Continually learning Gordon Strachan

956

I remember Scotland-England games being huge events.  They were proper derby games, fired up by a balance – a vastly more resourceful England were in the ascendancy, but Scotland had more wins in the history books.  Despite the odd hiding we thought we could take them.

The Home International Championships probably ended at the right time, just before Scotland lunged into mediocrity.  No derby remains attractive if one side dreads the game coming round, while the other considers it a formality, but our former manager has given us reason for hope.

Gordon Strachan took time off from the game to invest in his stock of knowledge before becoming Celtic manager.  Despite an, erm, memorable opening week, Gordon blitzed Scottish football as Celtic manager.  He filled the boots of legend Martin O’Neill, and within 18 months eclipsed him by reaching what we used to refer to as ‘the next level in the Champions League’.

Despite going on to reach the knock-out stage of the Champions League again, and becoming our third manager to win three-in-a-row, Gordon stopped progressing.  His time at Celtic petered out, while the entire Middlesbrough episode was a nightmare.

Gordon, like Martin before him, looked as though the game had passed him by.  His resurgence at Scotland is evidence of his outstanding attribute – he’s a student of the game who continually learns.

Roy Hodgson has by far the better players, but never bet against Gordon.

Shaun’s goal on Friday

31 years ago in Sarawak, Malaysia, a midwife, Beatrice Lo, assisted in the delivery of a boy born to a Scottish family who lived in her community.  Beatrice got in touch with a common friend after wee Shaun’s goal on Friday, very proud of the kid she brought into the world.

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  1. Awe naw….

     

     

    You’re right he is a fantastic player and goal scorer.

     

     

    A bit to go to top Lionel who is two years younger!

     

     

    HH

  2. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo

     

     

    22:31 on 18 November, 2014

     

     

    Cristian Ronaldo

     

     

    Portugals Highest Goals scorer ever

     

     

    One more goal needed to become CL top scorer ever

     

     

    33 goals needed to become Real Madrids top goals scorer ever

     

     

    6 more goals to become El Classico greatest goal scorer ever

     

     

    56 to become The Primera´s greatest goal scorer ever

     

    —————–

     

    Guy is a genius, going to break all those records

  3. Keeping The Faith on

    Oh yes Jude..his mother obviously !

     

     

    I’ll drop a line Lenny, usually meet Gerry at Northem Soul/mod nights around but not for a wee while.

  4. Jungle Jim Hot Smoked on

    Awe_Naw

     

    When talking of `the best player ever`, we normally wait until the player`s career is over. In Christiano Ronaldo`s case, we could possibly make the claim now. I have no doubt he is better than Messi.

     

     

    JJ

  5. FAB

     

     

    Gordon learnt from the English support that he is a sad Scottish Barsteward.

     

    I learnt tonight that English desire sex with members of the I.R.A.

     

    Strange breed.

  6. Dave King tonight…

     

     

    “I truly hope that those fans that continue to blindly support the club (for the right reasons) finally realise that 140 years of the club’s history will be irretrievably lost…”

     

     

    What again?

     

     

    Once is a misfortune but twice looks careless.

     

     

    ;-)

     

     

    HH

  7. Messi, for me had the edge over Ron up til recently….. Messi’s form this season tho hasn’t quite reached the God-like levels. Ron is certainly top man this year

  8. Scotland were poor for most of that match and have a long way to go.

     

     

    They won the most important match of the week the other night so I am not concerned.

     

     

    If England played with that much desire in the world cup they’d maybe have got out of that group. If beating Scotland in a friendly and the mickey mouse group they have is the best they have, we’ll all look forward to laughing at them and their arrogance in France because they have a bye into that competition.

     

     

    Scotland are still a work in progress and are missing a better quality of player than we once produced. It is hard to do so but progress has been made.

     

     

    Robertson is a find. Stevie May should start the next match to get his goals for Scotland against Gibraltar and work must be done to put Scotland on 10 points with Ireland and Poland probably damaging each other while the Germans just hit first gear.

     

     

    Disappointed but not too angry.

     

     

    45% of the crowd have the right to murder the national anthem, the rest are an embarrassment if they were there or not sitting in with the England fans.

  9. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Jungle Jim Hot Smoked

     

     

    Both are lucky that I was looked over by Whitburn Community Centre U 14s

     

     

    HH

  10. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    Hope the chip & burger vans made plenty over the past few days!!!

