Levein for Scotland

[Harry Chibber]

BBC link

I like the guy but he hasn't won a thing and flopped big time when he was in England... will you be happy with him as new Scotland manager??

[Caley Mad In Berks]

I wish him well but he wouldn't have been my choice. However, I appreciate that the job itself is a poisened challice, and we can think ourselves lucky that anyone at all will take it!

[SMEE]

The SFA are just looking for another puppet. So previous achievemnts dont really come into the reckoning

[Harry Chibber]

I know we've been put off foreign managers after Vogts but I think Lars Lagerback would have been an excellent choice.. he knows how to work with limited resources and managed to get Sweden through to International competition consistantly. Levein will have my full backing but I think there were better options available but Gordon Smith (f*d) couldn't distinguish his erse from his elbow so not suprised he's gone for the next available option out side of the OF.

Edited December 21, 2009 by Harry Chibber

[starchief]

I'll be surprised if Levein is interested in sitting around for months doing nothing. Especially with the World Cup next year.

I don't think he's right for the job. Levein like Burley, is someone that can spot talent. Really, that's no use in the national game. The player has to be Scottish and there's only so many of them around.

I would have preferred someone like Jim Jefferies or George Graham. The right age for the job. They've both done their bit, had a fair share of success, know when to play and when to win.

I fundamentally disagree with foreign managers of national teams, although I guess those are the rules we have to play with. Could England win the World Cup with an England manager? Very doubtful. Could England win the World Cup with an Italian manager? Possibly...but then, how can that be classed as an English victory if it's an Italian that made the difference? If the players have to have some connection, why don't the managers?

[Yngwie]

The SFA are just looking for another puppet.

They shouldn't be talking to Levein then. He's very strong minded, and has clashed with SFA a few times over the years.

[Johnboy]

I think he's seeking a much bigger role within the SFA than just of team manager.

That's why discussions are currently underway regarding his entire remit, if he was to accept a position. He certainly won't be a puppet, and it's time there was a clearout at the SFA of all these "blazer and tie" guys.

I think Levein could be the man for the job, but I don't think he'll want to sit on his erse, taking in the odd game until the qualifying rounds for the 2112 Euro Championships?

[Heilandee]

Heard it's a done deal and will be anounced tomorrow,fairly happy with Levein,reckon he's as good as we could expect to take the poisened chalice that is the Scotland job and as JB says, probly in a much wider role than just team manager.

It also has the added bonus of really pissin off oor Tangerine neebors ;)

[Johnboy]

It also has the added bonus of really pissin off oor Tangerine neebors :D

Aye.... That part of it really appeals to you... ;)

[Renegade]

I don't think he should take the job. If I was in his position, I wouldn't.

[Johnboy]

I don't think he should take the job. If I was in his position, I wouldn't.

So....

In the unlikely event that you ever found yourself in his position what would you do?

[Yngwie]

The compensation Utd are set to receive of ?250k is pretty much the same as they paid us to get Brewster and Malky, which doesn't really seem fair.

:lol:

[Renegade]

I don't think he should take the job. If I was in his position, I wouldn't.

So....

In the unlikely event that you ever found yourself in his position what would you do?

I would stay at Dundee United.

[Council Juice]

Dont get me wrong, I think that Levein has done a good job at Utd as is probably the best young manager in Scotland presently but i think a more experienced head, someone less likely to use the opportunity as a Premiership stepping stone if he does well, would have been the better call. Im not saying Craig is gonna do this but we cant compete with Premiership gold and doing well at international level would make people take notice.

Lars Lagerbeck was mentioned and has previously declared an interest. This is a guy who got Sweden to every tournament from Euro 2000 to 2008, likes the British game and has organisation skills that would bode well for a team of our nature. Plus he has lager in his name. I can suddenly see Born Slippy by underworld becoming a tartan army chant He would have been my 1st choice.

[KingBeastie]

I would have loved LL to get the job.

[AJS]

Levein is a good manager but i don't think he quite stands up as international material but now i think about it i really can't think of a perfect manager for the Scotland job which makes Levein the right man to settle for. He will either burn or it will work out well enough.

