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Who's that?

You're right, I didn't watch any of the Valencia game. I was speaking about KT in general and my comments weren't based around his performance against Valencia. They were based around previous games he's played for Real Sociedad up to the game against Barcelona last week and his performances for Scotland. I agree with you in the sense that he plays quite a defensive role for Sociedad. They don't really get the benefit Scotland do in terms of his strengths going forward in terms of carrying the ball.

I saw Barron's name mentioned in the papers/social media. I'm sure there'll be some interest from Scotland, but just have to wait and see whether that materializes in the form of a call up. It might not mean anything beyond Scotland getting details around fitness if he's on the standby list or it might mean he's brought a long ala Gilmour, Patterson and Turnbull last Euro's. It was reported that Scotland are doing fitness for duty checks this week. It just depends on what Clarke wants to do with the extra three spaces. I think there will be at least one player who is unexpected, a young player or maybe someone a bit more senior - maybe both. https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/12696085/scotland-steve-clarke-euro-2024-aberdeen-connor-barron/

Don't get your hopes up.

Such a good efficient passer. Just a quality player, doesn't make many mistakes. Brilliant defender too.

KT starting tonight against Valencia.

I think Steve Clarke mentioned a while back that Ben Doak would be given time to develop. If you're looking for someone's word to take.

Sorry m8, I normally do that. Not to suit an agenda, just to highlight the part I am responding to. I can put it back in if you prefer.

4 keepers? am i reading that right? I see Germany's first XI against France and The Netherlands were identical and those 11 are in this squad.

In either case Celtic are the ones in control. They need to dip for Rangers to succeed. Rangers fans don't accept this reality, expect too much and work against their own interests. Rangers are performing to sane expectations. The fans want them to perform above that consistently causing instability, pressure, grief and churn. The 'big' club phenomenon. Maybe similar dynamics to Leeds or Man Utd, id need to check that though.

Only an implosion from Celtic will allow Ranger in. How do we know this? The head to head record basically. Rangers struggle to beat Celtic. If Celtic drop points to the diddy teams then it gives Rangers an opportunity to make up some ground. To win the League this year, one where Celtic were pretty shite they would have had to have been close to perfect against the diddy teams. Rangers lost to Ross County, Motherwell, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock while drawing against Aberdeen and Dundee. What I'm saying is that Celtic need to dip and Rangers need to be at a maximum to win the league as things are presently. Celtic dipped, but Rangers weren't at a maximum or couldn't sustain a maximum for long enough is maybe more accurate.

VAR won't be removed from the EPL imo. Amendments will be made to it and further steps will be taken to try to address concerns. At the end of the day VAR in itself does lead to positive outcomes in terms of decision making. It needs refined, not withdrawn. I don't think many of the points raised by Wolves were that strong personally, nothing we haven't heard before - nothing that can't be improved.

Both. The fans are hampering the club from delivering what they want in the future because they are attempting to deliver something that can't be delivered today. Does that clear it up? So they'll sack Clement if he can't achieve the impossible task of surpassing Celtic in the short term under pressure from the fans even though he isn't the issue. I can't understand why Clement took the job. He's a good manager with a good CV. He's on to a major loser with this job. I don't think he can succeed with the fan expectations versus club capabilities. Rangers fans would need to accept their place in the Scottish football pecking order as simply not the best and they can't, they just can't accept that. It's too big a humiliation.

I posted on this thread some time ago that the fans are the primary problem at Rangers. They expect what cannot be delivered at Rangers thereby hampering any attempts in the longer term to get back where they want to be. The biggest hurdle Rangers need to overcome is by far and away their own fans which is basically hilarious. The manager is good, the board try to pander to the fans - what a delightful mess. I mentioned this months ago Clement is already entering the last chance saloon. He has to win against Celtic either in the cup final (not likely) or at Celtic Park next season (not likely). He has to turn the squad over, maybe wheel and deal through the summer with limited funds to get his merry men into a position where they can present a challenge against most likely a stronger Celtic next year. There is the added pressure of Celtic getting #55. Some laugh this is.

Rangers are just a bigger version of Hearts. Celtic will get stronger next season under Rodgers. Ranger's will be restricted in the transfer market by comparison. Rangers can sneak in when Celtic dip, we saw that this season - you've missed a massive opportunity this year and you'll not get the chance next season. Clement will be sacked for not being a winner and the show will continue.

You really do talk some shite to be fair SD, fair play to you for that - I can respect that. What if Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland all play to their maximum? in fact, don't answer that. Off you go.

This is what Steve Clarke said when asked by Tom English why he thinks Scotland haven’t ever qualified from the group stage at a major tournament if it’s not a talent issue given the players we had in previous generations. I agree with it. Supporters/media will big up a Scottish player like Shankland because they are exposed to him all the time, but happily dismiss the Hungarian or say Swiss equivalent. That's normal and natural, no one's going into depth on other teams - that's Clarke's job, but still causes an an issue in terms of expectations as there's a knowledge gap if you base your expectations solely on what you have player wise. I think you're falling into that particular trap @Butters Scotch.

Our coach is good, but even he said it's not just about what Scotland have available to them player wise in his recent interview with Tom English. He said fans only look at what's in their team and don't really bother focusing on what their opponents have. It was the part with the discussion around Scotland teams from the 80's that weren't successful. I haven't transcribed it so don't have the quote to hand.

Yes. That's one of many tools in the belt that I have at my disposal. It can help me to secure a dominant position.

What's your basis for thinking that? It's based on what we have player wise? anything else?

Don't see anything wrong with it personally. I see myself as an open mouthed chewer. I like it, I love to really get stuck into eating my food, making a real mess with it and cause a minor scene. I like people in my proximity to know and feel that I'm eating and enjoying it. I see closed mouth chewers as quite fussy people who are probably passive aggressive and overly mannerly. If you're looking for a generalisation I'd say the kind of people that would hang around Gourock rather than Greenock would be one that fits the bill.

Danish Superliga is interesting with three games to go. Brondby play Nordsjaelland tonight and Copenhagen play Midtjylland tomorrow. Sturm Graz can win the Austrian Bundesliga on Sunday if they beat Austria Klagenfurt. The first time since 2012-13 a team other than RB Salzburg have won it.

That sounds like a graft mate. Weighing up the pro's and cons of which game to attend and so on. Going to games you aren't that bothered to be at to keep you in a good position for games that you do want to be at - fair play for the commitment.

Maybe on paper. Hungary have with that group of players managed under Marco Rossi to hold their own against pot-1 nations. Scotland are still on a journey to reach that level. Hungary have survived a season in UEFA Nations League A. Scotland are still on that journey too. This is the Hungarians 3rd successive European Championship (2nd under Rossi) compared to Scotland's two under Clarke. I think there's a strong case that they're a bit further along in their journey than Scotland are and therefore a team that we'll be doing quite well to beat. Added to that they're not missing any key players from the squad they announced.