Derek's Latest Disaster

Derek McInnes has played professional football for many years. He’s witnessed managers make signings and whilst at St Johnstone he was heavily involved in Owen Coyle’s dramatic transformation of our great club. He had the greatest teacher in terms of work ethic and logic.

Despite a super grounding, from Saints best ever manager, Derek McInnes stated in December 2009 that he wasn’t looking for a goalie. At this point, lest we forget, Main had been dropped following that game at Rugby Park. The man in the sticks was Graeme Smith; a competent back-up keeper, but clearly not good enough for Saints. I warned him to sign two keepers, he didn’t.

Come the summer of 2010, Tony Docherty admitted that we were struggling to sign a keeper. We ended up with Peter Enckleman. A veteran goalkeeper who had struggled to command the number one shirt at every one of his British clubs. His performances last year left much to be desired and even saw him publicly berated by our clueless manager at New Douglas Park. Thankfully, a number of fans rallied behind the fragile Finn who was genuinely innocent of any failing. We head into the season opener in less than 48 hours, yet our number one keeper is still to be unveiled.

Derek is a lazy and incompetent individual. He took a useless foreigner, Subotic, on trial throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland. He announced on our official site that we were trying to sign the big lad. We made progress and then suddenly pulled out of the deal, despite having asked the SFA to intervene on our behalf. Why? Because Derek has now decided to waste large sums of money on former failure, Cillian Sheridan.

Let’s be clear on some things. Sheridan has a terrific scoring record for Saints. Sheridan is a very funny individual who the players like enormously. Sheridan has far more motivation to play well now, than during his first stint.

Nevertheless, we got rid of Sammy because he’s an enigma. The difference is, an on-form Sammy is a brilliant asset, worthy of a place in the EPL. An on-form Sheridan is scarcely worth a Saints jersey. The usual Sheridan isn’t worthy of a Dundee shirt. He can’t jump. He is lazy. He has no stamina. His general fitness is totally unacceptable in the professional game. His night-time antics leave much to be desired. People well remember that he destroyed Sol Bamba, the night we humped the Hibs; fewer recall his apathetic efforts the very next Saturday at Easter Road. He was a disgrace. Those that remember Rugby Park and him dropping to his knees after ten minutes, totally knackered, should share my disgust at his return.

This is an atrocious signing and yet another damning indictment of Derek McInnes, Football “Manager”. Marcus Haber, from May onwards, should have been his number one priority. He still hasn’t been confirmed. We still don’t have a winger. We came close to signing Subotic, a player that even Del didn’t want! We now have Sheridan onboard.

Murray Davidson, who we need to cash in on, still hasn’t gone and progress appears to be slow. Sandy Clark, personally went to Glasgow to facilitate the sale of Momo Sylla, Del should take the trouble to meet up with A McCoist and ensure that Muzz is turned to money.

The incredible thing about McInnes is that he can be heard http://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/newsitemsdetail.php?param=1591 speaking about the worst part of his job being when potential signings don’t come to fruition. Yet despite this, it seems he doesn’t ever have a decent back-up plan. When Graeme Smith was signed as back-up to Alan Main, what was he doing to plan for Alzo’s retirement? Mannus, two years later??

Dougie Imrie has admitted being talks with Saints yet we still haven’t signed a wide player, despite McGinn having moved elsewhere. What is the plan B for the winger. Marcus Haber on the wing? Aye, sounds daft and it is, but Del’s subjected the player to that role on previous occasions.

I had really high hopes for this season up until the start of July. Del has completely destroyed my enthusiasm for Saints games, with his idiotic tactics and stupid signings. When Murray Davidson leaves St Johnstone, he’ll be found out in dramatic style, the same goes for Del. The difference is that Murray will leave us shortly, if Del continues to cock things up – we’ll be forced to sack the fud. His goal less run last year should have been enough for him to walk the plank. Until he goes, our club shall not prosper and that breaks my heart.

The Road to Nowhere

An ironic commentator once noted that, “football’s a game of clichés” and fans forums are proof of that pudding. Times without number, I read and hear that Geoff should gamble, speculate to accumulate, loosen the purse strings just a wee bit ....times without number I offer a voice of dissent.

Our trading figures are a few weeks from being finalised but we know the general picture. The disease, perhaps only recently diagnosed, has been in the blood stream of our club for some time now.

Allow me to take you back a few years and reflect on the sacking of John Connolly. JC, who’s initials made you dream the impossible, was replaced some 6 years ago. He led the team to eighth place in the Scottish First Division. Falkirk finished 29 point ahead of us, Clyde (yes the diddy team who are now homeless) were 14 points in front whilst both Ross County and Queen of the South ended up ahead of us in the standings.

The expenditure was high and the fans called for the managers head. Geoff Brown wasted little time in acting but did little to appease a naive support by installing Owen Coyle as manager. Coyle; a lean striker with big knashers and a hint of grey about the temples, had history with Saints. The fans were far from impressed.

Nevertheless, Chairman Brown has achieved much in this business, and it is primarily a business, by showing a foresight far beyond the comprehension of his equivalents at other clubs. Owen’s capture proved shrewd beyond measure. Demonstrating a finely balance amalgam of enthusiasm, ebullience and gregariousness; OC united the fans, galvanised his troops and worked the media with an effect so brilliant that we finished second in the league, his first shot at management.

The following year is etched in the mind of all fans and bears no repeating here. Suffice to say, we were robbed by a common criminal. The greatest tragedy of Brookes Mileson’s death is that we didn’t have time to fully expose his behaviour to the whole nation. Those amongst us who understand, know that dishonesty and immorality stole the league that year. Had we gained the promotion, which was ours by right, who knows where we’d have been today. What’s very clear is that, in the sunshine of New Douglas Park, a crescendo had been reached. Saints fans travelled in hope, expectation and belief; we left shattered, demoralised and deflated.

Throughout the summer, as the truth of Gretna’s theft started to become clear, Saints picked themselves up, ready for the campaign which would see us easily gain promotion. After all, how could we lose? In reality, the players, hurt and smarting at what had befallen them, failed to perform for Owen Coyle. Goals were at a premium and we were clearly scraping the bottom of the barrel when we selected Andy Jackson and  signed Kenny Deuchar. Many idiots, including your author, castigated Owen for signing Dr Goals. Personally, I labelled him a panic signing. In reality he was a long time target who we were lucky to capture.

