BB_Bino

Yip, he has that in him. Wish the lad well, honestly I do, and at the end of the day, it’s only my opinion.

Must admit, when I saw Robertson & Lynch, I thought “they’d both have done a job for us”…then when I read Weir, I had to laugh. I’ve been critical of Weir since he joined Stirling, he’s a big lad and it’s a little bit embarrassing having someone that size in goals at this level. His physique makes a mockery of those players who really look after themselves. Does he have the ability to back it up……I’m not sure he does, he’s slow at getting down and is hesitant at coming for crosses. Although he had spells as First Choice Goalkeeper at the end of each season, he was probably never first choice here, so maybe playing weekly will get him in shape and will sharpen up the slackness. You can only hope because Weir is another top lad, who deserves a good crack at it. Wish him well at Edinburgh!!

The moaners will be happy now https://www.stirlingalbionfc.co.uk/season-tickets-2/

No offence intended, but I’m still struggling to get excited about it….but here we are:

Although I've got experience of this during my youth (i'm in my 40's now....sadly), I have to say that in my experiences over the last 10 years or so, this has become less. Although it happens, of course it does, I do feel that in academies now, 16+ tend to be more focused and professional than in years gone by. This probably ties in with the surge in gym culture that the country has seen during this period. A lot more players are coming through now that don't drink, and they look after themselves physically and track what they do and what they eat, more than ever before. A lot of clubs are providing players with supplements and vitamins, again, this has not always been the case and "back in the day" these would have probably have been put in the cupboard and never touched, or even left on the tables but players are taking them. Don't get me wrong, teenagers will always been teenagers, many will rebel and many will have negative influences in their life but in that, many more are focused on making it and looking after themselves and getting into good habits.

Meh…..really surprise he has got another League 1 gig if I’m being honest. Wasn’t great when he was with us, wasn’t poor either, just very meh. Going by Stranraer posters on here, he wasn’t much better when he went there on loan for the end of the season.

It didn’t, but for all those players, there’s more Scott Allan’s, Botti Biabi’s, Jude Smith’s and Islam Feruz’s than success stories, which makes me wonder if they are better developing up here and going down the road as an established player, like McGinn, like Christie, like Tierney, like Robertson etc etc.

You're 100% spot on GordonS. I posted in one of the Steve Clarke threads that I have been involved in Youth Development for about 17 years now and you really do see it all. Whoever people blame for not developing youth, it doesn't really come down to the SFA in my view, but our society as a whole, and it definitely comes down to the volunteers that you refer too, and the parents. Here's what I posted: I think until clubs sign up to a charter on how best to develop players, it will never really happen........and getting all the clubs to agree will definitely never happen. In all the years I have been watching Scottish Football, I do genuinely believe we are on the best road that we have been in during that time, but I will never sit here and say we couldn't do so much better. You referenced the amount of players who came through the English system, if I was Billy Gilmour's Dad, I don't know if I do think that's for the best for a child of that age......I really don't know. What I do know is that people put a lot of time and effort into doing it, but sadly I believe that they put the time and effort into the wrong areas, by and large.

Totally agree, every squad at every level needs a refresh every few years, that's why the likes of Alex Ferguson stay at the top for a long time as well as they know when to do it, even if it means cutting fans favourites. I'm reading the names of those that others think needed booted and I don't disagree with it, what I would say is that we probably need refreshed across the board, but the players need to be identified first. The Nations League, as difficult as it's going to be, needs to be used for that and the ideas and "new blood" need to be bedded in before the World Cup Qualifiers kick off in 2025. Of the current squad, I think you build around Gunn, Tierney, Hickey, Patterson, Porteous, Henry, Gilmour, McTominay and Ferguson and your lead by Robertson & McGinn. Other players like Christie, McGregor, Adams etc etc to be there but maybe have less of a reliance, and you look to blood Conway, Doak, Johnston, Doig, Barron and Milller. There's 20 players already and that's without even mentioning you Back Up Goalkeepers (Clark and a Youngster for me), and the likes of Dykes, Shankland, Soutter, Armstrong etc etc who still have a couple of campaigns in them.

The guy is an absolute charlatan, hopefully his time with the national squad is up. I've heard reports over the years that he's a great coach, that might be the case, but he has done nothing to enhance our set play imho.

Oh well.......that'll be that then!

