Goalkeepers

Alexander (Rangers)

Gordon (Sunderland)

Marshall (Cardiff City)

Defenders

Hutton (Tottenham)

Berra (Wolves)

Caldwell (Wigan)

Dixon (Dundee United)

Kenneth (Dundee United)

Wallace (Hearts)

Webster (Rangers)

Whittaker (Rangers)

Midfielders

Adam (Blackpool)

Brown (Celtic)

Dorrans (West Brom)

Fletcher (Manchester United)

Hartley (Bristol City)

McCulloch (Rangers)

McFadden (Birmingham)

Robson (Middlesbrough)

Thomson (Rangers)

Forwards

Boyd (Rangers)

Fletcher (Burnley)

Iwelumo (Wolves)

Miller (Rangers)

McCulloch and Boyd back as expected, McGregor out due to injury. Interesting to see three United defenders in the team, don't see Kenneth as good enough to play international football. Surprised to see players like Riordan missing out but all in all looks a decent enough opening squad.

Did anyone read this from Maurice Malpas today?

Very Interesting read

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/160046...tland-turncoats

Malpas is spot on with these comments, admire the guy for stating what a lot of his fellow/ex professionals are probably thinking.

Cheers MM but should not have expected anything less from a man who viewed playing for his club and country to be an honour.

To be quite honest, I'd rather Malpas sorted out his own team first before making his feelings known on a team he has no input in.

Maurice Malpas you are bang on with your comments, Jock Stein would have banished them forever.

Renegade do you live and breathe for your current employer? I doubt it. Everyone needs time off.

He is bang on in saying that it should be an honour to play for your country and that no one should pick and choose when they can play, however we live in changed times from the Stein era. Players are molycoddled nowadays and get far more leeway right across the board.

They also earn alot more than they used to and want to protect their career and salary. Players in Steins era would be hesitant for pulling out with a broken leg. Nowadays if a hair is out of place they're off to see a specialist in London.

Quote MM :

"Do you think Jock Stein would have let them anywhere near a Scotland squad again if he had been in charge? I think we all know the answer to that. There is no way they would get away with telling Walter Smith and Rangers they didn't want to play for them and then a year later expect to walk back into the first-team."

I wouldn't agree with that comment. Jock Stein might have been a hard task master, but he could also be a big pussycat! The legend that was Jimmy Johnstone blotted his copy book frequently as a young man, and I can recall many people saying at the time, Jinky should never play for Celtic and Scotland again. Jock gave him chance after chance to mend his ways, and that payed big dividends, both for club and country.

How many who post on here have never, ever said or done something really stupid after a night out on the p1ss?

Quote MM :

"Do you think Jock Stein would have let them anywhere near a Scotland squad again if he had been in charge? I think we all know the answer to that. There is no way they would get away with telling Walter Smith and Rangers they didn't want to play for them and then a year later expect to walk back into the first-team."

I wouldn't agree with that comment. Jock Stein might have been a hard task master, but he could also be a big pussycat! The legend that was Jimmy Johnstone blotted his copy book frequently as a young man, and I can recall many people saying at the time, Jinky should never play for Celtic and Scotland again. Jock gave him chance after chance to mend his ways, and that payed big dividends, both for club and country.

How many who post on here have never, ever said or done something really stupid after a night out on the p1ss?

Agreed. Jock Stein would also have given Boyd a regular game - and got the best out of him.

Looking at that last comment I'd also agree. Good managers would not allow situations like Boyds to appear and would have handled any **** up far more effectively.

He'd work out a system to utilise all his players best attributes as opposed to trying to fit them into an ill balanced, ill disciplined, quagmire.

I guess this weekend will show how many Rangers players are to pull out of the Squad. (I'd say OF players but Celtic only have 1)

I wonder who is in Leveins mind as stand by. He says he's not got a list but he must have potential replacements in mind just in case.

In case anyone is interested here's the Czech squad. Only 1 newcomer to team according to beeb report.

