Partick Thistle boss Gary Caldwell plays down Firhill turmoil

Crisis? What crisis? Partick Thistle and their supporters have lurched from one shattering development to another in recent weeks, but manager Gary Caldwell is doing his best to maintain that he and his players are unaffected by the seemingly endless stream of negative news from the Energy Check Stadium.

Gary Caldwell does not believe Partick's results will be affected by losing the team bus for away games. Picture: SNS

Thistle host Championship pacesetters Dundee United tonight but that was, unsurprisingly, the subject which Caldwell discussed for the shortest period of time in his press conference on Thursday.

It has been a summer of discontent in Maryhill, with a boardroom coup followed by talk of a takeover of the Jags by Chinese-American billionaire Chien Lee. That uncertainty led Thistle’s major benefactor, Lottery winner Colin Weir, to announce this week that he would no longer provide funding for the club.

At the same time, as part of a cost-cutting measure, Thistle have decided that players will no longer be transported to away games in Arbroath, Dundee, Dumfries and Inverness.

Caldwell tried to put a positive spin on this move, claiming it could help to toughen up Partick’s pampered professionals and provide them with some driving ambition.

“I don’t know how many times we’ll not use the team bus,” he said. ”I think Kenny Miller answered it well yesterday when he said that, as players, you get on with it. 
“Is it easier if we’ve got a team bus? Yes it is. But in the modern day we probably do too much for players and sometimes they have an easy life when things are put on a plate for them.

“We want players at this club to make decisions – be responsible and accountable – so if they have to drive a car to a 
stadium then so be it; they will do it. Ultimately, it doesn’t affect the result. The performance last week wasn’t poor because we didn’t go to the game in a bus. The players know that and are responsible enough to take that on board.”

Caldwell also insisted that the turmoil in the boardroom will not filter into the dressing room. “I don’t think it’s that difficult because the players don’t get involved in the storm that surrounds us in the media world and the social media world,” he said. “As long as they know they’re playing and that they’ll be paid at the end of the month then they don’t concern themselves too much with the politics of the football club.

“My own perspective is that I’ve got a massive game to prepare for and I need to make sure that the team is ready to win on Friday night.”

While admitting that losing the team bus was “not ideal”, Caldwell claimed that the club are in rude financial health.

“I’m lucky to have been involved in board meetings here and the finances of this club – from what I can tell with my limited knowledge of balance sheets and numbers – are very good,” he said.

“But that’s not my side and I can’t concern myself with that; I need to concentrate on making us successful and getting promoted.

“So, from what I’ve seen, the finances are good but it’s not my responsibility to decide what that is. I just have to use it as best I can.”