RicoS321

I assumed you meant £3M plus agreeing to take Scales back?

Stewart to mk Dons would be the best bit of business this window by some distance.

Get him signed. The foreign revolution continues.

Should have stayed on his feet more often.

That's two right sided centre backs in this window. With four months left, we've now got three right sided centre backs. One extreme to the other.

Welcome aboard Gus.

Beale is a poor example, he was at the Huns previously and has very little experience as a manager, and both van bronckhorst and Gerrard took a while to appoint. Everton are a basket case by all accounts, so I'm not sure that following their example is useful. Pretty much every club has a process that takes a few weeks, it really isn't that unusual. Most have their preferred candidates (Goodwin didn't take long to appoint for example), but most often they have a process to make sure that who they're actually interested in is the best available. It's just good sense to do so, especially if your preferred choice isn't interested, or doesn't like the terms. I don't necessarily disagree that someone tried and tested is a good idea, but there's really no stand out candidates that I can think of. Lennon is your choice, but he's tried, tested and failed at every club bar the one he was given a shite tonne of money. The other problem with guys like Lennon is that he was demonstrably a worse manager than McInnes, who we're still trying to improve on. For a guy that 50% of the fans think is an absolute cunt before he enters the building, I just don't think it's worth it. There's also the issue of what we're asking a new manager to do, and that's play attacking football whilst getting results. Most SPFL-experienced managers don't do that (because it's difficult). I can't think of a tried and tested SPFL manager that fits the bill.

You seem to be under the illusion that there is any real science to appointing managers. In any walk of life. I've worked under many managers and seen many managers hired for various reasons and fired for various reasons. Some came with great experience, others promoted from within with success and others promoted from within despite glaring evidence that they were useless. Some of the useless ones even turned out to be quite good at managing. In reality, luck has a gigantic role to play on all levels. Whether they fit in, whether certain players hit a run of form, luck in the transfer window, settling on a system that works, having one or two in the background that hold things together etc. Having Robson in as interim helps to root out some of the wider problems too. Things that can be attributed to something that isn't the manager, that can be weeded out before a new guy comes in. I guess that's always a benefit of an interim appointment, but it has to be weighed against the danger that he might do really well and fans will always use hindsight to suggest we should have just kept him. You mention not having a guy lined up too, I just don't think that's a thing. The club should always go through a process, even just to rule out other options. You never know who might throw their CV in. You also might have targeted a manager who is with a club that then goes on a run of shite performances and you have to rethink. Any manager that's jobless will likely have just done that too. However, it may just be that you believe that succession planning within the club in both players and management staff is always the correct way to go (if circumstances allow). I generally think it's a good thing, and I'd be quite pleased if we're trying it. The hiring of an experienced coach to see the process through is also sensible. I also don't think it's necessary to explicitly announce that approach either, when you can ease Robson in with less external pressure (he'll know, obviously, so he'll have that internal pressure) and give him time and support to establish himself. I genuinely don't know enough about non SPFL managers, so I'd be quite happy if a more mature, more disciplined (with age) Robson is given the opportunity to take the role.

Agree with all this. I'd switch Duk for Miovski though, he's been a detriment to the team since the last win (whereas Miovski seems to just lack confidence and direction). Coulson only gets his place because it's a terrible idea to play anybody else there.

Good stuff. An experienced bloke to help Robson suggests it might be with a view to a permanent position. That experience was certainly missing the last couple of times he was involved in the caretaker role.

I would assume so. Lewis has looked like a shadow of himself (a shadow might be better), and is just a panicky mess. Unless he was just downing tools to quicken Goodwin's departure, which I think is unlikely. I think it's notable that we've addressed it even without a manager, although I guess it is just a loan.

jay gorter signing on loan from Ajax? Maybe time for Lewis to hang up his gloves?

The best way to get rid of annoying hibees is to perform a reverse beetle juice on them. If you say the name "Terry Butcher" three times, they simply disappear.

I suspect that if you spoke to him like that he would.

I've not heard the Cowley brothers talking, but if their voices are anything like thon Lee Johnson, we should be steering well clear. I have zero idea about non SPFL managers. It's fairly clear to me that Martindale is the best manager in the league, but he seems a perfect fit where he is. He could be persuaded by the opportunity to launder money in a new stadium project of course. I don't think we should go for him though, for the reasons Panda states. Outside of Scotland, I've simply no idea. After Goodwin, I've no idea how you even get a managerial appointment correct. Glass should have been a complete known quantity in terms of his tactical ability and ability to change games and get the best out of players, but Goodwin will have had a decentish record, up and coming, and interviewed well. Unless you actually sit through games where managers are involved and watch their interactions with players and the tactical changes they make during games, you've got little to go on. Given that many of the managers we'll be looking at might not be in a job, I'm not sure how you do that. It's not like targeting a player.

I didn't think the utd game was a managerial issue. He made a couple of mistakes but the players were way off it that day. It was a bit like that time McInnes took a tanking off St Johnstone. It could have been a blip*. The first massive concern for me came in that Hibs game, where he watched as we were completely taken apart for 45 minutes, hoping we could make it until halftime. That was a performance that you could really lay solely at the door of the manager. The fact that he then repeated the error at Ibrox was staggering. *Obviously it wasn't, but he could have learned from it and moved on with success if he wasn't such a poor tactician.

