Scotland squad to face Poland (H) and Portugal (A)

[Butters Scotch]

1 hour ago, DiegoDiego said:

The point was that it was clear from a young age Bale was going to be international calibre. He was the only Welsh player on there and I don't think it was for his looks.

Okay but being international calibre wasn't what the debate was about.

Being on a billboard for Sky Sports EFL doesn't mean he would suddenly become a world superstar.

[Galajambo]

20 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

Think it confirms that Clarke doesn't see a future even in the short term for Gordon. 

Craig Gordon had his international farewell in the friendly before the Euros against Finland coming on with 20 minutes to go to say his farewell, shame really as he's still by far the best we have. 

[Les Cabbage]

8 minutes ago, Galajambo said:

Craig Gordon had his international farewell in the friendly before the Euros against Finland coming on with 20 minutes to go to say his farewell, shame really as he's still by far the best we have. 

I must have imagined him making two glaring f**k ups in the left 5 games…

[Skyline Drifter]

22 hours ago, 2426255 said:

I'd have expected either Liam Kelly or Craig Gordon to replace an injured goalkeeper. It continues the theme of trying to expand the talent pool and moving away from continuity at least on the squad fringes.

 

21 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

Think it confirms that Clarke doesn't see a future even in the short term for Gordon. 

This. Clarke made all the right noises when leaving him out of the Euros squad about not ruling him out and not wanting to be the one calling time on his international career, and Gordon pointedly didn't retire.

Yet here we are three months down the line. Liam Kelly has effectively taken himself out of contention for the national side. The next generation keeper McCrorie is injured, and Gordon has finally forced himself back into Hearts first choice 11 ahead of Clark, who despite this has retained his Scotland squad place (presumably because he's only actually been out of the Hearts side for 2 or 3 weeks whereas Kelly's not played all season).

It's a very easy phone call to make to bring Craig Gordon back right now but he hasn't made it. He's instead called up Jon McCracken. I've not seen enough of either of them to offer any valid view but that basically suggests that despite protestations to the contrary Clarke HAS ended Gordon's career. Perhaps Gordon said he didn't want to come back to sit on the bench, or Clarke didn't want to ask him to do so. Shame though. I mean he's almost 42 years old, it's been coming. I think everybody knew when he waved us off v Finland that we wouldn't see him in a Scotland shirt again, but there was always that thought that he might be back if he got back in the Hearts team.

 

[Barry Ferguson's Hat]

Just what does Horningsby have to do to get the nod? He's been banging in the minutes  for years now and yet finds himself behind League 1 and Championship dross. This squad it's so stale it's embarrassing. 

[Ric]

Of all the Scottish managers there's been, you'd imagine Clarke being the least likely to simp for the OF, but Barron's inclusion is an interesting one. He's a decent player, and possibly deserving of his call up (not sure though, that said they are friendly games). However for him to be called up the minute he switches to one of the OF leaves a bit of taste in my mouth it has to be said.

[Alan Twelve]

6 minutes ago, Ric said:

Of all the Scottish managers there's been, you'd imagine Clarke being the least likely to simp for the OF, but Barron's inclusion is an interesting one. He's a decent player, and possibly deserving of his call up (not sure though, that said they are friendly games). However for him to be called up the minute he switches to one of the OF leaves a bit of taste in my mouth it has to be said.

They're not friendly games.

And it's more that he's been called up the minute he switches to one of the OF, Callum McGregor retires from international football, Ryan Jack isn't selected because he's without a club, and several players have pulled out of the squad injured. I'm not convinced he's ready for a callup, but given he's a good prospect and we're a bit light in the midfield I don't have a problem with it myself.

[Ric]

3 minutes ago, Alan Twelve said:

They're not friendly games.

Apologies, you are right, I've not quite gotten into the International League stuff replacing the friendlies.

As for the rest of your reply, there is obviously context here, players dropping out, others retiring etc, but the optics under other managers was that you only merited a cap if you could "cope with" being an OF player. This seems to be following the same script, even if there is a justification for his call up.

[Jives Miguel]

22 minutes ago, Ric said:

Of all the Scottish managers there's been, you'd imagine Clarke being the least likely to simp for the OF, but Barron's inclusion is an interesting one. He's a decent player, and possibly deserving of his call up (not sure though, that said they are friendly games). However for him to be called up the minute he switches to one of the OF leaves a bit of taste in my mouth it has to be said.

Who would we be calling up instead though? With McGregor retired, Jack and Armstrong clubless we're down to the barebones. He was also strongly rumoured to being close to getting in the Euros squad. He was certainly at least part of the larger pool of players players that Scotland requested an availability check for prior to the initial squad announcement 

Edited September 3 by Jives Miguel

[Alan Twelve]

10 minutes ago, Jives Miguel said:

Who would we be calling up instead though?

