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Topic Originator: OzPar
Date: Thu 27 Jun 01:02
This has become a horrible time of year to be a Pars fan. It seems that season after season, we go through the same process: we offload a group of players out of contract, then quickly sign a player or two (in this case, just one) whom we`ve had on loan, and then... nothing.
All that can be heard from Halbeath Road is the sound of dogs barking, trolleys rolling out of Aldi, and cars heading for the M90.
Meanwhile, as in past seasons, our rivals are busy signing players, many of whom we would not object to having in our team. Pre-season training has started, and our squad is again well short of satisfactory.
As each week passes without any sign of our squad being strengthened, the more depressing this all becomes, knowing that we are once again destined to fill the gaps with young loanees and perhaps an injury-prone player coming towards the end of his career who is offered a two-year contract that we inevitably will come to regret.
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Topic Originator: widtink
Date: Thu 27 Jun 01:51
These things are sent to try us .
And they do .
Still plenty time before the season starts so I`m not overly concerned.
Maybe it`s cos I`ve always been an optimist.
And a wee bit mad 🤪
Admin
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Topic Originator: The Boss
Date: Thu 27 Jun 06:55
It really is depressing. Across most of the social media you can see Pars fans are concerned.
What’s frustrating me is that this looks to be a season where everyone is seeing their opportunity to go for the league. We look like we are going to be left behind. Potentially whipping boys of the league.
The most important thing is investment in the first team. This then contributes to everything else. More fans, more shirts sold etc etc. We start losing our support and it’s very difficult to attract them back. I personally don’t mind us putting prices up year on year, but this should in theory give us a better opportunity in the league. The club can’t have it both ways. Expect fans to cough up to be put through another relegation scrap.
McPake can use excuses in the paper all he wants but it’ll be him that carries the can. We don’t start well and he’ll be under severe pressure.
I like black and white (dreaming of black and white)
You like black and white
Run run away
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Topic Originator: evo!
Date: Thu 27 Jun 07:21
It`s true I wish we had made more signings, but I no the club seems to have a strategy. Going with long term goal of the academy developed players, selling young..or youngish players on who we may get in on loan first etc.
In some respects it would be more alarming if the club suddenly broke this strategy and we suddenly ended up with 3-4 journey man type players. It would indicate a panic as though we didn`t believe in ourselves and the other clubs would smell blood
We have seen the Pg/jh era only recently where both brought in loads of players, and nothing made a difference (yup maybe managers fault) and cost the club more.
I get with the last season we had massive Injuries, and yeah having cover is important, and I`m sure we will get some in. But I don`t want to end up seeing us just bringing in journeyman players or not adding good quality to the squad.
Throughout AJs time for instance, it always frustrated me how each season we seemed to finish the season with a near different starting 11 than the beginning. It was great seeing that team stick together and build over the league one title season and I`d like more of that kinda thing
.I realise with the injuries we didn`t really get that last season, but for me it`s the way to go.
BEAST!
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 27 Jun 08:15
Football fans love telling other people how they should spend their money, especially if they think they`ll benefit from it but in our case it`s an academic exercise. The only reason the German investors put money into the club was to enable us to invest it in our own training ground and academy. It`s unrealistic to expect them to change that strategy now and try to outspend every other club in the League.
We had to find outside investment because of the limitations on a fan-owned club being able to raise additional capital from within. We`ve experienced the risks of borrowing money before and had to avoid that route. The present strategy requires patience which, unfortunately, football fans tend not to have.
I also don`t believe our recruitment strategy has been the disaster that is sometimes suggested on here. The manager has made more good signings than bad and many have the potential to improve and stay or move on to the benefit of the club.
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Topic Originator: Kaiser
Date: Thu 27 Jun 09:03
When`s the "were working tirelessly behind the scenes" script getting pushed out to the media.
Heard that about 8 times in the last 18 months so surely due an appearance soon.
Post Edited (Thu 27 Jun 09:04)
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Topic Originator: Bannockburn Par
Date: Thu 27 Jun 09:04
All I want to know is will my team realistically challenge for the title. My heart tells me yes we can, but my head tells me that the current squad lacks the quality and depth to make a fist of it. Its mid table at best and we all know it.
