Dullard Bluteau

That's debatable of course, but however unlike today when the EPL pays the highest salaries, to earn the top money for a pro in those days, it was best to go to Italy or Spain. I`m surprised such a highly rated player wasn't tempted.

The Celtic team of the late 60s early 70s when they were either the best or one of the very best teams in Europe, contained probably the last world class Scots players, like Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Murdoch, Tommy Gemmell. Since then, very few could be described thus, hence no-one attracting the attention of teams like Real, Juventus, etc. Almost every country, small or not, has subsequently produced players of such ability to star on the world stage, like Hagi, Cruyff, Platini, Boniek, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan, Laudrup, Stoichov, van Himst, excluding the obvious large countries like Spain, Italy, France, Russia and Germany etc. Unfortunately its been decades since we were able to despatch foreign opposition on a regular basis, which is probably when we really did have world class players compared to them. Perhaps Dalglish has come closest in recent memory having a great career at home and in England, although why he never played abroad is a mystery if he was that good.

I was recently in Valencia for a weekend with the good lady and had hoped to get even an outside view of the famous Mestalla stadium. Fortunately there was a league match scheduled for the Saturday lunchtime (vs Legranes) which allowed us to attend a La Liga match from the incredibly high stands behind the goal for a princely 15 Euros (£20 to watch Saints by comparison) I wouldn't normally try and persuade my partner to watch a game but the atmosphere before the match with both coaches arriving and a brass band welcoming the Valencia players to the stadium was enough to convince the dear lady that two hours sitting in the sunshine would be decent compensation if the game turned out to be less than exciting. Neednt have worried though, a 3-0 home win kept the stadium and the 39,800 fans, us included, entertained. The other local team , Levante, whom I didn't realise are also in the top division, were playing the next day but the 4 hours or so at the Mestalla was more than enough to dare when broaching the subject of football, lol. Apparently the stadium is on its last legs as a new one has been in construction for several years, but for aficionados of atmospheric grounds, its one not to be missed.

Souness as lived the vast majority of his life in England, got the chance to manage Rangers and then fled back home after a couple of years. Why his opinions on our game should even be considered baffles me. He has no interest nor knowledge and if he were Scotland manager would undoubtedly flood the team with Anglos. I don't doubt he was a decent player in his day, but a poor sportsman on the field. As for a hard man, lol. I can think of a dozen off the top of my head who wouldn't see him in their way.

Jimmy Johnstone.

The above, and the old "waiting for any kind of contact before going down". Now pardon me if I am mistaken but I was always under the impression that in order to win a penalty you had to be fouled inside the box, not just tackled, or even brushed against. Have the rules changed ?

Rarely works out for UK players abroad, maybe best to come home to Scotland and start again.

Surely this guy has played his last game for Scotland. Completely out his depth at this level and should never have been capped in the first place.

No, he has not voiced an opinion on either of these players. The old firm are of little consequence to a Saints fan, other than stealing most of our fan base.

I know you are deliberately misunderstanding my points, however I stress that I don't hate non -Scots, I just want our team to be Scots and preferably Scottish league based. You don't concur with this of course but its only my opinion. As for the other poster who reckons I don't go to football (and who didn't know about Scotsport, lol) it may only be Saints that I watch but at least I go and pay my money without subscribing to satellite companies. I know England also make use of the so-called Granny rule, its not done them much good either yet. Bet they don't use any Scots though. This whole thing is becoming so tedious now. I have merely said that I don't approve of Englishmen playing for Scotland. I know the rules say that its permissible, I just don't agree. This is neither racism or xenophobia, any more than most fans hoping our nearest rivals lose any match they are involved in.

OK we are never going to agree on this, no point in getting abusive. My view is that only Scots should represent the national team, whereas you believe that people with Scots ancestors should get the chance. Fair enough, you have the rules on your side, I accept that. Would you concede though, that since we started using non Scots, we are even farther away from reaching any major tournaments ? I`m not blaming this solely on English (and lets face it ALL the ringers are English) players but could it be a coincidence that the fire has left the national team at times ?

Just out of interest, how would you describe an Englishman who prefers to represent Scotland instead of his own country ? Perhaps traitor was a wee bit strong on my part, and I am certainly not a xenophobe. The English, even when they pick their best players, are always found wanting in International football so why would we be wanting cast-offs with even less to offer ? Why not, by your thinking, recruit Spanish/Portuguese/Italians etc as they are not Scottish either ?

I would rather have a Portuguese playing for us than an English traitor , that's for sure. As for McGregor, whilst he doesn't always start for Celtic, he has European Cup experience and plays at the top level in his own country. Presumably you would prefer an English second division nonentity to supplement his cv by masquerading as a "Scot" ?

I admit to having never seen this player in action (seems he isn't in action very much anyway) but isn't this the ultimate in clutching at straws by speculating that any player who manages to get a game in a half decent league must automatically be considered for an International call-up for Scotland ? Its the same with more or less any player who plays for an EPL team (whether Scottish or not) that it follows he ought to be capped. What about McGregor at Celtic ? as far as I know he is actually a Scot and playing for the league champions, surely he must be in line for a call up ?

Lol, nice one

Surely he is Scottish , so he will want to come back here and play in his own country, wont he ?

Decent player at club level but completely out his depth against internationalists. Game v England proved that, and they are one of the weakest teams.

Surely as a good "Scotsman" if he is unsettled in Germany he would want to came home to Scotland ?

Quite apart from his total unsuitability for this job and his very tainted background, it yet again proves how little the SFA consider the fans when decisions like this are made. The fact that Strachan is still in a job defies belief, as does Regan still being there. Does he not have to answer for continuous failure of the national team to qualify for major tournaments ? My utter contempt for all things SFA go back as far as 1977 when, in preparation for the World Cup in Argentina, they arranged to play Chile in the notorious National stadium. Despite outrage from most people and MPs and Trade Unions, the team disgraced themselves by playing where many innocent people had been murdered. Of course, any principled player would have refused such a request, not so Messrs Dalglish, Gemmill, Macari et al . That rather sums up much of the football fraternity, or "good football men" as they like to refer to themselves. Things that matter to normal people seem to be of no consequence to professional footballers. In much the same way that certain "pundits" (that's a laugh) like to give their mates a leg up and insist that Mackay has "done his time" and therefore deserves a job back in football. I sincerely hope, and moreover, fully expect that Mackay is a failure in this post. The trouble is that how will we know this, as everyone else is failing and has done for decades, whilst being allowed to continue apace.