The Falkirk FC Thread

[MrDust]

1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said:

I suppose so although McIntyre's had much worse runs at Ross County without getting the boot.  It'll be interesting to see how Coyle's next few years at County compare to McIntyres stint.

I dont think it will be years, dont think he is the kind of manager to take over a struggling club which is why he was never on the top of my wanted list for us.

The only hope is that he can recreate the St Johnstone, Burnley and the first season at Bolton harmony and flow that he had a decade ago.......

[tirso]

18 hours ago, Shadwell Dog said:

All these positives I'm afraid were outweighed by the decision to allow Hughes to splash a fortune on aged has beens and then the ludicrous idea that Eddie may should be our manager. Giving the hopeless pressley the gig twice then put the tin lid on it. We're still paying for those decisions.

The Eddie May decision didn't work out.  He just wasn't up to the job.  I think a football board is allowed to get one appointment wrong.

It wasn't Hughes's team that got us relegated.  That team got us to League cup semis and a Scottish cup final.  We were gunning for 7th in the league and fell away at the end finishing 10th

A strong run in the cup and staying up.   What more do you want?  More interesting times then than now, that's for sure.  The board have given Houston money - he's splurged it on rubbish.  

The fault of FFC at the moment is entirely football related.  The board doesn't pick the team; they've got shot of the manager. 

 

I'd give it to Paul Hartely most likely or Ian Murray if he's available.  No rush, Alex Smith will do a job in the short term.

[falkirkzombie]

2 minutes ago, tirso said:

The Eddie May decision didn't work out.  He just wasn't up to the job.  I think a football board is allowed to get one appointment wrong.

It wasn't Hughes's team that got us relegated.  That team got us to League cup semis and a Scottish cup final.  We were gunning for 7th in the league and fell away at the end finishing 10th

A strong run in the cup and staying up.   What more do you want?  More interesting times then than now, that's for sure.  The board have given Houston money - he's splurged it on rubbish.  

The fault of FFC at the moment is entirely football related.  The board doesn't pick the team; they've got shot of the manager. 

 

I'd give it to Paul Hartely most likely or Ian Murray if he's available.  No rush, Alex Smith will do a job in the short term.

if the board had backed houstie that much they wouldn't had to get the bairns business club to dig em oot a hole to sign loy

[RandomGuy.]

Yes, a club in their eighth consecutive season in the second tier, sitting second bottom, are clearly a better option for an ambitious manager than a club who are in their sixth consecutive top-flight season and have recently finished in the top six and won a trophy.

Please don't stop them, the utter delusions they harbour about their club are tremendous. Arsenal are clearly just stringing Wenger along until they can appoint whoever gets Falkirk promoted.

[Shadwell Dog]

18 minutes ago, tirso said:

The Eddie May decision didn't work out.  He just wasn't up to the job.  I think a football board is allowed to get one appointment wrong.

It wasn't Hughes's team that got us relegated.  That team got us to League cup semis and a Scottish cup final.  We were gunning for 7th in the league and fell away at the end finishing 10th

A strong run in the cup and staying up.   What more do you want?  More interesting times then than now, that's for sure.  The board have given Houston money - he's splurged it on rubbish.  

The fault of FFC at the moment is entirely football related.  The board doesn't pick the team; they've got shot of the manager. 

 

I'd give it to Paul Hartely most likely or Ian Murray if he's available.  No rush, Alex Smith will do a job in the short term.

The season we nearly went down with Hughes we were never near top 7. We ended up 10th a point ahead of both ICT and St Mirren.  9 wins in 38 games.  He was given a higher budget to pish down the drain on old has beens and we ended up 11 points behind where we finished on a much smaller budget the season before.  The Eddie May decision was one of the worst managerial appointments I've ever seen.  We have a team thats been in the top flight for 4 seasons with great facilities and place in europe . We  probably have never been a more attractive prospect as a club and yet we give the job to an untried youth coach who had to be persuaded to actually take the job. We're still paying for that feck up and the decision to try and get a nother hopeless rookie in pressley to clean up the mess.  

