31/08/2007

Morton Sign Russell And Gardyne

After a day of wheeling and dealing and a will he wont he saga Morton have signed Brechin's Iain Russell (right) and Celtic's Michael Gardyne (left).


Centre forward Russell signed a three year deal with Brechin receiving £40,000. Russell won the SPFA 2nd division player of the year award last season after scoring 23 goals for Brechin as they finished fourth. 4 of Russell's 23 goals were scored against Morton in the form of two doubles. He has already scored 6 goals this term.

I've been impressed with Russell going back to his days with Dumbarton where in the 2004-05 season he was the clubs top scorer as well as their young player and senior player of the year. I think he'll turn out to be a very useful signing.

According to http://www.celticfc.net/ Michael Gardyne has signed on a free transfer. This was after the Greenock Telegraph website carried a story indicating Celtic had let the club down by demanding a transfer fee after agreeing to let him go without a fee.

Gardyne spent half of last season on loan at Ross County. Two of my younger brothers (one of whom lives in Inverness) went to watch Ross County play Gretna on the last day of last season. They both said that Gardyne was outstanding, the best player on the park and scored a brilliant goal. They didn't agree on where he played though. One said he played just off the main striker, the other said he played wide sometimes drifting in field. Either way lets hope they are right in their assertion he is a very good player.



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30/08/2007

Jim Happy At Morton

Jim McAlister has told the Greenock Telegraph's Chris Fitzgerald that he is happy to stay at Morton when asked about his feeling on the Motherwell enquiry.

McAlister mainly points to the fact that he wants to be playing first team football and he gets that at Morton.

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29/08/2007

At Least 2 In For Saturday

"I'll have at least two players in for Saturday's game against Queen of the South." - Jim McInally's words as quoted by Chris Fitzgerald in today's Greenock Telegraph.

McInally seems confident that we will have at least two new players before the deadline closes which sounds promising. However he says he doesn't want to mention any names. Here's hoping the players turn out to be of the standard that could see us challenging for the title.

Dougie Imrie will definiely not be one of the players brought in. The same article reveals that Morton made the highest (and only formal) offer but Clyde have rejected it.

Read the article here : http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=2&id=11392
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Does Rae Have Too Much Influence Over Transfers?

While reading today's Tele' I picked out a couple of comments by Douglas Rae that concerned me. On Motherwell's enquiry about Jim McAlister Rae is quoted as saying : "It is myself and Jim who decide on transfers." and "No player at this club is for sale anyway."

Now it might just be me but there is no way Douglas Rae should be involved in deciding on transfers. Jim McInally should be left to identify players and decide who we should sell . The only part Douglas Rae should play is providing the funds to assist his manager in acquiring players he thinks could improve his team. Neither should Rae have the authority to decide that no one at Cappielow is for sale. If Jim McInallys decides a bid for a player is acceptable that's his decision, not the chairmans. Especially if the manager feels it would free up wages or provide additional funds for a player he would like to bring to the club.


In the past I have heard rumours that Alex Williams and Chris Templeman were signed not by the manager but by Douglas Rae. Also, this summer Jim McInally explicitly said that he didn't think Paul McGowan was worth more than £50,000 and that the deal was dead. A couple of days later Morton made a bid of £80,000 with a 25% sell on clause. Now that doesn't prove anything and it certainly doesn't confirm the rumours that the chairman signed Templeman and / or Williams but it does seem slightly suspicious that McInally says the deal is dead yet we make another bid.

It would also seem that I'm not alone in my thinking. A couple of letters in the Terrace Talk section of today's Greenock Telegraph appear to make the same point. You can read two of the letters by clicking on the images below to enlarge.
















Hopefully Jim McInally is allowed to identify his own targets without Douglas Rae being involved in deciding on transfers - as he has said himself - as we really need them before the transfer window closes on Friday night. We especially need players who the manager has belief in, not just players who the manager and chairman agree upon.
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McAlister Not For Sale

On Sunday the News Of The World claimed that Motherwell were interested in Morton winger Jim McAlister and that they would be prepared to offer Martyn Corrigan and cash. An article by Roger Graham and Chris Fitzgerald in today's Greenock Telegraph confirms that Motherwell did make an enquiry but they were told that Jim wasn't for sale.

The article quotes Motherwell boss (and ex-Morton player) Mark McGhee who admits that he made an enquiry but that it was knocked back.

The Tele' also spoke to Douglas Rae who seemed upset at the way the enquiry was made. The article ends with a quote from Rae, who says : "We're trying to build a team here, not dismantle one. I doubt Motherwell could afford Jim McAlister." It would seem that any bid for a Morton player would have to be an offer we couldn't refuse.

