Steve Clarke - in/out/general discussion

[Richey Edwards]

Don't forget that this Scotland team drew with Switzerland which was a very good result IMO.

[PrestersKTID]

 feel for him a bit with that run of fixtures. He's definitely fully responsible for the Germany, Hungary and Northern ireland games but only partly in the rest imo. He can't account for individual mistakes the level we've had recently.  Lot of our bad results also coincided with not having our best xi available. Show's the squads limited depth.

The current record is a weird one because the start of the run coincided with us qualifying comfortably. We therefore played around with the team in the Norway and Georgia games. Still didn't lose. Overall it looks horrendous but looked at in isolation most are explainable.

The choice to pick friendlies against top nations is the biggest mistake for me. Wonder if that was an SFA thing or Clarke?

Maybe have 1 big team but having France, England and the dutch around the Spain game knocked the stuffing out us. Northern ireland were always going to raise their game aswell. Finland fair enough but when we were going to play 2 teams relatively the same as us at euros surely an Austria or Czech republic or sweden would've been better.

 

 

[craigkillie]

6 hours ago, bennett said:

His reaction to the abuse Kris Boyd received against left a sour taste

I'm not really sure what you mean by this? Him and Boyd did a joint press conference after both were subjected to abuse from opposite halves of the Old Firm within the space of a week or so.

[ogoftheskye]

5 hours ago, PrestersKTID said:

 feel for him a bit with that run of fixtures. He's definitely fully responsible for the Germany, Hungary and Northern ireland games but only partly in the rest imo. He can't account for individual mistakes the level we've had recently.  Lot of our bad results also coincided with not having our best xi available. Show's the squads limited depth.

I'm not sure that's true, e.g. throwing Ralston in and expecting him to play the same role as Hickey. I don't think Ralston is a terrible player, but he is limited vs Hickey. He's fared better in these past couple of games, but only because he's had better support. But at the Euros he had a mare, because Clarke stuck to the same system despite having a key player missing that was integral to it.

[Chripper]

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/andy-robertson-imagines-scotland-life-33631437

"Robertson said: “Without the gaffer and his staff, we wouldn’t have got to two major tournaments. That’s a fact. When he took over, the country wasn’t in a great place at all."

People talk about the expansion of 24 teams in the European Championships like all you have to do to qualify is to complete the qualification stage.

Scotland are currently 48th in the FIFA rankings (European ranking of 24th).

Logically, we should've been the worst team at Euro 24. Because we ARE the worst team of the 24 teams that qualified.

Steve Clarke was appointed Scotland boss on May 2019, when Scotland had a European ranking of 28.

Under Steve Clarke's tenure the worst the European rankings have been have been 29. That was four months into his tenure. The best it's been has been 17.

It wasn't too long ago before Clarke's appointment (2016) that Scotland was 33rd.

"We had a weak team back then". No we didnt. This isn't a bad squad of 21:

Darren Fletcher, Steven Fletcher, Craig Gordon, James Forrest, Scott Brown, Alan Hutton, Shaun Maloney, John McGinn, Alan McGregor, Grant Hanley, Christophe Berra, James Morrison, Kenny McLean, Steven Naismith, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Leigh Griffiths, Callum McGregor, Ryan Fraser, Stuart Armstrong, Charlie Mulgrew.

I'm proud of how the team played in the previous two European Championships.

I'm proud of the team that we're on Group A of the nations league.

Scotland deserve to be mixing it with the big boys. We are mixing it with them because of the work Steve Clarke and the players.

Failing to give Steve Clarke any credit for stabilising things and qualifying for two major tournaments, when things were as bad as they've ever been, is unknowledgeable, entitled and ungrateful.

I get it, though. The easiest thing in the world to do is shut off your brain, stop thinking and join the mass hysteria.

Humans are a herd animal. They want to be liked and they want to be valued and validated, which means they generally follow the mob instead of giving their own opinion and be open to criticism and ridicule.

F that.

Think about the big picture. Think about how bad things were before Clarke was appointed. Think about the progress that's been made, as well as the progress being made.

Think.

If you agree: Yay you!

If you disagree: I don't care. Oh. Giving me a red dot is a backhanded compliment. So, thank you.

Either way, I won't reply. This isn't up for debate.

Besides, a debate on here usually always turns into name calling and petty insults. Hard pass.

PS: Love ya, Taserface.

Edited September 10 by Chripper

[PSJ.84]

Agree with about 60% of that post. The last 40% is just wild, though. 

[Monkey Tennis]

5 hours ago, Chripper said:

I get it, though. The easiest thing in the world to do is shut off your brain

Evidently.

[Cheese]

This is the the sort of completely unhinged posting I come in here for.

