Jack Harper

[GreenLake]

Intelligent thinking seems to be a luxury Sbragia does not want to carry.

[Callum_62]

TOTAL LUXURY

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26...sel-u19s_sport

[Nando™]

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TOTAL LUXURY

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26...sel-u19s_sport

Strong header, quick feet, not afraid to shoot from distance, great range of passing.

No wonder he's been dropped.

[lord bunberry]

What's wrong with coaching our young players to win games playing flowing creative football. This clown should be taken aside and told to get his priorities right.

[Andy Bee]

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I don't think in this instance that Sbragia has said too much wrong. By the age of 21 football should be about winning, especially at the level we are talking about here.

What concerns me is that the sentiments Sbragia has expressed are still rife in youth football in this country and too many young players are caught up in a win at all costs mentality when their skills should be being developed. Mark Wotte was very keen to move away from 'runners and big lads' and look at developing a technical youth set up across the levels. Sadly he was shown the door before being allowed to see his plan through.

I agree, young kids are being set up to beat the opposition when the SFA explicitly says there has to be no competitive football, I've watched age 8 yr old matches with the so called coaches berating players for not doing enough in a league that's meant to be non competitive. Granted these people have to be applauded for giving up their time to coach the young uns but by god make better use of it.

[Alex Trager]

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TOTAL LUXURY

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26...sel-u19s_sport

Pretty good like


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Brightside]

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Christ mate, two words....deh greet.

Rather than Google it, it may be of interest to get an explanation in this thread as more people than just myself will be interested to know why.

He put a framework in place to develop talent through all ages. BUT thats only good if coaches are told to develop talent and forget about winning games. SFA is run by old men in suits. Also as others have said we have some truly awful coaches at youth level that should not be allowed anywhere near kids football. Grown men screaming and shouting at 9 and 10yo kids if they make a mistake, and complaining if they lose a goal.

[J-C]

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TOTAL LUXURY

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26...sel-u19s_sport

Now that's a player

[Mikey09]

It's been reported Spain have made inquiries into his international status after learning of his omission from the Scotland 19's. Sorry don't know how to link!!

[Ozyhibby]

This will probably cost Sbragia his job and that's no bad thing.
It's not difficult to see how they forced out Mark Wotte.
If Sbragia was a proper coach then surely he would call him up and work with him on the areas he feels he is weak on? That's what a real coach would do. Instead he's admitting he's just a selector.

[Mikey09]

I remember having Sportsound on one night at work and the fountain of football development that is Malpas, Chic Young and someone else, name escapes me, were putting the boot into Mark Wotte giving it "it's just no the way we dae it in this country."
Now I've listened to some pish on that show but that particular one really took the biscuit!! Strachan has done a fantastic job changing our playing style and mentality with the first team but with some of the coaches he has at other levels in the game, and I include youth football where the emphasis is purely on player development, he will have to do it time and time again.
I get to watch a lot of youth football where I work and yes there are some very good coaches, Steven McLean helps out a Peebles Rovers age group, Stuart Lovell helps a team out. However they are completely outweighed by the idiots screaming like banshees at the kids on the sidelines.... Go and watch a game if you can, I guarantee the emphasis is on winning!!

[Haymaker]

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Sacked?

If so, why?

Apparently he completed all he wanted to do.

[SlickShoes]

Looks, big and strong, not shoved off the ball easily, can go past a man, good range of passing and knows where the back of the net is. Not good enough.

I can understand leaving out players that are a "luxuary" in professional football for certain games, but anything below that be it u19s, development league, kids football should be about developing the best players you can and not winning at all costs.

[frazeHFC]

Looks a great prospect, stupid decision to freeze him out!

Spain want him now. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...madrid-5394475

[Hibby Bairn]

There is a guy called Austin MacPhee who set up and runs AM Soccer in Fife near St Andrews. UEFA coach who opted out of normal youth football set up and has 500 kids playing within their own leagues and tournaments. It is very successful and emphasis is totally on player technique and development. They take groups abroad to play leading clubs including Barcelona.

A bit like Ian Cathro his talents are being seen by others outside Scotland. He was part of technical analysis team at Brazil 2014 working for Mexico. And tonight will be in dugout at Hampden.....as one of the Northern Ireland asst coaches!