Very strange post, as this is exactly what is being done at Grassroots level. Our youngsters play non-competitive 4 aside, non-competitive 5 aside, non-competitive 7 aside, non-competitive 9 aside then at the age of 12/13 move into competitive 11 aside on full size pitches. You also have companies such as Coerver & Box Soccer making a fortune in hammering home the message of ball mastery and providing the ethos to some of the countries biggest academies, including Rangers and Hearts, and who knows how many 1-1 or Small Group training companies have popped up over the years, working on skills. Go on ANY SFA coaching course on the youth pathway, and they'll hammer home the message that young players should be exposed to equal game time in every position, that they should be comfortable on the ball and that we should be playing a modern brand of football etc etc, however if coaches go back to their teams and implement something different or decide to stick to the old Scottish traditions then there's nothing the SFA can do about that, out with the performance schools. In 17 years of working in grassroots and youth development football, I've met some of the worst people with the worst attitudes, but I have also met some of the best. The SFA have no control, they can only tell you what they would like but ultimately it's up to the teams and clubs on what they do. The leagues, follow what the SFA tell them, so again, not much they can do either. Where I would agree with your statement is in Goalkeeping. We've got boys 2ft 0 standing in full sized goals at 9 a-side and in 1st and 2nd year at High School football, why?? Have a look on any grassroots advertising pages on Facebook and you'll see a lack of keepers throughout the age group....no wonder, the position is completely overlooked throughout, then when a lot of kids decide they would like to do it, they're stuck in full sized goals, shots go over their heads and they walk away from the game/position. I have raised this point with Fraser Stewart (SFA Head of Goalkeeping) via 3 different emails since 2018 and still await a reply on the reason why.....although the SFA Officer in my area informs me it's due to lack of facilities. A few years back, there was a big shift in Youth Development in this country, it may have been under Malky Mackay's time or it may have been slightly before, but they called it Project Brave. It be honest, in my opinion the SFA tried to implement good things, they tried to move away from all the stereotypes but they can only do so much. If a grassroot coach doesn't give a young player all the tools to put in his toolbag to use on a match day, then that's down to the coach (and you've got to question why they are involved in the first place)......however if the parent can also see this happening from the sidelines then they can also intervene and move that young footballer to another team who do (they must take some responsibility in the decision makings) although believe it or not, I have probably come across more parents that encourage the stereotypical behaviours than discourage it. The amount of young players that move around clubs because they are winning, is frightening. Their own development is overlooked for the short term success, also, the amount of clubs that just want to recruit players rather than develop them, just to send them to big academies, is also frightening. Anyone involved in grassroots football will know how much of a thankless task it is, and anyone involved will have seen exactly this, again, the SFA can't control this imho. You also get the older ages groups, the u20's & u18's, a large number of the players that make it to this level, pro-youth or otherwise, are very good technical players. Comfortable on the ball and well drilled in playing. Very often on a Friday night or Sunday, I'll watch players where I just don't get why they are not in and about the First Team. I've watched u20's on a Friday night and watched better football than the First Team on a Saturday, yet every summer these squads are emptied and the next crop come through and the cycle repeats. First Team managers in this country simply don't give (enough) kids an opportunity, but I will leave this part for another day. I'm not saying the SFA are perfect and do no wrong, I don't believe that at all. However, I think they are trying to do the right things but are restricted because they have no real power over the clubs and how they are run.

The addition of Roy is, wait and see for me. Potentially it could be really really good but as has been said above, he’s career has been a bit of a mixed bag. When he was with our u18’s, I was fortunate enough to have seen quite a bit of that side, and he was a standout player. When the move to Hearts came about, I wasn’t surprised and expected him to kick on. He’s had a number of clubs since then, and hasn’t set the heather alight by the look of things. What I would say though, is that he really impressed me at Forthbank last season in the 2-0 defeat against Alloa. If that’s his levels now, then he’ll be a good addition. It goes without saying that I hope this turns out to be the case.

I was on my L3 Goalkeeping course with Scott Findlay a few years ago, he was coaching at St.Johnstone at the time (may even still be) and he raved about Sinclair, said he had a big future in the game.

I wondered if that would be an option for Maybury as well, Left Backs appear to be in short supply and he also did well at this level with Peterhead. I would have thought he'd be someone in his thoughts and I think it would be another positive signing.

100% this, couldn't believe it and know if it was me lying there, I wouldn't want the world seeing it

Happy with the signing of Harley Ewen. Like Denham, I've never seen him play however he's at a good age and has come from a good back ground in the game and has experienced the pressures of First Team football in the Lowland League. Cumbernauld Colts had a successful season again last year and with him coming away with the Player of the Year award, is really positive and I suspect he probably wasn't short of offers. I said it a month or so ago, that I suspect this squad will be more Youthful and will be made up of people from SPL and Championship Development squads and that does seem to be the case so far, but it's good that the 2 brought in so far also have First Team experience.

Looks like the rumours were true, no idea how he managed to get that move after his displays for us, but fair play to the lad. Definitely a decent lower league player, but SPL……can’t see it.

Totally agree with you Piehutt, but just to be clear on my post above regarding the fear of losing the identities of each sport, I should have stressed that this would be if the SFA moved to Murrayfield, and it's why I don't think it will ever happen. It probably won't be in my lifetime, but if the point comes where both grounds are in serious disrepair that the 2 parties will sit down to discuss things in their own interest, however at the moment the SRU would probably only be interested in renting Murrayfield to the SFA and the SFA won't consider that, which is why they ultimately bought Hampden off Queens Park a few years back.

