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Squad for next Season


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16 minutes ago, bob_the_builder said:

Surely it's time to look at a couple of decent part time players?!  If our budget is that thin that it's impossible to get decent full time players we should be looking to get some PT bodies in.  It didn't do Arbroath any harm last season.

It's not as simple as just picking up a few part time players.

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55 minutes ago, bob_the_builder said:

Surely it's time to look at a couple of decent part time players?!  If our budget is that thin that it's impossible to get decent full time players we should be looking to get some PT bodies in.  It didn't do Arbroath any harm last season.

On 7/16/2022 at 8:02 PM, TONofmemories said:

Jacobs Mrs bigging him up on twitter

 

Would imagine the top part-time teams would just be paying a bit less than we are paying. So with their other jobs we would struggle to attract the best.

Big B

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Pretty disappointing that we have 2 goalkeepers and none have experience of the championship if Schwake is the first choice we should at least have an experience backup in case he struggles. 

Not going to lie I know Dougie is working on a budget but the signings so far have been far from inspiring willing to give them a chance as always but for me the squad right now is miles off it. 

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15 minutes ago, RossMcC1874 said:

Pretty disappointing that we have 2 goalkeepers and none have experience of the championship if Schwake is the first choice we should at least have an experience backup in case he struggles. 

Not going to lie I know Dougie is working on a budget but the signings so far have been far from inspiring willing to give them a chance as always but for me the squad right now is miles off it. 

Schwake will be fine. There's no way he was coming here to sit on the bench.

There's a storm on the horizon

And for that I can't see the sun

For I'll keep a waiting on the pavement

For the ice cream van to come

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2 minutes ago, vikingTON said:

Herbalife

They obscurely mentioned supplements on one of the club interviews with Imrie saying the players are now taking them. Are one of these Herbalife salesmen doing a roaring trade down Cappielow way or has the club repositioned itself with their own Herbalife side hustle?

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47 minutes ago, Brian Skelton said:

Would imagine the top part-time teams would just be paying a bit less than we are paying. So with their other jobs we would struggle to attract the best.

I’m talking about keeping those players part time, rather than continuing to go after rank full time players that our budget allows 

here today, gone to hell

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Dougie has been moaning about budgets all summer.

In his interview on 30th May he said he would like more signings but it depends if the board give him any more money.

We signed Quitongo and Gillespie after that.

In his interview on 21st June he said more additions will depend on finances but he can't see anything else materialising.

We later signed Kabia.

He then had his wee interview with Chick Young moaning again.

We have since since a ringer keeper.

Whether the goalposts have shifted at any point or  not, Dougie will likely moan about budgets regardless.

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If we drop to Part-Time then we are dropping any chance of being in the Premiership. I know you could easily argue we've already done that but we would need to have a thorough conversation about whether a part-time Morton would be more viable then full-time. Crowds would almost certainly drop away as we slipped down into league 1 and perhaps, in time, league 2. Cappielow isn't a cheap ground to maintain and run either. 

 

There is no reason that we can't have a full-time club. The commercial side of the club is growing. Nobody forced Imrie to use budget on Gillespie, Quitongo and offer a contract to the likes of Oliver. If we go down this season then it'll fall on Dougie's shoulders unless there has been some major breach of trust from the Board which I doubt.

Edited by so72
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43 minutes ago, so72 said:

If we drop to Part-Time then we are dropping any chance of being in the Premiership. I know you could easily argue we've already done that but we would need to have a thorough conversation about whether a part-time Morton would be more viable then full-time. Crowds would almost certainly drop away as we slipped down into league 1 and perhaps, in time, league 2. Cappielow isn't a cheap ground to maintain and run either. 

Arbroath have got closer to the Premiership than GMFC have done at any point in the past 30 years. Which rather* debunks your argument that part time football involves abandoning all ambition or sinking inevitably to a lower level. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* completely 

"There is no reason that we can't have a full-time club."

Absolutely not. But the relevant question is whether we should have a full-time club, when the supposed benefits of the model are not being demonstrated either in the transfer market or on the park.

This isn't 2003 anymore - we're not signing the next Alex Williams on a transfer fee and we're not up against Mark Yardley figures in the SPFL puffing their way between fag/pie breaks either. 

I suspect that the current economic squeeze will soon be pushing multiple clubs off the full-time racket at Championship/League One level anyway, whether they like it or not. 

Edited by vikingTON

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

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2 hours ago, Jamie_M said:

They obscurely mentioned supplements on one of the club interviews with Imrie saying the players are now taking them. Are one of these Herbalife salesmen doing a roaring trade down Cappielow way or has the club repositioned itself with their own Herbalife side hustle?

I hope not. The club has enough challenges as it is, without being indoctrinated into a grossly overpriced pyramid-scheme cult.

