Big Jock Knew Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The performance last night was decent but I still have major doubts about the upcoming qualification process. The stand-outs for me were Snodgrass, Rhodes and Maloney as cactus_stumo identified last night - three players I would be willing to wager will not be in the starting line-up when the Serbia game comes. I'm fraught with worry that Levein will stay true to form and fill the team with people like Miller, Berra and Don Cowie when the crunch time approaches. I wasn't too upset last night because it was a friendly, but Charlie Mulgrew really ought to be in the starting line-up. Preferably alongside Caldwell at centre half (never rated Berra that highly since he left Scotland; I would even contend that Stephen McManus is better than him). Â Speaking of Caldwell - whoever told him he could play in midfield really deserves to be shot. Strachan tried it at Celtic (MANY times) and it never worked. He lost the ball on countless occasions through his hilarious attempts at pretending he was Xabi Alonso, not to mention messing up several set-pieces with crappy quick free kicks. I've always thought Caldwell came in for a harsh rap but as a defender, I think he's about as Scotland have got. He should be a million miles away from the centre of midfield. Â We should really be going into this campaign feeling cautiously optimistic; on paper, the squad is decent. McGregor, Gilks, Caldwell, Fox, Hutton, Martin, Mulgrew, Adam, Bannan, Morrison, Brown, Forrest, Snodgrass, Goodwillie, Maloney, Naismith, McCormack, Rhodes - then the likes of Wallace, Whittaker, possibly Darren Fletcher, Mackail-Smith, Johnny Russell...the talent is there. I question the management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 No love for the Scotland performance last night? Nope, I never watched it. I won't be watching until Levein eventually gets sacked. You really can be a massive tit sometimes. David. Me & a decent chunk of Scotland supporters then? The numbers of renewals for the SSC have dropped dramatically, and will continue to do so under Levein's reign as manager. I know Motherwell fans who have been to virtually every Scotland game since the 1978 world cup who refuse to attend games now. Â Face it, if this was Burley or Vogts they would have been long gone, and the press would be all over them. Levein knows how to play the game, which is why he's still our manager. Â Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cogitoergozoomo Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I will still stick up for Berti. Sure he picked some horrendous players for Scotland in friendlies but at least he was experimenting. Â Last manager to get us to the playoffs. Even managed to beat Holland at home in the playoffs before it all went a little bit sour in the away leg. Â Never lost a competitive home game and picked up his fair share of points on the road. Something like 5 wins and 2 draws at home. Â People just remember him as the guy that capped Robbie Stockdale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cum Doctor Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I remember the 2-2 draw with the Faroes a bit more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members stumobir Posted August 16, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted August 16, 2012 That's always been Scotland's problem, put in solid performances against the likes of France, Spain etc but get an arse-raping off of the likes of Faroe Islands. I don't know if this could be put down to complacency or lack of passion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daaaaaad! Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I think the problem is we're too easily cast into the role of 'glorious failure'. See for example Burley's campaign which was dead on its feet after a first game defeat to Macedonia (here's hoping we won't see a repeat). We can point to Holland games and Spain games all we want but the main reason the likes of England go unbeaten during qualifying is that they grind out results against 'wee nations'. Â That's why I'm actually a little more optimistic about this group - everyone seems of a similar ability level, all taking points off of each other. One would look and say that Croatia are probably the standouts being the only team in the pool who qualified for Euro 2012, but even then I can see them dropping points to Belgium, Serbia, anyone else in that group. Unlike the last two campaigns where there's been a clear favourite and a lot of others scrambling for second, if we play to our best there is no reason why we can't top that group and qualify automatically. Look at the efforts of Montenegro last time round for example - they didn't qualify in the end of course but there was no reason why they couldn't have done so. Â Of course, knowing our luck/manager, three players will retire from international duty and everyone else worthwhile will withdraw, leaving Levein to turn to East Stirlingshire players to plug the gaps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Blatantly stolen from the EPL thread, but thought it would be worth a go here (for the SPL); Â What will be the top three finishing: Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts PFA Player of the year: Charlie Mulgrew Writers player of the year: Charlie Mulgrew Top Scorer: Gary Hooper Best transfer: Craig Beattie Biggest transfer flop: Mark Reynolds Who will be relegated: Dundee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiffingtonClyro Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No love for the Scotland performance last night? Nope, I never watched it. I won't be watching until Levein eventually gets sacked. You really can be a massive tit sometimes. David. Me & a decent chunk of Scotland supporters then? The numbers of renewals for the SSC have dropped dramatically, and will continue to do so under Levein's reign as manager. I know Motherwell fans who have been to virtually every Scotland game since the 1978 world cup who refuse to attend games now. Â Face it, if this was Burley or Vogts they would have been long gone, and the press would be all over them. Levein knows how to play the game, which is why he's still our manager. Â So tell me David. Why do you detest Levein so much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Bettencourt Posted August 16, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted August 16, 2012 No love for the Scotland performance last night? Nope, I never watched it. I won't be watching until Levein eventually gets sacked. You really can be a massive tit sometimes. David. Me & a decent chunk of Scotland supporters then? The numbers of renewals for the SSC have dropped dramatically, and will continue to do so under Levein's reign as manager. I know Motherwell fans who have been to virtually every Scotland game since the 1978 world cup who refuse to attend games now. Â Face it, if this was Burley or Vogts they would have been long gone, and the press would be all over them. Levein knows how to play the game, which is why he's still our manager. Â So tell me David. Why do you detest Levein so much? Â Did you pay attention to the last campaign at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 So tell me David. Why do you detest Levein so much? I don't "detest" him, I just don't think he's the man to lead our national team, that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jock Knew Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 What will be the top three finishing: Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts PFA Player of the year: Kris Commons Writers player of the year: Kris Commons Top Scorer: Gary Hooper Best transfer: Johnny Hayes to Aberdeen Biggest transfer flop: Craig Beattie to St. Johnstone (just to be controversial!) Who will be relegated: Ross County  Dingbat, I understand there isn't a deadly top seed in the group ala Spain, Germany etc but the general quality of the group is what worries me. Obviously teams will be taking points off the rest but I think some of the teams will be stern opposition. We need to win at home (old clich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiffingtonClyro Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 In reply to Bettencourt   I did, did you? I thought we were a cat's whisker away from reaching the play-offs, if it wasn't for crap refereeing? David, who would you rather see in charge? Lets face it, it's not really an appetising job, is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members martyngnr Posted August 16, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted August 16, 2012 What will be the top three finishing: Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen PFA Player of the year: Charlie Mulgrew Writers player of the year: Gary McKay-Steven Top Scorer: Gary Hooper Best transfer: Johnny Hayes to Aberdeen Biggest transfer flop: Craig Beattie to St. Johnstone or Darren Mackie to Dundee *crosses fingers* Who will be relegated: Caley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members martyngnr Posted August 16, 2012 Paid Members Share Posted August 16, 2012 Best transfer: Craig Beattie Biggest transfer flop: Mark Reynolds And to think you were championing Reynolds for Scotland not too long ago. Â Â Beattie will no doubt get injured and barely play. People seem to remember him being better than he actually is due to managing to stay relatively fit and have a few decent months at Hearts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUM Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No love for the Scotland performance last night? Nope, I never watched it. I won't be watching until Levein eventually gets sacked. You really can be a massive tit sometimes. David. Me & a decent chunk of Scotland supporters then? The numbers of renewals for the SSC have dropped dramatically, and will continue to do so under Levein's reign as manager. I know Motherwell fans who have been to virtually every Scotland game since the 1978 world cup who refuse to attend games now. Â Face it, if this was Burley or Vogts they would have been long gone, and the press would be all over them. Levein knows how to play the game, which is why he's still our manager. Â For me, people that do things like this is not someone that can call themselves a "supporter". If you support a team, you continually go or watch when you're able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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