The Falkirk FC Thread

[JS_FFC]

7 hours ago, Bigbrbairn said:

Absolutely correct. A replacement /back up for MacIver cant just be plucked from the magical striker tree. January window is usually full of dross other teams want shot of not brilliant ready made goal machines. Think we need to look outside our domestic league and take a risk.

Would love to see McGlynn pull a “Farid El Alagui” or “Lyle Taylor” type rabbit out of a hat.

[JS_FFC]

What was the reason for Morrison missing out yesterday after being back on Tuesday? 

[Harry Kinnear]

38 minutes ago, JS_FFC said:

What was the reason for Morrison missing out yesterday after being back on Tuesday? 

McGlynn spoke about it after the game, Callumn isn’t injured, it’s a health issue. He’s been back at the Doctor and John said we are going to have to take it slowly with him and the Doctor felt that Tuesday night was maybe a bit too soon for him. He also said that they now know what the issue is but obviously it’s a private medical matter. We are all just going to have to give Callumn the time he needs and keep showing him the support he needs. Whatever is going on I hope he gets well soon.

[BPM]

10 hours ago, Super Simon said:

Absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with swapping our squad for any other in the league.

I'm talking about having a one or two additional, valid squad options - even one, a proper alternative/back-up to MacIver and I believe we would have secured three points today and would not have lost to that utterly mediocre Raith Rovers side at Starks Park two weeks ago. That's it. No more could be asked of the first eleven, they have been pretty much exceptional from Day One, but the substitutes really aren't contributing anything. Enough has been said about McKenna and Shanley, for me neither remotely good enough for where we are looking to go, but Agyeman, despite being untouchable in the eyes of so many, is far more miss than hit, shocking on Tuesday and negligible impact again this afternoon. He really needs to step it up. His performance at Parkhead showcased what he can offer, but that's far more exception than rule.

We absolutely have it within us to win the league, a good, experienced manager and a starting 11 the equal of any, meaning our approach to the January transfer window will be very, very interesting indeed. You can bet that the other contenders will be furnishing their managers with the resources to make some improvements.

Do you think McGlynn won’t get cash in January? 

[BPM]

12 hours ago, Super Simon said:

It's been blatantly obvious - long before he picked up the injury at Parkhead - that we needed a valid alternative to MacIver, and that any absence for him would leave us with a problem. It has. If we had one, we'd have been quite a few points clear at the top. 

That is not what I asked. Where would you improve the team not the squad? I  am fully behind having a better replacement for Maciver and was so in the summer. 

[Springfield]

1 hour ago, Harry Kinnear said:

McGlynn spoke about it after the game, Callumn isn’t injured, it’s a health issue. He’s been back at the Doctor and John said we are going to have to take it slowly with him and the Doctor felt that Tuesday night was maybe a bit too soon for him. He also said that they now know what the issue is but obviously it’s a private medical matter. We are all just going to have to give Callumn the time he needs and keep showing him the support he needs. Whatever is going on I hope he gets well soon.

Maybe should have edited the Callum part. Clearly the guy is having some private issues, and sincerely wish the guy all the best. Let’s give the guy all the time he needs. 

[Harry Kinnear]

26 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Maybe should have edited the Callum part. Clearly the guy is having some private issues, and sincerely wish the guy all the best. Let’s give the guy all the time he needs. 

Yeah, maybe but I take it John wouldn’t say anything about Callumn situation that he didn’t feel would be okay for us all to know. I was glad to hear that he was at the game with the squad yesterday and I think wee things like the Ultras singing his song and the reception he got on Tuesday night, lets him know he has all our support and he is in our thoughts. As you say he needs time, whatever the issue is.

[HopeStreetWalker]

11 hours ago, Super Simon said:

Absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with swapping our squad for any other in the league.

I'm talking about having a one or two additional, valid squad options - even one, a proper alternative/back-up to MacIver and I believe we would have secured three points today and would not have lost to that utterly mediocre Raith Rovers side at Starks Park two weeks ago. That's it. No more could be asked of the first eleven, they have been pretty much exceptional from Day One, but the substitutes really aren't contributing anything. Enough has been said about McKenna and Shanley, for me neither remotely good enough for where we are looking to go, but Agyeman, despite being untouchable in the eyes of so many, is far more miss than hit, shocking on Tuesday and negligible impact again this afternoon. He really needs to step it up. His performance at Parkhead showcased what he can offer, but that's far more exception than rule.

We absolutely have it within us to win the league, a good, experienced manager and a starting 11 the equal of any, meaning our approach to the January transfer window will be very, very interesting indeed. You can bet that the other contenders will be furnishing their managers with the resources to make some improvements.

Every team in the league faces the same challenge. Tight squad, Injuries, Drop in form, Suspensions over a league season.

Falkirk are in a better position than most and that is a positive and a negative.

Positive: Higher league clubs will see Falkirk as a club to bring on fringe players, and platform players not in the picture.

Negative: Players on Falkirk's books will be seen as desirable to other clubs.

Whatever happens it will be an interesting transfer window.

 

[Big chungus]

Absolutely ecstatic with the start to the season. Hamilton away next week (which I feel pretty comfortable about) then a run of home games. Would really like to see us try Alfie up top personally.

[Bairnardo]

We are undoubtedly going to need to up the levels to kick on from a fantastic Q1. 

We need injuries to clear up, and we probably need 1, maybe 2 in January. 

