Council Juice

Let me get this right, if he aint good enough for the current European champions, he aint good enough for a team who haven't qualified for a single tournament in over 10 years. Ok i can understand perfectly the reason not to pick him. I dont really want Nacho McNovo playing for Scotland as he's Spanish but that is utter folly. Raul wasnt good enough to get in the last Spain squad despite a good end to the season and being Spains all time top goal scorer but i'd deem him good enough even now. Just because they cant get into a top 5 teams squad does not make them not good enough for Scotland. Only Craig Gordon would come close to that in the current squad. I think this could be seen as discrimination of sorts as hinted by the Scottish minister for sports. If someone does become a resident of a country, they should not be treated as a 2nd class citizen and be looked apon equally for any job. In this case could it not be said that if a holder of a British passport then technically he should be seen in equal terms to any other uncapped resident with passport? If one was born abroad but to foreign parents but lived here their whole life then no one would bat an eyelid. His children are Scots born to one Scottish parent. Who says the bloodline must run backwards? I want Scots with Scottish accents playing for Scotland but with the likes of Commons, Morrison, Quashie in the team recently im seeing the arguement for him getting in. a ) he's lived in Scotland longer than the zero years all the other 3 have b ) he has more of a Scottish accent than all three c ) his children were born and live in Scotland as does his wife. Personally i'm wondering if it should be more of a case that if he is playing fairly regularly, well and is considered of the quality required and is deemed "commited" enough and is legally by the rules eligible then why shouldnt he be looked at as an option. Im stressing i'm not advocating it 100%. Just pondering the idea.

I dont think Arteta or Alumunia are better than anything England have, but with Novo, he is better than Miller in terms of scoring goals for example. I prefer the idea of winning with what you have or accept others are better but the thing is others dont. Portugal (deco) Italy (Cameronesi) France (half the team) Germany (host of nationalities) the Netherlands ( again alot from the dutch antilles and such like) Croatia (Eduardo) and Poland (olisedebe) are all teams probably considered by most to be better than Scotland and most of them are around Englands level and its not a level playing field. Should we not be allowed to consider levelling it up if allowed in the rules?

I've always thought that with Robbie Winters wanting to return to Scotland and his contract expiring next month (i believe) he could be a decent shout but no one else even seems even comment on it at all. He always played at teams like Dundee Utd or Aberdeen so he's used to playing up north and perhaps would like it. Has a good record in Scotland and did well initially in Norway (although i have no idea how he's doing now) which is of similar stature as a league. Worth a look at in my opinion.

Maybe he means we as in the players and I together as opposed to the club as a whole historically.

I cant decide. On one hand I only want Scots to play for Scotland. On the other,a ) the guy has played here for 8 years, pays taxes and has Scotttish born children b ) would add undoubted quality upfront c ) shows as much passion for his Club side as more than half the Scots do playing for their country at times! I look at the likes of James Morrison, Matt Elliot, Neil Sullivan and Don Hutchison to name a few Englishmen (the auld enemy) to have worn the Scotland shirt and while they may have had Scottish links would all probably have welcomed an English call up over Scotland and there was a few echos of disgruntlement but look at Don Hutchison, he scored against England. I then look at Germany, Poland and Croatia. Germany have Podolski, Borowskwi and Klose from Poland, Had Kuranyi from Brazil and Gerard Asamoah from Ghana. Poland had Emanuelle Olisidebe from Nigeria and Croatia Eduardo from Brazil (both who had passports sorted for them to play) And you have both France and the Netherlands with their colonial players Davids, Seedorf, Thuram and Viera. So if these countries have been doing it for years why not us. England brought in John Barnes, and Scots born McGeady plays for Ireland as he feels more Irish. Its not like even the home nations are still keeping with the only those born play tradition. Are we the last traditonalists in picking only those with the links? Should we be? I think, although not entirely sure, that if Novo was to show the required commitment to play for Scotland on the field. Show the same tenacious qualities he did at Dundee and does at Rangers then why not give him a chance. "To select an obvious non national would be both absurd and demeaning" - this came from Terry Butcher our Enlgish assisstant manager. Pot calling the kettle black perhaps. Celtic captain McManus sees no problem however saying that as a quality striker he would enhance the squad. any opinions

