Kmcalpin

Absolutely. IF rumours are to be believed ie John Kennedy, Tom Wright, and Simo Valakari have been approached then it would seem that the club is going down a different route this time and so it should. The new man, whoever it is, needs to be given some time to conduct his own transfer dealings this window. We don't have the luxury of being able to cast our net wide, advertise and take our time - I suspect many candidates, or their agents, have already contacted the club. I'm not sure Keith Lasley's "4 game trial" is appropriate in the circumstances especially given Saturday's debacle.

Why not indeed? I wonder if Columbus will be seeking a transfer fee from Hibs or whoever tries to sign Cadden?

Just brought myself to watch the TV "highlights" of yesterday's game and they weren't what I expected at all. OK Mugabi and Chapman didn't cover themselves in glory but what a disorganised and anonymous midfield we had at the goals. No-one protecting the defence, no-one covering runners. For all his faults, Chapman was left totally exposed. Even if Carson and a decent central defender replacing Mugabi had been playing we'd still have lost. The standard was akin to playing footie in a school playground at break time.

Its not right I know, but maybe some weren't prepared to fire themselves up for the vestiges of the old regime as they'd see it. Not saying that was the case but its not inconceivable.

We've got the basis of a good side. Lads like Carson (when fit), Gallagher, Carroll, Donnelly, Campbell and Watt are decent players. I don't know about McGinley, who was signed as a central defender, but he must be bad if he's behind Mugabi in the pecking order. Polworth too can play if the midfield mix is right and if he can motivated. Stephen O'Donnell for me has been a bit of a disappointment. Ok he hasn't made any outrageous blunders but by the same token his defending at times hasn't been great and not what you'd expect of an international. Assuming he stays, until the end of the season, which is not a given and Carson recovers quickly I reckon we'll need: a central defender, at least one winger if not two, a main striker and maybe another central midfielder. That could require some wheeling and dealing with soem deadwood being shipped out and we all know who they are. However, time is against us and we need to appoint a new manager first. The new man will also need to be able to motivate some players.

I don't blame Las for yesterday's fiasco but by the same token there was no evidence that he was capable of turning things around or improving matters. You could take issue with some of his decisions ie personnel and tactics but we're all wise in hindsight.

Well that hasn't worked yet this season and obviously didn't help today.

Whoever comes in needs to be ruthless and a good man manager. They will also need to be given funds to make about 4/5 signings. Good quality loanees if necessary. Not an easy task.

An academic moot point perhaps but how did we line up? 4-4-2 or whatever.

I made much the same point elsewhere Andy. We must not appoint a new man (unless one has already been targeted) in the next day or two but equally this can't drag on for weeks.

Its been clear for some time, and yes we're all wise in hindsight, that results on the pitch were very poor. I'm not going to name sources but I believe the situation off the pitch had been brewing beforehand.

I tend to agree. Our Board has been caught napping here. Heard from different sources that Robbo's decision to go wasn't a sudden snap one. The situation had been brewing for a few weeks. Its going to be hard balancing getting the right man and doing so quickly. We can't afford a long drawn out selection process.

I think Ross County handled their change well but ruthlessly. That's not to say they got the right man in John Hughes though. They decided to fire Kettlewell in December but before doing so identified 2 or 3 targets and moved quickly. An almost seamless change. That gave their new manager the full window to effect change.

We're all wise in hindsight, but looking back we should have parted company with Robinson some weeks ago, as he's left us in some mess. Had we done so we could have had a new man in place, before the window opened. As it is we have to get the right man but he has to be in place within a fortnight I'd say, to allow him some breathing space to make personnel changes. I do feel for Las as he had limited scope to change things today, but on the evidence of this afternoon he hasn't been able to make any positive noticeable difference. I'm pretty certain the recruitment process will already be underway and we're lucky to have seen what he can and cannot do in game 1.

Oh dear. Of Las's 4 game trial I would have thought this would have been the easiest. There's still time yet though.

Quote from the Official Falkirk site. "Miller faces the prospect of needing to bring a new keeper in if Motherwell decide to recall PJ Morrison for a new manager to have a look at following Stephen Robinson’s shock resignation." So it would seem that we have a recall clause in the loan deal.

The BBC reports that Long and Carson are doubtful, which would indicate that the latter's injury is not as bad as we first feared. Should he fail to make it who will be our substitute goalie?

We don't know the nature of the working relationship under Robbo. He may have actively encouraged input from Las and Mo or he may have been very autocratic. We just need to look back to the Butcher/Malpas era. Many of us thought that Malpas was the brains behind the management team with big Terry assuming the army corporal role. In fact it was the other way around. What we do know though is that more of the same won't do today. We're looking for signs of changes to the personnel; changes to players' attitudes; changes to formation; and changes to tactics. That will give us some sort of clue as to Las's ideas. For several reasons its a must win game. Win and Las's stock will rise; lose his managerial prospects will nosedive.

Even if the story of the 4 game test is true, surely the Board will be pursuing other options Iain, as an insurance policy.

Not quite Goggles but almost. If we fail to win tomorrow, arguably the easiest of the next 4 games, that'll be a severe dent to his hopes in the eyes of the Board, if what we've read in the media is correct.

They might be , I've no idea, but I can't see them paying up now or in the summer for Campbell. They'd need to shell out £400-500K for him in any event.

Lang has departed; Archer has left; O'Donnell is contracted until the end of the month (source P & B); don't know about Hastie.

Not sure about the wisdom of this. I might be proved wrong but I think we need a fresh approach. Not the easiest 4 games in which to prove yourself. That said our big failing has been at home and we only have one home game in that run.......against Sevco.

It'll be interesting to see if the caretaker management team do anything differently and also if the players react positively. Who will be our back up goalie?

Was thinking the same thing. The only bright side to this is that he played on for a spell and then walked off. Fingers crossed its not serious. He's been through enough.