The Falkirk FC Thread

[PedroMoutinho]

14 minutes ago, BooBairn said:

People can say “we need to unite” as much as they want but one clear issue remains. 

Holt.

The new BOD need to nail their colours to the mast soon… you either sack him or publicly back him. 

He’s not going anywhere anytime soon judging by Rennie’s interview 

[AGPar]

37 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Concerning that Holt's player profile pish seems to be being kept as the way forward. So far it's been an abject disaster. Frightening also to think that Holt has already identified a number of players that could improve the squad.  We've already had sheerin telling us how great Gary's pre contract signings were and them turning out to be fecking awful let's hope Rennie isn't falling into the same trap. Any one  Holt proposes needs ignored straight away . Rennie needs to start afresh and look for January players. Holts only involvement should be making sure they have training kit on the first day they arrive and feck all else.

I suppose the hope has to be that, with this being the January window, and therefore far less players out of contract, anyone he is proposing at this stage is merely that - a proposal - and that the new management team have the autonomy to chuck them straight in the bin if they are so minded. That was never the case for Sheerin. He was appointed on 28th May and the announcements of Williamson, Hetherington, McKay etc started from pretty much 1st June onwards. A condition for whoever took the job was that they would be working with these 5 or 6 players whom Holt had reached agreement with prior to an appointment being made. Who knows whether more suitable, higher quality candidates may have been dissuaded due to that scenario.

Not much more to add on Holt - all been said by others. Initial reaction, which is all you can give at this stage, is that I am pretty pleased with the appointment of both Rennie and Miller and reasonably confident that they will be a significant upgrade on the Sheerin/M&M/McKinnon nightmares of the past three years. So both disappointed and surprised that the spectre of Holt continues to overshadow things and that there does not seem to be much lessening of his involvement on the recruitment side. Surely another transfer window disaster would have to signal the end for him ?

 

[Bigbri Bairn]

Latapy played for us at a higher level aged the same as Kenny Miller. Just saying like

[TxRover]

Just a wee devil’s advocate...as I understand Holt’s current role, Rennie would identify needs/wants, Holt would locate a selection of players for Rennie to review and order, then Holt goes about getting the highest choices he can. That would suggest some of the blame for Holt’s previous choices is at least shared. If Rennie is, as is mooted, the superior judge of player abilities and a better designer of plans based upon the actual talent on hand, Holt might be somewhat OK (ignoring his stupid statements and such). As such, it might be financially better for him to remain this season.

[AL-FFC]

I dont think Holt is going anywhere unless some club come in for him and try to poach him from us (if any club is in need of a Sporting Director and want him let any Falkirk Supporter know and we will gladly drop him off at your ground). Though Rennie believes in the concept of SD and in fairness it is used in a lot of places. Could be a case of he is trying to find things to do and starting to micromanage and get into other peoples jobs (he comes across that sort of person).  As long as he knows his remit and doesnt over step it and even then i think with a lot of it i think Rennie and Miller would do a better job of convincing a player of coming to the club than Holt.

Cant help but think though Rennie and Miller will have a lot of contacts and Holts probably sitting with one number and phoning Hartley up asking what was the name of that scout you used again.

[Guest Ecosse83]

Is it possible for me to subscribe to the Falkirk Fans thing but put it in my 4 year olds name? May as well trap the wee soul into Falkirk just now

[Just a bairn]

Good appointment re. Miller and makes sense how he would compliment Rennie. Disappointed that we will now have to endure the “aM a GeRs mAn bUt wIlL lOoK oUt fOr KeNnY aT fAlKiRk” patter on social media 

[Bairnardo]

1 minute ago, Just a bairn said:

Good appointment re. Miller and makes sense how he would compliment Rennie. Disappointed that we will now have to endure the “aM a GeRs mAn bUt wIlL lOoK oUt fOr KeNnY aT fAlKiRk” patter on social media 

Aye, i'm sure there will be no shortage of Daily Record hot takes from morons like Boyd telling us how Miller will be amazing for us etc

[Just a bairn]

4 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Aye, i'm sure there will be no shortage of Daily Record hot takes from morons like Boyd telling us how Miller will be amazing for us etc

Yes waiting for the BOYD BACKS EX-GERS STAR AT STRUGGLING FALKIRK

[Proudtobeabairn]

8 hours ago, AGPar said:

I suppose the hope has to be that, with this being the January window, and therefore far less players out of contract, anyone he is proposing at this stage is merely that - a proposal - and that the new management team have the autonomy to chuck them straight in the bin if they are so minded. That was never the case for Sheerin. He was appointed on 28th May and the announcements of Williamson, Hetherington, McKay etc started from pretty much 1st June onwards. A condition for whoever took the job was that they would be working with these 5 or 6 players whom Holt had reached agreement with prior to an appointment being made. Who knows whether more suitable, higher quality candidates may have been dissuaded due to that scenario.

Not much more to add on Holt - all been said by others. Initial reaction, which is all you can give at this stage, is that I am pretty pleased with the appointment of both Rennie and Miller and reasonably confident that they will be a significant upgrade on the Sheerin/M&M/McKinnon nightmares of the past three years. So both disappointed and surprised that the spectre of Holt continues to overshadow things and that there does not seem to be much lessening of his involvement on the recruitment side. Surely another transfer window disaster would have to signal the end for him ?

