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Christie Elliott


Norgethistle
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Have to say I think some people are going in over the top. Elliott offered a deal and chose to leave. Whether or not he got on with Caldwell doesn't matter. He chose to leave.

 

This isn't the Doolan situation. I think if Doolan's departure was handled better then we wouldn't even be discussing this.

Thanks for your time at the club Christie you were a good servant.

 

Now time to move on.

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One of my all time favourites, probably because I really didn't rate him when he started with us, a poor player in a poor team. Christie Elliott grew in stature as the club did, and on many occassions was our outstanding player. He was capable in the Premier League and I can see him back there.

For me he was under-rated by many Thistle fans, never getting beyond the "solid professional, good attitude tag". He's a good player and I reckon he'll be very difficult to replace.

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27 minutes ago, allyo said:

One of my all time favourites, probably because I really didn't rate him when he started with us, a poor player in a poor team. Christie Elliott grew in stature as the club did, and on many occassions was our outstanding player. He was capable in the Premier League and I can see him back there.

For me he was under-rated by many Thistle fans, never getting beyond the "solid professional, good attitude tag". He's a good player and I reckon he'll be very difficult to replace.

I completely agree. I've said before, that I genuinely believe Elliot would be much more highly regarded had he arrived at the club as a right back (even if it had still took him a season or two to come good). He has been excellent as a full back for a few seasons now (with the exception of earlier this season where he had a complete loss of confidence and form). However, he did seem to fully recover form this blip.

I'm not sure why, but because he arrived as a striker, a position at which he was simply not very good, his subsequent performance as a fullback has largely been downplayed, with "limited but always puts in the effort" usually used somewhat dismissively. Of course, all our players are limited, particularly those with long service, or else they would likely move on to a higher level. However Elliot has been one of our best and most reliable players for some time now, and looked completely within his depth in the Premiership.   I expect he really will be missed.

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23 hours ago, JAGSMAN1968 said:

The heart is being ripped out of this club. 

You know, I loved the 2013 team, I really did, and every time one of them left us I was sorry to see them go. But watching Thistle play Ross County last October I realised that the heart had already gone. The spirit and energy of that team (and most of the players) had long deserted us. We looked empty, and I think it was clear at that time that major changes were necessary.

No one can deny that Caldwell has come in and shaken things up. I can understand that everyone hasn't taken to him, and I know that his selections can have at times seemed a bit baffling, but ultimately the season did not turn out to be the unmitigated disaster that it seemed to be heading for. In hindsight I personally think that losing Chris Erskine (an all time Thistle hero) looks like it worked out for the better. Losing Kris Doolan is obviously painful (and might have been handled better) and losing Christie on the back of this confirms that we are truly at the end of an era. And it's sad because it was a great era.

But that era was already passed. And if Gary Caldwell truly thinks this is the best way to improve the team then that is what he has to do. He'll stand and fall by his decisions. If he doesn't think it is the best way, and he has ulterior motives as some have suggested, then he is an idiot. Personally I don't think he is.

Anyway, Im probably rambling. The "club" is maybe another matter, and others justifiably have more to say on that than I have. But the team, from where it was in October, needed transformed; and I think Thistle fans should accept that, and be less inclined to hammer Gary Caldwell for every decsion he makes. I can't see how that can be positive.

 

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2 minutes ago, allyo said:

You know, I loved the 2013 team, I really did, and every time one of them left us I was sorry to see them go. But watching Thistle play Ross County last October I realised that the heart had already gone. The spirit and energy of that team (and most of the players) had long deserted us. We looked empty, and I think it was clear at that time that major changes were necessary.

No one can deny that Caldwell has come in and shaken things up. I can understand that everyone hasn't taken to him, and I know that his selections can have at times seemed a bit baffling, but ultimately the season did not turn out to be the unmitigated disaster that it seemed to be heading for. In hindsight I personally think that losing Chris Erskine (an all time Thistle hero) looks like it worked out for the better. Losing Kris Doolan is obviously painful (and might have been handled better) and losing Christie on the back of this confirms that we are truly at the end of an era. And it's sad because it was a great era.

But that era was already passed. And if Gary Caldwell truly thinks this is the best way to improve the team then that is what he has to do. He'll stand and fall by his decisions. If he doesn't think it is the best way, and he has ulterior motives as some have suggested, then he is an idiot. Personally I don't think he is.