It is no coincidence imo that NI have recorded better results since he got involved.

So Cathro at Valencia (instrumental in Ryan Gauld's development whilst with Dundee Utd and I have no doubt also his transfer to Sporting Lisbon)....MacPhee with Northern Ireland...and we have guys like Ricky S wanting runners and workers.

[The_Exile]

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There is a guy called Austin MacPhee who set up and runs AM Soccer in Fife near St Andrews. UEFA coach who opted out of normal youth football set up and has 500 kids playing within their own leagues and tournaments. It is very successful and emphasis is totally on player technique and development. They take groups abroad to play leading clubs including Barcelona.

A bit like Ian Cathro his talents are being seen by others outside Scotland. He was part of technical analysis team at Brazil 2014 working for Mexico. And tonight will be in dugout at Hampden.....as one of the Northern Ireland asst coaches!

It is no coincidence imo that NI have recorded better results since he got involved.

So Cathro at Valencia (instrumental in Ryan Gauld's development whilst with Dundee Utd and I have no doubt also his transfer to Sporting Lisbon)....MacPhee with Northern Ireland...and we have guys like Ricky S wanting runners and workers.

It would seem all our brightest coaches are having to leave the country to develop players the way they want to develop them and the way every football fan wants to see the game played. It's like a sketch out of Only an Excuse or something.

[Ozyhibby]

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There is a guy called Austin MacPhee who set up and runs AM Soccer in Fife near St Andrews. UEFA coach who opted out of normal youth football set up and has 500 kids playing within their own leagues and tournaments. It is very successful and emphasis is totally on player technique and development. They take groups abroad to play leading clubs including Barcelona.

A bit like Ian Cathro his talents are being seen by others outside Scotland. He was part of technical analysis team at Brazil 2014 working for Mexico. And tonight will be in dugout at Hampden.....as one of the Northern Ireland asst coaches!

It is no coincidence imo that NI have recorded better results since he got involved.

So Cathro at Valencia (instrumental in Ryan Gauld's development whilst with Dundee Utd and I have no doubt also his transfer to Sporting Lisbon)....MacPhee with Northern Ireland...and we have guys like Ricky S wanting runners and workers.

I posted this on here a couple of years back. It was written by Austin McPhee.
https://youthtoprosoccer.files.wordp...sis-hibs-1.pdf

[green.and.white]

Strachan should be on the phone to the lad right now. Like many others, have never seen the guy play, but if he is good enough to play for Real Madrid youth, he is good enough to play for us.

The reasoning behind his exclusion is a sackable offence IMO

[Ryan69]

Republic of Ireland supposedly looking into his eligibility now...

[Cameron1875]

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I posted this on here a couple of years back. It was written by Austin McPhee.
https://youthtoprosoccer.files.wordp...sis-hibs-1.pdf

Wow. Enjoyable read in terms of detail and the criticism of O'Connor was a sign of things to come it seems.

Still maintain Fenlon performed a miracle keeping that team up!

[Andy74]

This is hysterical nonsense because the name Real Madrid is involved.

If you read more of his comments he says that he was with the squad previously, done no more than okay and didn't make the impact he had hoped. He is talented enough but likes to wander all over the place which his club team can accomodate but is more problematic for his squad/team. He also mentions other players that couldn't get in the squad and probbaly had as much of a shout.

I think talking aout his size he means more about how his all round physical attributes as opposed to just height, as he is clearly reasonably tall himself.

We've described our own players as luxuries often enough, guys like Benji and Zemmama who were clearly more talented than others in the squad but you can't just have players doing what they like and expecting others to carry them, regardless of level.

I think the manager is saying that he a lot to learn and others are in the team just now but he has also said his time will certainly come.

Edit: A Daily Mail article from a bit further back which illustrates a wee bit the caution needed here. Suggestions also in that article that a bit like Van Persie as a kid fitting him into a system whilst he is learning and developing can sometimes be very difficult.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...oung-Scot.html

[Thecat23]

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This is hysterical nonsense because the name Real Madrid is involved.

