The Gaffer

[peagreenboy]

Cant believe this..sorry not had time to read any previous posts..but I only heard on the STV news half an hour ago.

....actually hope sevco pump them on saturday never thought I'd ever say that.

 

Is there any way they can both lose? Still, it is pretty wet up here in Dundee, so maybe it can be called off with twenty minutes remaining.

[yoda-jag]

with Jackie's house already on the market and Arab's chairman Thompson saying that he has been working on things in the background for some time, it's no surprise that Houston decided to leave ahead of time.

 

You will forgive my cynicism if I wonder why, with a Cup Final and the prospect of SPL football it's been so difficult for Jackie to convince O'Donnell, Paton, Bannigan, Erskine, Forbes, Fox, Doolan, Craig and Forbes to extend or did he really not see a place for them at Firhill after May?

 

Ah, a conspiracy theory, love it, how close to the truth though, hmmmm?

[Vom Itorium]

Gus McPherson anyone? How to ruin everything we have in one fool swoop...

[smernicki]

DUFC Fan in peace.

Firstly - I'm sorry you are losing a good manager. I'm sure it's of little consolation, but I think we are lucky to have him. He sounds like a thoroughly decent guy who players like, and I'm excited to see what happens under him with players like Russel, GMS, Armstrong and up and coming talent like Dow and Gould.

I also undersand how disappointed PTFC fans will be. I have felt the same when great players and managers move on from my team.

Having nosy'd about your board it's great to see the quality of some of the chat. But it's a wee bit disappointing to see a few comments that were barbed towards United. Maybe that's the rawness of the moment, but I always thought Thistle fans to be pretty balanced (and in fairness, most of the comments here are). But United are a bigger club, may well qualify for Europe again for (I think ) the 4th season in a row, and are actually (contrary to some suggestion) on a pretty decent financial keel - hence the departure of Houston. So, as they say in the hood "Don't hate the player, hate the game". Finally, I think our chairmans comments were not very well worded - I think the work behind the scenes he's referring to was most likely trying to identify contenders - he's pretty honourable, which is why Sevco hate us - and I do not believe there has been any tapping up going on.

Good luck for the season - I hope this doesn't derail you and we'll welcome to you Tannadice next season.

[ChewinGumMacaroonBaaaz]

I've been trying to hold my thoughts, till I see the man at tannadice with the scarf in his hands photo's, and hear what he's got to say for himself... but this is killing me. Still hoping there's been a mistake or he sees sense at the last minute. Utter disbelief.

 

One love, one team. Ever hopeful, but right now inconsolably disappointed. I really believed he was our special one. Different, with an exciting vision and a break the mould attitude. If there's not a gun being held at the man's head when he signs on that line tomorrow he is an unquestionable, inexcusable C**T. Hero to zero.

 

I've had a f**k**g hard time, personally this season. The jags success has been a real boost. "He's done a good job for us, wish him well" ? Utter b*ll*x. He's done half the job and f**k*d off. Shame!

 

COME ON YOU JAGS!!!! F**K 'IM.

 

[Garscube Road End]

DUFC Fan in peace.

Firstly - I'm sorry you are losing a good manager. I'm sure it's of little consolation, but I think we are lucky to have him. He sounds like a thoroughly decent guy who players like, and I'm excited to see what happens under him with players like Russel, GMS, Armstrong and up and coming talent like Dow and Gould.

I also undersand how disappointed PTFC fans will be. I have felt the same when great players and managers move on from my team.

Having nosy'd about your board it's great to see the quality of some of the chat. But it's a wee bit disappointing to see a few comments that were barbed towards United. Maybe that's the rawness of the moment, but I always thought Thistle fans to be pretty balanced (and in fairness, most of the comments here are). But United are a bigger club, may well qualify for Europe again for (I think ) the 4th season in a row, and are actually (contrary to some suggestion) on a pretty decent financial keel - hence the departure of Houston. So, as they say in the hood "Don't hate the player, hate the game". Finally, I think our chairmans comments were not very well worded - I think the work behind the scenes he's referring to was most likely trying to identify contenders - he's pretty honourable, which is why Sevco hate us - and I do not believe there has been any tapping up going on.

