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Greece Reaction + Belarus Preview · Scots With A Mic

0:04
Listen to the noise. Listen to the passion in Hamden
0:07
Park. Let's jump again.
0:09
Let's start it. Let's move on the grain.
0:17
Down by dunvish chance, down for Scotland.
0:29
Hello and welcome back to the Scots with a Mic podcast.
0:33
I am your host James Scott and I'm delighted again to be
0:37
bringing you another episode. We're in a good mood for this
0:40
one. Scotland have just reached the
0:43
halfway point in their World Cup qualification campaign and it
0:48
was a good one. It was a three one win against
0:51
the geeks, a bit of a roller coaster.
0:53
There was lots of highs and lows throughout the 90 and we've got
0:57
2, 2 speakers on to discuss it with me today.
1:01
Our regular on the podcast is Adam from Gorky Talk.
1:04
Adam, how we doing? Very well after that result,
1:08
James. Very well mate.
1:09
I definitely. And also we've got a special
1:12
guest coming on, someone that's not been on before, Gordon Shea
1:16
from the Tartan Scarf. Gordon, How are we doing?
1:19
Good. Very good.
1:20
Very, very good. Like you said, just good, good,
1:24
good to be sitting in this place where we are right now.
1:26
Yeah, halfway through the group. Good, good, good.
1:29
Yeah, I've known Garden for a while, so it's good to get an
1:31
old friend on the podcast with us.
1:33
So first of all, who was at the game last night?
1:36
Who was in the stadium? Yep, I was there.
1:40
I was there in my kind of a I've I've taken up a new spot this
1:43
for this campaign, some sort of South stand upper and get a
1:47
really nice view over the top of it and unfortunately the
1:49
opposite end from where most of the goals were last night.
1:52
You still got a pretty good view from up in the upper off the
1:55
South stand or pretty much class.
1:57
Even at the opposite end you still see it really well.
2:00
What about yard number are you? You're at home for this one, I
2:02
think. I was a first half, I was at
2:06
Porter Bell High School for my son's training session.
2:09
And so shout out for Muscle Browser for that.
2:11
And so I was watching out my iPad.
2:12
Between that and my son's training, the son's training was
2:15
probably a bit better, but we'll go into that in more detail.
2:17
And then a second-half, I was back home to watch a really good
2:21
second-half actually. And well, anything was better
2:23
than the first half. First half was pretty draft, but
2:25
we'll we'll get into that later on.
2:26
Fair enough. I mean, I thought you were going
2:28
to say you messed the first half completely, no.
2:30
No, no, that messed the first half well.
2:32
No, you didn't mess much, to be fair.
2:35
Yeah, it was a game with a good result and Clark said end
2:39
results are the only thing that qualify for major tournaments.
2:42
Which is true. I mean, I'll come to you item
2:46
first. Dead Scotland's performance
2:50
merit and deserve the one. It depends how you use the word
2:56
performance. I think like, I think like from
2:58
Clark's perspective, he is right.
3:00
That's the results business. And I think ever since he's been
3:03
at the helm, he's never really been someone where you know
3:06
you're going to get tech attack of football.
3:08
It's all going to be like all singing, all dancing, all
3:10
entertaining stuff, right? I mean, there has been spells
3:12
we've we have looked really good.
3:14
Then it has been good performances.
3:15
But he's right. At the end of the day, you know,
3:17
we'd rather play up, as you know, under par and get our
3:20
result, then play really well and get nothing.
3:22
So I think though, if you think about missed opportunities for
3:26
Greece and again, just take like picking up on chances and taking
3:31
the circumstances to work in our favour, then yeah, you could
3:34
argue second-half we've done really, really well and then
3:36
first half we've done what we could to contain Greece.
3:39
So I wouldn't say we don't deserve it.
3:41
Maybe say that obviously when you get the fee one and have it
3:43
happened, it maybe flattered us a wee bit.
3:45
Yeah, but I wouldn't say that. You know, it kinda looked like
3:48
it was heading for a draw at one point, especially when we sort
3:52
out the back and forth with the two goals that started in the
3:54
second-half. But yeah, I wouldn't say we
3:57
didn't deserve it. I thought we worked hard, we did
3:59
what we could and then the changes that we made, which
4:01
again we'll go into, and they made a lot of difference I felt
4:04
in the second-half. So yeah.
4:06
The change will come into the changes later but from me they
4:08
were definitely pivotal and shifting the game Scotland's
4:12
direction. Gordon obviously in the stadium
4:15
with me watching it last night, a similar take from you on that.
4:19
Yeah, I would say so. I would say so because I think
4:22
certainly pre match there was a there was a fair amount of
4:26
nascent growing optimism. Again, you know, obviously the
4:29
results in the last 12 months or so have kind of they've they've
4:34
come and gone a little bit. You know, obviously last
4:36
summer's EUR was obviously a real, real low point.
4:39
And then you go into a nation's league game where you start with
4:42
three losses in a row and you're thinking, Christ, are we ever
4:44
going to win again ever? You know, but then we rally
4:47
really strongly in that nation's league group.
4:49
We do really well. We, we beat Croatia, you know,
4:51
we get the draw against against Portugal, We beat, we beat
4:54
Poland out out there and then that takes us to the playoff.
4:57
And then again, a tale of two matches.
4:59
You you're just so devastated by that three nil game at home to
5:04
Greece. And certainly from the way the
5:06
game started, you thought this could be a similar story to what
5:09
the game was in March. And you, you think have what
5:12
have we learned here? What have we gained?
5:14
But ultimately, you know, as as as as you said there like the
5:18
the result is what matters here. The fact that we're sitting
5:20
halfway, halfway in this group with all of the power in our own
5:24
hands, all of our destiny in our own hands.
5:27
We're in as good a place as we could possibly hope to be in.
5:30
And again, let's let's not pretend that we haven't had
5:33
games, but in the past we've all been watching Scotland long
5:35
enough to know that we've seen games where we've played really,
5:37
really well in matches and not gotten the result we deserved.
5:40
So ultimately, this time fate shone on us a little bit last
5:44
night. Of course it did.
5:45
But that's that's something that's what you need and that's
5:48
what you need to get back to major, major tournaments like
5:51
World Cups. Yeah, I mean, 100% agree with
5:54
something you said there because as a Rovers fan as well, I feel
5:58
like I've seen a lot of this over the years where I mean,
6:00
there was a season we got relegated and there was games we
6:03
played well and we we just couldn't win.
6:06
And there will be, there will be some games and, and then and
6:10
there will be some teams who go on, win leagues, win
6:14
championships and they do have the occasional bad game, but
6:18
they still managed to find a way to win.
6:20
And for me that's a hallmark of a good team right there.
6:23
Good teams play bad at times but still find ways to win games and
6:29
I don't know if Geese are kind of feeling like the opposite end
6:31
that right now because the lack experience in their squad at
6:37
times with the younger boys. They played out last night.
6:40
They had chances and they couldn't put them to bed the
6:43
first half alone. I think we we we probably could
6:46
have gone in behind and Clark, but Clark, Clark acknowledged,
6:49
you know, the game in March, we went in half time.
6:51
The game was relatively similar, I'd say, But this time we didn't
6:56
go into no down. We went in, level came out,
6:58
second-half obviously still went behind after a bit, but it
7:01
wasn't by no means sort of similar to the game in March.
7:04
And then we got turned over and it gave us a platform to attack
7:07
and kick on, get something later on and they came out of it.
7:11
So yes, I mean, for me it was the first half was very poor,
7:17
but you know, the last half or more they made-up for that.
7:21
And again Clark said, what was that?
7:23
Sometimes you don't get what you deserve in football and
7:25
sometimes you get a little bit more than you deserve.
7:27
And I think free one definitely flattered us.
7:29
But like like many a time before with with with, there's been
7:34
games we've been involved in where the best teams not won or
7:37
not go what they deserved. Well, I mean, we'll touch on the
7:41
goals. Lewis Ferguson firstly, first
7:44
goal for Scotland in his 19th cap.