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

Yes, a club in their eighth consecutive season in the second tier, sitting second bottom, are clearly a better option for an ambitious manager than a club who are in their sixth consecutive top-flight season and have recently finished in the top six and won a trophy.

Agree 100%

Falkirk has been run like a play thing for too long and we are a shambles

 

[Senor Bairn]

Please don't stop them, the utter delusions they harbour about their club are tremendous. Arsenal are clearly just stringing Wenger along until they can appoint whoever gets Falkirk promoted.

Don't be jel hunni. #WeAreFalkirk

[Senor Bairn]

I love RandomGuys occssional inputs into our threads. They are either totally see through wind ups, or he is struggling to contain his anger. Not sure why he hates us so much but it makes me just a little bit happier than I was before I read it.

His teams going through its most successful period in its history but he's more concerned about our little manager less side. V cute.

[Harry Kinnear]

The season we nearly went down with Hughes we were never near top 7. We ended up 10th a point ahead of both ICT and St Mirren.  9 wins in 38 games.  He was given a higher budget to pish down the drain on old has beens and we ended up 11 points behind where we finished on a much smaller budget the season before.  The Eddie May decision was one of the worst managerial appointments I've ever seen.  We have a team thats been in the top flight for 4 seasons with great facilities and place in europe . We  probably have never been a more attractive prospect as a club and yet we give the job to an untried youth coach who had to be persuaded to actually take the job. We're still paying for that feck up and the decision to try and get a nother hopeless rookie in pressley to clean up the mess.  

I spoke to Eddie May a few years back at Hampden at a recruitment event for young players being released or old pros looking for options after football. He told me he really didn't want the job as he was really happy with the role he had and the board kept on at him until he eventually agreed to take it.

[Russ]

if the board had backed houstie that much they wouldn't had to get the bairns business club to dig em oot a hole to sign loy

Wasn’t exactly the boards fault Houston spunked his budget on garbage like Kidd, Gasparotto and Shepherd or the likes of Miller and Kerr who are done. Then they did give him more money to strengthen and he signed another 2 centre backs. They have done their part this season imo but Houstons awful signing policy has left us with a horrendously imbalanced squad. We’ve 6 first team centre backs ffs.

[falkirkzombie]

Just now, Russ said:

 

Wasn’t exactly the boards fault Houston spunked his budget on garbage like Kidd, Gasparotto and Shepherd or the likes of Miller and Kerr who are done. Then they did give him more money to strengthen and he signed another 2 centre backs. They have done their part this season imo but Houstons awful signing policy has left us with a horrendously imbalanced squad. We’ve 6 first team centre backs ffs.

 

agree that kidd gasparotto and sheps r pish and shouldn't be there but big lee and mark kerr have done a job since they have been back, the fact is that Loy was meant to be our flagship signing this season and the board couldnt or wouldnt put the cash up for him

 

[Russ]

agree that kidd gasparotto and sheps r pish and shouldn't be there but big lee and mark kerr have done a job since they have been back, the fact is that Loy was meant to be our flagship signing this season and the board couldnt or wouldnt put the cash up for him

 

 

I’m not disputing what Miller and in particular Kerr have done in the past but now they’re done. I could understand Miller tbh and I did support his re-signing as he did have a valuable role last season but Kerr absolutely should’ve been binned in the summer.

 

If the board give the manager a budget and the manager uses that irresponsibly and wastes it then that is not the fault of the board.

 

In our case we would’ve had a competitive budget (more than likely second biggest after Dundee Utd) and it was Houston that decided to keep on the majority of last seasons losers rather than refresh and upgrade the squad.

 

Look at the signing of David Mitchell for example what was the point? He might be a really good ‘keeper but realistically he’s barely going to get a game. Could easily have got a cheaper, younger back-up instead of paying probably 2 decent first team wages to goalkeepers.

[Nowhereman]

18 hours ago, MrDust said:

The differences over full time and part time are usually massive over a season, the season Ayr did get up was when full time Dunfermline topped the league, full time teams in the third tier usually returns promotion or top end finish, let's not forget the pars 7th place finish tho.

