The Falkirk FC Thread

[Jimmy1876]

1 minute ago, Caractacus Potts said:

I get where you’re coming from but at the time we would have been saying the same about McKinnon and Miller and McCracken. They all came in to try turn things on the back of our worst seasons in recent history but weren’t cut much slack. 

I would agree that at the time it seemed that way but for me coming down to league 1 the first year there has a lot more going for us than being down here 4 seasons watching a steady decline in third tier football. The relegated championship team is always the favourite to go back up the first year as well. Where the last 4 years for me have been like watching a slow death. And there is a much bigger rebuild needed now that there was then (although not saying it was good then either) which is why I say simply looking at points is a touch oversimplistic. It's still relevant for sure and it's not good enough, but I think time is the answer rather than calling for yet another managers job. 

Also who is the alternative? Right now there is absolutely no one to me that sounds a better shout than McGlynn. If teams that had better seasons than us last season are struggling to find good managers then how do we expect anyone to want to work here after firing the one manager who had a remote chance of turning things around while he was here and was showing improvements?

[NUMBER 7]

The goals from McManus covered a load of Miller and McCrackens failures in the Covid season. The shat trying to win away at Raith playing for a draw and the outcome of that cost us on and off the park, possible promotion then the £500,000 the next year. Interesting to see how so many Championship Clubs made decent profits in the middle of Covid when there was no crowds, furlough, and £500,000 hand outs. Of course we were in the wrong place to get 500 grand.

Miller and McCrackens second season where there was the Covid winter break, we had gone into that in poor form having lost to Airdrie and East Fife but returned from it ok beating Montrose and Forfar, then imploded beyond belief. 

 

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

3 minutes ago, Jimmy1876 said:

I would agree that at the time it seemed that way but for me coming down to league 1 the first year there has a lot more going for us than being down here 4 seasons watching a steady decline in third tier football. The relegated championship team is always the favourite to go back up the first year as well. Where the last 4 years for me have been like watching a slow death. And there is a much bigger rebuild needed now that there was then (although not saying it was good then either) which is why I say simply looking at points is a touch oversimplistic. It's still relevant for sure and it's not good enough, but I think time is the answer rather than calling for yet another managers job. 

Also who is the alternative? Right now there is absolutely no one to me that sounds a better shout than McGlynn. If teams that had better seasons than us last season are struggling to find good managers then how do we expect anyone to want to work here after firing the one manager who had a remote chance of turning things around while he was here and was showing improvements?

Definitely not saying we should fire him but just trying to dispel the notion that he’s somehow miles ahead of previous managers. 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Caractacus Potts

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

10 minutes ago, Tea and Busquets said:

Was it McGlynn’s fault yesterday that we didn’t win ?

I’m waiting for you to blame the ref and missed chances but ofcourse the blame must lay at McGlynns door. Shouldn’t rely on the ref to beat Airdrie and McGlynn picked the team, 7 of whom he signed. 

Is 8 points in the last 6 acceptable?

Edited December 4, 2022 by Caractacus Potts

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

4 minutes ago, NUMBER 7 said:

The goals from McManus covered a load of Miller and McCrackens failures in the Covid season. The shat trying to win away at Raith playing for a draw and the outcome of that cost us on and off the park, possible promotion then the £500,000 the next year. Interesting to see how so many Championship Clubs made decent profits in the middle of Covid when there was no crowds, furlough, and £500,000 hand outs. Of course we were in the wrong place to get 500 grand.

Miller and McCrackens second season where there was the Covid winter break, we had gone into that in poor form having lost to Airdrie and East Fife but returned from it ok beating Montrose and Forfar, then imploded beyond belief. 

 

Don’t disagree with McManus papering over the cracks either but would be good to have a player like him to do likewise. 
 

[HopeStreetWalker]

2 hours ago, Back Post Misses said:

As far as the game goes you can’t keep missing chances like we did and expect to win. We need a clinical striker, making enough chances. 
Hogarth one save all game in the first 4 minutes shows how little Airdrie actually threatened. The Oliver miss is just unacceptable. 
 

