MacPherson leaves St Mirren

[DornochCaley]

Gus MacPherson is parting ways with St Mirren after almost seven years as manager with the Paisley club.

The Buddies avoided relegation to finish this season in 10th place in the Scottish Premier League.

A club statement read: "We would like to thank Mr MacPherson for all his work and the improvement in the club's league standing since his arrival.

"The board feel that the relationship had run its course and that the club requires a change of direction."

More to follow.

[Granty24]

Just heard on sky sports news he has gone.

Quite surprised. He took them so far.

[Granty24]

What are the chances eh. Same post in the same minute :)

[WYNESS101]

Thought he did quite a good job with them this season. Keeping them up in the SPL for another season and even beating celtic 4-0 was it?

[Harry Chibber]

relegation favourite.

[Granty24]

Didn't have a horrible season did he? Beat Celtic 4-0, league cup final and he avoided relegation which should be their main priority in the first place.

[AJS]

Strange decision to say the least.

[RossP]

What are the chances that they'll go after Terry then?

I reckon he'll be mentioned as a possible favourite by lazy journalists... St Mirren might even enquire about availability!?

BUT I AM 100% SURE THAT HE WOULD TURN THEM DOWN :)

[WYNESS101]

What are the chances that they'll go after Terry then?

Well i was thinking along the lines of adams and brewster?

[Scotty]

On P&B (which is essentially a St Mirren board that evolved to cover all Scottish football) the talk is of ...

McCall

Adams

Calderwood

Robbo

Paatelainen

McDowall

... no mention of Butcher (yet)

[kencar]

What are the chances that they'll go after Terry then?

I reckon he'll be mentioned as a possible favourite by lazy journalists... St Mirren might even enquire about availability!?

BUT I AM 100% SURE THAT HE WOULD TURN THEM DOWN :)

Don't think Butcher will be on there radar

What are the chances that they'll go after Terry then?

Well i was thinking along the lines of adams and brewster?

^^^

This

[Yngwie]

"The board feel that the relationship had run its course "

Sounds like there were personal differences.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Yngwie

[Scotty]

Adams would be a good shout. He is a decent manager and if he left Brewster behind County could attempt to win D2 again the season after next :)

[kencar]

Adams would be a good shout. He is a decent manager and if he left Brewster behind County could attempt to win D2 again the season after next ;)

Brewster getting the County job would be hilarious :)

[Fanoffooty]

Isnt Tony Mowbray looking for a job :)

[kencar]

"The board feel that the relationship had run its course "

Sounds like there were personal differences.

I'm sure I heard them mentioning on Radio Scotland that the board were looking to cut the player wage bill for next season

Going to tune in tonight to hopefully hear Chick Young go into meltdown :)

Edited May 11, 2010 by kencar

[AJS]

Isnt Tony Mowbray looking for a job :)

Mowbray is apparently in the running for the Coventry City job.

Would Gianfranco Zola conider moving from London to Paisley??

[caleyboy]

NO. Abotala Cola wouldn't move to that dump.

[ictchris]

I went to the last St Mirren game with John Coughlin as manager and also went to one of the first game under Gus McPherson and the difference was massive. Under Coughlin St Mirren looked bereft of belief and discipline. Caley simply walked through the Saints team, we won 4-0 and it could have been more. A couple of months later and we ran our luck (and Brian McGinty's awful finishing) to secure a point at home (we only lost one home game that season and won the league). St Mirren looked alert, sharp and focussed. They didn't have a very good squad but the change in the team was palpable.

As an outside observer it seems that after that McPherson looked to make St Mirren solid defensively and clinical up front, which they seem to have been. They won the First Division title with the fewest goals scored but the important part of that equation is the first part - they won the title. In the SPL McPherson's side seem to have always been relatively solid and stuffy, which is the best way to ensure SPL safety. They also had good 'bottle' in that they made several gutsy late efforts to avoid the drop (coming from 2-0 down to beat 'Well in 2007, winning away to Falkirk last season and getting a point a few weeks ago).

What I imagine has done for him is the perception of a lack of progress. St Mirren are a good prospect. They don't have historic debt, they have a relatively settled squad, they have a new stadium and facilities. They are exactly the sort of club that would look towards making a drive away from seasonal relegation fights and towards the top six. Perhaps the club think they need to change things in the dugout to make that leap and having seen Hamilton and St Johnstone outshine them this season, when neither club has a big financial advantage or better facilities, they have made their move.

Now it's a big choice for St MIrren - do they go for experience, which is all to often shorthand for failure, or do they take a risk on a younger manager, and end up like us or Falkirk? Perhaps they could look towards Dingwall where there's a young manager turning heads.

Edited May 11, 2010 by ictchris

[Kingsmills]

Seems to me that he did a very adaquate job with limited funds. I suspect that something must have gone on behind the scenes.

[Scotty]

yup - reading some of the comments on P&B seems Buddies fans were not a fan of the McPherson 'style' as you described, but definitely happy with the results he managed to grind out. Dont think you can really fault him that much ... he managed to get them to win ugly and stay up.

speculation there may be new owners on the horizon but none of it will do their pre-season any good which is good news for the rest of us.

[Johnboy]

I seem to recall a period between Robbo quitting, and Brewster's first appointment, when then chairman David Sutherland indicated during a radio interview, that he would be very pleased to hear from Gus McPherson regarding the vacant manager's position....

[Kingsmills]

Was he not the longest serving manager in the SPL ?

[RiG]

Was he not the longest serving manager in the SPL ?

Correct. Now Walter Smith is.

[Libero]

very suprised about the parting of ways. Dont know who St Mirren are gonna get that can do better than McPherson to be honest.

I reckon Brewster would do a cracking job for them