Latest / Scots With A Mic / Scotland World Cup Wildcard Call-Ups, Title Race Predictions & Big Change At Hampden?!

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Scotland World Cup Wildcard Call-Ups, Title Race Predictions & Big Change At Hampden?! · Scots With A Mic

0:01
Hello, and welcome to the Scots for Mic podcast.
0:03
I'm your host, James Scott, and it's nice to be coming to you
0:06
from, well, it's like a studio, I guess.
0:09
Video format. Yeah, video format.
0:10
So exciting. Camera one on me, Camera 2 on us
0:14
both, and camera 3 is Finn Crocker.
0:16
Finn, good to have you here. Great to be on, it's been a long
0:19
time in the making. Secret location Scott Scott
0:23
Football Park Scotland HQ. Yeah, no, it's been a long time
0:26
in the making, but hopefully I can bring this podcast to you
0:29
and another light and you can enjoy it more if you're still
0:34
listening in audio. Appreciate you nonetheless
0:39
change. Not going to.
0:39
Change your experience, but for you, for those of you that are
0:42
watching them in video format, I hope you enjoy it even more now.
0:46
Even my graphics and stuff, you never know.
0:48
Yeah, sometimes we could. Especially we're talking about
0:50
things like the Scotland, not the Scotland squad.
0:53
When it comes out in a couple of weeks, we'll have it on the
0:55
screen. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
0:57
So yeah, lots of exciting things happening, lots of guests,
1:01
hopefully that you'll recognise in the coming weeks and months.
1:04
Yeah, fingers crossed. They've made me big promises, so
1:06
they better they better keep them.
1:08
Anyway, let's get into it. Yeah, OK, so first of all,
1:11
league action, Hearts beat Falkirk matches going on today,
1:17
but I think we could expect Celtic and Rangers to probably
1:19
pick up all Rangers. I'd expect them to get 3 points.
1:22
You'd never know what self. Self take it yeah like I'll hold
1:24
my breath on that but yeah it's crazy we're still here talking
1:28
having the same conversation Motherwell as well actually, you
1:32
know not I'm telling you miles away from Rangers I'm.
1:33
Telling you currently as we're talking, I think if yeah, they
1:37
won their game in hand, 5 nil against St.
1:40
Mirren, dominant performance and I was not surprised in the
1:42
slightest, but I think 7 points behind IF or 1010 points behind
1:50
Hearts and five points behind Rangers.
1:54
Rangers obviously they've got like their game, but you know,
1:58
massive from them. Really can't tell what way it's
2:01
going to go. It is like you said, it's mad
2:03
that we're in February and we're still talking about a title
2:06
race. I thought it'd be like Aberdeen
2:09
last season, where Aberdeen fans like myself got our hopes up and
2:13
then absolutely just fell off. Yeah, a cleft last season, but
2:16
no fair play to Hearts. You've you've got to just give
2:18
them our props that they're still battling away.
2:21
Watched, watched the Volkirk match last night, the full
2:23
thing. I was working on it.
2:25
And yeah. Not their best performance,
2:27
they'd say, but it was assured. Volkirk didn't really threaten
2:32
Swallow coming into it. And that's the thing as well, I
2:34
think we've used this phrase so many times in the past, but good
2:37
teams find ways to win with them not playing their best and they
2:39
said not their best, but Falkirk are not an easy team to play.
2:43
No, no, they've been great this season and I think, yeah, Hearts
2:47
have been doing it but also Celtic have been doing it,
2:49
Martin O'Neill said. It can't go on like this but it
2:52
has been, it can. No, obviously Chamberlain, last
2:56
minute winner against Livingston, last minute scraped
3:01
to go to extra time against Dundee in the cup and then
3:04
obviously 2 nil down against Kilmarnock.
3:06
The battle back like champions show I guess, and they won it No
3:10
32. They've done well, like I mean
3:15
like you said, even that Kilmarnock game, especially
3:18
Kilmarnock go 2 nil up and you still know if Celtic and just
3:20
turn it on a bit, they can come back.
3:23
And you know, I think someone in the in the the admin group chat
3:26
mentioned you just know it's going to be our last minute,
3:28
last minute 32. And I don't know that's what it
3:30
was. So, but yeah, I mean, yeah, I
3:32
think we, we talked with Forker there as well.
3:34
Obviously he said it's crazy we're still here in February
3:37
talking about title race. It's crazy here in February and
3:41
we're looking just before we started at the top six, kind of
3:44
locked down already almost. Isn't it?
3:47
I think, yeah, obviously we as an Aberdeen lost our game
3:51
against Dundee yesterday. 32 questionable red card I'll say I
3:57
think he you'll gain I think is how we pronounce his name just
4:02
runs across Liam Morrison and you know it results in a red
4:06
card We can debate about it but I'll skip over it but I think
4:08
yeah with that loss there's there's not many games left to
4:14
split I think what 6. Yeah, it's a 10 point gap
4:17
between 6th and 7th. 10 point gap, I think, yeah, I think as
4:22
much as the season's been amazing.
4:23
Yeah, the top six and the bottom six are the most defined and the
4:29
biggest gap I've seen in years. And yeah, the relegation scrap
4:33
is still half open, but it's not as exciting as the title face
4:38
the the the title race obviously will be.
4:41
Yeah, and that's just I mean, I think you you just you touched
4:44
on a game yesterday, mention the red card.
4:48
I think there's a goal you've got to mention as well.
4:49
It has to be one of the goals of the season, that strike from
4:54
Ethan Allen, and I mean it's one of those ones where you saw a
4:59
line up and you think. Oh, what are you doing?
5:02
Yeah. You know, almost going away from
5:04
goal, so there wasn't, you can see was perfectly balanced to
5:06
hit it. That's one of the best goals
5:08
I've seen in the Premiership this season.
5:11
He's been, he's been quite good for Dundee's, you know.
5:13
I mean, that's his second, yeah. Typical.