[Johnboy]

I think Levein is the best choice for the job, but it will be interesting to see what he can do with the material he has available to work with.

There sure ain't a lot of budding Souness's and Dalglish's around just now.

[Mrs Pauliebee]

I think he's a strong enough character to tell Gordon Smith where to stick it when he'd need to!

Exactly the type of bloke we need!

Good Luck to him!!!!

Mrs PB

P.S. Can we have Dods back now please?

[gordyfromsneck]

I think he's a strong enough character to tell Gordon Smith where to stick it when he'd need to!

Exactly the type of bloke we need!

Good Luck to him!!!!

Mrs PB

P.S. Can we have Dods back now please? :D

Yep a good call. CL will win things for Scotland, eh like a qualifying place...maybe

[Caley Stan]

BBC link

I like the guy but he hasn't won a thing and flopped big time when he was in England... will you be happy with him as new Scotland manager??

I don't think that the fact that he hasn't won anything in relevant. He's spent the vast majority of his career in charge of Hearts and Dundee United during a decade that saw the Old Firm split just once. The challenge for managers in that league is to build a team that can challenge in the upper reaches of the table as consistently as possible - winning things almost never comes into the equation. In the this context, Levein's SPL record is excellent. His time at Hearts, which saw them finish 3rd in 3 out of 4 seasons, seems to get overlooked too often. Consecutive 5th place finishes as United may look less impressive on paper, but it's worth remembering just how sh1te United were prior to that, and of course, who his predecessor was. While his time in England was disappointing, 14 months at a Championship cub making cut-backs in not enough to judge his potential down there. I'm going to judge him on his 7 years in the SPL, and on that evidence, this is a great appointment.

[Scotty]

Levein is probably the best Scottish man for the job right now and whats more ... he wants it !

I think he is potentially better suited to it than the likes of Walter Smith, Alex Ferguson and others of that ilk because:

• He is used to being at clubs who are not #1 or #2 in their respective divisions.
  
• He actually wants the job.
  
• He has frequently had to work with "what he has" rather than just sign someone because money is no object.
  
• He actually wants the job.
  
• His record in Scotland is good
  
• He actually wants the job.
  
• He is not afraid to speak his mind. (just ask the SPL & SFA).
  
• He actually wants the job.
  
• He is the one person (in the frame) who actually has experience of at least attempting to revamp a youth setup and has - it is speculated - said he would want the re-organisation and development of youth football in his remit if he takes the job. We are suffering because we ignored the warnings of Roxburgh all those years ago, Levein may not make us an instant success but maybe, just maybe, he will leave a legacy behind long after he moves on that will see future members of the Tartan Army enjoying the glory days when we qualified for most tournaments before crashing and burning as soon as we arrived.
  
• He actually wants the job.
  

[starchief]

Just like George Burley, who was also a much better manager at club level (took Hearts to the top and got Ipswich into Europe). I think we need a master tactician, rather than a talent spotter or youth development officer.

Still, despite the media spin, Gordon Smith has some pretty forward thinking ideas for restructuring youth training and playing summer football, so maybe we'll get something done. Despite the nonsense that some newspapers talk, Smith and Levein have some pretty close ideas.

[Yngwie]

I think it's possible that Levein would have become ICT manager if Leicester had sacked him a few days before they did. The board had just chosen Charlie when this happened, but you'd have to think that Levein would have been a more attractive, proven option.

Some might say he'd never have joined us or we couldn't afford him, but he went to 2nd Division Raith Rovers.

Levein must now be rueing that missed opportunity.

[Johnboy]

Levein must now be rueing that missed opportunity.

He will be rueing that missed opportunity.

(and he's not the only one)

:(

[BonnybridgeICT]

Levein gets my vote for manager. Exact same reasons as outlined by Scotty.

If Levein is going to use the role as a stepping stone then, when the time comes, i'll be more than happy to cheer him on his way as he's parading the European Championship trophy/World Cup around Hampden. :(