7:46
For a moment from him I would just open up to both you if he
7:50
was obviously man of the match. We see any of yours man of the
7:53
match or is there anyone else you want to pull and you think
7:55
was also very good on a day? I mean to be comment on my own X
8:01
page about Liz Ferguson today, actually I thought he was.
8:05
I know I think about Liz Ferguson.
8:07
I just think he's just really grown in our top football.
8:10
I think he's always had obviously the potential and
8:12
that's why he is now also over at Bologna, had some quick
8:16
success there as well. And then I just think the more
8:19
now that he's getting that international game team, just
8:22
the more you've seen him flourish.
8:24
And again, he's like, he's like a lot of midfielders now.
8:26
Our team, we have a lot of quality midfielders and a lot of
8:28
midfielders are quite fluid as well.
8:30
So like the Ferguson, they can play, you know, and A10 and A6,
8:34
whatever. Mcginn's the same.
8:36
He can move around. Obviously see Mcdonaldy playing
8:38
numerous possessions, albeit we know he's better, better and
8:42
A10, but you know, is starting to I think just get more
8:45
comfortable because obviously international football is all
8:47
different to anything else, right?
8:48
And I think we've all just been sitting waiting for him to get
8:51
an opportunity. And now that we've seen him get
8:53
a sort of running games, you're just starting to see him grow.
8:56
And I just think that again, he puts himself in the right places
8:58
at the right time in the box thinking that deep line
9:01
position. And Christie again, played
9:04
really well. I thought well at the chop and
9:07
change what he was doing last night, but he done really well
9:09
wherever he was put and and yeah, I just felt like it done
9:12
The Dirty work that needed done and I felt that Scotland
9:15
actually just looked a bit more the word I want to put on that
9:20
is like streetwise. I just feel like I've said this
9:22
on previous podcasts, but I feel like Greece are still that are
9:25
really talented squad and like you touched on they're quite
9:27
young and hanging with that that young side to them.
9:30
They are quite naive like they were given away silly fouls last
9:32
night. Scotland went out like nearly 23
9:35
kicks and and yeah, I just felt like Lewis Ferguson, McGann,
9:40
people at were were causing all that kind of havoc for them and
9:43
they were playing the game as best they could to match the
9:45
technical side to Greece. And I think as as the game went
9:48
on and things weren't going Greece's favour, our players in
9:51
the pitch were actually sensing that as well.
9:53
So yeah, I think Ferguson deserves a lot of credit just
9:56
for that progression he's making in a Scotland jersey and he
9:59
really looks like a proper starter.
10:02
Yeah, so big Showtime for me. Yeah, I think I, I would, I
10:06
would just want to build, build, build on what you say there,
10:08
Adam, about the kind of that streetwise nature of the squad.
10:11
And I think that's something that's really, really, really
10:14
impressed me, especially over the last couple of years as the
10:16
team has developed under Clark that, you know, again, we've,
10:19
we've all seen Scotland games in the past where we have been
10:22
arguably bullied by teams. You know, we've, we've been the
10:25
ones that have been sort of held at arm's length and they've,
10:28
they've mastered the dark arts and mastered the clock and
10:30
mastered the tempo of the game. And I just feel like we're
10:33
getting really, really good at that.
10:34
I think especially maybe slightly fortunate, but just the
10:38
fact that we were able to equalize so quickly after they
10:41
scored because obviously the atmosphere was turning quite bad
10:44
given that we'd we'd had a full hour of not very entertaining or
10:49
exciting or exhilarating football.
10:51
Then obviously you have the sucker punch of having Aaron
10:53
Hickey go off injured. Obviously a lot of the narrative
10:56
pre match was Hickeys in the squad, Ben Doakes in the squad.
10:59
They weren't there in March. So they're they'll be the
11:01
difference makers. Both of them go off at broadly
11:03
the same time and then we go one nil down.
11:05
All that combined in the stadium they except quite a negative.
11:10
Immediately I just remember feeling kind of numb.
11:12
A. 100% it. Felt the game was only going one
11:14
way at that point. And it's fun and it's funny as
11:17
well because obviously I got a hold of the game last night and
11:19
then I put the I, I Fast forward through the game and when you
11:22
see the Grease score, the commentary is so kind of end of
11:27
days. It was all a night of ignominy
11:29
for Scotland. And we've gone one nil down as
11:32
if it's been coming all night. And they weren't really, it did
11:35
feel like they were really hamming it up, though, how
11:36
terrible the conceding this goal was.
11:39
It was as as if it was we we'd conceded the fourth goal or a
11:41
fifth goal this night of ignominy.
11:44
But because we were able to get the get the equalizer so
11:47
quickly, that then suddenly put the massive mental pressure on
11:51
Greece. And I just don't think they
11:52
coped with it very well. And I think we did.
11:54
And what was really impressive is it we then were the ones
11:57
turning the screw, getting the pressure on, leading the press,
12:00
making them make mistakes. And you could see some of the
12:02
challenges they were flying into, the way they were going
12:05
down, looking for fouls, staying down.
12:08
I think collectively their heads went completely.
12:11
And from that moment onwards, it was kind of only looking like we
12:13
were the only team that was going to win the game.
12:16
Because you're seeing a bit master in the dark arts.
12:18
There was a, there's plenty of them rolling about in the ground
12:21
at points and you know, claiming for fails.
12:24
It looked very soft. But I think about how many free
12:27
kicks, especially down in front of me in the North Stand area,
12:32
we got a fair few and quite dangerous areas.
12:35
Free kicks at the I'd say they were softly given away just for
12:38
stuff that was like you said, not streetwise and it those sort
12:42
of errors put pressure on you. Balls in the box.
12:46
Things happen obviously quite quick after they score crusty
12:49
grabs at 1st and it just wasn't like when I spoke to Stephen
12:54
last weekend from the Greek side of things.
12:56
He did say the younger guys not known how to manage a game, not
12:59
know how experience at this level, qualifying for
13:02
tournaments, know what it takes to get over the line.
13:04
They did this kind of crumble and you know, and the crowd
13:08
really helped what I felt they were quite flat over the course
13:12
of the 90. Robertson did say he understood
13:16
the frustrations of the fans. He said for the 1st 60 minutes
13:19
they're clearly frustrated, which I can understand and I can
13:22
get behind. He's like, but sometimes it
13:23
doesn't help. But equally the players have got
13:26
to give the players something that players have got to give
13:28
the fans even something to to make noise about and especially
13:32
at home than it can. When it's quiet it really shows.
13:35
But as soon as that first goal went and even when we got the
13:38
free check to put the ball on the box for Christie, I really
13:40
noticed the rally and cry from the fans and you know it was a
13:43
joint effort from everyone in the Tartan Army and the boys on
13:46
the pitch to get us over the line.
13:48
I felt when I was talking about Ferguson been Mara much yeller
13:52
though I think one guy I wanted to touch on I thought was
13:54
brilliant for Scotland last night was Ryan Cresty getting
13:58
his goal as well. 100% passing rate, 100% successful dribbles,
14:04
0 times dispossessed. He was a 62nd cap and his eight
14:08
goal for me. I thought he was a man of the
14:10
match, one of the best players in the pitch and he, just like
14:13
you said, a lot of streetwise moments when he took the ball
14:16
and recycled that well, gave himself space, helped other guys
14:20
out and even helped drive us through the smaller gaps,
14:23
carrying the ball in the areas. I felt he was one of our best
14:26
players and I don't know if he if it's not because he's a John
14:29
McGann or Scotland comedy was last noticed.
14:32
But for me, I thought he was brilliant.
14:35
Obviously the goals from the boys got the crowd going.
14:41
When you look at the stats of the game, one thing I couldn't
14:43
believe because I think we could all agree could E dominate the
14:46
first half and the second-half felt more split across the two
14:50
teams, more even like contested. But for the possession stats
14:55
overall we were only 33%, but in the second-half we only had 222%
15:01
possession in the second-half, which is incredibly low.