5:14
It's against Aberdeen, but yeah, I think yeah, the title fight is
5:20
the title fight. The title race is going to be
5:23
yeah, the best what we've seen. I don't even, there's not been a
5:27
a real three horse title race obviously from when I've been
5:32
alive. I don't know but you either.
5:33
I think yeah, dating back to at least 80s if not sevenies.
5:38
And you know, it's hard to predict which way it goes.
5:42
Obviously the the split will be vital.
5:44
I think Motherwell will have a major say in it with who they
5:48
can take points off. Of I can't.
5:50
I mean, if I'm honest, although we're seeing how close they are
5:52
to angels, I can't really see them.
5:54
And I don't mean this, like most respect to Motherwell for what
5:57
they've done this season. It's incredible.
5:58
But I just don't feel teams will mess up enough to drop out that
6:03
top three. No, I don't.
6:05
I don't think Motherwell are. I'm just saying that they will
6:07
have a major. Impact, They can take points off
6:09
either of them and see it happening to one of them.
6:12
Even like Hearts fans at my work were saying like, you know,
6:17
Motherwell's the team they're really worried about because
6:20
they played the best football. They fought against our
6:22
something that I don't know, I've not spoke to them since the
6:24
Rangers game when they got beat for two.
6:26
But they were like they they they said mother was the best
6:29
team they played all season. I think they're the best.
6:31
To watch team in the whole league easily.
6:34
And the things that we see any other season not getting first
6:38
place had consequences. This season could be even
6:42
greater because obviously Celtic playing quite poorly in Europe,
6:45
which we're about to touch on. It looks like there's only going
6:47
to be 1 Champions League slot now.
6:48
Yeah, and yeah, I mean, guys like Celtic and Rangers really
6:52
do value that champions. League next season, yeah.
6:55
So, but I, yeah, I think you can touch on that as well.
6:57
Martin O'Neill in his press conferences, press conferences
7:02
mentioning kind of the the gap in finance in the financial
7:08
aspects between Celtic and the rest of European competition.
7:12
But I think he was well at a line when they've lost to Kaira
7:15
Almaty. Yeah, that's, that's The thing
7:17
is, is you're not. You didn't get pumped to the
7:18
Champions League because he turned you over.
7:20
Exactly. He kept on mentioning, you know,
7:22
teams and Binders League and and the Premier League are able to
7:25
spend 40607080 million on players and then sell them for
7:28
half the price six months later. But you can't really be
7:33
mentioned in that when you score, you score zero goals and
7:37
210 minutes supply against a team from Kazakhstan that's
7:40
never been in the Champions League.
7:41
There's team, there's teams in Europe that have budgets.
7:43
Not to this summer to Celtic arguing more, but not not in the
7:48
same ballpark as the teams he just referenced.
7:50
And they find ways. Yes, and and they're not even
7:54
first in the domestic league and they're behind A-Team that's got
7:58
a tenth of their budget. So it's, you can talk about
8:01
budgets all you want, but for me, I think you need to focus on
8:05
yourselves and they've, they've not spent money wisely in recent
8:09
years. They've got a decent squad but
8:13
I. Was thinking certainly what I
8:14
felt what separated them out from Rangers was a transfer
8:17
policy. They were really good at buying
8:19
guys and moving them on, making profit, you know, guiding buying
8:23
guys and knew they could increase the value off, yeah,
8:26
like they might have done by an angle there with a transfer of
8:28
potentially 25,000,000. Which is bonkers money.
8:31
I would have Snapchat, yeah. They wouldn't really want to be
8:35
seen to be a club that was getting rid of talent at that
8:36
point because of what's going on between the board and the fans
8:39
where they've not been happy they're signing players.
8:41
So to be selling players would be bad.
8:43
But for me, the money that was offered there was crazy.
8:45
But like, that was Celtics flagship policy.
8:47
We come and we could bring players in, we sell them on,
8:49
make profit rich and repeat. We stayed top of the league.
8:51
Yeah, and that's we. Weren't good at that.
8:53
Yeah, and it was because they bought players who didn't have
8:57
the same lifespan, it looks. Like Aaron Ramsey on mad wages.
9:01
Yeah, exactly. And.
9:02
From the Europa League it. Feels like that's something
9:04
Celtic kind of slipped into. Yeah, I think in past years what
9:08
they've been been able to do is, you know, if a type of bid like
9:12
it didn't January came in and they were comfortable with 15
9:15
points off of the league, they'd sell that player and they'd
9:19
still coast the league title. Whereas this season, they're
9:24
backed up against the corner they're not in, they're in 3rd
9:26
place as we're recording. You know, could be different
9:30
when this gets released in a couple of days.
9:32
Yeah, but like with that squad and the budget, you'd expect
9:37
them to be first. And the board has not delivered
9:40
with signance. I think it was 00 pounds spent
9:43
on transfers in January. Just all loans.
9:45
It was all loans, Yeah, yeah. All loans for Jillian Araujo,
9:49
the striker that I'm not going to try and pronounce, and Oxley
9:53
Chamberlain on a free, obviously and Adamu on loan.
9:57
Oxley Chamberlain on a free is quite good.
9:58
I mean, granted, I mean he showed his quality with that
10:01
goal. But yeah, it's it's a big
10:04
rebuild for them in the summer and I think 1 area they will
10:07
need to improve on is the goalkeeper.
10:09
Well, because I mean, before we move on to the sort of Scotland
10:12
talk mentioned in Celtic and Europe, they had to Stuttgart.
10:15
It was a four one defeat at home.
10:17
Looking more than likely that they'll probably be out of
10:19
Europe from this time next week unless there's some sort of
10:22
dramatic turn around in Germany. I mean, and, you know, the the
10:25
fault of that lies across many players.
10:29
It was a, you know, a performance that was, you know,
10:31
available standards. But Casper's Michael was so far
10:36
off it. And, you know, I mean, people
10:38
are. So I've spoken at many different
10:40
things about him. I think we get talked about
10:42
quite a lot. And he's not really.
10:44
He doesn't look like an athlete. Yeah, it was the goal in the
10:47
second-half that he sort of tries to beat away with.
