GLF 70: Del reckons that we should have failth in MMG.
Back the Manager
The first round of fixtures have just been completed and the glorious Steelmen from the 'shire are sitting in the lofty position of a European place once more.Perhaps, in view of some of the astonishing comments and opinions that were voiced earlier in the season, it is time to make a quiet apology to Mark McGhee?
Doing that might suggest people doubted his managerial ability and, with the odd notable exception that is not really the case.Instead, the ire of the fans towards our manager is more related to his off-the-field conduct - but surely now a ceasefire is needed?
Mark McGhee may have been a career-obsessed money-chasing manager earlier in his career but, regardless of his flirtation with Vladimir Romanov and Hearts, the fact remains he turned down a bigger club and much more money to stay with us.His linguistic flexibility when asked about it might have been annoying but only a fool would not listen to a job offer with a hugely increased salary.The nature of football makes it hard to admit this outright so a white lie or two is hardly the end of the world.The fact he turned the chance down should put him well in credit despite listening to them in the first place.
His media comments about Celtic are completely irrelevant to his work with Motherwell.Given what Terry Butcher did, it is clearly part of the agreement between the board and manager that this work is available and if it supplements income that we as a club cannot offer, it is surely a good thing.Butcher, as a well known Rangers and England man, was frequently asked about Rangers and England.McGhee, with his well known Celtic and Aberdeen tendencies, gets asked about Celtic and Aberdeen.It is hardly something to take offence at.
McGhee possibly got our line-up and formation in Nancy wrong, but given we were eventually out-classed by a team with a budget several times bigger than ours it seems churlish to be overly critical. After our exit, and as the cynical scoffed he would immediately be looking for a way out, he said he and the team would work towards qualifying again. Despite our wafer-thin defence (which he has to remain responsible for) with everyone having played everyone we are one of the best of the lot. It might be hard to believe but it is there in black and white in the league table.
Of course it might not last, certainly in the short-term as between writing this and it being read we will probably have lost twice to the Old Firm.But over the season we have nothing to fear from United, Hearts, Hibs, Kilmarnock or Aberdeen.Like last term, the second third is likely to be season-defining.Mark McGhee reckons we'll be okay - and given he's not let us down in the past, who are we to doubt him now?
Derek Wilson
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