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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Aff oot tae see Callanish standing stones. Will try to appease pagan Gods to get a result against Munchen. :)
I’m not leaping to Strachan’s defense in terms of his genetic’s argument but I do remember attending a game at Hampden years ago where I think WGS was in the line up v Belgium.
The Belgians so noticeably towered over our players that I could see it and remember it. Perhaps WGS does too and the “W” does not stand for Walter.
I also noticed on replay a physical battle between a Slovenian and Berra where I thought Berra might have been fouled but he definitely came off second. It led to the second goal.
I wouldn’t have used the word genetics as it can be given other meanings but it does help to have big players although physicality is no defense of lack of skill.
Techincally our game lags behind the continent in general terms. First touch which gives time and space to elude a hammer thrower is essential and few of our players have it at the required level.
On the night, after about 15 minutes I could see what we were up against physically and both their goals came from set plays and I think the physical factor is what determined WGS selection more than anything.
He might even have done McGinn and MacGregor a favour for the future.
WGS says, “No-one is hurting like the players, it’s impossible. The fans can’t hurt like that….”
Poor (wee) souls!…doesn’t matter about fans forking out hundreds of pounds to see these hurting players perform…they just don’t understand…impossible…really?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FywSzjRq0e4
That was just an excuse to post a good song…
Hunderbirds are gone
Callanish standing stones last spotted in a penalty box in Ljubljana.
As lots of Irish work in Britain many have sourced tickets there and the news this morning is that they will not be admitted to the ground if they are in Welsh sections. Big change from the rugby games.
No more interest in the World Cup Qualifiers for me…Scotland out (again), Lithuania out (again), booooooooo!
BEATBHOY
I agree it is unfair to suggest that MON misused Lubo “Where have you been all my life?-Moravcik. But I’d have played him in every game.
Martin didn’t. I think he pretty much would have done had he been,say,five years younger. But by the time they met,Lubo was already 35.
Still an absolutely sublime footballer,but one who needed nurturing and treated with care.
Martin got another two years out of him,Lubo was kicking 37 by the time he retired.
I wish he’d held off a year,he’d have put Mourinho’s mob in their place. The only diving they would have been doing is diving into tackles against a player who had already waltzed past them to play the killer ball
We got to watch that wee genius for four years.
Wow,an unbelievable pleasure.
AULDHEID
Pretty sure that WGS pretty much insisted that the schoolboy recruitment looked into likely physical stature as an adult.
That worked well for us,a fifteen year old when he joined would be twentyseven now. When he left,twentythree.
Would I be correct that only CMcG has made the grade from that age group,Jamesie just missing the cut?
Modern fitba –
Italian media reporting that the Italian squad held a closed doors meeting yesterday and that the Manager was barred from attending . That report has been confirmed by the players and The Manager .This news is being taken as confirmation that players think the Manager is clueless .
Italia have qualified for the play offs but a win tonight ( in Albania ) will get them a top 4 seeded place . They have been absolutely rank in their last three games . Jeered throughout , booed off at the end and mercilessly berated by the Media .
Man from Catania –
https://youtu.be/8Tc_hj-osEo
WGS: “Genetically we have to work at things.”
Does he mean bring over some 6′ Slovenian women to Scotland and let evolution take its (gradual) course?
;-)
BMCUW
Yeah, Martin did get 2 more years out of him, and, at the age of 35, Lubo got his 2 League Title honours, a Scottish Cup, and a League Cup Winner’s medal out of Martin.
I’ll bet Lubo was glad to add those to his 1 League Cup, and Intertoto Cup Winner’s medals that he had before MO’N came along.
BEATBHOY
Eh? Of course he would have been. But he was 37 when he retired. 35 when Martin arrived.
I suspect we’re arguing the same point here!
Btw,I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Henrik really kicked on when Lino arrived. Sometimes when you have a genius,you need another one to prove it.
HH
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 9TH OCTOBER 2017 9:00 AM,
Enjoy your pint, or more realistically : Gallon.
Did you know that the British pint is approximately 20% larger than an Americian pint. Lightweights. Eat your heart out Trump.
HH.
Bollix,bloody spellchecker needs shooting.
Lino?
Ffs…
GREENPINATA
Can’t have a gallon,mate. Limited to five pints due to nightshifts.
I make up for it on Saturdays,kinda averages out at that-even wi two days off a week.
Well,not quite. But not for the want of trying.
GREENPINATA
John Kelly,Trump’s chief of staff. His first job was in the Merchant Navy.
First cargo,10,000 tons of beer to Vietnam.
I reckon that’s about 18 million pints,or a hootenanny for short(!)
Curate’s Egg. Good in parts.
Kinder Egg. Scotland last night.
Hollow in the middle,no connection between defence and mid,nor mid and attack.
Think I’ve seen that before somewhere.
Still trying to work out why CalMac didn’t replace a tiring Bannon.
He’s fresher, more likely to score, plays at CL level, is playing with confidence having a winning mentality AND is about 6 inches taller.
I think WGS secretly prefers playing wee guys.
Beer ?
https://youtu.be/akvv83x1Tgo
Great memories of a very refreshed guy singing it at the bus stop outside the Halt Bar on Woodlands Rd
SOT…if you are around. Bought this in 1972…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWAtP21F6QQ
new article posted.
BMCUW
Wasn’t arguing, just glad such a great player had a bit more to show in terms of major honours at the end of his career.
Lubo would still have kept his balance and ball control on Lino!
Dunno about Accies’ pitch, right enough.
I accept the point re Lubo’s age, etc., but he didn’t have to play 90 minutes every week.
The sight of him standing forlornly on the touchline, waiting to come on in the cup final, when Lovencraants(sp) stooped to win the cup, still rankles with me.
MON has been four years or so with Ireland and has only relatively recently involved Houlihan, who, for me, is the only real football player in the squad.
Aiden should be up there, but, again doesn’t feature as a first pic, although, I don’t think he imposes himself on a game the way Wes does.