Match Thread (International) Scotland V Gibraltar (6 - 1)

[ChutneyLove]

Anyone going to this pish? I have missed out the Norn Irn game purposely, because that will be even pisher with 10 subs for each team.

[Tommy]

Butterfly's in my stomach already.

Hud me back.

[Pudgie]

I'm expecting a cuntload of call off's. Haven't been to a competitive Scotland game in yonks and I can't see that changing any time soon. I just wish I could look at the squad and recognise all the players. There's a wee bit too much lower league England based players for my liking.

[dave_min]

Fuck y'all haters, I'll be there cheering on Broonie and the rest of the boys.

 

We'll be coming...

[BrianFaePerth]

12-0 Scotland

 

Scotland as a team will play the game of their lives and run out as deserved 2-1 winners.

[dj_bollocks]

 

Scotland as a team will play the game of their lives and run out as deserved 2-1 winners.

 

Is the correct answer. Dare I say that the Gibraltar games will be the reason we don't quality, not because we'll lose them but because we won't bang enough goals in against them...

[dave_min]

Is the correct answer. Dare I say that the Gibraltar games will be the reason we don't quality, not because we'll lose them but because we won't bang enough goals in against them...

I doubt Gibraltar are good enough to be head-to-head with Scotland for qualification.

[The Boofon]

 

Is the correct answer. Dare I say that the Gibraltar games will be the reason we don't quality, not because we'll lose them but because we won't bang enough goals in against them...

 

 

I doubt Gibraltar are good enough to be head-to-head with Scotland for qualification.

 

 

Indeed.

 

Goals against the bottom side don't count towards GD for qualification.

 

3 points is all that's required. Doesn't matter if it's 1-0 or 101-0.

[RAZOR]

I'm going with bells on.

 

Broony Broony Broony!

 

Jordon Rhoades to score a barrel full.

[dj_bollocks]

Indeed.

 

Goals against the bottom side don't count towards GD for qualification.

 

3 points is all that's required. Doesn't matter if it's 1-0 or 101-0.

 

Oh well that's a relief - is it head to head or something like that ? You know it's never going to be simple with Scotland… Unless you factor in Mark McGhee, you know...

[bruceg1978]

First competitive home game I have missed in years but im refusing point blank to pay that sort of prices for a match like this. Fair enough against Germany, Poland and Ireland but no way should they be charging these prices for Gibralter and Georgia.

[Bamber]

C'mon the fraggles

[fine-n-dandy]

First competitive home game I have missed in years but im refusing point blank to pay that sort of prices for a match like this. Fair enough against Germany, Poland and Ireland but no way should they be charging these prices for Gibralter and Georgia.

Haven't attended ANY of the home games this campaign.

Complete rip off.

Season/campaign tickets up about £100 on the last one

 

Fans are just seen as a cash cow to them. No interest in filling the stadium but are happy to take in the same cash for less fans in the ground.

 

New management & improved belief in them was perfect chance to attract new/more to games.

 

Still attend away games because other FA's are mostly treating the fans with more respect. Plus it's a good holiday/piss up.

[Ke1t]

Meh...

 

Scotland vs Gibralter.

 

No doubt a tedious and hard fought 2 - 0 against a pub team of expats.

 

...then again, Scotland might win instead, who knows.

[ericblack4boss]

Aye we will struggle to a slender win

 

Acronym Scotland,

Smaller countries often take lead against nervous defence.

[Ke1t]

scotland - second class oiks take loads anally...nd.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Hope we go all out attack in this for a laugh. Rhodes must start. This match is ideal. James Forrest for me isn't an international player and he wouldn't be in my usual squad but I think he could fair run riot against posties.

[fine-n-dandy]

Hope we go all out attack in this for a laugh. Rhodes must start. This match is ideal. James Forrest for me isn't an international player and he wouldn't be in my usual squad but I think he could fair run riot against posties.

Forrest is pish. Over rated because he's a tim.

They will cash in on him soon enough & he will be found out.

 

He's also got no neck. Been patted on the head by too many priests imo.

[Guest RosemountRed]

International fitba pls go away.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Real Madrid's Jack Harper not good enough to be picked for the under 18s. Described as a luxury player by Ricky Sbragia who would prefer strength and running. Says it all about the state of our coaching.

 

Harper not good enough for the under 18s but Declan McManus in the under 21s......

[Henry]

Real Madrid's Jack Harper not good enough to be picked for the under 18s. Described as a luxury player by Ricky Sbragia who would prefer strength and running. Says it all about the state of our coaching.

 

Harper not good enough for the under 18s but Declan McManus in the under 21s......

 

Aye, strange one. Seems like Sbragia is going for the lump it forward approach.

 

 

Real Madrid youngster Jack Harper has been snubbed by Scotland Under-19s manager Ricky Sbragia because he is a 'luxury' player who isn't big enough.

The young Scots travel to play three games against Austria, Italy and Croatia in the UEFA Under-19s Championship.

Highly-rated forward Harper who has netted three goals for Real Madrid in this season's UEFA Youth League, is midway through a five-year deal at the Bernabeu, and can count former club legend Zinedine Zidane as one of his coaches.

He's already been linked with a move to both Liverpool and Manchester United, but that hasn't been enough to earn him a spot in the squad, despite playing in the qualifiers in Lithuania.