If you read more of his comments he says that he was with the squad previously, done no more than okay and didn't make the impact he had hoped. He is talented enough but likes to wander all over the place which his club team can accomodate but is more problematic for his squad/team. He also mentions other players that couldn't get in the squad and probbaly had as much of a shout.

I think talking aout his size he means more about how his all round physical attributes as opposed to just height, as he is clearly reasonably tall himself.

We've described our own players as luxuries often enough, guys like Benji and Zemmama who were clearly more talented than others in the squad but you can't just have players doing what they like and expecting others to carry them, regardless of level.

I think the manager is saying that he a lot to learn and others are in the team just now but he has also said his time will certainly come.

Edit: A Daily Mail article from a bit further back which illustrates a wee bit the caution needed here. Suggestions also in that article that a bit like Van Persie as a kid fitting him into a system whilst he is learning and developing can sometimes be very difficult.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...oung-Scot.html

It's pretty clear Andy he's made an arse of it. You don't come out with comments like that and try justify it by saying "he's a luxury player" that's a cop out if ever I heard one.

He's meant to develop these guys and if he's good enough for Madrid I'm pretty sure he could easily play this game. Madrid are who they are for a reason! Guy sounds a caveman and personally can't see him lasting in that role if that's the way he thinks!

[NAE NOOKIE]

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I posted this on here a couple of years back. It was written by Austin McPhee.
https://youthtoprosoccer.files.wordp...sis-hibs-1.pdf

Came on to mention that Scotland were getting slaughtered on Talksport over this decision ... though its a bit of a miracle to hear them mention Scottish football at all.

What a fascinating read that was ... he summed up Gary O'Connor in a nutshell and his use of the word lazy was far from inaccurate. His take on Lewis Stevenson was good too and he picked out his main fault of all last season, that being that he never changes the point of attack and is too inclined to play the ball back to the area it came from ..... not so much of a problem this season, but he is up against weaker teams.

I would love to read a report on all our games from this guy.

[theonlywayisup]

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Just done a quick reccy of the two squads for that final. Not pretty reading on a where are they now:-

GK 1 Andrew McNeil (AIRDRIE)
RB 2 Andrew Cave-Brown (BECCLES TOWN)
CB 6 Scott Cuthbert (c) (LEYTON ORIENT)
CB 19 Jamie Adams (WIGTON AND BLADNOCH)
LB 3 Lee Wallace (RANGERS)
RM 7 Simon Ferry (DUNDEE)
CM 16 Greg CameroN (MONTROSE)
CM 4 Charles Grant (?)
CM 15 Ryan Conroy (RAITH ROVERS)
LM 10 Michael McGlinchey (WELLINGTON PHOENIX)
CF 8 Calum Elliot (RAITH ROVERS)
Substitutes:
GK 12 Scott Fox (PARTICK TH)
DF 18 Mark Reynolds (ABERDEEN)
DF 5 Garry Kenneth (CARNOUSTIE PANMURE)
MF 17 Brian Gilmour (AYR UTD)
FW 14 Graham Dorrans (NORWICH CITY)

SPAIN

GK 1 Antonio Adán (REAL BETIS)
CB 2 Antonio Barragán (VALENCIA)
CB 4 Marc Valiente (REAL VALADOLLID)
CB 5 Gerard Piqué (BARCELONA)
RWB 6 Mario Suárez (ATH MADRID)
CM 7 Antonio Calvo (ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA)
CM 8 Javi García (ZENIT ST PETERSBURG)
CM 11 Diego CapeL (SPORTING LISBON)
LWB 12 Roberto Canella (DEPORTIVO)
CF 16 Juan Mata (MAN UTD)
CF 18 Alberto Bueno (VALLECANO)
Substitutes:
DF 3 José Ángel Crespo (CORDOBA)
DF 9 César Díaz (ALBACETE BALOMPE)
MF 10 Esteban Granero (REAL SOCIEDAD)
GK 13 Ángel Bernabé (UB CONQUENSE)
FW 14 Marc Pedraza (CD NUMANCIA)
FW 15 Jeffrén Suárez (VALADOLLID)
FW 17 Gorka Elustondo (REAL SOCIEDAD)

Now it cannae just be down to player ability surely?

