Conway11 wrote:

Arabdownsouth wrote:

Conway11 wrote:

You have taken us far as you can, Jim.

Call it a day and let us flourish with a new HOR and a new manager that can take us to the next level.

OYP.

 
Get a grip mate, most people were expecting us to go straight back down. Top six with a strong chance of European qualification, yeah let's sack the manager and start the fucking merry-go-round again!

Deary me

Okay, give him a 10 year deal then? Riveting football for years to come!

No thanks - mediocrity seeps from the boardroom onto the pitch.

Get rid now before it is far too late.
 

To some extent you need to choose which you want: Do you want to be successful in terms of achievement (subject to budgetary constraints), or do you want football which is pleasing to watch? Aberdeen go rid of McIness because fans didn’t enjoy the style of football. I’d argue that was a mistake. Airdrie are backing McCabe to develop a style of football (a philosophy, I suppose) despite having a horrendous season in terms of results. Can you have your cake and eat it? I don’t think so.
 

Stillliving wrote:

Gallagher was to blame for the first two goals today. Two down after 15mins and the game is almost gone.
Always disappointed to lose but watching that today it was clear that Hibs have a better squad of players than UTD. They will deservedly be 3rd but if JG holds onto 5th that has to been as a successful return to the top flight.

 
I think that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. They have a bigger and better squad. Gallagher has been excellent for the duration of the time he has been with us, but, he’s 33 and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately we are running out of options. Goodwin could take a risk and
play the kids (but I fear he would get slaughtered for it).

My main concern is the funds allocated for signings. We will have a new Head of Recruitment arriving (whom I have a high regard for), but, if the funds aren’t there we are going to struggle to improve next season. This may be the reason that Goodwin sounding rather defensive.

redford_must_score wrote:

Shakey Isles Arab wrote:

redford_must_score wrote:

 
Clarke should have been out the door after that disgrace in Germany. Arrogant man. Couldn't motivate a hungry dog to attack a sirloin steak.

Heard one of the commentators say that Clarke had said he'd pull the pin after next tournament.
... Disnae work that way Steve - you don't get to pick and choose.
-- Get rid, damaged goods, do us a favour. 
 

 
You have to suspect the legacy of Berti Vogts still scars and terrifies the SFA.

It shouldn't, but it probably does. It's illogical, it's like saying one German manager was a disaster so never appoint another foreign coach never mind a German.

Clarke 's minor success in the job has hidden the fact that with the best crop of players for decades he could have been doing so much better. What better would have looked like is probably debatable but I do think qualification from our Euros group was a possibility and like the previous Euros failure he blew it with extreme caution.

And bottom line is I'm sick of seeing his greeting face and hearing his pathetic excuses.

I think it runs deeper than that. It’s how you view football and how you view the development of a club. The question has been asked (both at club and international level), why can’t we develop young players? My argument is that we do, but managers don’t have the balls to play them because if they do and they underperform they (the manager) gets sacked. So they play the safe option. What made Fergie, exceptional was not recognising he had a “golden generation”but having the balls to play them. In Clarke’s case, he is regarded as a success because he has qualified for two tournaments.

To build something truly great, you have to: Embrace failure, Have a growth mindset, Manage expectations and Enjoy the process.

If you take Ian Cathro, he achieved something great at his football school in Brechin. He took three kids- John Soutar, Ryan Gauld a

RogerTheAlien wrote:

Always preferred It’s United to beautiful Sunday in all honesty.

It’s United can’t be stolen by other clubs either.

After Covid when we beat Rangers 1-0 and fucked Gerrard’s 40 game run, seeing 3 ends of the ground singing it even though it was 5K was beautiful. Still have a tear in my eyes watching the highlights.

 
Maybe you’re right. Stick with one that is ours. I always wondered if we could all rise up an attempt the slosh. I mean it would have to be a limited version, but, nobody else can add a dance to their anthem.

Leaving football aside, Eddie the Eagle and Jocky Wilson were harshly judged due to their appearances and this wasn’t just a media thing.

Charlie Nicholas had outstanding ability but what many people (myself included) remember, is his “Only an Excuse” character who mangles his vocabulary.

I even found myself judging the BBC Scotland weatherman, Calum just because he was wearing a burgundy suit, with a tie that resembled a bib.

As image seems to become increasingly important in all aspects of life, which person have you underestimated due to the way they spoke or appeared?

In terms of Scottish football, I couldn’t take Danny Lennon seriously, not because of the way he looked, but because he had a habit of speaking in the third person. I knew more than a few St Mirren fans who had the same problem with him. It didn’t seem to matter how much he achieved, they couldn’t take him seriously.

Another person who was an exceptional manager (just not with us), was Luggy. His achievements in getting lower league teams promoted was without compare. I always wondered, if Luggy had looked like Wenger or Thomas Franck or even Brendan Rodgers would more prestigious clubs have shown an interest.

For me, I can’t stand managers who think they are comedians. Strachan is a prime example. I suppose the question is: If Strachan just answered the question directly would I tolerate him?, probably not.

This leads me on to Craig Burley. As a pundit he gets on my tits. When asked a question, he ignores it, then proceeds to ask himself his own question which he then answers. It’s like a self interview.

Tek wrote:

Apologies for posting a video with Kris Boyd in it, but if you ignore his input this is actually a very good discussion.

Very good points made by Gordon Strachan and Craig Levein. 


I'm loathe to say it, but even Boyd makes a good point near the end regarding the 'death of the No.9' in football.

No-one plays with wingers anymore. 
 

 
They all make good points, but, the one which resonates is the failure of “Elite” academies in producing anything out of the ordinary. To me, these places are no more than a racket. Obviously, parents buy into the idea that there are exceptional people involved in physiology, nutrition, psychology and mentoring, but, in reality it is no different from before.