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Topic Originator: Football_Par
Date: Thu 27 Jun 09:11
Bannockburn Par wrote:
> All I want to know is will my team realistically challenge for
> the title. My heart tells me yes we can, but my head tells me
> that the current squad lacks the quality and depth to make a
> fist of it. Its mid table at best and we all know it.
Not with these owners
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Topic Originator: Westies squint kicks
Date: Thu 27 Jun 09:41
Therein listens the debate, when you have a long term goal, what is acceptable in the short term ?
At what point does the support drop off because the present is being neglected for the future. I’m not sure fans have the patience required for the current process.
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Topic Originator: hudza
Date: Thu 27 Jun 09:59
As it stands we will be lucky to stay up
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Topic Originator: weemike
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:01
Not a chance this season.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:04
Have you assessed all the squads in the Championship, allowing for the fact that the transfer window has only been open for a few weeks? I see QP have only signed one player too. Presumably they`ll be competing with us for the bottom spot.
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Topic Originator: Football_Par
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:08
wee eck wrote:
> Have you assessed all the squads in the Championship, allowing
> for the fact that the transfer window has only been open for a
> few weeks? I see QP have only signed one player too. Presumably
> they`ll be competing with us for the bottom spot.
>
>
when we are loosing out on players to teams like Airdrie, you know we are in trouble
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Topic Originator: Raymie the Legend
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:16
Some good points made "for and against"
I understand that GMBH have a long term strategy. Personally, I don`t think it will work, as it will take a long time to establish and there is no guarantee that we will produce our own conveyor belt of talent.
I presume that to fund the long term project, it`s imperative that the team is successful in the short term and that means, at the very least, challenging for promotion every year and having decent cup runs?
To achieve this, we have to invest in the first team squad now, because to stand still or do very little, means we are probably falling behind our competitors?
This has never been more apparent than this close season as we see that other clubs are prepared to take a calculated gamble to try to win this league.
The worry is that ÂŁ1M losses, to be followed by rumoured similar losses, means that the budget to support the short term plan has been significantly impacted, as the manager and CEO have alluded to in recent interviews.
It`s bloody tough being a legend
Ron Atkinson - 1983
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Topic Originator: king lad
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:22
It`s frustrating because given the size of the club you never feel like the ambition should be below challenging inside the top 4. But financially both Partick Thistle and Raith have spent heavily to improve their teams (who were already well ahead of us) and at this moment we can`t compete with the offers they are putting out.
You can certainly make the argument it`s a risk for short term gain but if you do make it to the premiership the financial benefits are huge in comparison to the championship and since administration the club hasn`t been remotely close to getting back there, our highest championship finish is 4th.
I am totally onboard with advancing the academy/training ground, but I`m worried, as a result, the club is becoming complacent with first team recruitment and the product on the field for the fans, given the league is only 10 teams and especially this season it looks to be tight, a poor start with further losses against rivals could turn the fanbase very quickly.
I don`t get the sense McPake is particularly pleased with his budget this season and I do question what the ambition is given there is no big fish down from the premiership. We are still in June but this is a trend that has developed over recent seasons where signings seem to be very late
Post Edited (Thu 27 Jun 10:23)
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Topic Originator: weemike
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:23
I understand that GMBH have a long term strategy. Personally, I don`t think it will work, as it will take a long time to establish and there is no guarantee that we will produce our own conveyor belt of talent.
While in all probability, you are correct. If we don`t try something different, when will be the correct time to do so?
I suspect the likes of Todd and Otoo will be used to offset the incoming losses, but I worry about adequate replacements.
But we can`t just keep funding a 1st team blindly with no guarantee for success.
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Topic Originator: Toddyrov
Date: Thu 27 Jun 10:28
We’re a few injuries away from a horror show.
When bene got injured last year we looked completely lost, I could be wrong but didn’t we go around 10-15 games without a Win? I know there’s been a lot of faith put in youngsters but it feels unfair on them at times to just take loss after loss.
