The Falkirk FC Thread

[Rocco]

19 minutes ago, joozy said:

It speaks massively about their professional pride imo.  It also speaks volumes about the culture within the broader organisation.  Christ, can you imagine the reaction of some of our past managers if the players had said they were away on a party weekend after the performances of the last few weeks.

But football is totally different now. We may not like it, but the guys are entitled to have a night out

[Harry Kinnear]

Just listened to Rennies interview on the PF podcast - My conclusion is he is very smart and will be a big success at Falkirk - he may need to stabilize the club before putting his stamp on it but I congratulate the new board for making this bold appointment- onwards and upwards I hope 

I’m happy with his appointment as well but realistically what can he do in 6 months. I hope there is some sort of agreement there that if things work out well it will be a longer contract. I also hope that part of the negotiations to get him here has been an agreement that he will have control over players being signed and Holt will have nothing more to do with this.

[joozy]

1 minute ago, Rocco said:

But football is totally different now. We may not like it, but the guys are entitled to have a night out

Nobody is arguing that it's not up to them if they have a night out.  But I fucking hope the training sessions are brutal this week.  These things are a reflection on their character, and I hope that's also taken into account when it comes to contract renewals etc (although tbf, most of them will probably know they're getting punted asap anyway).

[Shadwell Dog]

It's got bugger all to do with the players being young and fit and everything to do with the fact we are currently a complete shambles and the last thing we need is covid running right through the squad especially when our new manager is about to start picking up the pieces.  Book an entire room at a local  hotel or restaurant if you want to have a night out .  I'd be saying the same if we were top of the league. In fact you wonder if they themselves would be risking it if they were in that position. The fact that they have been a complete joke of late and have not shown any wish to back each other up on the pitch makes you wonder why they want to go on a piss up together anyway.

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, joozy said:

Nobody is arguing that it's not up to them if they have a night out.  But I fucking hope the training sessions are brutal this week.  These things are a reflection on their character, and I hope that's also taken into account when it comes to contract renewals etc (although tbf, most of them will probably know they're getting punted asap anyway).

An Alex Ferguson or the like would've had them in for training today and f**k their night out.  Our organisation lets them away with complete murder so it's no surprise we are so bad.

[AGPar]

25 minutes ago, joozy said:

It speaks massively about their professional pride imo.  It also speaks volumes about the culture within the broader organisation. 

It does. Still find it incredible that, on the back of being murdered 6-0 at Firhill in one of the darkest days in the club's history, they only trained for two days last week - basically the equivalent of a part-time side. Speaks volumes. Can only hope and pray that Martin Rennie and whoever else comes in with him will make massive changes with regard to the unprofessional, holiday-camp, could-not-give-a-single-feck vibe that Diddy Sheerin and his diddy assistant have been fostering for the part six months. They should have been nowhere near Liverpool last night on the back of that shambles yesterday, probably a heavy weekend though so better go easy on them and just have the one training session this week. Joke outfit from top to bottom.

[Bula Bairn]

52 minutes ago, Rocco said:

I’m not saying I agree but they’re entitled to have a Xmas night out. 
 

Is a boss allowed to tell an employee they’re not invited to the works night out because they’re underperforming? The guys are allowed their own personal time and let’s not forget, this is just a job to them. 

It's their entitled attitude that's the problem!!  Especially when other games are now being called off for covid. 

Also, players get banned and fined by football bosses for all sorts of reasons. Comparing it to other lines of work doesn't really stand up.  

[Shadwell Dog]

Has anyone uncovered the reason why they only trained for 2 days last week?

[Bainsfordbairn]

27 minutes ago, joozy said:

It speaks massively about their professional pride imo.  It also speaks volumes about the culture within the broader organisation.  Christ, can you imagine the reaction of some of our past managers if the players had said they were away on a party weekend after the performances of the last few weeks.

I'm in no way ITK on this, but I suspect the party was arranged months ago and had the approval of the previous manager before it was organised. IMO it's not an issue that folk want to arrange a night out at Christmas with their mates. I don't think there's any employment law in the UK that prevents staff doing what they want in their free time. (with obvious exceptions) 

They were perfectly entitled to go our for a bevvy. Just as you and I would be, as long as it didn't affect our performance the next day at work. 

