12 Sep 2012 21:18:05
Why does everyone think Scotland are underachieving. As a football nation we are 4/5th rate. Gone are the days that Rangers players were the nucleus of the team backed up by some Celtic players and top class anglos. Accept the facts, that unless there is a radical change to the whole structure of the sfa, we will never be a nation again to stand against anybody, far less the english. As far as getting to any finals are concerned, forget it. The only player that would merit a jersey is McGregor and with support young Forrest. Think about Law, Baxter, Dalglish, Sounness, Henderson, Johnstone[J], Greig and Murdoch, to name just a few, before criticising this post.
Try telling that to Ireland. One of the worst leagues in Europe, yet they still regularly qualify for Euros and World Cups.
The Scandanavian Leagues aren't exactly up there with the best in the world either.
There's no reason why we can't ever qualify for a major finals again, lack of ambition to think otherwise. This group of players are good enough, just poorly managed.
I don't think I am alone in saying I couldn't care less about the Scotland team, until there is a clearout at the SFA I will not be giving my support, corrupt to the core.
Rangers spent massive of foreign players, Celtic followed and old firm went on 10 year run of winning every cup - and making no headway in europe.
Diddie teams left with home grown talent who never win a cup, leauge - so kids get no experience, and we fade away as a nation.
Now most kids play FIFA12 - not wi a real baw! go figure.
Also the likes of Snodgrass are English,the reality is they dont want to play for Scotland.
Brilliant players that they were but how many World Cups and Euros did Greig, Baxter and Henderson play in?
Most of the players mentioned played in an 18 plus team league playing each other twice a season which allowed fot player developement
I do agree with some of what you have said, there is indeed a radical overhaul needed. But the overhaul really needs to be from the top-down. We don't need to be a 4th/5th rate National Football Team we really have to stop thinking that we are a 1st/2nd rate National Football Team. We all (myself included) went into the games against Serbia and Macedonian expecting us to stroll these games and take maximum points. Completely wrong mind-set that aside from in my mind a wrong choice in formation and line-up.
My choice would be to play a 5-3-2 (with 2 attacking full backs).
Also remember that we last performed at our best when we were in the qualifiers against Ukraine, France and Italy where in the majority of group games we were the underdogs. Change in mind-set might result in a change in fortunes.
Couldn't have put it better myself. so many people including the media bang on about players like brown, adam, miller etc. they are extremely average players who are exposed against mediocre opposition like macedonia. what does it tell u about our nation when SMALL countries like serbia and macedonia have players who are technically better than ours. the above post is right other than young forrest and greegsy the rest of the team is shambolic(including our manager)
Scotland hasn't got worse, it's just that other countries have got better. The game has moved on so much since Bremner etc. More about flair than strength.
Perhaps am reading the last post wrong but Snodgrass isn't English lol.
TTG
Snodgrass is a proper Scot is he no?!? Sure I saw one of these pathetic tabloid pieces about him going to a cinema to watch Scotland Brasil in '98 world cup opener, when he was at primary school.
Also, post above- "it's all old firm's fault signing foreigners.....Fifa 12"- utter tosh. Top quality foreign imports that enhance leagues and generate income and interest are no the issue. They should help improve standards and your domestic product. The problem was more the diddy teams packing their line-ups with third rate, cheap foreign imports post Bosman. If you're trying to tell me Rangers and Celtic have taken to the park against eleven brave, young Scots on the other side every time I think that's a bit of a history rewrite. There are many people complicit in just how bad the national team is at the moment. Our players are still over-rated and the current manager really hasnae a clue.
I think Robert Snodgrass would have something to say about that ridiculous statement 4 posts down. I was born in york but my whole family is from glasgow, I would never play for england
Snodgrass born an bred in the gallowgate
To the guy who posted about the SFA being corrupt to the core.....make a well known saying out of these 3 words, pot,kettle,black.
We don't have to think we're any rate of nation. We know in our hearts what we are. What we need is our team to go out and take each game as it comes. I'd rather see 100% effort from all to win a game than the dross we've seen so far. These players are good enough. They need to be managed properly. All the players you named had to start somewhere too.
Myself, I would play a 3-5-2 which provides great wingers, attacking football and defensive qualities. I really believe we have the players for that formation.
And to those who have their nose in the air and don't support Scotland any more....grow up! It's not our country or these players you're angry at!
Be proud Scots. Get out in numbers and support these guys!
Colin
Colin
The players aren't good enough to qualify. Belgium, Croatia & Serbia have better players and will all finish above Scotland. Being realistic the best we could possibly hope for is 3rd place. this would allow us to remain 3rd seeds in the next euro draw and with any luck we will draw a weak second seed and have a chance at getting to the euros
I apologise for the Snodgrass statement,i was misinformed.He is from Glasgow,born and bred.But you know what i mean about the non-Scottish.
"corrupt to the core". So its only corrupt now that Rangers are not the recipients of their favour. Now you know how the fans of every other team in Scotland felt for decades when the SFA were a subsidiary of Rangers.
They are not corrupt, just being transparent at last. If they were corrupt I'm sure EBT beneficiary Campbell Ogilvie would be sweeping everything under the carpet.
Al
Also the likes of snodgrass are english!! think your wrong there mate ... snodgrass is a gallowgate boy .. i used to hang around with his big bro... but yes scotland manager is a cock... so much talent and so little leadership ...
