Squad Announcment

[Kirk]

38 minutes ago, Dalgety Bay TA said:

I would love to know what you are basing that on given Watt has done or shown the square root of fvck all in his career to date and has a goal scoring rate which makes Steven Fletcher look prolific. I do have a fair idea where you may have got your thinking from though....

Watt may turn out to be a player. Or he may be the next Simon Donnelly but at the moment he is kicking about not settling anywhere while McCormack is scoring regularly and in turning getting bought for silly money. There is no comparison really.

Coz he played for celtic, no more and no less

[Chief]

I take it he just doesn't rate Bardsley and Adam?

[er yir macaroon]

8 hours ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Haha haha 

Watt will be better than McCormack in the long run and I'm quite pleased he's in, but we're not good enough to ignore McCormack, especially since it's almost like for like with Griffiths.

[Mitre]

8 hours ago, PASTA Mick said:

Watt is more talented than McCormack. I don't get the McCormack hype at all. 

Really?

[COLT NY]

10 hours ago, Rossy said:

He's well past Levein.

I despair at the hyberbolic nonsense aimed at Strachan on this board these days. In this case especially. as most of the arguments are judgement calls on who should fill squad places that may not affect the teamsheet in any case.

Strachan has a win ratio of just under 50%, despite being ranked fourth in qualifiers, and having two easier home ties already wasted in the first group. This is well above what Levein managed in easier groups.

Regardless of this though.... Let's not forget how bad it was... Levein's approach gave the impression that he thought we were incapable of competing against decent sides. Strachan has made us competitive at least.....When he took over we were on the road to oblivion.

The jury's still out on Strachan in the long term, but there should be absolutely no doubt that he's improved us.Hopefully there'll be a massive amount of humble pie consumed on this board over the course of the qualifiers.

[COLT NY]

8 hours ago, northernscum said:

We have had enough of these player/manager bust up's in the past which only serve to hurt the national team, they both need to sort out their differences, whatever they are, and realise they are both supposed to be there to do their best for the country, not to get one up on each other.

There's no clear evidence that there's a bust up. Previously, a player would explain it to the press and that would be us all in the know.

The fact that neither of them are saying anything on the matter suggests to me that there's a reason McCormack doesn't want to play that is not really related to the manager, and Strachan's respecting his wishes to not talk about it.

There was a press report a few months back suggesting that McCormack is only willing to turn up for the squad if he's assured playing time. I can understand why Strachan wouldn't want to encourage that from a player who is unproven at international level.

[vanderark14]

21 minutes ago, er yir macaroon said:

Watt will be better than McCormack in the long run and I'm quite pleased he's in, but we're not good enough to ignore McCormack, especially since it's almost like for like with Griffiths.

Other than a very good finish from watt against barca once upon a time, watt has done nothing to suggest he will ever be better than McCormack. Anyway this isn't straight fight between watt and McCormack, surely we have better than watt kicking about?

 

[vanderark14]

9 hours ago, PASTA Mick said:

Watt is more talented than McCormack. I don't get the McCormack hype at all. 

You've lost the plot if you truly believe that, there's no evidence to back that up. It's the same with your backing of James Forrest, he may turn it on for Celtic but he's yet to show anything for Scotland. 

The only Celtic player who should start for Scotland is Griffiths, Tierney should be back up to Robertson, and Forrest back up for Ritchie/Burke.

 

[vanderark14]

16 minutes ago, COLT NY said:

There's no clear evidence that there's a bust up. Previously, a player would explain it to the press and that would be us all in the know.

The fact that neither of them are saying anything on the matter suggests to me that there's a reason McCormack doesn't want to play that is not really related to the manager, and Strachan's respecting his wishes to not talk about it.

There was a press report a few months back suggesting that McCormack is only willing to turn up for the squad if he's assured playing time. I can understand why Strachan wouldn't want to encourage that from a player who is unproven at international level.

I can understand that too but I wonder if Strachan will feel the same when Griffiths and Tierney miraculously recover in time for the OF match.