Wow! You're right, why have we players who end up at Carnoustie Panmure and their worst player still ends up at a reasonable level.

Wow! Can't believe anyone replied to your amazing detective work! Respect!

[HibernianJK]

Anyone who agrees with this decision is just a big an idiot as the manager who made the decision. Complete disgrace and sums up the footballing mentality in this country.

[theonlywayisup]

I remember when I was in Primary School, a long long time ago, one school mate was head and shoulders above the rest. Not in stature (he was by far the smallest boy in the class) but through footballing skill. His dad was a Highland League player, a tall skilful midfielder, but his son hadn't started his growth, yet!

By the time this boy got to 12 and into high school, he had given up playing football completely. I've always wondered what would have become of him had he grown up in Spain.

[Scouse Hibee]

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Anyone who agrees with this decision is just a big an idiot as the manager who made the decision. Complete disgrace and sums up the footballing mentality in this country.

So anyone that disagrees with you is an idiot eh? Nice one pal makes you sound a bit of an ..................................

[Famous Fiver]

Thank god Sbragia wasn't about in the late forties/ early fifties. Bobby Johnstone would never have got a game for Hibs. Come to think of it none of the famous five were 6ft 1in. They did all their playing in the other team's half and I don't remember any of them getting picked for their robust qualities.

Sbragia is a dinosaur. Petrie,get it sorted!!!!

[Andy74]

Always thought Craig Brown talked a lot of sense:

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown has defended Ricky Sbragia claiming his decision not to include Real Madrid youngster Jack Harper in his U19 squad should be respected.

Sbragia labelled Harper a “luxury player" when announcing his latest Scotland party to face Austria, Italy and Croatia in the UEFA European Championship Elite Round on Tuesday, claiming he is looking for more height in the group, despite the Madrid youngster already standing at 6ft 1in.

The 19-year-old’s father, John, has told the Daily Record that Spain were quick to enquire about his son’s international status after being left out by Sbragia, and reckons Jack may have a decision to make in the near future about which country he represents.

However, while Brown, who was in charge of the Scotland national team from 1993-2001, said that technical ability was to be valued over physical strength, he insisted that it was important to trust Sbragia’s judgement, claiming people’s opinions could be blurred given Harper is a Real Madrid youth player.

'Commodity'

Speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, Brown said: "Technical ability is the main priority, quite clearly. There are very small players doing exceptionally well and have done over the years and I think physical strength is important but it’s not the vital commodity. I think the main commodity is skill and technical ability.

“I respect Ricky Sbragia greatly. Now, the fact that the lad is not selected is highlighted principally because - he’s not played for Real Madrid, I want to emphasise – he’s been signed by Real Madrid.

“He might never play for Real Madrid or he might be a world star but the point I’m trying to make is that the name of the club tends to hypnotise people and think that if you’re a Real Madrid signing you must be a better player than the Scottish players who are playing for Scottish clubs. Now, that is not necessarily the case.

“We hope in years to come it will be and he’ll turn out to be a very good Scotland player but we’ve got to respect the coach’s decision to leave him out the team at the moment.”

Brown conceded it was a concern that Spain were reported to be interested in securing Harper’s services but re-iterated that players at youth level couldn’t just be selected for squads based on the clubs they play for.

He said: “If he’s good enough to play for Spain it would be a worry if we lose him but I’ve got to be honest and say that quite clearly Ricky will know him and doesn’t consider him, at the moment, ready to play in the Scotland team and you have to respect that.

“I just think there is far too much hype because it is a Real Madrid name in front of the media and when they see Real Madrid they assume every Real Madrid player is outstanding. Now many are, and most are, but it doesn’t necessarily follow.

“There will be players playing in England and in Scotland, particularly in Scotland, of the same age and of comparable ability and I think we’ve got to consider them and not because he plays for Real Madrid make him a first choice selection for the U19 team.”

[Andy74]

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Anyone who agrees with this decision is just a big an idiot as the manager who made the decision. Complete disgrace and sums up the footballing mentality in this country.

I'd no idea we had so many experts on all the under 19 players to speak so strongly about it.

You could start by telling us how many times you've watched this guy.