bdu98196

Abject performance all season, not a leader and not a leader by example yet rewarded with the distinction of being club captain - shambles.

All these new calls now for foran to go - he won't. The signs were there since Hamilton away and loosing 3-0 - then we looked awful and we're heading to relegation. 3 months on nothing has really changed, another pathetic defeat but we still aren't relegated yet. Those of us who had seen the signs and made the comments earlier under criticism are not resigned to how it is.

As much as I'm a foran critic and expect us to go down I still stand by my thoughts that if we win both home games and beat Dundee we will make the play off. Only issue is we look awful and probably won't win and other game this season.

While we are now at the crunch time and every game is key, in some ways if we even get a point then its a good result - I think staying up will depend on getting home wins in both games against Hamilton & Motherwell and beating Dundee at Dens, obviously the more points outwith that we get the better but County will probably be our hardest game. I'd also question whether OFW has the confidence or is deserving of being in goal, while he has been inconsistent all season with mistakes, I think they are becoming more frequent and that doesn't help an already unstable defence. Lacking any young, hungry keeper on the bench, then does Esson come into the team or do we just stay with OFW and hope for the best. Fisher needs to start, with McKay just off him - he's our 'form' striker having scored a brace in the last game, Billy isn't on a great run of form but if fit needs to start. I expect Vigurs to start if fit along with Tansey & Draper in a central midfield 3, no pace or creativity but I think the influence of MM will be that we have to defend and have a tight unit. Wont be a shock if we go to 'park the bus' - clean sheet, get a point and if we can nick a goal somewhere. Fon Williams Raven Laing Mckay McCart McNaughton Vigurs Draper Tansey Fisher McKay

Who knows the reasons, perhaps with Rice being out of contract in the summer he may be offski and perhaps MM has always been earmarked by RF as his assistant so was going to be coming in anyway. I'm not exactly a fan of RF as manager, the rest of the management team and their contribution or even the board and their handling of this - my posts indicate as much but being pragmatic we need to improve and clearly the management we have cant get our defence organised so perhaps bringing in a 3rd party with experience and knowledge of the players may work - at this stage we have little to loose, not like we can fall any further.

Is this officially announced? It's experience at least, knows a few of the players and might be able to organise a defence. Hopefully him and Rice can work together and its not a battle of egos. Worried that its possibly too late though and question why nobody looked at this earlier - 3-0 defeat at Hamilton for me would have been the time.

Anyone who saw us play DUtd last season or watched any other of their games are not surprised - infact the signing of Anier to start with was a shock as he's just not up to this level. He might do better in the Championship but I'd be reluctant to waste another contract on him.

Interestingly odd, they didn't think Hartley could stop their slide with his experience and overlook managers who have worked in the top flight with various success for a TV pundit with no experience at all - perhaps the Hartley sacking wasn't just about on the park but business movements off it too. I'm now less worried about a turn around at Dundee than I was when I heard they were making a change - we need to push hard and pick up 3 points at home V Hamilton and anything else we can scrape before we visit Dens - that could be a huge game now. I've been supportive on here of Hughes, but he's gone and I wouldn't want him back. it's really saddening that every time we talk about managers or players there's so many posts calling for old names to return. People left for a reason, lets not forget them but concentrate on the future and moving on - very seldom do returning persons make the same impact as first time round - partially due to a bit of 'rose tinited glasses' but also the increased expectations - much like a breaking band and the awkward 2nd album syndrome.

While the decision for a goal was wrong and OFW did make a save, it doesn't change the fact he was liable for the 2nd Motherwell goal and like many times this year should have done better and been in a better position.

He has shown some promising signs and I'm sure in the Championship he would get us goals which is what we will need - however he has also had bad injuries and spent time not being available. Currently we don't have a lot of striking options for next season so I'd be inclined to agree, but would rather wait til the season is over as I think if we stay in the Premiership (however unlikely) as we will need to do a series overhaul in many areas.

