bejazz1

Starting? This surprises me... I'm sure the claws are sharpening

I'm not sure myself. I was being a bit sarcastic as this is the type of appointment our BOD would succumb to.[emoji3]

This season has been really bad, as bad as it's been over the last decade. I have lost confidence in Houstie now. We are a poor team, no drive, energy or direction. The football is utter guff, more often than not relying on long throws, punt up the park etc. We have too many players and that is eating away at our budget. If I'm honest PH appears lost, I've listened to his most recent interviews on FTV and it appears he and some of the players are watching a different game from me. It's excuse after excuse about being unlucky, ref had a howler, every single game. We need change now to give us a lift to ensure we make the play offs but then again, is this ambition so important? For me if we scrape through it will give us an extra couple of games at best because there is no way this team are capable of achieving promotion. Maybe not making the play offs is the best option for the club, long term it may bring about change. Alan Maybury for new head coach? It's the type of appointment that could happen if PH goes[emoji3]

I think people under estimate the damage Yogi left, a legacy that held the club back for possibly a decade, we are probably still suffering as part of his era? Although I must add at that time he did search the country scouring for talent and he wasn't afraid to give youth a chance and that was good at the time. I do feel however, that our current board have seen the aftermath left after he resigned to join Hibs and they are scared to take that plunge again. So the damage has been irreparable and one of the reasons were are where we are at this time. What blueprint was left for May, Pressley and even Holt? Nothing only grassroots, fielding kids in an effort to compete - I must add here that we had some great memories during this time and also earned some decent transfer money along the way. There is no doubt that Yogi did temporarily raise the profile of the club at that time but deep down it was all part of his plan to get a crack as a manager in England which has come and gone. Look what happened at ICT when they imposed spending restrictions. He couldn't get his arse down that A9 quick enough. How did the Board at that time rubber stamp all his acquisitions yet the current situation we find ourselves in have seen us go from one extreme to the other, we just need to strike some balance.

I've been saying this for years, we are happy where we are, we are comfortable, we show no real desire to get to the top league irrespective of the MD's comments re completing the stadium, getting back to the top tier blah blah blah. We went up in 2004/5, severely got our fingers burned on the way back down, focused on the next level etc and crashed spectacularly through piss poor management philosphies and total lack of clear strategy and contingency plan. All in all, our manager at the time was more interested in enhancing his own CV... Maybe just maybe, if the BOD's were to throw a fraction of that funding at the start of the season, with genuine real interest of actually trying to win this league, who knows? Why are we waiting shit scared to invest in our team? Firstly it was Rangers/Hearts, then Rangers/Hibs, now it's DU/Hibs and who knows only 1 may go up this year. Next year it could be Hibs/Partick Thistle, when will this stop and see a team trying to get up to the top league instead of hoping to do it on the cheap, league reconstruction or the hope that one of the better funded teams have a bad season? I don't think it will be happening any time soon! We are a championship team with a championship mentality/attitude. We have a BOD's that constantly fail to recognise that the most important thing in a Football Club are the teams results on the park every game, week in week out. Sometimes it appears as if we are happy existing, I know there will be quite a few season ticket holders that will think twice about paying with £250 at the start of next season's The whole club needs to be shaken from the top to the bottom...

I need to keep up BPM, thought we could have got rid in the summer. How much would it cost to give him a deal, let's face it, no one is going to try to prise him away... It's time for change!!!

If I were on the Board I would not part with anymore cash until we put a new manager in place. I think Houstie has had his chance and has made a right mess of things. His signings have been ordinary at best and he needs to wheel and deal to get shot of his many mistakes, trouble is no one may be interested. I have listed the players IMO that should be offered out to free some of the wage bill up There's 7 for starters... Don't see the point of spending money on wages for players that have mage little impact. Muirhead - has lost his way since the rugby park fiasco Watson - little contribution this season. Rankin- Not his fault he was signed to replace Vaulks but we are well covered in this position and he offers nothing in terms of drive or creativity. Shepherd - we need more than an odd flash here and there. He may have bulked out a bit but has hardly had a shot on goal this season Craigen - Biggest disappointment for me, I think there is a player in there somewhere but hides during games and I don't think Houston has been able to get the best out of him Baird - Plenty of effort here but I'm afraid effort does not get you enough points in a season. I think he's too slow and he is getting in a bit. Pace is everything in the modern game and he doesn't have enough. The odd good appearance does not mask his failure to put the ball in the net on a regular basis considering he has been our main striker for the last 2/3 seasons. Austin - Injury prone, needs to get his scoring form back and even if fit he is unlikely to get a chance. We have all these spare players kicking about wasting valuable funds yet we are shipping goals right left and centre, add to that with all our strikeforce we are hardly getting value for money. We need quality not quantity. Maybe better saving some money to release Houston from his contract earlier than term, this could be another option

Incidentally, how long has Houston left on his contract?

I also think teams know exactly how we are going to play and can easily set up to combat our threats. We are very predictable. We have our biggest squad for years but as many have mentioned, we have more quantity than quality. We really look lost sometimes in games and we don't have players that can be considered as game changers on a regular basis. I think we do need to farm some players out and try to bring in a good midfielder with bags of drive and energy and another striker with genuine pace.

