Steve McLaren : Big Eck

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November 23, 200718 yr

At least they've recognised and accepted failure down in Engandshire - their underperforming, overpaid superstars have been suitably castigated and now Stevie boy's out on his ear....

Meanwhile here in Caledonia, after defeat at home by Italy, our lads do a lap of honour, and Big Eck's hailed as the greatest manager we've had since Jock Stein...

:024:

November 23, 200718 yr

what are you trying to say johnboy?

that we should be ashamed of coming 3rd in the worst group??

name a better manager of scotland since jock stein then??

we should all be very proud of what the boys did in the campain and england should be like they are being because they had an easy group and they don't deserve to be so full of themselves.when was the last time they beat a team higher than them in the rankings?when did we?ooh about 2months ago!france!!

November 23, 200718 yr

Author

I agree with you Roscoe23 - Scotland has come a long way in a relatively short time... They did really well to get so close to qualification in a very tough group...

I was just making the point that a 3rd place finish is regarded as a success in one camp and utter failure in another...

I'm happy with Big Eck in charge and hope he continues to take Scotland forward...

Regarding "best since Jock Stein" - Walter Smith would come close - whether as manager of club or country....

November 23, 200718 yr

Doesnt Craig Brown have the best record of any Scotland manager?

November 23, 200718 yr

Doesnt Craig Brown have the best record of any Scotland manager?

nope.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_nati...l_team#Managers

Based on managers who managed 10 or more games for the national side ....

Mcleish (10 games) - 70% winning record

McColl (28) - 60.71%

Docherty (12) - 58.33%

"Selection Committee" (254) - 58.27%

Ormond (38) - 47.37%

C. Brown (70) - 45.71%

Smith (16) - 43.75%

Stein (7 + 61) 42.86% + 42.62%

McLeod (17) - 41.18%

Roxburgh (62) - 37.10%

Beattie (11) - 36.36%

B. Brown (28) - 32.14%

Ferguson (10) - 30.00%

Vogts (31) - 23.33%

November 23, 200718 yr

Look who's last! What a surprise eh!

November 23, 200718 yr

Author

2nd last surprised me.... :024:

November 23, 200718 yr

sorry johnboy think i read it wrongly then.mon the scots!!!

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KDM Trophy 26/27

Those six games were key in getting oscar , jordan and others up to speed and also supporting a two squad team.

By Moogthurso · 14 hours ago14 hr
KDM Trophy 26/27

So getting promoted means we have six games fewer than last season. Not everyone will agree, but I think that's a good thing.

By snorbens_caleyman · 16 hours ago16 hr
Pre-Season Friendlies

Cove (away) on Tuesday 7 July with a 1900 kick off.