10:50
His all wrong. Missed times and it's just it
10:52
becomes a very easy shot that, you know, he should like,
10:57
there's no way he shouldn't be saving that.
10:58
Yeah, I would be disappointed if a guy in the Championship that
11:01
obviously I'm a worst fan, but if that goes in that always I'll
11:04
slap that in somehow. No, but like, I've been just one
11:08
of my goalkeeper like that. And, you know, it wasn't, it
11:09
wasn't. It was a little honest.
11:10
It's not that it was a team shot, but you can't be, you
11:13
know, and it was, that was just the chain on the cake at that
11:16
point, so. He's he's been targeted by
11:18
Celtic fans. You can't really say wrongly so
11:22
I think Neil Lennon and Martin O'Neill touched that, whether
11:25
they were really disappointed by the fans reaction to the keeper.
11:28
But if I was a Celtic fan I'd be disappointed by Michael's
11:32
performances. I mean he's had many a dodgy
11:34
day. I don't think that I've not
11:36
rated him much since that first season where he was all right.
11:39
But since then he's not been at his best, obviously.
11:43
He gave me one of the greatest moments in the Scottish Cup
11:45
final when he flapped at just what was a cross that ended up
11:50
in the back of his own net. And he's had various errors,
11:54
various errors since then. So, you know, you can't really
11:57
say it's wrong for Celtic fans to to question whether he's good
12:03
enough for Celtic anymore. I think you need you need to
12:06
leave the game before the game leaves you as a good phrase.
12:10
Good phrase there. But it looks like it's left.
12:14
Yeah, he's clearly not at his best And you know, I think
12:20
goalkeeper will be, like you said, one of the main things
12:23
that looking for in the summer and obviously a manager where
12:26
Jens Berthalaska spotted in the director's box at the last
12:30
Celtic game. I think so, could be 1 to watch
12:35
but yeah wait and see until the end of the season.
12:38
Yeah, if it was him in mas when he say that when one of our fans
12:41
would be spewing, but I don't think that would be as a neutral
12:46
that's that would be. But yeah, wait and see right.
12:49
OK, so league football covered Scotland got a friend in the
12:55
coming up soon injuries racking up.
12:57
We've got I mean I've we've got had to write a list.
13:00
It's that long. Gordon picked up an injury for
13:02
Hearts in training and Hickey off injured yesterday.
13:06
Could be a knock. But people that are watching
13:08
said he was getting some treatment.
13:09
His hamstring. So it's kind of been giving him
13:12
trouble for a while. Obviously, Shanklin's still out
13:14
injured hamstring, is it not? Yeah, hamstring there.
13:18
Adam's also injured. Doke still trying to come back.
13:20
Gallon Doke. Even gold's still out.
13:23
Going gold. Going gold Mulligan John McGann
13:27
picked up his Not the sort of knee.
13:29
Something into around his knee. Yeah, so.
13:31
You know, I can't see Vela been too happy.
13:34
I'm getting rest for a friendly if he's just sort of come back.
13:38
Yeah, yeah. Max Johnson also out.
13:41
So, you know, but with that comes opportunities.
13:44
Obviously, it's just friendly. So you do want.
13:46
We know what John McGann offers. We know what we can get from
13:49
Hecky and stuff like that. Wildcards who could be see
13:53
coming in to place these guys potentially who deserves maybe a
13:56
chance to sort of take a claim to place in the squad.
13:59
So we've got this got this period coming up in March, the
14:03
March international window. We'll then have few weeks before
14:06
the World Cup where we host Chris OU and then we're off to
14:09
South Florida. I think it is It's not oh, it
14:13
might be New York. It's not been named yet, but
14:14
we're hoping to play Odds I. Peru in a in a friendly.
14:17
Peru and a friendly so it's. Not been confirmed the venue but
14:19
there's been rumors of Florida but our base has been confirmed
14:22
as Charlotte so I wouldn't be surprised to see it there.
14:25
Never. I think New York was foored for
14:27
the Yeah, we'll see. So I yeah, wild cards.
14:32
I mean, there's been a kind of trend on social media in the
14:35
last couple of days or not a trend of movement to kind of
14:39
Jordan Hills, Jordan Hillsgrove been a good player for Esteril
14:44
and League of Portugal been. Falling under.
14:47
The radar, it's a completely under the radar.
14:50
I think it's a mind kind of thing where you know, he's not
14:53
been the best player in the division, but he's been steady.
14:57
5 assists this season, one goal in the league and yeah, he's
15:02
been really good. One of the best players in the
15:03
league according to Portuguese journalist.
15:06
I've can't say I've watched them have a decent amount, but
15:09
obviously was capped a lot at youth levels.
15:12
Did really well. He was under.
15:13
The 21 for Scotland, kind of in Edinburgh.
15:15
Yeah, aged out of it and hasn't been seen since.
15:18
But yeah, I think with the amount of injuries, obviously
15:21
our midfield is excellent, one of well the best area on the
15:25
pitch. But I think he could be someone
15:28
that could add to the squad in a in a different manner.
15:31
I don't think, I mean, like you said, it'd be it'd be hard from
15:33
to break into the squads. One thing breaking into the
15:35
start lineup or even getting off the bench or by Challenge 2
15:39
right backs on that list are injured.
15:40
Kobe Donovan's not a bad show. I would rather him than Tony
15:43
Ralston. I think completely because you
15:45
know, we're looking forward to the summer.
15:48
We've got options. We've got you want hacky back,
15:50
you want Johnson back or Patterson Donovan, you know, as
15:54
a fourth option. You never know what the injuries
15:57
could be like come that point in time.
15:59
I think I would fear him that I was then, especially going
16:02
forward long term, I think he's going to be one of the guys that
16:04
we could be looking at as a Scotland right back.
16:06
Yeah, I think when it's these types of decisions where, you
16:11
know, for me, I would say Colby Donovan is clearly better than
16:14
Anthony Elson. But some people want to debate
16:17
it. Even if it's a 5050 for me, you
16:19
have to go with the youth if it's.