Good luck for the season - I hope this doesn't derail you and we'll welcome to you Tannadice next season.

 

Aye Right!!

[peagreenboy]

DUFC Fan in peace.

Firstly - I'm sorry you are losing a good manager. I'm sure it's of little consolation, but I think we are lucky to have him. He sounds like a thoroughly decent guy who players like, and I'm excited to see what happens under him with players like Russel, GMS, Armstrong and up and coming talent like Dow and Gould.

I also undersand how disappointed PTFC fans will be. I have felt the same when great players and managers move on from my team.

Having nosy'd about your board it's great to see the quality of some of the chat. But it's a wee bit disappointing to see a few comments that were barbed towards United. Maybe that's the rawness of the moment, but I always thought Thistle fans to be pretty balanced (and in fairness, most of the comments here are). But United are a bigger club, may well qualify for Europe again for (I think ) the 4th season in a row, and are actually (contrary to some suggestion) on a pretty decent financial keel - hence the departure of Houston. So, as they say in the hood "Don't hate the player, hate the game". Finally, I think our chairmans comments were not very well worded - I think the work behind the scenes he's referring to was most likely trying to identify contenders - he's pretty honourable, which is why Sevco hate us - and I do not believe there has been any tapping up going on.

Good luck for the season - I hope this doesn't derail you and we'll welcome to you Tannadice next season.

 

Hello!

 

Couple of points -

 

Why wouldn't our comments be barbed? We're fecking ragin right now, mate! And do you not recall a somewhat controversial play-off against your team some years ago which still stings mightily around here ... Our manager has just walked away from possibly winning two trophies for what amounts to one step up the ladder and possibly (but hopefully not) screwing up potentially the best season we could have had in over ten years.

 

I attended your match against Ross County at the beginning of the season, 0-0 - and I thought Thistle fans used to be miserable! Tannadice was deader than disco and pretty much every fan was greetin-faced. It'll be a lovely welcome for McNamara if it doesn't go well.

 

You're not that much bigger than us. And wait and see if you'll be qualifying for Europe. Your new manager's not even through the doors yet, bit early to be predicting how well, or badly, it'll go for you. Fortunately you've got Dundee so there won't be any relegation worry ... and the league will probably get 'fixed' anyway.

 

Hopefully we'll see you at Tannadice next year, and give Jackie's new team a right good doing.

 

ALSO - You know, the first offer he gets from a 'bigger' club than you and he'll be off. He's just demonstrated he's not interested in finishing what he starts.

Edited January 29, 2013 by peagreenboy

[Winter of '63]

I have rather feared over the last week that this was coming...but it's still a real sickener.

 

McNamara's first season was unremarkable but this year has been brilliant...I have waited 30 years for the return of the Real Thistle with our own young skillful players and a positive entertaining style. Credit to Jackie for that - he might just have the potential to be a manager in the category of Special Ones.

 

It has been obvious that he wasn't here for the long term...I had noted that while he was always talking about the players improving themselves, he never spoke about any plans for Thistle in the SPL. I was pleased that Wolves replaced their manager a few weeks ago as that was clearly too soon for a return to a club he played for...and whose Chief Executive, Jez Moxey, also started at Firhill. I would have loved to have seen Jackie achieve something special with Thistle and then wish him well at a higher level( though not Celtic)...but while you can understand his motivation for the move to United, this leaves a sour taste, like he's let us down.

 

It will be so hard to take if the season falls apart...let's all make sure it doesn't happen.

[dougie247]

TBH last season i remember lots of calls for him to be sacked, he's had one good season (so far) on a tight budget and has decided to ride that optimism on to a slightly bigger club.

 

Cant really blame him for moving onto a setup with a much better youth system than ours. I can blame him for having his head turned at the first sign of some extrra money and not seeing out the season. I can also be ******* furious for him joining DU as other than the ugly sisters they rank as one of my most hated teams.

 

I want to wish him well..

 

But i dont

[chunky jag]

I was at tannadice that night, only young mind u, but was it not the ref that screwed us denying us a pen right after we got one. I ont see why ee should have hostility for utd daring to want to get promoted.