Why announce that you have inside info that someone told you in confidence if your not going to spill the beans. If one told you in confidence something and you wish to respect that then fine, just dont say i was told something but cant say as im respecting their confidence. JUst say nothing at all. Otherwise your really just being a sneak and going "I know something you don't know, haw haw, milk lemonade chocolate. Get it right up ya" Which is a touch playground mentality esq.

yes

So because Brewster focusses alot of attention on the fitness aspect of football using modern techniques (like Yogi at Falkirk) it makes him just a fitness coach and not a manager. This despite other managers saying he'd make a good manager. And because Malky Thompson was a youth coach he cant then progress to the 1st team despite having been coaching for around 10-12 years now? Park asked to leave for family and location reasons. Nothing official has ever been said different from either side. Whether they got on is irrelevant. Wyness wasnt performing. Brewster was going to give him a contract then decided to challenge him to earn it. He didnt. He hadnt scored in something like 4 months at the time. Hardly prolific. Black was an immature *** at times and probably got away with too much under CC. Brew brought him into line and he's probably playing as well as he ever has. Dont forget he became a 1st team regular under Brewster. His one mistake was Rankin. But we can all make mistakes. Im no Brewster super fan. I just look at the facts and fail to see how much he's done wrong. Maybe Brewster felt we needed more balance in the middle with Vigurs when taking Rooney off. I personally would have taken Wood off if either, but im not a coach. A managers tactics are genious if they come off, baffling if we lose.

I dont think its just a fact that money is tight, its that everyone is telling everyone it's tight too. Alot of peeps could still afford to do what they used to but dont want to know due to the banking crisis. But if i was stuck for cash and it was as it was on Saturday. I'd prefer to stay inside. Also people used to complain there was never any games on the telly, now theirs loads. People now like going to the pub for a drink and catch the game while their at it as it works out cheaper for the same 90 minutes and you get pints in with it along with warmth shelter and banter.

Harry Redknapp is a proper London Geezsa! a London gangsta character. The Govna' so to speak. He is the best small team manager going. Now he's at a fairly big club compared with Pompey who are growing, but much like ICT where our reputation has overgrown the size(if you get me). He is a bit shifty granted, and looks like the candle melted the waz on his face too. People hark on about loyalty but how many managers are sacked after a poor run, look at Ramos, look at Jol before him. It's complete double standards to think if people can demand a sacking after 8 games that a manager can't jump ship to somewhere where he thinks the grass looks greener. If you get head hunted, offered a better job with high prospects (potentially) then you have every right to go for it surely. Anyone would in any walk of life. The same goes for players. Despite their high wages and lofty position in society they cant just change job when they feel like it. Cant hand in their notice like most people and go elsewhere. When Football clubs were Clubs yes loyalty is a factor. Now their businesses and in business you go where the best prospects, in your eyes, are. On Martin Jol. He was ace and a top manager. And not just as he liked the pahnchakes yesh!

I've always thought that the whole idea of being a national coach was to make all the players confident before a game. You only ever see them for a week. The camp should have a feel good factor. Everyone should be buzzing. Especially teams like Scotland where its part of the culture. Watching Scotland under Smith and big Eck there was a passion I've yet to see under a Burley side. I really want Burley to be a success but he's done little to suggest he's taken a hungry confident side forward. And some of his call ups. Calum Davidson? David Clarkson? nah. As i said i want to wait and see. Its all we can do and i'll support any of the lads out there, but truth be told, i've never been as anxious about a game (v Holland) Im worried. We took on Brazil in 98, England in 96, Germany under Vogts (with Mo Ross in the side!) in Germany, Holland in the playoffs and i believed we could do something. Against France and Italy at Hampden I believed so the fact i was a naive youth for the earlier ones has nothing to do with it. The last time i predicted a negative result for Scotland i got the result correct and the scoreline 2-0 England at Hampden. Imagine the accusations of pessimism and anti Scots (for being realistic) I then predicted we'd win the 2nd leg but wouldnt go through. We won 1-0 at Wembley, a Christian Dailly diving header away from glory. Truth be told for the 1st time in 8 years (since Craig Browns last game) i fear a negative outcome. But lets wait see and hope.