As expected at the start of the season, we've signed 50%, at least, pish, and 10% again are just average players who wouldn't be missed if they left. I'm not sure if we've got the 1 or 2 gems that will go on to better things or not, that might be more clear if we get a run of form. It'll be good to see a new man come in, with no favourites or preconceptions. Players like Ramadani and Scales, I just can't work out. Scales is completely lacking in strength and aggression, which could improve with age (see Considine), but he's not good enough now, and again we've done someone else's development work in a key area of the pitch. Ramadani buzzes around the pitch, and it's taken me a while to realise what I don't like about him. It's the fact that he's so one dimensional. Everything is done at the same pace , he doesn't look up, he charges at our own back line offering stupid one two's that end in the defender being under pressure. He's basically Willow Flood without the tackling. He completely confuses things in that area. Around the time of Flood and Robson, we had Jack coming through, and that's Barron for us. Goodwin kept playing him in that stupid advanced role, because he wanted Ramadani to Flood around in front of the defence. Get him in the two alongside Shinnie and see what he can do. Ramadani is a good backup. Orlando makes a good point about McKenzie, but he's not young anymore and we need to either play him or ship him. He occupies the middle ground between left back and centre half unfortunately, so for me will only ever be a squad utility to cover both those roles and good to have. In the summer we need to recruit both left back and left centre half (again, as predicted). Further up the park, we need a left sided player (Hayes or Roberts will do for now), and somebody that can run fast and burn defenders on the right and get the ball in very quickly for Miovski. Duncan will do for now. In the centre of the 4-2-3-1, Clarkson is head and shoulders above anyone there (and in the team really) now, and we hope that one of the existing players like Besuijen, Myslovič or another can come on in games and prove themselves. Kennedy is absolutely fine as a backup anywhere on the right and even in the centre for now until the summer. Agree entirely with Orlando about Duk. He's Josh Maggenis with a bit more flare and less aerial ability. He's good if you need someone to run 80 yards with the ball and win a throw-in in a sort of rugby territorial advantage (which is actually fairly valuable against the scum). Unless he can work out a way to play number nine, he's a good sub to have. He can play as part of a two as well, but he should never appear in any role that requires him to track back, so it would only be in a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 that he should be played alongside Miovski (and I would advocate that he starts on the bench most of the time). Morris, Polvara and Richardson should go out on loan now, and not wait until the new manager arrives. If we hadn't paid for them, they should have been terminated (or maybe just their contracts). Longer term, we need rid of Stewart, Kennedy and all the loanees, probably Roberts, Myslovič and Besuijen. McRorie should probably just play a bit part role, covering the various areas that he can sort of play (which could mean he plays every week), and slot in for any failed signings, of which there'll be many more to come. That leaves us an entire back four to sign again in the summer. Shinnie should be signed, Barron kept even if he doesn't accept a new deal, a new right sided player and a number ten. We're looking at another struggling season again next year I predict. Edit: I disagree with OD about Roos, I think he's decent. Lewis has been honking since being back. Roos has performed well when you consider the defence that's in front of him.

That certainly seemed to be the point at which the rot started. I'm not sure it's prudent to bin the manager at the first unacceptable capitulation! There's always a bit of a period where you have to have the shite show, just to be sure. Darvel should have done it, of course, even hearts.

Gone

Sounds fantastic. Not particularly happy with the way he spells his name though, it's deeply concerning. Kennedy should have a word.

^ this

That's not what he said in his interview though, he says he has no idea: "there is no timeframe on it". Which seems about right. Those fans singing "you're getting sacked in the morning" were entirely correct. There's just no clarification of which morning. One thing I'm surprised about is that the FMB didn't suggest getting someone else in to assist on the footballing side of things. The equivalent of that tactics lad we had with Glass. Or even an experienced football person in to assist. I thought they might have used that tactic to buy time.

I can understand his thinking behind not playing Shinnie in fairness. I suspect it's been a while since he had played three games in little more than a week, and the rest was justified. Then in the game, he probably thought that the game was going to be won from the front, and that all the subs needed to be attacking ones. It's a little bit dense really, but understandable. The problem that he had was that having already taken off Myslovič, the correct decision would have been to remove Ramadani, but he's deemed a favourite and - in fairness - the combination of the two together is useful. The other option was Clarkson, who was one of the only ones creating anything. The later you get in the game, the less sense it makes to bring on Shinnie (and taint him with that shite!). The right call was to bring him on for Myslovič at halftime, or earlier, moving Clarkson higher up the park, but he obviously still thought at that point that we'd comfortably turn it around.

You do realise that dry January isn't upheld in law?

I suspect Stewart offers a lot off the pitch and he seems to have a good attitude. I think it's his ability holding him back to be honest. In terms of Brown, it's a very good example. We were weak as anything while Brown was in the team latterly. The confidence a captain gives is through his performances first, attitude second and a player like Brown - who simply wasn't good enough anymore - walking around screaming has an equal affect to a Stewart. Shinnie was the man for the job against Darvel, but it seemed to me like Goodwin just didn't get the connection between bringing on a player with guts and determination to win a game, rather he thought he could win it by bringing on attacking flare alone (he thought we'd simply be too good). He assumed we didn't need a Shinnie-like player against inferior opponents, which was hugely misjudged. In fairness, Shinnie looked a little off the pace against hearts too, which I guess is understandable given he wasn't featuring every week previously. Shinnie is a proven leader that sets the tone, guys like Hayes, McRorie and Clarkson have the attitude too (McKenzie and Kennedy probably too, just lacking in ability again). Shinnie aside, we lack that player who is head and shoulders above the rest who doesn't need to shout the team through a game.