GLF 62: Ricky looks back over the season so far.
Ricky's Rant
HERE we are in November but still at the wrong end of the table following a rather topsy-turvy couple of months.Things are slowly, but surely, beginning to flow in the right direction even if we don't have a wee CIS trip to Hampden to look forward to this year.At the beginning of the current campaign most folk were very unsure about Maurice Malpas,and I have to admit I had my doubts as well.I recall going daft at the Partick game because I didn't see any real passionate reaction to losing the equaliser.I wasn't demanding his head;merely asking for a visible response to losing a two-goal lead to a side that are not, by a long shot, the best the First Division has to offer.
Since then, Mo has shown that passion, albeit sparingly, and begun to win me round along with a good few others.He has had to cope with key injuries on a week-to-week basis, and we don't possess the playing squad to be able to cope with such losses.We have had a disappointing run recently, no win in the last 5 although 4 were away from home and two at the home of the gruesome twosome.The performances there were refreshingly attacking; we performed probably better than most, if not all, visitors to Parkhead this season and deserved more than the narrow reversal we ended up suffering.Then, at Ibrox, we took a point with again a good, attacking display but our general play was not as good as the previous week.And if, like me, you'd witnessed the previous run of matches back to when Eliphas Shivute helped us to our last point there,you'll know just how good a feeling that was to come away at last unbeaten.Some might say it's the best chance we'll get to win there for some time,I'd disagree as no matter how good or bad a team is playing,football is such a strange game you could win anywhere at anytime.
We've all seen it in previous bizarre results, and it can and will happen again.I was as down as anyone to go out of the League Cup at Rugby Park,another of those “graveyard” grounds we seem to have picked up in the past few years.Having said that, the performance again was encouraging as we didn't just give up and made Kilmarnock realise they had been a tad fortunate to go through.It's the old adage of the league being more important, and it is, I am pretty sure we'd all rather be sitting with a comfy cushion between us and twelfth than adrift at the bottom on our way to Hampden for a league cup semi.Still, would have been nice to go there, just have to leave it for the Scottish in April!
ONE major concern I have, and I imagine it's shared by many, is the imminent departure of Scott McDonald to pastures new.He's playing as well as he's ever done for us, and with just 18 months (I'm sure) of his contract left to run I think he'll be considering a move back down South.Of course, I'd love him to stay another couple of years in claret and amber, but realistically speaking he's going to go on to bigger and better things, and as long as it's not to another SPL club then you have to say it's a good move for him.
The problem is obviously replacing him, and that's why if he's going we must sell next summer for the maximum amount possible.Revenue raised from that sale would finance a replacement of good quality, and given the way we're struggling up front just now to create, a similar player to Skippy is a priority.In recent matches his absence has been all too glaring,and whilst I'm not going to single out people,without McDonald in the starting front line, it's just simply not happening for us.
THE CIS Cup this season proves that anything can happen in our game.Who would have predicted that both of the Old Squirm would be out come the Semi-Final stage, and that after both having home Quarter-Final ties (one against First Division opposition)?You could argue that we have missed the boat on this one again, and perhaps we have,but I guess it's also better to have gone out now than suffer the heartbreak of a Semi-Final defeat or simply not turning up for the Final itself.It's so wide open;anyone of the four could win it.Hibs might well be favourites,but they are historically more unpredictable than we are ourselves, and might suffer the same fate as they did in front of over 30,000 of their own fans against Livingston a couple of years ago.
Falkirk,who are beginning to perform,must fancy their chances,and I have to say I sincerely hope Kilmarnock don't win it after their unnecessary theatrics at Rugby Park during our Quarter-Final visit there.Jovial Jeffries, the most bitter and twisted of all bad losers on this planet, has installed in them a “dive at all costs” mentality which came to light most notably when Leven went down just before we scored.I can imagine why Mo went ape at the moaning-faced crabby, though if the Fourth Official saw that he must have been aware of the comment which caused the reaction from our Manager.Strange how that was never reported.
Anyway, the fourth of the Semi-Finalists,St Johnstone, are run by our old striker Owen Coyle.Memories come back of Coyle day on 5th May 1997, and I imagine seeing his charges take care of a disjointed, unorganised but highly-paid bunch of misfits would have given him as much pride as when he put them to the sword nearly 10 years back.They must be in with a great shout and I imagine they are quietly confident of going all the way.Their win at Ibrox underlines what I've said so many times, and will say again.We love this funny old game, it's twists and it's turns, the unpredictability of it all, and the possibility that perhaps next year it might be our turn again.
STEWARDING at Football matches has become an emotive subject just now and this season we've seen some quite ridiculous situations develop at games because of one or two particularly jobsworthy idiots in those roles.Take Pittodrie on our recent visit.Some balloons were brought out,the type you let go and they go high in the air with a squeal before landing harmlessly on the ground.Everyone having a laugh,even the Police seeing the amusing side of things.Then a Steward comes across and demands that there be “no more balloons released” and a stern warning of the consequences.No explanation why it should stop, just this ridiculous demand of cessation.Now, for the life of me, I cannot think of how a balloon could be deemed a “weapon” at a football match.And, more to the point, how it could be demanded that they be kept deflated.This sort of behaviour from Stewards causes unrest and resentment,and does lead to misbehaviour.Not all Stewards are the same,I realise that,but those who seek to tarnish every fan with a tag such as that are just simply attempting to ruin the enjoyment of the game.The recent shenanigans at Parkhead also highlighted how the Police are as much to blame.A wee bit of thought and common sense goes a long,long way in any potentially explosive situation, the gung-ho attitude of some sees that come a distant second.
IMPORTANT time coming up over Christmas and the New Year.It's often said the team bottom at Christmas tends to stay there come May.Let's ensure it's not us.Keep backing Motherwell as a team,and I'm certain it won't be necessary to dust down those long forgotten route maps!
Forever ‘Well,Ricky
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