The Falkirk FC Thread

[gav-ffc]

23 minutes ago, LatapyBairn. said:

I was actually thinking we should consider reverting to a back 4 now we have some new defenders in the door as well, it lets us utilise more of our better players in attacking positions including Morrison. We really need to start winning games and soon. 

Alloa, Peterhead, East fife and Clyde coming up in between  cove away. Ideal time to get some Points on the board.

[Blame Me]

My reaction to signing Griffiths now reminds me of when we got Latapy. 

I thought he was done and the baggage wasn't worth it and look how that turned out!

Just to be clear - I'm not comparing them as players - just my view at the time of hearing of their signings for Falkirk.

 

[falkirkzombie]

4 minutes ago, Caractacus Potts said:

I hope you’re right however Garry O’Connor scored 16 goals for Hibs in the top flight only a year before joining Morton and doing nothing for the rest of his career. Stokes disappeared in to obscurity after winning the Scottish Cup aged 29 and Riordan plummeted at 27 with his best return being a few goals for East Fife. All these players were hugely talented but for whatever reason their careers ended prematurely. 

Think it’s the above that makes me very weary about celebrating this signing too much. The only person who can make it work is Griffiths because if he gets fit he will demolish the Premiership let alone this league. Big IF at the moment for me but certainly will make for interesting viewing. 

it is a bit of a gamble, I agree on that but IMO its 100% worth taking, 4/5 month deal to get us in the playoff and give ourselfs a chance of promotion - the club laid out how damaging it will be to us to spend another season in this league, the extra money generated from a couple of playoff games would probably cover his wages to the end of the season. Its got the potential to be a fantastic or disaster of a signing, I'm not denying that but I say we roll the dice.

[bairn88]

45 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

I'd be half tempted to just try and get as close to our 11 best players on the pitch btw. I don't think there's balance in the below but we'd be exciting to watch at least.

Mutch

Williamson Watson Dixon McCann

Morrison Jacobs Telfer Kabia

Dowds Griffiths

Over 5.5 goals every week

Love this. Signing a fat past it Griffiths is a gamble. So let’s gamble with the team too. It’ll be fun at the very least, which is more than can be said for the last 48 months of watching falkirk 

[Springfield]

51 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

I don't understand people talking about this signing and not discussing the rumoured wages. This isn't some sort of risk free move where he's playing for the love of the game if paper talk is to be believed. 20-30k for a guy who looks like he's been pulled out the Mill Inn at 2:45pm and given a strip could be a very costly error.

The upside that people are looking for may not exist with Griffiths any more. Fair enough he scored one of those penalties in Serbia just over a year ago but he's not looked like a regular scorer for years (admittedly at a much higher level). Further to that, we looked at our best on Saturday when we were pressing QP high up the park with Kabia and Dowds leading that. I can't envisage Griffiths chasing down opposition defenders tbh.

We definitely needed a striker though and I see the logic behind it. The Stainrod or Latapy comparisons are the high end of what this could be, IF he realises this is last chance saloon to sort himself out. I personally think that's fanciful but Rennie and Kenny Miller will know him much better than I do.

We need a midfielder but it's a terrible market just now for a multitude of reasons (5 subs up the leagues, window shut for transfers etc). 

My prediction is he'll score about 6 goals, gain another stone and we'll all hate him by mid-April. There's a part of me though that believes he'll score 5 goals in 4 playoff games and we'll get promoted.

I will also add that I want this to be a success of course. I have major reservations though.

The only similarity and comparison to the likes of God (Stainrod) is both look like they could fill a 3XL pair of shorts…….and let’s not forget how he turned out…

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

12 minutes ago, falkirkzombie said:

it is a bit of a gamble, I agree on that but IMO its 100% worth taking, 4/5 month deal to get us in the playoff and give ourselfs a chance of promotion - the club laid out how damaging it will be to us to spend another season in this league, the extra money generated from a couple of playoff games would probably cover his wages to the end of the season. Its got the potential to be a fantastic or disaster of a signing, I'm not denying that but I say we roll the dice.

Yeh I do agree. Let’s hope it’s the former! 

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, Proudtobeabairn said:

Of course I'll be happy if he does the business and we go up.  I said as much in my post.  

How exactly is your optimism for Griffiths any different to my optimism in September that we'd do better than this season has turned out?  

The only one that seems to be taking "great delight" in others being wrong is you.  Quite petty tbh.

My optimism is different as I 100% knew in the summer that we have signed a pile of shite, Holt was a clown and Deans and Co could not run a bath far less be fit to run the club any other place than into the ground. 

I believe in Rennie and his ability to get the best out of players and admire that he has not sat around and accepted the same old dross we have had for a number of years. Griffiths on form is miles better than anyone we have signed for years - no one can deny that. If they get him interested he will be a huge asset. It is his and Kenny Millers job to do that and make that judgement. 

As with every signing this is on the manager. He is given a budget and he lives or dies if they work out or not. I trust Rennie and Miller are convinced they can get a tune out of him and he will fit in. It is their futures after all. With respect to you and others they are in a much better position to make that call than you or anyone else who is against signing him. 
 