 

And i actually think they ARE that bigger than us mate, we need to be realistic although in grief people do lash out it's not this guys fault Jackie's left!

[kni]

I have rather feared over the last week that this was coming...but it's still a real sickener.

 

McNamara's first season was unremarkable but this year has been brilliant...I have waited 30 years for the return of the Real Thistle with our own young skillful players and a positive entertaining style. Credit to Jackie for that - he might just have the potential to be a manager in the category of Special Ones.

 

It has been obvious that he wasn't here for the long term...I had noted that while he was always talking about the players improving themselves, he never spoke about any plans for Thistle in the SPL. I was pleased that Wolves replaced their manager a few weeks ago as that was clearly too soon for a return to a club he played for...and whose Chief Executive, Jez Moxey, also started at Firhill. I would have loved to have seen Jackie achieve something special with Thistle and then wish him well at a higher level( though not Celtic)...but while you can understand his motivation for the move to United, this leaves a sour taste, like he's let us down.

 

It will be so hard to take if the season falls apart...let's all make sure it doesn't happen.

 

Good post - agree with all of that.

[peagreenboy]

I was at tannadice that night, only young mind u, but was it not the ref that screwed us denying us a pen right after we got one. I ont see why ee should have hostility for utd daring to want to get promoted.

 

And i actually think they ARE that bigger than us mate, we need to be realistic although in grief people do lash out it's not this guys fault Jackie's left!

 

Funnily enough, I wrote not that much bigger than us ... so ... I don't really know what to write. It's hard to get a read on what you're trying to say, if indeed you are replying to me - as you don't seem to have read or understood what I wrote. Nevermind.

[billko]

Gus McPherson anyone? How to ruin everything we have in one fool swoop...

That would be a nightmare.

[smernicki]

Hiya Mr Angry!

I can tell you are raging, and my presence on your boards is not trolling or goading.

 

But if I may, a few counter points...

 

"Why wouldn't our comments be barbed? We're fecking ragin right now, mate! And do you not recall a somewhat controversial play-off against your team some years ago which still stings mightily around here ... Our manager has just walked away from possibly winning two trophies for what amounts to one step up the ladder and possibly (but hopefully not) screwing up potentially the best season we could have had in over ten years."?

I quite understand - but surely on this point your anger should be directed at JM rather than DUFC?

 

"I attended your match against Ross County at the beginning of the season, 0-0 - and I thought Thistle fans used to be miserable! Tannadice was deader than disco and pretty much every fan was greetin-faced. It'll be a lovely welcome for McNamara if it doesn't go well."'

Well, I'm sorry you didn't have a nice afternoon. I've experienced many incredible atmosphere filled afternoons and nights at Tannadice. And apart from the fact you comment is not at all a sweeping generalisation, I can only imagine it was because it was a Ross County game. Why did you do that to yourself..

 

We are no footballing giant. No United fan would say that. But surely on balance, and by whatever metric, you would have to say that over the last couple of decades at least, United have been a 'bigger' club - cup success, tenure in the SPL, gate (agree, not much), player budgets, presumably his salary, European games (largely falling at the first hurdle). I would respectfully suggest that if you think otherwise, you may have a partizan view.

Not only are fans aware that if a bigger club than us comes calling we may lose JM, we EXPECT it. The board have used this 'springboard' as a strategy to get players - that's the way of the world and we had it recently with Craig Levien.

 

Hopefully you WILL come to Tannadice next season - you'll be welcome.

[kni]

with Jackie's house already on the market and Arab's chairman Thompson saying that he has been working on things in the background for some time, it's no surprise that Houston decided to leave ahead of time.

 

You will forgive my cynicism if I wonder why, with a Cup Final and the prospect of SPL football it's been so difficult for Jackie to convince O'Donnell, Paton, Bannigan, Erskine, Forbes, Fox, Doolan, Craig and Forbes to extend or did he really not see a place for them at Firhill after May?

 

Perhaps some were offered deals but did not take them. Their agents may have told them they could get more money elsewhere. Cairney seems to be doing well at Easter Road.

