Keep/Get Rid Contract Thread - Page 72 - General Morton Chatter - TheMortonForum.com Jump to content
TheMortonForum.com

Keep/Get Rid Contract Thread


Recommended Posts

46 minutes ago, vikingTON said:

We already have several over-age youth products signed up until 2022 to perform that role: if they can't then they shouldn't be at the club. I'd expect Blues to be on significantly more money  

That's an assumption, but you don't know that for sure. If however you're right and Blues is getting a salary comparable to those who would make up the core of the squad and be considered to be regularly in the starting 11, then I agree, that's a waste of budget and quite worrying.

I'm not sure that's the case though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 2.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Good thing we got that all-important "fringe player on buttons" signing locked down. That's one you need to make early, competition is so fierce for the key role of shan, benchwarmer. 

This is a crap renewal with no redeeming features. He should have been one of the first released, if not the first. We're supposed to be building a lean squad of experienced pros augmented by our own youth products. That means fourth or fifth choice in midfield should be a young player, not a guy who's now four years into proving himself nowhere near enough. 

Can someone post "well who would you have signed then?" so we can complete the Crap Player Happy Clapper bingo card? 

EOho8Pw.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

That's an assumption, but you don't know that for sure. If however you're right and Blues is getting a salary comparable to those who would make up the core of the squad and be considered to be regularly in the starting 11, then I agree, that's a waste of budget and quite worrying.

I'm not sure that's the case though.

How much he's on isn't even that important. McPherson complained - justifiably - that we had too many attacking players and he had to keep some of them benched. So he's aware of the dangers of too big a squad. That means one of two things - either he's signed Blues with the intention to use him, or he's wasting a squad slot on a 'fringe player' despite there being little reason to do so. He could be on literally 50 pounds a week and the signing would still make no sense at this stage of the window. It's not like he's a utility man. He's either playing in the middle of the park or he's not playing. So why bother with him? 

EOho8Pw.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, TRVMP said:

How much he's on isn't even that important. McPherson complained - justifiably - that we had too many attacking players and he had to keep some of them benched. So he's aware of the dangers of too big a squad. That means one of two things - either he's signed Blues with the intention to use him, or he's wasting a squad slot on a 'fringe player' despite there being little reason to do so. He could be on literally 50 pounds a week and the signing would still make no sense at this stage of the window. It's not like he's a utility man. He's either playing in the middle of the park or he's not playing. So why bother with him? 

To be clear, I'm not jumping with joy he's resigned, but neither do I think it's an unmitigated disaster if:

1. He only intended as a fringe player in the squad as cover for injuries and suspensions.

2. His salary is comparable with the above role

If one of these is not the case, I agree it's a very bad piece of business and extremely worrying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever he’s getting paid is irrelevant, he’s spent the last two seasons being utter shite  and shouldn’t be rewarded with yet another contract.

I made this point in relation to McPherson being kept on, but it’s worth repeating and has been true for a long time: the complete and utter lack of any kind of standards or basic expectations at Morton are as big a part of our constant failures as anything. Even the minimal demands for a Championship struggler should dictate that players like Blues get punted, if we’re ever going to achieve anything we need to have far more pride in the jersey than making excuses for allowing shite players to make an easy living from the club for three fuckin years.

AWMSC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, EanieMeany said:

Whatever he’s getting paid is irrelevant, he’s spent the last two seasons being utter shite  

Can't comment on the season before last, but based on last season I think saying he 'utter shite' is harsh. He's clearly not good enough to be considered a regular starter but I think he's perfectly adequate as a fringe squad stand-in. If indeed that's the role Gus has in mind for him. 

Again, he wouldn't have been in my retention list, but the decision has been made, and we just have to hope Gus has got it right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

That's an assumption, but you don't know that for sure. If however you're right and Blues is getting a salary comparable to those who would make up the core of the squad and be considered to be regularly in the starting 11, then I agree, that's a waste of budget and quite worrying.

I'm not sure that's the case though.

Why would Blues be on a similar wage to, say, Michael Garrity, who is also a signed midfielder? He's 23 years old for a start - five years older - and is on at least his fourth professional contract. 

I'm not suggesting that he's got the Porsche dealership lined up for a phone call tomorrow morning but the assertion that he's a 'cheap fringe' player defies all rational thought. Why would the player accept getting paid buttons for such a bit part role?

Any wage that is being paid to a 23 year old midfielder who we know isn't good enough could be given to a 19 or 20 year old who might be. This is a total nick of a deal for a manager who was giving 'quality not quantity' two minutes ago.

5 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Again, he wouldn't have been in my retention list, but the decision has been made, and we just have to hope Gus has got it right.

The royal 'we' doing a lot of heavy lifting there, in your desire to shut down debate. 

The site is supposed to be a place for the extended 'family' of Morton supporters - having an affinity with people that you don't know, because you share a love of your local football club. It's not supposed to be about point scoring and showing how 'clever' or 'funny' you are, or just being downright rude and offensive to people you don't know, because you can get away with it. Unfortunately, it seems the classic case of people who have little standing/presence in real life, use this forum as a way of making themselves feel as if they are something. It's sad, and I've said that before..

 

So, having been on Morton forums for about 15 years I guess, I've had enough... well done t*ssers, another Morton supporter driven away. You can all feel happy at how 'clever' you are

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Can't comment on the season before last, but based on last season I think saying he 'utter shite' is harsh. He's clearly not good enough to be considered a regular starter but I think he's perfectly adequate as a fringe squad stand-in. If indeed that's the role Gus has in mind for him. 