[Guest Brockvillenomore]

12 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

My optimism is different as I 100% knew in the summer that we have signed a pile of shite, Holt was a clown and Deans and Co could not run a bath far less be fit to run the club any other place than into the ground. 

I believe in Rennie and his ability to get the best out of players and admire that he has not sat around and accepted the same old dross we have had for a number of years. Griffiths on form is miles better than anyone we have signed for years - no one can deny that. If they get him interested he will be a huge asset. It is his and Kenny Millers job to do that and make that judgement. 

As with every signing this is on the manager. He is given a budget and he lives or dies if they work out or not. I trust Rennie and Miller are convinced they can get a tune out of him and he will fit in. It is their futures after all. With respect to you and others they are in a much better position to make that call than you or anyone else who is against signing him. 
 

100% this . MR and KM will surely have been speaking to him for a while, we won’t be his first or only option. So, it’s all down to his motivation for joining. The money? I doubt it. Surely he’s looking to getting back to playing football, having fun, scoring goals and changing perceptions about him. Then move on to a ‘bigger’ club hopefully proving the doubters wrong. A fit motivated LG has another 2 to 3 years in him at the top level in Scotland.
 

If it works we’re in with a fighting chance of promotion. If it doesn’t then we’re where we were before. A poor and imbalanced squad that will take 3 or 4 windows to fix. Not one. 

[btb]

Game against Alloa tonight - I guess there'll be a few extra people looking out for that score.

[AL-FFC]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

 

I'll be honest BPM, Moonster is right. We have had the "at this level" conversation on here a fucking outrageous amount of times over the last couple of years. Not necessarily just in terms of goals. 

Aye but the should score or should stroll league one comments have came from supporters of other clubs, I think our optimism over signings have dropped over the edge and we realise we are where we are and the stroll the league means they simply won't bother trying their arse as that is what seems like most of our signings have been whether they are just journeymen or their mindset is they are better than what they actually are in which case your at league one level for a reason, well that and Gary Holts a c*nt.

[LowerLeagueFC]

LG and a pie on a roll. what else you going to do on a tuesday?

[Baggio]

I'm amazed at the optimism people have for signing Griffiths. If he can't get fit and motivated to play for Celtic or even Dundee, I can't see us suddenly being able to wave a magic wand and turn him around in this crappy league.

However, I will be more than happy to be proved wrong. HIs off field antics leave a nasty taste though and it does smack of desperation at this point, much like attempts to sign a certain other player.

[Tea and Busquets]

10 hours ago, Back Post Misses said:

Why even bother then 

Of course bother, but the midfield and conceding absolute school boy goals is the biggest problem. We’ve scored in every single one of Rennie’s games.

[Long Suffering Bairn]

Even if Griffiths doesn't turn out well, it is worth the gamble.  No beating about the bush for Rennie, respect for his ambition going for a player that, if honest, should be nowhere near our club given the state we are in and that he was a Scotland player only a couple of years ago.

I too remember George Connelly.  I remember an evening game in 76/77 when he scored from a free kick like no other.  He couldn't run anymore, was obese, not just fat and had severe personal problems at the time, but it was the legendary George Connelly nevertheless playing for Falkirk.  If Leigh Griffiths can provide a couple of on the park memories that people will remember in 45 years time, like I remember George, it will be more than worth it.

[BountyBairn]

1 hour ago, Marshmallo said:

I'd be half tempted to just try and get as close to our 11 best players on the pitch btw. I don't think there's balance in the below but we'd be exciting to watch at least.

Mutch

Williamson Watson Dixon McCann

Morrison Jacobs Telfer Kabia

Dowds Griffiths

Over 5.5 goals every week

That actually looks decent tbh 

[Reggie Perrin]

1 hour ago, Marshmallo said:

I'd be half tempted to just try and get as close to our 11 best players on the pitch btw. I don't think there's balance in the below but we'd be exciting to watch at least.

Mutch

Williamson Watson Dixon McCann

Morrison Jacobs Telfer Kabia

Dowds Griffiths

Over 5.5 goals every week

Great fun when we have the ball, less so when we have to defend!

Every game a 6-4.

[MrDust]

3 hours ago, TedCrilly said:

Michael Tidser is the obvious one to get the ball rolling. 
 

I never rated Tidser previously and wasn't proven wrong

2 hours ago, Believe The Hype said:

Dropping kabia back into midfield might be a great shout with Dowds and LG upfront. 

Hopefully not Dowds dropping to the 10 role, Holt put him there against Airdrie and recently Rennie too, he is never a number 10.

Signing Griffith's would be a serious wow signing for league one on his previous levels, the recent levels tells a story tho. 

If we are successful, I obviously hope it's a success and that he finds league one below him, which it should be. If he does perform, it will also give the place a lift, both players and fans.

I've seen players in the past who weren't performing in the top league and when we played championship teams in cups, they stood out like a sore thumb. 

[Falkirkfan1985]

As long as it's 6-4 to us that's fine with me

 

[BudBairn]

How we gonna supply the guy so he can score the goals?

Need a midfielder in my book. Cant forgive the thumb for his role in the 4-3 lose in the scots cup semi.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

Has Thumb actually signed yet or is this still speculation??