Terry's All Gold
Where will we end up this season I reckon is anyone's guess - the inconsistent form of the Fir Parkers is unbelievable. But then when you think of the number of players that could be on their way through the exit door come the end of the season, how can you get conformity at a club. When you get the likes of Goram and Spencer saying they won't be staying past the end of the season, it makes me wonder how committed they are to Motherwell F.C. - is it just money they are after, it must be, as the club say they cannot afford the high wages.
As far as I am concerned, from top to bottom, todays players are over-paid. Long gone are the days when it was more or less the supporter's entrance money that paid for the club's expenses, it is now money from every source with most going into player's wages which have reached ridiculous proportions and consequently throughout football clubs cannot match these wages.
I am fed up reading and listening to the media and people within football griping about how bad referee's are. As far as I am concerned, managers and players are to blame for today's ills. In the last few years, the laws of the game have been changed to try and counteract the changes in players' attitudes. The goal-keeping laws have altered because of the chronic timewasting that gradually took over as 'keepers trailed the ball round and round their area years ago. Now we have the monster of contortionist goalkeepers fly-kicking the ball in all sorts of directions. I am quite sure the chaps who guarded the goals in the past would wonder what planet the game is being played on today. The game was so simple, but because of so much cheating in the game laws have had to be altered.
The referee's head must spin with some of the impossible decisions he has to make, and the changes that have taken place in the game. How do you make an honest decision on the cheating divers in the game today. Why is the game being taken over by so many charlatan's whose only thoughts are to break the rules. Remember, the referee has to contend with these types more and more today. The one thing that should be instant dismissal is foul mouthing, and not just on the pitch. What goes on with managers and other rag-tag people on the side-lines has now got to crazy proportions. It seems now the only way to become a manager is to be seen to act like a demented imbecile on the touch-line - I would banish them all into the stands. Who would be a referee? I honestly don't know how they get people to take it on.
People talk of professional refs but how on eath would that make a difference. The only way the game can move towards more sporting behaviour is by discipline from and by the players. Another thing that hits the referee is the constant replays of incidents show on television. I would abolish that, along with the moronic pundits who sit in their cosy studios gleefully pulling the referee apart. I say if you want to play this great game of ours, accept the referee's decision. We all know that ever since the game has been played ref's have been making diabolical decisions, but if you cannot accept human frailties then get out of the game. Remember, no official in charge = no game. How about the other side of the coin - if you are fed up with the ref, how about taking it on yourself. What do I hear, a negative response?
I found the Daily Record's "Heroes of Hampden" looking for the best EVER Scotland team - an absolute joke. Hampden has been the scene of great Scots for over a hundred years, but when this "Heroes" lark was churned out by this biased rag you only find players from the last fourty years were chosen. I complained to the Record and the chap I spoke to said how can you pick players if you have not seen them. So I said you should have explained that everyone was to pick players only from the last fourty years then. he did not answer that question. Then they have a big do for all the fat cats. I thought it shamed all the players of the past who made Scottish football. What about our own Willie Redpath - nobody can tell me that Jim Baxter was a better footballer. Willie was a brilliantly skilful player. No-one who witnessed it will ever forget the match in 1951 versus France at Hampden when Willie gained possession of the ball in his own penalty area and trailed the ball all down the touchline to the French corner flag, then cut along the byline towards th oppositions goal, beating a defender on the way before laying the perfect pass on for Laurie Reilly to nod home the winner. How about that for best ever goal?!?! Willie was reknowned for his ball skills, such as walking round the Fir Park pitch heading the ball as he went.
Rex, the great Sunday Post reporter, used to have football roadshows round the country and Willie was often invited to show off his skills to the audiences. I remember waching Willie play for the Scottish League against the Irish League in an inter-league match just after the war at Ibrox. What a delight to see Our Willie in action. So when I read this misnomer "Heroes Of Hampden" my blood boiled thinking of past great players and the lame excuse from the "Daily Bias". I thought their idea is if your dead, you don't count, but they love to keep brainwashing us with the Laws and Baxters, and you don't count if you don't belong to the Anglo or You-Know-Who twosome set. Anyway, was there ever a better inside forward than our George Stevenson. But of course people of today would not remotely know who Redpath and Stevenson were. The Scottish media are utterly devoted to the two who think they are too good for the likes of the Motherwell's of this world. What a sham this biased paper's greatest EVER team was.
It's like us 'Well fans marking down our greatest players and saying our championship team are long gone, so they don't come into the equation anymore.
How shattering to see quotes in the paper like this re McMillan- it's a real slap round the head;
"Motherwell always have been, and probably always will be a selling club, but if we receive any bids for players then we will continue to treat them on their merits. He is disappointed - the chance to ply in the Premiership does not come along every day. However, whether it be know or six months' time, he will graduate to big and better clubs than Motherwell."
My first twenty-odd years of supporting Motherwell was spent knowing my team did not transfer their best players. The only one I remember leaving was Jimmy Watson to Huddersfield. That's why 'Well won the championship. As a Steel Man through and through, how can I accept quotes like that above coming from my club. suppose I have to accept today's world, but I don't like it. So like may more in Scotland, including media players and supporters, McMillan thinks going to Bradford for Premiership football is soccer utopia and will mean he will become a better footballer. Or a la O'Donnell, the real truth will instead be to become richer.
Hope you will all keep up your support for the great Motherwell.
Don't join the ever-increasing Glory Hunters.
To all you Claret and Amber followers;
A VERY HEALTHY 2001 AND ALL YOU WISH FOR
TERRY WILLOUGHBY
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