The Falkirk FC Thread

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

11 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

A lot of things don’t add up to me. Supposedly this was a secret team and yet I distinctly remember Ian Fergus stating in an interview that he was getting an under 12s team on the go as he couldn’t have them going elsewhere.

All of a sudden it’s going to cost a 6 figure sum to run one team despite it apparently being possible to run the whole academy for £90k. I would be astonished if it costs any team in Scotland a six figure sum to run one youth team.

Imo Jamie Swinney should be focusing on the commercial side of the club (in particular filling the holes in sponsorship income etc) and leaving the youth coaches to do their jobs. I strongly suspected that was part of the reason Fergus left.

I think this may be where the focus comes in to soon as Jamie was in place at the start of July so why is the club in such a mess come December/January? Has he been given enough autonomy or was the old board keeping things from him? To carry the title of CEO surely you have to be over everything that is happening within the club and ultimately be responsible too? 
 

I get there are certain things that can’t be divulged but for all the road shows it seems we are not much wiser to the issues at hand, particularly now we hear Sammy has left and there is a huge issue with the youth teams. I get Sammy leaving would have been kept private but was there anything said about the youth teams? 
 

Just feels like these issues are never ending!

[bairn88]

4 minutes ago, Caractacus Potts said:

 I think this may be where the focus comes in to soon as Jamie was in place at the start of July so why is the club in such a mess come December/January? Has he been given enough autonomy or was the old board keeping things from him? To carry the title of CEO surely you have to be over everything that is happening within the club and ultimately be responsible too? 
 

I get there are certain things that can’t be divulged but for all the road shows it seems we are not much wiser to the issues at hand, particularly now we hear Sammy has left and there is a huge issue with the youth teams. I get Sammy leaving would have been kept private but was there anything said about the youth teams? 
 

Just feels like these issues are never ending!

That is true. Feel like he should’ve known more than he did there. Strange. 

[Blame Me]

I'd hoped Rennie would have been gone Sunday night but alas he is still in place for today.

Only expectation today is Cove to win at a canter and to witness another low this season. 

If he's still in post come Monday the new BoD are sleeping at the wheel. We should see out of the season without our management team in the dugout if today pans out as predicted.

[FalkirkBairn2021]

Another week of Alicia Silverstone and the raging currant bun to suffer...fucking great.

[Marshmallo]

I know we've no chance but they won't bin Rennie while we've still mathematically got a chance of making the playoffs, however small. 

[grumpyoldman]

A lot of things don’t add up to me. Supposedly this was a secret team and yet I distinctly remember Ian Fergus stating in an interview that he was getting an under 12s team on the go as he couldn’t have them going elsewhere.
All of a sudden it’s going to cost a 6 figure sum to run one team despite it apparently being possible to run the whole academy for £90k. I would be astonished if it costs any team in Scotland a six figure sum to run one youth team.
Imo Jamie Swinney should be focusing on the commercial side of the club (in particular filling the holes in sponsorship income etc) and leaving the youth coaches to do their jobs. I strongly suspected that was part of the reason Fergus left.

He said in an interview on Falkirk TV that he had 2011’s on a training only basis, no mention of forming a 2011 team

[ShaggerG]

12 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

I know we've no chance but they won't bin Rennie while we've still mathematically got a chance of making the playoffs, however small. 

I would have thought it would be more sensible to bin him while we still have a play off chance, not less. 

[PedroMoutinho]

8 minutes ago, grumpyoldman said:

He said in an interview on Falkirk TV that he had 2011’s on a training only basis, no mention of forming a 2011 team

He also said “that could build into something really good.” So the club were well aware there was a group of 2011 players training at the club as Fergus had announced it publicly, whether you call it a ‘team’ or not. 

It hardly seems like Fergus was having them jump the stadium fence under cover of darkness to avoid detection by the club.

[PedroMoutinho]

55 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

90k would've have  been heavily  supplemented by  SFA grants to a decent tune to run a whole academy. no money coming from them now. These boys were going to be run under an elite programme and we're promised trips abroad etc. Was going to cost a fortune.

Surely in that case you offer a programme that is affordable rather than just shutting it down entirely? It’s odd that people who rightly criticised the decision to shut the academy before seem to be quite happy to do the same now with barely a whimper.

I find it very hard to believe that £90k plus SFA grants was going to be enough to fund a full academy with lots of age groups, yet it’s somehow going to cost a ‘six figure sum’ to run one youth team.

Where was the money coming from to fund it up to this stage? As it surely can’t have been club funds if it was a secret team?

[JulioBairn]

I’m sorry but how the f**k can no one at our club know about this team. Shambles after shambles. From boardroom to management team to playing squad it is the blind leading the blind leading the blind. Embarrassed again. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by JulioBairn

[MSG GTF!]

9 hours ago, Top of Meeks Road said:

Our illusions of grandeur can be well summed up in Sam McGiverns decision to quit. We are immediately advertising for a replacement when we, as a struggling 3rd tier outfit, have a CEO doing what precisely? 

Honestly, gie me peace! 

