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Really convincing interview. He has never come across particularly well on camera, but that was a really open and honest interview (particularly after Sheerin’s increasingly messy attempts, and Martin Rennie’s “an answer for everything, but a solution for nothing” style).

There’s no doubt he knows his subject matter, and in Paul Smith, he has a right hand man that really shouldn’t be messed with……he isn’t going to be the players’ best pal if they aren’t at it.

Someone mentioned “guarded optimism”, and I think that’s a fair approach. Probably like never before, ST uptake is going to be vitally important, and for once, I think a wee leap of faith is a fair approach too. There is no way that everything in the garden is rosey, and mistakes will still be made, but I think they will be honest ones. That and that alone is a good start as we now draw ourselves up to whatever our full height might be, and put the pitiful destructive and self serving governance of the past decade behind us. Really looking forward to whatever lies ahead.

Edited by Duncan Freemason
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You can see why so many Raith fans wanted him to stay anyway. I honestly think the combination of injuries blighting the second half, the recruitment fiasco, and the BoD hanging him out to dry after his apology by hiding and saying nothing simply wore him out of the job, to your advantage.

As for expectations, consider some of the key players he brought on board at various times:

Steven Anderson, a key signing for the 19-20 season, immensely experienced veteran player who totally changed the mindset of our defence.

Jamie MacDonald, a key signing for the 20-21 season, experienced veteran goalie whose communication and experience again aided the defence.

Christophe Berra, a key signing for the 21-22 season, experienced international level player who installed a spine on our defence while he was playing, and added valuable assistance when he wasn’t.

Each of these three players exemplifies the traits JMcG is looking for in players. In addition, they were all team leaders, players whose simple presence in the clubhouse made everyone realize they had to step up. Paul Watson isn’t quite to the level of the others, but he’s not terribly far off, so you can bet JMcG is counting on him to help push the team already, which is why he mentioned him so quickly. It really wouldn’t surprise me if there was another aging experienced player that he brings in to try to reverse the slide of the last few years, but since Watson is a defender anyway, he might be enough for JMcG to use as a nucleus for his rebuilding. Injury recovery or not, I bet Watson is around TFS more than you’d expect, and is probably acting as some extra eyes and ears for JMcG and Smudger.

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4 minutes ago, TxRover said:

You can see why so many Raith fans wanted him to stay anyway. I honestly think the combination of injuries blighting the second half, the recruitment fiasco, and the BoD hanging him out to dry after his apology by hiding and saying nothing simply wore him out of the job, to your advantage.

As for expectations, consider some of the key players he brought on board at various times:

Steven Anderson, a key signing for the 19-20 season, immensely experienced veteran player who totally changed the mindset of our defence.

Jamie MacDonald, a key signing for the 20-21 season, experienced veteran goalie whose communication and experience again aided the defence.

Christophe Berra, a key signing for the 21-22 season, experienced international level player who installed a spine on our defence while he was playing, and added valuable assistance when he wasn’t.

Each of these three players exemplifies the traits JMcG is looking for in players. In addition, they were all team leaders, players whose simple presence in the clubhouse made everyone realize they had to step up. Paul Watson isn’t quite to the level of the others, but he’s not terribly far off, so you can bet JMcG is counting on him to help push the team already, which is why he mentioned him so quickly. It really wouldn’t surprise me if there was another aging experienced player that he brings in to try to reverse the slide of the last few years, but since Watson is a defender anyway, he might be enough for JMcG to use as a nucleus for his rebuilding. Injury recovery or not, I bet Watson is around TFS more than you’d expect, and is probably acting as some extra eyes and ears for JMcG and Smudger.

One of the most obvious glaring issues that everyone in charge of our team have accomplished is having no leaders in the team, so I’m hoping he changes that.

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Guarded optimism is the best way to put it. He's saying all the right things but the proof will be in what he does. Good to hear he's aware of the size of the task in front of him. The biggest thing I took from that is he simply will not accept a situation where we have 11 imposters completely downing tools and being happy to get gubbed 3-0 or 4-1 on our home turf. Hopefully those days are long behind us. It doesn't have to be 'silky soccer', just give us a team who look like they give a f**k.

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What a refreshing change to actually have a manager that knows what he's talking about.  Let's hope he gets the players he wants and if he has already spoke to some under contract I hope he's told them in no uncertain terms this is what I demand, if your not capable then there's the door. 

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Three things that are going to define this summer:

1) Who he brings in

2) How many of the “currently contracted” players he can get a tune out of and wants to keep.

3) How many of the “currently contracted” players he can get permanently out the door, and how many he can get loaned out as a minimum.

Edited by Duncan Freemason
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4 minutes ago, Duncan Freemason said:

Three things that are going to define this summer:

1) Who he brings in

2) How many of the “currently contracted” players he can get a tune out of and wants to keep.

3) How many of the “currently contracted” players he can get permanently out the door, and how many he can get loaned out as a minimum.

Pretty sure that’s 4 things!

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2 minutes ago, Russ said:

The day that Brad McKay is finally launched out the club will be an absolutely glorious day. He’ll go down as a hall of farmer in the worst Falkirk XI of all time.

I know he looks like he’s pulling a tractor with a plough but that’s a bit much. 

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22 minutes ago, ebobsboy said:

What a refreshing change to actually have a manager that knows what he's talking about.  Let's hope he gets the players he wants and if he has already spoke to some under contract I hope he's told them in no uncertain terms this is what I demand, if your not capable then there's the door. 

Its in McGynn's interests to give the contracted players to prove themselves and be seen to be giving them a chance at redemption and so should the fans. It cant have been easy for any player to give their best last season.

He spoke well and deserves out patience and goodwill. If ever we needed to have a flying start to a season its this one.

 

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