The Falkirk FC Thread

[ebobsboy]

23 minutes ago, Reggie Perrin said:

I would be a happy man if M&M were to turn the slump around and lead us to the Championship but I really would not be surprised if we end the season with Holt in the Manager’s chair and us in the playoffs.

Or Hopkin. He was on Radio Scotland tonight and spoke well, he's looking to get back in and he knows how to get promotion out this league and beyond. But I concur I think Holt will be in the dugout in the the not to distant future, on what basis remains to be seen. 

[NUMBER 7]

If Holt sits in the stand and watches one game he’ll be able to ask M&M

Why did you sign Dowds and what did you see in him, why have you played him so often when he is rubbish. M&M if that is in your opinion a good player / signing, your not involved in signing any more.

Why in all the players you have signed and train each day,  with the exception of two are they so slow.

Occasionally we have played fast passing football on the deck and looked better than the opposition why do we so often resort to long balls when passing is our better option. Even against Rangers we passed the ball fast precise and well that would have played the rest of this league off the park.

With the exception of Gomez, why are all the Midfield players so lazy. The attacking ones don’t get forward to support the forwards and defensive ones don’t track back. 

 

[ShaggerG]

1 hour ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

I genuinely think we are sleep walking into a disaster with this buggers muddle of a set up.

Let’s not kidd ourselves on Holt is some sort of Scottish Pep. He was the front man for Martindale at Livingston and their success has mainly been down to him, most in the game acknowledge that.

Having said that I think I could have understood had the Board brought Holt in as boss and offered M&M an assistant and coach roles.

Despite what Holt said in his interview about M&M being fully onside with this and he had moved on from being a manager I am far from convinced. I also am not convinced the Board are as convinced with them as they said they were at the EGM.

If I were M&M I would be looking over my shoulder. On the day before a large new investor put nearly 400k they get a new boss in Holt. This has change all over it IMO which will happen if results and performances don’t improve immediately, when and if games restart.

 

I don't disagree but, with all that's going on at the moment, I just don't think now is the time to consider managerial change. If, as you say, results don't improve then I think a change would have to be done but not right now.

[Guest]

I don’t think we can afford to not think of a change of management. It has to considered in terms of forward planning though, and that has been sorely missing.
There should at least be some sort of idea of what is required if it comes to that. By all means, have preferred candidates, but don’t close the door on other applicants. Have the same interview process for everyone that is chosen to be interviewed. Crucially, have the right people involved in the process. As way of example, KK as “commercial director” shouldn’t be anywhere near a managerial appointment.
Interviews have to be carried out in the same way by the same people. Deviate from that, and another mess awaits with the usual “he was your choice, not mine”.

[MrDust]

38 minutes ago, Duncan Freemason said:

I don’t think we can afford to not think of a change of management. It has to considered in terms of forward planning though, and that has been sorely missing.
There should at least be some sort of idea of what is required if it comes to that. By all means, have preferred candidates, but don’t close the door on other applicants. Have the same interview process for everyone that is chosen to be interviewed. Crucially, have the right people involved in the process. As way of example, KK as “commercial director” shouldn’t be anywhere near a managerial appointment.
Interviews have to be carried out in the same way by the same people. Deviate from that, and another mess awaits with the usual “he was your choice, not mine”.

Hartley on paper was a foolproof appointment that took 9 or 10 games to get a win. A new manager wouldn't go through as a horrific run in league one but he doesn't have a transfer window to help him out of trouble if required.

I'll be surprised if there is any change at all this season with a shorter maybe shorter or void season, also with Holt coming in. I would guess there would only be change if at all if we are in the play offs like QoS done for a boost if required.

I don't particularly trust our board to choose a manager tbh, Houstie was more a fans choice than the boards so no praise for that.

[Guest]

I don’t think the board have earned any right to be trusted in management selection. Even recent stuff like the appointment of Gow being described as a “no brainier” proved to be anything but.
It would be interesting to know just who would be involved in such a process.....to the point where it should already be defined. As I said already, if I found out that KK was part of that process, I would be raging....just as I was when told AT and LM were involved.

[ebobsboy]

4 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

I don't disagree but, with all that's going on at the moment, I just don't think now is the time to consider managerial change. If, as you say, results don't improve then I think a change would have to be done but not right now.

Failure to win the next league game ramps the pressure immediately, I think they are on borrowed time. 

 

[bairn88]

11 minutes ago, ebobsboy said:

Failure to win the next league game ramps the pressure immediately, I think they are on borrowed time. 

 

This is why I’m so conflicted in my own mind.

I think it’s JUST too soon to think of sacking them - they are after all top of the league, after being about 8 points behind cove at one point. 

However, draw or defeat v montrose, and that just seems like absolute confirmation that these guys can’t cut it when the chips are down. 

