The Falkirk FC Thread

[FFC 1876]

54 minutes ago, AGPar said:

Off the top of my head, Rae, Ballantyne, Jamieson, Mochrie. Four players who have signed for direct League 1 rivals. All a quantifiable upgrade on what we currently have in these positions. We have signed 12 players (excluding kids), Airdrie and Dunfermline 11 combined, so the budget argument does not hold any weight either. All about opinions, but the three most recent signings feel like massive gambles. Given the complete disaster that befell the club in the summer of 2018, the ramifications of which are still being felt 4 years on, it is completely understandable for Falkirk fans to be highly sceptical of players of this profile. In fact, it's the only approach, and there need be absolutely no apology for it.

You can't quantify somebody you've not seen play yet, Burrell & Lawal haven't played a single minute and PJ Morrison is just as good as Josh Rae imo. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by FFC 1876

[PedroMoutinho]

6 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

There's no such thing as a proven creator or a proven goalscorer at our level, Mochrie got 2 assists and 1 goal in 16 games in his time at Montrose so is essentially an unproven 19 year old attacking midfielder, Lawal's a 20 year old unproven attacking midfielder.

So Declan McManus wasn’t a proven goal scorer at our level?

[Springfield]

8 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Hopefully it will turn out to be a master stroke but I would like to have seen more ‘balance’ in the profile of the attacking players we’ve brought in. Clearly some original targets have knocked us back as I don’t imagine our chief scout has been basing his shortlist on agents’ highlights reels.

We’ve signed some decent experience in defence but it’s a big risk imo bringing in 3 guys in attacking areas who’ve played very little if any first team football at any level.

There is no proven goal scorer and no proven creator at the club and that could well come to haunt us imo.

The last few posts pretty much sums up the reality of our continued third league status. We’ve strengthened our back line but the engine still feels short. Players/loanees that would have signed simply not interested, and/or our rivals a better “fix”, following a disastrous past three season with around 70 odd players signed and binned. No doubt we’re seen as a basket club, and can we blame them - no.

M&S have one hellava job, but as posted we’ve signed a few players who we need to understand this league, fight for every ball, and produce performances at the top end, all season.

Where have we seen this before………..sincere best wishes to the management team and players.

[MrDust]

8 minutes ago, Hugh Hillshaveyes said:

Don't want to wazz on yer parmientiers & I hope the lad does well but Tom Owen Evans was young player of the year for I think Hereford...just sayin

The mention of TOE and Dan Turner send shivers down my spine, I recall seeing both play a reserve game against Partick Thistle and Dan Turner was so out his depth and was subbed at half time, TOE had the 90s Frank Lampard look that got him young player of the year surely

[AGPar]

15 minutes ago, FFC 1876 said:

There's no such thing as a proven creator or a proven goalscorer at our level, 

I am sure the likes of Mitch Megginson and Dylan Easton would completely endorse this viewpoint. 

[FalkirkBairn2021]

The players we're bringing in might not be what we're hoping for but I'm glad we're at least trying to find something in attacking areas.

If nothing else it might convince dross like Morrison that they aren't certain starters.

I'm hoping there's some easy 'mutual consent' break clauses early if these guys are total shite.

Edited August 5, 2022 by FalkirkBairn2021

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

29 minutes ago, FalkirkBairn2021 said:

The players we're bringing in might not be what we're hoping for but I'm glad we're at least trying to find something in attacking areas.

If nothing else it might convince dross like Morrison that they aren't certain starters.

I'm hoping there's some easy 'mutual consent' break clauses early if these guys are total shite.

I don’t get this notion that Morrison is dross. Frustrating yes but we’ve had far worse players. He’d have a far better showreel at a better level and can back it up with a decent amount of goals scored too. He’s far from the weakest squad member. 

[Guest]

It feels very much as if the remnants of the budget (after Holt & Sheerin’s non playing players get their cut) seems to have set out M&S’s strategy for them…………they can’t fix everything, so let’s fix the stuff that killed us last season………defence and midfield.

I think it’s fair to say that defence is arguable 90% fixed, and midfield is 60% fixed.

That leaves M&S with their less than stellar attacking player track record. I think they have wisely given attack the smallest portion of the budget given that track record. Bringing in a couple of curve balls is probably P30 in terms of probability of success, but that is (hopefully) wildly pessimistic.

M&S are concentrating on not losing games, and for now, that’s a pretty sensible way to go. It’s been said before, but I think we are headed for a season where 1-0, 0-0, 1-1, and 0-1 will be pretty regular outcomes.

Pretty much a stab in the dark, but I think a season where we amass something around the 60-70 pts mark is about as good as it might get. Certainly enough for the play offs.

