The Falkirk FC Thread

[ka202]

*chortle*

Yer maw

[Poet of the Macabre]

Bairnardo made a joke and I laughed. You can't get upset about that.

 

[Marshmallo]

Muirhead is a perfectly solid player for an upper Championship side. He has a track record of it across multiple seasons.  I'd be jettisoning him instantly in the event that we went up but at this level he's big, strong and works hard. Put him in the middle of McGhee and Dallison and his limited passing range will be masked to an extent. 

McGhee is a Rolls Royce in the Championship and will only improve since he's young. Perfect complement for Muirhead.

Kidd as a versatile back-up is OK. Would hope he's not a starter, either in midfield or at RWB. Would like to see him as a final option on the bench, hopefully not on too big a wage.

Torn on Robson - I think we could've done better but he's shown it in flashes, will get better with games under his belt and even at his worst is a Championship midcarder. Wouldn't have minded a roll of the dice at LWB though.

O'Hara I'd have punted despite being the biggest mark in Scotland for him about 2 years ago. Presumably a low wage. I'd loan him out to League 2 or the top of the Lowland League for a couple of months to see if he can rattle in goals at a lower level.

[JinkyBairn]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

Aero signing on means so much.

Heartstopping moments in defence, 100% penalty conversion, epic dickshots, Van Basten-esque goals, heart on the sleeve, GIRFUY celebrations in front of the North Stand even if it contains about 15 Ayr fans and always that tiny wee glimmer of hope that he breaks out the Aero-Smash trademark headbutt.

What a fucking box office signing. Touted by big time outfits like Carlisle but decides to keep his captains armband. SUM FUCKING BOI.

Post of the year.

[Bairnardo]

2 hours ago, Trump said:

How accurate this is or not, I’m not entirely sure. However, thought it was a good base to explain this.

This is a comparison between the 2001/2002 season (where we finished 9th and effectively should have been relegated), and the following season where we won the league. Hoping to see a like for like with last season and this coming season.

 

There are 10 players who featured in both seasons for us. Steven Craig and Kevin Christie barely featured, and Andy Lawrie had that horrific leg break early on, otherwise 7 of them played a minimum of 14 games or more in season 02/03 (including sub appearances). Not all of them were key players (Rodgers for one, who never started) but highlighted that you could still do well in the league with good quality starters and these players as squad players. This is where I see Kidd and O’Hara next season.

 

In terms of number of players, we used a lot of players in the 01/02 season, perhaps like last season, and less in the following season, and this is what Hartley has outlined his intentions as. A smaller squad with more quality, but having able back ups who can maybe play in more than one position.

 

The key thing will be making sure we get the quality players in, hoping Dallison is the start of many more to come.

 

 

Edited to add. 6 out of the 10, not 7. Felt Darren Hill had more games than he did that second season.

 

[GMBairn]

All in all pretty good from Hartley tonight in the graeme, not much to add based on what was already covered on here  from last night and the new signings today. I asked specifically about Welsh and Longridge tonight but all he said was that they were reviewing their options so if the rumoured deadline about tomorrow being their day for making a decision then we should hopefully know then.

I thought he was trying his best diplomatic when asked about Loy and Harris but I think it's pretty obvious he will move them on if given any chance but is having some difficulty given that they are still in contract. If he gets in the players he wants they will most likely never appear in a falkirk shirt again even if they are still on the books.

He also seemed a fairly pleasant guy so rumours of him being unable to maintain a decent relationship with the players is probably a bit overblown, I would say it maybe comes down to his ruthless streak that if you aren't good enough or what he wants then you are out the door. 

 

ETA: The room was a too crowded for me to get close enough to smell him, sorry @Bairnardo

Edited May 10, 2018 by GMBairn

[AGPar]

9 minutes ago, GMBairn said:

All in all pretty good from Hartley tonight in the graeme, not much to add based on what was already covered on here  from last night and the new signings today. I asked specifically about Welsh and Longridge tonight but all he said was that they were reviewing their options so if the rumoured deadline about tomorrow being their day for making a decision then we should hopefully know then.

I thought he was trying his best diplomatic when asked about Loy and Harris but I think it's pretty obvious he will move them on if given any chance but is having some difficulty given that they are still in contract. If he gets in the players he wants they will most likely never appear in a falkirk shirt again even if they are still on the books.

He also seemed a fairly pleasant guy so rumours of him being unable to maintain a decent relationship with the players is probably a bit overblown, I would say it maybe comes down to his ruthless streak that if you aren't good enough or what he wants then you are out the door. 