Has Brewster really done that badly? given the situation he came into last season and our form then i reckon he's done ok. CC sat in a car with Bennet and told him he couldnt hack it anymore. End of. Nothing to do with Brewster. Dargo left last summer under CC as St Mirren with a bigger budget offered more money and a chance for central belt football. Parky left for family reasons. Wanted to work in Edinburgh. This was the reason HE gave. Again what has brewster to do with this? Brewster told Wyness to shape up or ship out. Personally, i think that took alot of cahonees given the players standing with the club. But looking back to be fair he was right. Wyness was not performing and hadn't been for a while. It took some tough love from Brewster there but why dish out contracts to those not doing the business? Could have perhaps been handled with more tact. Marius was always up for sale. This really had nothing to do with Brew either. I'm sure he wanted to keep Marius, Marius said he'd like to stay initially even after an alleged team dressing room fall out or whatever. He messed up with Rankin. Strachan messed up with Riordan, Smith with Gow. It happens. Would Brewster really be sacked if another club our size was not in the relegation zone, not adrift and had one of the better goal differences in the league? No of course not. Our aim every season is to initially avoid relegation then if posible push for that elusive 6th place. Half the teams in the 1st division are bigger clubs with bigger budgets and bigger fan bases. Some folks need to realise how well we are doing. We are currently avoiding relegation, have a good squad of players who from what i see have no problems with their manager. Why all the fuss? I like most never wanted Brewster back but he picked us up of the floor last season and we're indifferent now but to push the panic button and call for his head. I dont think thats the answer. Im not a Brewster fan but i dont see this as the point to call for his head. Get Real!

Of course Pompey fans are pee'd off. They've just lost a good manager. But their a small team compared to Tottenham and if Redknapp wants to manage in London again with a big club before he retires then fair play to him. He's probably taken Portsmouth further than most ever imagined possible and left behind a very good squad of players.

I see Robbie Winters is looking to get back to Scotland. Think he'd still cut the mustard? Plenty experience for sure. Had a decent record in Scotland although have no idea how he had done in Norway for Brann.

Its been a tough run of late but to suggest Brewster should go is a touch hasty. Look to last season at this stage we were on a 7 or 8 game losing streak. At least its an improvement. Which is surely what we want. With a club our size, with our budget what really can we expect to do? How much an improvement should we be making? How much progress are people after? I say Champions League winners in 5 years. Really, honestly, without serious investment and a huge fan base increase we are doing fairly well and cant expect fairytales all the time. From what i hear we gave Celtic a real run for their money. This site used to be a fairly bright, optimistic place. Why all the doom and gloom. Is it really that bad?

Its a shame but the premiership is a 50million pound business if you stay up. Its a high pressure job. And spurs are a big team with big players who really shouldnt be in that position. Ramos won the cup which Spurs dont see lots of On Chelsea, where would they be without Roman? Somewhere in league 1 playing Leeds perhaps. They were in a right mess finacially. And in 3 times as much debt i think. They're in something like half a billion of debt now. Hope Roman dont get bored eh. Of the London teams i always preferred Charlton. And roscoe23, what is funny about Redknapp. He's a great manager.

