Mochrie

[PT_Arab]

Guys like Mochrie need to be coming in to a good, well established side in order to get the best chance IMHO. In contrast to the likes of Gauld, Armstrong, Goodie, Russell etc who were ‘nurtured’ in by guys like Gomes, Buaben, Daly, Rankin etc, I feel sorry for the likes of Ali Coote, Scott Allardice, Cammy Ballantyne and of course, Scott Fraser who were chucked in to play alongside some total clowns and frankly never stood a chance. Jamie Robson was heading that way beside Edjengele and Durnan too before Reynolds came in and helped him out a bit. Hopefully as things progress over the next few months, the likes of Mochrie will benefit hugely from breaking in beside players like Fuchs, Butcher and hopefully Shankland so that he actually stands a chance without being hung out to dry. Players like him, Neilson, Glass, Kerr Smith, Chalmers, Freeman etc are making me feel really positive over where we’re heading but they need just a wee bit of time.

I agree with all of that and they are probably better (or more recent) examples than I was going to give. I was thinking about late 80's/early 90's with the likes of Kevin Gallacher, Billy McKinlay, Christian Dailly, Duncan Ferguson, Alan Preston, Dave Hannah, Andy McLaren, Alec Cleland, Brian Welsh - all of these guys got their chance and were fortunate enough to be introduced to first team football along side guys like Dave Narey, Eamon Bannon, Paul Hegarty, Maurice Malpas, Paul Sturrock, et al. With players like that to guide you through your early days, you stand a much better chance making an impact. For too many years we have had decent looking youngsters who are brought in to a first team who are struggling.

[BudMill90]

The long term plan for the club is to have a high amount of academy graduates playing in the first team, whilst having a conveyor belt of talent coming through to take their place when they move on. Sprinkle that with signings like Fuchs, Shankland, Siegrist and we are on to a winner.

The problem we have at the minute is that its not really kicked in yet, but we all want it to!

So right now we've got Robson, Appere and Chalmers (maybe) who are boys that are now in their 20s and you'd call them established first team squad players. Robson is a regular starter. Chalmers and Appere look like over the next year or two they will be. So thats the start of it.

We then have boys like Graham and Freeman who are at the stage where they need to step up and show they can be part of the first team. Both 20 (I think) so their current loan spells is the time for them to show what they can do. Glass sits on his own as this injury has set him back massively - interesting to note that his injury could have been career ending. But it looks like he'll be back for pre-season.

You then have your very young guys that we have to be patient with. Neilson, Mochrie, Fotheringham, Meekison K Smith, Watson, Hutchison are all boys still only 18 or younger but the club appear to have very high hopes for. They need to be given time and in my eyes you can have a real opinion on them when they are 20 years old and have had at least 1 loan spell and a few first team games under their belt.

The plan appears to be working, we have a conveyor belt, but its only just about to start moving. I'm excited about the future our of club with the way the Youth setup looks at the minute. It's important to strike a balance of having good first team players mixed with promising youngsters. We havent had this since 2013. And it was a massive part of the reason that 2016 happened.

[tHeArAb]

I agree with all of that and they are probably better (or more recent) examples than I was going to give. I was thinking about late 80's/early 90's with the likes of Kevin Gallacher, Billy McKinlay, Christian Dailly, Duncan Ferguson, Alan Preston, Dave Hannah, Andy McLaren, Alec Cleland, Brian Welsh - all of these guys got their chance and were fortunate enough to be introduced to first team football along side guys like Dave Narey, Eamon Bannon, Paul Hegarty, Maurice Malpas, Paul Sturrock, et al. With players like that to guide you through your early days, you stand a much better chance making an impact. For too many years we have had decent looking youngsters who are brought in to a first team who are struggling.

Surely guys like that are only good examples if they actually go on to have a half decent career. As far as I can see Coote is at Bohemians, Ballantyne at Montrose and Allardice ICT. If they were actually any good, their talent would've shone through regardless of who they were playing alongside and they'd be playing at a higher level than they are. I'd say they weren't good enough in the first place.

