starchief

Maybe it's about time that the Highland League realised what it's all about. It's importance has been hugely diminshed by the loss of Caley, Thistle, Elgin, County and Peterhead. Perhaps this whole 'own ground' thing needs a respite to look for the good of the game, rather than the league's own importance?

Think it might be the Saints turn. Rookie manager filling his team with the Blue Brazil. Doesn't look great.

I was shocked Italy got a dodgy penalty today. Didn't the referee realise they wanted a win? I'd have at least expected a red card or two to go with it. Well done New Zealand. That cheered me up (although I was feeling fairly chipper before it anyway - beautiful weather and no work, y'see) I think Scotland are about USA/ Algeria/ Slovenia level. Nothing too great in that lot and not much to separate them either. We could have got to the second stage with the right attitude, but then, we would never have been seeded like England. I still expect England to go through (although I'll happily be cheering on Slovenia). They've got a good squad but it needs a little tinkering. For me, Rooney, on the left, Lampard dropped and Crouch/ Defoe up front.

Maybe we've got a chance now that Celtic have lost such talents as Braafheid, Kamara and N'Guemo (potentially). Hmmm, on second thoughts, maybe it would have been better if they had stayed. All we've got to do now is keep Fortune and Brown from scoring...mind you, we couple play without a keeper and still do that!

Far better to just base it on what happened last year than some seeding system that would drop a higher-placed team like 'Well for a more popular club like Aberdeen. That would be more controversial.

Is this the consensus? I thought it's been a pretty decent WC, so far. One or two duff matches but pretty decent overall.

Depends. Possibly if he's played as the usual wing-back role. But if he stays as centre-back, he could have years left at a high level.

I read that article earlier. Very good. Shearer is as dull as dishwater and contributes nothing but cliches. The article makes a good point that it wasn't so long ago that the pundits were Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan. Mind you, it forgets that Ian Wright was also there (who, when asked about IIRC how Romania would do in a match not involving England, he said "I don't care about Romania, I care about England!" - well, don't accept a salary if you're not going to be a pundit on the match). Really you want some fire. I like Keegan. He's biased and enthusiastic. If there was someone like Fergie or Souness to challenge him, that would be something. As it is, Keegan just sounds mad instead of passionate. Most of the commentary I get is in Arabic (except for some games that I have to get elsewhere when Nile Sport doesn't show it), so I only get the odd word here and there - no bad thing! Al Jazeera Sport has Lineker, Souness and Trevor Francis normally (Craig Brown too - he's a bit too easy-going but gives good insight into being an international manager). That's pretty good as there's some real analysis there.

Strong line-up. Still prefer a different right-back with Proctor in midfield, plus a genuine attacking midfielder (although Sanchez may bloom against better opposition). Mind you, how weak must the bench be now? An injury almost everywhere on the park means slotting in either Sanchez (from the above line-up) or a youngster.

What a bizarre hand ball for Algeria. Gained nothing and a red card. Man must be a complete idiot. Still, the Egyptians here will be happy, it's ABA in Cairo.

So... Robert Green makes a mistake King is injured Lampard, when paired with Gerard, looks like a poor defensive mid ('coz he's really more an attacking mid) Heskey is a poor attacker who can't score Did Fabio actually watch any England games before he picked the team? All of these, eminently predictable.

Hmmmm, England's line up: Green, Johnson, Terry, King, Ashley Cole, Lennon, Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Heskey, Rooney. Subs: James, Barry, Carragher, Carrick, Joe Cole, Crouch, Dawson, Defoe, Upson, Warnock, Wright-Phillips, Hart. Wouldn't have started with Green in goal. Too many errors in international matches. King and Terry? Untried. Got to blame the manager for not fielding this before if it all goes haywire. Lampard and Gerrard in the centre. Just doesn't work. Always better when Barry or Carrick is in there with Gerrard pushed out. Heskey just doesn't deserve to be there. Crouch is far more dangerous in terms of goals and has proved he can play with Rooney. No idea how strong (or not) the USA team is but a decent striker could exploit the space, plus there's only one goal threat upfront (and he's temperamental). Long-range shooting probably England's best chance if the USA get their tactics right.

