Here is a list of all the Europen teams who have managed to qualify for a major tournament since the last time we we're there. I think It lays bare the shocking underachievement of our nationl team over the last 14 years. All we here is progress, progress, progress. What progress?.
Denmark x 4
Czech x 4
Greece x 4
Bulgaria x 1
Switzerland x 4
Portugal x 7
France x 7
Sweeden x 6
Italy x 7
Croatia x 5
Latvia x 1
Netherlands x 6
Spain x 7
Russia x 4
England x 6
Germany x 7
Poland x 4
Serbia and Montenegro x 1
Ukraine x 2
Austria x 1
Turkey x 3
Romania x 2
Rep of Ireland x 2
Serbia x 1
Slovakia x 1
Slovenia x 3
Belgium x 2
Norway x 1
Yugoslavia x 1
.
IMO We need to look to other countries.The likes of Sweeden , Portugal , Croatia and find out / understand and implement the basic structures that these nations are applying.
Our national players don't have the same movement or awareness that other national teams seem to have in abundance. I don't know if this is somthing can be taught/coached to a player in his late teens or early twenties or do the fundamentals of close control , pass and move need to be ingrained and an earlier age
I take some comfort in the next crop of youngster comming through at u 21 and u19 level but they will be another lost generation if we don't change our ways
We need new Ideas because it's blatantly obvious we dont have a clue.
Qualifiers
posted on 17/10/12
Maybe getting our independance might help it annoys me when the players cant even be bothered to sing the national anthem I dont know we have some decent players but they just seem to be lost when they put on the scottish jersey, maybe it's the manager i just don't know.
If we do gain our independance then sir Fergie should not be allowed back over the border unless he takes the reins with the Scottish team..................................
................................................ that owt to help us and get wee Jim Mclean out there with him to sort these feckers oot
posted on 17/10/12
sir Fergie should not be allowed back over the border unless he takes the reins with the Scottish team
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Don't think even he could get this lot to a tournament.
There's a reason he's said he wouldn't touch the job with a barge pole.
posted on 17/10/12
db, i'd say Fergie is too old now maybe anyway, i'm not sure if thats how he'd want to end his career. Pulling his hair out with the national squad, but he has done everything in club football, and with the wealth of Man City now it could be the perfect time for him to walk away. Surely it must cross his mind, it's the only challange left for him really
posted on 17/10/12
Would be interesting to see what he could do, if anyone could get this sorry lot to a tournament then maybe it's him but I still can't see him taking the job.
Why jump out of a Lambourghini into a Lada?
posted on 17/10/12
db, i can't see him taking it either really if i'm honest, i find it hard not to like Levein, he transformed United when we were at rock bottom and we are still seeing the benefits now, turning out decent youth's constantly but i'm not sure if things are working out well enough for him to stay on, i feel a bit sorry for him really but i do think he'll be gone now. But at least Houston can give us his full attention now, every cloud and that not really sure who could take over maybe Strachan right enough. It would be great if Fergie just decided to do it There would be no players deciding when 'they' felt like playing for the national squad then!!!! The one thing i will hold against Levein though is bringing in all these foreigners to play for Scotland though, who on earth is Phillips??? There seems to be players coming in to every game who i've never heard of Wonder how many of the national squad will be allowed to vote on the biggest decision for made in Scotland for 300 years
posted on 17/10/12
" i find it hard not to like Levein....... i'm not sure if things are working out well enough for him to stay on"
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"not working out well enough" ? The understatement of the epoch
Were at rock bottom under this Nostradamus of world football. Anyone with an ounce of self respect would put the interests of the Scottish Football team and fans first, Not cling on by their fingernails with embarassing sound bites
posted on 17/10/12
You cannot deny what Levein done at tannadice, that is why i like the man I'm not sure sacking him is going to do any good either to be honest.
posted on 17/10/12
Have him back with all our blessings
posted on 17/10/12
erm, we'll just stick with Houston the noo thanks................
.................well if he gets his finger oot anyway
posted on 18/10/12
I'm sure Levein will go now and going on results he can't really argue.
What I will say though is that having been to the first two games and watching these players in the flesh, I can say with some conviction they just as much to blame. They have very limited skill levels. They struggle to trap a ball, pass a ball, cross a ball and panic as soon as they are put under any pressure.
You can't blame the manager for a lack of skill at international level, he can't buy anyone else, he can only work with what he has.
Usually we have at least one absolute diddy team in a group meaning easy points and us never finishing bottom. But in this group every team is capable of beating us and that is truly scary considering none of them are exactly footballing powerhouses. Belgium are on the up for sure but they are not Spain, Germany, Italy or Brazil.
Apart from Wales every team in this group is technically far far superior to us. The individual skill levels of even Macedonia are light years ahead of ours.
Also, why oh why do we persist with Gary Caldwell (50 caps!!!!!) he is never right side of his man, always too tight and gives away foul after foul. Never been a player and never will be. Andy Webster is at least solid if nothing else.