Having seen everyone except Hamilton who we know well enough, we haven't been the worse team once. Everyone has had a look at us and will seek to adjust. But we've had a look at everyone too. Partick the first team to get a second crack and we battered them. Big disappointment not to win of course but they were the first established Champ team to get a second go at us and if anything, went backwards. 

[Springfield]

6 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

We are undoubtedly going to need to up the levels to kick on from a fantastic Q1. 

We need injuries to clear up, and we probably need 1, maybe 2 in January. 

Having seen everyone except Hamilton who we know well enough, we haven't been the worse team once. Everyone has had a look at us and will seek to adjust. But we've had a look at everyone too. Partick the first team to get a second crack and we battered them. Big disappointment not to win of course but they were the first established Champ team to get a second go at us and if anything, went backwards. 

Totally agree. However with Mackie Lang Donaldson Morrison MacIver  possibly long term, it’s essential we do not pick up any additional injuries In Q2.

[AL-FFC]

3 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Totally agree. However with Mackie Lang Donaldson Morrison MacIver  possibly long term, it’s essential we do not pick up any additional injuries In Q2.

Not that injuries that concern me, couple of players can’t be fair from missing out due to too many bookings, Hendo and Tait spring to mind they would definitely put us up shit street.

[Roboccop]

Is a link for Hamilton tickets up yet?

[GunnerBairn]

Paper tickets only again?

[Shabba]

You can buy them if you go on the Fanbase app and look for Hamilton

[FalkirkBairn2021]

14 hours ago, Shodwall cat said:

We're nowhere near the biggest budget in the league though. Livi, Raith, Partick and ayrs will all be bigger than ours. 

I would doubt that actually. Certainly not materially. 

Our top earners will be up there with any of those clubs. Morrison didn't extend his contract with us for £2.50 a week. 

We have gone for quality not quantity. That's absolutely the right thing to do imo though it does of course risk you in some areas. For us only CF (which is really difficult to recruit for anyway) and goalkeeper. 

We have the best squad in the division. Down to excellent recruitment by the management but let's not pretend we're some plucky paupers competing against massive riches. 

We have smashing players who will be earning well for this level. We have cover in most key areas - 4 good wingers. 4 good centre halves. 2 good right and left backs. 3 good central midfielders. 

I strongly believe we'll win the league. I didn't think so at the time but agree now that we should have signed a new centre forward before the window closed. I'm not sure if we will even in Jan though given how hard it is to get someone decent.

 

[FalkirkBairn2021]

14 hours ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Does anyone understand how difficult it is to do a double promotion ?

We appear to have a number of fans who think it’s simple.

Enjoy being top of the league and let the manager do his job ffs.

I'm not sure people understand how difficult it is to get a mobile centre forward who scores goals and has a physical presence.

As another poster alluded to I don't think McGlynn needs advice to 'just go out and get one.' He f**king knows that.

Being honest we won a watch with MacIver. He's been amazing and perfect for our system.

Getting a Mk 2 MacIver is going to be bloody difficult. Even if we get to the Premiership. 

Anyone decent either costs a stupid amount or teams want to hold onto. 

I don't envy McGlynn the job of finding one but if anyone can it's him 

[FalkirkBairn2021]

13 hours ago, ChrispPancake said:

No we don't. All we've done is get back to where the club with its size of support and financial clout should be. The 5 seasons in league 1 were a b*stard diagrace and that's not arrogant it's of a scale of reality that would equal an Aberdeen or a Hearts languishing in the Championship for 5 years then the fans just being happy they're back in the Premier league.

Invincibles aside which will always be a wonderous achievement but we are where we should be which at this time is fighting for and having a good chance for promotion to the Premier League. 

100 % agree with this. Our aim this season should always have been to win the league. Playoffs minimum. 

It's not like we've just been promoted to the Premiership. It's only the Championship, where we meet clubs either smaller than us or the same size. 

And promoted sides have generally done very well. 

We've had a brilliant start but it wasn't entirely unexpected given the players we have and one of the top managers in the division, if not the best.

[Bairnardo]

5 minutes ago, FalkirkBairn2021 said:

I'm not sure people understand how difficult it is to get a mobile centre forward who scores goals and has a physical presence.

As another poster alluded to I don't think McGlynn needs advice to 'just go out and get one.' He f**king knows that.

Being honest we won a watch with MacIver. He's been amazing and perfect for our system.

Getting a Mk 2 MacIver is going to be bloody difficult. Even if we get to the Premiership. 

Anyone decent either costs a stupid amount or teams want to hold onto. 

I don't envy McGlynn the job of finding one but if anyone can it's him 

It's true that it is the toughest position to fill, but it's an outlier of a situation to be running with only 1 striker who is anywhere close to being good enough for the squad they are in. I can't imagine there would be many if any other teams in the SPFL who have such a glaring lack of depth in that department. I dont think there's suddenly such a dearth of forwards in the game that it should be seen as some impossible task in January. I tend to think our issue came from havi decided to gamble on just Maciver, and the awful timing of his injury.

[GunnerBairn]

16 minutes ago, FalkirkBairn2021 said:

I strongly believe we'll win the league. I didn't think so at the time but agree now that we should have signed a new centre forward before the window closed. I'm not sure if we will even in Jan though given how hard it is to get someone decent.

I always thought Gaby McGill was worth a shout to bring in, as thought he always gave us trouble when playing for Airdrie. Plays up top, target man and is the same age as MacIver I think. McGlynn did mention he's loathed to sign free agents (McGill without a Club according to wiki), so he's probably aware and doesn't fancy taking a punt. 

Edited Sunday at 09:56 by GunnerBairn