Czech Republic squad

Goalkeepers: Jaroslav Drobny (Hertha Berlin), Michal Danek (Viktoria Pilsen)

Defenders: Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin), Ondrej Kusnir (Sparta Prague), Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen), Jan Rajnoch (Ankaragucu), Tomas Sivok (Besiktas), Jan Simunek (Wolfsburg)

Midfielders: Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk), Mario Holek (Dnepropetrovsk), Jan Moravek (Schalke), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal), Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux), Rudolf Skacel (Larissa)

Forwards: Roman Bednar (West Brom), Adam Hlousek (Slavia Prague), Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow), Vaclav Sverkos (Sochaux)

Certainly beatable.

Roman Bednar has withdrawn from the squad .

In case anyone is interested here's the Czech squad. Only 1 newcomer to team according to beeb report.

Czech Republic squad

Goalkeepers: Jaroslav Drobny (Hertha Berlin), Michal Danek (Viktoria Pilsen)

Defenders: Roman Hubnik (Hertha Berlin), Ondrej Kusnir (Sparta Prague), Michal Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen), Jan Rajnoch (Ankaragucu), Tomas Sivok (Besiktas), Jan Simunek (Wolfsburg)

Midfielders: Tomas Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk), Mario Holek (Dnepropetrovsk), Jan Moravek (Schalke), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal), Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux), Rudolf Skacel (Larissa)

Forwards: Roman Bednar (West Brom), Adam Hlousek (Slavia Prague), Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow), Vaclav Sverkos (Sochaux)

Certainly beatable.

Famous last words but that has to be one of the worst Czech lineups in the last 20 years... + Roman Bednar is injured

They are still calling up Rudi Skacel ffs...

I'm looking forward to Wednesday, should be a cracking day :)

Steven Fletcher out with broken bone in hand .. looks like Miller and Boyd upfront

Boyd on the bench , wonder if he'll spit the dummy again and refuse to play for Craig Levein ?

Line Up is as follows:

Gordon

Hutton Caldwell Webster Wallace

Robson D. Fletcher Brown Dorrans Thomson

Miller

I think Dorrans is out left and a middle three of Thomson, Brown and Fletcher. Seems to me that we're missing someone that can pass a ball in that mid three. Thomson to defend, whilst both Fletcher and Brown can do the fetching and carrying. No-one really with any passing vision though. Probably Robson's the closest but he's stuck out on the right.

It'll be interesting to see how Webster performs. Hopefully Caldwell's back to last season's form, instead of the headless chicken from earlier this (despite being a no nonsense central defender, Mowbray's teams always seem defensively disorganised). Quite happy with Hutton and Wallace, with Whittaker also pushing.

I would have put Boyd on from the start. Conventional wisdom says he can't play upfront on his own, yet on the rare occasion he has, he's done well. Maybe Levein just wants to keep it tight, then go for 2-up front when he has a handle on the game. Personally, I'd have told Dorrans to support Boyd more, rather than as a winger. I also think Miller could play that role too.

Line Up is as follows:

Gordon

Hutton Caldwell Webster Wallace

Robson D. Fletcher Brown Dorrans Thomson

Miller

The radio were announcing it as McFadden last night. Has he had to drop out for some reason or is there an inconsistency in reporting?

McFadden failed his fitness test

McFadden injured - Dorrans in.

Ah. Thank you.

Would it not be more likely to have Dorrans on the right and Robson on the left. Thats the sides I've seen them both more often on at club level.

Or Brown right, Dorrans left with Robson, Fletcher and Thompson in the middle.

I dont think much of Miller as a lone striker. I mean sure he's got the graft and running, but when it comes to finishing, he is often wastful or bottles it.

1-0 the Scotland squad! ya dancer

1-0 FT

Bizarro World! Scotland win. Egypt lose (although England's third was miles offside - pretty good showing by Egypt - could have gone either way)

McFadden injured - Dorrans in.

That was a blessing..... Dorrans looked very comfortable at this level, and justifiably got MoM.

Great win for Levein's first game in charge. Think he might last a bit longer in the job than Burley did.

I'd like to see Dorrans and Faddy flank a main striker in home games with the sitting midfield 3 of Thompson, Brown and Fletcher.

They could then tuck back to protect the full backs. Fletcher and Brown could match up in the middle and Thompson cover the hole infront of defence. Play Miller/Fletcher away and Boyd at home against weaker teams or coming of the bench like last night. He showed last night how much his overall game has improved in the last year with his hold up play and almost set up a goal for Whitaker near the end.

All round good start against a team 20 places above in the rankings. I feel some optimism coming back to the tartan army.