Given the bullet.

I think Steve Clarke would be the best man for the job.

I heard he left because he’d already got a new job lined up.
Seems Teresa May wants him to join the Cabinet. She’s been very impressed with the progress he’s made in taking Scotland out of Europe...

was a perfect match for the Sweaty Socks!

Not even Pep or Poch can polish that turd

Imagine getting sacked by scotland

Ridiculous appointment...Predictable outcome !

You could say he's been given the Highland Fling

They need to get a new, progressive manager in and a P45 for any player over 28

they'll never do anything up there when there are only 2 teams playing in the top league

Vegas Claret wrote:they'll never do anything up there when there are only 2 teams playing in the top league

With respect that is a lazy excuse. Look at Iceland, Northern Ireland, and even Wales are putting them to shame. Its about developing players as a unit which means tough decisions must be made. They need to build a system around 2 quality attacking full backs

ZizkovClaret wrote:With respect that is a lazy excuse. Look at Iceland, Northern Ireland, and even Wales are putting them to shame. Its about developing players as a unit which means tough decisions must be made. They need to build a system around 2 quality attacking full backs

All those nations you mention with only Wales as the exception have their leagues filled with players from their own nation. Rangers and Celtic have how many Scottish players ??? I bet it's not that many in the starting 11 every week - even Arfield plays for Canada Most of the Welsh team play in either the Premier League or Championship

Its not where the players play, its is that they play. There could be an argument for a side owned by the SFA playing in the SPL with the U21 side as the squad. Most likely utopian and impossible but you would think that would help

The last decent Scotland team (on paper; they were humiliated at the 78 WC) had only 3 players who played for Scottish clubs (v Holland).
Dalglish, Souness, Gemmill, Jordan, Rioch and most of the rest played in England. Not forgetting Alan Hansen who McLeod didn't even take to Argentina.
Scotland used to produce great footballers - it doesn't now. Nowt to do with there just being two decent teams in Scotland. Thus it ever was, along with a purple patch for Aberdeen. Sitting in front of a screen is what kids do nowadays, not kick a battered football on the street.

alf_resco wrote:The last decent Scotland team (on paper; they were humiliated at the 78 WC) had only 3 players who played for Scottish clubs (v Holland).
Dalglish, Souness, Gemmill, Jordan, Rioch and most of the rest played in England. Not forgetting Alan Hansen who McLeod didn't even take to Argentina.
Scotland used to produce great footballers - it doesn't now. Nowt to do with there just being two decent teams in Scotland. Thus it ever was, along with a purple patch for Aberdeen. Sitting in front of a screen is what kids do nowadays, not kick a battered football on the street.

that's cause of the Governments stopped funding the football pitches and allowed houses to be built on them. Never understood why the football goals were taken down around Burnley (and I guess the rest of the country) during the summer holidays - hardly encourages people to play

Vegas Claret wrote:that's cause of the Governments stopped funding the football pitches and allowed houses to be built on them.

Haha.

Nowt to do with "govt funded" pitches. There were no "pitches" where I grew up - just street corners, the odd spare patch of waste ground, the "backs" between teraced houses, and the school playground.
I assume you live in the US. In England, you NEVER see kids playing footy in the street anymore. Still plenty of places to play like me and my mates used to.
Kids just probably like going to McDonald's, playing computer games and social media (ugh) rather more.

alf_resco wrote:Haha.

Nowt to do with "govt funded" pitches. There were no "pitches" where I grew up - just street corners, the odd spare patch of waste ground, the "backs" between teraced houses, and the school playground.
I assume you live in the US. In England, you NEVER see kids playing footy in the street anymore. Still plenty of places to play like me and my mates used to.
Kids just probably like going to McDonald's, playing computer games and social media (ugh) rather more.

I lived in Burnley from 1975 until 2009, played football on Lockyer, Sycamore, Gawthorpe, Townley and the front street all the time, sad people no longer do that for sure

Step forward...Owen Coyle

Any decent players they produce would rather play for their club and not travel around the world playing for Scotland.

Ric_C wrote:Step forward...Owen Coyle

Easter's a time for resurrection!

Ric_C wrote:Step forward...Owen Coyle

More like "step even further backwards...with Owen Coyle:

Under-21 coach Scot Gemmill is favourite but I'm not sure what any new manager can do, they just aren't producing the quality of player.

Ric_C wrote:Step forward...Owen Coyle

Just found this from 3 weeks after he took the Bolton job.

https://bolton.vitalfootball.co.uk/the- ... wen-coyle/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Those biblical references endeared him to nobody.

ClaretTony wrote:Under-21 coach Scot Gemmill is favourite but I'm not sure what any new manager can do, they just aren't producing the quality of player.

When I was a lad, virtually every top club had a couple of quality Scots, at least .... Leeds had Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer, Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen & Eddie Gray ... Archie Gemmill ( great player ), Kenny Burns & John Robertson at Forest, Graham Souness, Alan Hansen and the magnificent Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, Manchester City had Asa Hartford & Tommy Hutchinson whilst United had the likes of Dennis Law, Martin Buchan, Lou Macari & the ex-Claret Willie Morgan .....

As for the home based players, the brilliant Jim Baxter at Rangers, with Sandy Jardine, John Greig etc .... Celtic had Danny McGrain, Billy McNeil and the genius that was Jimmy Johnstone ( I know he had his issues, but 23 Caps was a criminal return for his talent ! ). Celtic striker John " Dixie " Deans scored 132 goals in 184 games for admittedly a very good Celtic team, and got a miserly 2 Caps !!

