Esson For Scotland

[tokelyisvictorious]

From the P+J:

"Ryan Esson has played down his chances of a Scotland call-up and says he is only concentrating on keeping Caley Thistle in the SPL.

The former under-21's international's good form has given him a chance of being picked for the forthcoming Scotland B side's fixture against Northern Ireland at Clyde's Broadwood Stadium on May 6.

The SPL's much criticised post-split fixture list has ruled out several potential call-ups, with the New Firm derby and Edinburgh derby scheduled to be played just 24 hours after the game.

Esson and team-mate Ian Black now have a better chance of making the squad."

IMO there have been number of caley players down the years that have been ignored by the B set-up, apart from when we hosted the game against Turkey when Black and Dargo were given the 'regional pick' to try to pull in extra fans, and also a few by the national first team.

Think along the lines of Darren Dods, Don Cowie, John Rankin, Craig Dargo (for the first team), Mark Brown, Dougie Imrie (although some of you will not agree with me on that one) and Ian Black. Any one of those should have been at least in the B squad regularly. Only because they were playing for an 'unfashionable' team they are not picked. Time and time again they were ignored and the scotland set-up definitely lost out big time.

If they had been, they would have impressed and we would have had our first scotland internationals by now.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Where do you start with that guff ?

[Johnboy]

:018: Where do you start with that guff ?

Why don't you send him an obscene and abusive PM....

Oh sorry, I forgot... you can't, can you..? :thumb04:

[FortressICT]

George Burleys said that no players from the top 6 will be picked for the squad against Northern Ireland.

Maybe a chance for the likes of Ryan Esson, Ian Black, Brian Kerr and maybe even Jamie Duff or Iain Vigurs.

[MissICT]

It will be good for the players to get a chance to play for their country even though its just the B team.

Mabey Bucther will put in a good word !

[Kylef]

It will be good for the players to get a chance to play for their country even though its just the B team.

Mabey Bucther will put in a good word !

Certainly a possibility, and a goo thing that he is there for the team.

[Yngwie]

It will be good for the players to get a chance to play for their country even though its just the B team.

Without any Top 6 players it's surely the F team.

[starchief]

Why no players from the Top 6? Is relegation any less vital? Wouldn't Burley prefer to see how the likes of Mark Kerr, John Rankin, Lee Wallace etc play rather than Dougie Imrie, Bob Malcolm or Billy Mehmet.

[Guest Muir-Jaggie]

Why no players from the Top 6? Is relegation any less vital? Wouldn't Burley prefer to see how the likes of Mark Kerr, John Rankin, Lee Wallace etc play rather than Dougie Imrie, Bob Malcolm or Billy Mehmet.

He doesnt want to take any of the Old Firm players and Dundee Utd v Aberdeen / Hearts v Hibs are playing the day before the scotland game or after it cant remember. He wants to give the other players a chance from the smaller clubs

Edited April 26, 2009 by Muir-Jaggie

[Joe DiMaggio]

Why no players from the Top 6? Is relegation any less vital? Wouldn't Burley prefer to see how the likes of Mark Kerr, John Rankin, Lee Wallace etc play rather than Dougie Imrie, Bob Malcolm or Billy Mehmet.

Billy Mehmet He's English but has an Irish U21 cap through a grandparent

[ICTFCkev]

Why no players from the Top 6? Is relegation any less vital? Wouldn't Burley prefer to see how the likes of Mark Kerr, John Rankin, Lee Wallace etc play rather than Dougie Imrie, Bob Malcolm or Billy Mehmet.

Billy Mehmet :thumb04: He's English but has an Irish U21 cap through a grandparent

With a Turkish surname aswell..

[starchief]

Why no players from the Top 6? Is relegation any less vital? Wouldn't Burley prefer to see how the likes of Mark Kerr, John Rankin, Lee Wallace etc play rather than Dougie Imrie, Bob Malcolm or Billy Mehmet.

Billy Mehmet He's English but has an Irish U21 cap through a grandparent

With a Turkish surname aswell.. :thumb04:

:018: I think you might be missing my point here...

Edited April 26, 2009 by starchief

[Alex MacLeod]

I think there's more chance of two ex-ICT players being called up. Cowie and Rankin.

[AJS]

Esson wouldn't be a half bad choice but i'd imagine Burley will go with Graham Smith as the starting player.

Wonder if Butcher will try to wield the likes of Tokely and Black into the team.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Does Lionel have any Scottish heritage ?

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

;) Where do you start with that guff ?

Why don't you send him an obscene and abusive PM....

Oh sorry, I forgot... you can't, can you..? :thumb04:

i didn't lose pm use for sending obscene and abusive pm's you ! Get your facts right boy . :018:

Edited April 27, 2009 by Alex MacLeod
remove abusive remarks

[DornochJAGGIE]

I think cowie will get a call up since hes been on form at watford. Rankin might get a call up because of his long-range swigglers

[MissICT]

haven't Tokely and Black been called up before?

[Joe DiMaggio]

haven't Tokely and Black been called up before?

Black played for the B team in Inverness a few years ago. Tokely for Scotland though Dont think Alan Hutton will be shaking in his boots!

[Johnboy]

;) Where do you start with that guff ?

Why don't you send him an obscene and abusive PM....

Oh sorry, I forgot... you can't, can you..? :thumb04:

i didn't lose pm use for sending obscene and abusive pm's you ! Get your facts right boy . :018:

I didn't say you had.

[alimci]

Don't want any ICT player being called up and risking injury at this moment. Stupid time to schedule an international.

[kencar]

Don't want any ICT player being called up and risking injury at this moment. Stupid time to schedule an international.

Totally agree. Mind boggling stupidity by the SFA

[PullMyFinger]

I concur, why is it ok for teams in the bottom six to risk their players? Or is it going to be players from other leagues in the squad?

[MissICT]

haven't Tokely and Black been called up before?

Black played for the B team in Inverness a few years ago. Tokely for Scotland though Dont think Alan Hutton will be shaking in his boots!

Mabye Rossco played for the under-21s!

[Caley Braveheart]

National Coach George Burley has named his squad for the forthcoming Scotland B match against Northern Ireland.

Goalkeepers

David Marshall (Norwich City)

Iain Turner (Everton on loan to Nottingham Forest)

Defenders

Darren Barr (Falkirk)

Scott Cuthbert (Celtic on loan to St Mirren)

Brian Easton (Hamilton Academical)

Steven Hammell (Motherwell)

Mark Reynolds (Motherwell)

Mark Wilson (Celtic)

Midfielders

Scott Arfield (Falkirk)

Barry Bannan (Aston Villa on loan to Derby County)

Craig Bryson (Kilmarnock)

Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion)

Stephen Hughes (Motherwell)

Ross Wallace (Preston North End)

Forwards

David Clarkson (Motherwell)

Paul Gallacher (Blackburn Rovers on loan to Plymouth Argyle)

Steven Naismith (Rangers)