McGlynn keen to emulate PSG's template for success as Falkirk return to the top flight after 15-year absence

John McGlynn is surrounded by paperwork, pens and computer kit as he sits in an unassuming office deep in the bowels of the Falkirk Stadium, contemplating what can only be described as a seismic season ahead.

Fresh from a getaway to Torremolinos, the 63-year-old manager is clearly champing at the bit as he gets ready for the Bairns’ return to the Scottish top flight after a 15-year absence.

Preparations have been full-on since the Championship winners returned to pre-season training. There was a ‘wake-up call’ when they were defeated 3-2 by Edinburgh City, followed by a successful League Cup campaign which saw them top their section with three wins and a draw.

Now McGlynn is in reflective mood as he sets out his stall for the forthcoming campaign, starting with the visit of Dundee United on Sunday. His inspiration for the club’s big-time comeback comes as something of a surprise.

‘We’ve actually been looking at Paris Saint Germain a lot, because PSG are the team of the moment,’ he tells Mail Sport.

‘We look at the way they play and how we can replicate that, do what they do. We show some videos to the lads, virtually every morning, particularly in pre-season, so you’re laying down the mantle in terms of how you’re going to go on.’

The notion of Falkirk seeking a template from this year’s Champions League winners is maybe not as daft as it sounds. 

Naturally devoid of big names, it all boils down to this for the Bairns; how, realistically, can a team that has risen exponentially from the lower ranks, without the ‘star’ players associated with the likes of Celtic and Rangers, take on the might of the Premiership?

Looking to PSG may actually provide some answers.

When Luis Enrique’s men secured their European title following an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan, it was a huge statement of intent and proved that teamwork was greater than ‘star power’ for a side who had previously boasted the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

‘PSG had just won the Champions League,’ muses McGlynn. ‘And, me being me, I’m looking at how they won it, when the team that had Messi in it, had Mbappe in it, had Neymar in it, a little bit further back had Angel Di Maria in it, were not able to do so.

‘They’re all superstars, so what’s the difference between that team and the one that just won it? This team work together. They’re not relying on an individual. It’s the whole team that’s synchronised, the way they press. When one goes, they all go. And they do it so quickly, with speed, energy, commitment, aggression. They press and they win the ball back high. And when they don’t and they get broken, their recovery is incredible.

‘If you look at the manager, he has done an amazing job so quickly, to turn that team around. Younger players and more of a team, rather than just individuals. This is a key point I’m now trying to put across. ‘

McGlynn is a huge fan of his Spanish counterpart. ‘Enrique is absolute class,’ he continues. 

‘He’s on another level. And to come through that route where loads have tried, lots of PSG managers have tried to do that job, and he has done it in a way that has been so exciting to watch.

‘I just think he has controlled them better. I think it might be quite difficult to control Messi, arguably being the best player in the world. Mbappe may be the best player for others. 

‘They’re probably such superstars that they get away with just their individual ability.

‘The manager now has this team working as a whole unit, he’s got more control of them. They’re younger, they’re more likely to listen and take things on board. rather than think: “Well, give me the ball and I’ll score a goal” — which does happen.

‘Messi, for example, is incredible, but if your team doesn’t have the ball, then you’re a man down. I’m sure there will be people who criticise that, because how can you criticise Messi? But then I’m looking at that and thinking: “Well, in 2022, 2023, they couldn’t win the Champions League”.

‘They’ve done it now, through the organisation, the work rate, the tempo, the intensity with which they played. Inter Milan were steamrolled.

‘Now, I know, I’m just John McGlynn, manager of Falkirk football club. We’ve been five years in League One. But that’s just the way I look at it.

‘I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, but you have to look at the top. 

‘See how they do it at the top level and see what’s working. If you can put that across to the players, that’s what counts.’

McGlynn’s enthusiasm for the game is infectious. It’s easy to see why the former Hearts, Livingston and Raith Rovers boss commands the respect of his players wherever he goes. 

He’s straight-down-the-line, salt of the earth. His fundamental principles are borne out of ambition, of an understanding that working hard, fostering a winning mentality and showing humility, will eventually lead to your ultimate goal.

Realism, though, is key. As a fan-owned outfit, Falkirk simply can’t compete financially against the top-flight’s clubs — some of whom are backed by a new cohort of wealthy American owners. 

An alternative approach with attainable goals is essential should they hope to retain their status and not simply drop back down into the second tier after one season.

‘I look at Rangers with the 49ers now and the money that’s going to be pumped in there,’ says McGlynn.

‘Tony Bloom coming in at Hearts and the money that’s going to go in there. The Gordon family, along with the Black Knights, there’s a lot of money involved there for Hibs.

‘Celtic are obviously going to try and beat them all. Then you’ve got the two Dundee teams who have American owners who are not scared to put their hands in their pockets. So there are a lot of teams who could be going out and spending a lot of money and the boys here could be going up against superstars.

‘If we work as a team, maybe we’ll be able to do a bit of what PSG are doing against others. This is my mindset, that if we can outwork them and organise, we can come out on top.

‘We’re a front-foot team, we press high. We’ve done that in League One, in the Championship, in Scottish Cup ties and League Cup ties. That’s the way we want to try and set up. We will have to adjust accordingly, of course, if we have to.

‘We’ll just go from week to week and look at the opposition. We won’t change our philosophy, but we may need to be more aware of certain aspects that might crop up. By that, I mean almost playing the game before you play the game.

‘Ultimately, this is a special dressing room. The team spirit is amazing, there’s good banter every day. They enjoy their work and they enjoy winning. 

‘Over the past two or three years, we’ve done a lot of winning. We’ll need to be strong, because I can’t see us winning as many games as we have done. That’s just the reality. 

‘As long as we win enough games to be in a good position, however, then it will be another feather in our cap.

‘We’ve now got 5,600 season ticket holders, which is a phenomenal amount for Falkirk. It’s certainly a good time to be here, and we’re delighted with the job that we’ve done.

‘One thing’s for sure, that job is not finished yet.’