15:04
I can't actually believe it was that low.
15:07
And along with that, we only had one expected goal and our goal
15:11
XG. But it's just one of those games
15:16
were really we made our own luck in the end.
15:20
The final goal came just after a save from Angus Gunn.
15:24
If you've not seen it in the highlights or didn't get a
15:26
chance to appreciate during the game like myself when I was at
15:30
the opposite end of the stadium, that save happened at 21 against
15:33
what was a very good shot from characters very similar to his
15:36
goal at the opposite end that he scored in the playoffs.
15:40
I mean, the guy that's not played much league football at
15:44
all since last summer because of his move to Nottingham Forest
15:48
and been down the pecking order there.
15:50
For him to coming out the cold and produce a moment like that
15:52
to arguably get the win for us, I mean, what a moment for him as
15:57
well. Yeah, I think you're right.
15:59
You've kind of touched on that. That is obviously not getting
16:02
game time. I think I did see an interview
16:03
actually on Sky Sports just a few days ago talking to Gunn
16:07
about how obviously didn't think it was going to be that way when
16:10
he went to forest and he seen it as an opportunity.
16:12
And obviously like he sees down the pick and order in the And I
16:15
think there we've kind of recognized in various media
16:19
outlets that as a sort of goalkeeping issue there with
16:22
obviously were maybe maybe not us not naive, but I suppose as a
16:27
nation naive. You know, we'll have McGregor,
16:29
Marshall and Gordon forever. So I think and before we know
16:33
it, nowhere came to, you know, putting Gordon back in a squad
16:37
just in case Gun can't make it because that's who Clark can
16:39
only rely on because it isn't really anybody else that wants
16:42
to rely on. So yeah, that's the kind of
16:44
scenario we're in. But and seeing that think that
16:47
where it's due. I actually fought watching Gun
16:49
last night and I was watching it at home.
16:51
But again, sometimes you get that a different viewpoint of
16:53
it. I felt like Gun for for someone
16:56
who's not got game time is still looked like someone who was a
17:01
regular on a team every week, if that makes sense.
17:03
He still looked comfortable. He still looked assured in the
17:07
position. He was confident.
17:08
He kept speaking at the back four.
17:12
Yeah, I felt like like he hadn't been away from my first team
17:16
action, whereas obviously he's saying he's constant on the
17:19
bench. I think it does help him having
17:22
like sickly Gordon the year I think he mentioned that himself.
17:24
He can learn a lot for people like Craig Gordon.
17:26
So know that that helps him in the camps and that may be
17:28
another reason why Clark still takes Gordon along as well.
17:32
And albeit because Gordon hasn't had any game time himself to
17:35
injuries and and whatever else. But yeah, the save itself, like,
17:39
like you say, James, at that stage in the game. 91st minute.
17:43
That that, by the way, that kid, again, I don't know if he stole
17:46
17, The commentators say yes. It feels like he's 17 forever
17:48
but I believe. Next month or so I'm.
17:51
Sure. Anyway, regardless, the grease
17:54
spend oak came on and was starting to cause us all sort of
17:56
problems. But yeah, top save it was very
17:59
similar that you say to the goal they actually got and see, when
18:03
you look at the stats as well, we're going back on that.
18:06
And like I say, watching it from home, I feel like we came to
18:12
more as like from commentators wise and things Latin in the
18:14
builder. I feel like we gave these a
18:15
little bit too much respect. Like, I mean that in the sense
18:19
of like, again, we're more focusing on, you know, that
18:22
they're technically good, that they can cause people problems
18:25
and things like that. But to be honest, last night
18:27
they did have OK, a couple of chances and whatever, but like
18:30
the XG, there wasn't very much difference.
18:33
We had a lot, they had a lot of the ball, but there wasn't like
18:38
there wasn't a lot happening. Like we did contain them quite
18:41
well. We cleared a lot of things away
18:43
with, like I said, we were streetwise in our approach.
18:45
I think the commentary mentioned like first half how the biggest
18:48
issues seem to be like we didn't know when to press and when it
18:51
set off kind of thing. And I think it's because of how
18:53
well Greece had to like kept the ball.
18:57
But I think we just bathed our time with that.
18:58
And then let's say in that moment, like I thought it went
19:01
and you know, guns, guns saved us there in a sense because
19:04
especially with the Cadets is coming on, he gets his goal just
19:07
like he did, you know, however long ago a few months back and
19:10
again caused that nightmare for us.
19:13
It would have been thinking of Deja vu.
19:14
It's all going to happen again. And then we would have been back
19:17
to. That point like you never know
19:19
where the game goes. Yeah, we deem backs to the wall
19:22
again, he gets equalizer and it's back to the wall.
19:24
So yeah, a big, big moment from a guy who has not seen any first
19:30
team action at all. So I thought Gun had a good game
19:32
and that was a great moment from.
19:33
Because he wasn't actually tested most of the game.
19:35
Like you see, I didn't I don't know, only he made a couple of
19:40
saves you'd expect them to make. There was obviously the Madison
19:43
Pavilidas first half, which I mean yeah, that's that goes in
19:47
99 * 100 years bet especially onto a striker has quali.
19:51
That was the first time I really felt gun was stretched and he
19:53
answered the call. It was you know, I was standing
19:57
a minute later. We then go up the park lending
20:00
dykes. I mean when I was in the car on
20:02
the way home the word luck was getting thrown around about the
20:06
keeper spelling it. But he doesn't exact, I mean for
20:08
me he doesn't spell it 5 yards. London Dykes made his own luck
20:12
there because he gambled and pushed a right in the keeper
20:15
when other guys might not have and let the large stages of the
20:17
game. I mean he's club football wise
20:21
things have been up and down from recently.
20:23
But for Scotland I personally feel like he's some dependable.
20:27
Were you glad to see him grab that goal?
20:29
Gordon? Apart from obvious reasons, it
20:31
was the one that put us we better daylight just to see us
20:34
over the line. Make it 3/1 How good was London?
20:37
And like I said, just making that happen there.
20:42
Gordon Canada Gordon can add a tongue in cheek question and
20:45
that Gordon, did he actually try and miss it?
20:47
London as well, course. I mean, yeah, I can't.
20:53
I can't. I can't believe like he could he
20:55
could have literally walked it in, but decides that he wants to
20:59
curl it into the top corner just for just for the hell of it.
21:03
I mean, how how much can you possibly say about Linden Dykes?
21:07
I mean, genuinely, I think he will rightfully go down as
21:13
again, maybe not one of the best, maybe not one of the most
21:17
gifted strikers Scotland has ever had, but certainly one of
21:20
the most effective and efficient strikers and rightly one of the
21:24
most beloved. I think you look at obviously
21:27
last night was his 10th international goal for Scotland.
21:29
And I was thinking back this morning about just like all of
21:32
his other goals, and I think borderline almost every single
21:36
one of them was either a winning goal, a goal to give us the
21:39
lead, a goal off the bench. Like he makes an impact almost
21:44
everywhere he does. I think I've, I've something
21:46
described him as sort of like the human embodiment of just a
21:50
fist in human form because he just is just a relentless
21:54
physical assault on a defence. And it's exactly what you need.
21:58
And again, James, you're, you're, you're absolutely right
22:00
in saying that like he gambles. He, he, he makes that run again
22:03
when when the ball breaks off him, it breaks off the defender.
22:07
I'm sure he'd be gutted that he hadn't taken in first time
22:09
properly. Yeah.
22:10
And as the ball's going to the goalkeeper, the defender is
22:13
between dykes and and and and and the ball, but he make, he
22:18
goes quicker than defender. He thinks quicker than defender,
22:20
then moves quicker than defender.
22:22
So when the ball does spill, he's the first there to react to
22:24
it and it's not the defender to just shepherd it out.
22:26
So he's absolutely brilliant and he deserves everything he gets.
22:30
He deserves all the praise he gets.