When we signed Charlie Telfer, it was widely considered that he was the best of his generation. What has he actually achieved?

The hard truth is that for most players, if you haven’t achieved consistent first team Premiership football by 19, you probably are not going to make it as a top class footballer. For that reason you need to have, not only a “b” plan, but other things going on in your life. In this respect each club should have a Head of Education and Personal Development, who is responsible for the young player’s life: What are they good at? What other sports do they excel at? Could they move into higher education? Have they contemplated life beyond football.

My nephew is playing with Stirling Albions 2009 year. He looks more than decent, but, unlike my generation (who played rugby, football, athletics), he only plays football. His school doesn’t seem to offer much else eg County Championships or Scottish Championships. This makes it very hard to evaluate whether he is a true athlete or just someone who is a good footballer.

Thinking back more than a generation ago, Gary Bollan was a Scottish Schools 400m Champion and the rugby player Kenny Logan trialed for both us and Hearts as a goalkeeper.

The r

Tek wrote:

Hope they survive it.

Been a Scottish club since 1872.

 
So as old as Sevco (sic). I recall seeing them play  United in the Premier Division at Boghead. No club is immune. Third Lanark, Renton, Vale of Leven, Meadowbank Thistle, Clydebank, Gretna. These clubs rely on their local communities to support them. Covid hit every business badly. I think the last budget will the death knell of many hospitality businesses. Football clubs just become collateral damage.

Slotbadger wrote:

Swanson at the top of his game was the most exciting player I have seen playing for United. Too young for the 80s to really remember it. Only one in same bracket was GMS.

From what I remember he never recovered from the night out with Goody in Glasgow. Just never the same. He was on a trajectory to playing for Scotland before that.

 
Funny you should mention that. I bumped into Goodwillie, with his young family almost exactly a year ago. We reminisced briefly and he told me that he still meets up with both Swanson and Russell.

I think Swanson  had a pretty tough life. First he had a heart defect which required a bypass op, then his best friend was killed outside a pub by a 15yo.

SlatefordArab wrote:

Again it will be decided in the 5 or 6? swing states, probably by a baw hair.

Still blows my mind anybody, regardless of your political leanings, could watch Trump speak and think "he seems a stable. articulate, well rounded individual, I think I'd like him to be our leader".

That Project 25 stuff is frightening. 

C'mon Harris.

 
We forget that nobody could understand why anyone voted for George W Bush. We all knew very little about middle America.

It’s not like you can fact check Trump. He tells stories and people believe what they want to believe.

Remember Farage managed to convince the majority of UK electorate that leaving the EU would be a good thing.

redford_must_score wrote:

kdyteejay wrote:

United Arab Emarite wrote:

That's all very well but what happens after the buy out happens?
We were all chuffed when Mark Ogren came in to buy out Thamson.
Look how that worked out, enter stage left Tony Asghar & millions of his dollars down the cundie.
Even your fluffy, sugar-coated, fan-ownership clubs have their issues, you just end up getting some right dumplings making all the big decisions just like in any other place.
So what happens when Povlsen comes in & gives Mark Ogren his money back?
Who will be his Tony Asghar??
 

Maybe but with Ogren it was his first dip into football but that’s not the case with him.

 
Also, Tony Asghar 'sold' Ogren on United and Ogren was daft enough to buy into his model.
Any club looking for a partnership or an individual like the guy mentioned wouldn't make the same rookie mistakes.

 
This could all be someone flying a kite, however if there is any substance to it, I would be all for it. Football is changing very quickly in terms of recruitment, league structures, role of technology.

I don’t think Ogren will recoup his total outlay, but he would be bonkers not to accept an offer from FCM. We know there are no offers about to emerge from wealthy supporters and fan ownership (unfortunately) is not likely.

Whether you buy into algorithmic analytic approach or not is a moot point. People like Tony Bloom and this Dane are very very bright individuals. This was absolutely not the case with the previous regime. I’ve known for 20 years that private equity have seen football as a thematic investment. Unfortunately, the American buy out groups (with the possible exception of KKR) had little understanding of “the product”. I think the way forward is to have a portfolio of clubs under one holding company. That does not mean only football clubs but other sports clubs too.

Maybe it all come to nothing, but, I really hope there is some substance to it

Canadian Arab wrote:

I actually thought we did have at least one person who works with the club on this stuff? Does Jaymes Monte (@ArabAnalytics on twitter) have some involvement? If he doesn't now, In think he did in the past.

My gut feeling is that the current level at which game and player data can be collected and analysed is pretty impressive. The thing about data is they show what happened, how often, and what the result of that thing was - i.e. the past. What is lacking, I think, is knowing how to use the data to change how we are going to play. Basically spending time during a training session focussing on one or two things (maybe small things) that the stats show worked for us or did not work for us. Believe it or not, training time is actually pretty limited and you need to maximise the benefits of everything that's done, and I can see what might be considered "minor" stuff like this being given a low priority.

I had a guy over here help me run a team years ago - he had a background in ice hockey. He kept stats on my players during games, on successful passes and whether or not they were forward passes, square, backwards or split a line, interceptions, challenges won and lost, shots on and off target etc. It was all very basic and honestly it didn't have much impact on how I did things or what I covered in my training sessions. But the one interesting thing he did talk about was how plays are developed in ice hockey. He said teams have maybe 3 or 4 different things that can happen when they have the puck in their own end. There are only 5 players on the ice and everyone has to be fully aware of where the other players are and what they're doing. Depending on where they win the puck, the near side winger either takes option 1 or option 2, and the other players are aware of his decision. They immediately make their moves in line with the choice he made. The puck then gets played to player A or player B. Depending on which player it goes to, the other playe

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