By Robert · 16 hours ago16 hr
KDM Trophy 26/27

KDM Evolution Trophy 2026/27
SPFL announces expanded KDM Evolution Trophy format
The SPFL has today announced the format of the KDM Evolution Trophy for season 2026/27.
Following the success of last season’s revamped competition – which included an inaugural league phase – season 2026/27 will now see more clubs compete in an expanded 40-club league phase.
The following 10 guest clubs across the Scottish Highland Football League and the Scottish Lowland Football League East and West have accepted invitations into this season’s competition:
Banks o’ Dee
Berwick Rangers
Bonnyrigg Rose
Clachnacuddin
Clydebank
Cowdenbeath
Cumbernauld Colts
Formartine United
Fraserburgh
Gala Fairydean Rovers
They will join 10 William Hill League 1, 10 William Hill League 2 and 10 William Hill Premiership B-teams in the tournament’s opening round.
Clubs participating in the league phase will be split into four pots by division, with each club playing two different opponents from each other pot, totalling six matches. William Hill Premiership B-teams will again play all league phase matches away from home.
Points gained by clubs across six matchdays will feed into one league table, with the top 22 clubs qualifying for the knock-out Round of 32.
William Hill Championship clubs will enter the competition in the Round of 32 as seeded clubs, alongside teams finishing in the top six of the league phase, with the remainder of the competition following a traditional knock-out format.
Member clubs and the Scottish FA considered the new set-up hugely beneficial for youth players in providing more opportunities in the key ‘transition phase’ of ages 16-21, as players move from the academy environment to senior football. Youth prospects aged 15 will continue to be eligible to participate in the KDM Evolution Trophy, following a successful trial. The Scottish FA Cooperation System, which was designed to strengthen youth development in Scotland, has also been extended.
Neil Doncaster, group chief executive of the SPFL, said: “We are delighted to build on the success of last season’s new-look competition by inviting 10 guest clubs to participate in next season’s tournament, which will be sure to benefit the community clubs we have invited and provide new challenges for our member clubs.
“While we will continue to minimise travel with broadly regionalised league phase matches, following discussions with our members, home clubs will now retain gate receipts in full in the league phase, to support clubs financially.”
Over £1.3 million in prize money was shared with clubs for last season’s KDM Evolution Trophy, which was an increase of more than 50% on the previous year. The SPFL is pleased to confirm that last season’s prize money has been maintained for the 2026/27 tournament, with the winners receiving £150,000, and the runners-up £100,000.
The Scottish-based, internationally operating construction firm, KDM Group, remain proud title sponsors of the competition.
Iain Jones, Chief Executive of KDM Group, said: “We are extremely excited to continue our partnership with the KDM Evolution Trophy after a highly successful first season of the new-look competition. Next season’s expanded format promises to deliver even more excitement and opportunities to clubs and players across the country, which reflects KDM Group’s support for Scottish football across all levels of the game.”

The KDM Evolution Trophy league phase will commence on the midweek of August 11/12, where participants will look to better Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s run to the final last season. Championship clubs will again enter at the Round of 32 stage on November 3/4, with the 2026/27 showpiece final taking place on either the weekend of March 27/28 or April 3/4.
The fixtures for the 2026/27 KDM Evolution Trophy league phase will be published on Thursday 16 July at 1.00pm.
The full schedule of prize money for the KDM Evolution Trophy is set out below:
Winners: £150,000
Runners-up: £100,000
Eliminated in semi-finals: £75,000
Eliminated in quarter-finals: £50,000
Eliminated in Round of 16: £40,000
Eliminated in Round of 32: £30,000
Eliminated in league phase: £15,000 - £18,500 (depending on final league position)
A summary of key competition dates is set out below:
League Phase MD1: August 11/12
League Phase MD2: August 25/26
League Phase MD3: September 8/9
League Phase MD4: September 22/23
League Phase MD5: September 26/27
League Phase MD6: October 13
Round of 32: November 3/4
Round of 16: November 24/25
Quarter-finals: January 12/13
Semi-finals: February 9/10
Final: March 27/28 or April 3/4

By tm4tj · 20 hours ago20 hr
World Cup

I agree with that.
I can't see Argentina repeating and my Brazilian colleague tells me that they are not good right now, although in Brazilian terms that likely translates to only being good enough for the quarters or semis! No other country springs to mind as an eventual winner other than France or Spain although Spain also have a bit of controversy going on after naming no Real Madrid players to the squad.

Don't know what to make of Haiti. That's a pretty good result but looking at the squad list there are only a handful of players at recognisable clubs. One of them - Derrick Etienne Jr - plays for Toronto so I see him every week. A pacy winger, who will be familiar with the stadium in Boston, but someone who flatters to deceive most weeks. Scored something like 8 in 46 games for Haiti and only 5 in 60 for Toronto but popped up just a couple of weeks ago to score an absolute banger against Charlotte. Hopefully that is him done scoring for the season - internationally at least!
Not that I put much faith in the rankings, but it does have to be noted that Haiti are 83rd and New Zealand are 85th. The two lowest ranked teams in the tournament. Even Cape Verde (69) and Curacao (82) are ahead of them. Scotland are at #43. What surprised me - in the rankings - is that Ghana, who I thought were higher ranked, are listed at 74th spot so round of the 'worst five' according to the rankings.

By Scotty · 20 hours ago20 hr

Steve McLaren : Big Eck

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