Fantalk

Neil M · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2589 Location: Aberdeen

Fantastic news and it will do our prospects of re-signing players a whole lot of good. True - it is far easier for a club to poach a manager than it is to poach a player - as clubs can (more easily) name their price and terms for a player. Ian Murray says what he thinks and he has integrity (unlike McKinnon!) IM has effectively said that he is happy at Rovers and sees his medium-term future with us. Hopefully that in itself deters some potential prospectors. Some clubs ranked above us are on a downward slide. Others are notorious for sacking managers to appease entitled fans. Add to that, the weight of our form and league position and promotion prospects.

Murray Christmas everyone - and a happy new era!

red zebra · Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:52 am Post subject:

I've been out of country, with limited access, since before Christmas and just saw the youtube video but can't see anything official on the website. Is this a done deal or not?
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Murray1209 · Joined: 25 Jan 2022 Posts: 106

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4928

As much as the injury to Stanton has coincided with our incredible slump so too has Murray's generous contract extension. For a good chunk of our squad it will have become apparent to them that if they were successful in winning the league it would bring an end to their Raith career and yet if they failed to gain promotion they might also be out as the club would look for better to make that step onwards. In some ways they were, pre Christmas, in the same boat as the manager but not now. That bond between them has been broken. They're not all in it together anymore and sometimes in matches that's showing.
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Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5742 Location: Nottinghamshire

scotty · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 9065 Location: Almost Dysart.

I have to admit this line of thinking ties in with exactly what I think is happening.

Up to and including the Tannadice game we had defenders/midfielders and even forwards flinging themselves in the way of opposition shots to protect leads, the non stop effort being shown was incredible, they way the team battled to grind out results nothing short of phenomenal.

Contrast that with way performances have been since. Ok Liam Dick threw himself in to block an Airdrie shot on Friday and Vaughan, Rudden and Hamilton looked energised. Big Kev was enthusiastic as usual but the rest?

Connolly, Brown, Vaughan and Stanton have all had deals confirmed (Byrne may have a word of mouth deal). Watson, Dick, Millen and Easton are out of contract in May as are McGill, McNeil, Thomson, Masson, Ross, Corr, Arnott and Matthews (the latter bunch not having been given many chances to shine for various reasons).

Are players reading between the lines and making their minds up for themselves. The Board said they'd start signing talks with priority players 1st, but with January gone has the lack of offers dis-intensified the others?

Easton hasn't really kicked a ball for us since Tannadice, I think he is looking for a move and will end up going, this could explain why his interest level doesn't appear to be what it was.
Both keepers will be retained.
I'd guess Matthews, Millen, Dick and McGill will not be offered new contracts and the same for Masson and Arnott.
Matthews deserves his chance once fit, Masson has never let us down and Arnott was rated as a player by Regan Hendry, who actually said he was "best player of his age he'd ever played with". All of the rest could be upgraded but surely the club would be doing it's utmost in keeping them all onside for now?

Murmrerings of (amongst other things) Ian Murray not engaging with players (some players) are disconcerting and could if true partially explain why things have gone a bit Pete Tong in the last month.
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Competitive goals: Vaughan 16, Easton 11, Hamilton 9, Smith 7, Stanton 7, Mullin 4, Connolly 3, O'Reilly 3, Rudden 3, S Brown 1, Dick 1, Gullan 1, Masson 1, Millen 1, Mitchell 1, Murray, Watson 1, OG's 1,

Specky Ginger · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 4258 Location: Dysart

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4928

They were also among the last of the part timers so knew that they couldn't stay for the trip up to the top flight. Their footballing income supplemented their main wage. It's not that I think any of the players are deliberately not giving it their all but it might only take a drop off a few percent over a number of positions to make a big difference to the whole. The concept of marginal gains but in reverse.
Hey they're professional footballers and that is career they have chosen with all the job insecurity that goes with it but if you have bills to pay and a family to support and you know that in three or four pay days you'll be out of work it might just affect how you perform on the park even if it's subconsciously. They ain't robots after all.
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1866 Location: Irvine

I think a lot of the above is probably true.

These last few games have proved that collectively the squad lacks a certain amount of personal belief in what they are doing out on the pitch.

Mentally I think they are collectively weak, hence the total loss of belief and their inability to get their collective heads in the right place.

Said it before and will repeat myself , whatever your do in life is only achievable through using the grey matter between your ears.
If you panic easily, you are unlikely to achieve much in most avenues of life.

A football brain is required to become a big success, skill alone is worthless without the nouse to implement it.

Pressure gets to most of us during our lives, it’s how you deal with it that counts.
Only these players can dig us out of this rut, if it doesn’t happen, then the question is answered.
A “ cool head” is required and peeps have to step up.
I hope they come through this period for not only themselves but for the thousands of supporters who love this club.
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embow · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:00 pm Post subject:

Mickey signs on for another three years.
Don't know about others but I'm happy enough with that as it gives, hopefully, stability for the next three years along with the manager signing up for three years.
Can only but wish them both all the very best going forward.
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Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5742 Location: Nottinghamshire