 

[Old Bing]

5 hours ago, Chripper said:

Just the exact same incoherent ramblings

People say it's much easier to qualify. Indeed.

But do you know what they say that?

Its because, it's much easier to qualify.

[KirkieRR]

7 hours ago, Chripper said:

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/andy-robertson-imagines-scotland-life-33631437

"Robertson said: “Without the gaffer and his staff, we wouldn’t have got to two major tournaments. That’s a fact. When he took over, the country wasn’t in a great place at all."

People talk about the expansion of 24 teams in the European Championships like all you have to do to qualify is to complete the qualification stage.

Scotland are currently 48th in the FIFA rankings (European ranking of 24th).

Logically, we should've been the worst team at Euro 24. Because we ARE the worst team of the 24 teams that qualified.

Steve Clarke was appointed Scotland boss on May 2019, when Scotland had a European ranking of 28.

Under Steve Clarke's tenure the worst the European rankings have been have been 29. That was four months into his tenure. The best it's been has been 17.

It wasn't too long ago before Clarke's appointment (2016) that Scotland was 33rd.

"We had a weak team back then". No we didnt. This isn't a bad squad of 21:

Darren Fletcher, Steven Fletcher, Craig Gordon, James Forrest, Scott Brown, Alan Hutton, Shaun Maloney, John McGinn, Alan McGregor, Grant Hanley, Christophe Berra, James Morrison, Kenny McLean, Steven Naismith, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Leigh Griffiths, Callum McGregor, Ryan Fraser, Stuart Armstrong, Charlie Mulgrew.

I'm proud of how the team played in the previous two European Championships.

I'm proud of the team that we're on Group A of the nations league.

Scotland deserve to be mixing it with the big boys. We are mixing it with them because of the work Steve Clarke and the players.

Failing to give Steve Clarke any credit for stabilising things and qualifying for two major tournaments, when things were as bad as they've ever been, is unknowledgeable, entitled and ungrateful.

I get it, though. The easiest thing in the world to do is shut off your brain, stop thinking and join the mass hysteria.

Humans are a herd animal. They want to be liked and they want to be valued and validated, which means they generally follow the mob instead of giving their own opinion and be open to criticism and ridicule.

F that.

Think about the big picture. Think about how bad things were before Clarke was appointed. Think about the progress that's been made, as well as the progress being made.

Think.

If you agree: Yay you!

If you disagree: I don't care. Oh. Giving me a red dot is a backhanded compliment. So, thank you.

Either way, I won't reply. This isn't up for debate.

Besides, a debate on here usually always turns into name calling and petty insults. Hard pass.

PS: Love ya, Taserface.

I agree with most of that but not the pride in our two Euro performances, especially the second. I don't know what I expected but I didn't expect that.

[Scary Bear]

@Chripper it’s not really logical that we should be the worst team at the Euros. There were some teams lower in the rankings. Georgia and Slovenia come to mind.

[Butters Scotch]

9 hours ago, Chripper said:

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/andy-robertson-imagines-scotland-life-33631437

"Robertson said: “Without the gaffer and his staff, we wouldn’t have got to two major tournaments. That’s a fact. When he took over, the country wasn’t in a great place at all."

People talk about the expansion of 24 teams in the European Championships like all you have to do to qualify is to complete the qualification stage.

Scotland are currently 48th in the FIFA rankings (European ranking of 24th).

Logically, we should've been the worst team at Euro 24. Because we ARE the worst team of the 24 teams that qualified.

Steve Clarke was appointed Scotland boss on May 2019, when Scotland had a European ranking of 28.

Under Steve Clarke's tenure the worst the European rankings have been have been 29. That was four months into his tenure. The best it's been has been 17.

It wasn't too long ago before Clarke's appointment (2016) that Scotland was 33rd.

"We had a weak team back then". No we didnt. This isn't a bad squad of 21:

Darren Fletcher, Steven Fletcher, Craig Gordon, James Forrest, Scott Brown, Alan Hutton, Shaun Maloney, John McGinn, Alan McGregor, Grant Hanley, Christophe Berra, James Morrison, Kenny McLean, Steven Naismith, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Leigh Griffiths, Callum McGregor, Ryan Fraser, Stuart Armstrong, Charlie Mulgrew.

I'm proud of how the team played in the previous two European Championships.

I'm proud of the team that we're on Group A of the nations league.

Scotland deserve to be mixing it with the big boys. We are mixing it with them because of the work Steve Clarke and the players.

Failing to give Steve Clarke any credit for stabilising things and qualifying for two major tournaments, when things were as bad as they've ever been, is unknowledgeable, entitled and ungrateful.

I get it, though. The easiest thing in the world to do is shut off your brain, stop thinking and join the mass hysteria.

