The Falkirk FC Thread

[Russ]

Obviously there are some on this list which nobody will be able to disagree with but at the same time there are some who don't belong on this list at all;
Feel that most were in general agreement that while Irving was good it was more the situation that hindered him at his time with us than anything else. No real surprise that he has gone on to play at a higher level. He was 18 years old when he was with us. Finds himself unfortunate to be without a club at the moment due to his previous team's financial trouble.
Scott Mercer is currently set to be relegated.
Ross MacLean is another who could very well end up being relegated this season with Dumbarton.
Joe McKee while he did perform well when he left for Dumbarton initially before his move to QoS he finds himself back in Dumbarton and as above, in with the possibility of being relegated.
Kevin O'Hara aside from his season at Alloa hasn't really performed to the levels expected of him when he first broke through. 33 appearances and 7 goals this season, a willing runner as he was with us but little in the way of goals. Could very well end up playing at the same level as us next season.
Ciaran McKenna is one that I remember most wanting to keep after performing relatively well for us, fair enough during the relegation season, but was solid enough in spells.
David Mitchell left us due to the treatment he was receiving from the manger at the time. A relatively decent keeper who went on to do well for Clyde playing at the same level.
Then that brings us to Froxylias..

 

Most of us (myself included) were very harsh on Irving at the time and he really wasn’t highly rated or thought of at the time by most of the support.

East Fife being relegated really doesn’t make a difference to the fact that they have got a hell of a lot more out of Mercer in both spells than we did last year. Same with Ross Maclean he’s been far better for the Sons than he ever was with us. Joe McKee was someone I really passionately disliked in his time with us but that first season at Dumbarton he was up there as one of the most assists in the country.

You’ve just proved my point there with O’Hara as well. We got nothing out of him for years goes to Alloa and scores for fun.

After a decent start McKenna was absolute muck. Him and Edge against Morton still gives me nightmares. But he’s seemingly turned into a capable Championship level defender under McCall.

David Mitchell’s performances for Clyde were night and day compared to when he played for us and Froxylias as I mentioned came to us after a good spell at Dumbarton and didn’t kick a ball for us.

My point wasn’t about players moving up a level it’s about when they leave us their performance levels are far greater than anything we had seen.

[Reggie Perrin]

43 minutes ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Obviously there are some on this list which nobody will be able to disagree with but at the same time there are some who don't belong on this list at all;

Feel that most were in general agreement that while Irving was good it was more the situation that hindered him at his time with us than anything else. No real surprise that he has gone on to play at a higher level. He was 18 years old when he was with us. Finds himself unfortunate to be without a club at the moment due to his previous team's financial trouble.

Scott Mercer is currently set to be relegated.

Ross MacLean is another who could very well end up being relegated this season with Dumbarton.

Joe McKee while he did perform well when he left for Dumbarton initially before his move to QoS he finds himself back in Dumbarton and as above, in with the possibility of being relegated.

Kevin O'Hara aside from his season at Alloa hasn't really performed to the levels expected of him when he first broke through. 33 appearances and 7 goals this season, a willing runner as he was with us but little in the way of goals. Could very well end up playing at the same level as us next season.

Ciaran McKenna is one that I remember most wanting to keep after performing relatively well for us, fair enough during the relegation season, but was solid enough in spells.

David Mitchell left us due to the treatment he was receiving from the manger at the time. A relatively decent keeper who went on to do well for Clyde playing at the same level.

Then that brings us to Froxylias..

 

Probably fatter than me now.

Cyprus Sunday leagues obviously his level now.

Actually had a great touch but one of those players who would look outrageously good at 5 a sides but lost in a full size game.

[Shadwell Dog]

3 hours ago, Russ said:

 

Blair Alston
James Craigen
Joe McKee
Kevin O’Hara
Anton Dowds
Scott Mercer
Mikey Doyle
Ross MacLean
Ciaran McKenna
David Mitchell
Nikolay Todorov
Andy Irving
Dimitris Froxylias

That’s just from the top of my head from the last few years. All either playing at a higher level or performing far better at this level than they did with us. Slightly different with Froxylias where he had a good spell with Dumbarton first and then shite with us but you get the point.

 

Come on you're having a laugh.

Craigen did ok with us and is doing ok with Arbroath. 

McKee is playing shite for a shite Dumbarton side in league one. He was shite in the champ.

