Tekel Towers » Ross Docherty

Shakey Isles Arab · Yesterday 12:09 am

Injuries v influence v cost v age v hunger for the badge ?

- keep him for me.
I'd go so far as to say mebbe a wee bit cotton wool in training.
More swims - something, to get another years contract fae old bones and wise heid.

- Thoughts gentlemen.

kdyteejay · Yesterday 8:48 am

60% of me says keep, the other 40% says get rid. There’s no denying we’re a better team with him in it. Keep.

David_Blunkett · Yesterday 1:25 pm

Ross Docherty, when fit, makes us a better team, there's not one Arab who'd disagree with this.

But that's the issue, how many games missed over two seasons and not for major injuries, it all seems like knocks or wee strains and he's now 32, it won't get better.

When we're operating with such a tight first team squad, can we afford a player who spends so many weeks in the stand?

Then if you consider that he was picked up from the Championship, having bounced around teams that never really achieved anything, he'd never played a top flight game, is it unrealistic to expect to pick up a similar player from there or from one of our rivals, who we could rely on?

We gave a deal to Moult for this season and he's barely featured, sentiment should play no part in contract decisions.

Conway11 · Yesterday 2:04 pm

95% of the season unfit. Much much better and dependable players out there. Massive reasons he never got out the championship until 2024 at 31 years old.

CCX2 2010 · Yesterday 2:13 pm

It's a 100% yes for me, our success rating with him in the team says everything.

I agree with a lot of the points above but it's been a bit of the perfect storm or rather the not so perfect.

With Docherty injured its been magnified by a couple of facts.

(1) Sibbald injured for 6 months.
(2) Odada as a back up, clearly miles off it.
(3) Campbell, just not the player we expected from his Motherwell days. Still time though but the jury is definitely out on him.
(4) Babunski not really a 6 or an 8 having to play his role.
(5) Holt, apart from St Mirren, clearly out his depth in there.

With better recruitment and a wee bit more luck we are maybe not pushing this guy back quite as early. Take the Derby match two weeks ago for example, he is on the bench with his quad strapped up because we are so limited in ability in the middle of the pitch and he's clearly nowhere near ready to play.

David_Blunkett · Yesterday 2:36 pm

There's a stat out there somewhere which shows something like, Docherty plays 90 minutes, then either comes off earlier than we'd like in the next game or misses it altogether, how we line up on Sunday might give us a better idea.

As the post above states though, maybe his absence is more telling because the replacements aren't up to it.

As things stand Sevelj is the only one in our squad as a certain starter next season, we'll need to be busy, we'll need to move quick.

If we get Europe we need to hit the ground running, can't treat the games like we do the League Cup (wrongly) as pre-season fitness builders.

RogerTheAlien · Yesterday 3:25 pm

Far better player with him but we can’t ignore his fitness. 1 year deal with a pay as you play extra incentive.

kdyteejay · Yesterday 4:03 pm

Conway11 wrote:
95% of the season unfit. Much much better and dependable players out there. Massive reasons he never got out the championship until 2024 at 31 years old.

Slight exaggeration with 95% is it not?

kdyteejay · Yesterday 4:08 pm

CCX2 2010 wrote:
It's a 100% yes for me, our success rating with him in the team says everything.

I agree with a lot of the points above but it's been a bit of the perfect storm or rather the not so perfect.

With Docherty injured its been magnified by a couple of facts.

(1) Sibbald injured for 6 months.
(2) Odada as a back up, clearly miles off it.
(3) Campbell, just not the player we expected from his Motherwell days. Still time though but the jury is definitely out on him.
(4) Babunski not really a 6 or an 8 having to play his role.
(5) Holt, apart from St Mirren, clearly out his depth in there.

With better recruitment and a wee bit more luck we are maybe not pushing this guy back quite as early. Take the Derby match two weeks ago for example, he is on the bench with his quad strapped up because we are so limited in ability in the middle of the pitch and he's clearly nowhere near ready to play.

Totally agree. We have to do better than Odada, Campbell and Babunski. Really frustrating with Babunski as he is a very talented player just not suited to the Scottish game. Campbell has till the end of the season to change Jim’s mind I would imagine. Odada looks a lost cause but does he not have another season. Another Watt.

redford_must_score · Yesterday 5:52 pm

Docherty as we all know is a fine player when available.
The problem his availability creates for us is a lack of consistency in midfield because we are always having to adjust when he's out and then adjust when he comes back in so it's hard to develop a fluidity and understanding.
Just another way to look at it.