Anyway, Im probably rambling. The "club" is maybe another matter, and others justifiably have more to say on that than I have. But the team, from where it was in October, needed transformed; and I think Thistle fans should accept that, and be less inclined to hammer Gary Caldwell for every decsion he makes. I can't see how that can be positive.

 

I think people aren't really hitting Caldwell about every decision he makes. The problem is the way he goes about it. His ego and arrogance seems to be on a huge scale. And I'm afraid as part of the club , the actions of his bosses tar him.

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9 minutes ago, Jaggernaut said:

All the best to Christie wherever he moves to. A fine servant for us over most of the last decade.

Hear Hear.

I hate to use the term utility player as it's often a euphemism for a player with extremely limited ability. As the years went on when Christie was in the squad we would often have the luxury of a couple more positive options on the bench simply as he could provide cover in a number of positions. No way of really knowing if the availability of those options resulted in us getting more points but I suspect that did happen on occasions. As a right back/right wingback Elliott may not be over difficult to replace. Bringing in a player with his adaptability may prove a good bit harder.

And of course this news further emphasises our lack of pace within the signed squad. Tho' I'd be pleased for us to resign Spittal and/or Cardle nether player would redress the pace issue.

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1 hour ago, allyo said:

You know, I loved the 2013 team, I really did, and every time one of them left us I was sorry to see them go. But watching Thistle play Ross County last October I realised that the heart had already gone. The spirit and energy of that team (and most of the players) had long deserted us. We looked empty, and I think it was clear at that time that major changes were necessary.

No one can deny that Caldwell has come in and shaken things up. I can understand that everyone hasn't taken to him, and I know that his selections can have at times seemed a bit baffling, but ultimately the season did not turn out to be the unmitigated disaster that it seemed to be heading for. In hindsight I personally think that losing Chris Erskine (an all time Thistle hero) looks like it worked out for the better. Losing Kris Doolan is obviously painful (and might have been handled better) and losing Christie on the back of this confirms that we are truly at the end of an era. And it's sad because it was a great era.

But that era was already passed. And if Gary Caldwell truly thinks this is the best way to improve the team then that is what he has to do. He'll stand and fall by his decisions. If he doesn't think it is the best way, and he has ulterior motives as some have suggested, then he is an idiot. Personally I don't think he is.

Anyway, Im probably rambling. The "club" is maybe another matter, and others justifiably have more to say on that than I have. But the team, from where it was in October, needed transformed; and I think Thistle fans should accept that, and be less inclined to hammer Gary Caldwell for every decsion he makes. I can't see how that can be positive.

 

It's a throwing the baby out with the bathwater thing for a lot of us. Just because the antique shop isn't pulling in punters doesn't mean you should invite a virile bull in to smash everything up. It might be a "new direction" but it isn't modern art.

I do think Gary Caldwell has ulterior motives and I do think he's an idiot. And I'm really worried about the damage he is doing to the fabric of this family club. Absolutely under Archibald this club was latterly too loyal to some people and to patient with others. But the long-term solution to that is not to become the opposite. It is to learn and to adjust; not to tear the whole thing up and start again.

Caldwell clearly hasn't only made bad decisions. Signing McDonald to replace Quitongo and Mutombo was, for example, a really shrewd piece of business, as was getting rid of Storer, Melbourne, Keown and Bell and bringing in mostly adequate replacements. But he has made a lot of bad decisions, and ones that appear to have been motivated otherwise than on a calculus of what is in the long-term interests of Partick Thistle. It all seems to be about what makes Gary Caldwell look decisive and strong to get a shitty gig down south in 18 months, not about what makes Thistle look like a happy place where ambitious footballers want to stick about and help to build something special. Whether people like it or not, McNamara demonstrated far more of a sense of building for the future at Thistle than Caldwell has, and he ran off mid-season during a title race!

Archie's team wasn't doing badly because it contained loyal long-term professionals like Kris, Chris and Christie. It was doing badly because it was horrifically unbalanced, poorly organised, and not making the best use of its most capable members.

Edited by Woodstock Jag
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35 minutes ago, Woodstock Jag said:

Whether people like it or not, McNamara demonstrated far more of a sense of building for the future at Thistle than Caldwell has

You're comparing apples and oranges. McNamara built a First Division winning squad over two full summer transfer windows. 