Partially agree, but we shouldn't be just resigned to accepting what's going on, as fans and ultimately paying the clubs wages we deserve to ask questions of why Foran has been 'hung out to dry' - inexperienced on a long term deal, yet no real indication from the board. Are they happy and we view next year as a chance to rebuild and transition or whether they expected to stay up in which case when it became apparent (3-0 defeat to Hamilton for me) that they never looked certain, bolster the management team to help him. There's fans questioning the renewal of season tickets - some because we are being relegated (which is fickle yet inevitable) but more worryingly some because they don't understand the direction of the club, how its being run and where the longer term plan is - so perhaps theres good reasons folks are getting worked up about it all.

When you look back at the first few early pages of this thread from almost 4 years ago, its a worry that these names will be suggested again. Many were horrific options then and worse now.

With all the positivity in the world, I'd expect the results to be defeats away to County & Killie, an utter sh*tfest draw against Dundee, loose or draw to Hamilton then we will win comfortably last game of the season against Motherwell when its all too little too late and everyone will say its a positive sign for next season and RF has shown in that 1 game he could turn it round and we are unlucky with ref's, injuries and inexperience.

After watching Sportscene last night, the most impressive thing about us is the blind faith some fans still have in RF - such patience and acceptance of how crap we are - its admirable yet somewhat signs of denial, I'm not clear what or why some hold RF is such high regard as other managers have been hounded out of our club for doing better. Defence is a shambles, OFW looks shot - no confidence and no form - he has to be dropped, he is clearly affecting the back line. We cant create and still persist with the Draper - Tansey - Vigurs midfield which doesn't work. Sadly nothing seems to change, if anything we are getting worse each week. I get that some look at the freefall Dundee and think we can catch them, but where will we pick up 2 -3 wins this season, we are playing teams that have more fight, confidence and momentum.

It was mentioned last season when he went on loan from Aberdeen to County - Some quarters had us as being potential club then and also for at the end of that season, fortunately he was crap at County and we'd never have managed to afford him at that time

Post match interview suggests to me RF has lost it, pressure is getting to him. Coming out and blaming the players - he picks the team and the formation that doesnt work, blaming officials for destroying our chances, yes a bad decision may have lost us 1 game, but we arent going down due to one bad result - anyone who genuinely is latching onto this is deluded. Yet again the uncertainty of the position is in question, he said it never affected the dressing room but it has to - the board should have given a defined statement that they back him during the week - he couldnt answer that question in the interview - yes he loves the club and the city but doesnt know if he has the support of his employers. Worrying times all round.

While this is a must not loose game, we also need to be assertive and aggressive - Motherwell haven't won at home in 6 or 7 games, so if they loose an early goal then the fans may turn on them. We need to sit solid at the back with Draper holding infront with Tansey & Polly paying centrally and play attacking wingers who will run at and pass the man for crosses into the box. Formation needs to be 4-1-4-1

'To get the best out of what remains' do you not think it would be beneficial for the club (board) to make a defined statement then? Either stating they are backing the manager and have faith in his ability - thus stopping all the media pressure and speculation which is only fuelling the fan unrest with it? As you state highly important games yet there is a growing air of uncertainty now around RF so how can we expect the players to focus when they've struggled most of the season before the pressure really started to build - make a statement and put everyone's mind at rest so they can fully focus on what needs done on the park. You seem to suggest that the team is consistently not performing well, yet provide no position other than looking to prefer the status quo and have the board ignore the unrest and situation they have created. I have to agree with RiG there is a lack of leadership shown on the park and off it appears not much better - nobody seems keen to step up, show fight and take control of this situation.