16:22
Yeah, long term plan. If it's, you know, fourth choice
16:24
right back, if you're looking ahead to 2028 when we're hosting
16:28
for 20-30, when we're even to get to another World Cup,
16:32
Ralston will not be there. He's proven in my opinion that
16:36
he's not up to at the big stage. Obviously was at fault for that
16:39
Shakiri goal against Switzerland and I don't I don't think he can
16:43
handle the pressure. And I've said when he was even,
16:45
even when he was backup right back for Celtic, he was starting
16:49
for Scotland when we had some injuries.
16:50
I'm saying how is the backup right back for Celtic?
16:54
Scotland's first choice and I do not think he's up to.
16:56
I think Colby Donovan definitely has much greater potential than
17:00
anything Anthony Elson has at this stage of his career.
17:03
Obviously he's been a decent servant to Celtic, but I think
17:07
we need to start looking towards building the team for when key
17:12
players age out, which they are. Time is not on the side,
17:16
obviously. So yeah, he's definitely a wild
17:19
card for me. There's a couple others.
17:23
Maybe we'll obviously messing Shankland and Adams will give
17:28
and you got dog as well. He's a forward.
17:31
There's opportunities for guys to get in there that can maybe
17:32
give I mean something different attacking wise.
17:35
I mean Robbie Uri you're. 20. Two potentially or 21.
17:44
It depend on when this gets released.
17:45
He's he has been sort of shipping away in Sweden quite
17:49
well. He's a serious.
17:51
He's obviously started the Rangers.
17:53
Rangers. He went to Anderlecht, never
17:56
really quite made it there. He's gone up into the the
17:58
Swedish for top division. Yeah.
18:00
And he's just been quietly working away scoring goals to
18:03
the extent that he's actually piqued the interest of the
18:06
Ukrainian national team. Yeah.
18:07
Because a lot of people won't know us and we didn't know until
18:09
it got reported. He's actually got a Ukrainian
18:11
grandfather. Yeah.
18:12
So eligible to represent both wouldn't want to lose him.
18:17
So he does seem, you know, he's young, he's clearly, you know,
18:22
everyone develops at different points that could be are.
18:24
And he just seems to be getting to a good point.
18:27
Like he was rumoured to maybe be on the radar of Ukrainian
18:29
Premier League team to get signed.
18:32
So yeah, it'd be we've lost a few guys over the years to
18:36
different teams who looked like they would have been assets to
18:39
us. Scott Arfield comes to mind.
18:40
Scott Arfield Yeah, I was making more A to Mickey day.
18:43
Yeah, Karamoko Denbelly. Yeah, he's not gone yet.
18:46
Yeah, no. Yeah.
18:48
No, you mentioned there. Yeah, he's been on the radar,
18:50
but you? Know what if he hadn't done his
18:52
ACL? Karamoko Denbelly.
18:53
He would have been in this Yeah, no, he's he's robbery has been
18:56
really good at in Sweden. He was good and either like his
19:00
team obviously didn't break out into the first team.
19:02
Yeah, but he was good there and like you said, he was on the
19:05
radar. Ukrainian team, I'm not going to
19:07
try and pronounce it, but they're in the Ukrainian Premier
19:09
League and also, very interestingly, RB Salzburg.
19:13
Oh yeah, Which external Highland?
19:17
I'm telling you like that's. He does look like he just got an
19:20
eye for goal. You see when you see his goals
19:21
clinical, you get into the right areas and stuff.
19:23
I mean, if you look at his goals, they look like it
19:25
happens. But then you if you look at his
19:26
movement, yeah, it's excellent. And there's a reason why you're.
19:30
Consistently getting happens. You're doing something right,
19:33
Yeah. No, he's in the process of
19:36
getting a Ukrainian passport, reportedly because Ukraine are
19:42
wanting him for the World Cup qualifiers, their playoffs.
19:46
So we need to act quickly. Obviously, even if he did get
19:49
the Ukrainian passport, that doesn't mean he will definitely
19:52
represent them. I think he's just wanting the
19:53
options open. Yeah, but it would be.
19:55
If it gets to the point where he's like, I'm not getting a
19:57
call for Scotland and he could get called up to Ukraine.
20:00
I would blame him. You wouldn't want to be messed
20:02
up again. No.
20:02
As far as when you could just be yeah, on a plane.
20:05
So yeah, fair enough. I.
20:06
Think another one in that striking department is Rory
20:09
Wilson. Obviously he's been very hyped
20:13
for a number of years, kind of. I think you've said in previous
20:15
podcasts, I agree with it. When he went down to England,
20:17
Aston Villa, it was kind of at the same level as hype as Billy
20:21
Gilmore. Yeah, both leave Rangers with
20:22
the same sort of level and a guard.
20:24
He came down to Aston Villa. That was when Steven Gerrard was
20:26
the manager. I think he was a big factor in
20:28
in getting him down there and hasn't broke it into the first
20:32
team. He's done well at the under
20:33
nineteens, under 20 ones now and he's got his first professional
20:37
loan move. He's actually on the bench for
20:38
the first time today as we're recording this.
20:41
So yeah, see how he does if he gets on.
20:44
But it's the Sturmgratz Austrian 1st Division.
20:47
They've won the league title for the last two years.
20:49
We'll know them very well from Max Johnson's tenure where he
20:52
where he won both of those league titles as well as an
20:55
Austrian Cup. If I'm not mistaken, there was
20:59
rumours of him going to Hoffenheim.
21:02
Well, we can confirm Hoffenheim made an offer, but what he
21:07
wanted was a straight loan with no option to buy and they
21:10
weren't prepared to offer that. So it fell through.
21:13
But I think Stung Grass is probably a better option, gives
21:15
them more opportunity for game time.
21:17
I feel in an environment where the squad is eyeing up another
21:22
league title, three in a row would be massive.
21:24
In a league dominated by Ari Salzberg.
21:26
Like we just touched on them, they are, yeah.
21:29
It's a great move. And see how it does there.
