Dooj

1 hour ago, Cagey said:

You would think the fixtures would be out today but there will probably be a hold up whilst police and SKY can decide when OF game can be played. No reason why they can't release bottom 6 fixtures but they won't do that.

This really annoys me - computer should just produce the fixtures randomly (maybe with restrictions like no two teams from same city playing at home on the same day) and we'll see what we get. Having to change or adapt the fixtures on the basis of anticipated crowd trouble or size of TV audience interferes with sporting integrity IMO.

7 minutes ago, Strawman said:

I haven’t said he did anything “deliberately”, he clearly likes Sidibeh, why would he try to hurt the lad.

Doesn’t change the fact that he’s brand new to full time football, it was obvious he was tired, the management made the decision to leave him on when we had 3 substitutes still we could have still used. 
 

I m not suggesting any deliberate intent, I think it was a poor decision and it played a part in the player collapsing. 
 

Your correct though, that is speculation on my part, there could be any number of other reasons why it happened.

Deliberately, maliciously, negligently, unintentionally - doesn't make any difference. To suggest that a manager's decision contributed to a player's collapse is a very serious accusation, particularly when (to my knowledge) we have no information at all about what caused Sidibeh to collapse.

This sounds to me more like having a go at Levein for absolutely anything and everything rather than focussing on his mistakes regarding the things he actually has some control over or could reasonably be expected to anticipate.

14 hours ago, Strawman said:

I’m suprised Levein hasn’t taken more stick for Sidibeh collapsing, a player who has been full time for around a month and running him into the ground when there was no need, options on bench to replace him.

 

I think it is really important that we criticise the management for their failings, and quite a lot of the time we are going to be speculating because none of us know what is going on behind the scene. But to suggest that Levein has deliberately put a player's health at risk is going too far.

58 minutes ago, Aitchy said:

Very surprised that no names have leaked yet. They perspective new owner/s were apparently sitting in the directors boxes at the Ross County and Hearts games with Saints scarves on! The only thing I have heard is that potential owner is "one of the top lawyers in the states".

Should be easy to work it out then - after all, hardly *any* lawyers in the US

3/10? That's harsh given where we are in the league. Appreciate it might not be entertaining, but the whole 'not losing' thing is probably what we should be giving credit for when you think about where we were when he took over.

Gordon subbed??

It's fairly common practice for things to be omitted from confirmed minutes. Doesn't necessarily reflect any kind of deliberate deception - it's just an awareness that there are some things that are said that you might not want written down and distributed for all to see.

29 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I think it's possible to talk the club up a bit without saying we're going to be brilliant and win everything. He doesn't say a single thing about the football club. I'm sure he could have, within the context of the questions he was asked. Not saying it's necessarily a good or bad thing, but it just stood out to me. I don't think I've ever seen any new manager's first interview seem so "yeah, it's alright I suppose."

I wouldn't want to read too much into exactly what a manager says during these hyped-up media interviews - how he interacts on a daily basis (and on match days) with the players/team is what will determine success. Sometimes managers can say the wrong thing in a media interview (see Macca's recent examples) but that may be more symptomatic of wider problems with the dressing room, rather than simply the cause. Some managers are canny about dealing with the media, some are pretty naive. Eventually many managers come to realise that it doesn't matter what questions you are asked, you just answer the question that you want to answer, whether it was asked or not. I suspect that the reason Levein didn't mention the club much, was that he was answering the question of why has he gone back into management after such a long time out, rather than 'why St Johnstone?'; he's trying to counter the suggestion that there is anything strange about it from a career trajectory perspective. I guess that the tone he was trying to convey was that this is an opportunity that doesn't need huge changes (like the summer clear out) but that with so many capable people around, all willing to work together, it's going to be possible to turn it around. Last thing he wants is a load of headless chickens running around shouting 'dont panic' (even if recent results warrant that kind of response). 

23 hours ago, PSJ.84 said:

I’m not sure that any potential falling out would have that much of an impact in thanking anybody, particularly Steven MacLean and Liam Craig, for their service. I’d hope that there’s not anybody that small time and petty involved with those sorts of things. As BH says, it’s just Saints being abysmal at basic communication. 

Given the much more effusive statement released later on, I think that you are probably right - that first statement was simply incompetent rather than deliberately ungrateful.

14 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

 

It's easy to read a lot into the press statement but I honestly think it's just another case of Saints being absolutely rubbish at basic communication.

Perhaps. However, given the well-used template for these sorts of announcements, I am inclined to believe that the statement re 'thank you and good luck for the future' must have been deliberately removed/omitted. Particularly given the absolute legends that Macca and Liam were as players.

1 hour ago, john.w said:

I've been pondering a thing most old farts do, Liam Craig leaving is a strange one seemed to be doing a good job with the young lads. So was it a case of misguided loyalty !! if he's going I'm going!! scenario, further I raised the dreaded Eetu case honest opinions please. Did anybody see any signs he could be a good signing, 2/ needed coaching  3/just wasn't up to this level no personnel attacks just wondering after Macca's diatribe on Saturday

I wonder if Macca's attack against the players (which I think most people would agree was crossing the line) was as a result of him being sacked (was he told 'win or you're out'?) or was what precipitated a 'heated discussion' that led to him being sacked.

