starchief

Aside from the colts...something to work with? Better than the current system? I would very much say so.

could do without the Old Firms young guns but I would say a big step in the right direction.

If you look at the list chief there is only five defenders to choose from and I think the chosen CB's are maybe more suited to that role so the choice at LB is Webster or Dixon. As for a comparison between Shinnie and Souness I'd never say there was one but then again I'd never compare anyone who came since to Souness. Its unlikely Scotland will ever see another one. Given that Dixon is a left-back, he seems the natural choice. Even Hanley or Kelly would be a better choice at LB. Webster just isn't mobile after all that time out, though I do rate him as a central defender. Oh, and I wasn't having a go at you over Souness/Shinnie. Just lamenting how far Scotland have fallen in talent. Yep, I know he is one of ours but still....

Webster at left-back?? Can't see Sicknote getting up and down the wings over effectively. I know it's a very proud day for Inverness but, let's face it, AShinnie is no Souness. Maybe blooding for the future but he's still a long way to go.

crying out for Draper or Ross. Jones was fantastic in the first 30 mins but both he and Foran were missing for too long. Raven was excellent though. So much didnt go right for both Roberts and AShinnie, i felt a little sorry for them.

I see Charlie Mann is saying Romanov has done his bit by putting in £60M. The way I see it, Romanov has crippled them with debt by putting in unsustainable spending. Who could have predicted Romanov would have bankrupted Hearts? Phew! That many? Ok, anyone not? No-one??

I completey accept Scotland could be helped by a non-Scots manager. It would also help Scotland to have better non-Scottish players. I agree with Craig Brown - the selection criteria for the most important person, the manager, should be no different from the players. Without that, it's pointless calling it a national team. Might as well just be a club, not a nation.

So, you're saying a Scotland team doesn't need either Scottish players or a Scottish manager then? In what way is it Scottish? Is a nation just like a club? Should we be trawling the streets of Rio and Buenos Aires for youngsters? Where is the cut-off point?

Maybe with two big clubs in Division Three, Scotland might sort itself out. :lol: Almost fooled myself there.

For me, it's not Scotland if the man in charge isn't Scottish, either by blood or by residence. It's a nation, not a club and the manager has to represent that. I don't know how countries get away with something so fundamental to international football. If England had won the World Cup under Capello, the glory would be in an Italian masterminding a victory. Scotland under a non-Scot means as much to me as supporting WBA as they have James Morrison, i.e. nothing.

Incorrect. Levein had one of the best pools of players since France 98. He was the man who the chose dreadful 4-6-0, he was the man who acted appallingly throughout is tenure, in interviews and what not. And don't get me started on his dress sense! This idea that "Scotland have rubbish players and thus the manager will make no difference" is factually incorrect. Norway didn't exactly have a great pool of players in the 1990s, yet they were at one stage second in the Fifa rankings. How did they do that? Tactics. Greece had a pool probably somewhat better than Scotland's at Euro 2004, but still nothing compared to other countries and were 100-1 to win it prior to the start of the tournament, yet they managed to do it. How? Not by luck, but tactics. And for someone based in New Zealand, I'm sure you also watched the All Whites perform admirably during the last World Cup, despite being classed in the British press as "rubbish" prior to the tournament. They were the only team to remain undefeated throughout the thing and had they scored one more goal would have qualified for the next round. The tactics Ricki Herbert used were one of the reasons for this, and on another day, his 3-4-3/4-3-3 system which made New Zealand an almost impenetrable force would've seen them through. That's what Scotland need, an astute tactician who get results. Ricki Herbert for Scotland! Nominate this for post of the month! I agree entirely, apart from the last sentence. If nationality doesn't matter, why not just support Spain?

Any way of getting a poll up on this? I'd suggest the options are: Kenny Dalglish Graeme Souness Joe Jordan Gordon Strachan Walter Smith Alex McLeish Billy Stark Terry Butcher (for our own interest) Other Scottish manager (I've seen Derek Adams name mentioned!!! As has Calderwood, Collins etc) Non-Scottish manager (I don't approve of this myself but, as with the 'other Scottish manager', the respondent could give his preference in text) It would be interesting to see. I'm torn between King Kenny or Big Joe. Actually, they could probably work together I think.