But considering recent results it was extremely foolish for any of them to post about it on social media. Because it gives the impression that  they didn't care about results and weren't hurting as much as we are. The sensible thing would have been to keep schtum and enjoy themselves in private, but footballers and sensible don't always go together. 

 

[MrDust]

7 hours ago, Long Suffering Bairn said:

Who ever at the club decided it is safe to have a drunken night out in Liverpool while we are into what will probably become the worst part of the pandemic so far should be sacked immediately.  The medical advice is not to have christmas parties.    Expect some of the squad coming down with covid within the next 10 days.   F&cking unbelievable.

 

 

Jason Leitch advice on Saturday was take a test pre going out.

We are a rudderless club at the moment and if we had a real manager in place I'd guess the night out would be cancelled, tho I'd guess if Sheerin was still here it would still go ahead.

Only time will tell if the night out has been a major fuk up, we are due a bit luck and can hope McKay, Hetherington and Wilson break club conduct and can be sacked

5 hours ago, AGPar said:

No idea where you are getting this from - certainly not from anyone on here - and couldn't disagree more really. The vast majority of, if not all fans, are well aware of how dire things currently are due to the gross incompetence and mismanagement of so many within the club, some of whom are still hanging around unfortunately. If anyone did still think that this was a quick fix - well, being murdered by QP and swatted aside by Cove Rangers within the space of a week has surely put an end to that. It's clear that one or two inside the club still have their head in the sand, and that the support are far more realistic and understanding about where we are just now. Rennie has a gargantuan task on his hands - we are at such a low ebb, even looking like a team who might be able to win the occasional game against an Airdrie or Montrose would represent a step forward.

This characterisation of Falkirk fans as "wildly impatient" or demanding instant success that one or two on here are still pushing at every opportunity - well, I don't recognise it all tbh, not even vaguely. I think it's complete and utter b******s.

We had calls for Holt, Thomson and others to be sacked/removed shouts towards a new board that hadn't been appointed yet, if that isn't impatient then I've got it wrong.

We appointed a new manager late Friday night who won't be here till Monday with a Wednesday/Thursday starting point. I myself got a boost from the appointment but went into Saturdays game praying for a point and seen that as a miracle especially after the Grainger interview. I think a few took a similar boost and thought we could get a result on Saturday, then when it didn't happen every player was slated, Grainger and Holt.

Hopefully we have a real manager in now, hopefully Holt does GTF along with others that have poisoned the club but the new board and the new manager will need a bit time. The board hopefully have acted well in the new manager and the process of getting rid of the dead wood will happen once they have had a bit time to settle.

[Tea and Busquets]

There was a few of them up Falkirk after getting scudded 6-0 by Queen’s Park btw. By all means have a social life but the cost financially and the risk of catching covid surely it would have made more sense possibly staying local. 

[Sergeant Wilson]

32 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Has anyone uncovered the reason why they only trained for 2 days last week?

They thought 1 day was ripping it.

[bairn88]

29 minutes ago, Tea and Busquets said:

There was a few of them up Falkirk after getting scudded 6-0 by Queen’s Park btw. By all means have a social life but the cost financially and the risk of catching covid surely it would have made more sense possibly staying local. 

I’m not really having that. It’s a job for players. Should be allowed to do what the rest of us do. My problem with it is the utterly embarrassing mentality that says a large, cross border night out after 2 shameful, shameful performances is acceptable. Who are the leaders in that dressing room

[Guest Back Post Misses]

14 hours ago, Blame Me said:

So assuming that our new head coach will be assisted by Kenny Miller does anyone else feel trepidation that this is a gamble - for those who dismissed Rice - that even he wouldn't take!

This has all the makings of a perfect storm and ending up further in the mire.

Why does it? 

We have a squad today who IMO will get nowhere near the play offs far less win the league. It has also proven to be a good bit better than the rubbish near the bottom so relegation IMO won’t happen either.

The new manager has been hired to the end of the season. I presume it suits both parties. He gets a look at managing in Scotland and we are not tied to a longer contract if he fails to get us up via the play offs after boosting the squad in January. 

Personal think this is a hit to nothing and as risk free as you can get. Expectations are low, very few expect us to get up now but going down doesn’t look likely either. 
 

 

[grumswall]

SACK EVERYONE!!

