These pages have seen Gordon Strachan written off many times since those four days in August 2005 when Celtic conceded nine goals to Artmedia and Motherwell. Last night, as Scotland manager, he got the breaks. First, at the most ridiculous dive for a penalty ever perpetrated by a player on a yellow card (and I have seen Steven Naismith), then, when tired defensive limbs contrived to concede a late winner for Scotland.
If he gets a result away to Slovenia on Sunday, he will have earned whatever grudging appreciation goes his way. A generation of adults have never seen Scotland at an international tournament. They don’t know the joys of losing 3-0 to Morocco, watching a defensive wall shirk at a free kick, or celebrating as an Iranian scored an own goal to deliver a point. It’s time they learned.
Little about Scotland’s success is good news for Celtic. Should we win the league, our first qualification round will start two weeks after the tournament kicks off. Although that round is unlikely to provide a particularly stiff challenge, consider what happened to Newco when they arrived unprepared against Luxembourg semi-professionals.
Even if Scotland don’t reach the finals in Russia, a second place finish in the group for Scotland would see the players face two play-off games in the middle of our Champions League group games, and the possibility of a League Cup final.
Brendan Rodgers will wish his players every success, but he would surely not be too distressed to share hard luck stories with them when they return to training next week. The club-v-country debate has kicked around for decades, but I doubt if any club/country combo has seen it as acute as it is for Celtic and Scotland right now.
Catch up with this CQN Podcast from last month when we interviewed Celtic star from the Centenary season, full back Chris Morris. It’s a great listen…
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IANBHOY,CHAIRBHOY
6’2″ is a few more than myself,but you’d be dwarfed by some of the fellas at CQN Corner-they’re bliddy huge!
Not to mention The Rutherglen Massive,Lord knows what they feed on over there.
And as for McTALL,well,he’s the tallest fella I’ve ever met. And a proper gentleman too. As are all of the above,and no doubt yourselves.
I try not to fall out with any of them,though VOGUEPUNTER still hasn’t forgiven me for my verdict on Peroni.
Morning all.
Haven’t read back but after last night, I think WGS has to be replaced. I wonder if John Collins is up to the job (I know he’s wee). I think too space ought to be made for Michael Stewart in some capacity. He was a good player and he speaks the truth, as he sees it, unlike the rest of the smsm, especially those who have a Celtic connection. Don’t know if he has any coaching badges or the like. But he knows the game and is prepared to call a spade a spade, which here in Scotland, I find very refreshing.
Does anyone believe Regan has the balls to sack Gordon?
Regan, “Sorry Gordon, we are looking for a taller manager. You’re too wee…”
Regan, “Maybe you would consider the under 9s…they’re still weeer than you.”
Regan, “Gordon, please come out from under that cone when I’m talking to you.”
A fair few wee players in the Spanish squad, world cup winners n awe, he should get the chop for that comment alone
Gordon says he’s not thinking about himself at this moment, rather he’s thinking about the players and their families…”We want to make sure they’re alright……so we’re looking after them at the moment”…
What admirable pish Gordon…another indication of how spoiled is the modern day footballer.
Thom @ 12.21
Agree 100%.
Sadly I can see Ireland failing tonight, like scotland it will be no more that they deserve.
Football is changing.
HH
Modern day footballers are spoiled…
Modern day Scottish footballers are wee and spoiled…
My friends in Celtic,
Not happy with Scotland not progressing to Russia or even the play offs. Not happy with the manner of failure. Not happy with the tactics, attitude and team selection. Not happy with the subs that were utilised.
And i may add before someone says ” If you’re not happy, what dwarf are you ” I’m nearly 6ft .
Really not happy about drafting Callum McGregor in to the squad with no intention of using him.
And now we have wanton sizeism : Predjudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person’s size.
And again, before someone says “thats just stupid talk”. Well I didnt start it.
Ridiculous post match interview.
HH.
PS : Upset but not devastated, like the feeling after a major Celtic setback.
GREENPINATA
I reckon I’ll break the habit of a lifetime and put a bet on the first goalscorer on Saturday.
Calum McGregor. Brendan will play him from the start,just to cheer him up after being shabbily treated.
Weebawbabbitty 6.50am
Hopefully I don’t argue all the time, maybe the odd time, am surrounded by women in real life so Cqn is the only place I can attempt to argue :-)
Hope all the Celtic players are back from international break injury free
“Silence is argument carried out by other means”…Ernesto Che Guevara
The SMSM will know all about that when it comes to hun/sfa corruption…
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
Aye ye do!
Only kidding,bud. It would be boring if we all agreed wi each other.
Enjoy work,I’m off for a pint.
25 at 10.15 –way down south.
Short people –
https://youtu.be/mrjStSqu_w4
A very good morning and a Hail Hail to all on CQN, irrespective of height!
HH!!