21:31
Yeah, and like you said, we're not being blessed.
21:33
We're like. Out and out #9's.
21:36
Yeah. So it'd be yeah.
21:37
And he would be a sort of closer replacement, maybe a sort of
21:41
Shanklander Adams, Yeah. Because right now it seems like
21:45
for the March friendlies, the only two strikers that are
21:47
locked in are Lyndon Dykes and Kieran Bobby.
21:50
Because Jay Adams and. Yeah, that'd be a four.
21:53
Shanklin, they're injured, so it's wide open.
21:56
One last wild card for me probably, and this is like her
22:00
name for the past Oliver Bark. He's he's again just working
22:05
away in Germany. He's at Union Berlin right now.
22:10
What a hat trick this season in the Business League versus Scott
22:13
to do that. Frankfurt 5411 score, yeah,
22:17
score goals across other games will grab the cysts.
22:21
Very powerful runner, very, very quick, yeah.
22:24
And you know, maybe looking more at the winger, but also as just
22:28
a a good guy up front that could be running behind and stuff.
22:31
It's good to see because he was. He played in Clark first game
22:33
against Cyprus. The winner, Yep scored. 91st
22:36
minute. I it was a header off the post
22:38
that rebounded straight back to him that he then open goal from
22:41
that. And so yeah, that was saved.
22:44
Their saved their saved their there from my first a draw where
22:48
Cyprus team that probably didn't deserve it.
22:51
But yeah, I think I think I would like to see Ollie.
22:52
I mean he's I think he's the same age as me.
22:55
So he's getting on. He's very old.
22:58
He's not, he's not quite a fairy, but he's not far off.
23:01
But he's Kirkcaldy as well. Yeah.
23:05
Yeah. You all the best guys got
23:08
Cairnbury Holly. Mark, you'll get Eddie Kirkaldy
23:11
boy in as he can. Yeah.
23:12
No, he gives. He definitely gives us something
23:14
different. I was going to mention that he
23:16
did give us something different at the start of Clark's tenure.
23:18
Yeah. And yeah, we've really been, I
23:22
feel like we have been limited in our attacking options when it
23:27
comes to pace. Obviously Bengar and Doke gives
23:31
us that pace when he's available, but you struggled
23:33
with fitness. And you notice when he's not
23:35
there. Yeah.
23:36
I feel like once you've had Gan and Doke and a team and he
23:39
disappears, you're like. We're so slow.
23:41
Yeah, but it's, you didn't notice it before, but when you
23:43
put him in and you take him out to lay out, right, we really
23:46
could do with that because it gives us such an extra yeah
23:49
dimension to the. An attack we've we've had to,
23:52
you know, keep central or when we do try and go wide, we've had
23:55
John Mcgahn or Ryan Christie on the wings who aren't the
23:58
fastest. Obviously there was mention of
24:00
Harvey Barnes. We've not mentioned that since
24:01
the last podcast. Yeah, he's well, Steve Clarke's
24:05
confirmed that he's focusing on trying to get into the England
24:07
squad for me, I think you speaking for both of us.
24:11
Good riddance if if you turned in Scotland.
24:14
I said I only want. Players that want to play for
24:17
Scotland. Like for me, like, the Navy blue
24:20
jersey is worth no less than a white one.
24:23
You know it's worth more. But yeah, and if you, but if you
24:26
get asked once and you say this is I'm sorry, I want to focus.
24:29
On I want to keep my options open.
24:30
Yeah, it should be door closed. Yeah, You know, you know what?
24:33
We would give the pill on a Scotland jersey and play for the
24:36
national team. You know, you want guys like
24:38
John McGann, you know, you can see the determination.
24:41
You know what they give. You want guys like Scott
24:42
Mcdorman who just came straight in and have, you know, been.
24:46
Even if he's not inherently the stereotypical Scottish guy,
24:50
yeah, he's came through the youth and he's wanted to
24:53
represent Scotland through his family heritage, so that's
24:57
important for me. And that brings me on to, I
24:59
think, probably my last wild card.
25:01
Elliot, Walt Motherwell. He's a wild card as a wild card.
25:05
He doesn't like it. He doesn't like it.
25:07
Well, I don't like it. It's just like we have said,
25:08
like the midfield is a very competitive area.
25:11
But yes, playing in the probably the most exciting football team
25:15
apart from Hearts in the league. I think it's more exciting than
25:17
hearts. I think they're not as good, but
25:18
they're more exciting. I think Elliot Watt, he was
25:21
vocal about it as well. That's what I like about him.
25:23
He was vocal about I want to get into the squad one day because
25:25
he's got grandparents that were born in Govan who were from
25:29
Govan. Yeah, so and as well Mark
25:32
Leonard also probably competing for a summer position to tell.
25:36
I mean, if you're. Can't see if one of them's lucky
25:39
enough to Ben that we won or both.
25:40
Yeah, I think obviously came on loan from Birmingham City.
25:44
His manager at the time said he was good enough to get into the
25:47
Scotland squad. Obviously tailed off not as not
25:50
as much game time, last end, last part of last season and the
25:56
the start of the season. So he came along to Hearts and I
25:59
think he's not seen the best of them, but we've seen glimpses of
26:01
what he can do. Yeah, he hit the ground running
26:04
in that Celtic game, which was going to be a challenge, so he
26:06
did well there. But yeah, those are those are
26:09
the new additions to the team we could possibly see or the Japan
26:12
friendly as well as Ivory Coast one which we have down the road
26:15
in Liverpool. But if you are going to Hamden
26:17
for the Japan game, there will be a few changes if you've
26:21
picked up your ticket for that already.
26:23
First one, if you are an appreciator of Scott Mccomoney
26:27
art, there is a giant mural now. If you've not seen it, you've
26:31
done well to avoid it. Mount Florida tenement now has a
26:35
giant painting which spans pretty much the length of the
26:38
building off his moment against Denmark in November past.
26:43
So they've not wasted any time in getting that up, Yeah.
26:46
Yeah, really great to see. I think we mentioned it off
26:49
camera as well where that kind of over it.