People keep defending Burley with the notion that as he doesnt have the media friends because of never managing in Scotland like the two previous managers he gets pelters and stick. Sorry but Im sure that if the previous two made poor decisions and got bad results they'd get stick from the media, friend or foe. Thats how the Scottish media always work. One minute a God, next an abject fool. My manager says im laying into him because he has a stutter and appears a bit slow. That because he doesnt seem comfortable with the press he is easily picked on. My manager says Boyds a traitor, should get a kick in out clubbing, boo'd at every ground etc. I'd prefer to ignore him. He's made his bed so he can lie in it. His call. I didnt even notice he had a speech impediment. He just seemed a bit drunk perhaps I only critisised his team selection, tactics and general handling of situations. I see it this way. His boss (wrongly in my opinion - another said too much from mr Smith) said it was must win and we didnt. We should have started with two up front in a home game and went with no strikers really. Burley waited an hour to work this out and get more forwards on.To use Burleys words - somethings not right there. Forget Boyd altogether. He had a sub left, why not throw on Hartley to sit in the midfield and throw Brown further up the field? Instead Burley chose to do nothing. Somethings not right there. Also he wants to ignore past reputations. What about current ones. Ross McCormack is the top scorer in the championship and Faddy has scored 1 and hasnt impressed. So why on earth is David Clarkson in the squad?! I dont care how commited he is. He should be nowhere near a scotland squad. On Boyd, the player made one good point, if he hasnt impressed him and isnt playing enough, why is he in the squad at all? I think he's now scored 6 in 8 this season. Similar to Iwelumo. Burley says he has purposly went to see Boyd play and he hasnt even got on the pitch so thats a reason (why call him up) Im sorry but if the national manager wasnt at either the CIS cup final or Scottish cup final then again, somethings no right there. And on not impressing in training, i really dont care aout how he trains. If he is one the goal line to tap in a cross to put Scotland 1 up and we win and then get to a major finals thats what matters. He can sit about and eat pies all week if he does that. If Burley was of the opinion that if you dont play for your club, you dont play for Scotland and yet call him up surely he should pull him aside and say that in order to play he'll really have to work hard to impress in training. You know encourage him. install confidence. I'm really annoyed with Kris Boyd. He's let alot of people down, the fans who would all love to play for their country, especially. I'm not defending his actions. He's acted quite imaturely but from all that seem to know him personally they seem to sympathise with him. He seems to just want to play. He has to earn that though. But he hasnt made a good choice. Im no mr Kris Boyd fan club member, but i do understand what he can do for a team. I just think that Burley has not handled the situation well and am getting sick of Terry Butcher saying he had his nose broken by him to defend him! That means nothing. Some say that he struggles as he aint media friendly. Sorry but national manament is very much media oriented. Every little thing is scrutinised. You've got to be media friendly. On my manager "IF we win in Holland and you'll be on the street singing George Burleys name" Indeed i shall but its a big IF. Sorry but i believe in judging people on their actions and results and george hasnt got any yet to say we'll get anything against the Dutch. Its a SH**e state affairs to be in and all the fresh air wont make any _____ difference! I think im going to leave this matter. At least until after the Agry game. I really hope we get a positive result there as any Scot does, sadly im a realist.

It was to be expected really. Rangers fans are always going to boo someone who has picked Ireland 1st. I dont blame McCarthy. The Irish set up showed clearly they wanted him and he has shown alot of integrity in sticking with his choice. Fair play to him. Besides the Irish Authorities have always been good with young boys, And im not just talking football

If a player has "recreational activities" which are the reason he doesnt play, why have him in the squad? Smith dropped Macgregor and said he needed to shape up. He hasnt done so with Boyd, says he needs to work on his game and he''l play given the right game. And that with the right options he'd build the team around him. Why would he get called up for Scotland and placed on the bench if he had a problem? He was an unused sub in a "must win" game, where we had one sub still available. Burley is egotistical, not arrogant. It doesnt matter now. We're down our most natural goalscorer. and have to look forward. It doesnt bode well tho. And remembering the georgia game, it was a nervy affair in recollection. Fact is Boyds goal was important there.

