Fantalk

scotty · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 9065 Location: Almost Dysart.

Back in August I hoped for a top four finish, so all in all 2nd is more than acceptable. However despite the good outcome and the knowledge that many of our good results were such close run (a few just plain fortunate) things, I still can't shake the feeling we have blown our lines and missed a golden opportunity. Points wise we matched Utd all the way to the final straight but our downfall has been our ability to put teams away, often when they were there for the taking.

Perhaps it's this unconvincing ability to kill teams off that concerns me for the play offs, add in our struggle to beat teams like Airdrie, Partick and Livvi and sadly I'm struggling to see us put our play-off hoodoo to bed this season.

After a season of leaking goals at one end and struggling to score at the other I expected IM to bring in a striker and bolster the defense in pre-season. Hamilton was a great acquisition but defensively? He failed! Still on the plus side at least we signed plenty midfielders.

The manager,
At the time I didn't see replacing McGlynn with Murray as any sort of real upgrade, but I suppose the final league position is a strong counter argument. My only concern is that at times I've felt (and continue to feel) that much of Rovers achievements this season have come from the spirit and attitude of the players on the park rather than the input from the side. The frequent chopping and changing and at times suspect team selection has proven damaging, none more so than in the last month.

The players
Pre-January Rovers players for the most part were typified by their desire and will to win, the parting of the ways with Ross Millen has perhaps (IMO) had a massive impact, whether it was solely that or there were other things who knows but to a degree the wheels came off in January and never really went back on properly.

Goalkeepers.
Kev is a great character and a great shot stopper, quite costly at times but a worthwhile acquisition on the whole, if he learns to command his box better he'll be fine.

Defenders.
Not good enough. Too many either too injury prone, not good enough or both.

Midfielders,
Too many, mostly of the same type. If Ian Murray gets rid of Ross Matthews he can GTF. a few times we have needed to change things in a game, sadly you cant do that with the same type of guys sitting on the bench as are already on the park. The one time we did this was at Partick in the opening game, the two (strikers) that changed it were almost immediately shipped out!

Forwards,
Louis's efforts go without saying and I like what I see in Hamilton but the rest I'm not massively sold on. Rudden is no better (if as good as) than Hamilton, Mullin is a strange if not poor 3 year signing, Easton (this won't likely go down too well) has barely kicked a ball since December, has been far too inconsistent and as such flatters to deceive, Smith is a good squad player and Connolly hasn't performed since Millen was dropped (Brown doesn't create space on the over-lap).
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Competitive goals: Vaughan 16, Easton 11, Hamilton 9, Smith 7, Stanton 7, Mullin 4, Connolly 3, O'Reilly 3, Rudden 3, S Brown 1, Dick 1, Gullan 1, Masson 1, Millen 1, Mitchell 1, Murray, Watson 1, OG's 1,

Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5742 Location: Nottinghamshire

Fair summation Scotty,

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4928

I'll give my thoughts on the season once it's ended but just to debate some of Scotty's points;
Even now I don't think Murray was an upgrade on McGlynn. I think back to some of the football we played under McGlynn three years ago when we finished third and it was some of the best I'd seen at Starks (granted most of it was watched on Raith TV). As it stands I believe McGlynn is a superior manager than our current incumbent. If Murray is able to avoid that being proven in a head to head next season by winning the playoffs then I'd have to reconsider that opinion.
You say Scotty that our midfielders are all the same but you seem to be including Easton, Connelly and Mullin down as forwards. I'd say they are either wingers or attacking midfielders. Certainly Mullin and Easton anyways. Even
leaving that trio aside though we be left with Stanton, Brown, Byrne and Matthews and of that quartet I'd say Stanton isn't like any of the other three who I concede would look to all be playing in the same position and manner. However we've only been able to rely on Matthews (who I really rate) since maybe the start of February. For more than half a season Byrne was the only CDM we had because Brown was needed elsewhere and Matthews wasn't available. Actually I forgot about Turner who is more like Stanton in terms of creativity but without the same physicality. To get to the point I'd have to disagree that we've got too many midfielders who are all too similar.
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red zebra · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 8:15 pm Post subject:

They both hold UEFA Pro Licences, so are, on paper, equally qualified. McGlynn however does have many years of experience at management than Murray, notwithstanding he has worked at a much higher level (Hearts & Celtic) with a broader range of experiences.
Could Murray be better, of course, couldn't we all be better at our jobs, every day should be a school day. Being able to accept that you know what you know and, more importantly, knowing what you don't know is massive in terms of personal and professional development.
Time will tell with Murray and perhaps the elder statesmen running the club take him under their wing and settle him down a bit, maybe then he will develop and improve and be able to take the team forward.
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wellyboot · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 2564 Location: Aberdeenshire

Our problems have been defensively. Losing Millen, injuries at times to Watson and Murray and playing Brown at centre half. Losing Ashcroft. Who would be left back if Dick was unavailable? We have quality all through the squad but a lack of bodies at the back.
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Strathallan Rover · Joined: 29 Nov 2014 Posts: 651

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1868 Location: Irvine

Regarding comments about Mc glyn……..we played hoof all with NO pattern of play or plan or anything’s for years.

By his own admission he stated that he was unaware of the pass and move football that was the “ new thing” until he did some scouting work.

His last season was probably his best in so far has we got 45 mins of decent pass n move footy but it was not as high a standard as we have seen under IM.
IM undoubtedly has lessons to learn, but he is young and relatively new to manage / coaching but IF he has learnt,then he will progress.

If you wanna argue with my assessment…..fine……you cannot argue with the gates being well over twice what they ever were under JM though. Boring, boring, boring for the vast majority of his time here.
Next season will be a better test for JM….. Rolling Eyes

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Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4928

YouTube the 5-1 hammering of the Pars from 2021. Hoofball?
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1868 Location: Irvine

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4928

Not at all. The McGlynn from the first time round was a long ball, play the percentages type of manager. The McGlynn of his second stint with us had us playing quite a modern passing game. Just my opinion of course.
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1868 Location: Irvine

Franco · Joined: 10 Oct 2019 Posts: 1196 Location: kirkcaldy

A team which doesn't win games by more than one goal has done very well to finish in second position.
This is a building exercise and we are ahead of schedule.
IM, Pots and Barrowman will have their targets to strengthen the team ( and, yes, extend Rossco's contract, surely a must ) and we have a warchest to do just that.
If we come up against Airdrie in the Playoffs we are unlikely to feature in the final play-off games but this should not deflect us from recognising the fine season we have had.
( Play Partick and who knows ?)

Tam · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 3:53 pm Post subject:

Very good assessment Scotty. And good too from Cuparman.

I am actually a tad dispirited with a lot of our displays and team selections.

Its great we have finished second but, there is always several buts!

Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5742 Location: Nottinghamshire

I'd like to think that if it is Airdrie we come up against, Murray will at least have learned to have a game plan that works, if we get ridden another twice by them .......... so should he 😂

scotty · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 9065 Location: Almost Dysart.

On a side note the new board are doing lots of good things and many good initiatives and sound ideas, long may it continue.

Crowds are unarguably up on the last two seasons, but I disagree with Cuparman that they have doubled. As I see it there are a few factors in play as to why the crowds are up. Pushing for the league championship along with much improved marketing has swelled the numbers some. What has perhaps been more pertinent is that Rovers are now doing what many other clubs (Pars, Falkirk and particularly Ross C) in that we are almost certainly counting all season ticket holders as being present at every home game. Add in the record season ticket sales (many of which were reduced for kids) and it’s easy to see how gates can appear to double……on paper.
We have seen some big crowds this season and the south stand has been certainly been busier, however for it to be double the 1700 to 1900 we usually had before there would have to now be 3400 to 3800 and despite the announced attendances I doubt that at times there was actually quite that many there.
It’s easy to go on line to buy a ticket and see there are so few few seats available, the reality was/is that the number of empty seats around the sold ones rarely matched up, at least around where I sit.

Why any clubs would want inflate numbers is beyond me, unless to paint a rosier picture than is the real story?
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Competitive goals: Vaughan 16, Easton 11, Hamilton 9, Smith 7, Stanton 7, Mullin 4, Connolly 3, O'Reilly 3, Rudden 3, S Brown 1, Dick 1, Gullan 1, Masson 1, Millen 1, Mitchell 1, Murray, Watson 1, OG's 1,