Over a decade later and it still rings true...

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

What do you mean?

I believe Mr Swinney had the title of “CEO” at Stenhousemuir, so he wanted that same title at Falkirk……essentially, it looks great on a CV. Thing is, what we needed was (and still is) a General Manager taking care of all business other than the footballing side (where I think you will find Mr Swinney has little if any say in matters). 
 

A true CEO will overarch into all aspects of how a club operates (yes, including the footballing side). There are few of those operating in Scotland, and I guess a well known recent name would be someone like Peter Lawwell at Celtic. Like Swinney, Lawwell was a (handsomely) paid employee  of the club, but not someone you would expect to see writing “Behind the Scenes” newsletters. Nor was there anyone on the Celtic Board other than perhaps Desmond powerful enough to pull Lawwell’s strings.

Therefore my assertion that Mr Swinney is nowhere near being a CEO. It doesn’t do him down……it’s simply not a job that he does, and it’s not a job that he is likely to be doing in the foreseeable future as he is very unlikely to have the skill set or Board permissions to act as a CEO should. We were looking for a General Manager, and I think that is what he does but with a tarted up job title of CEO.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Duncan Freemason

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

Why does it? 

We have a squad today who IMO will get nowhere near the play offs far less win the league. It has also proven to be a good bit better than the rubbish near the bottom so relegation IMO won’t happen either.

The new manager has been hired to the end of the season. I presume it suits both parties. He gets a look at managing in Scotland and we are not tied to a longer contract if he fails to get us up via the play offs after boosting the squad in January. 

Personal think this is a hit to nothing and as risk free as you can get. Expectations are low, very few expect us to get up now but going down doesn’t look likely either. 
 

 

Totally agree. My old adage concerning FFC of recent years of “no matter how cynical I get, I just can’t keep up” is being held on short leash for the rest of the season. Rennie doesn’t arrive with a world weary eye of having seen it all before. He is hopefully going to bring a fresh perspective to things, and maybe a bit of insight into how it can be turned around (even a wee bit).

Man management skills are going to be as important as any other skill he brings with him. While he might be able to bring in two or three in January (hopefully with no input from GH), there are loads who aren’t going anywhere soon, and he is going to have to realign their thinking.

As BPM says, we shouldn’t be expecting a miracle worker, but what we need is someone who knows how to stop the rot, and at least start the process of getting HMS FFC pointing in the right direction.

[Blame Me]

4 hours ago, Duncan Freemason said:

Totally agree. My old adage concerning FFC of recent years of “no matter how cynical I get, I just can’t keep up” is being held on short leash for the rest of the season. Rennie doesn’t arrive with a world weary eye of having seen it all before. He is hopefully going to bring a fresh perspective to things, and maybe a bit of insight into how it can be turned around (even a wee bit).

Man management skills are going to be as important as any other skill he brings with him. While he might be able to bring in two or three in January (hopefully with no input from GH), there are loads who aren’t going anywhere soon, and he is going to have to realign their thinking.

As BPM says, we shouldn’t be expecting a miracle worker, but what we need is someone who knows how to stop the rot, and at least start the process of getting HMS FFC pointing in the right direction.

Glad to be proven wrong - I often am!

However, I can't share your or BPM's optimism. 

We're not a good bit better than anyone and we've huffed and puffed against a lot of those teams below us. 

This has the potential of an Alessio, Caixinha or Maximo type of appointment from the recent past of other clubs who made out-the-box appointments.

My topical analogy would be we're asking Santa to deliver a handful of presents with trainee Elves and most of his reindeer flea bitten and hobbled - Rudolfs nose not burning as bright as it did - as we know the whole Xmas night is beyond him!

 

[Albertobotswana]

The majority of the support are getting behind the idea of Rennie and It can't get any worse than it already is tbh.

It is unfortunate that he has inherited a very poor defence but further up the pitch, we do look a lot better with Nesbitt and Morrison being the obvious stand outs.

Let's see how he sets the team up, how the team responds and where we are at 4.45 on Saturday. 

[Blame Me]

19 minutes ago, Albertobotswana said:

... It can't get any worse than it already is tbh...

While we compete in a football pyramid, it can always get worse!

A few weeks after new year and I fully expect the "too good to go down" chat to start.