GLF 66: Ricky describes watching Motherwell to be an 'absolute pleasure'.
Ricky's Rant
In a little over 3 months, we've now seen just how different things can be under a Managerial team who actually know what they're doing.Motherwell are now a team to be reckoned with, and it's an absolute pleasure to watch us playing once again.
There was much trepidation when Mark McGhee took over as there was little in the way of transfer activity but he, along with the other backroom staff, have taken players who were on their way out and transformed them into achieving the fullest of their potential.Everyone is battling and supporting, wants the ball, and is eager to achieve things with the club whereas 6 months ago almost everyone was hiding and disinterested.
Guys like Steve McGarry, Paul Quinn and David Clarkson are now regular picks when not so long ago they'd be on the bench more often than not.The attacking style of football we play has won many plaudits and, once we can get the defensive frailties sorted out, I can see us in the Top Six and challenging on a regular basis.To achieve that, McGhee must be tied down on a longer contract just in case, as I'm certain he's won many admirers already with what he has done at Fir Park in such a short time.It's not to be underestimated, in May we only just avoided relegation due to Dunfermline running out of puff as it were in the final straight.Now look at them, hovering above the drop zone to Division Two and ridiculed by a Swedish Second Division team in Europe.Motherwell made a bold appointment in McGhee, and it's proved to be the right one.The Great Leap Forward may not be that myth much longer the way things are going.
There has been the odd bad game or two, to be expected as you cannot have such consistency overnight. But the bigger picture is the one to be looked at and to be honest it is tinged with excitement and greatly encourages me.Come the transfer window in January I can see us bringing in a commanding centre-half who will sort our deficiency at set pieces, this has been a season-long problem which Mark is only too aware of.It's the only real problem I feel we have, creating chances has never been an issue and we have the strikers capable of taking them.Nah, it's a good time now and after such a miserable time last season, it's all been well worth the wait.
It was disappointing to lose to such a poor Rangers team in the cup and perhaps the tactics on the night were wrong, I'd have continued our attacking policy but as I said, the odd time things will go wrong.Still, it's only a diddy cup and we'll take the real one in May.Whatever, you just know that there will be more folk looking up at us than we'll be looking down at come the end of the season.The Under 19's are almost top of the table, and that's more positives to add to what could still be a memorable season.
On the commercial side at the club, the initiatives that are being tried out are proving to be a great success.Having food laid on before home games has seen the Cooper packed out with 'Well fans and surely a big money-earner for the club.The website has been transformed, and those responsible must be thanked for putting that side of things which, for so long had been very poorly done, to right.It has taken a long time to get things right, and there are many other things which need to be sorted in the same manner.Things are heading in the right direction though, and there are people now in place who are taking the administration side of things with the same attitude that is being so successfully implemented on the park, the success there will also come in the fullness of time.
So, we now don't have Euro 2008 to look forward to unfortunately, but the Scots will now be one of the feared teams when the draw for the World Cup qualifiers on November 25th is made.The Italy game saw some very poor refereeing and, if we think we had seen some pretty dismal stuff from our own officials this season, that Ref at Hampden took yonder biscuit.The ultimate decision was the free kick which led to their winner, quite bizarre.True, Italy should have had a 2nd goal stand and we should have had a pen, but overall he had a bad match with decisions a-plenty favouring the bigger team. That sounds strangely familiar.When the draw was made no-one gave Scotland a chance of qualifying in fact most seem to think 3rd by a distance behind Italy and France would be a tremendous achievement.As it's turned out, Scotland were 3rd by a distance from the teams below them and the two best teams in the world (well, certainly the two which contested the most recent World Cu Final) have limped into Euro 2008 extremely grateful for being there.The Italians, in particular, thankful a decent Referee wasn't on duty at Hampden.Being such a relatively young side (Grandad Weir apart) Scotland surely have a bright future ahead, and qualification for the World Cup well within their grasp.There was another downer after the final whistle when I learned that Russia had virtually handed a ticket through to England.Could still turn pear-shaped for them, but you just know their media is going to go on its usual rants about how the game is "coming home" and they deserve to be there etc etc.Indeed, Radio Five Live had live coverage of the second half of Israel-Russia and were going mental when the Israelis scored their last-minute winner.You just wouldn't get that for any other home nation, would you?
The Scottish Cup this season has seen the introduction of a handful of Junior clubs and it's proved already to be a success in my book.Pollok pushed Montrose all the way and, by all accounts, were very unlucky not to make it to the next round.Indeed, some Junior clubs are already there and in with a chance of playing at some SPL grounds in what is now round 4.The likes of Culter, or Linlithgow Rose, could be playing at Fir Park!Seems strange that, after all these years, when the draw is made for the Scottish Cup and involves Motherwell, we start our campaign at the fourth round.You always looked forward to cup third round day though not any more.Some kind draws could see us make our mark again after so many years of ifs and buts since 1991.That's 17 years of is it going to be our year again, surely we can't go all that time again!I think by beating Hibs at Easter Road in the CIS Cup we've proved that there's no need to fear anyone anywhere really.And it perhaps was the best away performance by a Motherwell side in many, many years.It just proves that it can be done, that football's never played on paper, and is an unpredictable game that draws you in each week.It's inescapable, and all the better for it.Yes, you need a bit of luck, you also need a brave Referee which, at times, is much harder to come by, but at the end of the day eleven men against eleven men just equates to unpredictability.The date for the Cup Final was in doubt until the end of the game at Hampden between Scotland and Italy, looks like 17th May is the day to look forward to.Now all we need to do is get there………..!
It's the important Christmas and New Year spell coming up, let's make sure we are still there at the other end of things come mid-January.Best wishes to all GLF readers and writers for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cheers, Ricky
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