Falkirk will begin their new Scottish Premiership season at home to St Mirren on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Manager John McGlynn is setting his sights high for this upcoming campaign, despite a summer of significant changes in the squad.
McGlynn, who returned to Falkirk after managing Hearts, is aiming for another top-six finish. However, he acknowledges that the second season can be more challenging due to the loss of several key players, including top scorer Barney Stewart and other influential figures like Calvin Miller and Dylan Tait.
'If you can do it once, you can do it twice,' McGlynn told Sky Sports News. 'But we also understand that the second season is always going to be probably more difficult.'
The team has undergone a significant change in players, with 15 players leaving at the end of last season, including Barney Stewart who moved to West Brom and Calvin Miller joining Hearts. McGlynn remains ambitious for his side but acknowledges their primary goal is staying in the league.
'At this stage, anything's possible,' he said, setting a target of achieving 45 points as they did last season, which secured them a comfortable position in mid-table.
Committed to Falkirk Amidst Scotland Speculation
McGlynn has been linked with the role of Scotland head coach following Steve Clarke’s resignation after their World Cup exit. While flattered by the speculation, McGlynn remains focused on his current responsibilities at Falkirk.
'Obviously, the SFA will need to go through the proper procedure and speak to the club and see where it goes if it comes to that,' he said. 'I'm just focused on what I'm doing right now.'
McGlynn added: 'It's amazing for such high-profile people in the game to be pushing my name for that job. I am obviously totally committed here and I've had no contact whatsoever, so I'm very focused on the job, but it is very nice for the people that have been putting me forward and supporting in that way.'
The Bairns will kick off their season against St Mirren at Falkirk Stadium on Saturday. With all six matches across the opening weekend of the season live on Sky Sports, fans can watch as McGlynn and his team aim to replicate last season's success.
