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A New Direction?


QXBoy
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Our current "manager" describes our number 9 as "a consummate professional" - "can't fault him" - "scored some vital goals this season". These are the sort of comments a manager might make of an important member of the team - but he discards him and tells him that he (the "manager") wants to take the club in a "new direction". Well this decision will immediately reduce season ticket income, which in previous seasons the club begged the supporters to buy . So what "new direction" are we going to see?  Part-timers? That would let the "manager" spend more time with his family.

  

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Funnily enough, the idea of the club going in a new direction was exactly the thought that came to me at six o'clock this morning after having spent most of the night processing yesterday's developments. (I know, ridiculous, but what can you do.) Caldwell's not here to settle into the 'Thistle family': he's here to make a name for himself and move on. His own family is still in Manchester and there's no doubt he wants to manage down there. The only way he can do that is by achieving success with Thistle. He needs to get us promotion this season. Minimum. A publicity-generating run in a cup is probably necessary as well. (You know the kind of thing - "Gary Caldwell comes back to haunt his old club with Thistle holding Celtic to a no-scoring draw at Parkhead" before they hump us in the replay at Firhill.) So, no more cuddly toy. We're into ruthless mode, apparently. If he's successful, I suspect most of the fans will think it was worth it. If he isn't, he's toast - what other club is going to touch him? This new direction is Caldwell's. No one forced it on him. There were other directions he could have gone . (Offering Doolan a 12 month contract being the most obvious.) He's chosen to put all of this pressure on himself. Thistle have to be in the top four clubs in this league for the entirety of the season and at the end of the season we have to be promoted. That's it. Nothing else will do. 

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In truth we've been going in a different direction for quite a while.

Someone taking a passing interest may think by discarding a 32 year old forward that the "different direction" is to start putting  more of an emphasis on signing and nurturing younger players. There's logic to that as when a young player succeeds he'll become a valuable asset on the transfer market. Today we're linked with signing the soon to be 36 year old Kris Boyd.

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5 minutes ago, lady-isobel-barnett said:

In truth we've been going in a different direction for quite a while.

Someone taking a passing interest may think by discarding a 32 year old forward that the "different direction" is to start putting  more of an emphasis on signing and nurturing younger players. There's logic to that as when a young player succeeds he'll become a valuable asset on the transfer market. Today we're linked with signing the soon to be 36 year old Kris Boyd.

Doolan is 33 but your point is a fair one ......is Boyd a better player than Doolan? Has he scored more goals ? Can he score regularly in the championship ? All good questions for 35 year old .....I guess MacDonald might be a reference point 

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20 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Doolan is 33 but your point is a fair one ......is Boyd a better player than Doolan? Has he scored more goals ? Can he score regularly in the championship ? All good questions for 35 year old .....I guess MacDonald might be a reference point 

Caldwell released Erskine but gave an 18 month contract to Harkins. Age does not feature in his logic.

Skippy is a better player than Boyd.

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Doolan is 32 [how do I know?, he said so last night in his BBC Sportscene interview] 

Regarding the 'different direction', I wonder if GC is planning to follow the Wimbledon 'route one football' method? a nightmare for Thistle football fans, but perhaps one that GC would want to employ simply as it can produce results and, if positive, will allow him to return back to England sooner rather than later?

I wonder if the BoD realise that the majority of ST sales will be dependant on quality replacements for the people exiting the club in the last few days?

How do Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller measure up / compare to Kris Doolan? Viable replacements?

I expect Dools' phone will be busy over the next few weeks, there are many smarter managers than GC in Scotland who will get another 10 goals a season from the guy.

What is this chairwoman doing? has she no inkling whatsoever about football? has she no clue about public relations? …. why is she even in that position in the first place?

Apologies for all the questions, but I am frankly appalled at the way Kris Doolan's exit from the club has been handled.

Edited by ARu-Strathbungo
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McDonald startled me in both his overall fitness and, after such a long lay off, his match fitness. Amazing signing and all credit to both the man himself and Gary Caldwell. So in terms of Boyd, no relevant reference point whatsoever.

What worries me more than a tad is Caldwell goes down the ready made route and goes for the quick fix. In these days when managers deserve a life time achievement award for lasting two seasons at the same club, you can't blame a manager sacrificing a medium to long term strategy for an instant fix. You could even argue that Archie was heading in that direction latterly as the squad age rose year on year. One of the most refreshing things arising from our last promotion was holding on to the nucleus of our squad. So given the fragility of a football manager's career I do worry when I hear the phrase "a new direction" being uttered.

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1 hour ago, javeajag said:

Doolan is 33 but your point is a fair one ......is Boyd a better player than Doolan? Has he scored more goals ? Can he score regularly in the championship ? All good questions for 35 year old .....I guess MacDonald might be a reference point 

So Harkins is worth an 18 Month Contract-  who is knackered after Running 25 m ?  But Dools they couldnt do a Player /Coach one Year Contract ? 

Mcdonald was a very fit individual and the exception to the rule - therefore it is a massive risk having him as a reference point - but if this is the "Club New Direction" then fair enough - dont think our Fans are buying into it .. 

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2 minutes ago, Jordanhill Jag said:

So Harkins is worth an 18 Month Contract-  who is knackered after Running 25 m ?  But Dools they couldnt do a Player /Coach one Year Contract ? 

Mcdonald was a very fit individual and the exception to the rule - therefore it is a massive risk having him as a reference point - but if this is the "Club New Direction" then fair enough - dont think our Fans are buying into it .. 

