Blame Me

Posters have. As I've read it you believe signing Aidan Nesbitt for an additional 2 years "puts the club at risk" and needs director sign-off. Ergo a director must make a football judgement on which players will (or will not) put the club at financial risk based on their own judgement and not the managers. That by it's very definition is the board meddling in the managers remit. Certain posters arguing that signing players on 2 year deals is madness in case a manager is sacked are living in cloud-cuckoo-land! Managers sign players on the basis they will see out a contract and deal lengths provide security for both player and club - the same posters would be up-in-arms if a short-term deal resulted in a player walking away for nothing in a years time having only been offered minimum terms.

Perhaps he simply wanted to reply:

A very short sighted view. We all detest the need for foodbanks but government supporting business and communities is exactly what reduces this as it keeps people employed, businesses investing in people and services etc. Struggling businesses and communities contribute to the problem and just ploughing cash into it often doesn't. Foodbanks are a symptom not a cause.

A Canadian international who's been released perhaps ...

Likewise McGlynn's tactics and selections which the OP criticised. No manager gets everything right or forums like this needn't exist

I've seen Telfer for you this year and thought he wasn't as good for you as he was for us. He's also sat on the bench and was a regular starter for us. Do we blame Rhys McCabe for what has happened to Telfer

It's not really a question tho - it's just an assumption Your only basis is because we didn't compete in the 1st and were lacklustre in the 2nd. There is nothing to suggest the players: A) Weren't fighting for McGlynn B) Didn't understand the tactics C) Had no confidence in team selection I'll assume most players who don't start games e.g. McGuffie, Mackie, Lawal, Yeats have would disagree with selections at various times during the season. Does that mean they don't respect the management - no. We just weren't good enough over the piece and giving a red is easier than explaining it over-and-over again for weeks on end or rebutting complete nonsense.

Cove clearly feeling the jump between L1 p/t and Championship f/t was too big to bridge and having a season at this level with a full-time squad on expectation of bouncing back will stand them in good stead. I don't think the league being weaker next season is necessarily true.

Again it all depends on the cash flow, squad depth, availability of players, opportunity and desire of current players to leave and the reported contractual situation of some. There are a number of factors which all have to be considered. I don't think it's ever as simple as made out that you can dump people and there is a queue of better players just waiting in the exact positions you need, waiting to arrive.

One other aspect is the continual theme of "churn". Trying to integrate too many players all at once as per the Hartley experience - which I wish was a cruise ship band instead of a recurring nightmare - could be another explanation as to why many remained

Possibly the case that he didn't have firm commitments from anyone coming in so would have left the squad light of numbers. It's all well and good offloading players who aren't going to play but you need to have one's who might, to replace them or you leave yourself short.

Tried that for a few seasons now - nothing "F**king Brad McKay, F**king Brad f**king McKay ... for f**ksake BRAD MCKAY"!

Can we all stop mentioning Brad McKay and he might just go away ...

Gary and Luke Holt's next gig

I said: You replied: Which proved my point that rather than try and develop the players we just go out and sign "better". ... So I'll explain - although I didn't think it was that difficult - Since Henderson doesn't want to play midfield and others - I'll assume yourself too - don't want him in midfield the two options are bench or offload him. In either scenario we're now signing two players to solve CB and midfield to potentially solve one problem. We've also then continued to do what has gotten us nowhere for the best part of 4-years of rebuilding a squad but never actually doing any squad building! Henderson is miles away from the Seb Ross's or Brad McKay's of the recent past and I think there is a role for him ongoing.

FTV Lewis stating on the Falkirk Daft podcast that Henderson confirmed he wants to be a centre-back

Thanks for proving my point

I understand fans want things to immediately click but it takes time to develop a pairing and cohesion. It made sense to move Henderson into midfield last year but I reckon having a settled back line & goalkeeper next year will be key to keeping clean sheets. I genuinely don't think it's a lack of ability with Henderson & Donaldson and they just need games together and less chopping-and-changing around them.

@Ecosse83 because I would favour Mackie's physicality over McCann's attacking prowess. We shipped too many goals so likely we'll look to shore up at the expense of McCann. The new RB will be of a similar mould IMO.

Having finally caught up with the Falkirk Daft podcast I think we can expect to see Mackie, Henderson and Donaldson as part of any preferred defensive lineup. I've a gut feeling McKay will be offloaded like Hetherington eventually was once the midfield deficiencies are addressed, allowing Henderson to move back. I think if we can get a settled defensive unit in place and avoid the, at times, enforced changes for Williamson we might have a base to build from. McCann unfortunately becomes the conundrum again. Not good enough to start but too good to sit on our bench.

I think this is closer to the truth than some fallout with McGlynn or huff. He came here to put himself in the shop window and if he's had interest from elsewhere then he's succeeded. Its also possible he wants a return south and clubs there have a possible interest so he'd rather try his luck earning a deal in England than stay with us where he won't be 1st choice, far from home. Interesting to see where he turns up.

Agree. You can see from the squad photo at the beginning of this season gone how we have got to where we are - A miss-mash of M&M, Holt/Sheerin, Rennie and early McGlynn signings highlighting the various strategies the club has followed depending on which way the wind was blowing. The short-termism and pivot to long-termism i.e. Brad McKay has created such an imbalance that we need to find a comfortable, middle-ground.

Interested if you could expand on how many players you think we had this season just past that you would define as "first team"?

Has it been forgotten that the players also have a choice in this. Certain circumstances not in the public domain may dictate why players go. The release list is just that. It doesn't infer anything about the reasons behind who is and isn't on the list realistically.

I can understand it, now. Have fans become fatigued by constant messaging of giving managers better budgets with ever more cash being ploughed in in the hope it could only get better and it didn't overall? Folk being scunnered coinciding with renewal time is a tough sell but I'll remain optimistic it won't dip too far.