Stenhousemuir FC - The Warriors - The 2023/24 Thread

[jaggyness]

He would win that league by 10 points in a canter and probably the next league , his connections are brilliant, will be amazed if no one takes a chance on him Very soon 
 

The guy who couldn't win a play off, at home, with a squad full of guys who in the immediate past had been playing league one and two football and with a budget many many times greater than Tranent? That Mick Kennedy? Aye no bother. Take the tinted specs off for a minute.

[BazMac]

Offside traps and playing it out from the back. Aside from sounding like a book someone would write about stennies season, it sounds like Stephen swift is trying to get his players to do different things that they aren’t capable of.  
 

You never know maybe it will all click into place, but it must be frustrating to see mistakes repeating itself.

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by BazMac

[Vimto90]

It does seem like he is over complicating things, maybe thinks he is some sort of pioneer in the lower leagues. Has a feeling of the "booth" era about it. A guy over thinking & overloading with nonsense.

Success in these leagues while there may have been exceptions generally come from just doing the basics right, Part Time training being "fun" & something to look forward to but by his own words it looks like we are doing lots of data/video analysis which clearly isn't working.

It is right to say you point to these things when things not working but it's just looking for answers really. Maybe we overestimated the squad in terms of just how good but at the same time you go through it and there just no way it's as bad as we are showing so it has to be the manager & whatever he is doing imo.

[Nigel Blackwell]

There was very little playing it out from the back last night, and we were a lot more of a threat going forward than we have been any other game (Elgin goalie was MotM),  but the mistakes at the back are killing us (and Stephen Swift). Higgins meandering with his hand in the air watching Hester stroll onto a pass to score the first and Bryson caught in possession on the edge of his own box for the 3rd. Swift isn't responsible for players individual mistakes, but he is responsible for signing the players that are making the mistakes. 

I just don't see any way back for him. Watching the game last night, at 2-0 at no point did I think we would get back into the game. Over Swift's entire tenure I can't recall any games where we have come from behind to win. There has been no excitement whatsover, no last minute winners (or even equalisers). I can think of plenty abysmal performances (any time we played Stranraer, the game at Cowdenbeath at the end of last season, Saturday against Dumbo, last season against 10 men against Edinburgh City, losing an injury time equaliser to 10 man Elgin etc etc etc) but barely any tremendous performances (Stirling - 3-0 last season is the only one that springs to mind)

He was given breathing space last season on the basis he had to start from scratch with the squad, and there was improvement, but given the money spent on the squad, to be in this position just tells me he isn't the right man for the job unfortunately. 

[Pyramid Watcher]

41 minutes ago, Hard Graft said:

Game over for Swift.

He will save his job by winning at Forfar on Saturday.

[Vimto90]

He will save his job by winning at Forfar on Saturday.

Whilst not out of the question there no basis for this. Forfar have more pts, more goals, less conceded. Albeit small differences. Two teams in a mire.

[BazMac]

23 minutes ago, Vimto90 said:

It does seem like he is over complicating things, maybe thinks he is some sort of pioneer in the lower leagues. Has a feeling of the "booth" era about it. A guy over thinking & overloading with nonsense.

It makes more sense why a player like Scott Booth (who is used to playing at a much higher level) would overcomplicate things... not sure why an ex lower league player like Stephen Swift would see it as a good idea.

27 minutes ago, Vimto90 said:

Success in these leagues while there may have been exceptions generally come from just doing the basics right, Part Time training being "fun" & something to look forward to but by his own words it looks like we are doing lots of data/video analysis which clearly isn't working.

100% agree with this

[Crazy Days]

Thought that we might have got a result last night, that there might have been a reaction from those not getting a regular game and from those who have given us poor performances.  Obviously this was not the case and it would now appear that either he has lost the dressing room or the players are incapable of carrying out his instructions and cannot perform at this level.  Either way the alarm bells are ringing, and truth be told have been ringing for a while, and now is the time for the board to act.

It may seem harsh but I would have him out the door tomorrow night and put Bryson? in charge for the next few games.  We may lose the games with a temporary manager but Swift has shown that it is unlikely we will win games with him in charge and we can no longer continue like this.

The board then need to take a long hard look at their selection process. Do not do it on the cheap again by signing an insider, take time and ensure that at least someone competent and with a decent record is appointed.

[Jan Vojáček]

Just watching back Stephen Swift's post-match from last night, and it reminds me a lot of some of Stevie Farrell's from last season. Individual mistakes, honest chats and saying that things are being changed but the end result is the same. 

He seems like a decent guy, and given the job he did at BSC I actually touted him for our job prior to him going to Ochilview. But the way he speaks about changing everything this early into the season would be massively worrying to me.

He obviously wanted to play a certain way. Teams got wise to that. So he's ripped it up and is trying something else having, presumably, signed players to play in that certain way he wanted.

[Francesc Fabregas]

14 minutes ago, Crazy Days said:

The board then need to take a long hard look at their selection process. Do not do it on the cheap again by signing an insider, take time and ensure that at least someone competent and with a decent record is appointed.