Its the fact that Burley used Boyd not playing for his club, to justify playing Iwelumo. Yes this afternoon Burley DID say he wasnt interested in reputations. Form and the fact your playing. ie Chris Iwelumo. Why on earth is James McFadden in the team then? 1 goal in his last 14 league games. Struggling for form (said by player himself) Dropped at weekend from starting line up. I'll tell you why. Everyone has seen his goal against France. Its because he can do that he is in the team. Perfectly justified on reputuation. Kris Boyd is not playing week in week out. Has only scored 4 goals this season thus far (probably in as many starts mind) and isnt at the top of his game. Why SHOULD he be in the team, or coming on? Well everyone saw his goal against Partick. Everyone saw what he done in the League cup final. Everyone saw what he done in the Scottish Cup final. Including that belter of a free kick. (he didnt stand about waiting on his team doing all the work there, that was the ability to strike the ball crisp and true) His reputation as a match winner in those big games (cup finals are big games no matter the opposition) is undoubted. In his 3 home internationals Georgia, Lithuania and the Faroes he scored 4. the team scored 11. only conceding 2. In our last 3 home games where he has not had any real playing time. Croatia, Italy and Norway (accepted all better teams granted) we scored 2, conceding 3. Even with the Ukraine win taken into account thats 5 scored 4 conceded. I have no doubt on form Iwelumo was rightly in the Squad. 8 in 6 for a Scot is not to be passed off. Riordan has scored 3 in 3 for hibs yet is not match sharp and he isnt though. David Clarkson doesnt score that much. Not that good. average SPL player. Steven Fletcher hasnt done anything of note this season. Neil Alexander was playing well for Rangers in his two games and at the tail end of last season. Wasnt in the squad. Magregor has suffered a slight dip in form. In the squad McCormack- Cardiffs main man, scored a fair few, In under 21s. The reason why Clarkson was good last season. So if you have to be playing regularly and on form. Riordan, McCormack and Alexander in, Fletcher, Clarkson, and Magregor out. Simple eh? Face facts though. Burley has said to take us forward he wants us to play football. The Norway game was described as "must win" by his boss. The football we played against Norway was the most tedious we have played in a home game since 2005 when Smith took over. Even against France although outclassed, it was very exciting stuff. Norway are very average apart from Carew. Iversen and Risse past their best. If it was must win, we want to be an attacking team, and are playing at home. Why did Iwelumo, Boyd or Fletcher not start? Why with 10 minutes to go, if your trying to be attacking and its a must win game, and still have a substitute to use, not make a change? Sacrifice a defender perhaps? Boyd for the last 10? facts are to be one of the 8 best runners up we need the points. that draw at home against a beatable team, who in the end should have beaten us was a failure. We havent went forward and we never won. Its that simple.

Well it proved important then eh? the goal in a 2-1 win. Killie rarely score against Celtic. Whether with Boyd, naismith or whoever. And as Smith has said before he has to pick the team for the game and Boyd has his uses when trying break the teams down who defend the whole game but against Celtic its different. He trys to ht them on the break alot. Thats Barry Ferguson saying he understands Boyds decision. Says he's disappointed but respects his decision. In other words he thinks he's right. He wouldnt publicly critisise a team mate but he would either back his manager or say nothing. George Burley again used a player to justify himself " i only want commited players" as he's running out the door. Saying like a school boy who's been caught out "aye well i had Barry Ferguson saying he canna wait to play so it shows that players are commited so there" (not exact quote) Burley really took the hump when asked if players were commited to play for him. He really mucked up that press conference.

what your failing to grasp is the FACT that strikers in the SPL will be judged on performances against the BIG teams and Celtic have ruled Scottish football for most of Boyds career. International goals have been scored against Bulgaria ( friendly in Japan x2 ), 2 against the Faroes, 1 against georgia , 1 against S. Africa and 1 against Lithuania hardly Earth shattering stuff FFS. Dont get me wrong either, i'm annoyed at Boyd for turning his back. He should have fought on. No matter how idiotic and egotistical Burley is. It just makes him look bad. Its you country FFS. He has scored v Celtic but doesnt play against them too often. Both we and Bulgaria had experimental teams but we trounced them. Martin Petrov played. We trounced the Faroes when he played. We comfortably beat Georgia at home by two goals We comfortably beat Lithuania at home by two goals (i think) He scored the only goal of the game against a team who no matter how they got there, will be at the world cup. Even if Boyd doesnt score others will as he will be man marked, leaving valuable space for Miller and McFadden. So he does offer more than goals. His mere presense is a nuisanse. When teams played Poto or Galatasaray, they feared Jardel. They feared his goal record. He was the laziest player going. When teams played against Negri, at Rangers, for ahem, half a season, they knew he'd be nowhere. Out of the game. What there he scores. Paul Ritchie at Inverness was always critisied for not scoring against the big teams, but without his goals against the dross we would never have challenged. We would have been relegation candidates. Robson wouldnt have had a crossing target. The amount of times Larsson never appeared to be doing much. The team having him snuffed out. Appearing comfortable. Then he'd score, then again. then again. then he'd set one up. (fair enough boyd cant do that but he's no Henrik Larsson is he) Rangers score more as a team when he plays. Scotland score more as a team when he plays.