I remember watching him training, prior to his first game for Saints and issuing a full retraction and apology to Owen. The then gaffer retorted with trademark honesty, “that’s because I know more than you about football players.” He was right and I was wrong.

Dismayed by his players, hurt by Gretna’s “victory” and hamstrung by St Johnstone’s turnover, Owen was quick to jump ship when Burnley came calling. Initial plans by St Johnstone were for Sandy Stewart to step up to become manager, whilst the highly unpopular Derek McInnes would become his assistant. In the days that followed, Coylie, using his full-on persuasional powers, had enticed cup winning Stewart to join him at Burnley and Geoff took the decision to appoint Derek McInnes as manager, allowing him to invite old pal, and former coach, Tony Docherty to McDiarmid.

Somewhere in this story, perhaps at Hamilton, perhaps in the close season, perhaps in the early games of season 2007/8, perhaps at the appointment of Derek McInnes, perhaps under his reign; somewhere our fans lost interest. A malaise set in and, inexorably, our fans turned away from our local club.

Although I’m old enough to have started supporting Saints in the bottom division, I’m not old enough to understand how close we were to closing the doors of St Johnstone Football Club.

Perhaps those days are so far they have been erased from memory. Perhaps the modern era, where clubs like Livingston, Motherwell and Dundee use Administration as a business tool, has seen the fear of failure removed from the minds of the public. I don’t know, the answer, I only see the problems.

Under Derek McInnes, like him or loathe him, we have moved from near the top of the first division to somewhere in the middle of the SPL. Irrespective of the money committed by the board, that remains a tangible achievement. In order to keep the glory hunters happy, we’ve excelled in recent cup competitions. Several semi-finals in the last 5 years have tantalised our support who dream of lifting silverware under Geoff’s stewardship.

As for the football itself, season 2009/10 saw us score 57 league goals and fans who attended all league games saw 118 goals in 38 games, yes three goals per game. We finished in eighth place that season, with better tactics, or a little luck; we’d have made the top six - a terrific achievement given the paucity of our home support. Incredibly, for many fans, they chose this time of great success to turn their back on our club. Season ticket sales dropped by 12 per cent, whilst gate numbers were down 18 per cent. We’re not talking about loose change; almost one in five have walked away from McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone Football Club and the very concept of, “we support our local team.”

There are no logical reasons for this capitulation, no justification for treating our club in such a shabby form. One or two can cite genuine reasons, fiscal and otherwise; the majority simply hang onto one of many excuses. The danger of this disease is that attacks the very life blood of the operation. As I mentioned at the start of the article, football is very much a business. Third Lanark and Clydebank are fact, you folks can argue about the truth of footballing towns.

So with renewal packs due out this week and couple of positive signings to be announced shortly, how many current book holders will re-apply and, perhaps more pertinently – why should we?

Looking at the support this year, I’d suggest we’re close to being at our hardcore support. I can see a drop, but not by much. Those that attend faithfully, grudgingly accept the idiocy of SPL kick-off times, and understand that Messi and Fletcher will not be tempted to McDiarmid in the near future. The split annoys us, the lack of a reserve league perplexes us, the debt-reliant success of our unwashed rivals grates on us – but we were mostly raised as Saintees, we believe in the concept of supporting our local team and we are thankful to Mr Brown and Mr Duff for transforming the club, in every possible way.

There are so many positives with supporting our club. Our fiscal policy means we have no fears of administration, our size enables a bond to be forged between players and fans and for big games, such as cup days, the town and surrounding areas have a real buzz about them. Anyone at St Mirren for our last game of the season will long remember the closing minutes.

We’re privileged to have great board. Self-made individuals who have the best interests of the club, close to their heart. We have folk like Paul Smith, who go far beyond their contractual remit to deliver the highest level of service to our support. We sit in the best stadium in the SPL with the best viewing in the SPL. We gamble on players from lower leagues and are proud of the produce of our youth system. Players hang around, while big name players who have passed through our doors tend to remember Saints with fondness. This is not merely a good club, it’s a great club.

This much is clear; next season will be a battle. St Mirren and Dunfermline should be poor, Killie and the Arabs will hopefully be much closer to us, but Aberdeen will be strong and if Hibs sack Calderwood, they’ll do well again. We once again, have the chance to finish mid-table, even with a much reduced budget. In order to do so, we need every supporter to put in an increased effort to attend home games.

We understand that the stewards do a great job of disguising any common sense and intellect they may possess. The no standing rule, doesn’t bother me in the slightest but watching the OF unwashed stand and sign their bigoted bile does my napper in. But let’s not kid ourselves on, we need their money. This is business; the greater our income, the better our signings can be.

With a significant financial loss this year, the transfer of Murray Davidson will prove most helpful. Our manager, despite his protestations, is using Saints (and used Brentford) to sell himself and attract interest. His departure will also generate income for the club. The directors continue to network in order to attract new sponsors and other revenue streams. Overheads are kept to a minimum at the park, but age is taking its toll on the stadium and that also hits us in the pocket. In addition, partly catalysed by our own fans causing trouble in the national media, Saints have incurred a bill in excess of £10,000 to create the new disabled facilities in the Main Stand (away section).

If we need a player or two in January, this proactive and aggressive board will sanction transfer activity. Robertson and Danny Invincible may have been largely rubbish, but our board did support our gaffer and remember it was Danny’s goal that proved vital at Glebe Park. Cult heroes, Michael Duberry and Jody Morris arrived in the same way as Danny and Jordan....

We are lucky and privileged to support this thriving and enterprising wee club. We have often punched above our weight through a combination of efficiency and expert decision making. Speaking of which, don’t think about it for too long. Buy a season ticket and ensure our continued success. Don’t buy it because it’s value for money, don’t buy it because you believe we’ll play sexy soccer on a new surface; buy it because you care about the club, buy because you don’t want the children in your family growing up to support the Old Firm, buy it because these are golden times. If you supported us under Connolly or before, you’ll see where I’m coming from.

Support the Saints, buy a season ticket!

The Road to Nowhere

An ironic commentator once noted that, “football’s a game of clichés” and fans forums are proof of that pudding. Times without number, I read and hear that Geoff should gamble, speculate to accumulate, loosen the purse strings just a wee bit ....times without number I offer a voice of dissent.