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1 hour ago, so72 said:

If we drop to Part-Time then we are dropping any chance of being in the Premiership. I know you could easily argue we've already done that but we would need to have a thorough conversation about whether a part-time Morton would be more viable then full-time. Crowds would almost certainly drop away as we slipped down into league 1 and perhaps, in time, league 2. Cappielow isn't a cheap ground to maintain and run either. 

 

There is no reason that we can't have a full-time club. The commercial side of the club is growing. Nobody forced Imrie to use budget on Gillespie, Quitongo and offer a contract to the likes of Oliver. If we go down this season then it'll fall on Dougie's shoulders unless there has been some major breach of trust from the Board which I doubt.

Can't agree with that at all. Look at Arbroath last season. Raith I'm sure also had a good run recently when they were part time.

 

There's a storm on the horizon

And for that I can't see the sun

For I'll keep a waiting on the pavement

For the ice cream van to come

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1 hour ago, so72 said:

If we drop to Part-Time then we are dropping any chance of being in the Premiership. I know you could easily argue we've already done that but we would need to have a thorough conversation about whether a part-time Morton would be more viable then full-time. Crowds would almost certainly drop away as we slipped down into league 1 and perhaps, in time, league 2. Cappielow isn't a cheap ground to maintain and run either. 

 

There is no reason that we can't have a full-time club. The commercial side of the club is growing. Nobody forced Imrie to use budget on Gillespie, Quitongo and offer a contract to the likes of Oliver. If we go down this season then it'll fall on Dougie's shoulders unless there has been some major breach of trust from the Board which I doubt.

Why would a switch to part time make our chances of the Premiership any less likely than our current position of 'not a fucking chance'?

Why would a switch to part time make us any more likely to be destined for League 1 than our current position of bookies favourites to go down?

Why would a switch to part time make us any more likely to drop further than our current position of having the Easdale sprog spearheading our assault in that very direction?

Why would crowds slip because we potentially have some of the better part time players rather than the absolute bin juice of the full time market?

Why would the running costs of Cappielow be affected negatively by having a part time team rather than a full time team?

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19 minutes ago, Mr.Blue said:

Can't agree with that at all. Look at Arbroath last season. Raith I'm sure also had a good run recently when they were part time.

 

Raith have sometimes had a hybrid model. In their last season in league one, for example, they had two part time players. They've had an openness to flexibility at times rather than seeing part time football as a route to success. 

Going back I don't know exactly how many players they've had on part time deals. They've had mixed results whatever approach they've taken. 

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15 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

Why would a switch to part time make our chances of the Premiership any less likely than our current position of 'not a fucking chance'?

Why would a switch to part time make us any more likely to be destined for League 1 than our current position of bookies favourites to go down?

Why would a switch to part time make us any more likely to drop further than our current position of having the Easdale sprog spearheading our assault in that very direction?

Why would crowds slip because we potentially have some of the better part time players rather than the absolute bin juice of the full time market?

Why would the running costs of Cappielow be affected negatively by having a part time team rather than a full time team?

I definitely think there's a risk in the message going part time would send. There are plenty who would see it as a sign of a lack of ambition - but perhaps most of those have already been staying away. 

I also think is very difficult to make a success of part time football - and those who have done in recent years (Dumbarton, Arbroath) have paid very good wages (not far off or equal to lower full time teams) to give them an advantage over other part time teams. In that sense, I do think that there is a shifting point for us when part time football (or a hybrid model) would allow us to put together a more successful team when we're struggling to attract a decent full time team (and right now we might be circling that point), but I think there are major risks in it as a longer term model. 

I honestly think if we announced we were going part time (at the end of next season, for example), there would be a decent part of the hardcore support that might think that would be sensible (and some older fans who would spend months taking about how Ritchie, etc., we're part time anyway) but the wider support and others beyond that who would just see it as a big reduction in ambition and a sign that the club is struggling. I think it would have a sizable impact on season ticket sales and would leave the club needing to show that it could be a success from a starting position of a reduced income. 

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24 minutes ago, SpoonTon said:

I definitely think there's a risk in the message going part time would send. There are plenty who would see it as a sign of a lack of ambition - but perhaps most of those have already been staying away. 

I also think is very difficult to make a success of part time football - and those who have done in recent years (Dumbarton, Arbroath) have paid very good wages (not far off or equal to lower full time teams) to give them an advantage over other part time teams. In that sense, I do think that there is a shifting point for us when part time football (or a hybrid model) would allow us to put together a more successful team when we're struggling to attract a decent full time team (and right now we might be circling that point), but I think there are major risks in it as a longer term model. 

I honestly think if we announced we were going part time (at the end of next season, for example), there would be a decent part of the hardcore support that might think that would be sensible (and some older fans who would spend months taking about how Ritchie, etc., we're part time anyway) but the wider support and others beyond that who would just see it as a big reduction in ambition and a sign that the club is struggling. I think it would have a sizable impact on season ticket sales and would leave the club needing to show that it could be a success from a starting position of a reduced income. 