22:32
Still broadly gutted that obviously he got injured before
22:35
the last EUR. That was absolutely
22:37
heartbreaking for him at least. Obviously he got to go to Euro
22:39
2020, which was a good thing for him.
22:42
But yeah, what a guy. And, and again, hopefully again,
22:45
I'm sure we might look ahead to Sunday and I, I hope he starts,
22:48
I hope he starts on Sunday and you can add to that tally.
22:51
No, it'd be good because I think he played well in Copenhagen,
22:55
you know, he did well, He was required of him there.
22:57
And obviously there's a chance. I felt like he could have done a
23:00
little bit better with maybe he wasn't the guy you wanted to
23:02
fall to. Because I do feel like a lot of
23:04
his goals are one touch finishes or ones like that where he makes
23:08
it happen. It's not like he's not someone
23:10
who's going to cut one and the edge of the box.
23:12
But I feel like he has been good for Scotland and he there has
23:14
been a bit of criticism recently around our strike force, the
23:18
options we've got. But Linden Dyke, so he doesn't
23:21
always give us goals. And he said in terms of the
23:23
human fest, he's a batter ram. He gives defenders problems and
23:29
he his work creates incredible. So yeah, for me I'd be I'd be
23:33
brilliant see him start Sunday. I'd love to see him get another
23:35
rerun the team because I think it does help when guys like
23:40
McDonald as well. She Adams is a different sort of
23:44
striker. He doesn't take up defenders
23:47
sort of attention the same way Dykes does.
23:49
And that maybe doesn't give guys like McDonald as much space, you
23:53
know what I mean? I think, I think that's, I know
23:56
you want goals from strikers, but I do feel there's more time
24:00
across. I mean, first half we didn't
24:02
play well and a lot of people put that down to Clark's tactics
24:05
More not, but Geese, we had a good side coming into the
24:07
second-half. Clark makes the changes.
24:11
For me, those changes were like the momentum swinger in the
24:15
game, bringing on Belly, Gilmore, obviously Ralston was
24:19
forced on for a hacky through injury.
24:22
Dykes as well coming on, such a good call by Clark there that
24:27
you know it was a material change in the game.
24:29
I felt bringing those guys on belly allowed us to control the
24:31
game a little bit more. And obviously Dykes just with a
24:34
hustle and bustle him up front, eventually getting his goal.
24:38
Clark, for all his Curtis, he doesn't know what he's doing.
24:43
Yeah, thank you. Let's just see the Scottish
24:46
chavi delivers again. Am I right, James?
24:49
This is a joke. Bella Gilmore.
24:50
This is a joke last a few episodes ago.
24:52
I think it might be one of the Belarus ones.
24:55
Adam described Bella Gilmore as the Scottish Chavi and been.
25:00
I don't know if it's just because I'm from Fife or what,
25:02
but when I heard that in my head I knew what you mean.
25:07
But the first thing I in my head it jumped, it was Chavi, he's
25:11
gone, he's gone. And he said he's gone.
25:12
You mean he's got to be in the team?
25:13
He's a Scottish Chavey. And I was like, I was like me,
25:17
they're all Scottish Chavey. That's why they play for
25:19
Scotland. I was getting absolutely torn
25:24
apart in the chat for that afterwards.
25:26
But yeah, I mean, he was like you said, he's just got that
25:30
ability to really help us out on the ball when we're under
25:33
pressure, get the passes gone. He controls the game.
25:38
I mean, I think like, don't get me wrong, there's like an
25:41
abundance of competition in that midfield data and that cannot be
25:44
an easy area for clocks to pick. It's a good headache to have,
25:49
right, But I just feel like belly Gilmore, he always
25:54
provides you with that bit equality, not bit assurance, and
25:56
he will just grab a game any midfield.
25:58
And this is a fingers bill, right?
26:00
It's not just like he needs to face certain teams.
26:03
So you know, like if you know, there's always like this talk
26:05
about how Chi Adams or scored against teams that are like like
26:09
Belarus, for example, they only scored against those type of
26:12
teams. If you put Bella go on a team
26:14
you then only put a man against, like I say, a Belarus, you came
26:17
on against Greece last night, takes the game by the scruff of
26:20
the neck. And it's just by like the sheer
26:24
technical brilliance that he has is somebody who we don't produce
26:29
players like that very often. I think even at the EUR where it
26:33
was no, no against England, all that talk about like England,
26:36
Smithfield and again Billy Gilmore was was a shining light.
26:41
So yeah, I think he really helped us.
26:43
So the move for Christie as well.
26:45
Christie was playing well when he was, but obviously again,
26:47
moving him around. I don't think I didn't see
26:51
should have been Duck went off. Somebody said he wasn't happy.
26:54
I seen online I didn't see that then.
26:56
I don't see that to know if he wasn't happy or if it was just
26:58
more, you know, that way where players can get be competitive
27:01
and they just want to stay on and they want to do something
27:04
about it. I don't know if it was that kind
27:05
of day. I didn't see it.
27:06
So I'm not not too sure what what people are meaning, but
27:09
that. Was for me, I mean, did Ben Doke
27:11
is undeniably best young talent. If you're not going to include
27:17
Gilmore now that he's a little bit older, he is the next big
27:20
thing coming through in that national team.
27:23
But I did feel last night, again, like you said, there's
27:26
anticipation coming back. Or maybe Gordon said the
27:28
anticipation coming into his faction was bad techie and Bad
27:31
Ben do come back. And two guys we didn't have in
27:33
March that were going to be big difference makers.
27:36
I really felt Ben Dook was miles off it last night.
27:39
I mean people might disagree but the time he got behind he didn't
27:45
really pretty much for us and for me.
27:48
When I got to half time I was sitting with my dad, my friends
27:51
and we looked each other and whose obvious change here and
27:55
all three of us agreed it was dog.
27:57
Yeah, I think like, I think you're right, James, like in the
27:59
sense like he was off at, he had a couple of moments, you know,
28:02
down the line, the sort of amazing runs you want.
28:04
And I think he at one point that maybe the he played off the guy
28:07
in a minute for a corner or each other moment.
28:09
And then he sort of fell down the patch towards the billboards
28:11
and was trying to like sort of seen a hand gesture at the code
28:14
to see like, come on, let's get in.
28:15
So, you know, he was he was trying to do, you know, the
28:17
things that he can do. But yeah, just wasn't, I'm the
28:21
same as what you just said there.
28:22
Like it had been. If we're talking about making
28:23
changes, it'd be one of the first people, if not the first,
28:26
like I'd want to go. And it's just because it wasn't
28:28
his night. And let's be fair, he's still
28:29
young as well. Like he's he's going to get
28:32
better, he's going to improve. He's got a good move to
28:34
Bournemouth now, you know, had an assessed just before the
28:37
international break there when Bournemouth got a win.
28:40
And so, you know, as long as you can stay firmly first team stuff
28:43
at Bournemouth at that kind of level, he's going to be huge for
28:45
us in years to come. But I just felt like end the
28:47
game at that time. Again, Clark something doesn't
28:50
get enough credit for this. Like he changes games at the
28:53
right time in the right moments. And it was the same with the
28:56
dykes thing as well with you know, we were talking about just
28:58
the earlier about how dykes and it's just like a nuisance like
29:01
something, even if you haven't got the goal, let's say, like
29:03
causes defenders like problems. It pulls some places they don't
29:05
want to go right. I think that summed them up
29:08
because Adams was like he was another one that was going to
29:11
frustrate me a little bit. But you're right is how he came
29:13
to place. The game isn't like Dykes and
29:16
when dates came on like I think I'm sure it was like within a
29:19
minute I'm coming on. I think like Gunn had maybe kept
29:22
up the patch looking for Dykes and the way dates leaped up, I
29:26
swearly jumped up like about 7 foot in there.
29:28
And one they had that they had, they went about 10 yards on the
29:31
next person and it was like an instant problem for a grease at
29:33
the back where they fought was not to deal with us for 80
29:36
minutes. So didn't know how to even
29:38
handle them. So, yeah, the changes were were
29:42
a really, really big deal in getting us that one last night.
