The Falkirk FC Thread

[ShaggerG]

2 minutes ago, Moutinho said:

I don’t see any reason why we can’t win the league this season. Our budget will be reduced, but given that we have many more season ticket holders than both Partick and Cove, I’d still expect us to have the biggest budget.

The key imo will be adding 3 or 4 pieces of quality to what is already a good squad. Replacing McManus’s goals will be a challenge but if we can get someone alongside Sammon who will play to his strengths, we’ll get note out of him.

I agree.

I think we should be going for a few quality players and using the necessary amount of the budget to get them rather than wholesale changes again. The squad we had last year should have been good enough to win the league (which I think we would have gone on to do) so keeping the bulk of those players and adding the right quality in the right positions would be the way forward for me.

I'm not sure about Sammon though. I know what you're saying about playing to his strengths, which we didn't do enough last term, however, even if not using him properly, I'd still expect him to be bursting a gut to get involved in the game and, for me, he didn't do that. I think Sammon's more suited to a team playing on the  break , enabling him to use his pace and strength rather than a team who have the bulk of the possession and are trying to break teams down. Time will tell though. Maybe the boy Dowds will be the perfect foil for him (if that transfer even happens)!

[FFC 1876]

So assuming all of the players we've not already announced as leaving re-sign our current squad is below. I don't think anybody's looking in fear at that squad right now. We need a new everything other than a left back and a defensive midfielder. Does anyone know when the betfred cup is getting pencilled in for? As that's likely to be our pre-season.
 

Goalkeepers

Robbie Mutch

Defenders

Blair Sneddon

Ben Hall

Paul Dixon

Mark Durnan

Midfielders

Charlie Telfer

Aidan Connolly

Robbie Leitch

Morgaro Gomis

Gary Miller

Josh Todd

Strikers

Connor Sammon

Aidan Laverty

Lee Miller

Edited July 16, 2020 by FFC 1876

[Shadwell Dog]

5 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

So assuming all of the players we've not already announced as leaving re-sign our current squad is below. I don't think anybody's looking in fear at that squad right now. We need a new everything other than a left back and a defensive midfielder. Does anyone know when the betfred cup is getting pencilled in for? As that's likely to be our pre-season.
 

Goalkeepers

Robbie Mutch

Defenders

Blair Sneddon

Ben Hall

Paul Dixon

Mark Durnan

Midfielders

Charlie Telfer

Aidan Connolly

Robbie Leitch

Morgaro Gomis

Gary Miller

Strikers

Connor Sammon

Aidan Laverty

Lee Miller

We might need another left back depending on whether Dixon is used as a centre back or not. I cant see us flinging the boy sneddon in at the deep end having only played a handful of games for camelon last season. Is laverty a striker or a midfielder?

[AL-FFC]

Laverty is down as a midfielder 

Out the list i would and i am hoping here, remove Telfer and Durnan as we can do better and really wouldnt be too difficult as one is largely invisible and the other is a defensive liability improved as he has his ability is on the same level as Paton i.e. not very skilful, milk turns quicker and does the basics (just)

Edited July 16, 2020 by AL-FFC

[ilostmyself]

16 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

 I don't think anybody's looking in fear at that squad right now.

You're definitely wrong about this

[Davffc]

1 hour ago, AL-FFC said:

Laverty is down as a midfielder 

Out the list i would and i am hoping here, remove Telfer and Durnan as we can do better and really wouldnt be too difficult as one is largely invisible and the other is a defensive liability improved as he has his ability is on the same level as Paton i.e. not very skilful, milk turns quicker and does the basics (just)

Saw this on the Falkirk Herald (yes I know its the FH) website earlier

"Talks are ongoing with Charlie Telfer, Paul Dixon, Ben Hall, Mark Durnan and Aidan Connolly over reneweing their deals, with at least a couple at an advanced stage to remain in the navy blue for next season."

[Marshmallo]

If they're just planning on getting the same squad trotted out from last season we will finish in a playoff spot and probably have a 50/50 chance of beating someone like Queens, Alloa or Morton to go up. I can't see us competing against Thistle if we are going with dross like Telfer or Leitch as viable midfield options, Sammon up front and a Hall/Durnan partnership at the back. It's so uninspiring. 

[18BAIRN76]

Unpopular opinion, but I reckon Durnan is as about as good as you'll get at this level. Tell him not to fanny about and play as a no-nonsense CB (as M&M seemed to do last season when he began to look more solid) and I see no reason not to keep him.

[Shadwell Dog]

Can't believe we're even contemplating giving telfer another deal. He was so ineffective last season apart from the very odd game.  We can't afford passengers in a tight squad.

[All-Star-Par]

All joking aside looking at that squad it hammers home how much a couple years in the Seaside has set you lot back. Roll back a few seasons ago and you were in the Championship playoffs with the likes of Vaulks. What an absolute clusterfuck of a club you were turned into! 

[FFC 1876]

9 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Can't believe we're even contemplating giving telfer another deal. He was so ineffective last season apart from the very odd game.  We can't afford passengers in a tight squad.

The only reason I can think of for giving some of them a new deal is to try keep some sort of continuity in the squad. M&M have already said they'll be looking for players that fit in well with the squad so Telfer may just be that. Either that or Telfer actually shows some sort of promise in training. We need to attack the league this year though, we can't be playing with Miller and Gomis as our two centre midfielders as they basically do the same job. Keep thinking back to the Raith game last season at starks park in early March where we needed to win the game to go above them and we played with gomis and miller sitting in centre midfield and 10 men behind the ball.