It’s a sunny day smile 

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Just now, Jordanhill Jag said:

Yeah Yeah Mr Condescending - hows that New Training Complex coming along btw - still on Programme ? 

Well you do come across as mr dour negative 

training complex....all I know is the update the ceo gave the jags trust .....I’m sure you will take great delight in telling us it’s doooommmed 

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1 minute ago, javeajag said:

Well you do come across as mr dour negative 

training complex....all I know is the update the ceo gave the jags trust .....I’m sure you will take great delight in telling us it’s doooommmed 

Ok - so dont you find it just a bit strange that up until the AGM we were getting  lots and lots of updates - then no Official updates ?  The Jags Trust info was via a third party - why no actual formal update from the Club confirming whats been said verbally ? 

So its either planning or its not ? Dont you think the Fans have a right to know what the position is ? 

 

 

 

 

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Just now, Jordanhill Jag said:

Ok - so dont you find it just a bit strange that up until the AGM we were getting  lots and lots of updates - then no Official updates ?  The Jags Trust info was via a third party - why no actual formal update from the Club confirming whats been said verbally ? 

So its either planning or its not ? Dont you think the Fans have a right to know what the position is ? 

 

 

 

 

The jags trust update was from the club CEO ! Third party ?

i actually agree that communication on this has gone downhill but if it’s not going to happy why not just say so ? Football fans live conspiracies 

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Kris Doolan has been binned because he doesn't fit with the direction that Gary Caldwell (with Jacqui Low's approval - and perhaps also Gerry Britton's) wants to take the Club in.

So Doolan doesn't fit with this new direction.

But does the conduct of those in charge fit with the direction that the Club's supporters (from occasional pay-at-the-gate fans all the way up to major sponsors) want to see the Club taken in?

The Club's support, under the present regime, are beginning to feel alienated from the Club. It's been fiasco after fiasco this season. The fare on the pitch hasn't been great, but anyone who's supported Thistle for any length of time has seen that many times before - but we keep coming back because we love the Club, its identity, and what it stands for. It's the other stuff. The SAS training farce, the treatment of Chris Erskine, the training ground saga, envelope-gate, the monthly updates, and - to top all of those - the shoddy treatment of the Club's most distinguished player of recent times.

This is dangerous stuff.

The Board and management have been extremely - let's be kind - accident-prone in this last year. The place just doesn't feel like it's in safe hands.

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3 minutes ago, javeajag said:

The jags trust update was from the club CEO ! Third party ?

i actually agree that communication on this has gone downhill but if it’s not going to happy why not just say so ? Football fans live conspiracies 

It was verbal and there version of what was said - all a bit vague - why no official statement confirming the position from the Club ? 

Some Conspiracy Theorists believe that a) That the budget stated is way light by Millions and b) That we cant afford the cost of Running it 

So Im sure a statement on where things stand will Kill off these Conspiracies as you suggest ? 

So for me the Training Ground is about the ability to deliver - not the Physical Ground itself - its a measure of competence - its tangible as opposed to PR and Words

Just like starting the Plan is Promotion when we are in the relegation zone - its about delivering and credibilty 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, javeajag said:

Doolan is 33 but your point is a fair one ......is Boyd a better player than Doolan? Has he scored more goals ? Can he score regularly in the championship ? All good questions for 35 year old .....I guess MacDonald might be a reference point 

Not every 35 year old is the same, and its hard to think of two more extremes on the fitness scale

You have been happy to point to Doolans lack of contribution over the last 18 months to justify the clubs decision

You will of course be aware that Doolan scored more goals in the Premier League in a poor team last season than Boyd did this season in a good side

Also I suspect the option if playing Boyd in midfield or on the wing where Doolan has often been played of late, is not really an option.

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, jaf said:

Not every 35 year old is the same, and its hard to think of two more extremes on the fitness scale

You have been happy to point to Doolans lack of contribution over the last 18 months to justify the clubs decision

You will of course be aware that Doolan scored more goals in the Premier League in a poor team last season than Boyd did this season in a good side

Also I suspect the option if playing Boyd in midfield or on the wing where Doolan has often been played of late, is not really an option.

 

 

 

I said yesterday I wasn’t keen on Boyd or Miller 

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30 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Well you do come across as mr dour negative 

training complex....all I know is the update the ceo gave the jags trust .....I’m sure you will take great delight in telling us it’s doooommmed 

That's not all you know; that's all you choose to believe - the two are different things

 

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49 minutes ago, Jordanhill Jag said:

Yeah Yeah Mr Condescending - hows that New Training Complex coming along btw - still on Programme ? 

 

47 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Well you do come across as mr dour negative 

training complex....all I know is the update the ceo gave the jags trust .....I’m sure you will take great delight in telling us it’s doooommmed 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

TODAY'S  THIRD " Degree" LANARK  V  WOODSTOCK "Tory Boy" JAG  FIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

INSTEAD WE WILL BE SHOWING

A RE-RUN OF THE RECENT BOUT

JORDANHILL "Mr Dour" JAG  V  JAVEA "Mr Condescending" JAG

ENJOY!!!

:D

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3 minutes ago, Jordanhill Jag said:

Im in Kilmarnock for the West Districts Junior Athletics Championships - being my dour self - encouraging the Young Athletes I Coach to excel   

And they train more than three days a week !!!

Good for you ! Meant seriously 

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