26:52
It'll be seen from Lester Hampden.
26:55
Yeah, yeah. Which?
26:56
When the national team train on that pitch, Scott Mctominay will
27:00
be. Able to my talking point now.
27:02
Scott Mizomi will be able to see himself and you can talk about
27:06
what one of your Wreath Rovers fans said about the mural and
27:09
what it can do. Yeah, he's gone.
27:11
Yeah, going to a wreath guy. Robbie, I saw him and he he said
27:16
he thinks every town up and down the country should have a mural
27:20
of the greatest moments from their respective team.
27:22
But you think's a really good shout because the Wolf fans do
27:25
get a hard time sometimes, I think from wider society,
27:27
despite the fact that it is probably the biggest subculture
27:32
culture, whatever it is, the biggest culture of in Scotland.
27:34
I'd say yeah, in terms of what it brings and yeah, how much it
27:38
does for its communities. And yeah, I totally agree with
27:41
that. It'd be nice to, it'd be nice to
27:43
have, you know, to walk up the streets of Cricord.
27:46
And what? Yeah, what was Wraith's fee?
27:48
What for the Rover's biggest moment in my life?
27:50
Probably beating Rangers in their arms in cup.
27:54
So maybe John Baird jump in as he celebrates.
27:56
What competition was that? John's Cup.
27:58
Oh did he? Did he cup?
28:01
Right. For Aberdeen.
28:03
But the biggest, actual biggest moment would be being Celtic and
28:06
the League Cup Ibrox so can't appreciate it.
28:11
That and obviously for Aberdeen it would be beating Real Madrid
28:15
and the the Europeans. Don't age whenever that was
28:18
nice. I bet Real Madrid were back when
28:20
Real Madrid were rubbish. You love, you love to talk
28:22
about, you love to talk about you leading against Bayern
28:26
Munich. That was just as far back.
28:27
But yeah, obviously winning against Real Madrid in the
28:30
European final, still the last seem to do it back in 1983 and
28:35
obviously beating Hamburg in the second.
28:37
Oh well, you know, we've got 2 European trophies.
28:40
Yeah, no, the Scottish clubs done that.
28:42
So you've already got the Dickley then?
28:44
Not the Dickley, the law. Yeah, Dennis Law, right?
28:47
Rightly so. But in my lifetime it'd probably
28:50
be, well, it'd have to be Dematar meet off saving Alistair
28:52
Johnson's penalty and Callum McGregor crying on the Hamden
28:56
pitch. You can have a you need a few
28:58
then I think. To be fair, I think that the
29:01
folk Aberdeen probably won't be too happy with me saying this,
29:03
but the the set escape, the grey set escape is not the most
29:07
flattering so. No, get as many murals up with.
29:10
The Aberdeen's best moments might not be an idea.
29:12
Get as many murals up as you can.
29:14
I don't want to see any more granite.
29:17
But yeah, but not as good. I mean we have got a few
29:19
already, like you said, the the the law one, but the it's coming
29:22
home at the EUR. That was quite cool.
29:24
I mean, Caroline Weir's got her one in Dunfermline and now we've
29:28
got Scott Many one in Glasgows. It's been Cuthbert, Scotland
29:32
somewhere. Cough bras definitely go on.
29:34
I can't I want, I want to say green, but I don't think is, but
29:37
it's something or something, it's something like that.
29:39
It's Glasgow direction should probably shoot that right.
29:44
Anyway, I yeah, it'd be good. I know that there's a lot of art
29:48
in Glasgow. I'd be nice to see it cropping
29:49
up elsewhere. Yeah, little clubs getting their
29:51
moments because, like I said, there are big parts to
29:53
communities, especially the small themes.
29:55
They've all got their big moments and it'd be nice to for
29:57
them, you know, for that to be there to see for everyone and
30:01
another change and then we will hopefully get to it before I
30:05
think it's been confirmed. Had the trials with beer at the
30:08
other is the League Cup semi final finals.
30:11
Yeah, they've had lots of trials at Patodre.
30:13
Aberdeen had theirs as well. Patodre's had a couple, but
30:16
there will be beer on sale at Hampton.
30:19
The world is healing. Yeah, against Japan for me
30:23
because I I don't know. I don't know.
30:24
Your opinion isn't it? But it's someone like, I'm, I'm
30:26
20, so I'm fucked. Well, no.
30:29
Well, we're both in the same category here.
30:30
We're both from a generation of football fans in Scotland.
30:33
Yeah. Like, there is a watershed
30:35
moment for most fans, though. Like either went to games when
30:38
you could get beer or, you know, you know, you can't.
30:41
Can't remember how long when that came in, but there's
30:43
probably a. Long most.
30:45
People now, you know, I've not really had a beer at football
30:47
match in Scotland and yeah, just be, I don't know.
30:52
For me, it's not something I'm desperate for.
30:55
I'm not desperate, but we definitely are.
30:57
Nice at this. It's nice to have.
30:58
I think, you know, I don't like looking at the rugby and seeing
31:00
them drinking libation thing. And what's so different about
31:02
Scotland fans at Hampden? No, no, I think it's been, it's
31:05
been discriminatory for a long time.
31:07
Where Oh yeah, Scotland fans are less well behaved than rugby
31:12
fans, which I don't think it's true.
31:14
So I think fans are actually some of the better behaved ones
31:18
I. Loved around the world.
31:19
Wherever we go. So it'll be, it'll be, it'll be
31:22
nice. And you ever know, I think, I
31:25
don't know, maybe 4 needs. It's been quiet.
31:26
It's not apart from when it's been going well at Hamden, it's
31:29
been a little bit quiet. What you get is at Hamden
31:32
especially, you can get back queues before kick off because
31:34
everyone stays in the pubs as long as they can, as long as and
31:37
then all flood over. You know, however long before
31:39
kick off, 1020 minutes and it's never enough time.
31:42
It'd be nice to think, you know what, let's now talk.
31:44
Kick off. Let's get in the stadium and
31:45
grab. Be there.
