Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor dropped from Scotland team to face Iceland for heavily drinking after Netherlands game.

I wasnt all that bothered about the drinking. Fair enough they took it too far and had to be punished. Although considering Burley gave them permission to go for a drink and it's very doubtful it was just the 2 of them, then perhaps an apology for their conduct would have dealt with it.

However i was very disappointed that two experienced players would act in such a petulant way before the iceland game. Especially give one of them is the captain and should lead by example.

It gave no option for the SFA to hammer them. Rangers were also correct to punish them for dragging the clubs name through the dirt. I dont think Ferguson has been anywhere near his best for a while and Magregor was partly at fault for the 2nd goal (tho kuyt blocks keepers every week for liverpool. Good players know how to do it, and even van persie felt magregor was impeded)

Still annoys me that thats two further very experienced players that wont play for Scotland again. Good riddance perhaps but after Brown and Fletcher we are short in quality midfielders. And after Gordon short in good keepers.

One thing irks me though from the SFA. Gordon Smith said that he considered giving Boyd a lifetime ban but didnt as that could impede on future managers plans etc. Does this not do the same?

Im certain of one thing though. George Burley is worrying me as Scotland manager. IS there a problem specifically with Rangers players? and if so why(in that is it them or him)? Why did he let them go drinking at 4am. Surely a drink on the plane would suffice, then straight to bed (at least anything further happens in the players rooms away from prying eyes)

So many questions. And soo soo irritating.

But shame on Allan Magregor and Barry Ferguson. You've let your country down.

I dont think Ferguson has been anywhere near his best for a while

to be honest I struggle to understand why Ferguson has been so highly rated for do long. He's never been anything more than a run of the mill midfielder in my eyes.

At 31 he wsn't going to get any better. Time to blood some younger players...but where do we find them!

(I'm available obv. - and having never had any pace I haven't lost any)

well done to Rangers and the SFA.

We will be fine without them.

Whilst I can't get too excited about watching Scotland play these days, Scotland will be better rid of these pair of comedians. I don't go along with Ferguson not playing well recently, he has always played poorly. Sticks his erse out and his elbows and does a crab impersonation. In fact the only decent game I have seen with Ferguson playing was when we got hammered 0-3 at home start of last season I think.

Let them go from the Scotland set up, they are bad eggs and the team will have a new focus, instead of playing everything sideways through Barry two fingers. And MacGregor one finger is not the keeper Gordon is, as was shown against Iceland with three or four game saving heroics.

Sorry, but I still can not get too excited about the whole Scotland set up as I have been dis-illusioned too often, (thanks Ally), but when planks and weegie zorks like these come along and act like Prima Donna's then enough is enough.

GTF guys, rot in obscurity, everybody is sick to the back teeth of your antics.

Rangers decent fans have been disgusted by their immaturity and have rightly condemned their actions as have their club, so a big thumbs up from me..................not often that is typed in the same sentence as Rangers.

This shows that the SFA don't stand for bad behaviour.

well done to them.

This might improve the behaviour of other scottish players.

Rangers will beat Falkirk without them

The best thing the SFA have done since they sacked Berti Vogts.

Vogts resigned did he not?

Ferguson will be delighted, he's been looking for a way to stop the inconvenience of playing for Scotland for years. But on the flip side

Kris Boyd

Allan McGregor

Barry Ferguson

Aiden McGeady

James McCarthy

We cant qualify for tournaments missing this quality of players. The 1st 3 probably don't deserve to play for scotland. The last 2 are an absolute disgrace.

If they did something i think the papers would have being all over it

Some clubs like to keep things internal. That could well have happened here.

Vogts resigned did he not?

The SFA decided to resign him.

Anyone else think that McGregor might be a good replacement for Fraser when he pisses off to Motherwell?

Lee Mcculloch

Kris Boyd

Allan Macgregor

Barry Ferguson

Is it just me or the fact they are all Rangers players worrying? Do the Scots lads at rangers not want to play for Burley or does he not want them?

