Phil moves on
Gone - but not forgotten; Missed - but not too much
It was inevitable - we bring them through, coach them wisely, give them their big break, mould them into top-class footballers - the Glasgow Celtic come along and snaffle them up for a pittance. But I feel that in Phil O'Donnell we have come some way in reversing the trend - -just maybe, for once, Motherwell have got the upper hand in this deal !
To break through under Tommy McLean after only fifteen full reserve games at centre half is quite an achievement in itself - never mind a Cup Final appearance, goal and winners badge; a regular playmaker in the gruelling Premier Division and twice voted Scotland's young player of the year. He has certainly served both his apprenticeship and club very well, but many feel be was just beginning to lose his debut season edge in his play. Of course the current excuse is that the increasing transfer speculation surrounding his future - especially from Parkhead / Hampden / Cambuslang / Disneyworld - but his name has regularly been used by hacks as easy fodder for a transfer rumour- I tend in feel that the loss of three top class regular team-mates has been partly to the noticeable detriment of his form.
The type of player Phil naturally is lends him to want the ball given to him to use, rather than in go and look for it himself. If ever there was one thing you could rely on Colin 0'Neill to do, it would be to act as ball-winner on his behalf. Although people like Neil Simpson and Jamie Dolan have been given this same duty, Phil and the team as a whole, have missed Psycho's presence since his premature retirement
It was not only the fans who were fortunate to witness the unique 'Bobby Russell / Davie Cooper Show' in the claret and amber. For a promising youngster to be taken under the wing of two such masters was a learning experience that few would fail to progress from. Without being unfair to the present team, who work so well as a passing unit, the sad lack of that individual spark of genius around him had left O'Donnell to produce, rather than to compliment this factor.
Even for a young and fit man, his recent spate of injuries, compounded with the lack of recuperation time, has shackled him from totally displaying his own exciting style of play. Even at the start of the current campaign, he was by his own admission, still a few weeks short of full fitness, even after the close season lay -off. Instead he was faced with a gruelling three matches a week schedule. Although the press anticipated, and attempted to report a ' McLean -gate' style reaction when the deal was finalised, the fans were quietly satisfied that Motherwell Football Club were getting a good return for their outlay. In the following two matches against Dundee Utd and Dortmund, we put in our two best attacking displays for too long, with Dolan and, in particular, Lambert having more of a free hand to bomb forward rather than 'sit in', as Phil would take the creative role.
Of course we would all rather have Phil at the club that made him what he is today - a £1.75m pound star, and Scotland regular-to-be. But he is not worth that to the team on a Saturday afternoon. Now the new manager can go out and perhaps break our current transfer record two and three times over, to build a competitive squad that can turn Motherwell into Alex McLeish's side. Receiving his expected dose of stick on his return to Fir Park. Phil was able to do so safe in the knowledge that when he made his debut appearance with 'Well, we were unable to beat a Kenny McDowall lead St Mirren side. Now when we play his new club, we EXPECT, to him them over.
Thanks for being part of the revolution Phil.
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