Blame Me

Tried that for a few seasons now - nothing "F**king Brad McKay, F**king Brad f**king McKay ... for f**ksake BRAD MCKAY"!

Can we all stop mentioning Brad McKay and he might just go away ...

Gary and Luke Holt's next gig

I said: You replied: Which proved my point that rather than try and develop the players we just go out and sign "better". ... So I'll explain - although I didn't think it was that difficult - Since Henderson doesn't want to play midfield and others - I'll assume yourself too - don't want him in midfield the two options are bench or offload him. In either scenario we're now signing two players to solve CB and midfield to potentially solve one problem. We've also then continued to do what has gotten us nowhere for the best part of 4-years of rebuilding a squad but never actually doing any squad building! Henderson is miles away from the Seb Ross's or Brad McKay's of the recent past and I think there is a role for him ongoing.

FTV Lewis stating on the Falkirk Daft podcast that Henderson confirmed he wants to be a centre-back

Thanks for proving my point

I understand fans want things to immediately click but it takes time to develop a pairing and cohesion. It made sense to move Henderson into midfield last year but I reckon having a settled back line & goalkeeper next year will be key to keeping clean sheets. I genuinely don't think it's a lack of ability with Henderson & Donaldson and they just need games together and less chopping-and-changing around them.

@Ecosse83 because I would favour Mackie's physicality over McCann's attacking prowess. We shipped too many goals so likely we'll look to shore up at the expense of McCann. The new RB will be of a similar mould IMO.

Having finally caught up with the Falkirk Daft podcast I think we can expect to see Mackie, Henderson and Donaldson as part of any preferred defensive lineup. I've a gut feeling McKay will be offloaded like Hetherington eventually was once the midfield deficiencies are addressed, allowing Henderson to move back. I think if we can get a settled defensive unit in place and avoid the, at times, enforced changes for Williamson we might have a base to build from. McCann unfortunately becomes the conundrum again. Not good enough to start but too good to sit on our bench.

I think this is closer to the truth than some fallout with McGlynn or huff. He came here to put himself in the shop window and if he's had interest from elsewhere then he's succeeded. Its also possible he wants a return south and clubs there have a possible interest so he'd rather try his luck earning a deal in England than stay with us where he won't be 1st choice, far from home. Interesting to see where he turns up.

Agree. You can see from the squad photo at the beginning of this season gone how we have got to where we are - A miss-mash of M&M, Holt/Sheerin, Rennie and early McGlynn signings highlighting the various strategies the club has followed depending on which way the wind was blowing. The short-termism and pivot to long-termism i.e. Brad McKay has created such an imbalance that we need to find a comfortable, middle-ground.

Interested if you could expand on how many players you think we had this season just past that you would define as "first team"?

Has it been forgotten that the players also have a choice in this. Certain circumstances not in the public domain may dictate why players go. The release list is just that. It doesn't infer anything about the reasons behind who is and isn't on the list realistically.

I can understand it, now. Have fans become fatigued by constant messaging of giving managers better budgets with ever more cash being ploughed in in the hope it could only get better and it didn't overall? Folk being scunnered coinciding with renewal time is a tough sell but I'll remain optimistic it won't dip too far.

37 is no age at all for a 'keeper and I don't think having an older head in the squad would be such a bad thing next year if I'm honest.

We'll come to regret the new deal if only because for the duration people will post how terrible he is . He's no world-beater granted but he's not as bad as some make out.

Can only assume I quoted the OP from your quote of theirs and it's misattributed it to you. If it's any consolation I agree with your view on the original post.

Wildest take I've seen and that's going some this week!

Can't agree with your assessment of some on that list. Those I agree on are McKay, who has shown repeatedly he's not going to cut-it and I've got no qualms with letting Oliver and Morrison go. Watson and McGinn have something to offer short-term and Mackie, Henderson and Nesbitt have plenty of energy if allied with the potential shown - predominantly by Yeats - and what we've seen of Lawal if he stays. In losing our wingers I'd opt for playing narrower and look at getting a foil for Allan rather than replacing Kennedy or Morrisons width. I actually prefer Nesbitt in a wider role than centrally.

Coming to the conclusion we should try a challenging financial budget and remove the favourites millstone from our necks and see where that takes us. For me, it takes the pressure off everyone and the BOD can set a public goal of anywhere between 1st-4th. As we've seen in seasons past, comparatively smaller teams in 2nd-4th spots have gotten similar or better outcomes without being tagged as failures or big expectations. Get a tight-knit, unfancied but ambitious squad to a championship and it's a greater feat.

Going over old ground again but the idea of "digging deeper" to fund, what some quarters would have you believe, one of - if not - the biggest budget in L1 is going to be a stretch regardless of who's in charge. Misunderstood by many - which has possibly led to the claim above - is the "football budget" encompasses not only the 1st team but all of the others we have or plan to have. As alluded to in the podcast I mentioned, we have immediately taken the 400K hit by staying in L1 next year albeit mitigated by this seasons cup run and whatever play-off monies we get. I think the inherent flaw in the model of creating a "sustainable" club is that initiatives like FSS or FF are unsustainable whilst it appears that the money isn't making a jot of difference to our outcomes! That's not a slight on those schemes btw but eventually, like ST, people will begin to question where the money goes IF vast improvement doesn't materialise when compared to clubs run on a fraction of our budget and support seem to live within their means (at least from the outside) while making us look mediocre at best. Airdrie a great example: Competing on a seemingly modest budget, operating a winning youth side; having a transient fanbase and no sugar-daddy. I'm sure Airdrie fans/someone will be along to put me right soon enough if none of that's accurate. I posted a while back about the possible ST pricing and latter announcement and floated a figure which was an inflationary increase + FSS sub combined and posters baulked at that. However, in essence that is what we're being asked to do whoever leads the team. Thanks if you made it this far!

If you haven't listened already it's covered in the Falkirk FC podcast with KJ and KG from a few months ago. Listened back today and it's quite interesting now that we know it's another season of L1 we'll look forward to and what the implications outlined then would be if that were the case.

It's Sunday. Club staff are allowed a day off. News will be announced this week, if not even tomorrow.

It feels very much today - and has been building for weeks - like many posters are looking for any negatives to justify sacking the management. Stats, signings, tactics, interviews etc. This last few weeks have been disappointing and frustrating but we haven't been good enough. We can go through signings 'til the cows come home but many weren't expected to play as much (Lawal, Yeats, Carroll, Burrell) and others were learning the game (Rowe, Wright, Alegria - recalled when he was beginning to make a difference, Meekison - who promptly got injured). A lot of ifs, buts and maybes and the squad fell short but to rip it up and start again with no guarantees that it'd work.

If I wanted to read another "McPake the Messiah" post I'd dip into the Dunfermline thread, thanks Comparing a squad who've just came down vs. one who had spent 3 years at this level is not the same. Both budgets may have been comparable but suggesting that the quality was like-for-like is apples and oranges stuff really. Likewise, it can also be possible that some players who were already under contract can get new deals as there is no rule that says he has to ship everyone out. You'd be on here berating him for signing a whole new squad, if he achieved the same outcome, had he been able to do so . He may be circumspect over the closed-season and I hope he learns from this as it's been a chastening experience but fed up of the bad takes and told-you-so's from others right now.