Edited July 16, 2020 by FFC 1876

[Shadwell Dog]

3 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

The only reason I can think of for giving some of them a new deal is to try keep some sort of continuity in the squad. M&M have already said they'll be looking for players that fit in well with the squad so Telfer may just be that. Either that or Telfer actually shows some sort of promise in training. We need to attack the league this year though, we can't be playing with Miller and Gomis as our two centre midfielders as they basically do the same job. Keep thinking back to the Raith game last season at starks park in early March where we needed to win the game to go above them and we played with gomis and miller sitting in centre midfield and 10 men behind the ball.

We need young legs and pace in there. Telfer has neither unfortunately. Its a worry if they think they can't get better than him.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

8 minutes ago, All-Star-Par said:

All joking aside looking at that squad it hammers home how much a couple years in the Seaside has set you lot back. Roll back a few seasons ago and you were in the Championship playoffs with the likes of Vaulks. What an absolute clusterfuck of a club you were turned into! 

What an absolute clusterfuck of an attempt at grammar you just made.

[Guest]

Out of interest, do you Falkirk fans hold out much hope of promotion this season? With Thistle and Cove in the league who, financially anyway, aren't really in the same boat as the rest of the clubs, I can see them being one and two (unfortunately).
However it's a odd and unprecedented situation and it's going to be an weird season for everyone. League One/Two teams will be hoping for a Junior diamond or someone dropping down from above who couldn't get a club because of obvious circumstances so I get league placement is really impossible to predict at this point. As a Clyde fan I was hoping to push on for a play-off place after securing safety last season but I'm very much of the attitude that I don't really care, I'm just glad that at the moment I actually still have a club to support.
I THINK my question is, if you don't go up, will you be kicking off?

We will not be in the top two IMO.

[Guest Ecosse83]

I'd keep everyone apart from Telfer, there is undoubtedly a skillful player there but he's just too half hearted. Also we already have 2 centre mids without much pace so there just isn't any room for him. 

I want to see us sign a McCracken type defender to play alongside Durnan with Hall 3rd choice, Dixon could also fill in if needed. 

When was the last time Miller played right back in his career? I was always thought he was actually a right back! 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Ecosse83

[Shadwell Dog]

11 minutes ago, All-Star-Par said:

All joking aside looking at that squad it hammers home how much a couple years in the Seaside has set you lot back. Roll back a few seasons ago and you were in the Championship playoffs with the likes of Vaulks. What an absolute clusterfuck of a club you were turned into! 

Christ your side keeps signing the players that got us into this mess jn the first place.

[FFC 1876]

2 minutes ago, Ecosse83 said:

I'd keep everyone apart from Telfer, there is undoubtedly a skillful player there but he's just too half hearted. Also we already have 2 centre mids without much pace so there just isn't any room for him. 

I want to see us sign a McCracken type defender to play alongside Durnan with Hall 3rd choice, Dixon could also fill in if needed. 

When was the last time Miller played right back in his career? I was always of the opinion he was actually a right back! 

We tried to play him as a left back for a few games at the very start i'm sure. But I think after the second half of last year it's blatantly obvious he's best in the middle of the park. He knows when to step in and fill in the gaps at the back when we're caught short and he also communicates with everyone around him to make sure they all know who's doing what. Hence why he's now our captain.

[Bluegrass Bairn]

3 hours ago, Brian Carrigan said:

Out of interest, do you Falkirk fans hold out much hope of promotion this season? With Thistle and Cove in the league who, financially anyway, aren't really in the same boat as the rest of the clubs, I can see them being one and two (unfortunately).

However it's a odd and unprecedented situation and it's going to be an weird season for everyone. League One/Two teams will be hoping for a Junior diamond or someone dropping down from above who couldn't get a club because of obvious circumstances so I get league placement is really impossible to predict at this point. As a Clyde fan I was hoping to push on for a play-off place after securing safety last season but I'm very much of the attitude that I don't really care, I'm just glad that at the moment I actually still have a club to support.

I THINK my question is, if you don't go up, will you be kicking off?

Way too early to say. Depends on who we - and everybody else - sign up. At the moment we've not even got a team, never mind a decent one.  If we can't bring in two decent strikers, a couple of young, pacey midfielders, an aggressive centre half and a strong right back - as a minimum - then no, I wouldn't hold out much hope.  

And yes, if we don't go up, I think its a pretty safe bet that there'll be quite a lot of kicking off at the MSG & BOD. 

[ShaggerG]

31 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

If they're just planning on getting the same squad trotted out from last season we will finish in a playoff spot and probably have a 50/50 chance of beating someone like Queens, Alloa or Morton to go up. I can't see us competing against Thistle if we are going with dross like Telfer or Leitch as viable midfield options, Sammon up front and a Hall/Durnan partnership at the back. It's so uninspiring. 

They'll have to make additions so it won't just be the same squad.

I don't think we can afford to get better than Durnan, Hall, Dixon and Connolly in so I would be happy enough to give them a deal. The defence wasn't great last season but still managed to have by far the best goals against figure so the three above should be competent enough. Ideally we'll have a new RB (which is needed) and another CD though.

Midfield is OK in the main. Miller, Gomis and Todd all acceptable with Connolly added too. We need a bit of pace and creativity in there though so would be pointless keeping Telfer IMO.

We'll need to bring in strikers. The rumoured Dowds being one possibly, but we'll need another, (two if we could offload Sammon) with Miller as back-up.

I think we should spend to bring in quality in 2 or 3 positions if we can. Alston and Keillor-Dunn still available I think?

[Moutinho]

Durnan was absolutely fine last year after David and Lee came in. Certainly not a position we need to be busting the budget to being in better imo.

Telfer clearly has ability but was absolutely invisible last season. We’ll have a small squad this season with possibly only 15 or 16 first team players so I definitely wouldn’t be extending his contract as we can’t afford passengers.