Effe
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 27 Jun 11:13
Our longest run without a League win was 9 games between 16/12 and 17/02 when up to 8 players were injured at some time and some on here were saying we wouldn`t win another game. After that our stats for the final 13 games were W5 D5 L3 and the same folk were probably saying we under-achieved and should have made the play-off places. So many folk on here get fixed notions in their heads which just aren`t borne out by the facts. You could argue that the fact we got through the season despite the horrendous injury list proved the overall strength of the squad.
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Topic Originator: Berkey
Date: Thu 27 Jun 11:47
Can just about console ourselves that if we can just stay up this season we can really change the squad next summer. Although think we’ll still have another year of McCann.
Not expecting us to regularly beat other championship teams to players but surely every now and again we would be the best offer?
How if the youth academy going to stop fifes best young players going to the Edinburgh or Glasgow clubs? We’re prob better trying to pick them up when they don’t make it and trying to improve them then.
If mcpake isn’t pleased with his budget he shouldn’t have invested so much of it into players who haven’t done anything to justify it.
Back to being drenched in my own negativity….
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Topic Originator: Paralex
Date: Thu 27 Jun 12:06
Bit too much negativity here. But maybe there is method in the madness. Three years ago we were being touted by many of our rivals to be the team to beat and guess what happened? We got relegated. This season we are approaching the season with fear and trepidation. Let`s be in it for the long haul. It`s a long season but the first few games will be important, away to Livingston, at home to Falkirk and, I think, away to Ayr. Maybe a couple of new stars will emerge from our current squad.
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Topic Originator: Rusty Shackleford
Date: Thu 27 Jun 12:11
Maybe I`m just too optimistic but I still look at the likes of Bene, Hammy, Todd, Fisher, Otoo, KRH and Kane and think we have the spine of a really good side that has lots of potential upside.
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Topic Originator: GJS93
Date: Thu 27 Jun 12:22
it will never work so the only solution is to sell up now, get someone in that will spend all the money on the first team with signings galore every window.
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Topic Originator: neilholland999
Date: Thu 27 Jun 12:31
Quote:
Rusty Shackleford, Thu 27 Jun 12:11
Maybe I`m just too optimistic but I still look at the likes of Bene, Hammy, Todd, Fisher, Otoo, KRH and Kane and think we have the spine of a really good side that has lots of potential upside.
I wouldn`t be surprised if Bene, KRH and Kane miss a lot of the season through injury.
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Topic Originator: theparsman1885
Date: Thu 27 Jun 14:12
Some of you would bring a downer on a lottery jackpot win btw.
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Topic Originator: Toddyrov
Date: Thu 27 Jun 14:44
I gave it a check
We went 10 without a win, including a 5-0 loss to Morton and 3-0 loss to Queen’s Park. When we got key players back we obviously looked better which was my point.
Surely we don’t have as much bad luck with injuries this year though (expecially on key players)
Effe
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Topic Originator: Rigger Al
Date: Thu 27 Jun 15:12
Quote:
Rusty Shackleford, Thu 27 Jun 12:11
Maybe I`m just too optimistic but I still look at the likes of Bene, Hammy, Todd, Fisher, Otoo, KRH and Kane and think we have the spine of a really good side that has lots of potential upside.
I agree Rusty ,don`t think we are as bad as some make out ,if we can stay injury free and get a good start ,I don`t see us being far away
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Topic Originator: Berkey
Date: Thu 27 Jun 16:11
I mean our top 11 is half decent.
Even when our form improved a towards the end of the season there is only 2 games that stick in my head as games we played well in, United home and Partick away.
90% of the time in the other games it was a poor showing where we rarely looked like scoring and everything was laboured.
It’s a results business I guess but we can defo be far more expansive and exciting in how we play and are set up.
Back to being drenched in my own negativity….
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Topic Originator: Ladswell_Thistle
Date: Thu 27 Jun 16:42
The only decent spell was when we went 4 at the back and managed three wins and a draw.
Then back to a 3 and season petered out.
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Topic Originator: Paralex
Date: Thu 27 Jun 20:54
That Partick away game was an absolute belter, Berkey. I was in Portugal and got the guy to get it on the TV. I thought at the time that it was a turning point and we would push away from relegation bother. A new season is a fresh page with much to look forward to. No point in being negative.
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