Humans are a herd animal. They want to be liked and they want to be valued and validated, which means they generally follow the mob instead of giving their own opinion and be open to criticism and ridicule.

F that.

Think about the big picture. Think about how bad things were before Clarke was appointed. Think about the progress that's been made, as well as the progress being made.

Think.

If you agree: Yay you!

If you disagree: I don't care. Oh. Giving me a red dot is a backhanded compliment. So, thank you.

Either way, I won't reply. This isn't up for debate.

Besides, a debate on here usually always turns into name calling and petty insults. Hard pass.

PS: Love ya, Taserface.

Same repeated pish as usual. 

You said it more than once on here that you expected Scotland to win the euros before the tournament started but you're now proud of our measly performances? How does that add up?

Talking about moving the goalposts.

[DA Baracus]

There can no longer be any doubt that this Chripper lad is trolling.

[Dan Electro]

19 hours ago, Chripper said:

 

I'm proud of how the team played in the previous two European Championships.

If you agree: Yay you!

 

I vehemently disagree with you. In my opinion, we were absolute dugmeat, except the England game, and, parts of the Switzerland game.

And, with Erik Barnik having disappeared from the Motherwell thread some weeks ago, I wouldn't have expected to read a 'Yay' on P&B. Absolute cringe. 

That you've already informed us that you're not replying, that's fine, pal.....

[Boo Khaki]

11 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

@Chripper it’s not really logical that we should be the worst team at the Euros. There were some teams lower in the rankings. Georgia and Slovenia come to mind.

The Albanian side that looked like a park team against us the year before Clarke was appointed, and yet turned up at the Euros and actually gave "big" teams a game, and still managed to finish above us in the final rankings.

They didn't even sneak in via the back door, they won a Quali group containing the Czechs and Poland.

This is why I'm cautious about the "Clarke got us to tourneys = huge achievement" claims. It isn't, it's the bare minimum. Just because his predecessors underachieved that does not mean he deserves any extra credit for achieving minimum goals. If a nation like Albania can start from an even poorer position than us, and on the same timescale out-achieve what Clarke's Scotland teams have, that just puts his "achievements" into further perspective.

Edited September 10 by Boo Khaki

[Old Bing]

46 minutes ago, Boo Khaki said:

The Albanian side that looked like a park team against us the year before Clarke was appointed, and yet turned up at the Euros and actually gave "big" teams a game, and still managed to finish above us in the final rankings.

They didn't even sneak in via the back door, they won a Quali group containing the Czechs and Poland.

This is why I'm cautious about the "Clarke got us to tourneys = huge achievement" claims. It isn't, it's the bare minimum. Just because his predecessors underachieved that does not mean he deserves any extra credit for achieving minimum goals. If a nation like Albania can start from an even poorer position than us, and on the same timescale out-achieve what Clarke's Scotland teams have, that just puts his "achievements" into further perspective.

Honestly it's not worth the bother the guys just a clown.

He will not be able to give any kind of answer to any of the counter points. And just post the same drivel again in a couple of days.

[JS_FFC]

Chipper about one post away from claiming that Nigel Quashie is actually the best Scottish midfielder of all time and Christian Dailly was a world class defender but both were just let down by a string of horrendous managers whereas the current team would be a bunch of Sunday league players if not for Clarke.

[Rb123]

Feel for him just now as he's without Hickey/Hendry/Tierney/Ferguson who undoubtedly would all be starting in replace of likely McKenna/Hanley/Ralston/McLean.

                       Gunn

Hickey Hendry Tierney Robertson

              Ferguson Gilmour

     McGinn McTominay Christie 

                      Dykes 

[immcinto]

7 hours ago, JS_FFC said:

Chipper about one post away from claiming that Nigel Quashie is actually the best Scottish midfielder of all time and Christian Dailly was a world class defender but both were just let down by a string of horrendous managers whereas the current team would be a bunch of Sunday league players if not for Clarke.

The irony is that Clarke would have probably got better results than Strachan if given the same dross squad to work with back in the day

[Butters Scotch]

1 hour ago, immcinto said:

The irony is that Clarke would have probably got better results than Strachan if given the same dross squad to work with back in the day

Further irony is that majority of those players were jobbers playing in the English championship or SPL and young guys just starting out their careers. 

Tierney was only 19, McGinn was just starting out at Villa (nowhere near same player he is now), Fraser wasn't selected until 2017, Fletcher was on the decline with his illness, Robertson was at Hull (nowhere near same player as now) and conveniently misses out a number of players like your Anya's and Chris Martin's who got gametime. You could go on and on. 

@Chripper

 

Edited September 11 by Butters Scotch