Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[Rob1885]

Can you? Because I can't. We were told that having a young squad would mean more pressing, pace, etc. but that has fallen by the wayside. We don't have a settled formation, alternating between one up front and two seemingly on whether or not Andy Ryan is favoured or not and with width dependant on Ryan Dow being fit. Sometimes we seem to want to he hard to beat, sometimes we want to seem to blow teams away with a quick start. I'm seriously none the wiser as to what Crawford's "vision" is other than using younger players which is something that is being forced on him.

The last 2 games I've seen were the wins against Arbroath and QOTS right enough but I felt in those games we played with a lot of energy in spells and the game management was excellent.

[Poet of the Macabre]

7 minutes ago, Rob1885 said:

Anybody hear how long Scully is meant to be out for?

I'm still willing to back SC and the staff. I'm far from a happy clapper but I can definitely see what he has been trying to do with the team this season as opposed to AJ's clusterfuck of 18/19.

I think it's a smaller version of Solskjaer at Man Utd tbh.

Club icon takes charge to appease the fans, gives himself time by saying he's going down a youth route, when all that is happening is lowering expectations to the point that mediocrity is seen as success.

I like Crawford, he seems a like a top guy but there was never any evidence he'd be a decent manager and there is still almost none to speak of. People joke about McKinnon, Hughes etc but they are clearly better managers, even if I wouldn't want them in charge at EEP.

 

[DAFC.]

If there was an option to have Yogi or McKinnon instead of Crawford, then I'd absolutely be all for that, but not if Crawford is sacked and we then look for applicants...if that makes sense?

Crawford is really out his depth and his win percentage both at us and East Fife reflects that. 

[HoBNob]

A big drama I felt was that without Kiltie or Mcdonald we struggle for wide options, and then have to resort to McCann/Ryan out wide, f**k knows where Coley was. 

Won't be a drama with us being out the cups now of course. 

[HoBNob]

On 24/11/2019 at 16:28, DAFC. said:

Stewart Petrie would be my number one pick. He has done so well with Montrose and has a phenomenal win percentage.

Would also be interested in James McDonagh? At Edinburgh City. 

 

You'd imagine if someone like Darren Young came in he'd be happy to keep Shields on, played together etc. 

2 hours ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

. People joke about McKinnon, Hughes etc but they are clearly better managers, even if I wouldn't want them in charge at EEP.

 

Aye, agreed. 

[Poet of the Macabre]

25 minutes ago, Grant228 said:

Would also be interested in James McDonagh? At Edinburgh City.

Was highly-rated a few years ago and was expected to take over from Houston at Falkirk, when the latter moved upstairs. Instead they began a succession of annual managerial sackings and plans were thrown out of the window.

I'd think he was one to watch but I'd want him to prove himself at least at League One level before asking him to make that jump back to full-time.

Removing my sensible head for a second, I'd like to see someone properly batshit mental get the gig. Get a bit of excitement into the team and not someone who makes you reach for the razor blades when they talk. I'd scour the globe for someone with baffling tactics and PASHUN!

[HoBNob]

11 minutes ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Was highly-rated a few years ago and was expected to take over from Houston at Falkirk, when the latter moved upstairs. Instead they began a succession of annual managerial sackings and plans were thrown out of the window.

I'd think he was one to watch but I'd want him to prove himself at least at League One level before asking him to make that jump back to full-time.

Removing my sensible head for a second, I'd like to see someone properly batshit mental get the gig. Get a bit of excitement into the team and not someone who makes you reach for the razor blades when they talk. I'd scour the globe for someone with baffling tactics and PASHUN!

I want the Scottish Championships answer to Bielsa, send it. 

[Rob1885]

Kevin Harper

[Poet of the Macabre]

5 minutes ago, Rob1885 said:

Kevin Harper

I'm sure he has some serious budget restrictions at Albion Rovers but they're 9th in League Two. He did an excellent job keeping them up last year but that was largely helped by Berwick picking up six(!) points after Christmas.

He might turn out to be a good coach but no chance should he even be in the running.

[D.A.F.C]

I dont think we are too far away. Stay up this season and weed out the worst youngsters and replace with experience and we would challenge imo.

The first half against dundee was amazing then you have games like stranraer.

We need battlers and men to win the fight, devine pretty much confirmed it in his interview.

Not saying we should turn into a dirty side but more streetwise.

 

Someone like Jimmy nicol would have been ideal as a number two rather than dair.

 

[DAFC.]

16 hours ago, Rob1885 said:

Kevin Harper

He's seen over some horrendous results so far for Albion Rovers. Last season he done a great job keeping them up as they were pretty much wrote off before he came in, but that was helped with Berwick being absolutely terrible and nose-diving their way straight to oblivion. 

Not a chance should he be considered. 

