Mark McGhee

I had almost forgotten to comment on our new manager.

Well as you know I wasn't to pleased we sacked our old manager, albeit he was close to the last chance saloon even for me. Whats done is done and we move on. So what do I think of the new man?

Basicaly I'm about as happy with this appointment as I have been with any manager, in fact definately more so. I liked big Terry Butcher but he had to win me and the rest of hte support over. Every other manager we've appointed I have had reservations with. Alex McLiesh, Billy Davies and Eric Black were inexperienced, first jobs as manager and the first two hadn't even coached and well it showed. I still don't rate Eck but both of them have went onto bigger things but they either didn't make enough of what they had(Davies) or they ruined the best Motherwell team I've ever seen(McLiesh). Of the rest Kampman was an unknown quantity and Malpas as former assistant manager followed in the tradition of 90% of former assistants and didn't seme to manage to put his own stamp on the job.

Of the names linked with the job most none had the experience of McGhee, Owen Coyle seems to be doing ok with St. Johnstone but his first job and not really done anything. Gary McAllister an ex Well player again little management experience, Luc Nijholt also not got that much experience though as a former hero at Fir Park had the most emotional pull. Outside names were a return after 9 years out of club management for Tommy McLean and Joe Miller. The latter gave me nightmares at the prospect.

Early bullish talk andsigning targets linked with McGhee is all encouraging, the general support seems lifted and there is a small buzz about the place. Which if some decent signings(on paper at least) fall into place soon will soon turn into almost electric atmosphere given the sense of relief most people feel towards the change.

But I know better than to get carried away. So far we have one concrete new face in and while on paper Simon Mensing as a big physical centre mid isn't a bad idea as we have been notroiously lightweight in that area, he's not going to suddenly make us a force to be reckoned. We still need a good 4 or 5 new faces in to give the squad a boost. Although it does seem like with a new man in charge a lot of seemingly jaded players might have some impressing to do.

So on the whole, optimism is in the air I hope it lasts beyond the first couple of games of the new season.