The mirror cracks

An entirely predictable January transfer window and no word from our 'owners' on conclusion of that or of the expiry of the contracts of the Methven gang - Scott, Roddick and Warrick.

Until this afternoon, that is, when Scott gave a brief window update to Rich Cawley which for me cracks the facade of three billionaire buyers or any pretense whatsoever of big money. 

First off, we need to remember he told us six weeks ago that he was here to supervise the transfer window and that there would be money to spend. He was as bold to tell us he wouldn't have accepted the job otherwise. Mystic Meg told us at New Year that the window would be a disappointment and another exercise in cost cutting. That is what we have just witnessed but Scott tried a massive bluff today.

He has claimed they are "generally happy with it" and that Dean Holden wanted to "cut the squad numbers because he couldn't train the way he wanted to." Scott said that having "five or six players involved who wouldn't be playing on matchday doesn't create a good culture." It will be interesting to see if Holden backs this because from what we have seen of him, it doesn't fit.

They have obviously had to think long and hard about how they could position a disapointing window which had definitely not left us stronger and this was the best they could muster. What a load of bullshit. How gullible do they think we are? Show me one other fair sized club in the country that maintains a small playing squad and claims it is good for morale/culture? Jose Mourinho broke the mould with a preference fora first team squad of 22. A couple more injuries and we could well be struggling again.

Indeed, one of the things we were told Holden did when he came in was to break up the dinner tables at Sparrows Lane that had become the preserve of the first team, U23's and the women's teams and get them all mixing. Now we are to believe he wants the 16 matchday squad players training on their own. 

Asked about his contract which expired on Tuesday, he tells us "it becomes a rolling contract if all parties agree." That's double-speak for he is out of contract and nothing has been sorted out. They knew this was coming and questions would be asked but it's not been addressed yet and you can guess why. Thomas Sandgaard has been taking some heat from fans and indirectly from Methven and Co so cannot be happy with takeover progress, so not hard to fathom why contracts have expired.

Scott has tried to maintain the facade of a ticking clock but nothing else supports that. He also claims they rebuffed offers for youngsters but I believe that was most likely because they haven't managed to complete their takeover and therefore Sandgaard wouldn't sanction it and they probably couldn't have agreed on how fees would affect the price for the club and who would pocket what.