Are we going through......I believe we have a chance, but we've got to see the same level of team performance as last night. Sure, a couple of players weren't firing on all cylinders and Ralston looked out of his depth, but if we can come with that type of energy and fight, then we have a chance and that's what we want. The lack of goal scorer still worries me, I'm in the Shankland camp but I totally get why others aren't, but ultimately, we don't really have a front runner who will guarantee us a goal every few games..... but I'm not sure we have ever had that in my time following the national team.

I'm really not sure it's their own importance that stop these things from happening, I think it's the identity and the importance of each others sport is what they fear losing. Hampden is a problem for the SFA. As someone who has only missed only 1 Scotland game there in nearly 20 years, the problem is glaringly obvious and it's one that probably won't be sorted in my life time (And I'm 43). You could live in the past, if only the South Stand was built all the way round, we should get the same amount of money as England and Wales did etc etc, it's all things I have heard for years. At the end of the day, it is what it is, there's no money to change it to what the beaks or the fans would want...so we just have to live with it. I just hope someone somewhere is squirrelling away money so we can do something in time, but I suspect that's not happening either.

Delighted to see a new signing join, and one with a good grounding in the game. The rebuild has now started and although I don't know anything about Sam Denham as a player, he's obviously a player that Maybury knows well and someone that the East Fife fans on here talk highly of, so it would appear to be a positive signing. Having experience of a torn acl myself, I have first hand experience of how life has been for the lad and I really feel for him and hope he's over it. There's sure to be some mental hangups with it, especially when that first hard tackle comes in or awkward fall from a ball in the air happens, but I hope he can get his career back on track and does well for the club. As for Chris White leaving, just seems to be another young lad who has failed to make the step up and has left to better his career, like many before him. Like all the young lads that leave the club, I wish him well and hope he can build himself up to have a decent career in the game, in the lower leagues at least. I suspect Callum Law has also gone, so we have no young Goalkeepers at the club, who have been in or aroudn the First Team?? Haven't read anywhere that Bud has left the club, but it wouldn't come as a huge surprise to find out that this has happened. The last member of the backroom staff standing, and another that publicly supported Stuart Brown a few seasons ago. Sad news if true, I've had various conversation with players who rate him highly as a coach and obviously he was a big character around the club, who did a lot to raise the spirits of the supporters and our young fans. Maybury might just want his own Coaching Team and that's fine, but no doubt that Bud will be a loss to the club and I hope he can find another gig somewhere soon.....or maybe he can now take that backseat and enjoy watching his own sons play on a Saturday.

I'm not sure I totally agree with this but I can see where you are coming from. What I would say though, is that I'm not sure he knew too much about the tackle or gave it any thought at all. I think he simply reacted. He was under pressure, saw the ball to be won and just reacted. I was a Goalkeeper when I played, and was lucky enough to play at a decent amateur level and have been in similar situations many a time, where the ball had been rattled around the 6 yard box like that and you're just doing what you can to stop the shot and ultimate clearing the ball if it breaks. You don't have time to think, especially when you are at that level, on that occasion playing against a team as quick as the Germans. I have to be honest and say that initially, I wasn't sure Porteous was good enough to play for Scotland, but after his performances he prove me wrong and I actually think he is one of our best Defenders. Yes, he has made a mistake on this occasion but turning it into the same foray as the English did with Beckham, doesn't sit comfortably with me. The whole "the man is a disgrace and should never play for Scotland again" line is trotted all over social media and here, and I find it uncalled for. The lad reacted and made a mistake, a mistake that I'm sure he regretted straight away. He has shown to be a good player at International level and in a position that we are struggling in quality on, can we really afford to banish someone for it?? I don't think we are, and I don't think that we should either. Just my 2 pence worth.

What frustrates me more than anything is that Clarke hasn't even tried it. He had qualifiers that didn't matter, to do it, and friendlies to try things out....and he still didn't do it. Baffles me. What baffles me even more is that under Strachan, KT looked really comfortable in at Right Back and from memory, was Man of the Match, playing in that position, against England. There is a lot to be critical about over that era but I actually thought that he managed to solve the KT and Robertson dilemma pretty well by putting him there. The second game in a major tournament isn't the time to be ripping up the plans and trying new things out, however, knowing for some time that our first and second choice Right Backs probably weren't going to make it, I would have expected him to at least try it.

Just read the news on Facebook and came on here to post that I am delighted with the news and slightly relieved if I'm being honest. I don't think Geeks stands on testament, I genuinely believe there's a good player there that still offers a lot at this level and is a good addition to the squad, on and off the field.