O'Hara is struggling for a game in a piss poor Dunfermline side.

Dowds is still with us. 

Mercer is playing shite for a shite east Fife team.

Doyle playing for a queen's park side that have been disappointing this season.

Maclean see McKee.

McKenna in and out the side at partick. 

Mitchell playing for Clyde below us in the league .

Todorov can't get a game for a piss poor pars team.

Irving playing in the Turkish 3rd division.

Froxylias God knows if he's even still playing the game. 

Alston I already mentioned. 

The rest are all plodding along at the same level they were when we had them or below.  They are better than the dross we have just now but that's not hard but very few have been released by us and gone on to  be stars for bigger and better clubs elsewhere or really played any better elsewhere. Craigan for instance player with us in a team that came 2nd and made the playoffs. Looks like he'll do the same for Arbroath. Does that mean he's any better a player for them than us. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by Shadwell Dog

[Guest]

In the simplest of models, we tend never to have a good keeper, right back, left back, right footed centre half, right footed centre half, two defensive mids, two attacking mids and two front men at the same time.

We have had a conveyer belt of “modern” managers trying to fit players to over elaborate systems, or trying to convert defenders to midfielders……..never a straightforward eleven with every player doing the job that they do best, and understanding their role in the team.

In MR, we have the very definition of a manager who tinkers around with this and that, and none of it works, yet they all are brilliant at training. I desperately wanted him to do well, to show us something to believe in, but he hasn’t done it. It has actually gotten worse.
I believe Sheerin’s side conceded 23 goals in 16 games (including the infamous last game 6-0). Thing is, this defensive improvement that MR clings to as one of the achievements……it’s not true either. His side have conceded 23 goals as well…..but in 15 games, not 16. If Cove score so much as 1 goal on Saturday, then on a like for like comparison over 16 games, then not only is MR points per game worse than Sheerin’s, his goals conceded is worse too.

[Rob1885]

Aye take Todorov and O'Hara back btw

[Shadwell Dog]

A lot of these players were deemed not good enough for the situation we were in at the time. Craigan and McKee etc were part of a side that failed to get us up so we moved them on. Doyle was part of a side that wasn't good enough to get us out of league one so again he was moved on. He was ok for us and I'm sure will be playing exactly the same way for queen's park that he played for us.  Our problem has been us replacing these players with poorer ones instead of better.  It doesn't though mean all these players are playing fantastically better at their current clubs than they were with us.

[18BAIRN76]

Replacing Doyle with Mercer was one of the biggest indicators M&M were clueless. Doyle isn't exactly peak Cafu but I'd argue the case he's been the best RB we've had since being in League One.

[Bairnardo]

Replacing Doyle with Mercer was one of the biggest indicators M&M were clueless. Doyle isn't exactly peak Cafu but I'd argue the case he's been the best RB we've had since being in League One.

Doyle was another one who got a far harder time than he deserved off our fans.

You can pick ANY three players in our current squad, and combined they wouldn't get close to the engine/commitment you got from Doyle.

[ShaggerG]

38 minutes ago, Duncan Freemason said:

In the simplest of models, we tend never to have a good keeper, right back, left back, right footed centre half, right footed centre half, two defensive mids, two attacking mids and two front men at the same time.

We have had a conveyer belt of “modern” managers trying to fit players to over elaborate systems, or trying to convert defenders to midfielders……..never a straightforward eleven with every player doing the job that they do best, and understanding their role in the team.

In MR, we have the very definition of a manager who tinkers around with this and that, and none of it works, yet they all are brilliant at training. I desperately wanted him to do well, to show us something to believe in, but he hasn’t done it. It has actually gotten worse.
I believe Sheerin’s side conceded 23 goals in 16 games (including the infamous last game 6-0). Thing is, this defensive improvement that MR clings to as one of the achievements……it’s not true either. His side have conceded 23 goals as well…..but in 15 games, not 16. If Cove score so much as 1 goal on Saturday, then on a like for like comparison over 16 games, then not only is MR points per game worse than Sheerin’s, his goals conceded is worse too.

What a lot of absolute tripe. Why the hell would we want two right footed centre halves?

[Ludo*1]

1 hour ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Come on you're having a laugh.

Craigen did ok with us and is doing ok with Arbroath. 

McKee is playing shite for a shite Dumbarton side in league one. He was shite in the champ.