We are largely down to the hardcore support who have shown for years that they will largely turn up regardless to watch any old shite put in front of them and year after year of failure.

I don't think many are advocating wholesale part time, but most of the negative perception of it was borne by the former regime continually using it as a threat to demand the fans bring a friend. 

What would be wrong with a quiet shift to hybrid, tweaking the training schedule to suit and shopping from a larger pool of players? Why would they even have to announce that in such dramatic fashion, and even if they did, it surely wouldn't be too hard to promote the benefits of that?

As for the part time teams paying almost full time wages, again, what's the difference doing that initially than paying for full time players? If anything there's probably still some saving there.

Do the same thing, get the same result. Which means our next downward spin on the yoyo is due anyway.

Edited by Jamie_M
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Things are going fuckin nowhere as it stands, so nothing should be off the table.

Leaving aside issues with the players signed, which is separate but not exclusive issue, Imrie has been saying for a while that he was having to be careful with what was left and that there wasn't much there.

It's certainly possible he's being quite dishonest in that (all managers will try to drop hints to get a few extra bob, but there's that and saying there's nothing left...) but I don't really see much to suggest that is the case. People seem to have got a wee bit fixated on the radio thing, but it wasn't really anything new, it didn't come out the blue - you can debate whether it was right or wrong, but again, either way it wasn't really a shock revelation. 

We've got very, very few players who could reasonably be called "senior ones", and a significant number of youngish boys that it appears the club want to be passing off as bona-fide first team players.

As has been said many times, even with rising costs, there's many very favourable improvements on the last few seasons, and the MCT money which should surely be representing an advantage over the other clubs around us.

If we're seriously being told that what's on the books now is as far the funds stretch (and again, there's big questions about some of the individuals brought in, but they're not going to be on big wages...surely), then it really doesn't add up.

We finished last season with a real sense of optimism for the first time in years, obviously somewhat tempered by the last few games although the prospect of a clear-out mitigated any concerns there and then a couple of months later we find that there's barely enough money there to employee a dozen "senior" players? 

That's extremely alarming, and I find it quite baffling that people are resistant to the idea that the club should be providing clarity on what's going on. This is nothing to do with any misconceptions that the club is "fan-run" and everything to do with the owners of the club being extremely concerned at what's going on and being owed an explanation. What exactly is the point of fan ownership if it isn't to ensure stringent accountability to the people paying way, way over the odds for what they're getting in return?

It's very possible that if we're deep in the mire come the winter months that MCT subscriptions begin to be sacrificed as people's household budgets tighten, and that attendances drop below what they normally would for the same reason. MCT needs to justify the money it wants, and it isn't doing it if this is what it's returning.

Edited by EanieMeany

AWMSC

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50 minutes ago, SpoonTon said:

I honestly think if we announced we were going part time (at the end of next season, for example), there would be a decent part of the hardcore support that might think that would be sensible (and some older fans who would spend months taking about how Ritchie, etc., we're part time anyway) but the wider support and others beyond that who would just see it as a big reduction in ambition and a sign that the club is struggling. I think it would have a sizable impact on season ticket sales and would leave the club needing to show that it could be a success from a starting position of a reduced income. 

Season ticket sales are currently sitting at 800 and might reach 1000 if we're doing very well by historic standards. On what basis is that not the hardcore support that you refer to above? Who are these members of the 'wider support' that are signing up for STs now but suddenly wouldn't because the goalkeeper has got a second job (like, say, Derek Gaston had throughout his time at the club)? There aren't many matchday walk-ups left: certainly not enough to build a credible business case on. 

As a fan-owned football club with no moneybags backer, it should not be anywhere near the top of our concerns what the wider 'wider support' of Inverclyde taxi drivers and assorted hangers-on think about the 'ambishun' shown by the club. If it is in the best interests of either the viability of the club or the product on the park, you just do it. 

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

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2 hours ago, vikingTON said:

Arbroath have got closer to the Premiership than GMFC have done at any point in the past 30 years. Which rather* debunks your argument that part time football involves abandoning all ambition or sinking inevitably to a lower level. 

 

2 hours ago, vikingTON said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* completely 

Closer but, ultimately, failed despite having the best chance a part-time team has had since the spfl came about. I'm sure you always pointed out that Arbroath weren't going to make it. We have been in the Championship for 7 years now. No part-time team has sustained itself in our league for that period. Its not inevitable that Part-Time teams have limited Championship lifespans but with the emergence of jumped up outfits like Cove, QP and Kelty then it will be highly highly unlikely that a Part-Time team will be able to stay in this league for years on end.

 

I just don't see any evidence that we would be run better Part-Time. Theoretically it could work well but theoretically full-time could also work well. 

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