GG Riva Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 It`s not always easy to look at the bigger picture, particularly after a disappointing result, especially at home. Progress is synonymous with improvement. It`s not always linear and in football, it often has bumps along the way. The important thing is to be able to look back and see that the club is in a better place than it was than, say a year ago. When James McPake was appointed, we had just been relegated. Today, we are 4th in the Championship. Nobody can deny that we are heading in an upward direction, and therefore progress is being made. Minimum progress would be consolidation of our Championship status by avoiding relegation. I`m sure the club`s ambition will be to finish in the top 4 and earn a shot at promotion via the playoffs. If we don`t manage to achieve that this season, I would expect us to improve on that next season and either gain promotion or go very close, as Partick did last season. If we keep improving, year on year, we will reach the Premiership. After that, we build a squad that can compete in the top flight, and every Pars fan will be happy..... Or maybe not. 🤔 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the saline hill puma Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 Since the new owners have arrived we haven't made any progress on the park. We have taken two steps back and one forward. We are pretty much back in the same position Alan Johnston got us too in his first season up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Eleven Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) We’ve only qualified for the Premiership playoffs twice since administration, both times from 4th spot. That means we are currently doing as well as we have since we stopped massively overspending. James McPake has built this side from the bones of one of the worst performing teams during that time period and he’s doing it with a focus on young players with lots of potential. That’s definitely progress over the past eighteen months and hopefully this will continue with the benefit of the new training facility. Edited December 17, 2023 by Number Eleven 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livipar2 Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 Young players on long term deals. If Todd keeps scoring I’d expect interest in him soon. And Otoo just gets better every week. Chuck in KRH, Fisher, Edwards, McCann etc. when was the last time we had so many good young players. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmcno1 Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 Depends how you measure “progress”, what metrics and timescales. On pitch, from when McPake took over to now, very different in terms of results. At the very least I know that the players he puts on the park are well drilled and are committed to doing their best. At worst we look a mid table championship team with a few issues that we’re working on. So that’s progress in comparison to where he started. But is it progress compared to Crawfords last season? Up for debate. Progress compared to AJs 2nd last season? Again debatable. Where McPake may have the edge is there are more players with potential to grow. What May restrict him is his loyalty to a couple of those who aren’t producing right now. Off the pitch though the saline hill puma has a point. We now have more paid staff (non playing) than we’ve had since administration and we have a building site of a training facility. Otherwise in terms of measuring output, we are indeed exactly where we were when they came in with regard to league standing, having spent time going backwards. The plans all sound good but right now you can see why the detractors are so minded. Nisbet money has come and gone into cash flow so that’s no longer a “nest egg” as revealed at last supporters forum. “Significant losses” were incurred by our time in league 1. Conclusions could include that we haven’t in fact progressed at all since the new owners came in. If anything taking into account losses and erosion of cash flow, potentially gone backwards? Once the training facility is complete and the changes to the professionalism of the commercial operation come through with increased revenue, we could then argue for progression. It’s certainly not a “black and white science”. sorry 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al k Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 There's been improvement on and off the field no doubt. We are a middle table team, had a very poor window in terms of our attack. A few bumps but since our relegation its been upwards. 4th would be a great finish and didn't think we would be near that especially after our injuries. The games against the top 3 show theres a gulf hopefully we can narrow that in the next year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan Army Par Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 The core of young players on long deals are certainly progress from 18 months ago. I'm really happy with that side of things. I do think the next part of our development is to get better quality established players. Think there a few on 2 year deals that are not going to take us any further. Due to the length of these contracts, it may take us a bit of time to improve those options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelty_par Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 I said yesterday there was a gulf to the top 3, certainly our results have been poor but both United and rovers games in the league we 100% should’ve took points from all 4 games. Partick at firhill fair enough we were well beat but yesterday i didn’t think Partick were up to much we just gifted 2 goals 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secure Par Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 We’re sitting 4th in the league with 3 x CB’s out, one being our captain who is highly influential on the team. Building has started on a state of the art academy to have all outlets training from youth to top team level take place. The club is looking at long term sustainability where Raith are doing what we did all those years ago and look at where we ended up? we will get the decent times back👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Riva Posted December 