Our trading figures are a few weeks from being finalised but we know the general picture. The disease, perhaps only recently diagnosed, has been in the blood stream of our club for some time now.

Allow me to take you back a few years and reflect on the sacking of John Connolly. JC, who’s initials made you dream the impossible, was replaced some 6 years ago. He led the team to eighth place in the Scottish First Division. Falkirk finished 29 point ahead of us, Clyde (yes the diddy team who are now homeless) were 14 points in front whilst both Ross County and Queen of the South ended up ahead of us in the standings.

The expenditure was high and the fans called for the managers head. Geoff Brown wasted little time in acting but did little to appease a naive support by installing Owen Coyle as manager. Coyle; a lean striker with big knashers and a hint of grey about the temples, had history with Saints. The fans were far from impressed.

Nevertheless, Chairman Brown has achieved much in this business, and it is primarily a business, by showing a foresight far beyond the comprehension of his equivalents at other clubs. Owen’s capture proved shrewd beyond measure. Demonstrating a finely balance amalgam of enthusiasm, ebullience and gregariousness; OC united the fans, galvanised his troops and worked the media with an effect so brilliant that we finished second in the league, his first shot at management.

The following year is etched in the mind of all fans and bears no repeating here. Suffice to say, we were robbed by a common criminal. The greatest tragedy of Brookes Mileson’s death is that we didn’t have time to fully expose his behaviour to the whole nation. Those amongst us who understand, know that dishonesty and immorality stole the league that year. Had we gained the promotion, which was ours by right, who knows where we’d have been today. What’s very clear is that, in the sunshine of New Douglas Park, a crescendo had been reached. Saints fans travelled in hope, expectation and belief; we left shattered, demoralised and deflated.

Throughout the summer, as the truth of Gretna’s theft started to become clear, Saints picked themselves up, ready for the campaign which would see us easily gain promotion. After all, how could we lose? In reality, the players, hurt and smarting at what had befallen them, failed to perform for Owen Coyle. Goals were at a premium and we were clearly scraping the bottom of the barrel when we selected Andy Jackson and  signed Kenny Deuchar. Many idiots, including your author, castigated Owen for signing Dr Goals. Personally, I labelled him a panic signing. In reality he was a long time target who we were lucky to capture.

I remember watching him training, prior to his first game for Saints and issuing a full retraction and apology to Owen. The then gaffer retorted with trademark honesty, “that’s because I know more than you about football players.” He was right and I was wrong.

Dismayed by his players, hurt by Gretna’s “victory” and hamstrung by St Johnstone’s turnover, Owen was quick to jump ship when Burnley came calling. Initial plans by St Johnstone were for Sandy Stewart to step up to become manager, whilst the highly unpopular Derek McInnes would become his assistant. In the days that followed, Coylie, using his full-on persuasional powers, had enticed cup winning Stewart to join him at Burnley and Geoff took the decision to appoint Derek McInnes as manager, allowing him to invite old pal, and former coach, Tony Docherty to McDiarmid.

Somewhere in this story, perhaps at Hamilton, perhaps in the close season, perhaps in the early games of season 2007/8, perhaps at the appointment of Derek McInnes, perhaps under his reign; somewhere our fans lost interest. A malaise set in and, inexorably, our fans turned away from our local club.

Although I’m old enough to have started supporting Saints in the bottom division, I’m not old enough to understand how close we were to closing the doors of St Johnstone Football Club.

Perhaps those days are so far they have been erased from memory. Perhaps the modern era, where clubs like Livingston, Motherwell and Dundee use Administration as a business tool, has seen the fear of failure removed from the minds of the public. I don’t know, the answer, I only see the problems.

Under Derek McInnes, like him or loathe him, we have moved from near the top of the first division to somewhere in the middle of the SPL. Irrespective of the money committed by the board, that remains a tangible achievement. In order to keep the glory hunters happy, we’ve excelled in recent cup competitions. Several semi-finals in the last 5 years have tantalised our support who dream of lifting silverware under Geoff’s stewardship.

As for the football itself, season 2009/10 saw us score 57 league goals and fans who attended all league games saw 118 goals in 38 games, yes three goals per game. We finished in eighth place that season, with better tactics, or a little luck; we’d have made the top six - a terrific achievement given the paucity of our home support. Incredibly, for many fans, they chose this time of great success to turn their back on our club. Season ticket sales dropped by 12 per cent, whilst gate numbers were down 18 per cent. We’re not talking about loose change; almost one in five have walked away from McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone Football Club and the very concept of, “we support our local team.”

There are no logical reasons for this capitulation, no justification for treating our club in such a shabby form. One or two can cite genuine reasons, fiscal and otherwise; the majority simply hang onto one of many excuses. The danger of this disease is that attacks the very life blood of the operation. As I mentioned at the start of the article, football is very much a business. Third Lanark and Clydebank are fact, you folks can argue about the truth of footballing towns.

So with renewal packs due out this week and couple of positive signings to be announced shortly, how many current book holders will re-apply and, perhaps more pertinently – why should we?

Looking at the support this year, I’d suggest we’re close to being at our hardcore support. I can see a drop, but not by much. Those that attend faithfully, grudgingly accept the idiocy of SPL kick-off times, and understand that Messi and Fletcher will not be tempted to McDiarmid in the near future. The split annoys us, the lack of a reserve league perplexes us, the debt-reliant success of our unwashed rivals grates on us – but we were mostly raised as Saintees, we believe in the concept of supporting our local team and we are thankful to Mr Brown and Mr Duff for transforming the club, in every possible way.

There are so many positives with supporting our club. Our fiscal policy means we have no fears of administration, our size enables a bond to be forged between players and fans and for big games, such as cup days, the town and surrounding areas have a real buzz about them. Anyone at St Mirren for our last game of the season will long remember the closing minutes.

We’re privileged to have great board. Self-made individuals who have the best interests of the club, close to their heart. We have folk like Paul Smith, who go far beyond their contractual remit to deliver the highest level of service to our support. We sit in the best stadium in the SPL with the best viewing in the SPL. We gamble on players from lower leagues and are proud of the produce of our youth system. Players hang around, while big name players who have passed through our doors tend to remember Saints with fondness. This is not merely a good club, it’s a great club.