There is the rub. If your a clinical striker or a young player on the up and going to be one there will be better offers going than Falkirk.

The player churn over the last few years does not help in tempting the quality you speak of due to that reputation.

We desperately need a bit of continuity and stability and I just don't see it in the squad as most will get punted at the end of the season.

 

[ShaggerG]

11 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

A couple of posts saying McGinn was poor today.

Certainly at fault at the Airdrie goal but that apart I thought that he had his best game for several weeks.

Particularly effective in the first half, though it could be that age is beginning to catch up with him as he fell away later on, perhaps he was maybe just knackered after carrying Oliver and Nesbit.

We would definitely be poorer without him

Completely agree. I thought he controlled the game until late on when he made his blunder. We've no-one better in that position IMO. 

[PedroMoutinho]

3 minutes ago, NUMBER 7 said:

The goals from McManus covered a load of Miller and McCrackens failures in the Covid season. The shat trying to win away at Raith playing for a draw and the outcome of that cost us on and off the park, possible promotion then the £500,000 the next year. Interesting to see how so many Championship Clubs made decent profits in the middle of Covid when there was no crowds, furlough, and £500,000 hand outs. Of course we were in the wrong place to get 500 grand.

Miller and McCrackens second season where there was the Covid winter break, we had gone into that in poor form having lost to Airdrie and East Fife but returned from it ok beating Montrose and Forfar, then imploded beyond belief. 

 

On the first point, they didn’t know and had no way of knowing that the league was about to be stopped. I think getting a draw away to Raith with a game to come at home against them was a decent result.

On the second, there was a crazy number of injuries after the restart. Holt only bringing in 3 kids in the transfer window didn’t help either.

[Springfield]

2 minutes ago, Jimmy1876 said:

I would agree that at the time it seemed that way but for me coming down to league 1 the first year there has a lot more going for us than being down here 4 seasons watching a steady decline in third tier football. The relegated championship team is always the favourite to go back up the first year as well. Where the last 4 years for me have been like watching a slow death. And there is a much bigger rebuild needed now that there was then (although not saying it was good then either) which is why I say simply looking at points is a touch oversimplistic. It's still relevant for sure and it's not good enough, but I think time is the answer rather than calling for yet another managers job. 

Also who is the alternative? Right now there is absolutely no one to me that sounds a better shout than McGlynn. If teams that had better seasons than us last season are struggling to find good managers then how do we expect anyone to want to work here after firing the one manager who had a remote chance of turning things around while he was here and was showing improvements?

Never questioned M&S appointments, and still think there probably the best (in our 4th season in league 1) we could have in charge, and considering who would actually take the job as we’re seen as a basket club.

My grave concern is simple, we’re touching the half way stage in fixtures, third in the league, and still not beating the usual candidates. Players like Morrison/Nesbitt/Oliver/McGuffie are passengers, all producing a one in ten performances. Henderson after a difficult start seemed to settle into a decent partnership with Donaldson but now looks a bomb scare. Our captain looks like a player that unfortunately the legs have gone.
Throw in a continuing  issue with our RB position and we continue to suffer upfront. Add the issues with our financials and without new faces (couldn’t give a toss if it’s only loans) the reality of another year in this league looks certain. 

[Bairnardo]

Not sure if I'm confirming a bias here, but I'd suggest Miller and McCracken benefitted from far more whipping boys in the league than there are now. I remember our first season down very much like it was pretty dross except us and Raith?

[Shabba]

In my opinion McGlynn has us playing better football than we’ve had at any other time in League One.

He is stubborn and fails to recognise that at times he is too reliant on his favourites. He doesn’t have a plan B which means we never change shape and subs are always like for like.

it’s a bizarre time for him to say that he’d like more money in an interview when he knows the financial situation we are in.

Given time and more transfer windows, I believe that he’ll get us out this league. The problem is, the Dunfermline team running away with the league is poor and we can’t sustain running a full time club in this league for much longer. This season is a good chance to get promoted if we make the most of what we’ve got just now

[Zbairn]

2 minutes ago, Springfield said:

 the reality of another year in this league looks certain. 

