BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
FALKIRK boss Peter Houston insists new signing Luca Gasparotto reads the game so well he could play with ‘a cigar in his mouth’.
The former Rangers defender moved to the Bairns after leaving Ibrox at the end of last season and the 21-year-old, who spent last term on loan at Morton, has already impressed his new manager.
The Canada under-23 internationalist was joined by fellow new recruits Lewis Kidd, Nathan Austin, Liam Henderson and James Craigen on the club’s pre-season tour to Ireland and Houston has been delighted with their progress.
With Craigen netting a double and Austin also scoring in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Bray Wanderers, Houston has praised Gasparotto and his developing partnership with Paul Watson in central defence.
He told Falkirk TV: “Lewis Kidd had a slight hamstring strain at half-time and came off, and Nathan Austin has just come back from injury after missing a couple of days, which is why he didn’t play the full match.
“But James Craigen showed the quality he’s got with the finishes he had in the two good goals he scored.
“So, the guys are bedding in. Luca Gasparotto could have played with a cigar in his mouth – he reads the game really well and him and Paul Watson look good together.
“All the guys that have come in are working hard and getting to know their team-mates, and they will improve.”