29:44
And Clark again deserves credit for what he'd saved.
29:47
Is just just about getting the result right.
29:50
Yeah, 100%. I think I think the challenge I
29:53
had with them with Gallon Dog last night is that I wasn't
29:57
quite sure why he was on the left because obviously, you
29:59
know, he's he's predominantly right footed and really had
30:02
successful as last year in nations League.
30:04
You know, it was in that right wing position just being able to
30:06
take the ball in and burn past for the full back and keep the
30:10
full back on strings and get the byline.
30:12
And if that's what he wants to do, if he wants to drive the
30:14
byline, put the ball in, he's not really going to do that very
30:17
often on his left foot. So I just wasn't quite sure if
30:19
we were setting him up for success.
30:21
The most way to play the left and.
30:23
Again, that's all that was. That shocked me as well.
30:25
Because me again, whenever he's putting away position is always
30:28
on the left as well, Something tactically they're trying to do
30:31
different. But just for me it didn't work
30:33
because I think McGann was another guy.
30:35
I got touched on the radio and stuff as well on the BBC when I
30:39
was reading online too. He was just not absent for most
30:43
of the first half, you know? Especially.
30:45
Even if even if you say Gordon, like you said a bit like I'm
30:48
being inverted. So see, like they were, you
30:50
know, Mcgannway's left on the right and talk on the left on
30:53
the left with his right foot. I think you could see like a
30:56
clear part of them, like going in like on an inverted when you
30:59
could understand us daily play. But like you've pointed out, it
31:01
doesn't make sense when it feels like in the past all the
31:04
problems for Ganondo has always been when he's been on the right
31:06
and then all suddenly finished it.
31:08
And especially, especially with the with the way the game was
31:11
going in the first half where we were spending most of the time
31:13
in our own half with Greece having the ball.
31:16
I just kept thinking you you reference it there, Adam, about
31:19
Ganondoke's first assist for Bournemouth.
31:21
And if you haven't seen it, that was what the picture I had when
31:24
I. Went that's the right.
31:25
Frankly, I think I think we will see that quite a few times over
31:29
the coming years for Scotland where in that game, so basically
31:32
it was Bournemouth against Fulham and Bournemouth are
31:34
leading 21 and Fulham have got a corner and they've thrown
31:37
everyone up for it right in the last couple of minutes.
31:39
The game ball breaks, Bournemouth can hit a quick
31:41
counter and Ganondoke is just on his bike down the right wing and
31:45
the ball just gets sent right ahead of him into the channel
31:47
and he bursts through clear. But he's got the presence of
31:50
mind to look up, play the perfect ball across for Semenyo
31:53
to score first time. And I'm like, that felt like
31:55
with the way the game was going last night, I was like, that's
31:58
how we're going to score here is that if you've got someone with
32:00
that speed and pace down the wing, it keeps the defense
32:03
honest a little bit that they know that they can't just throw
32:06
everyone forward because we've got such an incredible speed
32:09
demon on the counter and then you take him off.
32:12
You did think, how are we going to score in this game?
32:15
Because we're, we're not, we're not spending any time in their
32:18
half. It was.
32:19
It was. You think You think they've done
32:21
it? Sorry it.
32:22
Was the kind of moment when Ben Doke went off as well.
32:25
It was the kind of moment like when again we said, who would
32:30
you take off? Ben Doke and we're going, well,
32:32
who would you want to bring on? Right.
32:33
And I was like, probably Ben Doke like it's it was a sort of
32:37
moment in the game as you felt they were maybe going to be
32:39
getting more tired. You're like, this is actually
32:41
the point. You don't want to bring them on.
32:42
It was just, it was a shame as game materialized in that way.
32:47
Yeah. I think they've done it effect
32:49
they've done it to count our semicast on the left.
32:52
So obviously she's couldn't again on that side defeat like a
32:55
sort of in this sort of conservative sense of what what
32:59
robustness McGann can bring. And obviously hecky was slightly
33:01
higher and certainly looked higher and he was playing higher
33:04
for the first half anyway and was there that say to as well
33:07
maybe just to get offer that cover.
33:09
We'll just see how hecky and Duke on the on Ganondoke sorry
33:12
on the right then it's maybe too aggressive than that one side.
33:15
I don't know I'm just that ball and I suppose, but maybe it was
33:18
that, but it just either way, either way, that element Clark
33:21
frankfully for us to let you see you recognized and changed it.
33:25
Yeah. And I think I think as as as we
33:28
alluded to earlier, like definitely bringing on Billy
33:30
Gilmore changed that game 100%. I mean, he is like you, you, you
33:34
said it yourself, Adam, He is our a special talent.
33:37
He's a different talent. He's a unique talent.
33:40
And I think what we lacked with Christine Ferguson playing in
33:43
those sort of deeper midfield roles is that when they were
33:45
taking the ball off the defenders, they were very much
33:49
facing backwards and they weren't often able to take the
33:53
ball in the half turn and turn up field.
33:55
So, so much of our passing was purely from center back to
33:58
defender to fill back. Whereas Billy Gilmore, just his
34:02
absolute spatial awareness is just 2nd 10 on that squad, 100%.
34:07
He's all, he never looks harried.
34:09
He never looks worried. He never looks stressed and he
34:11
always looks like he's got more. He's got all the time in the
34:14
world because he knows the touch he has to take before the ball
34:16
comes to him. So he's always turning in space
34:19
and he can always open the game up and he just makes the pitch
34:21
feel bigger. And frankly, that that's
34:23
something that is, is what Grease was so good at in the
34:26
first hour. You know, there was the guy
34:28
sitting behind me and they kept saying it's like they've got an
34:30
extra man. Like how do they keep doing
34:32
this? How do they always have a free
34:34
man all the time? That same thing, he's like they
34:37
we don't 10 men in this game. Somehow you said we just we just
34:39
look, they just look like they have that one extra guy.
34:42
You know, we were setting to every ball.
34:45
You know, the game was they were just on top of us and they
34:47
couldn't seem there's the white sharks just felt like they were
34:50
everywhere. I mean, one last thing, I won't
34:55
touch one of us. We're saying Clark made some
34:57
changes there and during the game it really benefited US1
35:01
change he made back in August was to bring in set piece coach
35:05
Andrew Hughes along with bringing in Naismith as I think
35:08
he's assistant manager now that Carver's gone.
35:12
Both those goals that we scored the first two of the night came
35:17
from sort of set piece routines. We lost Austin McPhee last year,
35:22
I think maybe earlier end of last year and he was quite, he
35:26
would you could he was influential for us because he's
35:28
a very talented coach. There was definitely times,
35:30
especially like in the Denmark game at home when we got our
35:33
first one is headed back across the box to John Sooter, who
35:36
scores, you know, the corner that goes in.
35:41
It was night. I felt you really noticed the
35:43
effects of having a later stages of the game.
35:45
I think even when the ball was floated across by Robertson to
35:50
the back post for the second, he was out in the technical area
35:55
barking instructions onto the patch, making gestures about
35:58
what he was wanting to happen. I mean, it's good.
36:01
I really feel like we've got a guy we're seeing, you know?
36:05
Clark has made a change in his paying dividends already, even
36:08
in the small moments. Yeah, I think set piece coach is
36:15
not something you need to preach to me as a Hearts fan.
36:18
We got we got Ross, we got Ross Grant and in the summer and
36:22
we've made a lot of signings, but he's up there as the best
36:24
signing for us. Like Hearts have been corner
36:26
King's champion since I've probably been about 8 year old
36:29
so but we're probably the Champions in not scoring them
36:31
either. So this season's seen a massive
36:34
turn around. We haven't like a set piece
36:36
coach. First time we've ever really had
36:38
one. Obviously we had ultimate fee
36:39
for a bet for Ross Grant. What will estimate fee at the
36:42
national team. And again we've let's say we've
36:44
got the new set piece of coach and I just think that they are
36:47
actually a really good thing to have in the game.