[chunky jag]

 

 

Funnily enough, I wrote not that much bigger than us ... so ... I don't really know what to write. It's hard to get a read on what you're trying to say, if indeed you are replying to me - as you don't seem to have read or understood what I wrote. Nevermind.

 

I was replyin to u mate, apologies if i have missed your point.

 

All i'm getting at is when i remove emotion and my love for thistle from the equation, d utd are a good bit bigger than us, i thought you looked as if you were implying there wasnt much of a difference in the clubs, i disagree, thats all.

 

 

[1876Jag]

Hiya Mr Angry!

I can tell you are raging, and my presence on your boards is not trolling or goading.

 

But if I may, a few counter points...

 

"Why wouldn't our comments be barbed? We're fecking ragin right now, mate! And do you not recall a somewhat controversial play-off against your team some years ago which still stings mightily around here ... Our manager has just walked away from possibly winning two trophies for what amounts to one step up the ladder and possibly (but hopefully not) screwing up potentially the best season we could have had in over ten years."?

I quite understand - but surely on this point your anger should be directed at JM rather than DUFC?

 

"I attended your match against Ross County at the beginning of the season, 0-0 - and I thought Thistle fans used to be miserable! Tannadice was deader than disco and pretty much every fan was greetin-faced. It'll be a lovely welcome for McNamara if it doesn't go well."'

Well, I'm sorry you didn't have a nice afternoon. I've experienced many incredible atmosphere filled afternoons and nights at Tannadice. And apart from the fact you comment is not at all a sweeping generalisation, I can only imagine it was because it was a Ross County game. Why did you do that to yourself..

 

We are no footballing giant. No United fan would say that. But surely on balance, and by whatever metric, you would have to say that over the last couple of decades at least, United have been a 'bigger' club - cup success, tenure in the SPL, gate (agree, not much), player budgets, presumably his salary, European games (largely falling at the first hurdle). I would respectfully suggest that if you think otherwise, you may have a partizan view.

Not only are fans aware that if a bigger club than us comes calling we may lose JM, we EXPECT it. The board have used this 'springboard' as a strategy to get players - that's the way of the world and we had it recently with Craig Levien.

 

Hopefully you WILL come to Tannadice next season - you'll be welcome.

 

I agree with a lot of that; however for me it's things like the play-off defeat and the goading of some of the Utd fans that night, which had ramifications for us for years.

 

Then we had Scott Paterson, Archibald and James Grady poached from us.

 

Add the handball in the cup defeat from a couple of years back and its understandable why most Thistle fans don't care much for Utd.

 

As you say if anyone thinks its a bigger move then they would do the same. Personally I'm disappointed in Jackie because I think he's capable of bigger and better than Utd and expected him to go in the summer, not potentially screw up a great project this season.

 

And Dundee is a shitehole. That should be enough in itself!!!!!

 

[smernicki]

One set of fans goads another set of fans at a play off game? Unheard of!

Well, it's shame you think that, but I still hope you do OK.

[chunky jag]

1876 jag - you're forgetting Chiarini!!

[twinny]

One set of fans goads another set of fans at a play off game? Unheard of!

Well, it's shame you think that, but I still hope you do OK.

 

Football fans can have very long memories. They also attribute defeat to the wrong thing on many occasions (referee vs opposition). Many of us have a deep dislike (I don't want to say hate as that word can be saved for a certain two clubs we share a city with) for Dundee United because of the playoff in 1996. I only started going to games in 1997, so I'm not as bitter. However you can't argue that we can't be pissed off that our manager has left half way through a potential league and cup double winning season, especially when previous young managers to win those trophies have earned moves to the English Championship. Although a move to Dundee Utd is certainly a step up, we all felt that McNamara was capable of an even bigger step up.

[Third Lanark]

DUFC Fan in peace.

Firstly - I'm sorry you are losing a good manager. I'm sure it's of little consolation, but I think we are lucky to have him. He sounds like a thoroughly decent guy who players like, and I'm excited to see what happens under him with players like Russel, GMS, Armstrong and up and coming talent like Dow and Gould.

I also undersand how disappointed PTFC fans will be. I have felt the same when great players and managers move on from my team.