I think there's a good few of those players that would normally get in our side. Not at the moment as they're playing terrible. Which is why Mr McCoist might be gone by Xmas.

I knew that. Slip of the typing, which is why I meant to go out to Saints with only the final, would be so disappointing.

Don't want Celtic. Hearts are up and down, so have no feeling for them. Could be St Mirren but then, I'd hate to go out in the quarter finals to a team that we should beat. A terrible comedown. So, anyone but Celtic for me.

Sod the cup, on this run of form, we might not be too far off the title!

Did he attack anyone? That has yet to be proved.

The Curse of the Highlands strikes sooner than most: LINE-UPS ABERDEEN: Langfield, Osbourne, Anderson, Reynolds, Robertson, Hughes, Rae, Clark, Fraser, Vernon, McGinn. Subs: Rogers, Hayes, Naysmith, Magennis, Shaughnessy, Jordon Brown, Smith. A sub again. How long before he's "excited to be signing for a big club like Elgin"?

I'm apoplectic some greedy SPL club thinks they'll take over 2nd spot, get a bit of money for a time, then Rangers come back in and it's back to what it was before. What a waste. Redistribute money so SPL clubs can keep youth such as Allen, Fyvie etc (why don't the SPL clubs play youngsters? Because they all get to England at the first opportunity), whilst the top clubs can get the best of the SPL, not paying tens of thousands a week to Czech, Spanish etc players Same as it was in the past. The Dons, Hibs etc have decent youngsters and a few good journeyman to compete. The top clubs pick them up when beginning to establish. A good exciting league. The league is more exciting than it ever was. With McCoist complete duff, there may be a few different teams winning silverware. A little change and we've got our Scottish football back again - competitive and with future hope. Youngsters today must be amazed that, in the eighties, Aberdeen and Dundee United were European powers. We could do that again and it would be better for everyone. How parochial. How typical.

Think that's more up to the board as to how long players stay. Third. Third? Third! Wow!!!!

I agree we would be better with an experienced international manager with a good track record. But we'd also be better if we had talented players from Spain, even with no Scottish connection. Why is it a Scottish team if not a Scottish manager? I'd find supporting a Scottish-Belgian/Czech/Swedish etc alliance pointless. I'd be interested to know what the majority opinion is.

Not so sure Coyle opted to play for Ireland as much as Scotland didn't want him. Don't think it was another McGeady there. There's not enough of a record there for me. Nothing to suggest he's a tactical genius or great motivator. Did well some places but not others. Burley did better than Coyle before he took the job. Big fan of Sturrock but it would be the wrong appointment, as would Billy Davies (who I'm also a fan of). Harry Redknapp as an assistant to Joe Jordan, certainly. Not the other way around though.

You really are talking about the past there. There's no way a squad as poor as ours can win by outplaying far better teams. That's what Burley tried. Look where it got him. Getting tanked 5-0 won't do it - and that's what would happen if we've got flying wingers not covering our p!$$ poor defence. We need someone that can play a team to the best of their limits. Strachan did that in Europe. Even when they lost against Manchester United, it was Berbatov that had two offside goals. Tactical, counter-attacking and inspiring. Not ultra-defensive or head-in-the-clouds. We've tried them. Brown, Smith and McLeish were all tactical but with an eye for a goal. That has to be the way forward.

For me, he has to be Scottish. I just don't agree with foreign managers of national teams (why not a Czech left-back then if you just go non-Scots if a Scot isn't good enough? - why is a manager different from a player?). No to Walter Smith. He left us in mid-competition. I'd also prefer someone different from McLeish, although wouldn't be against him returning. Dalglish has been great in the past and won a cup with Liverpool last season. He was ditched too early by them in my view (Carroll was England's best attacker in the World Cup and Jordan Henderson was called up for England). I would give Dalglish his chance. He'd be inspiring if nothing else. Behind him, I'd go for Strachan just above Souness. But a trio of Dalglish, Strachan and Souness to step in is a decent choice. Anyone would do for me.

At last! Remember how, after the Wales match, Levein was saying how we need that little bit of luck. Well, we should have been three down by half-time. And really, this is where we are as a footballing nation.