O'Hara is struggling for a game in a piss poor Dunfermline side.

Dowds is still with us. 

Mercer is playing shite for a shite east Fife team.

Doyle playing for a queen's park side that have been disappointing this season.

Maclean see McKee.

McKenna in and out the side at partick. 

Mitchell playing for Clyde below us in the league .

Todorov can't get a game for a piss poor pars team.

Irving playing in the Turkish 3rd division.

Froxylias God knows if he's even still playing the game. 

Alston I already mentioned. 

The rest are all plodding along at the same level they were when we had them or below.  They are better than the dross we have just now but that's not hard but very few have been released by us and gone on to  be stars for bigger and better clubs elsewhere or really played any better elsewhere. Craigan for instance player with us in a team that came 2nd and made the playoffs. Looks like he'll do the same for Arbroath. Does that mean he's any better a player for them than us. 

David Mitchell is at Hibs tbf.

[Fast_Action]

12 minutes ago, Ludo*1 said:

David Mitchell is at Hibs tbf.

Indeed, David Mitchell is at Hibs.  But he could be cited as a player who was injury ridden and mediocre at best for Falkirk, who went on to be a brilliant player for us.  Outstanding performances for us.  

Right now, you could put a Falkirk top on Mo Salah and he would probably look grim. 

[Shadwell Dog]

29 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

What a lot of absolute tripe. Why the hell would we want two right footed centre halves?

Mind you I remember in the good old days noone bothered about what foot your centrehalf kicked with. 2 right sided, 2 left sided, one of each it didn't matter and they always seemed to get by. 

[Guest Ecosse83]

1 hour ago, Duncan Freemason said:

In the simplest of models, we tend never to have a good keeper, right back, left back, right footed centre half, right footed centre half, two defensive mids, two attacking mids and two front men at the same time.

We have had a conveyer belt of “modern” managers trying to fit players to over elaborate systems, or trying to convert defenders to midfielders……..never a straightforward eleven with every player doing the job that they do best, and understanding their role in the team.

In MR, we have the very definition of a manager who tinkers around with this and that, and none of it works, yet they all are brilliant at training. I desperately wanted him to do well, to show us something to believe in, but he hasn’t done it. It has actually gotten worse.
I believe Sheerin’s side conceded 23 goals in 16 games (including the infamous last game 6-0). Thing is, this defensive improvement that MR clings to as one of the achievements……it’s not true either. His side have conceded 23 goals as well…..but in 15 games, not 16. If Cove score so much as 1 goal on Saturday, then on a like for like comparison over 16 games, then not only is MR points per game worse than Sheerin’s, his goals conceded is worse too.

That’s what has annoyed me the most the last few seasons. I’ve been desperate for a simple 442 with players that know how the play the position they are in, 442 is probably outdated to be fair but at least it would be kept simple. 
 

All these modern managers don’t half like to overcomplicate things

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ecosse83

[Shadwell Dog]

Mitchell only played a dozen  games for us.  Was injured for the vast majority of his time got a chance in the first team but I seem to remember him having a howler and him then getting dropped. That was again in the championship. Has only played in league one since and hasn't kicked a ball for Hibs yet.

[Springfield]

1 minute ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Mitchell only played a dozen  games for us.  Was injured for the vast majority of his time got a chance in the first team but I seem to remember him having a howler and him then getting dropped. That was again in the championship. Has only played in league one since and hasn't kicked a ball for Hibs yet.

Always seemed to pull off a blinder against us at Broadwood

[Fast_Action]

10 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Always seemed to pull off a blinder against us at Broadwood

Exactly my point sir.  Cracking player for us. 

 

[Taxi for De Massis]

Irving is actually playing in the 3rd Bundesliga (representing the Turkish community in Munich)

Would we take him back if he’s without a club?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ShaggerG said:

What a lot of absolute tripe. Why the hell would we want two right footed centre halves?

Hell and damnation, sorry. I meant two left footed centre backs……or two centre backs with two left feet………oh wait.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, Springfield said:

Always seemed to pull off a blinder against us at Broadwood

Ah…….Deans reason for us being crap is vindicated.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

5 minutes ago, Taxi for De Massis said:

Irving is actually playing in the 3rd Bundesliga (representing the Turkish community in Munich)

Would we take him back if he’s without a club?

Turkgucu Munchen have folded within the last 3 or 4 weeks.