Having nosy'd about your board it's great to see the quality of some of the chat. But it's a wee bit disappointing to see a few comments that were barbed towards United. Maybe that's the rawness of the moment, but I always thought Thistle fans to be pretty balanced (and in fairness, most of the comments here are). But United are a bigger club, may well qualify for Europe again for (I think ) the 4th season in a row, and are actually (contrary to some suggestion) on a pretty decent financial keel - hence the departure of Houston. So, as they say in the hood "Don't hate the player, hate the game". Finally, I think our chairmans comments were not very well worded - I think the work behind the scenes he's referring to was most likely trying to identify contenders - he's pretty honourable, which is why Sevco hate us - and I do not believe there has been any tapping up going on.

Good luck for the season - I hope this doesn't derail you and we'll welcome to you Tannadice next season.

Nothing against you personally mate but your club in the last few years:

Stabbed us in the back with the 10,000 seats rule along with other clubs of course

Insisted on keeping the ridiculous one up one down rule in the SPL

Last time we played you in the cup rallied round your player who punched the ball into the net ie cheated and moaned at Thistle for being sore losers in 2010

Have now pinched the best Manager we have had in over 10 years

Will now be pinching our best players

 

So realistically dont be too surprised to see a bit of anger from Jags fans just now

[briogadh]

Cant believe this..sorry not had time to read any previous posts..but I only heard on the STV news half an hour ago.

 

I'm astounded the jags board let him talk to him in the first place....quite angry at this....actually hope sevco pump them on saturday never thought I'd ever say that.

 

Need some time to gather my thoughts

As the late mr Winter would say, " Calm down dears". Been a Jags man all my life and seen many managers come and go - usually as sackings, with an absolute mess left behind in terms of the playing squad. Maybe we're making progress - our management team is so succesful they are attracted by higher wages to ply their trade at a higher level. Something which despite our obvious disappointment, we would all probably do, difficult as it is to admit it. As I see it the club is in a better state player wise than for years. The ball is firmly in the hands of the Boars of Directors. If we want to hang on to skilful players until offers come in which simply cannot be refused they have somehow to be paid wages which are really competitive with the rest of comparable clubs, which we are constantly been told is not the case.

[potty trained]

If we lost the league and cup, what options would he have had in the summer?

 

He had a window of opportunity to move to far bigger club and he took it. How he went about opening that window, as I've said before, is the issue I had.

 

Lets not kid ourselves on here, he had no loyalty to the club, had an outstanding 6 months which earned him a move.

 

What's important is how we move on from this, we need to appoint a manager who will continue the work he started, and has the mind for a title fight.

 

 

[watties wallies]

If we lost the league and cup, what options would he have had in the summer?

 

He had a window of opportunity to move to far bigger club and he took it. How he went about opening that window, as I've said before, is the issue I had.

 

Lets not kid ourselves on here, he had no loyalty to the club, had an outstanding 6 months which earned him a move.

 

What's important is how we move on from this, we need to appoint a manager who will continue the work he started, and has the mind for a title fight.

 

good post

 

lets face it he or sid cant be short of a bob or two

 

i thought that he would certainly move on at the end of this season (probably to a bigger club than united) but going maybe at the first offer and in the middle of a title chasing season is really hard to stomach

 

however i do wish him well in his future managerial career but its still bloody hard to take

 

roll on saturday

[Winter of '63]

If we lost the league and cup, what options would he have had in the summer?

 

He had a window of opportunity to move to far bigger club and he took it. How he went about opening that window, as I've said before, is the issue I had.

 

Lets not kid ourselves on here, he had no loyalty to the club, had an outstanding 6 months which earned him a move.

 

What's important is how we move on from this, we need to appoint a manager who will continue the work he started, and has the mind for a title fight.

 

McNamara's agent is Darren Jackson...who is a former Dundee United player. I don't have any insider knowledge, but my guess is that these connections are how things work in football, not through ambiguous comments in newspaper articles.

 

It's really galling that it seems to have been a really close call for United between McNamara and Pressley when we have outclassed Falkirk twice this year and by all accounts most Falkirk fans would have paid compensation to get rid of their manager

 

As you say, the most important thing is to get the right man in to continue the momentum.