Callum away

[Linky]

I think one of the key problems with Davidson was actually his success. In the Summer of 2021, he thought that everything he touched would turn to gold. In a sense, Muller, Dendonker and so on weren't terrible signings (they aren't dissimilar to some of the signings this summer) - young players on loan who can be signed permanently at the end of the season if they do a decent job. I believe he thought the team were so good, that you could take a punt on one or two youngsters and it didn't matter if some weren't so good, the rest would see the team through to another top 6 finish.

Essentially, he didn't try to push on from that point. The two best players left, I'm told he was applying for other jobs quite regularly too. Everything he did was just to tide us over. The European Campaign started the downhill run in the league, as happens quite often (see Hibs).

When it all went wrong, he realised he'd be staying for longer as he wasn't getting the job he wanted, players weren't up to scratch. He was always chasing after the success he'd had thinking it must be the players' fault, never his. So, we'd sign a player, play him once and never see him again. Before long, he'd blown the budget. He became scared of anything different or new, and so 2022 looked to sign 'safe' players who he knew could do an ok job. He'd got his fingers burned with a few out of the box signings like Bair and Vertainen, so he just went back to what he knew - older players who he could trust on long contracts.

Honestly, I think he was a one trick pony. The players clicked with his style of play in that first season. When it worked, it was great, when it didn't, he had no idea what else to do.

[Dooj]

1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

I hate to say it but I think I'll always struggle to associate him in my mind with anything other than playing horrific football, nearly getting us relegated (twice) and completely destroying everything Tommy Wright had taken years to build.

 

 

Really? The cup double doesn't feature in any of your recollections of Callum's management?

I was probably one of the last to come round to 'Callum out' but even I could see that his time was up and I accept that he could/should have been shown the door much earlier. The last two league campaigns have been dire, there's no hiding that, but I hope it is just the recency that is leading some to completely overlook Callum's achievements in the cups; maybe in a few years time we will all be able to look back with a bit more balance when assessing what CD did.

[blueheaven]

32 minutes ago, Dooj said:

Really? The cup double doesn't feature in any of your recollections of Callum's management?

I was probably one of the last to come round to 'Callum out' but even I could see that his time was up and I accept that he could/should have been shown the door much earlier. The last two league campaigns have been dire, there's no hiding that, but I hope it is just the recency that is leading some to completely overlook Callum's achievements in the cups; maybe in a few years time we will all be able to look back with a bit more balance when assessing what CD did.

It's not that the double doesn't feature at all. It's just not what I feel I'm going to predominantly remember him for or associate him with.

The double was obviously a fantastic achievement but sadly I think what we saw in the two years that followed were a far more accurate reflection of Davidson as a manager.

 

[PSJ.84]

11 minutes ago, Dooj said:

maybe in a few years time we will all be able to look back with a bit more balance when assessing what CD did.

Probably depends on what happens to the club over the next couple of years. If we remain a top flight club then I think a lot of people will forget about the shitshow we found ourselves in. However if we end up stuck in the Championship for a few seasons, then most will put a big portion of blame at Davidson’s door. 

[andrew]

1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

The double was obviously a fantastic achievement but sadly I think what we saw in the two years that followed were a far more accurate reflection of Davidson as a manager.

 

Which is why it’s galling having to listen to/read comments from his pals in the media about how hard it must have been for him knowing he was one game from being fired. I’d have fired him after Kelty - I could see what was coming and it was horrible to watch it unfold the way it did.

[akuram]

1 hour ago, andrew said:

Which is why it’s galling having to listen to/read comments from his pals in the media about how hard it must have been for him knowing he was one game from being fired. I’d have fired him after Kelty - I could see what was coming and it was horrible to watch it unfold the way it did.

Should definitely have been fired that night before he got on the team bus.

[Strawman]

9 hours ago, blueheaven said:

It's not that the double doesn't feature at all. It's just not what I feel I'm going to predominantly remember him for or associate him with.

The double was obviously a fantastic achievement but sadly I think what we saw in the two years that followed were a far more accurate reflection of Davidson as a manager.

 

This sums it up for me, totally agree with this.

I do wonder though if it hadn’t been the Covid year and I d been at those double cup games I d feel differently, I think I probably would.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Strawman

[Cagey]

Apparently 3 to 1 front runner for Ca!ey job. Is he still on gardening leave or did his payoff contribute to £1.5 million loss.

[blueheaven]

40 minutes ago, Cagey said:

Apparently 3 to 1 front runner for Ca!ey job. Is he still on gardening leave or did his payoff contribute to £1.5 million loss.

Was he ever on gardening leave?

 

[Cagey]

26 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

Was he ever on gardening leave?

 

Don't know. I think I saw it mentioned but it may have been someone surmising.

If it was a pay off will it be in annual accounts. Maybe a shareholder can inform us.

[blueheaven]

7 minutes ago, Cagey said:

Don't know. I think I saw it mentioned but it may have been someone surmising.

If it was a pay off will it be in annual accounts. Maybe a shareholder can inform us.

Not sure if his pay-off would be covered in the latest accounts. Just checked and the financial year ended on 5th April 2023 but we didn't sack Davidson until 16th April. Also if it was a large pay-off I'd imagine he might get it in instalments rather than one lump payment.

[Linky]

Really hope he takes over at ICT as he might take a few players off our hands: Crawford would be his first signing.

