Strachan - Come the summer, stick or twist ?

Clarke is hugely rated by clubs methinks. West Ham spent an absolute bomb on him to sort out their defence, I can't believe Chelsea let him go. That would be one guy I would leave to see at CP at some stage - bit unlikley though.

 

I think this league should have been rapped up and it should have easily been 4 in a row but he hasn't capitalised on the poor Rangers side.

Although this season has been a bit of a disappointment the man has a better record than MON with less money, 100% league success so far cannot be underestimated and I think his success should be rewarded with some loyalty.

 

If he needed any help, i would carry him some of the distance - he is so highly rated by Mourinho and Zola it's unreal. I don't know how much West Ham paid Chelsea in compensation, however? As Mike says, very unlikely though which is a shame.

 

The way I see it is the board etc did not get any of the rumoured targets like the various CHs, LBs and CFs we tried to get, probably due to wages and a tight * approach. I am going right off Lawell. All we got was a few new fringe players and gambles, most of whom were very cheap buys by todays market terms. At the same time Rangers spent a tidy sum on 4 or 5 new first picks like Medez, Edu, Broughera, Davies etc who are pretty good players.

Is anyone surprised that eroded our advantage? The board have made this job a poison chalice and they know, we all know, that this could be a great team with just 3 or 4 new good experienced first pick players purchased. Everyone including them has know this for 18 months. They are just too tight. FFS our 1st team striker consists of one decent one, a very slow has-been and an unreliable enigma/cheap gamble. That is insane. I know quality strikers are expensive but come on, no team can expect anything but a struggle with those striker choices.

If I was WGS, I would demand the club frees up enough to pay at least 3 new real quality players the sort of 2 million a year these players command as well as a few million for fees (I am assuming its mainlu going to be Bosmans and late in contract players). I dont think WGS or anyone for that matter can improve this team much without that sort of funding.

 

Another point. Would any manager who has a CV anything like as good as WGS has now actually come here. Would any manager with European experience (especially CL) come? Surely we do not want to go backwards and get a guy with no top level experience who has to learn from his mistakes, learn all about the CL etc all over again from scratch? That is called re-inventing the wheel. If someone like Moyes was interested then there is a debate but its totally mad to talk about novices like McGhee, Mogga etc as is often the case.

 

Excellent post - in many ways, we are like the Dandy Don fans i know so well up here, p*ssed off with Calderwood for not getting them to a final etc etc.....but who is the replacement? It is surely only worthwhile replacing someone if they are more experienced and BETTER. Learning from mistakes etc - especially in Europe - is a point you make that is not commented upon enough IMO.

 

Despite what looks to be failings this year, I think Strachan deserves a LOT more time with this group of players (and further backing from the board, as gunt has said).

Because so far, our entire structure of the club has been improved from scouting, to coaching, to youth development. Give him his big players this summer, give him next season and if he fails again then even I would say that simply isn't good enough.

 

It seems like some celtic fans would have krusty the clown in charge as long as it's not GS, if he does go, then a few years of mediocre managers down the line we realise that if fact there is nobody else who had his experience at club level(similar to rangers with smith) get him back to re-build a team all for the sake of losing the title to our closest rivals? . I'm not happy with the football we're playing, not happy with leaving mcgeady out on saturday, would like to be a few points ahead of rangers at this stage. I'm still not sure appointing a new gaffer is the answer, depends on how you realistically view our club & the heights to which we can achieve. A new manager might at best get a extra 10% out the players we alreay have TOPS!.

 

Funny thing is many players have come out and said they love him as a manager and that he is a great motivator. I think our ills have mostly to do with not funding the manager to buy non-gamble first choice players in the last year, especially strikers, CH and LB.

 

I'd be happy enough for him to stay on those terms but what are the chances of him being allowed to make big name signings in the summer?

 

Loads of good posts above. Just surprised it's take so many TC members this long to realise how much backing the manager needed in terms of strenghening the first team from the start of the season. When we scraped the league last season and watched Rangers spend millions in the close season it was pretty obvious that we'd be in this senario at this time.

Looking back, I wish we'd dropped more points before the transfer window leading to changes back then.

 

They do in theory but in practice they outspent us in the summer and it was them not us who brought in 4 new first picks of fairly good quality - Bougherra, Edu, Davis and Mendez. We spent very little indeed last summer and the ones we have bought have played in only a small number of games.

 

I would question his motivational skills because of what I see on the pitch. We are better than our performances would suggest. That's the manager's job, to get the best out of our players. IMO it's not happening.

Also your other point about none of the possible replacements having a better CV than WGS now, WGS's CV was not as good when he got the job, as it is now.

 

In regards to his motivational skills, I want to disagree with you but I just can't. I don't think we have been consistent since January. Players getting injured will be a factor of course, but we do have a big enough squad to cope and the manager should be able to motivate the players to get results. It hasn't happened, especially away from home. So I have to concede that his ability to motivate the squad has come into question this season.

I could easily say that JVOH and Samaras went through long periods of bad form this year. I would be correct too. But it is part of Strachan's job to motivate them enough to start playing well again.

 

I agree with Martin because that has been the case for the past 2 seasons, (maybe 3 I can't remember). Our most consistent spell after January was last year right at the end. Saying that we usually start playing poorly since December. Think we have barely won a game in December for the last 2 seasons. Althought this one was an improvement. Dropped a lot of points.

 

It's the weather's fault, it doesn't suit us.

 

Couldn't agree with you more Minty - since January, our overall form has not just been a poor blip...it has been WELL below the expectation for a squad of our quality - playing against teams with minute budgets in comparison to our own.

As i said earlier - far too many points dropped; points that would have won us the league by now if it were not for our profligacy in both defence and attack.

 

Aquaplaning footballs suit dribblers according to you

Anyways, your comment should be posted in the other thread as this is about a different issue. Stay on topic.

 

Poor show from you, yet again.

EDIT

The other thread is about Aiden McGeady.

 

Playing * football and winning the title is all right, but playing * football and not winning the title is inexcusable at the moment, considering the competition.