The club has been in this situation for months with declining performances and results, the board have shirked the issue of growing discontent from fans, if anything a statement should have been made much sooner outlining why the board are happy with the performance of Foran and what the aims are for this season or even the duration of his contract. They have ignored what's been going on and now we are in a situation where the fans and media are now all on RF back and if anything he is wilting under the pressure - not only the results aren't going his way but every move is being scrutinised and tactical decision. If you really think that producing wishy-washy statements, avoiding the issues all in the hope of 'dampening down the issue' is acceptable you're on your own. Its time for the board to stand up now, its all over national media that RF is being discussed by the club - they need a concrete statement either backing him to the hilt and quashing this additional pressure or sack him now instead of leaving him floundering like a lone & lost figure carrying the weight of expectation and blame from all sources. This needs done ASAP, if they back him all the speculation disappears and him & the players concentrate on Saturday, otherwise everyone is around the club wondering what's going to happen. This like the Hughes departure is becoming a farce.

Fully agree, why are these guys not getting on the bench and some time on the park - especially when we have a team of under performers and our recruitment over several seasons has been poor, can these guys be really much worse than Horner, Anier, Ebbe or other brought in? If they are deemed not good enough or ready then why are they not on loan to lower division clubs? If they aren't even good enough for loans then there has to be fundamental questions asked why our youth set-up doesn't yield players of any quality.

Calls for replacements such as football dinosaurs such as this, Calderwood, Jocky Scott etc make me cringe almost as much as the continual calls for ex-ICT managers to return although achieving little in the game after their short, successful stints many years ago. Clearly the gamble of inexperienced manager doesn't always pay off such as with RF so far, yet as a club we shouldn't be afraid to keep being brave and giving new ideas a chance - but we need to also be proactive enough to recognize when this doesn't work and keep moving forwards rather than stagnate or even regress. There's young managers out there looking for their step up from lower leagues who at least have some experience but are ready for a bigger stage to try their luck - look at guys who could be on the way up, not those on their way down.

Another 2 months gone and nothing has changed, although I see more noises on here now against Foran's continued tenure and no longer feel like a lone voice. With our terrible form this season and lack of positive results and performances, the board must see or sense the frustration that has been brewing from the fans, yet they are either ignorant to this and our contribution to the club or are so distant from the fans remain oblivious. Any other club with such a poor run of form the fans could rightly have expected the board to make a statement - while some suggest it as a 'vote of confidence' its at least an explanation of the clubs position, manager support or outlining a longer plan however ignoring the fans and the discord and the lack of any statements dont even suggest they are publicly willing to speak out in the support of RF. As the paying fans who keep the club afloat we deserve to know if the board are happy with RF, then why and what is the long term plan and aims for the coming years of his contract.

Really? We're bad enough with the professionals that play week in, week out without removing someone for Richie's ego to get a boost and have a crock who's had about 90mins of football over 3 years have a run out. Too many on here seem to think he was a playing messiah, he was average at best with a bad temperament at times and was as likely to get sent off or injured as he was to score. Pulling on his boots is not the answer to this situation.

In addition to the poor tactics, random selections and bizarre formations , RF has lost the dressing room, players behave with that level of petulant dissent because they get away with it and want it of the situation. It's been clear since we started poorly earlier in the season and then had a player meeting and change of tactics to get our first win - I'm not seeing where the experienced guys like Warren, Raven, Tansey and now even Draper fight and play like they used to - everyone is disillusioned - good team turns crap overnight has all the smell of Chelsea last year when they wanted the boss out. Sadly our board still won't act, RF out and I wouldn't be shocked to see and huge style snd results turn around.

4pts behind with 6 games left. We play our now closest rivals motherwell twice and need wins in both games just to hopefully get off the bottom spot. 1 win in 21 games until now and a team bereft of ideas and confidence. Foran should walk tonight and the club seek Rice to step up or tell him to go too and we see what happens, I think ithts safe too say he's lost the dressing room and the players, so sadly we need change now. The foran fan boys will say he can turn it round, he was a great player etc but in the last 3 years his only telling contribution to the club is to make us an on field shambles.