Sick of reading pish like this on social media since McGivern’s departure. Sammy’s a decent bloke so let’s separate him as an individual from the role for just a second. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that a guy with 25 years experience in social work, was simply out of his depth at meeting targets and generating much needed income as a ‘Commercial Executive’? It was yet another nonsense appointment by the chumps on the previous board in a desperate attempt to appease the fans.

Let’s hope the new board appoint someone who’s not necessarily got any previous connection to the club, but simply knows how to do their job.

Edited April 9, 2022 by MSG GTF!

[Brockers61]

12 minutes ago, MSG GTF! said:

Sick of reading pish like this on social media since McGivern’s departure. Sammy’s a decent bloke so let’s separate him as an individual from the role for just a second. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that guy with 25 years experience in social work, was simply out of his depth at meeting targets and generating much needed income as a ‘Commercial Executive’? It was yet another nonsense appointment by the chumps on the previous board in a desperate attempt to appease the fans.

Let’s hope the new board appoint someone who’s not necessarily got any previous connection to the club, but simply knows how to do their job.

Apparently when Kieran Kozary left the club he took his little black book of contacts with him and left no paperwork or any sponsor contact details. Sammy spent the first few days in his new job sitting in the main stand copying down the sponsors phone numbers printed on the advertising hoardings.  

[champions]

2 minutes ago, Brockers61 said:

Apparently when Kieran Kozary left the club he took his little black book of contacts with him and left no paperwork or any sponsor contact details. Sammy spent the first few days in his new job sitting in the main stand copying down the sponsors phone numbers printed on the advertising hoardings.  

That's just rubbish. 

[Braes_Bairn]

Apparently when Kieran Kozary left the club he took his little black book of contacts with him and left no paperwork or any sponsor contact details. Sammy spent the first few days in his new job sitting in the main stand copying down the sponsors phone numbers printed on the advertising hoardings.  

Every sponsor would have been invoiced through the Finance department so that’s nonsense.

What did walk out the door was years and years of relationships with Alex and Kieran.

Sammy could have been a good appointment working alongside an experienced head however the bigger issue was they chose not to replace KK and instead appoint a CEO who is not a salesman.

[champions]

32 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Surely in that case you offer a programme that is affordable rather than just shutting it down entirely? It’s odd that people who rightly criticised the decision to shut the academy before seem to be quite happy to do the same now with barely a whimper.

I find it very hard to believe that £90k plus SFA grants was going to be enough to fund a full academy with lots of age groups, yet it’s somehow going to cost a ‘six figure sum’ to run one youth team.

Where was the money coming from to fund it up to this stage? As it surely can’t have been club funds if it was a secret team?

Good point about offering a watered down version. And the £90k sum for one 2010 team doesn't add up either.  A shame this wasnt publicised before the roadshows then perhaps a bit more info could have been shared.

 

[Shadwell Dog]

Problem for me is where is the pathway for this 11 year olds side?  I'd suppose you'd need to keep funding them year on year and hope they are up to it  when it comes to them finally being old enough to join the 16s. Seems like a complete waste of time and money to me in this form especially when the 16s and 18s have only really just got going.  We all want a youth program back but let's do it properly and get the basics right before adding on more and more teams.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Shadwell Dog

[Bainsfordbairn]

47 minutes ago, MSG GTF! said:

It was yet another nonsense appointment by the chumps on the previous board in a desperate attempt to appease the fans.

Sam was brought in by Kieran Koszary to be trained up as a longerm replacement for Alex Totten. The two got on very well and the intention was that Sam was to be learning on the job, closely mentored by KK, for at least for the first year. 

Then KK went off sick and eventually left so that when Sam arrived he was basically on his own, apart from one lady in Commercial who works part time. He was up against it from the start. 

His arrival had nothing to do with appeasing fans. 

[grumpyoldman]

Problem for me is where is the pathway for this 11 year olds side?  I'd suppose you'd need to keep funding them year on year and hope they are up to it  when it comes to them finally being old enough to join the 16s. Seems like a complete waste of time and money to me in this form especially when the 16s and 18s have only really just got going.  We all want a youth program back but let's do it properly and get the basics right before adding on more and more teams.

Spot on

[grumpyoldman]

He also said “that could build into something really good.” So the club were well aware there was a group of 2011 players training at the club as Fergus had announced it publicly, whether you call it a ‘team’ or not. 
It hardly seems like Fergus was having them jump the stadium fence under cover of darkness to avoid detection by the club.

Of course they were aware of them on a training only basis, what they maybe weren’t aware of was what seems to me the ludicrous promises that seem to have been made.

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

13 minutes ago, Bainsfordbairn said:

Sam was brought in by Kieran Koszary to be trained up as a longerm replacement for Alex Totten. The two got on very well and the intention was that Sam was to be learning on the job, closely mentored by KK, for at least for the first year. 

Then KK went off sick and eventually left so that when Sam arrived he was basically on his own, apart from one lady in Commercial who works part time. He was up against it from the start. 

His arrival had nothing to do with appeasing fans. 

Kieran left the club on the 11th of June and Sammy joined on the 30th of June!