31:46
Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, hopefully it can
31:48
be a great day. I think kick offs at 4:00 PM for
31:50
that Japan game, 5:00 PM and obviously we're all looking
31:54
forward to the World Cup, but if we look a bit further ahead to.
31:57
Yeah. September or September?
32:00
October I think. No first four games.
32:02
They've changed international window for the later the later
32:05
games in the year now. So instead of in September 2
32:07
games, October 2 games and N2 games, they're combining the
32:11
autumn window into four matches are just, you know.
32:14
In one window in. One window, yeah.
32:16
So they actually straddle the September, October months, OK
32:21
and? That's for Nations League.
32:22
Just I think it's just because I kind of agree where you know,
32:25
yeah, domestic just come back and somebody straight away the
32:29
national team. So and that could be fun, you
32:30
know, for about the bad games for Scotland really chance for
32:34
you know, I mean, you never know what the you ever know what the
32:36
landscape of the national team could be that time either that
32:38
could be could be a new manager trying to get get his team.
32:43
To work. Or it could just be a Clark
32:44
trying to, you know, really nail down things after a good World
32:47
Cup. Fingers crossed after the win.
32:48
So yeah, yeah, try and get the hangover to win that.
32:52
I'll still be struggling if we have won it, I'll still be
32:55
struggling. My hangover then.
32:56
And then we got yeah. So I just to recap, we were a
33:00
Part 1 team in League B and we were drawn against the best part
33:04
team, 2 best team in Part 2, sorry, who were Switzerland and
33:09
then also Slovenia and N Macedonia.
33:12
So yeah, Tracky draw in Switzerland, but unfinished
33:16
business, I feel they're with us in terms of, you know, that game
33:19
of the EUR, we kind of gifted them.
33:21
He did very well for the goal, but it was kind of of our own
33:23
making with a Ralster mistake. Slovenia and Macedonia, not too
33:28
much to be concerned by there, but again.
33:31
Tesco, they've got their key #9 which we don't have.
33:34
So, you know, you could. Bojan Milski, the absolute rat.
33:40
Yeah, it's not an amazing draw depending on what lens you look
33:43
at it. I know you've already booked
33:45
Switzerland. Cheap flight over.
33:48
Bought it Quid. It's Jeanine Vanessa.
33:50
Not bad, yeah, but no, I've got me home like, but yeah.
33:54
I think it depends how you look at it because I'll shout out
33:58
Scotland's coefficient right now on Twitter.
34:00
Great account, go follow them if you haven't already.
34:02
But we were having a conversation and we both came to
34:05
the conclusion that it might be better to stay in League B for
34:08
the next cycle. This is if you're playing the
34:10
very long game here. The long, yeah, the long route.
34:13
Because what we know from past experiences is that if you win
34:17
your group, you are promoted, but you're also guaranteed a
34:20
playoff for the next major international tournament.
34:23
So for EUR 2020, we got that playoff through winning our
34:28
League C Nations group. Was it Israel and Albania?
34:31
Yeah, it was. League C Nations Group and
34:34
obviously we got through the playoff and and did it there,
34:38
but with how many different ways we can qualify for EUR 2028, it
34:42
feels a bit wasted almost. We're pretty much guaranteed a
34:45
place based on the host rule. Yeah, there's there's two places
34:50
reserved for hosts that don't automatically qualify or qualify
34:53
through other means. So it would be an absolute.
34:56
It'd have to be an absolute disaster for.
34:58
You'd have to be. Multiple ways not qualifying.
35:00
Yeah, it's dependent. Dependent on if it's based on
35:03
ranking or yeah, qualification. But yeah, we're basically
35:05
guaranteed a spot. So if we say finish second,
35:08
don't get promoted and save it up for the next cycle.
35:14
You never guaranteed promotion, but I think obviously if you
35:16
could get the playoff for either the EUR or the World Cup, World
35:20
Cup is too much harder to qualify far as and we've learned
35:22
that over the years. And yeah, you'd much prefer the
35:25
World Cup. We've.
35:25
Done it this time. We've had a playoff, but it's
35:27
good to have it in the back pocket.
35:28
So exactly, yeah, that'll be. I mean, I don't think we can.
35:33
We can. We can sort of thoughts about
35:36
what we would rather go. By the end of the day,
35:38
Scotland's going to go out and try and win all the games, so
35:40
we'll just have to see how that one works.
35:41
And if you if you get top 2 in your group, you're guaranteed at
35:45
least Part 2 for your 2028 qualifier.
35:48
Which is more important? I'd say yeah, so.
35:51
I mean, ideally if there's a new manager, say something like
35:54
that, you get promoted and then when you're in league, you try
35:58
and get top 2 and push on. If you if you want to be, you
36:03
know, transitioning from a team that qualifies for tournaments
36:07
and a team that competes at tournaments.
36:09
But how likely is that? You know, you got to be
36:12
realistic. I don't know how likely that is.
36:13
So you've got to look at it from all aspects.
36:17
I think one other thing that's happened since we last spoke on
36:21
the podcast, ticket sales for the World Cup have been
36:24
completed. Obviously badly that you had
36:26
your early application process, but if I've now confirmed
36:29
whether your application was successful, how many tickets
36:32
you've got, they've taken the money that everyone's going to
36:35
get stressed about that because it's like, oh, FIFA is fine with
36:37
saying, oh, if you don't, you need to have available funds.
36:39
And then you know, if we can't take the money like all these
36:42
sort of threats you get, we're like worrying you're not going
36:44
to get tickets every possible way you couldn't get your
36:47
tickets. You're stressing about across
36:48
the board. Most people got what they wanted
36:50
and what they deserved in terms of points and tickets and things
36:53
like that. However, there was a couple 100,
36:57
I believe, fans who applied for easy access tickets without
37:01
realizing that easy access is actually disability access
37:04
tickets. And you have to have you have to
37:08
have like proof of SL and things like that.
37:11
And there isn't actually that many tickets available.
37:12
I think it was in the single digits.
37:14
Four. Yeah, so crazy.