36:50
I just think they all for you a different outlay, an edge
36:53
sometimes in games as well, clearly an edge based on what
36:55
happened like you say last night.
36:57
And it's really different as well to see someone that's not
37:01
the head coach, like given instructions to players that set
37:04
pieces and stuff that's, you know, it's not head coach, not
37:06
the assistant. It's like another coach.
37:09
It's like, for example, the striker coach stunt in the other
37:11
linesman to give like the, you know, somebody to show not to be
37:13
off site. It's that kind of thing, you
37:15
know what I mean? It's it's different to see.
37:18
But it's yeah, like I say, it's working for me certainly at club
37:21
level. And again, I'm seeing at the
37:22
national level and I can't, I can't be put off it.
37:25
Like it seems like a really, if you obviously, if you find the
37:27
person that's, you know, good enough for the role, which it
37:30
appears to be like, I think it's a really good thing to have.
37:33
And it's like I say the word I've put on is it's like giving
37:36
you an edge in a game. And let's say it helps us in
37:38
both boxes, not just not just going forward, but again, the
37:42
threat that least has given us. We always seem to have good
37:46
positional awareness, I would say.
37:47
So for all the ball Greece had, they were, they were limited to
37:50
their chances. They only had three shots on
37:52
target. They only managed to get four
37:53
corners, which I think both of those starts were the same as
37:56
us. And then let you say we only had
37:57
22% possession second-half. Yeah, I think we were.
38:03
We're a lot more tactful than Greece, a lot more composed at
38:07
times as well. Like when the game was going our
38:09
way, we used the quality that we had.
38:11
I mean, when I was looking for the players as well, like I felt
38:14
like we've got a lot of Premier League players over the Cdr
38:18
players with Premier League experience.
38:20
It looks like Greece team, it's not quite the same and they do
38:22
have a couple that have been in the Premier League or at that
38:25
sort of level and the rest maybe aren't there yet.
38:28
And it showed. And the set piece factor to that
38:30
really helped as well I felt. So, I mean, I don't know if
38:33
you've got any more comments, Gordon, about the game last
38:36
night before move on to the Belarus game.
38:39
And I think, I think I think that was about one of my like
38:45
70th odd Scotland games that I've been to in my life and I've
38:49
probably not been to a more bizarre football game.
38:52
I just absolutely I still can't quite wrap my head around how
38:57
and why it happened, but the fact is it did, it did and the
39:03
place it puts. And again, you know, we you you
39:05
referenced the we referenced earlier that say from Angus gun
39:08
and that that could really be the real sliding doors moment of
39:10
this entire group because that's it more or less the exact
39:13
halfway point. If that goes in, it's two each.
39:16
Do we then just all say, right for fine, we'll all take a draw.
39:19
We're two points behind Denmark. We've got Greece snapping at our
39:22
heels. And then we've got a trip to
39:24
Athens, which would be miserable.
39:25
And just the whole complexion of the group completely changes
39:29
with that moment. And then Dyke's going up to make
39:31
it safe. So, yeah, let's look ahead
39:33
Sunday and and the the the opportunity that that brings
39:36
because it's it's massive. That's just at the halfway point
39:40
now. Three games, I know six were
39:42
joint top with Denmark going to Sunday, both on 7 points, Greece
39:47
on three, Belarus on none. Denmark obviously winning six
39:52
nil against Belarus while we were playing at Hamden on
39:55
Thursday, On Sunday, slightly different.
39:58
We kick off a little bit earlier than the game in Copenhagen.
40:03
It will be Denmark against Greece over there.
40:05
We've got Belarus at Hamden. What we're thinking for the game
40:08
at Hamden, obviously it's a must win.
40:10
It's a game we expect to and but we can definitely make it easier
40:13
for ourselves by how we go about it.
40:15
So for me a nice yearly goal to ease attention because I don't
40:19
want to enjoy another half a football with the the crowds
40:22
getting quite as restless as they were on Thursday night.
40:26
Yeah, for sure. I think I think it'll, it's
40:28
obviously going to be a very, very different challenge.
40:30
Obviously when you go to a game like that where the expectation
40:33
is you're going to win it, the expectation is you're going to
40:35
score a few goals. The expectation is they're going
40:37
to sit in and put 11 men behind the ball and we have to deal
40:40
with a low block and how to get past them.
40:43
That it's going to be, it's going to be a whole different
40:46
challenge to what it was last night.
40:47
But again, that that's OK. And again, we have a fairly deep
40:49
squad now. We've got players that can come
40:51
in and I think Marine saying Ferguson and Chris are both
40:54
suspended. So there will be naturally
40:56
changes to come. And again, like, like you said,
41:01
the only thing that matters here is that we win.
41:03
I think. So looking ahead, obviously we
41:05
know that the first tiebreaker if if teams are level is goal
41:08
difference. The fact that Denmark have now
41:11
got a five goal advantage on us in goal difference, I think that
41:15
ship has sailed personally. So I don't think we really need
41:19
to worry about, I don't think we will run up a cricket score.
41:21
We're not the kind of team really that's going to run up
41:23
678 goals against the team. So let's just win.
41:27
Let's just win. And then like you say, we get to
41:30
put our feet up. We see what happens in
41:32
Copenhagen but a wind again just puts us in an absolutely
41:37
unbelievable position to then to then qualify next month.
41:41
Providing me when as long as Denmark as Denmark beat Greece,
41:47
that'll take both of us and Denmark on to 10 points.
41:50
I know we're talking about like the different permutations of
41:52
what could happen, but that would create a 7 point gap
41:55
between US and Greece with only two games left.
41:59
So if you do the maths there that guarantees us a playoff and
42:04
then we means we'll definitely in March still have potential by
42:09
World Cup. We might already qualify by that
42:12
point depending on how the November window goes.
42:15
But you know, come Saturday, we could be guaranteed to have a
42:18
fighting chance at going to the States, Canada, Mexico next
42:22
March. What I'm curious to obviously we
42:26
can't control what goes on in Copenhagen.
42:30
How would you 2 rather see that game goes providing me when
42:35
would you rather it was a draw for both sides?
42:39
Obviously getting a point means more chance of us finishing top,
42:44
but still, no matter how narrow, leaves the door open for Greece
42:49
to still come to Athens or prayers even for the game next
42:53
month. No one beating us Put the same
42:55
on, you know, sort of back in the hunt.
42:58
Or would you just rather Denmark clean the floor with them and
43:02
we're home and drive for 2nd place at least?
43:05
I think for me, the, the situation that I've been mulling
43:09
over in my mind today, and I think the one that feels most
43:11
attractive, like obviously we've been through playoffs before.
43:15
We've, we, we went through playoffs to Euro 2020.
43:18
We obviously went through playoffs, the World Cup last
43:20
time and also got beaten by Ukraine.
43:22
I think playoffs are dangerous because you don't it's just pure
43:26
luck of the draw who you're going to get.
43:28
Again, in both of the playoff situations that we've had, we we
43:31
haven't actually where we still haven't done the situation where
43:35
you play the two games in a week.
43:36
I think that's a really, really difficult thing to do to be able
43:39
to play like a one off semi final and a one off final.
43:41
I think that's not something that appeals to me.
43:44
I think the most attractive path here, and I think this, the more
43:48
I think about it, the more realistic I feel this is, is
43:51
that if Denmark were to draw on Sunday against Greece while we
43:58
beat Belarus, we then go to Athens or to to to Greece.
44:02
If we can take a draw there, that would effectively guarantee
44:06
that the final game at home to Denmark is a winner take all.
44:10
Whoever wins that game qualifies for the for the World Cup on
44:12
that night. And the more I think about that,
44:14
the more I think that that might be the thing I want most in my
44:16
entire life. Because the last time when we
44:19
qualified for year 2024, well, when we qualified for year 2020,
44:23
we were all locked in our houses and it was incredible.