Ok Celtic only have 3 but they actively get rotated. Man Utd have Tevez, Berbatov and Rooney and none play every week. It is rotation. You have to keep people on their toes. Keep them hungry. have options. Boyd will never be a Van Basten, Berbatov, Henry, or Torres who do alot of class outside the box. He'll never be the best player in the world, but his goal ratio speaks for itself. He knows how to score goals. His poaching abilty is unrivalled in Scotland. Personally I balme his height. If he were a few inches shorter he wouldnt be expected to run around daft "linking up". He'd be allowed to do his job. He'd be Ally McCoist. I sometimes wonder if the real reason he doesnt always play is simply if he did he'd be the target. He gets injured its like losing your teeth. Ya canna chew! You lack bite. Its the fact is that he is so good at scoring that he cant be over relied apon. But even if he puts the team a man down when there is no possesion. You can have runners like Maloney, faddy, Miller. They can and will go back get the ball, skin a man, cross the ball and without a doubt Boyd would be there.

Burley must go now. I've just watched the live stream and it was pathetic. Its all about Burley and not Scotland. You want a Lion rampant and we get the cowardly lion from Oz. He couldnt wait to get out as he totally couldnt handle it. Squirming in his seat. Fair enough he only wants commited players. How can you commit yourself when you never play. Yes he doesnt play every week at Rangers. Neither does Miller, Novo, Darchville or Lafferty. There is a striker rotation policy there. Heck even we have that at Caley! The fact he has to justify himself, get his side across, speaks volumes. A real man, a real coach would have simply stuck with what was said previously. His decision, and i have to accept it. This just shows he knows he's ballzed it up yet again and needs to justify himself. Iwelumo played not because he is better but because he was Burleys trick card. Fletcher played to justify not being in the under 21s where he should be, honing his talents. Learning his trade. The Scotland job is all about Burleys ego and its not on. When O Conner failed to turn up for the Ukraine game and got dropped Smith said one thing. Apolgise to the team. Not him the team which includes him, the fans, part of this team. O conner didnt do so, therefore it was straightforward, Smith said the same. And that was that. eventually O Conner apologised to Mcliesh and got back in. Easy and effective man managment. Even Brew showed he can do that with Black and now he's the best we have and well disciplined too. I had my reservations about Burley from the start. Everyone blamed Romanov at Hearts but as mad as he is i now feel Burleys ego may have been as much a problem as anything. There is definitely 2 sides there. We're going backwards at an alarming rate. I hope it can be saved in time. Argentina and Holland will run us through. I fear a cricket scorecard. Bring back Berti!

Fact is he's not really just quit because he never played, but because Burley used him to justify his inclusion of Iwelumo."Kris Boyd needs to establish himself at Rangers and he hasnt done that. Iwelumo has done" Burley got his tactics wrong. Never used all his subs for one thing, when we were looking to win. Saying Boyd aint established at Rangers is unfair given the depth of squad they have. Boyd is one of 6 strikers pushing for 2 places every week. and he plays every other week. And scores goals. And the fact is Boyd has and can score at international level. Iwelumo hasnt even played for scotland before. In fact it's his 1st squad as he pulled out to play in championship playoffs 6 years ago. So whether or not he's established or not. Fact is he's proven at that level. Iwelumo hasnt even been tested in a friendly. Even David "shouldnt be anywhere near a scotland squad" Clarkson has that and scored! Its the 2nd time Burley has humiliated a player in a press conference. 1stly with Broadfoot. Yes we all know he is limited but he's the best available right now so dont come out and say it. Put it this way. How many of you, if doing volentary work and got told that you were either limited or needed to show you could manage the job in front of ALL your collegues effectively AND the whole public, would be happy? Most would be enraged, or at least left humiliated. Its effectively the same as Scotty publicly posting that his moderators were no good. They do it for the love of the club and the site (and possibly Scotty, who knows) and no financial benefit to themselves and would probably be a mite upset at that.