[JamesMcClean]

Surely guys like that are only good examples if they actually go on to have a half decent career. As far as I can see Coote is at Bohemians, Ballantyne at Montrose and Allardice ICT. If they were actually any good, their talent would've shone through regardless of who they were playing alongside and they'd be playing at a higher level than they are. I'd say they weren't good enough in the first place.

I understand where you’re coming from, but great as Gauld was, would he have shone through and got his big move (as he did playing alongside GMS and Armstrong) in some of those horror teams from 2015-2019? It’s a moot point.

[tHeArAb]

I understand where you’re coming from, but great as Gauld was, would he have shone through and got his big move (as he did playing alongside GMS and Armstrong) in some of those horror teams from 2015-2019? It’s a moot point.

But then why didn't he 'shine' at Sporting playing alongside all the talent in that team? Players have levels of ability and will reach those levels despite who they're playing with imo. I've never been a fan of the 'he plays better with' whoever'alongside him'. Boys used to say it about Kenneth all the time. You're either good or you're not.

[JamesMcClean]

But then why didn't he 'shine' at Sporting playing alongside all the talent in that team? Players have levels of ability and will reach those levels despite who they're playing with imo. I've never been a fan of the 'he plays better with' whoever'alongside him'. Boys used to say it about Kenneth all the time. You're either good or you're not.

Because Gauld was signed to play in the ‘B’ team and then fell out a bit with the manager which restricted his first team opportunities.

[tHeArAb]

Because Gauld was signed to play in the ‘B’ team and then fell out a bit with the manager which restricted his first team opportunities.

I don't think he fell out with the manager. The manager was sacked a couple of years down the line was he not? And he did give Gauld a chance in his first season. Regardless, after playing however many games in the B team he didn't shine enough playing alongside their better players to make the grade. In fact its taken him years to make any kind of name for himself, ironically at the worst team in the league, which in a way goes against your point that he wouldn't have done it in one of our worst teams. He has a certain level of ability regardless of his team mates, which is showing right now.

[JamesMcClean]

I was at John Souttar’s debut up at Pittodrie and i.i.r.c. he was played at right back and frankly for the first twenty minutes he was horrendous, all over the place and like a rabbit in headlights. But I remember Dillon taking him under his wing, talking him through the game and allowing him to find his feet and he took off from there. I dread to think how that match would have panned out if instead it had been Durnan and Donaldson playing inside him that day.

[arab1970]

Dillo singing his praises in yesterdays papers

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/spor...se-league-one/

I've not seen Mochrie play in the flesh but looking at P&B last couple of posts from Montrose Supporter who assuming have.

"If Mochrie continues where he left off and is coached well, which he is at present, he will gain international honours before he is age 20. Many years ago I saw Peter Beardsley make his English League debut and said straightaway that he would make it and the same occurs to me as I watch Chris Mochrie only he'll play for Scotland.

The worst thing (apart from him imploding all by himself) would be for him to be stuck at a club and sit on a subs bench week after week. "

"Mochrie just needs not to get injured like Michael Owen and he’ll be set for big things. I see, unfortunately, the old firm making a sweep for him soon."

What I find curious is Mellon has given game time to Kai Fotherinham, Kerr Smith and Darren Watson this season but not to Mochrie despite games like 5-1 St Mirren and 3-0 Livi when it wouldn't have effected the result.

Only thing i can think of is his contract is up in the summer and he's refused to sign a new one ?

[TerryTheTerror]

I was at John Souttar’s debut up at Pittodrie and i.i.r.c. he was played at right back and frankly for the first twenty minutes he was horrendous, all over the place and like a rabbit in headlights. But I remember Dillon taking him under his wing, talking him through the game and allowing him to find his feet and he took off from there. I dread to think how that match would have panned out if instead it had been Durnan and Donaldson playing inside him that day.

I was at that game and you recall it is just as I remember too.