I'm not sure how the board can be criticised over Stephen Swift's appointment, in all honesty - he was the right profile, a young, up-and-coming manager who had enjoyed a relative degree of success in the Lowland League and deserved a chance in the SPFL. I think we were all broadly in agreement about him at the time, it just hasn't worked out.

(I do accept, however, hiring the likes of Colin McMenamin and Davie Irons was a little lazy on the board's part, from an outside perspective.)

And let's have it, at this level, you're either going to get a novice starting out, or, someone with a few black marks against their name. This candidate with a "decent record" you're looking for probably isn't out there.

[nofixedability]

50 minutes ago, Vimto90 said:

Whilst not out of the question there no basis for this. Forfar have more pts, more goals, less conceded. Albeit small differences. Two teams in a mire.


 

We are absolutely the team you want to be playing though. Stenny had the Indian sign over us last season when we actually had some decent form, we’re in the middle of an injury crisis (Kyle Hutton has been centre half for the majority of our last two games) and scoring goals is proving almost impossible even when we do play alright.

[Neilly]

44 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

I'm not sure how the board can be criticised over Stephen Swift's appointment, in all honesty - he was the right profile, a young, up-and-coming manager who had enjoyed a relative degree of success in the Lowland League and deserved a chance in the SPFL. I think we were all broadly in agreement about him at the time, it just hasn't worked out.

(I do accept, however, hiring the likes of Colin McMenamin and Davie Irons was a little lazy on the board's part, from an outside perspective.)

And let's have it, at this level, you're either going to get a novice starting out, or, someone with a few black marks against their name. This candidate with a "decent record" you're looking for probably isn't out there.

Totally agree.

A strange post to suggest the board have done anything on the cheap in recent times. They appointed a manager we all were happy with and have backed him constantly to the hilt and it's just simply not working. 

When the failures of Marshall, Wilson, Mills, Coll, Hughes were obvious we upgraded with Urminsky, Yeats and Miller through the season in key positions.

The board have then sanctioned money signings of Yates and Sewell in the summer to bolster us further whilst securing the loan players we had on a permanent basis. None of this can be landed at the feet of the board - they appointed the right guy at the time and couldn't have backed him anymore.

Sometimes things just don't work out in football and unfortunately for us it's happened to us again. Which is quite funny in a sick kind of way, you get the impression we could appoint Pep tomorrow and have a late rally in the season to finish 6th.

We can't continue to have "good chats" in the dressing room from a "good honest bunch". It's just not good enough for the outlay on this squad - a squad the manager insists is full of quality but when you break it down it really isn't.

Ross Forbes as captain last night is a proper slap in the face and just not good enough. It sounds like there has been a better performance last night but ultimately we have lost three goals AGAIN and this time to ELGIN CITY. That's just not good enough.

 

[NELLY 1]

37 minutes ago, Neilly said:

Totally agree.

A strange post to suggest the board have done anything on the cheap in recent times. They appointed a manager we all were happy with and have backed him constantly to the hilt and it's just simply not working. 

When the failures of Marshall, Wilson, Mills, Coll, Hughes were obvious we upgraded with Urminsky, Yeats and Miller through the season in key positions.

The board have then sanctioned money signings of Yates and Sewell in the summer to bolster us further whilst securing the loan players we had on a permanent basis. None of this can be landed at the feet of the board - they appointed the right guy at the time and couldn't have backed him anymore.

Sometimes things just don't work out in football and unfortunately for us it's happened to us again. Which is quite funny in a sick kind of way, you get the impression we could appoint Pep tomorrow and have a late rally in the season to finish 6th.

We can't continue to have "good chats" in the dressing room from a "good honest bunch". It's just not good enough for the outlay on this squad - a squad the manager insists is full of quality but when you break it down it really isn't.

Ross Forbes as captain last night is a proper slap in the face and just not good enough. It sounds like there has been a better performance last night but ultimately we have lost three goals AGAIN and this time to ELGIN CITY. That's just not good enough.

 

Whats Ross Forbes issues always seemed decent to me. Not working hard enough?? poor on the ball now or unfit etc??

[Neilly]

7 minutes ago, NELLY 1 said:

Whats Ross Forbes issues always seemed decent to me. Not working hard enough?? poor on the ball now or unfit etc??

All of those.

I was excited when we signed him as I always rated him as one of the best players in the lower leagues. But that was a long time ago evidently.

He's a luxury. A luxury that doesn't actually do anything. Luxury players can be accommodated if they are match winners and change games or getting regular numbers. We can see over a sustained period now we are getting none of that.

Watch the comedy 3rd goal from the weekend if you get a chance. Just hands his notice in as Gray gets past him in their half. Zero desire to even attempt to run back. He's then captain last night.

No wonder the heat on Swift has gathered.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Neilly

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

3 hours ago, Nigel Blackwell said:

Swift isn't responsible for players individual mistakes, but he is responsible for signing the players that are making the mistakes. 