This much is clear; next season will be a battle. St Mirren and Dunfermline should be poor, Killie and the Arabs will hopefully be much closer to us, but Aberdeen will be strong and if Hibs sack Calderwood, they’ll do well again. We once again, have the chance to finish mid-table, even with a much reduced budget. In order to do so, we need every supporter to put in an increased effort to attend home games.

With a significant financial loss this year, the transfer of Murray Davidson will prove most helpful. Our manager, despite his protestations, is using Saints (and used Brentford) to sell himself and attract interest. His departure will also generate income for the club. The directors continue to network in order to attract new sponsors and other revenue streams.

If we need a player or two in January, this proactive and aggressive board will sanction transfer activity. We are lucky and privileged to support this thriving and enterprising wee club. We have punched above our weight through a combination of efficiency and expert decision making. Speaking of which, don’t think about it for too long. Buy a season ticket and ensure our continued success. Don’t by it because it’s value for money, don’t buy it because you believe we’ll play sexy soccer on a new surface; buy it because you care about the club, buy because you don’t want the children in your family growing up to support the Old Firm, buy it because these are golden times. If you supported us under Connolly or before, you’ll see where I’m coming from.

Support the Saints, buy a season ticket!

Round-up April 2011

Recent Event

Aplogies to my foreign friend for the lack of recent match reports. I’ve been otherwise engaged and frankly I’ve lost a great deal of enthusiasm.

Del’s recent behaviour has severely impaired my enjoyment of Saints games and I feel more helpless now than ever. My club is walking wounded, an easy target for the parasites of the SPL and the blames is entirely Derek McInnes’.

His crazy build-up to the SFA Cup Semi-Final was just a taster of the nonsense to come. Playing without a left midfielder at Tannadice put Danny Grainger in all sorts of trouble and ultimately saw Steven Anderson ordered off. Naturally, McInnes failed to apologise, instead blaming Anderson for being rash...

Although unlucky to be sent to the stand, when his beloved Michael Duberry acted like a fud, he missed the chance to stay involved by going to the wrong part of the stand. Had he a brain in his head, he’s have sat with yours truly on the touchline. Not as if he doesn’t know the lay out at Tannadice, is it?

Of course rather than be brave and play three at the back, he decided to remove Peaso and the game was lost. Sammy was instructed to conserve energy and hit on the break but he’s only been bothered on two occasions – both heavy defeats for Saints. I slated his signing, I called for him to be released from his contract after the Dens episode yet only after Hampden did Del admit I was right. What an arrogant man.

Jailbird Jordan Robertson was permitted onto the Tanndice pitch to remind Dundee United fans why Peter Houston released him after two weeks on trial with our rivals. The horrible, nyaff carries himself in a threatening yet lazy manner at all times. Deadly in a car, he’s anything but on the pitch. Not once has he looked like being able to score a goal. He has no right to get games ahead of Stevie May, but our idiotic leader picks the criminal over the good football player in most situations.

The Celtic game was typical Del, he picked completely the wrong team. Invincible’s strike rate tells it’s own story, partnered with Robertson things couldn’t have been any worse. In midfield, the maligned Jamie Adams turned in another fine performance and was rewarded by being dumped for both the cup tie and the ICT game. Magic stuff, Del.

Kevin Moon, so poor against Rangers, really showed what a player he is against the Arabs. Despite rarely having the option of a forward pass, his attacking play was a joy to behold. In the cup game, he again excelled but was badly let down by Morris (badly injured), Invincible (downright poor) and Del’s outrageous decision to play one up front. Anyone who doesn’t see what he brings to the team requires permanent hospitalisation for brain malfunction.

Speaking of which, there are still many who don’t get the fuss about Stevie May. The wee man with the great hair is a goal away from being our second highest goal scorer and, since January, has single-handedly created more chances than all our other strikers put together. McInnes doesn’t understand why he’s good hence he’s missed out on many starts this season. Perhaps the change of manager will see him blossom onto the international stage...

Speaking of which, Murray Davidson is finally showing an improved level of performance. A woeful season in midfield is starting to turn, albeit his form is being starkly juxtaposed against an off-song midfield. Nevertheless, he is far short of the standard I wish to see at McDiarmid and I re-iterate that we shoul be actively whoring him around the English clubs, including his beloved Rangers. One bad injury and his value could be gone overnight. We must strike while the iron is hot.

Our midfield is missing a left winger and little else, Moon and Adams will provide the spine with Midge and Craig the wide boys. Reynolds is the right sided winger and, with Cads will allow Midgie to move infield should we suffer injuries. Anderson can also play centre midfield if need be. Of course Morris remains under contract for next year.....

At the back, things are decidedly unclear. First up we need a decent goalkeeper. Enckleman is clearly not the answer. Like Smithy, the forumers quickly fell in love and will soon quickly go OTT in their criticism of him..... Smithy is a competent reserve but his wages are on the high side. If we can get a decent keeper and release Enckleman without financial penalty, I’d be inclined to promote Zander or Duffy.

Maybury would be retained if I had any say in the matter, but sadly Del gets to make these decisions. He’s played very well recently and thoroughly deserves his shirt. Cup Tie is contracted and remains a fine centre half. Anderson and Gartland are also contracted. Anderson remains Del’s scapegoat whilst Gartland simply hasn’t had a decent chance. At left back, we now know it’s Bob Harris in and Danny Grainger out. That will hurt us tremendously. Harris is a very average player and Grainger a very fine one. The bile and filth dished out towards him is embarrassing. How many even noticed Humphreys at Hampden?? Yes his desire to win gets the better of him sometimes, but he’s a very good player. There is a good reason for his wage packet being one of the heaviest and it’s that issue which has forced Del to downgrade to Bob Harris.

Up top is chaos, utter chaos. Our ideal pairing of Parkin and May is temporarily broken – due to Del’s inability and Parkin’s bone. Once normal service is resumed, things will look better. Why Morton bound Andy Jackson was allowed a start against ICT is quite beyond me....

Overall, things couldn’t be much worse. Our manager has upset the players, the players have upset the fans and the fans want the savour of our club replaced with a charismatic philanthropist!

Worth noting that after 40 games, Del says he’s still learning about our players – presumably this includes the out of contract ones. As such, our U19s some of whom are contracted for next year but too old for U19 games – can’t get a look in. It’s a desperate situation, especially given that a win on Friday confirms us in 6^th place in the U19 league.