[Stellaboz]

Still raging at his performances in his season with us. An utter shitebag.

[Have some faith in Magic]

Thanks.... I now have that Manic Street Preachers song running through my head. 

[Stellaboz]

Thanks.... I now have that Manic Street Preachers song running through my head. 

[emoji38]

[Poet of the Macabre]

4 hours ago, Stellaboz said:

Still raging at his performances in his season with us. An utter shitebag.

What about his hat-trick against Stirling Albion though?

Or, in one of my all-time favourite EEP moments ever, he was given offside after getting on to the end of his own through ball?

[DAFC.]

4 hours ago, Have some faith in Magic said:

Thanks.... I now have that Manic Street Preachers song running through my head. 

I like a bit of the eld Manics, but I have no idea what you're on about here. 

[Salvo Montalbano]

I like a bit of the eld Manics, but I have no idea what you're on about here. 

Kevin Carter?

[CallumPar]

In all seriousness, the people saying McKinnon/Hughes are better, what is this based on?

They undoubtedly have more experience, but Hughes has never impressed me. With Livi, he came to EEP and put in the worst performance I’ve ever seen at this level, with the bizarre tactic of the goalkeeper chipping every ball out to the left back. The keeper punted it long once and got screamed at, despite the fact we were pressuring that LB. Hughes shows very little tactical awareness and is far too arrogant/ignorant to accept blame or change his tactics during a match. He also got Raith relegated, losing to Brechin in the playoffs. They weren’t that low in the table when he took over. I don’t care what he achieved 15/20 years ago, football has moved on and it doesn’t seem like he has.

As for McKinnon, he did well with Raith. No denying that. Since then though, he’s failed really badly at Dundee United and Falkirk. His Falkirk team lacked any sort of structure/organisation and he signed old pals in Connolly, Longridge, Durnan & McManus over the summer, whilst adding big names like Sammon and got nothing out of them against league one sides. How is that better than what we have?

I wouldn’t be happy to get rid of Crawford and bring in either of those 2 at all. We’re a couple of good results away from being top 4 contenders again. Likewise, we’re a couple of bad results away from being relegation contenders. It’s a tight league and we’re mid-table, where most people expected us to be pre-season. If we start edging towards the bottom, we will consider our options. But it’s a bit early to hit the panic button, in my opinion.

[DAFC.]

18 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

39 minutes ago, DAFC. said:

I like a bit of the eld Manics, but I have no idea what you're on about here. 

Kevin Carter?

Meh. Preferred Generation Terrorists. 

[Poet of the Macabre]

10 minutes ago, CallumPar said:

In all seriousness, the people saying McKinnon/Hughes are better, what is this based on?

They undoubtedly have more experience, but Hughes has never impressed me. With Livi, he came to EEP and put in the worst performance I’ve ever seen at this level, with the bizarre tactic of the goalkeeper chipping every ball out to the left back. The keeper punted it long once and got screamed at, despite the fact we were pressuring that LB. Hughes shows very little tactical awareness and is far too arrogant/ignorant to accept blame or change his tactics during a match. He also got Raith relegated, losing to Brechin in the playoffs. They weren’t that low in the table when he took over. I don’t care what he achieved 15/20 years ago, football has moved on and it doesn’t seem like he has.

As for McKinnon, he did well with Raith. No denying that. Since then though, he’s failed really badly at Dundee United and Falkirk. His Falkirk team lacked any sort of structure/organisation and he signed old pals in Connolly, Longridge, Durnan & McManus over the summer, whilst adding big names like Sammon and got nothing out of them against league one sides. How is that better than what we have?

I wouldn’t be happy to get rid of Crawford and bring in either of those 2 at all. We’re a couple of good results away from being top 4 contenders again. Likewise, we’re a couple of bad results away from being relegation contenders. It’s a tight league and we’re mid-table, where most people expected us to be pre-season. If we start edging towards the bottom, we will consider our options. But it’s a bit early to hit the panic button, in my opinion.

Are you serious?

John Hughes got Inverness 3rd in the top flight, won the Scottish Cup and was unlucky to lose a League Cup final on penalties. 

At Falkirk, he got them into the top flight, finishing 10th, 7th, 7th and 10th and also reached the Scottish Cup final.

I'm assuming you either didn't know about these examples or left them out as they didn't help your point.

It's true that Yogi has had some troubling failures since these roles and has become somewhat of a laughing stock for throwing his hat in the ring for every job going. These would make me very hesitant towards him getting the Pars job (without taking into account his strong Falkirk link!) but to argue he's not a better option than Crawford is slightly baffling tbh.

McKinnon seems to have done a lot better at smaller clubs like Brechin and Raith Rovers where there is less scrutiny and expectation. He also wouldn't be a good fit at EEP but I can't find an argument that Crawford is any better, considering he's achieved absolutely zero as a manager to date.