Not sure where we find a better player who will play every week though. It's tough but on balance it's a no from me for Ross. But we know how this works, we release him and he's 100% fit next season, plays every game for Partick or Falkirk.

Tek · Yesterday 7:18 pm

For me this is the Peter Pawlett situation all over again.

A clearly talented player who improves us when he does play, but who's body invariably lets him down and then we suffer the consequences as a team.

I would like to wait until the season's end to see if Ross could somehow put a consistent run together from now until May. I suspect, sadly, that he will be unavailable again soon and if that's the case i'm afraid it would be an easy decision for me to reluctantly let him go at the end of his contract.

CCX made a good point above about our over reliance on him due to poor recruitment in this area.

Odada
Babunski
Fiorini
Campbell

Four midfielders Goodwin's signed who he has quickly decided he can't trust. Adding in Docherty's propensity for injury has made it a situation that's been barely manageable at times and Sunday was the first time in a long, long time where our engine room felt like it had balance, control and leadership.

We need a better success rate than that going forward, recruitment wise.

Hen Broon · Yesterday 8:54 pm

Yes on peanuts, otherwise a wage better spent elsewhere on someone more reliable.

redford_must_score · Today 11:06 am

Behind a paywall but JG in the Courier saying how brilliant/fantastic/amazing Docherty is.

Last edited by redford_must_score (Today 11:07 am)

Conway11 · Today 11:33 am

kdyteejay wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
95% of the season unfit. Much much better and dependable players out there. Massive reasons he never got out the championship until 2024 at 31 years old.
Slight exaggeration with 95% is it not?

Yes my apologies, it’s actually 76.8% of the season he’s missed.

Playing 23.2% - utterly pathetic.

If he gets a renewal, then I do not want to phucking hear Goodwin cry about attracting players when dough is getting wasted on guff like docherty.

The minutes he’s actually managed is something you’d expect a Cleall-Harding or Owen Stirton to have for their development. Not the phucking club captain.

Get rid. Thank you and all the best back at Partick or Queen’s Park.

BMT · Today 1:19 pm

“The minutes he’s actually managed is something you’d expect a Cleall-Harding or Owen Stirton to have for their development. Not the phucking club captain.”
I agree with this and if he misses any more games this season with Injury then it’s a definite no from me

Morphman · Today 3:02 pm

Depends, if you get him on a half decent basic wage with a high appearance bonus to reduce the risk and heighten the reward for the club then you keep him.

However, any half decent agent (from a clients point of view) should be getting you the best possible weekly pay as you can never rely on bonuses. Could be that someone is willing to pay more basic than us and take the risk.

I was very keen to get rid early in the season when he had that prolonged absence but seeing his reaction when he was subbed after 30 mins vs Motherwell just made me feel sorry for him.

Slotbadger · Today 3:10 pm

Bin for me. One of the most important players at the club but can’t stay fit.

Agree totally with Pawlett comparison. Another player I really liked who made us a better team whenever he played…5 times a season….

If he plays most of the games till end of season then maybe a 1 year extension.

As I said on another thread, this is one of the positions I think we are quite good at producing in Scotland and I would rather we find a younger, fitter version in the lower leagues.

Stillliving · Today 3:22 pm

Conway11 wrote:
kdyteejay wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
95% of the season unfit. Much much better and dependable players out there. Massive reasons he never got out the championship until 2024 at 31 years old.
Slight exaggeration with 95% is it not?

Yes my apologies, it’s actually 76.8% of the season he’s missed.

Playing 23.2% - utterly pathetic.

If he gets a renewal, then I do not want to phucking hear Goodwin cry about attracting players when dough is getting wasted on guff like docherty.

The minutes he’s actually managed is something you’d expect a Cleall-Harding or Owen Stirton to have for their development. Not the phucking club captain.

Get rid. Thank you and all the best back at Partick or Queen’s Park.

Whether a player missing more games than he has played merits a new contract is very questionable. However to call Docherty guff is a ridiculous comment.

Conway11 · Today 3:34 pm

Stillliving wrote:
Conway11 wrote:
kdyteejay wrote:

Slight exaggeration with 95% is it not?