Guys like Vinnie and Reynolds will be competing for places next year so should get plenty time now, along with Mayzo. Cads has been binned following Del’s decision to blame the Well defeat on the wee man and that is horrific – it was Del that played him in the wrong position.

Poor stuff from Del. The

Round-up April 2011

Recent Event

Aplogies to my foreign friend for the lack of recent match reports. I’ve been otherwise engaged and frankly I’ve lost a great deal of enthusiasm.

Del’s recent behaviour has severely impaired my enjoyment of Saints games and I feel more helpless now than ever. My club is walking wounded, an easy target for the parasites of the SPL and the blames is entirely Derek McInnes’.

His crazy build-up to the SFA Cup Semi-Final was just a taster of the nonsense to come. Playing without a left midfielder at Tannadice put Danny Grainger in all sorts of trouble and ultimately saw Steven Anderson ordered off. Naturally, McInnes failed to apologise, instead blaming Anderson for being rash...

Although unlucky to be sent to the stand, when his beloved Michael Duberry acted like a fud, he missed the chance to stay involved by going to the wrong part of the stand. Had he a brain in his head, he’s have sat with yours truly on the touchline. Not as if he doesn’t know the lay out at Tannadice, is it?

Of course rather than be brave and play three at the back, he decided to remove Peaso and the game was lost. Sammy was instructed to conserve energy and hit on the break but he’s only been bothered on two occasions – both heavy defeats for Saints. I slated his signing, I called for him to be released from his contract after the Dens episode yet only after Hampden did Del admit I was right. What an arrogant man.

Jailbird Jordan Robertson was permitted onto the Tanndice pitch to remind Dundee United fans why Peter Houston released him after two weeks on trial with our rivals. The horrible, nyaff carries himself in a threatening yet lazy manner at all times. Deadly in a car, he’s anything but on the pitch. Not once has he looked like being able to score a goal. He has no right to get games ahead of Stevie May, but our idiotic leader picks the criminal over the good football player in most situations.

The Celtic game was typical Del, he picked completely the wrong team. Invincible’s strike rate tells it’s own story, partnered with Robertson things couldn’t have been any worse. In midfield, the maligned Jamie Adams turned in another fine performance and was rewarded by being dumped for both the cup tie and the ICT game. Magic stuff, Del.

Kevin Moon, so poor against Rangers, really showed what a player he is against the Arabs. Despite rarely having the option of a forward pass, his attacking play was a joy to behold. In the cup game, he again excelled but was badly let down by Morris (badly injured), Invincible (downright poor) and Del’s outrageous decision to play one up front. Anyone who doesn’t see what he brings to the team requires permanent hospitalisation for brain malfunction.

Speaking of which, there are still many who don’t get the fuss about Stevie May. The wee man with the great hair is a goal away from being our second highest goal scorer and, since January, has single-handedly created more chances than all our other strikers put together. McInnes doesn’t understand why he’s good hence he’s missed out on many starts this season. Perhaps the change of manager will see him blossom onto the international stage...

Speaking of which, Murray Davidson is finally showing an improved level of performance. A woeful season in midfield is starting to turn, albeit his form is being starkly juxtaposed against an off-song midfield. Nevertheless, he is far short of the standard I wish to see at McDiarmid and I re-iterate that we shoul be actively whoring him around the English clubs, including his beloved Rangers. One bad injury and his value could be gone overnight. We must strike while the iron is hot.

Our midfield is missing a left winger and little else, Moon and Adams will provide the spine with Midge and Craig the wide boys. Reynolds is the right sided winger and, with Cads will allow Midgie to move infield should we suffer injuries. Anderson can also play centre midfield if need be. Of course Morris remains under contract for next year.....

At the back, things are decidedly unclear. First up we need a decent goalkeeper. Enckleman is clearly not the answer. Like Smithy, the forumers quickly fell in love and will soon quickly go OTT in their criticism of him..... Smithy is a competent reserve but his wages are on the high side. If we can get a decent keeper and release Enckleman without financial penalty, I’d be inclined to promote Zander or Duffy.

Maybury would be retained if I had any say in the matter, but sadly Del gets to make these decisions. He’s played very well recently and thoroughly deserves his shirt. Cup Tie is contracted and remains a fine centre half. Anderson and Gartland are also contracted. Anderson remains Del’s scapegoat whilst Gartland simply hasn’t had a decent chance. At left back, we now know it’s Bob Harris in and Danny Grainger out. That will hurt us tremendously. Harris is a very average player and Grainger a very fine one. The bile and filth dished out towards him is embarrassing. How many even noticed Humphreys at Hampden?? Yes his desire to win gets the better of him sometimes, but he’s a very good player. There is a good reason for his wage packet being one of the heaviest and it’s that issue which has forced Del to downgrade to Bob Harris.

Up top is chaos, utter chaos. Our ideal pairing of Parkin and May is temporarily broken – due to Del’s inability and Parkin’s bone. Once normal service is resumed, things will look better. Why Morton bound Andy Jackson was allowed a start against ICT is quite beyond me....

Overall, things couldn’t be much worse. Our manager has upset the players, the players have upset the fans and the fans want the savour of our club replaced with a charismatic philanthropist!

Worth noting that after 40 games, Del says he’s still learning about our players – presumably this includes the out of contract ones. As such, our U19s some of whom are contracted for next year but too old for U19 games – can’t get a look in. It’s a desperate situation, especially given that a win on Friday confirms us in 6^th place in the U19 league.

Guys like Vinnie and Reynolds will be competing for places next year so should get plenty time now, along with Mayzo. Cads has been binned following Del’s decision to blame the Well defeat on the wee man and that is horrific – it was Del that played him in the wrong position.

Poor stuff from Del. The

Kilmarnock Home 02.04.2011

End of Season Dross Started?

A lethargic and apathetic crowd of just over 3000 witnessed two teams going through the motions on a still poor surface surrounded by an inconsistent wind. If this how things are gonna be, we’d best get the Season Ticket renewals out, quick smart.

Having arrived very late, I have no idea how much buzz and vibe went into the warm-up but it’s fair to say that the boys came flying out the traps when Mr Finnie blew his whistle to signal the start of the battle.

When a keeper wears number 53, it’s fair to expect some joy from him and Anssi Jaakkola certainly looked willing to give Saints three points with amusing indecision, poor handling and dodgy kicking. This fella took Enckleman’s place in the national team just a few months ago. Sadly, he sneaked off the field having won a point for his employer.