[vanderark14]

24 minutes ago, COLT NY said:

I despair at the hyberbolic nonsense aimed at Strachan on this board these days. In this case especially. as most of the arguments are judgement calls on who should fill squad places that may not affect the teamsheet in any case.

Strachan has a win ratio of just under 50%, despite being ranked fourth in qualifiers, and having two easier home ties already wasted in the first group. This is well above what Levein managed in easier groups.

Regardless of this though.... Let's not forget how bad it was... Levein's approach gave the impression that he thought we were incapable of competing against decent sides. Strachan has made us competitive at least.....When he took over we were on the road to oblivion.

The jury's still out on Strachan in the long term, but there should be absolutely no doubt that he's improved us.Hopefully there'll be a massive amount of humble pie consumed on this board over the course of the qualifiers.

Does the win ratio include friendlies?

everyone one of would gladly eat that humble pie but what you get spectacularly wrong is that Strachan has improved us? 

Where is the evidence of this? We finished 4th again and won only one of the games against the teams above us. 

[northernscum]

2 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

I can understand that too but I wonder if Strachan will feel the same when Griffiths and Tierney miraculously recover in time for the OF match.

Do international managers not still have the power to demand any player who pulls out of a squad with an "injury" misses their clubs next match?

Obviously Strachan would never do this, but I just wondered if it was still a thing?

[Pool Q]

Disappointed to see Griffiths out, he's been in good form so far this season. Can't see that Watt has done much to earn a call-up into the squad, he has started a handful of games, scored one goal, and is only now just about match fit. Don't watch much English football so can't really comment on McCormack but at the moment he probably offers more than Watt. A strange decision by Strachan. From what I've seen of Rangers Wallace (as most probably expected) is finding things tougher back in the SPL than he did in the lower leagues and hasn't really shown the sort of form that would get you in most Scotland sides. Hopefully just travelling as cover anyway.

[Jute]

Players called up are just further evidence Strachen has lost the plot and should have been punted at the end of the last campaign.

[vanderark14]

37 minutes ago, northernscum said:

Do international managers not still have the power to demand any player who pulls out of a squad with an "injury" misses their clubs next match?

Obviously Strachan would never do this, but I just wondered if it was still a thing?

If the rule does exist, no Scotland manager would ever have the balls to implement it when an OF match is up next. Strachan, Griffiths and Tierny will that as a more important match. It sums up Scottish football.

[er yir macaroon]

55 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

Other than a very good finish from watt against barca once upon a time, watt has done nothing to suggest he will ever be better than McCormack. Anyway this isn't straight fight between watt and McCormack, surely we have better than watt kicking about?

 

Seasoned observers have forgotten all about the Barcelona goal. Watt has all the attributes needed.

[vanderark14]

2 minutes ago, er yir macaroon said:

Seasoned observers have forgotten all about the Barcelona goal. Watt has all the attributes needed.

Nonsense, watt has done nothing in his career. We've been waiting a few years now for these attributes to show themselves..............yet nothing appears.

Edited August 31, 2016 by vanderark14

[Rossy]

1 hour ago, COLT NY said:

I despair at the hyberbolic nonsense aimed at Strachan on this board these days. In this case especially. as most of the arguments are judgement calls on who should fill squad places that may not affect the teamsheet in any case.

Strachan has a win ratio of just under 50%, despite being ranked fourth in qualifiers, and having two easier home ties already wasted in the first group. This is well above what Levein managed in easier groups.

Regardless of this though.... Let's not forget how bad it was... Levein's approach gave the impression that he thought we were incapable of competing against decent sides. Strachan has made us competitive at least.....When he took over we were on the road to oblivion.

The jury's still out on Strachan in the long term, but there should be absolutely no doubt that he's improved us.Hopefully there'll be a massive amount of humble pie consumed on this board over the course of the qualifiers.

Strachan is displaying exactly the same attributes as Levein brought to the national side....a bizarre selection policy based on favourites and weird scattergun choices, an unwillingness to adapt tactics when necessary, a consisent set of under-whelming results and an increasing tendancy to come across as an arrogant bawbag at all times.