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 11 hours ago, the saline hill puma said: Since the new owners have arrived we haven't made any progress on the park. We have taken two steps back and one forward. We are pretty much back in the same position Alan Johnston got us too in his first season up How far back do you want to go? Are you just looking to put a negative spin on an optimistic thread? we have had 3 managers in between AJ and JMcP, none of whom were highly successful, though Stevie Crawford wasn't the disaster that Grant and Hughes undoubtedly were. McPake took over a squad that had just been relegated, led us to immediate promotion and now has us sitting in a play-off position. The progress is undeniable. Given the injuries he's had, the progress is remarkable, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secure Par Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 Ah but you have to remember we have a board now that is in place that are businessmen and not what we had before… nothing against mcarthur but he knew he had to get someone in to take the club forward. We had that Covid nonsense so that put the club 2 years behind again so from what I see and read the club is on the right path. It will take time(and money) but as a club the pars are definitely on the way forward with visions on where they want to be in 4/5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 9 minutes ago, Secure Par said: We’re sitting 4th in the league with 3 x CB’s out, one being our captain who is highly influential on the team. Building has started on a state of the art academy to have all outlets training from youth to top team level take place. The club is looking at long term sustainability where Raith are doing what we did all those years ago and look at where we ended up? we will get the decent times back👍 state of the art academy? sorry I must have missed some details, right now all we are looking to put in is a 4g pitch, which would match the facilities of about 20 Scottish clubs who provide that within their stadiums. Even the original plans weren't that great, it was always going to leave us well behind elite status with the consequences of that. 8 minutes ago, GG Riva said: How far back do you want to go? Are you just looking to put a negative spin on an optimistic thread? we have had 3 managers in between AJ and JMcP, none of whom were highly successful, though Stevie Crawford wasn't the disaster that Grant and Hughes undoubtedly were. McPake took over a squad that had just been relegated, led us to immediate promotion and now has us sitting in a play-off position. The progress is undeniable. Given the injuries he's had, the progress is remarkable, It really really isn't, He had a squad largely capable of championship football and has, with a few unremarkable additions got them playing at that standard. Just cos grant and hughes were utter pathetic failures and made these players look much worse than their abilities doesn't suddenly make mcpake a messiah. He's doing fine, and given how cut-throat management is fine is a reasonable standard, but lets not get overexcited over it, there's still a lot of improvements we must make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secure Par Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 @parsforlife who has its own training academy outside the top league where all teams from youth to first team train?Kelty Hearts? There is also grass pitches there and it will take time but imo that’s a massive advantage. The club is in a better place as there has been a structure put it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 2 minutes ago, Secure Par said: @parsforlife who has its own training academy outside the top league where all teams from youth to first team train?Kelty Hearts? There is also grass pitches there and it will take time but imo that’s a massive advantage. The club is in a better place as there has been a structure put it. Every single club with a 3g pitch already has a facility where everyone trains, ok we're building one away from the stadium, which has small advantages that we can keep a grass pitch and not ruin it with over training but its not exactly a big draw to first team players. Not interested in clubs outside the top flight, that's where we should be pushing to be and we need to compare our background structures compared to them. If we want to attract the best young talent we need a facility that at least matches these clubs. 4 years ago we were an underperforming championship club with a performance academy to draw from, now? we are the same and unless we address either or both points we can't be happy. 16 minutes ago, Secure Par said: Ah but you have to remember we have a board now that is in place that are businessmen and not what we had before… nothing against mcarthur but he knew he had to get someone in to take the club forward. We had that Covid nonsense so that put the club 2 years behind again so from what I see and read the club is on the right path. It will take time(and money) but as a club the pars are definitely on the way forward with visions on where they want to be in 4/5 years. Covid? every single club in the world went through that, it can't be used as an excuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the saline hill puma Posted December 17, 2023 Report Share Posted December 17, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, GG Riva said: How far back do you want to go? Are you just looking to put a negative spin on an optimistic thread? we have had 3 managers in between AJ and JMcP, none of whom were highly successful, though Stevie Crawford wasn't the disaster that Grant and Hughes undoubtedly were. McPake took over a squad that had just been relegated, led us to immediate promotion and now has us sitting in a play-off position. The progress is undeniable. Given the injuries he's had, the progress is remarkable, Ohhh sorry for upsetting you with not being totally positive with several bang average seasons. Getting back out league one and sitting mid table in the championship is certainly anything but remarkable. It's back to same place we started when the new board arrived. Edited December 18, 2023 by the saline hill puma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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