Obviously, the less said about Scottish goalkeepers, the better .... one has no wish to intrude on private grief !

A few of these died relatively young, but the ones left must weep at the state of the Scottish National team !!

Realistically, they need to play to their strengths, find 3 CB's then a midfield 5 with Robertson and Tierney out wide, a playmaker, and a target man to get on the end of crosses.

It might not be pretty but its what they have

It was a terrible appointment in the first place and I'm glad he's gone. The Scottish FA had a really good opportunity to bring in Michael O'Neill and decided to go with McLeish 2.0.

Shankley used to say it was important to have a couple of Scots in the team. They enhance the team ethic and team spirit.

If you have three, they become disruptive!

Clarets4me wrote:When I was a lad, virtually every top club had a couple of quality Scots, at least .... Leeds had Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer, Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen & Eddie Gray ... Archie Gemmill ( great player ), Kenny Burns & John Robertson at Forest, Graham Souness, Alan Hansen and the magnificent Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, Manchester City had Asa Hartford & Tommy Hutchinson whilst United had the likes of Dennis Law, Martin Buchan, Lou Macari & the ex-Claret Willie Morgan .....

As for the home based players, the brilliant Jim Baxter at Rangers, with Sandy Jardine, John Greig etc .... Celtic had Danny McGrain, Billy McNeil and the genius that was Jimmy Johnstone ( I know he had his issues, but 23 Caps was a criminal return for his talent ! ). Celtic striker John " Dixie " Deans scored 132 goals in 184 games for admittedly a very good Celtic team, and got a miserly 2 Caps !!

Obviously, the less said about Scottish goalkeepers, the better .... one has no wish to intrude on private grief !

A few of these died relatively young, but the ones left must weep at the state of the Scottish National team !!

Just look at the players on your list - some real talent there. I go back before that and the Liverpool team under Shankly had the likes of Ian St. John & Ron Yeats and you can add Pat Crerand (Man U), Dave Mackay & Alan Gilzean (Spurs), Alex Young (Everton). Scotland produced some fantastic footballers but they don't now.

Steve Clarke confirmed

jdrobbo wrote:Steve Clarke confirmed

Catholic is he?

No but he likes a drink and a biscuit.

Clarets4me wrote:When I was a lad, virtually every top club had a couple of quality Scots, at least .... Leeds had Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer, Joe Jordan, Gordon McQueen & Eddie Gray ... Archie Gemmill ( great player ), Kenny Burns & John Robertson at Forest, Graham Souness, Alan Hansen and the magnificent Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, Manchester City had Asa Hartford & Tommy Hutchinson whilst United had the likes of Dennis Law, Martin Buchan, Lou Macari & the ex-Claret Willie Morgan .....

As for the home based players, the brilliant Jim Baxter at Rangers, with Sandy Jardine, John Greig etc .... Celtic had Danny McGrain, Billy McNeil and the genius that was Jimmy Johnstone ( I know he had his issues, but 23 Caps was a criminal return for his talent ! ). Celtic striker John " Dixie " Deans scored 132 goals in 184 games for admittedly a very good Celtic team, and got a miserly 2 Caps !!

Obviously, the less said about Scottish goalkeepers, the better .... one has no wish to intrude on priv

A few of these died relatively young, but the ones left must weep at the state of the Scottish


National team !!

Problem with Blacklaw here?? Probably in top 3 British keepers in the 60's

I grew up in the 60's and recall all those names Clarets4me has mentioned and more. The scots could have fielded 3/4 teams with the talent they had at their disposal. Although Celtic and Rangers could boast some true greats, the Scottish selectors had a blind spot with many players suffering because the selectors didn't want to know when players moved South (anglo's) and it affected the amount of caps they won. Frank McLintock and Dave Mackay being examples. On the other hand, I've read that anglo's Denis Law and Billy Bremner made it clear to their respective clubs they be available if selected (which was often )
I found a good read about Scottish International football - "Scotland in the Sixties - A definitive Account of the Scotland Football Team 1960-69" by Ronnie McDevitt.
Hard to know what Steve Clarke can do differently with the current players at his disposal.

claretfern wrote:I grew up in the 60's and recall all those names Clarets4me has mentioned and more. The scots could have fielded 3/4 teams with the talent they had at their disposal. Although Celtic and Rangers could boast some true greats, the Scottish selectors had a blind spot with many players suffering because the selectors didn't want to know when players moved South (anglo's) and it affected the amount of caps they won. Frank McLintock and Dave Mackay being examples. On the other hand, I've read that anglo's Denis Law and Billy Bremner made it clear to their respective clubs they be available if selected (which was often )
I found a good read about Scottish International football - "Scotland in the Sixties - A definitive Account of the Scotland Football Team 1960-69" by Ronnie McDevitt.
Hard to know what Steve Clarke can do differently with the current players at his disposal.

Compared to the halcyon days of the 60's and 70's Scotland has a dearth of talent,sadly their 2 world-class players are both left-backs,i assume the thinking in appointing Steve Clarke is he can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear,as demonstrated in his tenure at Rugby Park,with guiding a squad that languished at the foot of the table on his arrival into European qualifiers on a limited budget,of course in the Scotland hot seat he won't be able to sign anyone,so the onus is on him to improve the current squad and mould them into a competitive outfit.

Always surprised me that Alan Hansen didn't play more frequently for Scotland...only 26 caps. They certainly produced some great players in the past.