PDA

View Full Version : Caldwell Watch



sunshine1875
10-10-2009, 09:22 AM
In the late 70s and 80s, we had Scotland teams that could compete at the highest level - ok, never good enough to get out of World Cup group stages, but still good teams.

Obviously, the quality of player across the team has dropped since those days and no-where more than the centre-backs. We have had some fantastic centre-backs that were great leaders on and off the park - McQueen, Holton, Buchan, Miller, McLeish, Hansen (though he did not always do it for Scotland) and a few more.

Today, our best centre-back is viewed as being Gary Caldwell. Have we really dropped that far. Watch him today and try and compare him against the past greats. His positional sense is poor, his passing is over-ambitious and usually off-target, he will make a run forward only to leave gaps at the back, he is too slow, he has little physical presence, he will have his hand up attempting off-side when there is none and he will point to where the ball is going to be played - why? The sad thing is he is probably the best of the bunch.

Oh - how we have dropped standards!!

truehibernian
10-10-2009, 09:44 AM
Agreed that Caldwell is poor, however I also think it's a case of other countries and football in general moving forward and improving, and Scotland remaining in the dark ages. Can you imagine Jim Holten, Gordon McQueen or Gary Gillespie against Henry, Rooney, Luca Toni, Ronaldo, Eto'o. I think they would be made to look similarly laboured and poor. Caldwell is just an example of how Scotland has refused to acknowledge change in football, and continually underinvested in sport in general (facilities and grass roots to be exact). Couple that with our poor lifestyle (alcohol, binge drining, drugs, smoking) and bingo........culture has not changed either.

sambajustice
10-10-2009, 09:56 AM
The CB situation is a bit dire although I would have thought that Berra would have been having more of a look in by now. He'll be developing, getting stronger and quicker every week playing in the Premiership. Surely the experience he'll be picking up will far outweigh anything caldwell or mcmanus is getting.

I actually quite like McManus, a lot of my celtic fan mates think he's a bit of a bombscare but he's just a no nonsense centre half.

My scotland team would be

Gordon

Hutton
McManus
Berra
Whittaker

Brown
Caldwell
Fletcher
Thomson

McFadden
*Your name here


A few candidates for that last striking place O'Connor probably leading the queue because he's a big strong chap. Definitely not Miller though!!! I dont buy into this "how many other players would have got into that position in the first place" Well, 1, we dont know because no-one else gets a look in 2, he's a striker and his job is to score goals - he doesnt, and 3 he's always "getting into positions" but doesnt ever do anything apart from miss!


My scotland rant over :greengrin

Chuckie
10-10-2009, 10:06 AM
Bring back Matt Elliot.....

Just Jimmy
10-10-2009, 10:17 AM
One thing about Caldwell is his commitment to Scotland. He never shys away from the national side. Others should have a look at him as an example of what it means to play for Scotland.