What has happened?

[Dorset_Steelman]

Virtually the same squad as last season and we are served up with this bag of spanners. The manager has done well for the last few seasons, so what has changed?

I managed to find a commentary on the game online(Tay AM). I never heard Vigurs mentioned until about 30 minutes into the game. They said our defending was shambolic.

You are only as good as the other team allow you to play and we allowed Dundee to play.

I am being serious when I say this, but lets us see how good a manager Stu is. This is a test to see what he can do, or are we beyond this stage. I am also dissapointed with the whole team.

[meister1991]

Good Question Dorset.

Personal view is that losing like winning is a habit. last season we got in a habit of winning albeit there were many games we really played poorly.

This season we haven't got going and are in the habit of losing early goals and when we go a goal behind we lose, simple as that.

Personally I think a fair bit has changed, our keeper (albeit last season was pi54 too) Hutchinson left, McFadden left, Anier left. We've also been without Hammell who offers more than we perhaps appreciated.

The players we have brought in over the 2 seasons and let me be specific the midfield players are utter trash. McCall was a hardworking midfield player he should be able to spot someone not pick up people better suited for blackpool beach.

I genuinely cringe at reports where McCall says we just need to be better, I'd rather we got back to basics, worked on formation and tactics.

I don't see us finishing much higher in the table. It feels very similar to the year malpas lead us

[steviex]

S

Virtually the same squad as last season and we are served up with this bag of spanners. The manager has done well for the last few seasons, so what has changed?

I managed to find a commentary on the game online(Tay AM). I never heard Vigurs mentioned until about 30 minutes into the game. They said our defending was shambolic.

You are only as good as the other team allow you to play and we allowed Dundee to play.

I am being serious when I say this, but lets us see how good a manager Stu is. This is a test to see what he can do, or are we beyond this stage. I am also dissapointed with the whole team.

Why would we expect to hear Vigurs he'd have been hiding as usual. He was p1sh snd vastly over rated in a team that was doing well last season , Why any of us should expect him to be the type of player to lift a team struggling is beyond me ... An utter waster of the highest order. He looks the part pounces about,

[Half_Can_Dan]

Poor pre season,No clear leader at the club and the standard of replacements of departing players is getting worse and worse.

I think McCalls time has just run its course and just come to the end of the road.

[Northchannel]

there is no magic wand, we cant afford to pay off mccall, end of. Its the players that need to improve their performances, this isnt all down to mccall, and there were signs yday 2nd half (that if we cut out the suicidal defending) then we could get easily start to pick up points. Its a dire run but Im not too worried yet...!! Confidence is everything, the older pros need to start earning their dough and realise that 3 friday night losses will see the pressure really start to weigh them down.

[Wellup4it]

Here's my take on matters.

There are a number of reasons that we’re performing far poorer this year. First of all players personnel changes. We’ve lost Hollis, Hutchinson, McFadden and Anier and brought in Law, Twardzik and O’Brien. I’d argue that Twardzik is an improvement on Hollis. McFadden and Anier notched up 43 league appearances between them, scoring 23 goals in the process. However both were injured for long spells and in the former’s case was often played out of position. They were replaced by Law, who in my view has been a poor signing. We’ve missed Hutchinson’s dominance in defence although he was often rash. O’Brien is a reasonable player but not as good as Hutchinson. So in terms of personnel changes, McCall has weakened the side.

Existing players: older players like Hammell and Lasley area year older and slower and should not have been awarded 2 year deals. Lads like Leitch, ZFA and Carswell should be a year more experienced - but are they good enough?

M

[EastStandDenizen]

McCall's record means that we need to give him a little more time but I am wondering where the points are going to come from in the next 4 or 5 weeks.

If we are still in the bottom two come December he needs to be fired.

Even if we pull out of this situation I think the club should be looking to part ways at the end of the season.

McCall has been here for quite a while by modern management standards and he's achieved as much as he possible can, since we are never going to do anything in the cups with him at the helm. It has become stale and we need a fresh breath of life around the place.

I think there is only something like 9 players contracted for the start of next season so it will be an excellent opportunity for someone to come in and revamp the club and almost all of the dead wood will be out of contract and out the door.

Personally, I've never really rated Stuart McCall, which might seem unfair but it is my honest opinion. His successes were down to inheriting good players

[maestro91]

Why would we hear Vigurs - he is uninterested, seriously over-rated garbage - he makes Brian Kerr look like a world-beater. This is what happens when you come second and go and sign players from a team like Ross County.

[maestro91]

Why can't we sack McCall? We are in dire straits and the manager - instead of staying at the club and devoting his time to the club that pays his wages - he runs away from his problems and neglects his duties. Not many employers would let you away with that. It's time for the board to man up and do what needs to be done before he ends our club!!

[Wellup4it]

What great managerial acumen did he need to pick Darren Randolph and Michael Higdon every week...Last season we carried a hell of a lot of luck...The young players that do get a chance are usually 'workers' with little technical ability. We need the youth set up to be turned right around under a new manager and to actually have some kind of importance to the club that is lacking currently.

Good post but I'd point out that Craig Brown signed Darren Randolph...but your point still stands. I don't accept that we carried luck last season. We were the victim of some horrendous refereeing errors. Russell Anderson's illegal goal at Fir Park and St Mirrens very lucky late penalty at Paisley.

As for our youth system its not all Stuart McCall's fault. The young lads on the fringe of our first team were probably signed before he came. We'll know his success in that area in perhaps another 3/4 years time.