Again, he wouldn't have been in my retention list, but the decision has been made, and we just have to hope Gus has got it right.

It’s not harsh at all, he is utter shite and often barely reaches that level by dint of being completely invisible. 

AWMSC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The lad has had ample opportunity to demonstrate what he brings to the team and he has failed to do so. Gus may think he can improve him but the sand is running out.

I am quite sure that there are better options out there (even as a squad player) rather than putting up with another season of listening to the groans every time he's appears on the team sheet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My main concern is Gus stated he was after a smaller squad of around 18 made up of seasoned pros and youth (I assume I didn't just dream that up?). If you allow for say four younger lads that clearly suggests Blues has signed as an integral member of the first team and will be getting regular game time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, vikingTON said:

 Why would the player accept getting paid buttons for such a bit part role?

There are many possible reasons.

Maybe the lad himself recognises he has limited ability and this offer is the best he can reasonably expect. Maybe he believes he's not reached his potential and this is a last chance to prove himself. Who knows. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The argument that we'll need some cheaper fringe players in the squad to provide cover does not stand up as a defence of giving a contract to Blues. If anything it makes it even worse.

We're operating at the bottom of the full-time market in Scotland and which means you have to take gambles with some of your signings. Inevitably some of them won't work out and you'll end up with players who just aren't up to it like Omar, but this is the nature of recruitment at this level. Identifying potential and using your budget wisely with those bargain signings is a crucial part of a manager's job and something they're massively judged on, it's not pot luck.

In the case of Blues though it's not even a big gamble on a player who may not be good enough which might backfire, it's just wasting a wage on a player who everyone already knows isn't good enough. Whatever the wage is, throwing the same total at a random League Two jobber in a wild gamble would be an objectively better use of it; that jobber might turn out to be a competent Championship player however unlikely it is, but we know for sure that Blues won't.

I don't see how MacPherson can even justify it himself. He was in charge for 15 games and only started Blues in four of them. All four were against League One sides: he didn't trust Blues against Championship opposition. At a crucial stage of the season Blues was nowhere to be seen. After coming on as a sub against Dundee, he was bombed out the matchday squad entirely for the Hearts, Alloa and Arbroath games. He was so far down the pecking order he couldn't even get in an 18 man squad, being moved down that order due to consistently terrible performances, which continued even against League One opposition when he was bizarrely brought back in from nowhere for the playoffs. Yet now we're supposed to accept that he's somehow a decent option for a fringe player, when MacPherson has talked about having a smaller squad with an emphasis on quality over quantity?

Alarm bells are ringing massively here. If our smaller but quality squad has players of Blues' standard in it, then the odds of consistently putting 11 players good enough for the Championship on the park aren't promising.

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Oh Lord, Brian Wake

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

There are many possible reasons.

Maybe the lad himself recognises he has limited ability and this offer is the best he can reasonably expect.

If the offer is the best that he can get then he can't be on buttons, otherwise 'getting a real job and playing part time' would be a much better alternative. If financial reasons explain the deal for the player then they make it completely unacceptable to the club. Try again. 

"Maybe he believes he's not reached his potential and this is a last chance to prove himself. Who knows."

Except that in your conception he's been signed as a bit-part squad ringer, so how exactly is this going to happen? 

The idea then that we have a player who is both i) as cheap as a young player and ii) just as happy to park his arse on the bench is not plausible then. If we wanted someone to do that job then we already have better candidates already under contract, so this is a complete waste of a wage. 

26 minutes ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

Yeah, because shutting down debate is absolutely my objective here 😂

It is, which is why you regularly opine about what 'we' as a fanbase should be doing, which just so happens to involve gormless blind faith that whatever the club does will work out. 

The site is supposed to be a place for the extended 'family' of Morton supporters - having an affinity with people that you don't know, because you share a love of your local football club. It's not supposed to be about point scoring and showing how 'clever' or 'funny' you are, or just being downright rude and offensive to people you don't know, because you can get away with it. Unfortunately, it seems the classic case of people who have little standing/presence in real life, use this forum as a way of making themselves feel as if they are something. It's sad, and I've said that before..

 

So, having been on Morton forums for about 15 years I guess, I've had enough... well done t*ssers, another Morton supporter driven away. You can all feel happy at how 'clever' you are

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, vikingTON said:

"Maybe he believes he's not reached his potential and this is a last chance to prove himself. Who knows."

Except that in your conception he's been signed as a bit-part squad ringer, so how exactly is this going to happen? 

Because even as a fringe player he's bound to get some chances during the the season. 

Once again, I'm not championing him here. I've stated several times he wouldn't have been on my retention list. But Gus obviously sees some sort of role for him. I've got no idea what that is. If it's a pivotal rile, I share your concern. If it's bit-part, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get it’s a bit of a grey area and the board can’t just turn down sighings Gus wants to make, but it really is a bizarre one - at this stage of the game in recruitment. If we really do need a 3rd/4th choice CM that could surely be added in August (or even better brought in on loan for a reduced cost)

Offering him a deal now would indicate there are some sort of plans to use him, and no harm to the lad, like Muirhead has had many opportunities to demonstrate something worth keeping him for and just hasn’t. 

I’d be delighted for him to shut us all up, but the evidence at the minute suggests that will not be happening. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...