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26/08/2007

Motherwell Want McAlister

In today's News Of The World Kenny MacDonald writes a small article (pictured - click to enlarge) that says :

"Motherwell are set to swoop for Morton midfielder Jim McAlister. The new Fir Park boss Mark McGhee has been keeping tabs on the 21-year old and has been impressed. Now he's ready to make a cash-plus-player deal to land McAlister with the experienced Martyn Corrigan a likely candidate to head in the opposite direction."

I've followed McAlister's fortunes closely since he signed for us and after a few reserve matches I was convinced he'd make it and not just at Morton but at a higher level. Last season he blew hot and cold but he has produced some exceptional performances in his Morton career so far. Most notably Dumbarton away a couple of season ago and Dunfermline away this season.

As much as I like Jim I think this could be a good move for both parties. Corrigan is just what we need and I think it's probably about time Jim moved on to the next level in his career. The cash - depending on how much it is- will sweeten the deal.
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Morton 0 - 2 Hamilton

Morton 0
Hamilton Academical 2 - Offiong (52, 66 pen)

Att - 3,189

League leaders Hamilton maintained their 100% record with a pretty comfortable win at Cappielow on Saturday.

Morton started with the same line up as the one that took the field against Stirling Albion last week but with Jamie Stevenson supporting Chris Templeman in a more attacking role. If anything this performance was less impressive than that one.

We were disjointed and looked to have no particular game plan. The midfield were anonymous and we had nothing up front. The transfer deadline is looming and going on this showing at least two signings are a must.

Our only real efforts on goal were a fierce volley over the top by Stevenson, a Stewart Greacen header comfortably saved by Halliwell and a few weak efforts straight at the keeper by Templeman - who appears to be a striker who cant shoot, every effort seems to be really weak unless he has the chance to swivel his body to get power behind the shot.

Hamilton took the lead in 52 minutes when Stewart Greacen -who was having a good much up until this point- made two vital errors. His first was a sliced clearance that allowed Gilhaney to cut in on the left and cut back for Offiong to head home. Greacen should have been marking Offiong but allowed him to hang back for a cut back while Greacen kept running forward without checking where the striker had gone. There's no point putting in great performances for the majority of the match and then just switching off and costing your team a goal.

Hamilton's and Offiong's second came from the penalty spot. Jay Shields was chasing Offiong in on goal but Shields didn't have the pace to keep up so he attempted a slide tackle from the side to dispossess the league's top scorer. It was a stone wall penalty and for me a definite red card. I can never understand fans who clap off a player who has just been sent off. Especially when he foolishly just ensured that his team had lost the match. Offiong cooly dispatched the penalty to confirm my pre-match predicition he would be the key man in this match and to make his tally for the season 6 goals in 6 matches.



We have until Friday to bring in new players. Our moves in the transfer market in the coming week will make or break our season.

Morton (4-4-2):

1. Robinson - 6
2. Shields - 5
3. Walker - 4 (14. McAnespie- 25 mins - 6)
4. Harding - 5
5. Greacen - 6
6. Keenan - 5
7. Millar - 5 (12.Finlayson - 55 mins)
8. Stevenson - 5 (16. Coakley - 55 mins)
9. Templeman - 5
10. Weatherson - 5
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:

15. Graham
20. McGurn

Booked : Templeman

Sent Off : Shields(65)

Hamilton : Halliwell, Parratt (McLeod 79), Elebert, McLaughlin (Gibson 72), Easton, McArthur, Swailes, McCarthy, Neil, Gilhaney, Offiong (Wake 72). Subs Not Used: Winters, Cerny

My man of the match : Jim McAlister

Sponsors man of the match : Stewart Greacen

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)














http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/6960783.stm
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25/08/2007

Beat The Bookie - Morton v Hamilton

Morton Win

Best :Ladbrokes - 5/4
Others : Tote - 6/5, Coral -6/5, William Hill - 6/5

Draw

Best : All - 5/2

Hamilton Win

Best : William Hill - 13/8
Other : Coral, Tote - 8/5, Ladbrokes - 6/4

Latest Betfair Odds :

Morton : Back - 2.6, Lay - 2.62
Draw : Back - 3.6, Lay - 3.7
Hamilton : Back - 2.9, Lay - 2.92

Odds taken from here : http://www.oddschecker.com/football/scottish/scottish-division-one/morton-v-hamilton/win-market

Internet Betting Odds (Decimal format) : http://www.betexplorer.com/soccer/scotland/scottish-1st-division-2007-2008/nextmatch.php?matchid=6238821
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