Scotland squad

[Ten Caat]

How was the performance?  Four goals and seemed to be by and large, a team on form?

 

Convincing win but achieved on the back of Albania being reduced to 10 men for 70 minutes (red card given correctly for a headbutt on Christie). We had taken the lead with a very good goal 5 minutes earlier but at that point Albania were giving as good as they were getting with the sevco winger Grezda causing Paterson at right back all sorts of problems and with Paterson on an early yellow card.......Grezda copped a booking for diving under a challenge from Paterson late first half still 1-0, replays looked like there was indeed a bit of contact and the ref could have given a penalty and poss red card to Paterson.

 

We then got a penalty on the stroke of half time from a free kick, defender in wall adjudged to have handled....ball clearly struck his arm but it wasn't in an "unnatural" position and I honestly believe 8 out of 10 refs would not have given it.

 

At 2-0 we were then comfortable all second half, added 2 good goals and could (should) have had at least 1 more when McTominay hit top of bar from 12 yards with just keeper to beat.

 

McKenna was steady, had a decent block in first half preventing an on target shot from 6 yards out from possibly giving Albania an equaliser. Didn't look too comfortable (alongside all the defence) on the few times Albania got crosses in from the flanks and was beaten in the air a few times by the Albanian centre forward, eventually picking up a quite unnecessary yellow card mid second half by climbing all over their CF and flattening him in the challenge.

 

 

[tlg1903]

Chris mcglauchlin reporting on twitter ecks been binned. Next!

 

[Jute]

Chris mcglauchlin reporting on twitter ecks been binned. Next!

 

Not a surprise. He was not popular with support and at least one member of the SFA board has been undermining him via the press for months.

[tlg1903]

Who does everyone fancy for it next?  Clark will be the most popular choice but I would be surprised if he wants it.  Wonder if the sfa will go back to Smith, it's the level of lack of imagination I have come to expect from them though, say what you like about Smith, he's good at what he does and would likely do well.

 

Personally I would prefer someone who really wants the gig and (tin hat on) I was impressed with the passion for the role John Hughes showed just before eck got it. Plays nice football that would suit the current attacking options we have, gets his players onside and he's  used to working with limited resources. Won't happen but he would be my choice.

[Guest kiriakovisthenewstrachan]

Read an interesting article the other day suggesting (done laugh) that we could actually be approaching a "golden generation".

 

The reasoning behind it was if Ryan Fraser moves to Arsenal we would have players playing for Liverpool (Robertson), Man Utd (McTominay) and Arsenal with other prospects like MacGregor, Tierney, Forrest and Christie at Celtic.  Chucking in McGinn, McKenna etc then if we can just get them all on the pitch at the same time then we do have a decent looking team.

 

Just need a manager that can convince these guys to commit to the cause and actually turn up for international duty because on a lot of ocassions it has been the call offs that have made life difficult for us. 

 

Would not be surprised if our own manager fancies this gig to be honest.  He might feel that it is his best route to the big time in England if he did well with the Scotland team. 

[Ten Caat]

Who does everyone fancy for it next?  Clark will be the most popular choice but I would be surprised if he wants it.  Wonder if the sfa will go back to Smith, it's the level of lack of imagination I have come to expect from them though, say what you like about Smith, he's good at what he does and would likely do well.

 

Personally I would prefer someone who really wants the gig and (tin hat on) I was impressed with the passion for the role John Hughes showed just before eck got it. Plays nice football that would suit the current attacking options we have, gets his players onside and he's  used to working with limited resources. Won't happen but he would be my choice.

 

Clarke is supposedly Fulham's first choice to take over the hotseat in the summer. Just relegated but will pay an exponentially higher wage than the Scotland gig. Can't see him refusing it as it's probably the best job as a manager outright that he could expect, plus it would allow him to be back with his family down south.

 

Hughes no doubt would bring a passion to the post but on the flipside, he's barely literate and as the front face of the SFA, is likely at some point to cause an embarrassing gaffe or five along the way. I've honestly no idea who to appoint...…..even if the SFA doubled the pay McLeish was on to £500k/year, it would still be a wage that most clubs in the English Championship could comfortably top so I would expect it will only attract guys who haven't had a gig in years (Hughes  ) or guys looking to top up their pension (Hiddink?).

 

 

 

[ayrshire_don74]

John Hughes absolutely no way a buffoon and not a very good manager, issue here is it is probably seen a poisoned chalice..maybe they can tempt DM

[Jute]

Charlie Nicholas saying he wants Malky “racist cunt” McKay selected as the progressive way forward. He had been talking some sense about needing to clear out everything from top down then suggest promoting in house!