Aside from the keeper, Medhi “cheat” Taouil (groin) and Manuel Pascali (suspended) Killie were posted missing for the Ayrshire lads. Sadly, Taouil made the bench and was allowed on the pitch to continue his immoral antics. Until such as Medhi are imprisoned, or have their registrations withdrawn, the game will continue to bleed to death as direct result of fraud and deceit on the pitch. He is filth.

Speaking of which, Jordan “jailbird” Robertson, inexplicably signed for the semi-final game against Motherwell, was benched and appeared for Saints midway through the second half, Peaso MacDonald making way for him. Having failed to see either of his bounce games, I could only go on the word of others, now having seen him first hand, I am able to confirm that his signing is another McInnes mistake.

Yesterday, marked the first time in my life that I’ve ever hoped a Saints player would be sent off. Referees in Scotland are hopeless. The level we’ve sunk to, was crystallised at Hibs when we had the foreign referees take charge, following Celtic’s pre-meditated attack on their integrity. That day, we saw that countries with no football heritage or culture are able to produce referees who were far superior to any of Grade 1 officials.

There are many reasons for the drop in refereeing standards but that’s a story for another time. What is important is that the referees are not deliberately making mistakes and they are not, despite the best insinuations of Celtic minded knuckle draggers, corrupt. They are also, by dint of their role, deserving of respect. Jordan Robertson’s aggressive, threatening and intimidatory outburst is not acceptable at any level of football.

The hypocritical, clueless and blinkered fans of St Johnstone are busy making excuses for his behaviour, but there is none. Put simply, if we witnessed a rival player behave like that, we have been furious if he stayed on the pitch. We should never allow loyalty to cause us to lose our morals and principles. If referees allow players to treat them like that, the game will descend into a battle of hard men and the last morsel of sporting integrity and fair play will be covered in the rubble that remains.

Argue not about whether Finnie had the right to stop the game and award the foul, ask what are the consequences of turning blind eye to a notorious, life-taking thug? Bear in mind, he’s earning (relatively) large sums of money and should be setting an example to aspiring players in the crowd and local community. As we saw with his first touch, he’s not much of a player either.

The sooner Big Sam Parkin is back the better. How he managed to score six goals with such rank service is beyond me. Hopefully, the drought makes our mis-guided manager recognise the importance of Big Sam. He treated him appallingly at Tynecastle; he should now be man enough to apologise in the same manner he humiliated those two boys – publicly.

Of course, Jailbird’s outburst came amidst a penalty shout for handball. The players all reacted with instant passion and that is often a good indicator that a crime has been committed. I don’t doubt that the ball struck the hand of a Killie player, but I wonder aloud if there was any intent.

On the subject of penalty shouts, Jaakkola arguably should have seen red for impeding Peaso, thereby preventing a goal scoring opportunity. Trouble is, Peaso is well known for diving and his pantomime tumble was embarrassing to witness. The images prove that the keeper and Peaso had tangled and, intentionally or not, we should have had a penalty. Peaso has cried wolf too many times and boy is he being punished this season. Be in no doubt, referees have dossiers and certain players names are noted as divers – Peaso will be on most folks list. Do you blame the referee for getting it wrong, I don’t?

Aside from his tendency to cheat, Peaso has much to admire. His determination and resolute character are traits that serve him well in bad times, as is his self-belief. He must have wondered if it was all gonna be worthwhile when he lingered to meet Murray Davidson’s superb right to left cross ball, only for his effort to rebound off the Kilmarnock cross bar. If he had times his jump correctly we might have been celebrating a goal, but ifs and buts don’t.

His strike partner, Collin Samuel, put in his usual performance. There is no doubt that a brilliant footballer exists within the bulk of Collin Samuel’s body, sadly it only ever hints at putting in an appearance. One great game at Parkhead and a very good showing when we lost that game at Firhill are the only real highlights of his Saints career. United fans might struggle to name two good games he had for them.... It’s been argued that he can’t play with a team mate, but he can link with Peaso and Mayzo. Just not very often. We’ve invested heavily in Sammy, and he offers great versatility, but unless he’s prepared to accept a serious drop in wages, it’s time to cut our losses and wave goodbye.

Ever since Sammy Parkin’s collision, I’ve argued that I want to see Avy Novikovas (a man whose name caused our amateur stadium announcer some considerable difficulties on Saturday) start alongside Stevie May. I make no promises that it would bear fruit, but it’s blindingly obvious that our lack of pace is allowing opposition defenders too much time. Nova has decent pace and in every game that he’s started (bar Hamilton), Mayzo has had at least two decent chances. It’s no coincidence, that without his inexplicable timing, movement and penalty box trickery we’ve looked a lot less threatening without wee Mayzo. I understand that his attitude is a cause for concern, but he’s no worse now than he was in October/November and he’s a better player. We’ve got the Arabs next week and they have no centre halves, it’s gotta be the time for tricks and pace.

Del frustration with his strikers was partially disguised with clever words, but was tangible in the tone and audible sighing in the Official Site Interview. The midfield have been criticised by some quarters, and there is some merit in the criticism. Saturday’s game saw a perfect juxtaposition of the problem faced by the midfield. On the right, Danny Invincible (possibly under instruction) meandered into any free space he could find. While that sounds fair enough, it meant that often Alan Maybury didn’t know where to play they ball. As I’ve mentioned before, Invincible needs a big area to turn and can be easily dispossessed. I suspect the Killie boys may have noticed that, too. Interesting that Muzz and Millar provided the two best crosses from the right hand side.

On the left, recently retained Liam put in a fine shift. Too many times he didn’t get suitable support and often struggled to get a cross into the box with any pace or swerve. He always works hard and is always in the box looking to feed off scraps. Saturday was no different and it’s a massive piece in the jigsaw, knowing that he’ll be here next season. A great laddie and a fine footballer who’s progressed well under Del.

In centre midfield, Murray Davidson had one or two good moments on the ball, but overall he was poor again. A rusty Mooner, who got a token appearance at the death, showed how much we’ve missed the mercurial number 14 shirt. When contracts are being handed he must be top of the list. He’s a precious gem and our prized asset, be in no doubt that he’s already good enough for Scotland.