     

     

     

    Mon the vans ))))

  11. F.A.B. Virgil 1903 v 1909 and 1888 v 2012 on

    Delaneys Dunky

     

     

    Wonder if the £££ were worth the dent to team spirit, optimism and belief? The best laugh is that the Tartan Army personally paid for that shafting (whether 45 or 55).

     

     

    HH

  12. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    Was at a wee discussion at the church tonight regarding death, punishment, heaven and hell. Got back home 15 minutes before KO. I wanted to watch the game in HD so this was only possible on ITV ch 178. I knew it was going to be a bad night when they had Sleekit as one of the pundits. Well I went through Punishment listening to the usual pro-English pish and Hell with the result.

     

    Half time analysis gives us England in control of the game despite Scotland shading the possession for the entire game. Sleekit not willing to upset his paymasters gives a pro-English assessment and of course the immortal phrase was used “to be honest”, this coming from a man that wouldn’t know honesty if it dropped on his head.

     

    Only the English could turn a 3-1 victory over Scotland in a friendly into a world beating performance. As usual we know that we aren’t going to win anything but THEY just never learn – that’s why I will always support ABE.

     

    As regards Heaven, well that was the Erdinger Schnee Weisse beer (5.6%) at 74 cents (60p) a half litre bottle that I drank during the game. Fortunately Death wasn’t involved ;-)

  13. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    lennybhoy…supporting the dam 5 and cfc until i die

     

     

    20:12 on 18 November, 2014

     

    hamiltontim

     

     

    18:13 on 18 November, 2014

     

     

    and

     

     

    the token tim

     

     

    17:51 on 18 November, 2014

     

     

    My all time favourite game at their place 1st January 1983 first time we beat them since 1921 on New Year’s Day.

     

     

    Henke’s 50th is second to the above game.

     

     

    I was fortunate enough to be at both.

     

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

     

    Hail Hail!

     

    ……………………………….

     

     

    My memory may be playing tricks on me but I am fairly sure that game was played on 2nd January 1983. Reason for my confidence – I had a ticket but my daughter was born two weeks early on that day and I didn’t get to Ibrox.

  14. snake plissken

     

     

    22:44 on 18 November, 2014

     

     

    45% of the crowd have the right to murder the national anthem, the rest are an embarrassment if they were there or not sitting in with the England fans.

     

     

    ——-

     

     

    An embarrassment for having a different opinion to you?

     

     

    Good grief.

  15. theoriginal…

     

     

    Don’t disagree but really loved Joe Craig’s thunderous shot thought not Jan 1 game (I think).

  16. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Drambowiecelt

     

     

    I thought it was all Hunky Dory but I think my left footedness was a drawback as well as the Bewlay Brothers who were dyed in the woolies.

     

     

    Anyways I am sinking in the quicksand of my thoughts and am aff tay bed

     

     

    PablophanqueCSC

  17. Had we signed James McCarthy from Hamilton, I wonder where he would be now and how much he would be worth?

     

     

    If Newcastle had signed Scott Brown from Hibs, I wonder where he would be now and how much he would be worth?

     

     

    On Guidetti, we are desperate for a hero. The boy can play but he is 22, has 1 cap for a mediocre Swedish team and was overlooked tonight in favour of another 22 year old who has half a season in the Swedish top flight behind him.

     

     

    I, for one, would not want us to offer 30 or 40k a week.

  18. Play these on the way to work and I swear you will

     

    feel good…Queen Bitch…Moonage Day Dream .John Im only dancing,

     

    Ziggy,…Suffragette city… Hang on to yourself, Rock n Roll suicide.

     

     

     

     

     

    Then come back and tell me you don’t feel good.

  19. guernica

     

     

    23:01 on 18 November, 2014

     

     

    Had we signed James McCarthy from Hamilton, I wonder where he would be now and how much he would be worth?

     

     

    If Newcastle had signed Scott Brown from Hibs, I wonder where he would be now and how much he would be worth?

     

     

    On Guidetti, we are desperate for a hero. The boy can play but he is 22, has 1 cap for a mediocre Swedish team and was overlooked tonight in favour of another 22 year old who has half a season in the Swedish top flight behind him.

     

     

    I, for one, would not want us to offer 30 or 40k a week.

     

    —————

     

    Alfreð Finnbogason

  20. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    Lennybhoy

     

     

    My apologies. I must have been drunker than I thought when my first born made her appearance. I see Wiki puts the game as Jan 1st as you say. Ibdefinitely had a ticket for the game and definitely missed it.

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