44:25
But let's be honest, it wasn't what we wanted when we qualified
44:29
for year 2024. It was because Norway didn't
44:31
beat Spain and couch your. Home again.
44:33
In a couch or in a pub, in a quiet random pub and watching
44:38
that. And at the end of the game I was
44:40
like, Oh yeah, Hooray, we did it.
44:42
But there was no moment of togetherness.
44:44
Now just imagine. Imagine exactly imagining your
44:48
mind's die home game at Hampden. And again, like like I said, I
44:53
think that whatever way it comes out into that final game, again,
44:56
if we if we go into that game level on points with Denmark,
44:59
they will have the advantage over us because the head to
45:01
head. So we're going to have to win
45:02
that game. We're just going to have to win
45:03
that game in the final one against Denmark.
45:05
I think we've got more of a chance of doing that than we do
45:08
of going through a playoff against two potentially quite
45:12
tough teams. So and that like you say that
45:14
there that fight. I'm just imagining my mind's
45:16
eye, that final whistle, fool Hamden to say you've done it,
45:20
you've qualified for the World Cup.
45:22
I just I can't shake that image out of my head, so that's what I
45:25
want. What be Adam?
45:27
Are you sitting on it? Yeah, I think, you know, I
45:33
figured whenever you get an opportunity like especially
45:35
Scotland, they think all the years where we've we've been
45:37
nowhere near and obviously we have been keeping ever closer
45:41
and now we're getting to finals again.
45:45
We've put ourselves in a really good position to be honest.
45:47
And I think when you put yourself in a position like this
45:49
and you look at how we went about that one last night and to
45:53
be honest, how we go about our business.
45:54
A lot of times I think even if you look all the way back to the
45:56
Nation's League, right, if you look at us when we're in league
45:59
with that awful start to league, nobody finds this at all.
46:02
And then with a really good finish to it and obviously
46:04
didn't go away, we got relegated and that's what happened.
46:07
But again, it showed that we could actually go to tool with
46:11
top teams all the time. So yeah, we are maybe missing to
46:16
see world class players that put us like way up there.
46:20
But I think the point I'm trying to make is there's not too much
46:23
really between US, Denmark and Greece.
46:25
We all have our like, for example, I said earlier on about
46:27
the differences between US and Greece being that experience,
46:30
right? And obviously Denmark, you know,
46:32
they probably match us on that, maybe even better some would
46:34
say. But if you look at the game at
46:36
Denmark, they looked like they had no clue what to do when they
46:39
were going forward with the ball.
46:40
They had no ideas and they would have the options and Scotland
46:42
held them well. And we've got the nil nil.
46:45
And I think we should be. I'm similar to what Gordon SIM.
46:49
So I'm in the main set of get the one against Belarus and then
46:53
hoping that it's a draw between Denmark and Greece.
46:57
And then that gives us a 2 point cushion for whatever happens
47:01
next, but also puts us in a pole position for automatic
47:04
qualification. I don't think we should be.
47:07
I think we are quite bad as a nation for being like, oh, you
47:10
know, we can get to the playoffs, only get to playoff.
47:12
Yeah, but how what's our success rate in playoffs like?
47:15
It's not good. So if we have an opportunity.
47:18
On about this and you know, there's a list of teams that
47:21
could be in the playoffs. One of them is Italy.
47:23
And I was like, imagine, imagine we get to our first, you know,
47:26
World Cup playoffs since, well, apart from the, the, you know,
47:29
the World Cup 2020. 2. It's been a while and you know,
47:34
there's a team following a bit like Gateway in there.
47:36
I just thought it'd be our luck to go and Draw Something like
47:38
that. And then I mean, they're
47:40
beatable, but I'd far rather there's an easier way to go
47:44
about it and it's topping your grip.
47:47
Yeah, and I think to be honest, I think they will go for it.
47:50
Like it's not it's not I'm not saying this in the sense of the
47:53
players. I just think it's maybe it's
47:55
maybe not us on the call, but just genetically as a nation we
47:57
are came to quite bad for like saying like, Oh well, you know,
48:00
if we get result in spellers in Denmark, one more guaranteed
48:03
playoff. Yeah, but that's no, it's not
48:05
guaranteed to go through the wizard.
48:06
So you really want to put yourself in the best place.
48:09
I am. I am slightly different for
48:11
Gordon. It's maybe just more optimistic
48:14
than anything else, but still, it's still realistic in a sense.
48:17
But I think like the idea should be to go and hunt down that goal
48:22
difference because obviously if we get the result we want for
48:27
Denmark and these, which is a draw and that would leave them
48:30
off in the airport +9, is it Gordon or something like that,
48:33
+9? We have +4.
48:35
So I mean, realistically, you're obviously you need to get five
48:38
goals to match them right now. Again, obviously anything can
48:42
happen in the remaining two games, but if you can get there
48:44
or there abouts that like four or five, no, shouldn't be an
48:47
unreasonable ask. It feels unreasonable, like
48:49
Gordon said, because we're know that kind of nation with again,
48:52
we don't have like an abundance attack and players to 'cause
48:55
that kind of threat. But it could happen at home when
48:58
when people for the first ever last night were the more than
49:01
the performance itself and the players after the match were,
49:04
you know, quite vocal about like less than we know the
49:07
performance was nowhere needed, but we're really happy we got
49:09
the 1. So I think they're back in the
49:11
dressing room. And again, for that experience
49:13
thinking we need go out there on Sunday and put a performance out
49:16
and we need the goals anyway. We need to be ruthless and we
49:18
need to get this one so that we are, you know, like you say,
49:21
maybe going at that last game at Hamden against Denmark level on
49:24
points and thinking right, you know, again, it's very
49:28
optimistic. But if you're matching them for
49:30
goal difference, see, like, and it could be anything, you could
49:33
end up going through on goals 4 or whatever.
49:34
If you've got matching goal differences, another null or one
49:37
one or whatever. So yeah, I just think we should
49:40
be given our all. And who's to say we can't do it
49:43
in Greece? You know, I know we lost to them
49:45
at Hampton, but we beat them in Greece in the first first leg.
49:47
So as with an US to beat Greece. And I think, I think, I think
49:52
there's a level of frustration with Greece as well.
49:54
I think they we are not their most enjoyable fixture and
49:57
they'll know that they lost us there before.
49:59
They'll not be happy what happened last night, but we are
50:02
in their heads a little bit I feel as well, so that that might
50:06
play in our favour of Amigo Athens depend on what happens
50:08
again on Sunday. And especially especially the
50:10
other thing I was thinking, Adam, was that obviously if if
50:13
Greece were to lose on Sunday, then as we said, while while we
50:16
beat Belarus, then obviously they're done.
50:18
They they can't get the playoffs, they can't win the
50:20
group they're. Where's their heads then?
50:22
And then our our game over there is their first game in front of
50:26
their own fans since they've effectively thrown away the
50:29
group. So like, that's hardly going to
50:30
be the most welcoming atmosphere for a home team, you know what I
50:33
mean? So like again, it can sometimes
50:36
be difficult. You never quite know when a team
50:38
has nothing to play for. Sometimes either they just don't
50:40
bother or sometimes that gives them freedom to actually just
50:43
let the hand break off and they actually completely even better.
50:45
So you never quite know that. As we've said, you never quite
50:50
know, you can't control how how the other teams go about it and
50:53
go about their business. Obviously for us in Denmark,
50:56
we've both got a game against Belarus left.
50:58
So ultimately it's what do we do in that other game against
51:01
Greece and then we play each other on the final day.
51:03
And, and yeah, like I said, I, I just, I just can't help but
51:06
think that that is going to be a winner take all scenario.
51:11
I just, I'm so excited. Yeah, The other point I was
51:14
going to make, as well as say it doesn't exactly go upon the
51:17
other reason I was hoping for. If like I say, we get 3 or 4,
51:19
let's say against Belarus, right?
51:21
Obviously, don't get me wrong, we just need to one.
