being taken by second or (third!) choice.

Most of all, McCall should not be getting it in the neck here at all! Until the team are pumped out a cup at the first hurdle again! Or after 11 games are bottom six, then and only then can we see the team have went down hill.

[dazlhigh]

Far too early to make a judgment on how the season will pan out. A squad like ours needs a high percentage of our players playing at or near top form, and within a system they can all handle, in a majority of games. We can all see what happens when our guys start to ease just a bit out of position to try to cover for team-mates who are struggling; we get away with it sometimes; on other occasions the 'system' goes down the plughole; confusion reigns and confidence goes for a burton.
I'm hoping - praying? - that a number of our players will 'up' their game at Killie. I'm by no means relaxed about the situation, but SM and the boys are entitled to a bit of leeway; 'best of the rest' three times in a row is not down to luck; fourth place in the 'all-time' SPL table at the end of last season suggests that we can get our act together. We'll see.

[everwell]

A lot of you folk need to get real. We have punched way above our weight in the last few seasons - end of story! What do you want? Win the Premier League and regular Cup success on Well's resources? It will never happen. SMcC has done superbly given restraints. Support the man FFS. Like Keith L and Stevie H I would love a Cup win. I pray it might happen this season. It did in '91! Come on the 'Well!

[Yazz]

... He is the best manager we have had since Tommy Mclean and his track record of third, second and second proves that...

What utter shyte. Take yer head out the sand FFS.

[wellwin]

Agree Everwell. At last someone with a bit of perspective. Compare our player budget against the city clubs who we have consistently finished above. Short memories of darker days with bigger budgets at Fir Park. We have no god given right to be top 6 never mind second best team in Scotland.
Cups have been a major disappointment but it is great to see us season after season with McCall having great success in the league.
This is not to say that I don't fear we may be struggling this season to be top 6.
I very much doubt that another manager would have as much success as we have experienced since McCall's arrival.

[Gowboy]

Thanks for the sound advice, Yazz. How stupid of me to think that finishing third, second and second meant we were doing well.

[Sup3rw3ll]

I'm very well aware of the very low points that have blotted McCalls time at the club, but over the term he IS one of the most successful managers. This has been achieved with a budget that is cut every single year! It's quite a marvel if you consider what's been done.

Looking at managers who have at least a season for the club, this is the top 5 based on win percentage:

[columns]
David Hay
Stuart McCall
John Hunter
Craig Brown
Ally MacLeod
[nextcol]
66.66
48.18
47.65
45.14
44.87
[/columns]

Looking at all the managers that have came after Tommy McLean, Stuart has the best win percentage. Only a cup win and promotion from a lower league give Tommy more prominence. McCall has 1 cup final, which is equal to Terry's cup final;

[columns]
Tommy McLean
Alex McLeish
Harri Kampman
Billy Davies
Eric Black
Terry Butcher
Maurice Malpas
Mark McGhee
Jim Gannon
Craig Brown
Stuart McCall
[nextcol]
30.52
28.36
23.81
31.48
25.93
30.52
26.32
40.79
23.53
45.14
48.18
[/columns]

[Yazz]

Thanks for the sound advice, Yazz. How stupid of me to think that finishing third, second and second meant we were doing well.

You said "best manager". He did **** all at Bradford and took an inherited Motherwell side to 2 Top-2 finishes at a time when we had no Rangers, Hearts in financial implosion mode, Hibs in freefall and Dutd n Dons n Killie tightening the purse strings. Then look at his Cup record, which includes the 2 worst results in the Club's history. So a couple of high finishes in the League doesn't make him the "Best Manager" since McLean.

Look at the CV's of Craig Brown and Mark McGhee, the signings of Jim Gannon and the fitness levels of a Terry Butcher team, all of which and more makes your sweeping statement "Utter shyte".