Caledonian Craig

Replacement for me would be Ryan Fraser.

Terrible bad luck for him at such a time in his career. Also what a terrible few months for us injury-wise with several key or in-form players picking up lengthy injuries in the form of Robertson, Tierney, Hickey, Hanley, Ferguson and McGregor. I cannot recall such a long list of first teamers for us (barring Ferguson) being hit with injuries in the run-up to a major tournament.

Fingers crossed you are right.

Aaaaah yes sounds exactly like how the Gordon rumours surfaced but soon torpedoed as he held true to his morals, desire and principles. This one likewise is newspaper space...no more.

Gordon, Livramento and Barnes are raging mad passionate Englishmen already on record as to what their international ambitions are. That is to represent England. Yes Adams is an example that I am not happy or comfortable with but he gets my full support in a Scotland shirt. The Newcastle clan have clearly no ambition to represent Scotland and would not be suprised at all if this has turnef Anderson's head away from us too. I think we got a big clue that Clarke had asked at ladt international break when he was asked about Gordon and others and he stated the bus was parked on that front and no pursuits would be made in near future of anyone.

The point is those touted have shown no interest at all and, in all honesty, why should they? Born in England, raised in England with an English culture, with English mates (presumably) and representing England at junior levels is surely enough indication where their loyalties and desires lie. Granted not all cases are like that but the ones constantly sniffed after on here (the Newcastle clan) certainly and should be left to pursue their dream. Continuing to sniff around them is embarrassing and shows low self-esteem in my opinion. Approach if you do not know how they feel and if they do not commit then never ask again.

Livramento has been in the press quite recently speaking of his England ambitions. Other articles out there too like the one below and he is already and England international at several levels:- https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/kieran-trippier-eddie-howe-southampton-magpies-manchester-city-b2510341.html

Yes, as he has committed to play for us. It is this arrogant presumption that we have some sort of a shopping list of players like Barnes, Livramento, Gordon, Gray and others that we have some sort of right to even though they are quite clearly committed to England. Good on them, move on and leave them in peace to get on with their international career with England.

Not listening to the soundbites coming from the Brentford boss or even Hickey himself. I think the very best we can hope for is he gets no more setbacks and is approaching match fitness by the time our two friendlies come around in June and he gets some match time in them but he'd still be very much lacking in true match fitness and we take the punt and name him in the squad. That, I think, is the very best case scenario.

Well your original point about how a 'foreign' player who was not good enough to play for Spain and chose us would be fine for our supporters and just the English-born 'rejects' that Scots object to does not add up. I see Cooper and Adams presently are warmly supported. In the past we have had the same with the likes of James Morrison, Graham Alexander, Stuart McCall and others stretching way back. I think this anti-English mindset some people (me included) have very wrongly been accused of is by some of our support gleefully pushing Gordon, Barnes, Livramento, Archie Gray and others for Scotland call-ups when they are, in fact, proud Englishmen with a burning desire to represent England and I say good on them. Play for where your heart and nationality dictates it is what international football is meant to be about. Our support hold no bias it supports and sometimes criticises some unequivocally and not based on where they may have been born.

Sorry but where have people born in England who represented us been given pelters. Not seen any of that. They get no more pelters than Scots-born players.

Or conversely any former colonies who wanted to be back under British rule? I cannot think of any. It can be taken as given the days of British Raj's are long gone. 👍

I think we need to prepare ourselves for the real possibility of Aaron Hickey missing the Euros or at very best being very short of match practice. A report was going around yesterday quoting the Brentford boss saying that Hickey was finally back on the training pitch for the first time so probably doing no more than the obligatory jogging around the outside of the training pitch. He also stated it was unlikely he'd feature again this season and Hickey I think was quoted as saying he faced a race against time which he could lose to be fit for the Euros.

A player eligible for us who was not interested and ended up playing for Republic of Ireland. He took pelters on here. What people on here are not comprehending is the vast majority of players eligible for us via grandparent rule are English. It is just a fact. Also the players I often hear bandied around her players who quite clearly are not interested in playing for us with such evidence there in press quotes expressing England ambitions. And I have gone on record saying good on them for holding true to what their heart says and what their lifelong ambition is. That is the way international football should be. If some people choose to give them pelters it is plain daft.

Even the way ypur post is worded sums up what is wrong with the whole premise. It reads like a transfer fee is imminent. International football is not about that but sadly itappears more and more like it is.