[ebobsboy]

We will find out soon enough if they are hit, miss, or should be really doing another job away from football. I just think In a season where we really have to get it right on the park taking punts on unknowns might not be the correct route considering Hetherington, Nesbitt, Morrison, Williamson and McGuffie will let McGlynn down make absolutely no mistake about it.  If he's questioning belief post match after Montrose in week 1 then that you'd hope was aimed firmly at them. Not that'll it'll make any difference to them. 

 

[Guest]

A “not losing” strategy won’t build the points tally quickly, but it will build confidence and a bit of momentum. If those two factors start to improve, then the results just might start to improve too.

The players from last season were fully conditioned to lose. Those still here now have a second chance.…..a chance to improve, and show it wasn’t all their fault, and that they were managed really really badly. It really is down to them now.

[Bigbri Bairn]

I have not a clue what Oliver Alegria Burrell and Lawal are capable of but i (after reading the gloom) am praying they are the finds of the decade

[Guest]

2 hours ago, AGPar said:

Off the top of my head, Rae, Ballantyne, Jamieson, Mochrie. Four players who have signed for direct League 1 rivals. All a quantifiable upgrade on what we currently have in these positions. We have signed 12 players (excluding kids), Airdrie and Dunfermline 11 combined, so the budget argument does not hold any weight either. All about opinions, but the three most recent signings feel like massive gambles. Given the complete disaster that befell the club in the summer of 2018, the ramifications of which are still being felt 4 years on, it is completely understandable for Falkirk fans to be highly sceptical of players of this profile. In fact, it's the only approach, and there need be absolutely no apology for it.

TBF we got Donaldson, McGinn, MacKie and Henderson who would walk into any other L1 side. 
Let’s wait and see how things turnout. Clearly looks to me that a few could have the choice of sitting on the bench, sitting in the stand or taking their leave of the place completely 

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Caractacus Potts said:

I don’t get this notion that Morrison is dross. Frustrating yes but we’ve had far worse players. He’d have a far better showreel at a better level and can back it up with a decent amount of goals scored too. He’s far from the weakest squad member. 

Not convinced he has recovered from his injury fully

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

3 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

Not convinced he has recovered from his injury fully

Could be an issue for sure although he’s still had a couple of decent performances so far. 

[Grangemouth Bairn]

1 hour ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Scott Allan training with Kelty currently so if that rumour still needed out to bed there we go.

Is it likely he’ll sign ? He’s only 30 so I’m guessing there’s something far wrong if that’s the offers he’s getting. I’m guessing the heart condition has really impacted his fitness. It’s a real shame as the boy was a very talented footballer.

[GeordieBairn]

So we did pay a compensation fee for Lawal. Would love to know the figure there

[AGPar]

6 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

TBF we got Donaldson, McGinn, MacKie and Henderson who would walk into any other L1 side. 
Let’s wait and see how things turnout. Clearly looks to me that a few could have the choice of sitting on the bench, sitting in the stand or taking their leave of the place completely 

These four are realistically about as good as we can expect at this level, and I'd probably add Yates to that category, with plenty of room for development. I've no complaints with the defensive recruitment undertaken by McGlynn this summer, just nowhere near as convinced by the attacking options brought in. I'd also be amazed if has not had, or will not be having very shortly, some frank conversations with quite a few of last season's lot and advising them that their careers would be better served under a new employer. Finding one is going to be the hard bit unfortunately, probably impossible in quite a few cases.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

1 hour ago, PedroMoutinho said:

So Declan McManus wasn’t a proven goal scorer at our level?

Yeah that opening statement was a shiter.

[FFC 1876]

1 hour ago, AGPar said:

I am sure the likes of Mitch Megginson and Dylan Easton would completely endorse this viewpoint. 

Mitch Megginson's best season in Scotland before he worked his way up with Cove was scoring 10 in 35 games for Dumbarton in the championship and even then he went the next few years rarely scoring as he was played out wide, I don't think he can be classed as someone who's been signed as a proven goalscorer. 

Rory Mcallister's the only exception to the 'proven' rule in our league this season in terms of new signings and given his work situation it's not exactly a surprise he's ended up at Montrose.

[Hartleys18/19Army]

1 hour ago, Caractacus Potts said:

I don’t get this notion that Morrison is dross. Frustrating yes but we’ve had far worse players. He’d have a far better showreel at a better level and can back it up with a decent amount of goals scored too. He’s far from the weakest squad member. 

Morrison is a useful player for us to have at this level. If he could get it in his head he's league 1 for a reason that would maybe help. Oh and stop those God awful penalty run ups.