The ridiculously short press statement from the club makes me think that there was some kind of bust-up. And I think that Liam must have been involved in some way, otherwise it would seem very harsh to get rid of him at this stage. Unless he was seen to be very much Macca's man - doesn't explain the lack of any expression of gratitude to Liam in the statement though.

45 minutes ago, GOB10 said:

Totally get that and agree to a point.. but the fact of the matter is it did happen and it wasn't like his charge was for stealing a mars bar from a supermarket.. it was rather serious. They wont need me bringing it up as a quick Google search into their new manager would show all 

When you say that you are 'all for second chances etc', what exactly do you mean?

2 hours ago, blueheaven said:

 

Very small baby steps, but I do feel we're getting better rather than worse.

I listened on Radio Scotland. FWIW Willie Miller was *really* positive about Saints (as was Biscuits) and he regularly winds me up with his relentless pro-Aberdeen commentary. While nice to hear, hard to square these comments with the stat of zero shots on target.

On 10/2/2023 at 11:07 AM, chips said:

Saints putting in an appeal regarding Gordon's red card 

And it's been upheld! Unbelievable.

Appreciate that there are all sorts of contextual factors (eg size and location of stadiums) but has *any* Scottish club managed to deal with the visit of the Old Firm in such a way as their fans are happy? Genuine question - I really dont know - but if it works elsewhere, perhaps we could learn from them.

Personally, I no longer go to any OF games at McDiarmid as it is just so toxic and I dont want to be part of it. Shame because one of my fondest footballing memories was seeing Jim Weir score against Rangers - think that was probably my last OF game.

So, these are *voluntary* guidelines - there is no indication of what happens if a bus company chooses not to sign up to these. Or what are the consequences if a bus company signs up to these but then doesn't comply.

But given that these guidelines are already in place in England and Wales, and this is just about making it consistent across the UK, you would think that there would be plenty that could be learned from down South. I have to be honest - I have never heard any complaints about these guidelines before.

1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

I hate to say it but I think I'll always struggle to associate him in my mind with anything other than playing horrific football, nearly getting us relegated (twice) and completely destroying everything Tommy Wright had taken years to build.

 

 

Really? The cup double doesn't feature in any of your recollections of Callum's management?

I was probably one of the last to come round to 'Callum out' but even I could see that his time was up and I accept that he could/should have been shown the door much earlier. The last two league campaigns have been dire, there's no hiding that, but I hope it is just the recency that is leading some to completely overlook Callum's achievements in the cups; maybe in a few years time we will all be able to look back with a bit more balance when assessing what CD did.

Just now, Dooj said:

Fran Sandaza?

Stevie May c2013/2014?

23 minutes ago, saintee in exile said:

Seems soooooo long since we had a prolific striker.Jason Scotland?

Fran Sandaza?

3 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I'd be pretty surprised if waiting for PA pub days to give the paper the scoop was still a thing. The PA posts online updates every day, just like other papers, and the club's own social media is generally where signings are first revealed now.

Yes, I should have added some emojis to my post to indicate my intended meaning of the pointlessness of any paper trying to 'scoop' anything nowadays. 

7 minutes ago, Cagey said:

A bit concerned it's not a done deal yet.

Does the PA still come out on a Friday? If so, maybe the club is letting them have their 'scoop'.

24 minutes ago, That_Dave said:

It's possible that Kane only wants six months and the club wants longer. He might want an opportunity to put himself in the window for a better paid deal elsewhere and doesn't want to commit to the season. In that situation, it would make sense for the club to not publicise that he's available on a free in January.

I struggle to see Kane getting a better deal elsewhere - not that I know anything about the financial details on his contract - because I think he does a fantastic job for Saints but is totally underrated - so I just dont think that he is likely to be on another team's radar. I could see him drop a division in order to get more playing time. Will be interesting to see what Macca does when May, Clark and Kane are all fit.

1 hour ago, pezza70 said:

And if we don’t get a buyer then who knows how much a budget we will be allocating for players 

Would have thought the budget that Macca has available will be pretty clear. Given that Saints never spend outwith their means, the player budget will essentially be the same as any other year, given that there is no specific reason to think that revenue is going to increase or decrease dramatically. Although, having said that, I can see a scenario where Macca has been promised a small increase in budget as part of him agreeing to take the job. I would be hugely surprised if any new owners were able to come in with the kind of speed that would be required to have any impact on this summer's transfer window.

1 hour ago, Willie Peat said:

Have heard of Canadian interest which may involve Vancouver Whitecaps

One of the Whitecaps owners used to be involved in Derby County. Wonder how that worked out?

2 hours ago, blueheaven said:

 

Really does feel like the end of an era with Muzz being the last remaining player from a clutch of guys like Mackay, Liam Craig, Macca, Chris Millar and Ando who were fixtures in our team for years.

 

 

I agree that this feels like the end of an era but I would include Spoony in that list of players that have defined the club's most successful ever period, and we still have him (for now)