Yes you are correct but should our ambitions not be higher? We are in a league with two'bigger' teams who are continually shedding points but unfortunately we don't appear to be able to capitalise. Just imaging where we could have been if....

Yip totally agree. We were murdered at Kilmarnock that day. Not that I think we can draw comparisons this season but if we were to get to the play off final this season, there is absolutely nothing to suggest we could beat any other Premier team in that same situation. IMO, we are guising here. We are happy in the championship where we are comfortable. I hear people banging on about getting back to the top tier but let's not kid ourselves, we are not equipped to get anywhere near that standard and I'm afraid we never will get there with the real lack of ambition shown at the top. Maybe PH has taken us as far as he can and maybe the whole club needs a shake up and that includes ultimately changing the manager. How do we convince supporters that we are indeed real contenders to have a chance of getting up? I think that boat has sailed, we have mentioned on here for long and weary about not being able to compete with the 'big guns' Hibs and DU...but in truth if we'd shown a wee bit of imagination and spent a bit more wiser and the BOD being a bit bolder backing the club after a remarkable season last season, the 'big guns' may have been trying to compete with us! We sometimes only get out what we put in!

We are needing someone to put the ball in the net on a regular basis. If O'Hara is our serious best option we must be in some shape as a team Relying on an under 20's player to make the difference is asking far too much. He needs time and a gradual introduction. Talk about putting pressure on young shoulders. I'm afraid we need some better options up front. I take it we are still interested in making the play offs, let's be honest, this season it's our only option

O Hara???

Would you really trust Houstie to spend more money? Most of his signings have been really uninspiring!

I wouldn't hold my breath. The club seen reluctant to release cash

Don't think it's a crazy notion but I think after reflection the club have thought we may not overturn this and the decision may be upheld I've watched the incident a good few times and my view this tackle was fair and uncompromising maybe 10 years ago... But in my opinion in this present day, I thought it was reckless and dangerous and could have caused serious injury. You cannot take the ball these days and follow through the player. I also thought McGinn was also lucky to stay on the park

If we put youngsters in, I don't think 3rd or even 4th place will be an option. Maybe if by after Christmas the season is pertering out, as you say, then yes by all means. This league is cut throat and it's difficult to predict any result. I am hopeful that our challengers, Raith, QOS and Morton will fall away when injuries and suspensions kick in with their lesser squads, some might say QOS have already started to fail. I'm all for giving youth a chance but there's a time for that and it's not now, a couple of wins and we're back in the melting pot. Onwards and Upwards!

No-one is bashing Bairdy, he gives 100% All I'm saying we need more!

Yes that is correct, he was really good that day set up the first with a good run, also scored a good goal against DU but I think we need a bit more. He went through a phase earlier this year when he couldn't hit the proverbial coos arse wi a banjo but he's picked himself but he is anything but prolific AND he never hides. I now understand why a pars fan would think he is the best striker that played against them this season. TBF that's about as good as he's played for us since joining

Best in what way, did he score against you?

I don't think O'Hara had scored for the big team yet although I know Bairdy robbed him of a goal against Rangers. Apart from that game, he has shown little to impress. I can't imagine how an 18 year old would transform our season going forwards. I know he has pace which we need but he is untried for me. What we have up front is simply not good enough bottom line, in flashes yes, but over the season not good enough. No one can doubt their industry but Lee can't really last for 90 minutes Bairdy to me is too slow McHugh has pace but needs a faster partner up top. I think he is our best option. Austin, well let's wait and see Shepherd improving but not sure he is the answer to bang in the goals We'll need to suck it and see but IMO it's time for Houstie to get the cheque book out but by that time we may be pissing in the wine's We missed our chance during the summer but we chose not to.

Pretty desparate stuff when we need to rely on bringing back young players because we have no cutting edge tbh

I don't think many could argue with your comments. My own opinion is that we proved last year we were not physical enough in the play off at Kilmarnock. We have done little to change that unless that has still to come in the January window if we are still in the hunt. This is not a negative comment just realistic

Ha ha, laughed at that too!!!

Exactly, I would never have Kerr and Rankine in the same team unless we were doing a 6-4-0 formation, remember that? The current team definitely lacks and creativity. How many times have we resorted to the big hoof up the park looking for a target, long throw ins are now a huge part of our armour. Silky stuff!!! FFC have always been considered a good footballing team, trying to play in the correct manner but this season there is little evidence of that. We now have a team devoid of ideas, no pace, being set up difficult to beat, little entertainment combined with a BOD that in truth lack any real ambition. I know the Dobbie signing at Queens has been spoken to death on here but FWIW, I congratulate them for taking the gamble, spending some cash, giving their fans some entertainment and if this criteria fits into their business model then well done to them! Dobbie has already shown us not once but twice what real quality can do, we on the other hand are doing things on the cheap hoping Hibs or DU have a poor season so we may get near them. It is simply not good enough. We need a BOD and an astute manager that between them can deliver inspiration and aspiration and I'm afraid that is not what we have got at present. Last year was good but we have failed to capitalise, simple as that! A long season ahead for me