51:23
But if we get 3 or 4, that the safety net of that, of course is
51:26
if if they do, Greece and Denmark do get a draw and Greece
51:30
are 6 points behind us. And then obviously the
51:34
permutations of that as Greece will be looking to be us if
51:37
they'd be us. Then again, we're stuck against
51:38
Denmark. They're playing Belarus
51:40
permutations of that as gold, most of any good score or
51:43
whatever. Not to be the the killjoy here,
51:45
but again, that's another key factor to trying to put on a
51:49
good performance from the fans perspective, but also can get
51:51
that few goals. It does give you like again and
51:54
maybe the equivalent of an extra point in the sense of getting
51:56
those goals to just bump up that goal difference to what is
51:58
already a positive campaign. Yeah, because I mean, I would
52:02
it's been a while since Scotland's kind of put someone
52:04
away in that fashion. Like scored the handful of goals
52:07
made at a four nil or something. Even had more Dover a couple
52:10
years where they were the bottom seat.
52:11
I think it was only two nil at home.
52:14
Kazakhstan might have been the bottom seat set of somebody over
52:17
that actually campaign with with a quite a few passing.
52:19
Obviously Sam, you know, I would just like to see a score a
52:22
handful. There's there's guys like McGann
52:24
and McDonald. I don't know if they've had
52:26
twenty goals yet again. They might be close, I think.
52:29
McGann has, I think he has had 20.
52:31
Mccomnies and definitely not then, but these guys are chasing
52:35
them back. I mean, Mcgann's past 20, but
52:37
Mcgann's actually he's he's he's in there or they're about to be
52:41
like one of the all time goal scorers.
52:43
All time so. Like, you know, I'd like to just
52:45
see these guys getting a better and like you said that we early
52:48
go just to calm the nerves in the stands, calm the nerve from
52:52
the patch even, you know, give us that lead because bellows
52:54
didn't look like they offered much at all.
52:56
Once we got our lead over there. It would definitely it would
52:59
definitely just it would finish off what has been a great week
53:04
for the national team. Like, I mean, I don't I still
53:07
don't know what I said about the game in Copenhagen.
53:10
I know you've can the two snipers are obviously a draw or
53:13
a win for a draw or one for Denmark.
53:16
There's a third which I don't really want to talk about
53:18
because that's there's so many other options that warms up if
53:21
Greece somehow managed to get a result.
53:23
But I mean, for me, the bottom line is we can't control what
53:26
happens over there, but we can next month.
53:29
And that's where that you know, there's a lot of football to
53:31
still be played by only halfway the game and not the game over
53:35
at Olympiakis is going that that's winnable and it'll be a
53:41
hard game again, I don't I don't buy into too much about if these
53:45
are thrown away. Well, that way the heads be at
53:48
not not that they won't be somewhat a bit looser and you
53:53
know about not not scrambled, but I bet disheartened by what's
53:57
happened. But they'll definitely they'll
53:59
definitely want to put us to the sword because they'll feel hard
54:01
done by. But what happened last night?
54:04
But I just feel like it's winnable and I don't, I don't
54:06
care if it's a Denmark when or a draw on Sunday, We've still got
54:11
a draw in the bag from Copenhagen.
54:13
So surely even if Denmark, when we went in, if we went over
54:17
there next month, we come home to Denmark and no one, if we
54:20
went, we top the group now no matter what.
54:23
Yeah. So I think, I think I think as
54:25
well, just like it's always a good thing, something to take
54:28
that big sort of step back and get a wee bit of perspective.
54:31
Because I think people over the years have been very, very, very
54:37
harsh on Steve Clark and his side.
54:39
And I think partly that is down to just purely raised
54:43
expectations because which is a good thing because performances
54:46
and results have been good and we have good players and
54:49
therefore expectation rises. People expect more of the team,
54:51
which is a really good thing. But I think it's so easy for
54:54
people to forget that in the 20 odd years between France 98 and
54:59
EUR 2020, like we were in the deepest of darkest of
55:03
wildernesses. I mean, we went qualifying
55:05
campaign after campaign, getting basically nowhere near like we
55:10
would get the amount, you remember, the amount of
55:12
campaigns that we would have where in the last three or four
55:14
games you'd be thinking, well, we need to win every single
55:17
game. We're in the last chance saloon
55:19
and we need that team to drop points there and that team to
55:21
drop points there. And then on the last day we
55:23
might have a chance to get a playoff.
55:25
You know, whereas you look now, you look at the campaigns we
55:28
have now. I mean, the last World Cup
55:29
campaign, we lost one game away from home against the top seed.
55:33
You know, the last EUR campaign we started with five wins.
55:36
No Scotland team have ever done that.
55:38
This campaign we've started, we've barely dropped a point.
55:41
Like our destiny is in our hands and we're in such a, we're
55:45
getting ourselves in such strong positions in groups like this
55:48
isn't normal. This has not been normal like
55:51
for Scotland this century. So yeah, we we just have to
55:54
enjoy it. We have to very much again.
55:57
Look, there's a lot of fortune last night and there's, you
55:59
can't shy away from that. There's a lot of good fortune to
56:02
win that game. But there was also a lot of
56:04
character. I mean, you look at the way that
56:07
you look back to that Nations League game in March against
56:09
Greece, like when Greece scored the first goal, the team kind of
56:12
wobbled a little bit and maybe kind of collapsed a little bit.
56:15
But last night Greece scored the first goal and they bounced
56:18
straight back and they didn't stop and they didn't stop and
56:20
they didn't stop. And I think ultimately that is
56:23
the greatest credit from last night, that the quality might
56:26
not have always been there for the full game, but the
56:28
commitment and the passion and the belief in each other 100%
56:32
was and that that could well be what takes us to the World Cup
56:35
next year. You could be 100 and Cent, even
56:38
though the football did lack a little bit at times.
56:41
Not a little bit I've been kind to, but they worked hard.
56:44
They worked so hard for us. And Clark said that again at
56:47
full time you went, that's what this group of players are all
56:50
about. I've talked before about the
56:52
character of this group. They never know when they're
56:55
beat. And that was, I mean, we know
56:58
going into the setting to have this campaign, they'll certainly
57:01
look like they're up for the fight.
57:02
So I think, I think we'll wrap up there.
57:06
I hope you'll enjoy the episode. I'm certainly looking forward to
57:09
Sunday. I'm travelling through to
57:11
Hamden. It's going to be a good day out
57:13
in Glasgow. It's nice to get a weekend
57:14
fixture at home. Gordon, you headlong to this one
57:18
as well, I'm sure. Absolutely, absolutely.
57:21
As I'm saying, some folk the last couple of days I have this
57:24
really annoying thing that we've actually not missed a
57:26
competitive home game that we've been allowed to load to go to,
57:29
obviously discounting COVID since 2009.
57:33
So that is just. Unfortunately, that's a run I
57:36
can never bring. Yeah, you're stuck.
57:38
Forever. I'm stuck.
57:41
We'll be Adam. Worst places to be stuck?
57:44
I'll not be there guys, I'll not be there, but I'm sure you'll
57:46
cheat on enough for. Me.
57:48
Yeah, no, definitely. Well, I'm just it's been just 24
57:54
hours tacked over since the game finished last night and fine
57:57
find my voices seems to have covered with aid of many cups of
58:00
tea and water for the day. Just in time till to the court.
58:04
What has been a good hour long episode almost.
58:07
So I'd just like to thank you both again.
58:09
Adam from Gorgie talk coming on Gordon from the tartan scarf.
58:13
You can find him on Twitter and Instagram as well.
58:16
Make sure you go give him a follow.
58:18
Very good content just like ourselves here at Everything
58:21
Scotland. So one last thing again, I
58:23
mentioned it last episode, but I'll mention it again.
58:26
If you enjoyed the episode, drop us a rating wherever you listen
58:30
to your podcasts or even if you think it's worth sharing with
58:32
your friends and you think you know people would enjoy it,
58:35
certainly go ahead and do that. All the best.
58:38
Enjoy the weekend boys.