How much influence does Swift actually have on recruitment? Does he pick the system and Martin Christie then signs the players? Christie's title is player ID and recruitment? 

We all saluted the 'marquee' signing of Bryson, even if he did say in signing interview that 'he'll see how it goes'. He's turned out to be another pro dropping into the lower leagues to do sweet FA. Needs to step up or retire.

Can't fault the manager for signing players who then go on to make mistakes. He is responsible for picking these players up, working with them and installing confidence etc to help them focus and stop the mistakes. We can fault him for that 

 

1 hour ago, Neilly said:

Ross Forbes as captain last night is a proper slap in the face and just not good enough. It sounds like there has been a better performance last night but ultimately we have lost three goals AGAIN and this time to ELGIN CITY. That's just not good enough.

 

That is a disgrace and a massive concern with Swift's judgement. In fact, that could be the straw that broke the camels back with me. Even if Forbes is active in the dressing room, his attitude and commitment on the pitch are no where near worthy of getting the arm band. What was Swift thinking of? Scunnered. 

 

If Swift goes, who do we think is a possible replacement? 

 

[Francesc Fabregas]

1 hour ago, Neilly said:

All of those.

I was excited when we signed him as I always rated him as one of the best players in the lower leagues. But that was a long time ago evidently.

He's a luxury. A luxury that doesn't actually do anything. Luxury players can be accommodated if they are match winners and change games or getting regular numbers. We can see over a sustained period now we are getting none of that.

Watch the comedy 3rd goal from the weekend if you get a chance. Just hands his notice in as Gray gets past him in their half. Zero desire to even attempt to run back. He's then captain last night.

No wonder the heat on Swift has gathered.

I wasn't excited; I was pretty wary about Ross Forbes' addition. I haven't been disappointed because he's performed how I expected him to. Ross Forbes in theory is much more palatable than Ross Forbes in practice.

One of his final games for Dumbarton was a man-of-the-match performance against Edinburgh City in the League 1 play-off final, where he dominated the match and had a hand in every one of their goals. Sons fans, however, advised us that this kind of display was very much the exception and we should be cautious. And they were right! We've had one good 45 minutes from him against Forfar Athletic on Boxing Day; other than that, he's waddled around the pitch to little effect.

There's no real place for him in this team. He's no use without the ball and doesn't want to get stuck in (Dumbarton's third goal at the weekend is a perfect example). His much-lauded prowess from free-kicks has yielded two goals against Benburb and Syngenta, two powerhouses of the game, in pre-season friendlies last summer. He's too soft and immobile to play in the middle of the park, and Nat Wedderburn's better in there anyway, and he's not speedy in thought enough to play as a 10. So the only area he can occupy a strange position on the right of an attacking three where he can cut onto his left foot and pump balls into the box, which has yet to pay off.

He is quite good at keeping possession, to be fair to him, but that's about it. A poor signing, on a two-year contract, no less. Stephen Swift says he has "100 per cent faith" in players like Forbes; God only knows how.

[Crazy Days]

3 hours ago, Crazy Days said:

The board then need to take a long hard look at their selection process. Do not do it on the cheap again by signing an insider, take time and ensure that at least someone competent and with a decent record is appointed.

Bad choice of words, - by that I meant that we were all excited by the choice of Swift as he was a breath of fresh air coming into the club, hopefully with new ideas etc.  Cheap should have been easy option. If you look at our signing record in the past, Colin McMenamen, Davy Irons, Brown Ferguson, Martyn Corrigan, Jim Black, Graeme Armstrong, Des Mckeown, Tony Smith, to mention a few, it generally reflects someone who has a connection with the club.  Whether or not the idea is that they will know the club's ethos etc.

[Pyramid Watcher]

4 hours ago, Vimto90 said:

Whilst not out of the question there no basis for this. Forfar have more pts, more goals, less conceded. Albeit small differences. Two teams in a mire.


 

I just feel that they are better away from home and they seem to have a wee jinx over Forfar.

[vikingTON]

6 hours ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

There's no real place for him in this team. He's no use without the ball and doesn't want to get stuck in (Dumbarton's third goal at the weekend is a perfect example). His much-lauded prowess from free-kicks has yielded two goals against Benburb and Syngenta, two powerhouses of the game, in pre-season friendlies last summer. He's too soft and immobile to play in the middle of the park, and Nat Wedderburn's better in there anyway, and he's not speedy in thought enough to play as a 10. So the only area he can occupy a strange position on the right of an attacking three where he can cut onto his left foot and pump balls into the box, which has yet to pay off.

 

Forbes' only effective position is on the right of a 4-4-2, doing the same thing but from a deeper position and with the option of an overlapping full-back or players nearby. That's where Duffy played him at Morton.

[Sweet Pete]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

Forbes' only effective position is on the right of a 4-4-2, doing the same thing but from a deeper position and with the option of an overlapping full-back or players nearby. That's where Duffy played him at Morton.

That's where we played him as well, at least in his most recent spell with the Sons.  He was shite there too.