 

ETA: The room was a too crowded for me to get close enough to smell him, sorry @Bairnardo

So still the possibility that we could be lumbered with these two as well as Kidd, O'Hara, Loy, Harris, Shepherd, McKee. Frightening stuff.

[Bairnardo]

So still the possibility that we could be lumbered with these two as well as Kidd, O'Hara, Loy, Harris, Shepherd, McKee. Frightening stuff.

Shepherd will obviously get loaned out again, I am sure Edinburgh would be delighted to take him again.

O'Hara and Kidd have been specifically signed up by Hartley so we certainly cant say we are lumbered with them. FWIW id have binned O'Hara but probably have kept Kidd.

Loy and Harris il give you, but McKee certainly hasnt been given the same leper treatment which suggests Hartley may have sat down with him and they decided that he deserves another go.

[GMBairn]

7 minutes ago, AGPar said:

So still the possibility that we could be lumbered with these two as well as Kidd, O'Hara, Loy, Harris, Shepherd, McKee. Frightening stuff.

I didn't think to ask about McKee but given that he is still in contract he would probably have said the same thing he did about Loy and harris that they will speak to him when they return from holiday and move forward from there. 

[EdiBairn]

I'm disappointed to see Longridge go. Yes, he could be greedy and inconsistent at times but he can also do more in 1 game than O'Hara's done in 4 seasons.

[BountyBairn]

1 minute ago, EdiBairn said:

I'm disappointed to see Longridge go. Yes, he could be greedy and inconsistent at times but he can also do more in 1 game than O'Hara's done in 4 seasons.

Give it a rest bud, FFS! 

[MrDust]

8 minutes ago, EdiBairn said:

I'm disappointed to see Longridge go. Yes, he could be greedy and inconsistent at times but he can also do more in 1 game than O'Hara's done in 4 seasons.

Dont recall Longridge setting up two goals against the champions 

[Bairnardo]

Give it a rest Scott, FFS! Away and get yer maw to make you a steak pie

Fixed

[BountyBairn]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

 

 

Fixed

 

[Ontovictory]

Longridge gone? Headless chicken! Disappointed to see Airheid stay. McGhee and Robson, ok, O’Hara, Kidd and McKee, all to be proven. Sibbald is the one we need to retain. Rest, cheerio!

[ShaggerG]

12 minutes ago, Ontovictory said:

Longridge gone? Headless chicken! Disappointed to see Airheid stay. McGhee and Robson, ok, O’Hara, Kidd and McKee, all to be proven. Sibbald is the one we need to retain. Rest, cheerio!

So, you'd keep McGhee, Robson & Sibbald and bin the rest? That would be folly IMO; some players need to be retained to keep some sort of continuity rather than having 17 strangers trying to bond and work up team spirit from the off.

The majority of those under contract and re-signed will either be squad players or loaned out/paid off.

I would definitely keep Longridge as well, can't believe the flak that he gets from some folk. Yes he's inconsistent to a point and sometimes takes the wrong option but he's a good footballer who gets us up-field on the front foot and would give us a few goals. A very good option to have I would say.

I'm glad however that Welsh has refused terms as I think he would also be back up at best and Kidd and McKee now already provide that.

[Newbornbairn]

85 days until the new season starts - the same length of time Frank De Boer was manager of Inter Milan before being sacked.

[Believe The Hype]

11 hours ago, EdiBairn said:

I'm disappointed to see Longridge go. Yes, he could be greedy and inconsistent at times but he can also do more in 1 game than O'Hara's done in 4 seasons.

This is all just a piss take isn't it. Well done I guess. Mentioned kev one too many times now I think to be considered serious. 

If sibbs signs I'm not bothered at all about Longridge. 

[Chinatoon Bairn]

I'm glad Muirhead is staying for next year.

For one reason or another..

[Bairnardo]

This is all just a piss take isn't it. Well done I guess. Mentioned kev one too many times now I think to be considered serious. 
If sibbs signs I'm not bothered at all about Longridge. 

See the more I think about it, I am choking for Sibbs to sign up. If we get the type of midfield we all think we will, then it should allow Sibbs to move up the park, and take burden of creation rather than having to be both that, and midfield lynchpin. But given what he was doing last season and what he will have learned and added to his game, he wont be some sort of luxury, off the strikers type player. He will still be getting stuck in to tackles. It will be good for us defending from the front if Sibbald gets moved up where he should be because he doesnt shy out from anyone.