However, former Sunderland boss Sbragia has explained it's nothing personal with the 19-year-old, he's just gone for a more physical approach, despite Harper standing at over 6ft tall.

Sbragia explained: 'Our concentration is on the opening game with Austria and we've deliberately got more height in our squad. That's one of the reasons why Jack isn't in.

'Unfortunately, I don't see enough of him in action. The last time he was with us, he did OK, but I wanted a little more impact. At Real Madrid he can float all over the place, which he does. But with us, he has to be more disciplined.

'He's an exceptionally gifted lad, but sometimes we can't carry him. He can be a luxury sometimes. In some cases, if it's going well, he can be a good luxury.'

Jack Harper: I offered Gareth Bale help settling at Real Madrid

But the ex-Manchester United reserve team coach still believes Harper has a big future ahead of him. Sbragia stressed: 'Listen, Jack's time will come. The last time I spoke to him, he wanted to really settle in at Real Madrid and find a place there. That's been a big thing for him.

'I've gone with the boys I've seen most in the last six months. We keep tabs on Jack and see video clips of him. We have people over there who keep their eye on him.

'There are others I've left out like Dominic Thomas at Motherwell who will have gripes that they're not in the squad.

'But I've picked a group of 18 which will hopefully do well for us. It's my opinion and I'm not saying it's right. But the squad I've picked is an extremely strong one.

'I can only pick 18 when I really could have picked 26 or 27. I've gone for a physical side and runners. Hopefully I'm right.

'It's purely tactical and there certainly hasn't been a lack of enthusiasm from Jack about playing for Scotland.'

[rumpus]

Without going to the trouble and finding out myself, has it been confirmed where we'll play Gibralter in away game?

 

Fancy that one like....

[Sonoftherock]

Depressing interview from Sbragia.. one of the major reasons that England are failing to produce many top players these days - too much focus producing young players with above average height, strength and physicality.

[Guest RosemountRed]

That interview with Sbragia is f*cking grim, what an absolute balloon.

 

We have more height in our team YASSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! Never realized we were playing basketball.

[fine-n-dandy]

Without going to the trouble and finding out myself, has it been confirmed where we'll play Gibralter in away game?

 

Fancy that one like....

Faro

[Sonoftherock]

From Graham Hunter - the guy who wrote the Barca book:

 

 

“Quality is never a luxury. High technique is never a luxury. If the coach has an issue with Jack’s work rate he should a] tell him in private b] help alter that.

“Personally, having seen how Jack plays, understanding his will to play for Scotland, and having suffered too long without Scotland having sufficient high quality players in our playing pool I think this is a retrograde step, almost impossible to understand and extremely disappointing.

“This coach isn’t in a full-time club job, and one of the complaints of all who coach at international level is the lack of day-to-day contact with players.

“What they DO have is time. Time to study, time to follow players’ development. If Ricky hasn’t seen a lot of Jack … then WHY not?

“Games in the Madrid youth system are easy to follow, there’s no reason not to have taken in five or six of them in person or via a scout.

“If the decision not to include Jack based on power and height etc seems retrograde and the lack of ‘eyes on’ the player, to me, is totally inexplicable. The coach, ultimately, must take big decisions and I respect his right to do that.

“But in this case I strongly disagree with the criteria upon which this one has been made Spain have just spent eight years, 2006-2014 dominating senior and youth football with players who share Jack’s characteristics.”

What ever happened to the Scottish FA Performance Strategy of playing the best v the best?"

 

From the boys father:

 

 

“The day after Scotland announced the under-19 squad, and Jack wasn’t included, Spain were on the phone asking about his position and international status. Their national academy is just a few miles from Real Madrid’s own training ground, so they know about Jack because they watch his team often enough.

“Jack wants to play for Scotland. I’m Scottish, so is his mum and the rest of the family. He is committed to Scotland, but if nothing is happening by the time he is 21 then he will have a decision to make because he has a life and a career to fulfil. Hopefully, it won’t come to that.

“To describe Jack as a ‘luxury player’ is a bit harsh. The word ‘luxury’ is a bit strong, but I have no wish to verbally assassinate the Scotland coach. He probably wishes he could back track on his choice of words because I certainly don’t believe Jack is a lazy player. He is not the type who will put in tackles all over the pitch and his game is more about passing and movement, but it’s better to let him do his talking on the football pitch.

“There have been many positives for him this season with Real Madrid. He has played and scored in the youth elite level for the club in the Champions League and that has helped his confidence. He is still fighting for the league and a couple of other major trophies with the club between now and the end of the season. He has still to fill out a bit, we appreciate that, but he’s already 6ft 1in and I know for a fact he will get there.”

 

To be honest stuff like this makes me more depressed than watching the latest insipid performance from the first team. If we persist with guys like Sbragia and those who share his footballing philosophy, then football is fucked in Scotland. There is no hope.

[dave_min]

Sbragia should be sacked for that.

 

Completely unforgivable.

[tup]

Harper is over six foot which makes his chat all the more bizarre.

 

We would not tolerate a youth coach at our level coming away with nonsense like that. It goes against all SFA guidelines.

[fine-n-dandy]

Kyle Lafferty, Niall McGinn and Corey Evans have minor injuries and are unlikely to be risked ahead of Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Finland.

 

Never heard anything about an injury to McGinn. Hope he doesn't come back worse.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Would take some effort for him to come back worse than the Dundee game