Some great young scottish players ie rhys mcabe tony watt james forrest etc we just need good leadership i would go for wee strachan he would at least give it a go
The guy who asked how many world cups did henderson and baxter etc play he needs to look a wee bit to history.1962 we finished joint top same pts same goal diff as czechoslovakia,we played them in a playoff on ntrel grnd belgium? we drew in 90 mins lost in extra time,the checks went all the way to the final losing to brazil in final.1966 we lost out to italy,john greig scoring a screamer at hampden 1 0 win.1970,lost to west germany muller,beckenbaur.Lost 3 2 in germany,with 10 men.We were serious contenders ,just a laughing stock now,
SPL & SFA = corrupt to the core plain and simple, Liewell's puppets.
In times gone past it was a honour to play for scotland not like today players pull out of the squad with a sneeze the guys like jim baxter and kenny dalglish danny mcgrain world class players played in the old div 1 in scotland in baxter was cocky danny mcgrain was the brains at the back kenny dalglish was sensational why are we not producing good players now with exception to greegsy and young james forrest something is going wrong is it the management or players are not skillfull enough or is our national staduim not big enough ps forgot about coops and wee johnstone
Guys like baxter henderson johnstone dalglish murdoch gemmill cooper would be worth more than wayne rooney not a joke we are deffo going wrong somewhere i think we have to start believing we are good its so negative
I'll say it again-SORRY for saying Robert Snodgrass is English,i was MISINFORMED.The point im trying to get across is we should have home grown players only in the squad.
I totaly agree with the above posters when they say that the s.f.a are corrupt north ayrshire loyal w.a.t.p r.t.i.d
"I don't think I am alone in saying I couldn't care less about the Scotland team, until there is a clearout at the SFA I will not be giving my support, corrupt to the core."
All i think is "Hi Pot, its kettle here, your black!!"
So staring defeat in the face against a team some 40 or 50 places below us in the rankings at Hampden until eventually scraping a draw is not underachieveing. Apart from Belgium and Croatia theres nothing to choose between the rest of those teams so I feel personnally, to think we should be maximising home advantage is not unreasonable
I think some of the posters are deluding themselves about great Scottish young talent - I certainly havent seen any that are better than the current Scotland squad - guys like McCabe, Watt, Russell, Goodwilllie, McKay Steven are unproven - they all even failed to qualify at U19, U21 etc so don't know what makes you think they can cut it at World Cup level - even Rhodes has only scored in 3rd Division English football - also as much as I dislike Levein's management and tactics and agree he deserves the criticism, I am appalled that the players are escaping most of it as their performances have been disgraceful
1974 main nucleus of players English Leagues ie Buchan Mcqueen,Law,1978 nucleus of team English League ie, Mcqueen,Burns,Hartford,Rioch. 1982 nucleu of team from Aberdeen and Dunde United, plus English Leagues. 1986 nucleus of team Aberdeen,Dundee United,Celtic plus English, 1990 nucleus of team,Rangers,Aberdeen,others...1998 nucleus of team Celtic, English Leagues.
It looks like your statment is not backed by players figures of clubs at time. In fact since the timeafter 98 ,,and more old firm players became the norm ,,,,,,Scotland HAVE,NT QUALIFIED??
Somebody mentions Scandinavian nations and Ireland, well most of the players they have in their squads play in England or other big European leagues. Levein seems to think this should apply to Scotland as well, if they play down south then they must be good enough - WRONG!
Scotland needs to totally overhaul its league system and promote competition throughout each league. The mentality of "he has to be up to the physical challenges of playing in Scotland" has to go - Can you imagine if Messi had been born Scottish? He'd have been dismissed without a seconds thought.
Scottish coaching is 20-30 years behind the likes of France, Spain, Italy and Germany and our facilities are light years behind Scandinavian countries. Scottish football got caught out and is now chasing shadows where as other countries keep going from strength to strength.
SFA/SPL et al do nothing but go for the cash from TV deals from a satellite broadcaster as that is all they can think about. If they concentrated on producing and improving talent then the leagues would be more competitive, the product on show would be better and the money would follow. Punters will pay for a product they deem worthy but the dross that is Scottish football aint worth paying for. The SFA will only take notice when the Tartan Army give up and refuse to pay any longer, you'll soon see them get rid of the likes of Levein when the coffers run dry.
I wouldn't even know where to begin with some of the nonsense contained in the original post. I'd still be writing tomorrow.
I dont agree with all of the original email, however the key point is that we just dont have the players. Some of the later posts are comedy classics. 3-5-2 or 5-3-2... Problem is we don't have one centre half worth 2bob. Did you see Webster?. OMG he has to be up there with the worst to get a cap. Berra... no much better and Gary beckenbuaer who can play anywhere he's so good...aye right! Full backs p#sh - do we have any? Midfield very very average -adam, snodgrass, morrison, brown...the list of mediocrity islong Forwards...well we only have one and shades has managed to lose him. We are miles away from competing. 3rd will be a miracle in the group! 4th will be a reasonable achievement. How can anyone think we have a decent squad? Open yer eyes people.
I think we need a total rethink the above poster is right only 2 players in that squad are scotland international class greegsy and forrest it must be our coaching and bad management we seem to be getting worse
Players tend to withdraw from the squad for little or no reason when you have a manager who can't inspire them. Levein just doesn't have it. I still think a good man manager could change this team's outlook and thus, their performances.
I'd consider Strachan or McLeish
I would go for strachan or mcleish some of these players need motavated its been a poor show so far
Good post.
Am old enough to remember Mexico 86 where we went to a World Cup and, for one reason or another, left behind Mo Johnston, Brian McClair, Ally McCoist, Kenny Dalglish & Alan Hansen! Changed days indeed!