Each and every one of us hopes that he somehow manages to turn it around, but the signs aren't great.

[Gala Tartan Army (Borders)]

Think Adam would have been a good call up as cover for injuries but I think his comments in the summer criticising Strachan means Adam won't get a game for Scotland while Strachan is in charge.

[Parklife]

1 hour ago, COLT NY said:

I despair at the hyberbolic nonsense aimed at Strachan on this board these days. In this case especially. as most of the arguments are judgement calls on who should fill squad places that may not affect the teamsheet in any case.

Strachan has a win ratio of just under 50%, despite being ranked fourth in qualifiers, and having two easier home ties already wasted in the first group. This is well above what Levein managed in easier groups.

Regardless of this though.... Let's not forget how bad it was... Levein's approach gave the impression that he thought we were incapable of competing against decent sides. Strachan has made us competitive at least.....When he took over we were on the road to oblivion.

The jury's still out on Strachan in the long term, but there should be absolutely no doubt that he's improved us.Hopefully there'll be a massive amount of humble pie consumed on this board over the course of the qualifiers.

Well... for a start we finished 3rd in the qualifying for the last Euros under Levein and 3rd for the last 2010 World Cup under Burley. 

I remember how bad Levein's approach was. I called it about 2 years before the happy-clappers on here were finally forced to admit he was a terrible manager. 

Initially Strachan had improved us but we've gone backwards rapidly in the last 18 months and it shows no sign of changing. I'd love to be wrong but i fully expect us to be battling for 3rd spot with Slovenia in this group. We've absolutely no chance of getting in to the top 2. 

[Squirrelhumper]

2 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:

Watt will be better than McCormack in the long run and I'm quite pleased he's in, but we're not good enough to ignore McCormack, especially since it's almost like for like with Griffiths.

What have you seen from Watt to suggest this? Certainly not his ability to score or knuckle down and establish himself at a club. He's been punted from every one he's been at.

[ProudScot]

2 hours ago, COLT NY said:

I despair at the hyberbolic nonsense aimed at Strachan on this board these days. In this case especially. as most of the arguments are judgement calls on who should fill squad places that may not affect the teamsheet in any case.

Strachan has a win ratio of just under 50%, despite being ranked fourth in qualifiers, and having two easier home ties already wasted in the first group. This is well above what Levein managed in easier groups.

Regardless of this though.... Let's not forget how bad it was... Levein's approach gave the impression that he thought we were incapable of competing against decent sides. Strachan has made us competitive at least.....When he took over we were on the road to oblivion.

The jury's still out on Strachan in the long term, but there should be absolutely no doubt that he's improved us.Hopefully there'll be a massive amount of humble pie consumed on this board over the course of the qualifiers.

Strachan is more frustrating than Levein at present.

[exile]

25 minutes ago, Parklife said:

I remember how bad Levein's approach was.

What sticks in my mind is games where Levein did not attempt to win or inspire confidence to even try. I remember the WC campaign when he was defeatist from the start,  happy to draw with Serbia, despite knowing that if we were going to qualify we'd have to beat such teams.

Finishing 4th was obviously a disappointment but Levein gave the impression he never expected to come above 3rd.

[Parklife]

Just now, exile said:

What sticks in my mind is games where Levein did not attempt to win or inspire confidence to even try.

Like our recent friendlies vs France and Italy? Did we have a shot on target in either game? 

 

[LewisEDI]

8 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Like our recent friendlies vs France and Italy? Did we have a shot on target in either game? 

 

what an absolute waste of time those games were 

[ProudScot]

19 minutes ago, Parklife said:

Like our recent friendlies vs France and Italy? Did we have a shot on target in either game? 

 

Yep. And on the back of two feel good wins vs Denmark and Czech Rep. Two more games against teams of a similar level; Norway, Greece, Romania etc clearly a much better choice.

Starting to get a very bad feeling for Sunday.