BMCUW…
I’m a wee bit conflicted about the game tonight, I suppose I’ll need to say to Welshy L that I want them to win but she knows me to well. ;))))
See you on 11/11. HH
DD. Thanks for that reply. I had the date in my diary since the draw was made and I have been seeing it on here every time in log in, but when it was suggested I had the date wrong I just thought it is the age thing and I have mistaken the date. Thanks again. Will go looking on line for a possible venue near Norwich.
Choon of the day at Strachan Tower-
https://youtu.be/eHTNBfmGzcE
BMCUW 9.12am
I like to think of it as disagreements not arguments :-)
Just heading into work but Mondays are just a show face exercise have been haggling with the wee boss about 11/11 so far am allowed out for 4hrs so think I will go for the 2pm-6pm shift, enjoy your pint
TET,
Thanks for your response.
I just don’t get the belief that if you stick the word “Scotland” in front of something, then those born in the country have an obligation to support such” thing”.
The SFA are a member organisation, based in Scotland, of FIFA.
The football team that plays for them represent the SFA, not Scotland the country.
If the SFA actually governed football in Scotland for the benefit of the game and ALL it’s member clubs, then, perhaps it would easier to gain universal support.
Until that day arrives……….
Off oot to harvest pomegranates –
One more choon before I do —
Shorty –
https://youtu.be/n3czALej754
Morning Bhoys Scotland are No.1 in the world for being gallant losers just how many times has it happened to us ? The unfortunate thing is we are still losers. H.H.
I now understand why Hadrian’s wall was only 5ft high
Might as well drop the original riddim –
https://youtu.be/obtZXnA42VE
Off oot –da vero !
Im glad WGS has brought up the issue of small people
They are a blight on society, yet before now normal people have not been allowed to discuss it
They serve no purpose and just go around with an angry ‘wee man syndrome’ scowl on their faces
Hopefully they can be rooted out and human evolution can proceed at the proper rate
GERRYFAETHEBRIG
2-6 is perfect,mate. See ya then,I’ll keep you a seat(!)
Thom
Again I agree with you.
I have been warming to the team of due due to the amount of Celtic players in it, also the that the rest of scotland don’t like the fact had it not been for the Celtic players, we wouldn’t have had a prayer of qualification.
Yip they are dinosaurs, soon their brand of football will be cast aside, watching the game last night I was astounded that the midfield stayed on the park, I felt for Fletcher as he was doing the job of two players, how must the likes of James felt watching thon Phillips bloke staying on, knowing fine well your manager thinks he is better than you, the mind boggles so it does.
Even the huns were conceding that it was the introduction of Celtic players that got us in with a shout, then he resorts to type, hell mend him.
MoN is the same, sadly.
Shopping time, wife less just now, she is in scotland with the grandweans, so not really looking forward to it.
HH
SIPSINI 930
Funny enough,I was just thinking about that earlier. Us Tims have a second chance when Scotland fail-we can all support The Republic.
And then I thought-well,all bar SIPSINI,who’s happiness would be temporarily wrecked if he did that tonight.
Tell L nae offence,but I’ll be hoping for an away win tonight. She can gimme a slap next month!!
HH
JOPHES
The Romans only built Hadrian’s Wall to stop us going down and deep-frying their pizzas.
lets all do the huddle 10:04
You’ll forgive me if I’m wrong, but you sound like an apologist for apart-height …
VIP
Lots of strange things about last night. Why start with two up front when Martin coming on late on was working so well? Or could have gone 3-5-2 to keep the midfield more solid.
The substitution was just weird. Making the same change AFTER conceding the goal that you were going to make before???
Callum should definitely have played – has far more to his game than the ones who were there.
People saying he couldn’t have just thrown him in for such an important game, but the point is he should have been in at least a year ago! And anyway he has played in the Champions League!
Strachan will probably go and the Strong Rangers Association will go for the typically unimaginative choice of a McLeish (unless they want to leave him for Sevco) or Moyes.
I wonder what the average height was of the 1967 ‘Wembley Wizards’ and what the average height of the England team that day was …
Scoddland has now abandoned Flower of Scotland as the national anthem in favour of ………………………………
Soldiers are Wee.
Connaire 12,
Sorry, I should have clarified that the game is on Wednesday 18th, but I see that DD has already done so.
HH
Miracle 36 point (yeah, that’s right, lady, thirty-six!) League turnaround against the cheatin Deidclub in his first season, part of the Club’s first treble since ’68-69, first back-to-back titles since 1982 the following season, only the third manager to achieve 5-in-a-row in the club’s history, the first since Jock, the Green &Whitewash season, not to mention Celtic’s first European Final since 1970, an achievement the magnitude of which was reflected in the incredible number of Celtic supporters who descended upon Seville.
If only he hadn’t ‘misused’ Lubo, Martin O’Neill might have brought us some success.
All you young guys looking for love…your country needs you…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l0xpkk0yaQ