[Ten Caat]

John Hughes absolutely no way a buffoon and not a very good manager, issue here is it is probably seen a poisoned chalice..maybe they can tempt DM

 

There's not a hope in hell McInnes will leave to take up the Scotland job even if they did indeed double McLeish's salary.....

[tlg1903]

That's the thing about Hughes TC, people judge him by how he speaks but he's actually a very switched on guy imo. Not convinced he would bring multiple public speaking gaffes either as I can't really think of any he has committed so far.

 

As for a not very good manager his teams at Inverness and Falkirk punched waaaaay above their weight.  Hell he took Inverness to 3rd in the season they won the Scottish Cup. 

[RicoS321]

That's the thing about Hughes TC, people judge him by how he speaks but he's actually a very switched on guy imo. Not convinced he would bring multiple public speaking gaffes either as I can't really think of any he has committed so far.

 

As for a not very good manager his teams at Inverness and Falkirk punched waaaaay above their weight.  Hell he took Inverness to 3rd in the season they won the Scottish Cup.

 

I like John Hughes, he's ace fun. It'd be a tremendous joke to play on the tartan army to have him at the helm for a bit. Really test their passion for the national side.

[LA-Don]

Not a John Hughes fan but may I suggest he'd possibly have the effect on the squad that McLeish had first time around?? Love the energy and passion but, as mentioned above, I do think we have a strong young group coming up and I'd prefer Steve Clarke for that.....although I doubt he'd take it. Will be intriguing to watch both Scotland and Aberdeen moving forward, both very similar in that both are sinking ships at present.

[wee toon red]

I'd like Clarke to take it but I actually think McInnes would do ok at it. Players seem to respect him so he might not have the same call off issues that McLeish has, and we've generally been pretty good at beating the teams we're meant to beat and if Scotland were able to do the same it would take us pretty close to qualifying for the Euros. Plus recruitment wouldn't be an issue either.

[Guest kiriakovisthenewstrachan]

After the McLeish era, I'd be happy to accept any one from Clarke, Del, Strachan, Mackay or Hughes. Each has something different to bring to the table.

 

But please not Moyes or Gemmill. Any of those two would be very underwhelming.

[BigAl]

Avram Grant, Erikson, Wilmots, McInnes, Clarke, MacKay, Ross, Gemmill

 

Looks like there are a few serious candidates amongst that list. Also a few chancers

[donsdaft]

My vote goes to whoever rules out playing anyone born in England.

[Ten Caat]

My vote goes to whoever rules out playing anyone born in England.

 

I presume you will be ruling out Scott Gemmill on the same grounds then?

[donsdaft]

Absolutely

[sheepheid]

I don't get that. 

If a guy is born in England because his Scottish parents were living there at the time do to work commitments or whatever, that shouldn't rule him out of playing for Scotland.

The deciding factor for the player should be what he feels in his heart. Even though he qualifies for Scotland, he should only put himself forward, when asked, if he feels Scottish in his heart and is willing to run, work and tackle to 100% of his ability 100% of the time.  The manager at the time must be able to assess if the player is fully committed to the country, although the player should be man enough to accept or decline based on morals.

 

Is that better than a guy born in Scotland to English parents who grew up in England ? 

 

Slightly different but I would also give the example of Stuart McCall.  He was proud to represent Scotland.  He was allowed to represent the country due to the rules but the difference between him and say Matt Ritchie for example, is that he wanted to represent the country.  He cared.  He worked his socks off and was 100% committed to Scotland. 

[donsdaft]

If you’re going to bother with international football then you have to have eligibility rules, otherwise it’ll end up with the richest countries having the best players.

 

The rules then have to be clear.

 

If you want your son to be eligible to play for Scotland then make sure he’s born in Scotland.

[Ten Caat]

If you’re going to bother with international football then you have to have eligibility rules, otherwise it’ll end up with the richest countries having the best players.

 

The rules then have to be clear.

 

If you want your son to be eligible to play for Scotland then make sure he’s born in Scotland.

 

Would you have made Simmy ineligible for the caps he got then? Cos Simmy was born in London....

[donsdaft]

I am well aware of that.

 

Cockney bastard

[tlg1903]

Devlin gets a call up to Clarkes first squad.  Didn't see that coming

[Slim]

Certainly casts doubt on the “Devlin is finished” stories that are going about.

[Jute]

4 Killie players and no Tribute Act players. The blue bigots will not be pleased.