I just cant fathom why two adults would think it anything other than idiotic than to make gestures after being caught out and punished.

Whereas Ferguson has not been anywhere near his best this season, he was good last season. He, even when not at his best, is very confident with the ball at his feet and imposes himself allowing others to do the running. No one else in Scotland does that. Fletcher is more of a solid midfielder who passes neatly and allows others to flow but doesnt impose lookin for people to make space. He rarely moves with the ball.

Brown is good at making runs and is hard in the tackle. Kevin Thompson is a solid defensive midfielder.

Im hoping that next season with tose 3 in the middle it will bring the balance required for Scotland. Maybe by then Steven Fletcher will be established allowing for Faddy, McCormack, Commons and Maloney to flank him.

No matter peoples opinion on eithers playing ability it is still really disappointing in my eyes that two people would behave like that in representing their nation andresult in this enforced action by the SFA.

My opinion of the saga is that had it just been the drinking then maybe being dropped for one or two games at the most would have been fair and then the it would've been forgotten about but the whole V signs and stuff was just plain stupidity. Would I have either at ICT? No and I hope Butcher got right in about them.

if i was to swear, i wouldnt use the V's

but as long as rangers beat falkirk, then am not bothered about them.

Edited April 5, 200917 yr by stevenwebster

I am happy about it , they just were a drawback to Scotland, and rangers.

With Macgregor in goals 3-0*

Gordon in goals 2-1 :thumb04:

*Could have been because holland were a good team. :018:

Whether it matters to Scotland is another question to whether a life ban is just. If Alexander plays as well as he can, then, no, I don't think it'll harm Scotland too much. Mind you, Ferguson was tremendous for Rangers last season and Scotland in the Euro 08 run-up, plus is only just coming back in to form, so who knows if he could have picked up again.

My view, too severe.

But, I was thinking that Rangers so rarely play (or will play) some top players, i.e. McGregor, Ferguson, Hemdani (how can they leave this player out?), Boyd, Novo, Velicka, Edu, de Beasley. Every single player in there would not only be a regular but a key player for every team outside the SPL. In fact, in some cases, they should really be playing a lot more for Rangers.

To get back on topic ........

IMHO, Ferguson is and always has been a 'ned'. I totally agree that he should never represent his country again, and neither should McGreggor.

I have no problem with them drinking after the Holland game ... it was not very professional with another game coming up in a few days time, but it was certainly not the first, and probably not the last time it will happen with a group of young sportsmen who come from a country with a drinking culture like ours. I understand that sitting on the bench was pretty much going to be the extent of their punishment for this until the V-sign incidents ..... as innocuous as that may be to some, I strongly agree that it brings the Scottish team into disrepute and you could not throw these to$$ers far enough as far as I am concerned. McGreggor seems genuinely distraught at getting his ban, but I suspect that the thing that will hit Ferguson the most is being stripped of the Rangers captaincy as that is and always has been his dream.

I never thought I could write the next sentence, but WELL DONE to all at Rangers for quick and decisive action in backing up the SFA decision by issuing club fines and banning the players for a couple of weeks. Whilst it is suggested that George Burley may not have the respect of the squad, this action by Rangers, along with the stripping of Ferguson's captaincy for both club and country has sent out a strong message that backs up both him and the SFA.

I have split off the off-topic nationality posts into their own thread. please keep this one within the realms of the topic title and description.

This takes all the pressure off Burley, which may or may not turn out to be a good thing in the long run.

Edited April 7, 200917 yr by dead_ball_specialist

Walter Smith and Rangers welcoming back Ferguson and McGregor into the squad.

Hope SFA do not submit to pressure and welcome them back into Scotland squad. Soon we will be reading about how they are the innocent party and have been hard done by.

No excuse for their childish antics. Behave like a spoiled child get treated like a spoiled child.

Respect for taking a strong line....forget it! If back peddleing was an olympic sport we'd have a few contenders for the gold meddle

Yeah but,No but

It's hard to believe Barry Ferguson's got an MBE!