Can the difference between managers being “ok for the job” and “must be sacked“ be really just 1 game? As Mark Corrigan says, it’s not a no-brainer - it’s a real brainer

[Hank von Hell]

3 hours ago, Duncan Freemason said:

I don’t think the board have earned any right to be trusted in management selection. Even recent stuff like the appointment of Gow being described as a “no brainier” proved to be anything but.
It would be interesting to know just who would be involved in such a process.....to the point where it should already be defined. As I said already, if I found out that KK was part of that process, I would be raging....just as I was when told AT and LM were involved.

I have been told it will be a 3 man selection panel made up of EdiBairn , LondonBairn and LatapyBairn. They will unanimously appoint Margaret Lang as our new manager. 

[ATLIS]

13 hours ago, NewBornBairn said:

Drug dealers, racists, rapists - welcome to Scottish Football - "the family game"

Hilarious mate, hopefully you've recorded a teary rant to go along with it too. 

He's paid back his proceeds, served his time and done the lot. Changed man deserving of another shot at life. 

[Guest]

Hilarious mate, hopefully you've recorded a teary rant to go along with it too. 

He's paid back his proceeds, served his time and done the lot. Changed man deserving of another shot at life. 

There is certainly a movement within the Falkirk support that everyone has to be squeaky clean with no personal baggage even if they have served time for their errors. I guess some of the attitude has been moulded by the clubs obsession in being flawlessly community goody goodies for years while we have been shite on the pitch. Deflection tactics IMO.

Yet at the same time they have put up with questionable individuals having input into running the club and said very little.

FWIIW Martindale wouldn’t be my cup of tea as a manager and I suspect when it does go wrong at Livingston it will spectacularly. However fair play to the guy 10 games unbeaten and a National cup final shows he has something certainly.

[Dawson Park Boy]

5 hours ago, ATLIS said:

Hilarious mate, hopefully you've recorded a teary rant to go along with it too. 

He's paid back his proceeds, served his time and done the lot. Changed man deserving of another shot at life. 

Must agree with that.

Difficult one but, having paid the penalty, redemption must always be an option.

Good luck to him.

[roman_bairn]

Hilarious mate, hopefully you've recorded a teary rant to go along with it too. 

He's paid back his proceeds, served his time and done the lot. Changed man deserving of another shot at life. 

Unless he’s Jesus Christ and can bring back some of the lives undoubtedly taken as a consequence of his actions he’s paid back f**k all IMO....

[Newbornbairn]

The line between "squeaky clean" and "convicted drug dealer" is a helluva wide one.

 

If everything is so wonderful about Martindale - why all this skulking in the background for years, moving cones, collecting bibs, the assistant that picks the team, chooses the transfers, can't be sacked etc etc etc? 

[Guest]

It never has. The guy claiming Burchill was his childhood pal and brought him in is complete and utter guff. The term was “installed by a third party” who has never been named. He is unsackable for a reason, and it isn’t likely to be football related.

[Guest]

Here you go....no mention of Burchill hiring him.....just the mysterious “third party”. McDougall not being prepared to comment prior to him being forced out speaks volumes.

https://www.sundaypost.com/news/scottish-news/livingston-fc-under-fire-for-giving-coaching-role-to-drugs-crook/

[Reggie Perrin]

There is no doubt that Martindale is doing a quite remarkable job with the team at the moment.

I also have no doubt that there is and always has been something rotten at the heart of that club.

Detest Livingston every bit as much as the Cheeks, possibly even more.

[Bairnardo]

10 minutes ago, Duncan Freemason said:

It never has. The guy claiming Burchill was his childhood pal and brought him in is complete and utter guff. The term was “installed by a third party” who has never been named. He is unsackable for a reason, and it isn’t likely to be football related.

I mean, the club are obviously a bit shady, but it's not like they installed Fat Tony from the Simpsons to pretend to be a football manger, he's clearly a very competent coach/manager of football teams.

[Newbornbairn]

I've nothing against Livingston - play well, nice stadium, I enjoy keeping tabs on Sibbald so I'll watch their games.

 

I do have a problem with drug dealers being given high profile jobs in football. Same with rapists and racists.

 

Livingston kept him in the shadows for years because they knew it was utterly wrong to have him there, but they've pushed the authorities step by step to see if there's a reaction. Well now we know - the authorities are quite happy to have drug dealers leading the sport in Scotland.

[Shadwell Dog]

We're not talking about a speeding ticket or shop lifting charge or even drug use here. We're talking about organised crime concentrated on drug distribution here.   He was convicted for 6 years and yet incredibly got let out after only half his sentence being served which is typical of the soft touch criminals receive these days.  Him managing a top flight football team must be harrowing for all those his drug dealings touched many of whom will never get the second chance he has been given in spades.  This ah it's fine he's served a couple of years in jail so that makes everything ok is enough to make you boke.