37:15
Well, there's a lot of people weren't too happy about that.
37:18
But I mean, the SFA were pretty good with the comms on that
37:22
front. They.
37:22
Really emphasised. Yeah, Change it.
37:25
Check it. So my dad made that mistake,
37:28
yeah, but we spotted it so. I spotted it.
37:31
Yeah, you spotted it exactly. To be fair, to be fair, I saw
37:35
and. I read it as early access.
37:36
I read it as early access. Some folks saw that as well,
37:38
though. Yeah, it's and is, is, I think
37:40
it's an easy mistake to make. Yes, but yeah.
37:43
And so I but most people are happy.
37:44
I got my I got 5 that I'm going I've it's not I don't have
37:47
faith. We wouldn't get further, but we
37:48
did not have the the funds this year's further than the last 16.
37:53
I don't think I've got the annual leave for it either, to
37:55
be honest, but keep multiple people happy with how I spend my
37:58
holidays. So, but yeah, it's I, No, it
38:01
was, it should be. It should be good.
38:04
Now it feels like we're one step closer.
38:06
It's it's getting very, very real and very, very exciting.
38:09
Yeah, obviously we're going together.
38:11
So I've got my three tickets for the grip stage as well.
38:15
Baller, you've gone cut one like Spender.
38:17
Well, I couldn't get anything else.
38:19
Obviously this guy's a addict away game, so he's got a few
38:22
more points than me. So I had to settle for $700.00
38:26
tickets to the Brazil game, I think it was.
38:30
But you know, it'll be worth it when we win the whole thing.
38:34
But no, I think we we obviously also to touch on the Haiti game,
38:39
the most requested the. Most in demand?
38:43
The most in demand? Game of the resale platform.
38:46
It was a resale trade. It was.
38:47
A trade one of one of the two. Which is crazy when you consider
38:50
because, I mean, there's no way fans at that game technically,
38:54
you know? Hate your fans are banned for
38:56
anyone that doesn't know. I hate your fans as well as a
38:58
couple of other nations are banned from travelling and
39:00
therefore they will be only the support of Scotland fans at the
39:03
game as well as neutrals. I mean, obviously there is the
39:07
argument that a lot of Scottish expats across the across the
39:12
pond and the North East of America and also Canada will be
39:15
wanting to go to those games. I think when I when I think
39:18
about people like that picture the the two guys from Chin the
39:21
fat, he's in sketch. And then they come home.
39:24
Oh, man, you some people know I'm talking about they say they
39:26
come down like I can't remember. I'm going to put you.
39:29
I wouldn't want to do the accent because they would just get
39:31
clapped. But yeah, like basically the one
39:35
eighth, the 1/8 Scotch, Scotch, Yeah, Scotch brigade.
39:38
I'd be out in force. But aside from that, you know,
39:41
there are games that include maybe France, Norway.
39:44
There'll be two sets of fans driving to the demand.
39:48
Well, Scotland, Haiti is. Scotland Scotland fans alone are
39:51
driving the biggest demand in the World Cup right now.
39:55
I think it's because there's maybe not an assumption but a
39:59
strong hope that it'll be a first World Cup winning.
40:04
How many years when finals will stop since they because yeah, so
40:10
we've not, we've been at €2.00 not.
40:12
Even win it. Oh, you could be.
40:14
You know, actually you're right there.
40:16
Thanks. Yeah, obviously, fingers
40:20
crossed, Touchwoods, we do win that game.
40:22
We should win that game. Yeah, a lot of even people you
40:25
just applied for tickets if they could only go at one game that
40:27
tend to be on the. Yeah.
40:29
And I think that Flower Scotland national anthem when the Haiti
40:33
Haiti game comes will be absolutely incredible, I think.
40:37
People, people keep harking back to the EUR 24 in Germany, The
40:41
Cologne game against Switzerland especially.
40:44
The atmosphere was incredible and the the flower of Scotland
40:47
hit a different level that evening.
40:51
I think in Boston, 60 odd 1000 Scots potentially in there.
40:55
Yeah, in the. First World Cup since that would
40:57
be. Incredible.
40:58
I think, yeah, the Boston Stadium, AK Foxborough Stadium,
41:01
because it's so far away from Boston.
41:03
Yeah, but no, I think the majority of that stadium will be
41:06
a Navy blue or some type of orange or yellow from the away
41:11
kits, and it'll be in a magical, magical experience.
41:15
Yeah. That'll be a way we're there
41:16
waiting in that game, aren't we technically?
41:17
Technically, yeah. Yeah.
41:18
So I we could be in. A nice 9:00 PM kick off time,
41:22
local time I think. It's at 9 PMI.
41:24
Think it is 9 so it's plenty of time to get booze in, try and
41:29
sober up before the game and then watches 15 nil and Scott
41:33
Mcconney score a hat trick then. It's a small ask.
41:37
It's a small ask. It's all I want right, But I
41:40
think I mean, yeah, I think that's a good we've we've
41:42
covered absolutely from there first video format.
41:44
We've tried our best. It took ages to set up.
41:46
So I hope you enjoyed. It thank you very much for for
41:48
listening to this first one. A lot of work's gone behind the
41:51
scenes. It's been months in the making
41:53
and hopefully with your support we can continue to do stuff like
41:57
this. Got cool guests that you will
42:00
definitely recognise coming soon hopefully.
42:02
Yeah, I've been. I've been made.
42:04
People have made promises to me, big promises.
42:06
So I'm I'm hoping to peel through them and get some high
42:10
quality, get obvious. We've had Alastair Lamont on,
42:13
which was great. Hopefully I got a couple more
42:15
coming, that would be very nice. So if you have enjoyed this
42:19
first video podcast or if you're still listening to audio,
42:22
please, we do ask that you just if you have enjoyed and you've
42:25
got to then leave us a rate and leave us a like subscribe or
42:28
whatever platform you're on show support and it really helps us
42:31
more than you think. So I think that's everything.
42:34
Thank you very much for listening and we'll see you
42:36
again very, very soon. Catch you later.