Most teams relegated from here staying full time usually return at first go, Queens, Morton and Livvy to name a few

We have seen the football McCall can provide, tactics and he isn't an easy touch. Ive watched a few of Ayrs highlights from this season and his team still apply the flow of attack we had with him before.

I'd seriously cry if Aitken was on our short list. Hartley and Murray/Ross raised the bar with achievements at part time clubs, Aitken is a lifetime away from that.

I'm sure Duffy would be gutted leaving the 1400 Morton fans for that sideway step......

What exactly did Hartley achieve at a part time club that is a lifetime away from what Aitken has achieved?

[Uncle Fester]

A lot of folks are saying give it to Hartley, well aye he had a decent record at Alloa, but he had a few bob to spend, relative to the other teams in those leagues, he got the Dundee gig based on that and look how that turned out.

If he came here he would get next to f**k all money and if indeed Houston lost the dressing room then he will have to deal with the overspill from that.

[MrDust]

10 minutes ago, Nowhereman said:

What exactly did Hartley achieve at a part time club that is a lifetime away from what Aitken has achieved?

Back to back promotions from the  3rd to division to the 1st/championship, challenged for a spell at the top end of the table, style of football, pushing player fitness at a part time level and Alloa were a club that no one blinked an eye when they were in the bottom division

I thoroughly enjoyed the play off games v Dunfermline to get to the championship, played the fifers off the park on the first game and didnt deserve the narrow 1-0 defeat in the next leg.

Aitken has done reasonably well but its not close to what Murray/Ross as a pair did or Hartley, his achievements are probably for me akin to Murray at Dumbarton on his own........whatever happened to him

 

 

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

 

 

I love RandomGuys occssional inputs into our threads. They are either totally see through wind ups, or he is struggling to contain his anger. Not sure why he hates us so much but it makes me just a little bit happier than I was before I read it.

 

Its the same tedious shite on the Dundee threads. That's why the cunters on ignore.

[Poet of the Macabre]

1 hour ago, MrDust said:

I thoroughly enjoyed the play off games v Dunfermline to get to the championship, played the fifers off the park on the first game and didnt deserve the narrow 1-0 defeat in the next leg.

Of all the good reasons to appoint Hartley, (and there are plenty) losing to a team that included John Potter, Kerr Young and Chris Kane in their starting XI is not one of them.

[The Grass Is Greener.]

3 hours ago, Bairnardo said:

 

I love RandomGuys occssional inputs into our threads. They are either totally see through wind ups, or he is struggling to contain his anger. Not sure why he hates us so much but it makes me just a little bit happier than I was before I read it.

 

He's usually spot on, tbf.

[rocketman]

3 hours ago, tirso said:

The Eddie May decision didn't work out.  He just wasn't up to the job.  I think a football board is allowed to get one appointment wrong.

It wasn't Hughes's team that got us relegated.  That team got us to League cup semis and a Scottish cup final.  We were gunning for 7th in the league and fell away at the end finishing 10th

A strong run in the cup and staying up.   What more do you want?  More interesting times then than now, that's for sure.  The board have given Houston money - he's splurged it on rubbish.  

The fault of FFC at the moment is entirely football related.  The board doesn't pick the team; they've got shot of the manager. 

 

I'd give it to Paul Hartely most likely or Ian Murray if he's available.  No rush, Alex Smith will do a job in the short term.

Thank f**k you're not involved with making decisions at the club or we really would be in trouble....doh!!!

[Dunning1874]

Obviously with Hartley you've got winning the title with Dundee then taking them into the top six counting in his favour, but if we're purely talking about his time at Alloa I'm not buying that the job he did there was as good as the job Aitken is doing at Dumbarton.

Aitken has his flaws, but keeping a part-time team in the Championship is harder than winning promotion from League One through the playoffs and Aitken has done that twice. Hartley took Alloa up - which was obviously deserving of praise - then enjoyed a decent start to the season, but he had a tantrum and rage quit as soon as they had a bad run of results, leaving them in eighth. Aitken has persisted through bad runs, doing enough to turn Dumbarton round from those spells and keep them up, whereas Hartley didn't have the temperament to stick it out with Alloa in that situation and chose to leave it to another manager to salvage.