Lennon got the results last season (bar one big one) but they were a few games where he only sneaked by (in terms of play, not goals). Granted, it wasn't his team and Mowbray may well have lost those matches but I wasn't overly impressed. I'm a bit surprised about some of Lennon's targets. Sol Campbell? Assuming there won't be so many injuries this time around, I think a back two from Hooiveld, Loovens, McManus or Rogne, along with back-ups in Dea and Thompson is good enough for the SPL. Can you imagine how Rangers would have done losing Weir, Bougherra, Wilson and Broadfoot for most of their campaign? Waste of a very large wage. Jimmy Bullard? An extremely good player a couple of years ago but vastly off-form and injury prone. I'd sooner go for the much cheaper Stokes. I'm not surprised to see Lennon stall on N'Guemo. Not a bad player but too similar to Brown for him to work in a pairing. Liam Miller or James McArthur (I know he's a Bluenose but those days are gone surely?) would be cheaper and a better fit. Kamara must be gone, as he was distinctly average. Bit surprised at Naylor going though as he was a decent left-back for the SPL (you don't need to be world class if Colin Nish is one of your biggest threats). I still think it's Rangers to lose. Sure, Boyd is gone and that will be a BIG miss. In fact, as big as Robbie Keane. They are the only two players in either of the OF that could score regularly. It's a big points gap for Celtic to make up, with Rangers only really needing to replace one first-pick (obviously they could do with some more players, especially a left-winger). Celtic need wholesale changes under a rookie manager. So back to ICT... Lennon just couldn't change it against Ross County. He also really struggled with Killie and some other games that slip my mind. Unfortunately, Butcher isn't a great tactician but if he just gets a break, then battles, Lennon won't know how to change it, especially with so many new faces. Which left-back will Hayes be up against? Some Championship pick still finding his feet? That could work. Hinkel v Foran? Even money. Bullard and Fortune playing well but unable to finish? Sounds good to me. All to do for Celtic. No longer a team to fear.

Robbie Winters was a big success in Norway for Brann. Quite a few calls at the time for a return to the Scotland squad based on his form. Charlie Miller was well-liked by the fans and sports writers but not by the manager. If he had just got the head down and stayed at one club earlier in his career for any length of time, he could have been something special. Now he's in Australia on a short-term contract after yet another injury.

1984, Liverpool won the European Cup with Dalglish, Souness, Hansen, Nicol and Gillespie all getting medals, whilst Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray (would have made a great international pairing) won the Cup Winners' Cup in 85 for Everton. Perhaps now some of the younger ones will see why some of us are not too impressed with today's 'stars' of the national team. Oh for a multi-awards winning Liverpool side made up of a core of Scots again.

Scott Booth seemed to do okay. I think he came back as there was a hint of training at Aberdeen that never worked out when he was unceremoniously shunted by a new manager, despite being their player of the season and top scorer. But, yeah, a lot, in more recent times, come back pretty soon after leaving. Remember Gary Smith? Possible Scotland captain material at Aberdeen. Left for France for a year and struggled to get a game on his return (ironically for Aberdeen). Ian Anderson too. Full of potential at Dundee. A little above average when he came back from France. Gary O'Connor, lasted one year at Moscow and was howling to get away far before he did. Even Paul Lambert was desperate (or rather his wife) to get back, despite winning the European Cup. Bunch'a woosies!

Utterly bizarre decision. Esson's a terrific keeper that we'd struggle to better. Tokely's captain material and solid both on the right and centre of defence. Can't see the logic.

How do you know the new season is about to start? Jimmy Bullard reckons he'll be out of plaster in 4-6 weeks!

Sold Mike Teasdale a DVD of Celtic thrashing Rangers a few years back, when I did a Xmas stint in MVC in 1998. He was still in his tracktop and shorts from training.

Hmmm , good shout!

Hmmm, yes, the pre-season games when everyone was raving about how great Eagle was but Hayes not up to scratch.

I liked Arfield. I thought he'd be perfect for Hibs or Celtic (sooner Arfield than N'Guemo), so a reasonable price in my opinion.

Glenn Little was a fine winger. Not seen him in years mind you.

How about not taking on any players that aren't supporters of ICT. Rooney to go now! He's never supported Inverness and is only here for the money! Or perhaps it's time some people realised that, in the main, football players play for the job and the wage, not for the shirt. I'm sure there isn't one single player at ICT that wouldn't leave for a bumper wage packet at Celtic, Rangers, Man Utd, Liverpool etc etc. Not one.

How many times is that now? They get what they deserve. I've never been in favour of two Dundee teams and especially two Dundee stadiums, so hopefully this will lead to something good but it's getting a bit tiresome this happening every three years.