Yes my apologies, it’s actually 76.8% of the season he’s missed.

Playing 23.2% - utterly pathetic.

If he gets a renewal, then I do not want to phucking hear Goodwin cry about attracting players when dough is getting wasted on guff like docherty.

The minutes he’s actually managed is something you’d expect a Cleall-Harding or Owen Stirton to have for their development. Not the phucking club captain.

Get rid. Thank you and all the best back at Partick or Queen’s Park.

Whether a player missing more games than he has played merits a new contract is very questionable. However to call Docherty guff is a ridiculous comment.

He could play 40 games a season, he is guff. Don't rate him whatsoever.

The praise he is getting is way over the top IMO, on the scrapheap 2 weeks ago, one above average 45mins against Ross County and boys are wanting extensions handed out.

He is a championship jobber that has found out that he cannot cope with the physical demands of this league.

Glaringly obvious as to why he has spent his whole career in the lower leagues.

If we had an actual recruitment team in place he would and SHOULD have gone like McMann at the start of the season.

As for SlotBadgers post - we have Lewis O'Donnell waiting in the wings to come in, 19 games this season for QOTS and has done very well.

Let's get rid of the dross and hangers on, build a side with hunger and passion that is mixed with good, experienced capable heads that can actually be arsed and want to play here.

If only we could get a coach and a head of youth to match that desire.

Shedtastic · Today 3:50 pm

If Docherty is 'guff' then it doesn't say a lot for the rest of our midfielders, he's probably the best player at the club.
Yes fitness is an issue but I'll be very surprised if the club discards him, there is no doubt at all that we perform better when he plays, no doubt!

Arabdownsouth · Today 3:52 pm

Conway11 wrote:
Stillliving wrote:
Conway11 wrote:

Yes my apologies, it’s actually 76.8% of the season he’s missed.

Playing 23.2% - utterly pathetic.

If he gets a renewal, then I do not want to phucking hear Goodwin cry about attracting players when dough is getting wasted on guff like docherty.

The minutes he’s actually managed is something you’d expect a Cleall-Harding or Owen Stirton to have for their development. Not the phucking club captain.

Get rid. Thank you and all the best back at Partick or Queen’s Park.

Whether a player missing more games than he has played merits a new contract is very questionable. However to call Docherty guff is a ridiculous comment.
He could play 40 games a season, he is guff. Don't rate him whatsoever.

The praise he is getting is way over the top IMO, on the scrapheap 2 weeks ago, one above average 45mins against Ross County and boys are wanting extensions handed out.

He is a championship jobber that has found out that he cannot cope with the physical demands of this league.

Glaringly obvious as to why he has spent his whole career in the lower leagues.

If we had an actual recruitment team in place he would and SHOULD have gone like McMann at the start of the season.

As for SlotBadgers post - we have Lewis O'Donnell waiting in the wings to come in, 19 games this season for QOTS and has done very well.

Let's get rid of the dross and hangers on, build a side with hunger and passion that is mixed with good, experienced capable heads that can actually be arsed and want to play here.

If only we could get a coach and a head of youth to match that desire.

This post is dross

Conway11 · Today 3:55 pm

Shedtastic wrote:
If Docherty is 'guff' then it doesn't say a lot for the rest of our midfielders, he's probably the best player at the club.
Yes fitness is an issue but I'll be very surprised if the club discards him, there is no doubt at all that we perform better when he plays, no doubt!

Absolutely it does mate! And that is on the recruitment team

lifesanocean · Today 4:25 pm

Ross Docherty is the best player in this league outwith Celtic and Rangers. Anyone saying he is 'guff' has never watched football in their life.

Arabdownsouth · Today 4:44 pm

lifesanocean wrote:
Ross Docherty is the best player in this league outwith Celtic and Rangers. Anyone saying he is 'guff' has never watched football in their life.

Not sure I'd go that far but we are definitely a much better team with him in it.

Conway11 · Today 4:45 pm

lifesanocean wrote:
Ross Docherty is the best player in this league outwith Celtic and Rangers. Anyone saying he is 'guff' has never watched football in their life.

Oh dear. Could quite possibly be the worst post I have ever seen on here.

Last edited by Conway11 (Today 4:47 pm)