It’s hard to tell if the watching scouts will have been impressed by Muzz or not, one thing’s for sure – Eremenko again proved that he’s totally over-rated. I’ve never got the clamour about him and while he again showed decent touches, that’s all he showed. He’s not fit to grace the same park as wee Mooner.

Midgie Millar was another unsung hero who put in a decent shift. His re-alignment to centre midfield has not been a smooth process but he always shows enough bravery to take the ball for a wee adventure. His passing was fine and anyone that tells you otherwise simply doesn’t understand the state of the pitch our boys are being forced to play on. I hope we’ve given a large backhander to the SPL scheduling team to ensure that we get two home games immediately after the split and play the last three away. We need all the time possible to fix the pitch issues and get a couple of bounce games on it in July so the lads get a feel for it. Midgie likes to get the ball down and his game will improve massively if we can get the pitch in better nick.

In defence, Michael Duberry made a low profile return to the team in place of the injured Steven Anderson. The news on Anderson is worryingly muted and I certainly hope the rumours of his season being over are unfounded. Gartland gets a scan on Monday and hopefully he’ll get good news. We need cover as Duberry is far from fit and Frank is no miracle worker.

The big stopper put in a fine shift; albeit he missed our best chance of the match when he lifted a shot inches over the bar from somewhere near the penalty spot. He seemed much more vocal than normal, though that was exacerbated by the silence in the stands. It certainly seems that absence made his heart grow fonder – I’ve always doubted his sincerity but his commitment was very impressive against Killie.

Always impressive is Dave Mackay, though to be honest he had little to impress against. His freekick early in the first half was a decent effort and generally he marshalled the troops well enough in the absence of Anderson. It just seemed like a game where he never had any critical involvement. Whilst I don’t always appreciate his cavalier style of play at right back, this was a game that was crying out for his rampaging runs forward. Actually, if only we had Gary Irvine....

On the other side, Danny Grainger continues to be a target for the uneducated fans. My stomach churns at the thought of losing him in the summer. If we make the final, his retention will surely be guaranteed and the importance of such a move cannot be over-emphasised. Times without number the Kilmarnock boys tried to pull him out wide so that William Gros (who doesn’t look as gros in the flesh as he does here http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/william-gros-kilmarnock_85937_54756) could split Grainger and Mackay. Danny was wise to it and ended up exploiting their poor positioning.

Behind them, Enckleman had a pleasant afternoon in the sun. He made one mistake when he saved a “shot” that was heading wide, parrying it into play, but our boys were quick to get the ball cleared to safety. Other than that, he had to jump up and catch a ball under fair pressure. The rest of the time was his to contemplate life and the universe beyond.

All told, it was a scrappy game; the highlights made the game look far better than it actually was. Killie didn’t earn their point, but our failure to create one gilt edged chance means that we simply can’t bemoan the result. Tuesday will be tough going, let’s hope he sees it as a game for gambling and brings in Nova and Mayzo. It’s worth the risk....

Kilmarnock Home 02.04.2011

End of Season Dross Started?

A lethargic and apathetic crowd of just over 3000 witnessed two teams going through the motions on a still poor surface surrounded by an inconsistent wind. If this how things are gonna be, we’d best get the Season Ticket renewals out, quick smart.

Having arrived very late, I have no idea how much buzz and vibe went into the warm-up but it’s fair to say that the boys came flying out the traps when Mr Finnie blew his whistle to signal the start of the battle.

When a keeper wears number 53, it’s fair to expect some joy from him and Anssi Jaakkola certainly looked willing to give Saints three points with amusing indecision, poor handling and dodgy kicking. This fella took Enckleman’s place in the national team just a few months ago. Sadly, he sneaked off the field having won a point for his employer.

Aside from the keeper, Medhi “cheat” Taouil (groin) and Manuel Pascali (suspended) Killie were posted missing for the Ayrshire lads. Sadly, Taouil made the bench and was allowed on the pitch to continue his immoral antics. Until such as Medhi are imprisoned, or have their registrations withdrawn, the game will continue to bleed to death as direct result of fraud and deceit on the pitch. He is filth.

Speaking of which, Jordan “jailbird” Robertson, inexplicably signed for the semi-final game against Motherwell, was benched and appeared for Saints midway through the second half, Peaso MacDonald making way for him. Having failed to see either of his bounce games, I could only go on the word of others, now having seen him first hand, I am able to confirm that his signing is another McInnes mistake.

Yesterday, marked the first time in my life that I’ve ever hoped a Saints player would be sent off. Referees in Scotland are hopeless. The level we’ve sunk to, was crystallised at Hibs when we had the foreign referees take charge, following Celtic’s pre-meditated attack on their integrity. That day, we saw that countries with no football heritage or culture are able to produce referees who were far superior to any of Grade 1 officials.

There are many reasons for the drop in refereeing standards but that’s a story for another time. What is important is that the referees are not deliberately making mistakes and they are not, despite the best insinuations of Celtic minded knuckle draggers, corrupt. They are also, by dint of their role, deserving of respect. Jordan Robertson’s aggressive, threatening and intimidatory outburst is not acceptable at any level of football.

The hypocritical, clueless and blinkered fans of St Johnstone are busy making excuses for his behaviour, but there is none. Put simply, if we witnessed a rival player behave like that, we have been furious if he stayed on the pitch. We should never allow loyalty to cause us to lose our morals and principles. If referees allow players to treat them like that, the game will descend into a battle of hard men and the last morsel of sporting integrity and fair play will be covered in the rubble that remains.

Argue not about whether Finnie had the right to stop the game and award the foul, ask what are the consequences of turning blind eye to a notorious, life-taking thug? Bear in mind, he’s earning (relatively) large sums of money and should be setting an example to aspiring players in the crowd and local community. As we saw with his first touch, he’s not much of a player either.

The sooner Big Sam Parkin is back the better. How he managed to score six goals with such rank service is beyond me. Hopefully, the drought makes our mis-guided manager recognise the importance of Big Sam. He treated him appallingly at Tynecastle; he should now be man enough to apologise in the same manner he humiliated those two boys – publicly.

Of course, Jailbird’s outburst came amidst a penalty shout for handball. The players all reacted with instant passion and that is often a good indicator that a crime has been committed. I don’t doubt that the ball struck the hand of a Killie player, but I wonder aloud if there was any intent.