Is a very good question. I guess the only other alternative is Lennon Miller? I'm a bit concerned at how lightweight our midfield is and I'd be tempted if I was picking the team, to do something revolutionary like putting Porteous in the midfield alongside Gilmour. Silk and steel. What could possibly go wrong?

[Londonwell]

15 minutes ago, Ric said:

Apologies, you are right, I've not quite gotten into the International League stuff replacing the friendlies.

It’s only been around for 6 years tbf, understandable it’s completely passed you by. 

[Londonwell]

1 minute ago, Alan Twelve said:

Is a very good question. I guess the only other alternative is Lennon Miller? I'm a bit concerned at how lightweight our midfield is and I'd be tempted if I was picking the team, to do something revolutionary like putting Porteous in the midfield alongside Gilmour. Silk and steel. What could possibly go wrong?

Aye in that sitting role the next option would probably be Miller. He’s certainly the name on a lot of people’s lip. Given Barron has been closer to squads recently though, no one should be really surprised that he’s got the nod. Albeit, perhaps not fantastic optics he got an absolute chasing at the weekend by the guy who’s retired out of our squad recently but you can only pish with the cock you’ve got. 

[Galajambo]

3 hours ago, Les Cabbage said:

I must have imagined him making two glaring f**k ups in the left 5 games…

Admittedly he was a tad shaky when coming back from his long term injury, but he's getting back to somewhere near his best now and has been very good for us this season, I dread to think how bad it wold have been without him!

[Ric]

1 hour ago, Jives Miguel said:

Who would we be calling up instead though?

It's a fair point, and Barron has been involved at all the youth levels too. There is a case for his call up. My point is that it fits the optics.

 

58 minutes ago, Londonwell said:

It’s only been around for 6 years tbf, understandable it’s completely passed you by. 

You'd be surprised by how fast time flies as the older you get! Don't mock it, you'll find yourself there soon enough!

 

Edited September 3 by Ric

[accies1874]

As far as I can remember, Josh Doig has done a Porteous* and received three call-ups in three different years. It wasn't until the fourth year that Porteous received his debut and has been in every squad since, so just bide your time Josh!

*only I am calling it that, and only I care about this

[Gordopolis]

Optics, apparently 

[Gordopolis]

So apparently Che Adams pulled out while fully fit as he wants to "focus on settling at Torino".

This, allied with Greg Taylor and Forrest pulling out without obvious injuries, has the whiff of the olden days pre-Clarke, where a squad would be named and 4 or 5 guys would pull out, guaranteed. That SC consigned that pattern of behaviour to the bin is/was one of his major strengths as our manager.

Is it a herald of the wheels coming off?

[kennie makevin]

18 minutes ago, Gordopolis said:

So apparently Che Adams pulled out while fully fit as he wants to "focus on settling at Torino".

This, allied with Greg Taylor and Forrest pulling out without obvious injuries, has the whiff of the olden days pre-Clarke, where a squad would be named and 4 or 5 guys would pull out, guaranteed. That SC consigned that pattern of behaviour to the bin is/was one of his major strengths as our manager.

Is it a herald of the wheels coming off?

Clarke should announce that James Forrest will never be picked again while he's manager.  

[Old Bing]

9 minutes ago, kennie makevin said:

Clarke should announce that James Forrest will never be picked again while he's manager.  

Think he already did this at the euros.

31 minutes ago, Gordopolis said:

So apparently Che Adams pulled out while fully fit as he wants to "focus on settling at Torino".

This, allied with Greg Taylor and Forrest pulling out without obvious injuries, has the whiff of the olden days pre-Clarke, where a squad would be named and 4 or 5 guys would pull out, guaranteed. That SC consigned that pattern of behaviour to the bin is/was one of his major strengths as our manager.

Is it a herald of the wheels coming off?

It's impossible to say. I hadn't realised that Adams had said that, and that's certainly a bit worrying.

Buy maybe not taking any responsibility and blaming the players for the euros wasn't the best idea. Who would have thought.

[the snudge]

40 minutes ago, Gordopolis said:

So apparently Che Adams pulled out while fully fit as he wants to "focus on settling at Torino".

This, allied with Greg Taylor and Forrest pulling out without obvious injuries, has the whiff of the olden days pre-Clarke, where a squad would be named and 4 or 5 guys would pull out, guaranteed. That SC consigned that pattern of behaviour to the bin is/was one of his major strengths as our manager.

Is it a herald of the wheels coming off?

If that's the case then something has to give. 

Adams, Taylor, Forrest and anyone else who isn't injured that pulls out shouldn't pull on a Scotland shirt again or something's up in the camp and Clarke has to go because things have become toxic. 

Edited September 4 by the snudge