Not totally convinced with that…….yet. There is still a load of football to be played. Although Dunfermline are still ahead of us they aren’t that great either. Grinding a 1-1 draw with QotS at home (allied with some other crap results) doesn’t make me think they are runaway contenders.

in saying that, I’d rather be in their position in the league than ours.

[Bairnardo]

Cant get this "McGinns legs have gone" chat. Boys in his 30s and has played just about every match so far this season. He needs a break.

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

11 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Not sure if I'm confirming a bias here, but I'd suggest Miller and McCracken benefitted from far more whipping boys in the league than there are now. I remember our first season down very much like it was pretty dross except us and Raith?

Been plenty of dross teams in this league since we’ve been down. Dunfermline aren’t great shakes and Edinburgh City are pretty unexceptional. 

[Zbairn]

7 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Cant get this "McGinns legs have gone" chat. Boys in his 30s and has played just about every match so far this season. He needs a break.

Well, somethings not right. He was running like a old cart horse yesterday. 

[Bairnardo]

Just now, Caractacus Potts said:

Been plenty of dross teams in this league since we’ve been down. Dunfermline aren’t great shakes and Edinburgh City are pretty unexceptional. 

We arguably have the best team we have had since coming down. I think that's at the very least a point that can be debated. We probably have the best manager we have had. But this side, and you can apply this to Dunfermline too, aren't routinely pumping anyone. 

McKinnon and M&M got on the the right end of a few thrashings. Absolutely no one in this league looks like you could hit them for 5 or 6, and Dumfermline, Edinburgh, Airdrie, Montrose, Alloa and Queens, even though we have beaten the latter two reasonably comfortably, are not teams you hit for 5 or 6. And then you have league newcomers Kelty who have clowned us twice. 

I would say the gap between top and bottom is less, and the teams nearer the bottom are way more competent than they were 2/3 years ago. 

I'm not saying the quality of the league is suddenly amazing or anything like that, I'm saying there are less routine tankings being dished out. 

[Dunning1874]

On 03/12/2022 at 09:16, Ranaldo Bairn said:

Quoted this as I was just about to say the same.

Dunning's points are all fair, but completely miss the fact we are saddled with enormous overheads before we take in a penny.

It's a common error among fans of other clubs commenting. Understandable, though.

Unquestionably Falkirk face higher overheads than a lot of clubs, but I think that only makes my point more pertinent: it's all the more reason not to launch top end Championship wages at mediocre players. There's a sizable gap between not being able to sustain full-time football at all and not being able to sustain Falkirk's current wage bill.

[PedroMoutinho]

For me to have won less than half of games league 1 just isn’t good enough. Yes, we are stuck with some of last season’s dross but McGlynn has been backed to bring in 12 new players plus youngsters.

What’s worrying for me is that I can easily see us dropping more points in our next couple of games. 

[Diamonds are Forever]

27 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Not sure if I'm confirming a bias here, but I'd suggest Miller and McCracken benefitted from far more whipping boys in the league than there are now. I remember our first season down very much like it was pretty dross except us and Raith?

 

This is definitely the case. In that initial Covid interupted season and the one after the standard was terrible. You still have Falkirk, Airdrie, Montrose, Peterhead and Clyde, and you could substitute Raith for Dunfermline. Apart from that East Fife, Dumbarton, Forfar and Stanraer have been replaced by Kelty, Alloa, Queen of the South and Edinburgh who will all have far bigger budgets than those 4 and all be chasing promotion.

As you say the mid to lower table is so much better now. For most of those 2 seasons I'd say most Airdrie fans wanted Murray out and we were awful to watch, yet we ended up finishing 3rd and then 2nd. Our current side is much better than those ones but is struggling due to the higher quality of the league.

I think any points comparisons between those seasons and this are almost meaningless.

[roman_bairn]

Was it McGlynn’s fault yesterday that we didn’t win ?

Absolutely it was!