On the subject of penalty shouts, Jaakkola arguably should have seen red for impeding Peaso, thereby preventing a goal scoring opportunity. Trouble is, Peaso is well known for diving and his pantomime tumble was embarrassing to witness. The images prove that the keeper and Peaso had tangled and, intentionally or not, we should have had a penalty. Peaso has cried wolf too many times and boy is he being punished this season. Be in no doubt, referees have dossiers and certain players names are noted as divers – Peaso will be on most folks list. Do you blame the referee for getting it wrong, I don’t?

Aside from his tendency to cheat, Peaso has much to admire. His determination and resolute character are traits that serve him well in bad times, as is his self-belief. He must have wondered if it was all gonna be worthwhile when he lingered to meet Murray Davidson’s superb right to left cross ball, only for his effort to rebound off the Kilmarnock cross bar. If he had times his jump correctly we might have been celebrating a goal, but ifs and buts don’t.

His strike partner, Collin Samuel, put in his usual performance. There is no doubt that a brilliant footballer exists within the bulk of Collin Samuel’s body, sadly it only ever hints at putting in an appearance. One great game at Parkhead and a very good showing when we lost that game at Firhill are the only real highlights of his Saints career. United fans might struggle to name two good games he had for them.... It’s been argued that he can’t play with a team mate, but he can link with Peaso and Mayzo. Just not very often. We’ve invested heavily in Sammy, and he offers great versatility, but unless he’s prepared to accept a serious drop in wages, it’s time to cut our losses and wave goodbye.

Ever since Sammy Parkin’s collision, I’ve argued that I want to see Avy Novikovas (a man whose name caused our amateur stadium announcer some considerable difficulties on Saturday) start alongside Stevie May. I make no promises that it would bear fruit, but it’s blindingly obvious that our lack of pace is allowing opposition defenders too much time. Nova has decent pace and in every game that he’s started (bar Hamilton), Mayzo has had at least two decent chances. It’s no coincidence, that without his inexplicable timing, movement and penalty box trickery we’ve looked a lot less threatening without wee Mayzo. I understand that his attitude is a cause for concern, but he’s no worse now than he was in October/November and he’s a better player. We’ve got the Arabs next week and they have no centre halves, it’s gotta be the time for tricks and pace.

Del frustration with his strikers was partially disguised with clever words, but was tangible in the tone and audible sighing in the Official Site Interview. The midfield have been criticised by some quarters, and there is some merit in the criticism. Saturday’s game saw a perfect juxtaposition of the problem faced by the midfield. On the right, Danny Invincible (possibly under instruction) meandered into any free space he could find. While that sounds fair enough, it meant that often Alan Maybury didn’t know where to play they ball. As I’ve mentioned before, Invincible needs a big area to turn and can be easily dispossessed. I suspect the Killie boys may have noticed that, too. Interesting that Muzz and Millar provided the two best crosses from the right hand side.

On the left, recently retained Liam put in a fine shift. Too many times he didn’t get suitable support and often struggled to get a cross into the box with any pace or swerve. He always works hard and is always in the box looking to feed off scraps. Saturday was no different and it’s a massive piece in the jigsaw, knowing that he’ll be here next season. A great laddie and a fine footballer who’s progressed well under Del.

In centre midfield, Murray Davidson had one or two good moments on the ball, but overall he was poor again. A rusty Mooner, who got a token appearance at the death, showed how much we’ve missed the mercurial number 14 shirt. When contracts are being handed he must be top of the list. He’s a precious gem and our prized asset, be in no doubt that he’s already good enough for Scotland.

It’s hard to tell if the watching scouts will have been impressed by Muzz or not, one thing’s for sure – Eremenko again proved that he’s totally over-rated. I’ve never got the clamour about him and while he again showed decent touches, that’s all he showed. He’s not fit to grace the same park as wee Mooner.

Midgie Millar was another unsung hero who put in a decent shift. His re-alignment to centre midfield has not been a smooth process but he always shows enough bravery to take the ball for a wee adventure. His passing was fine and anyone that tells you otherwise simply doesn’t understand the state of the pitch our boys are being forced to play on. I hope we’ve given a large backhander to the SPL scheduling team to ensure that we get two home games immediately after the split and play the last three away. We need all the time possible to fix the pitch issues and get a couple of bounce games on it in July so the lads get a feel for it. Midgie likes to get the ball down and his game will improve massively if we can get the pitch in better nick.

In defence, Michael Duberry made a low profile return to the team in place of the injured Steven Anderson. The news on Anderson is worryingly muted and I certainly hope the rumours of his season being over are unfounded. Gartland gets a scan on Monday and hopefully he’ll get good news. We need cover as Duberry is far from fit and Frank is no miracle worker.

The big stopper put in a fine shift; albeit he missed our best chance of the match when he lifted a shot inches over the bar from somewhere near the penalty spot. He seemed much more vocal than normal, though that was exacerbated by the silence in the stands. It certainly seems that absence made his heart grow fonder – I’ve always doubted his sincerity but his commitment was very impressive against Killie.

Always impressive is Dave Mackay, though to be honest he had little to impress against. His freekick early in the first half was a decent effort and generally he marshalled the troops well enough in the absence of Anderson. It just seemed like a game where he never had any critical involvement. Whilst I don’t always appreciate his cavalier style of play at right back, this was a game that was crying out for his rampaging runs forward. Actually, if only we had Gary Irvine....

On the other side, Danny Grainger continues to be a target for the uneducated fans. My stomach churns at the thought of losing him in the summer. If we make the final, his retention will surely be guaranteed and the importance of such a move cannot be over-emphasised. Times without number the Kilmarnock boys tried to pull him out wide so that William Gros (who doesn’t look as gros in the flesh as he does here http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/articles/william-gros-kilmarnock_85937_54756) could split Grainger and Mackay. Danny was wise to it and ended up exploiting their poor positioning.

Behind them, Enckleman had a pleasant afternoon in the sun. He made one mistake when he saved a “shot” that was heading wide, parrying it into play, but our boys were quick to get the ball cleared to safety. Other than that, he had to jump up and catch a ball under fair pressure. The rest of the time was his to contemplate life and the universe beyond.

All told, it was a scrappy game; the highlights made the game look far better than it actually was. Killie didn’t earn their point, but our failure to create one gilt edged chance means that we simply can’t bemoan the result. Tuesday will be tough going, let’s hope he sees it as a game for gambling and brings in Nova and Mayzo. It’s worth the risk....