 

The players Holt identifies are only half the problem.  Even if Rennie and Miller are rejecting those and identifying their own targets it was clear from the interview that Holt will be the one negotiating contracts and trying to get those deals over the line.  The same Holt who manages to convince 1 of our 14 striker targets.  He's a liability.  

Edited December 17, 2021 by Proudtobeabairn

[Shadwell Dog]

If Holt had fantastic contacts then we wouldn't be signing dross. Christ he can't even source loan deals from the club that he was the manager at for two years before arriving at us FFS. 

And then the other concern is that as we saw at the q and a he actually thinks the dross we signed last summer are good signings.  His trumpeting of Wilson's 4 goals last season was embarrassing. Christ he's managed one goal so far in his Elgin loan which is less than the meager return of our two main strikers and that is saying something. 

Even if it's now definite that Rennie will be having the final say on all players that means little if Holt is sourcing them or trying to get the deals over the line. Something he's failed to do on both accounts so far.  And if they have to meet our much vaunted player profile which has produced gems like Brad Mackay and Steven hetherington then what hope have we got anyway.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Shadwell Dog

[Believe The Hype]

It's no even as if he's a nice charming guy, he comes across as an arrogant dick, no chance players would be jumping at the chance to play for us when he shows up asking them to sign. What actually is his remit? Becuase if its that, then we are fucked if we keep him. 

[Springfield]

Rennie hasn’t accepted the role without major diligence on the current set up.
The BOD although wet behind the ears, and in the job just over seven days, are fully aware that there’s a considerable amount of supporters in bewilderment that Holt hasn’t been culled.

With Grainger removed and Miller in, Rennie is already stamping his authority. 

Its more likely the BOD have shaped Holts role differently ( with Rennie  having a say in what he expects from this role) if I’ve interpreted Rennies interview correctly, or suspect he would have been shown the door.

Appreciate that many supporters are holding back with investment which they are absolutely entitled too.

Time to get behind the new BOD and management.

 

[Kircer bairn]

I was encouraged by the references in his interview on YouTube about using his & KM’s contacts for strengthening the squad 

[Kircer bairn]

We desperately need to get a couple of leaders for central defence & midfield in the mould of Yogi & Alex Taylor to get things stabilised & then add a minimum of one frontman. Allied to those three hopefully we have a positive manager bounce out of others already there whose performance levels had definitely tailed off over past month 

[ChrispPancake]

5 hours ago, Just a bairn said:

Yes waiting for the BOYD BACKS EX-GERS STAR AT STRUGGLING FALKIRK

You need to remove 'struggling' it somehow suggests our lack of form is temporary and not a five year spin into oblivion

[Bigbri Bairn]

We desperately need to get a couple of leaders for central defence & midfield in the mould of Yogi & Alex Taylor to get things stabilised & then add a minimum of one frontman. Allied to those three hopefully we have a positive manager bounce out of others already there whose performance levels had definitely tailed off over past month 

Thats what I think also. Decent players like we saw at the start of the season don't turn into crap overnight. It was the one track system that was at fault. The players obviously could not work the way Sheerin wanted. It will be interesting to see if they can change.
In his interview he cited Yogi as an example. Hope he does not think Wilson would make a great CH or Hall a great striker

[AL-FFC]

3 minutes ago, Bigbri Bairn said:

That what I think also. Decent players like we say at the start of the season don't turn into crap overnight. It was the one track system that was at fault. The players obviously could not work the way Sheerin wanted. It will be interesting to see if they can change.
In his interview he cited Yogi as an example. Hope he does not think Wilson would make a great CH or Hall a great striket

No so sure on that when you think back RM played Dallison as a CF and it was a relief to have him troubling someone elses defence rather than our own with him being an abomination of a defender

[mozam76]

4 hours ago, Believe The Hype said:

It's no even as if he's a nice charming guy, he comes across as an arrogant dick, no chance players would be jumping at the chance to play for us when he shows up asking them to sign. What actually is his remit? Becuase if its that, then we are fucked if we keep him. 

Bear in mind though, different players thrive under different types of personality. You'll hear plenty of players waxing lyrical about John Hughes, just the same as you'll hear players slating him and his managerial "style".

Re Holt and his arrogance, this came across in plenty of interviews when he was at Livingston. Some of the things he came out with at your Q&A (i.e. were YOU good at your first job?), I wasn't surprised at in the slightest. Some of his fan interview stuff when he was with us, was verging on unlistenable. When he/the club was doing well his remarks were maybe taken a bit more lightly, but on the whole I though he sounded like a right snide c**t pretty much from the off. 

[Pongo]

16 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Holt failed miserably to persuade 14 strikers that Falkirk was the place to be during this summer and get deals over the line. I really can't see our recruitment improving in any way whatsoever whilst he's involved. 

Nae wonder.  As a player, if you had any other options in the table you’d jump at them.  Two minutes listening to Holt talk and there’s no doubt he’s an arrogant balloon, incapable of taking criticism.