Erskine will always be a legend at Thistle... but we need to change this squad
WHATEVER the criticisms of Gary Caldwell’s tenure at Partick Thistle, he cannot be accused of lacking the necessary bravery to do things his own way.
Allowing iconic winger Chris Erskine to join Livingston earlier this week was never going to be a positive PR move in the eyes of supporters already deeply concerned by a run of one win in three months.
When Erskine tweeted that Thistle ‘will always be my team’, the responses underlined the immense affection in which he is held — and the anger at his absence from Caldwell’s plans.
The former Scotland defender appreciates those feelings. Yesterday, he delivered a glowing testimony to Erskine’s career at Firhill, but insisted his exit was part of an essential process of change.
Caldwell has faith in his plan for the January window. Half-a-dozen new additions have already been recruited, with the departure of Erskine (below) opening the door to further reinforcement. The end result will, the manager claims, leave Thistle with a squad ready to secure Championship survival.
While recent draws against Dundee United and Falkirk offered positives in terms of performance levels, Partick are now seven points from safety. It’s stating the blindingly obvious to say positive momentum is rapidly required — starting in today’s Scottish Cup encounter against Stranraer at Firhill.
Victory could be a launch-pad towards a brighter future. Becoming a victim of League One opposition? Well, Caldwell will be wise enough to know that would heap fresh pressure on his shoulders and amplify grumbling about Erskine’s move.
‘Look, I think it is always a difficult decision letting go a player of his quality and his standing at the club,’ the 36-year-old said.
‘Ultimately, I have to make these decisions and try to change the results that have happened over a number of months at this club. He will always be welcome back here. He is, and always will be, a club legend.
‘These decisions are all football decisions. I am sure the fans love him and will always love him. I just think it was a time at which we needed change.
‘I’m sure he will do well at Livingston. But we need to change this squad and affect this squad in a quick period of time. It can’t take months and months. It has to happen quickly and we will get players in who will make us better this month.
‘We are not like Man City or Liverpool where we can just keep spending. We have to balance the books somewhere.
‘Obviously, within that, certain players have to leave to help us to do that. This was an opportunity that allowed us to bring more players in. I think there will be at least two more coming in, but possibly more.’
Appointed on October 15, Caldwell stated there would be no overnight fix to a long-term decline that saw Thistle relegated from the Premiership last term and cost Alan Archibald his job. What happens this month could well be decisive.
‘I have come here months before a window and that brings its own challenges because you want to change things and you can’t,’ he said.
‘What that time did allow was for us to have a clear plan in place come day one of the window. We will continue to follow that plan until the end. ‘So far it has stood us in good stead and, coming out of the window, I think we will be a much stronger squad, capable of achieving our goals. ‘Myself and the board knew a long time ago what was needed and we are hopefully in the process of finalising that in the last two weeks of the window. ‘The new squad we have assembled is unbeaten. It probably should have had more than two points but the new guys have not had that losing feeling yet. That can only help in terms of trying to build momentum.’ Winning for the first time since December 8 would clearly be the best way to alter the wider mood around Thistle. Equally, though, Stranraer will arrive at Firhill sensing an opportunity.
‘With the games we’ve had in the league and the position we are in, this gives us a bit of respite from that,’ added Caldwell. ‘But the focus remains the same, the preparation remains the same.
‘I always think a cup run can affect league form in a positive way. We have to look at this as an opportunity to win, to hopefully get that cup run and something that can galvanise our league form as well.
‘We prepare exactly the same way whether we are playing Celtic or Rangers, a Championship team or Stranraer. We have watched them and had detailed analysis reports on their last four or five games.’