[garydavidson]

2 hours ago, Linky said:

Really hope he takes over at ICT as he might take a few players off our hands: Crawford would be his first signing.

I don't think the Caley finances are in a place where they could afford someone who just left a £1.5 million hole in a, previously, well run club.

[glenrothes saintee]

1 hour ago, garydavidson said:

I don't think the Caley finances are in a place where they could afford someone who just left a £1.5 million hole in a, previously, well run club.

Seemingly they are after Darren O’Dea from Celtic to take over from Dodds

[south inch]

7 minutes ago, glenrothes saintee said:

Seemingly they are after Darren O’Dea from Celtic to take over from Dodds

No doubt with an eye to a loan player or two.

[MySpazz]

On 8/29/2023 at 9:35 PM, Strawman said:

This sums it up for me, totally agree with this.

I do wonder though if it hadn’t been the Covid year and I d been at those double cup games I d feel differently, I think I probably would.

Not being at the games reduced the importance to us as fans, even if the achievement on the park was massive. 2014 will always be the big one.

[blueheaven]

39 minutes ago, MySpazz said:

Not being at the games reduced the importance to us as fans, even if the achievement on the park was massive. 2014 will always be the big one.

Then again, if fans had been allowed at those games, perhaps we wouldn't have won the trophies anyway. It did seem like a bit of a leveller that worked more in our favour than it did for some of the bigger clubs. But really who knows.

[andrew]

4 hours ago, blueheaven said:

Then again, if fans had been allowed at those games, perhaps we wouldn't have won the trophies anyway. It did seem like a bit of a leveller that worked more in our favour than it did for some of the bigger clubs. But really who knows.

I agree. Kane and Spoony were two who got stick and their heads went down. None of that with no crowd.

[Smarmy Arab]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:43 AM, blueheaven said:

Then again, if fans had been allowed at those games, perhaps we wouldn't have won the trophies anyway. It did seem like a bit of a leveller that worked more in our favour than it did for some of the bigger clubs. But really who knows.

That's harsh mate!  
 

St Johnstone (with a smaller budget than Falkirk) winning a cup double stands with ANYTHING any team has ever achieved in Scottish football history, I would never entertain anyone talking it down. You're right there were no fans there for anyone so something of a leveller, but considering the cash slushing around in the Glasgow 2, the capital 2 and Aberdeen that should not have happened.  
 

4 or 5 teams have managed it in the last century, lap up up the glory, it will be 100 years before it happens again! 😉

[Smarmy Arab]

On 9/22/2023 at 3:58 PM, andrew said:

I agree. Kane and Spoony were two who got stick and their heads went down. None of that with no crowd.

Hi Andrew hope you're well.  
 

I was speaking to a coach who worked with Spoony as a kid, he made exactly that point, it was no surprise to him that Spoony had a gala season without the fans, he is a shy lad who worked hard at his game.  I though Kane was an underrated element to the double winners, he defended like a lion, from the front, and was cute as you like, he bought free kicks all over the place at crucial time in all the important games. 

[pezza70]

25 minutes ago, Smarmy Arab said:

That's harsh mate!  
 

St Johnstone (with a smaller budget than Falkirk) winning a cup double stands with ANYTHING any team has ever achieved in Scottish football history, I would never entertain anyone talking it down. You're right there were no fans there for anyone so something of a leveller, but considering the cash slushing around in the Glasgow 2, the capital 2 and Aberdeen that should not have happened.  
 

4 or 5 teams have managed it in the last century, lap up up the glory, it will be 100 years before it happens again! 😉

The double with our resources is the greatest achievement any Scottish club has ever done, the only team that should ever be mentioned in the same conversation is the Lisbon lions.

[MySpazz]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:43 AM, blueheaven said:

Then again, if fans had been allowed at those games, perhaps we wouldn't have won the trophies anyway. It did seem like a bit of a leveller that worked more in our favour than it did for some of the bigger clubs. But really who knows.

Beating Hibs with fans would have been a great day. As you say, who knows!

[haggisheid]

1 hour ago, pezza70 said:

The double with our resources is the greatest achievement any Scottish club has ever done, the only team that should ever be mentioned in the same conversation is the Lisbon lions.

Aberdeen beating Bayern and Real Madrid en route to the cup winners cup was a far greater feat than Celtic and probably Saints winning the cup double if you ask me. 

[Smarmy Arab]

4 hours ago, pezza70 said:

The double with our resources is the greatest achievement any Scottish club has ever done, the only team that should ever be mentioned in the same conversation is the Lisbon lions.

Dundee United being ranked by UEFA in the 10 for most of the 80d is an astonishing achievement, and up there with anything! 

[andrew]

16 hours ago, Smarmy Arab said:

Hi Andrew hope you're well.  
 

I was speaking to a coach who worked with Spoony as a kid, he made exactly that point, it was no surprise to him that Spoony had a gala season without the fans, he is a shy lad who worked hard at his game.  I though Kane was an underrated element to the double winners, he defended like a lion, from the front, and was cute as you like, he bought free kicks all over the place at crucial time in all the important games. 

I’m well, apart from needing a transplant.

Yesterday, our subs were warming up in front of us, near the corner flag. As play continued, and (individual) shouts of dissatisfaction grew ever louder, I could see the look on Costelloe’s face, in particular. Some of these guys must wonder what they’ve let themselves in for.

Edited September 24, 2023 by andrew