And of that squad, important players including Fox, Archibald, Balatoni, Paton, Erskine and Doolan were signed by a mixture of Dick Campbell/Ian McCall, with Stuart Bannigan coming through the youth set-up. 

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15 minutes ago, Dark Passenger said:

You're comparing apples and oranges. McNamara built a First Division winning squad over two full summer transfer windows. 

And of that squad, important players including Fox, Archibald, Balatoni, Paton, Erskine and Doolan were signed by a mixture of Dick Campbell/Ian McCall, with Stuart Bannigan coming through the youth set-up. 

I think you're making my point for me.

The point is McNamara didn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. To a significant extent he patiently worked with what he had, brought in strategically (mainly younger players with a point to prove, mainly on non-loan or longer than six month contracts) and, I think most importantly, he didn't go around punting more experienced players "to change the mentality". He found ways to give them adapted roles if they were no longer first team regulars: as mentors, as coaches, or even simply as supporting squad players. It was a joined-up approach.

What it wasn't was let's punt the club's record scorer in the modern era in his testimonial year and replace him with Fatty McHun Face "because he's a winner".

Honestly, this pish from Caldwell is Trump-esque. It may put and keep him in office but it doesn't mean it's good.

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28 minutes ago, Woodstock Jag said:

I think you're making my point for me.

The point is McNamara didn't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I don't necessarily think Caldwell has, either.

Let's be honest, bar Doolan, none of the players released last week have come as a shock or disappointment. GC still has a decent squad of players largely in their mid-late 20s to build a squad around. 

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10 minutes ago, Dark Passenger said:

And neither has Caldwell.

Let's be honest, bar Doolan, none of the players released last week have come as a shock or disappointment. GC still has a decent squad of players largely in their mid-late 20s to build a squad around. 

I count Erskine as part of that too.

Caldwell getting rid of Erskine and Doolan at the earliest available opportunities would have been like McNamara getting rid of Archibald and Rowson in the summer of 2011.

McNamara went and climbed a mountain with them instead.

Surely you can see the difference of culture and attitude there?

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3 hours ago, allyo said:

One of my all time favourites, probably because I really didn't rate him when he started with us, a poor player in a poor team. Christie Elliott grew in stature as the club did, and on many occassions was our outstanding player. He was capable in the Premier League and I can see him back there.

For me he was under-rated by many Thistle fans, never getting beyond the "solid professional, good attitude tag". He's a good player and I reckon he'll be very difficult to replace.

Out of likes. Well said.

Good luck Christie, sometimes it takes losing a player to appreciate their worth.

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1 hour ago, Woodstock Jag said:

I count Erskine as part of that too.

Caldwell getting rid of Erskine and Doolan at the earliest available opportunities would have been like McNamara getting rid of Archibald and Rowson in the summer of 2011.

McNamara went and climbed a mountain with them instead.

Surely you can see the difference of culture and attitude there?

Very different cases. Archibald and Rowson were playing well. Erskine and Doolan were not.

You can make a good case for the Doolan departure being handled better and I wont argue back, but on current form you can't claim that he deserves a new contract as a player I even suggested in December that it was time for Dools to move on). I know there maybe a case for making him a coach, but I have no idea if he was any good at it, and is it something he would have been interested in ?

 

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3 hours ago, Woodstock Jag said:

I do think Gary Caldwell has ulterior motives and I do think he's an idiot.

Apologies for the selective quoting...

If this truly is the case, then I suppose all of the harshest criticism is justified (some maybe if he actually is an idiot we should show him more sympathy).

I haven't seen or heard anything to definitively confirm that he has ulterior motives or is an idiot. I just see someone taking actions that are quite unpopular, and which may or may not be proved correct. 

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1 hour ago, Thistleberight said:

Out of likes. Well said.

Good luck Christie, sometimes it takes losing a player to appreciate their worth.

Always the guy I told my kids to be like. Play wherever the manager tells you to play and always try your hardest.  All the best Christie. 

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22 minutes ago, Graysie said:

Always the guy I told my kids to be like. Play wherever the manager tells you to play and always try your hardest.  All the best Christie. 

A great role model. Just hope the manager can get better in for probably less cash. 

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