PDA

View Full Version : Is Scottish football better then we think ?



Ireallywasthere
22-05-2010, 05:06 PM
With Blackpool being promoted and Charlie Adam, who was a bit part player with the Huns, playing a crucial role with his goals. Fletcher went down there and it's fair to said did better then most expected and is now being touted as a £7-8 million pound player. There are others like Robert Snodgrass who hardly set the heather alight here. Spotty Gordon who is now justifing his transfer fee, Berra and er....

Caldwell :rolleyes:

HibbyAndy
22-05-2010, 05:09 PM
Chuck in Graham Dorrans.

The Mook
22-05-2010, 05:29 PM
Id say its about as good as we thought it was - obviously nowhere near top level EPL or second tier - Everton, Villa, Fulham etc.

for every Adam theres a Barry Ferguson who flops down there or the boy Aberdeen have signed who cant get a game for Rochdale.......

Championship is a bit on the physical/long ball side for a lot of teams from what Ive seen.

SPL sides would be upper Championship/top of League One IMO.

overall SPL is pretty gash, but not as gash as those down South seem to think, and quality of Championship footie is overrated.

jgl07
22-05-2010, 05:30 PM
Id say its about as good as we thought it was - obviously nowhere near top level EPL or second tier - Everton, Villa, Fulham etc.

for every Adam theres a Barry Ferguson who flops down there or the boy Aberdeen have signed who cant get a game for Rochdale.......

Here's me thinking that Barry Ferguson is playing regularly for a top half Premiership team?

Ryan69
22-05-2010, 05:33 PM
Think Barry Ferguson also got their player of the year too!

HibbyAndy
22-05-2010, 05:34 PM
Think Barry Ferguson also got their player of the year too!

Mare like Fud of the year.

Total *****tane of an individual.

The Mook
22-05-2010, 05:37 PM
Here's me thinking that Barry Ferguson is playing regularly for a top half Premiership team?

exactly. Hes gone from being part of a team which swept all before them in the SPL to a side who have overachieved to get a mid table finish in the EPL

agree, he is a **** but always been a decent player IMO

Ryan69
22-05-2010, 05:47 PM
Definately a ****, don't know how he's doing so well at Birmingham though

Hainan Hibs
22-05-2010, 06:15 PM
Ferguson has pretty much been a regular in the Birmingham side and has surprisingly done well. I like Scottish players doing well down there so no matter how big a cock he is well done to him.

I think with more players going down south it will do good for the national team and the impression of Scottish football. More and more Scottish players are playing in the Premiership so hopefully we have a national team for the next qualifying campaign that has more than a few players who are used to playing against top opposition.

To be honest we all know Scottish football isn't all too great. But I don't really care. I love it anyway and I love Hibs.

HibbyAndy
22-05-2010, 06:19 PM
Ferguson has pretty much been a regular in the Birmingham side and has surprisingly done well. I like Scottish players doing well down there so no matter how big a cock he is well done to him.

I think with more players going down south it will do good for the national team and the impression of Scottish football. More and more Scottish players are playing in the Premiership so hopefully we have a national team for the next qualifying campaign that has more than a few players who are used to playing against top opposition.

To be honest we all know Scottish football isn't all too great. But I don't really care. I love it anyway and I love Hibs.



:top marks

:agree:

Ireallywasthere
22-05-2010, 07:38 PM
Recent sucess of players there might see more going south for bigger fees. Rather than the extent of their ambition being that tedious journey along the M8

erskine-hibby
22-05-2010, 08:46 PM
I don't think it is as bad as some people make out. The way I see it is the problem lies with the league structure ie. far too few teams in the top flight, which means far too many teams are scared to lose. This does not lend itself to good football IMHO.

monktonharp
22-05-2010, 09:58 PM
Ferguson has pretty much been a regular in the Birmingham side and has surprisingly done well. I like Scottish players doing well down there so no matter how big a cock he is well done to him.

I think with more players going down south it will do good for the national team and the impression of Scottish football. More and more Scottish players are playing in the Premiership so hopefully we have a national team for the next qualifying campaign that has more than a few players who are used to playing against top opposition.

To be honest we all know Scottish football isn't all too great. But I don't really care. I love it anyway and I love Hibs.next thing you'll be saying is oor Baz got a rum deal when they took the dark blue jersey aff him :bitchy:

Hainan Hibs
22-05-2010, 10:07 PM
next thing you'll be saying is oor Baz got a rum deal when they took the dark blue jersey aff him :bitchy:

I couldn't buy the Daily Record and The Sun quick enough to agree with their anger:greengrin

Franck is God
23-05-2010, 11:28 AM
The SPL is not the highest level but its not nearly as bad as many think and in the league there are a number of players that would fit in quite comfortably in the premiership, maybe not all in top six sides but there's a lot of talent about in Scotland.

In fact looking at the Scottish players in the EPL from the beginning of next season it would make not a bad Scotland team by itself.

Gordon
Hutton
Caldwell
Berra
Crainey
D Fletcher
Ferguson
Adam
Dorrans
McFadden
S Fletcher

I can think of a few players currently in the SPL that I would rather have in the team but it wouldn't be the worst team to take the field for us.

hibee-shtuggie
23-05-2010, 11:39 AM
no

NAE NOOKIE
23-05-2010, 08:11 PM
Ferguson has pretty much been a regular in the Birmingham side and has surprisingly done well. I like Scottish players doing well down there so no matter how big a cock he is well done to him.

I think with more players going down south it will do good for the national team and the impression of Scottish football. More and more Scottish players are playing in the Premiership so hopefully we have a national team for the next qualifying campaign that has more than a few players who are used to playing against top opposition.

To be honest we all know Scottish football isn't all too great. But I don't really care. I love it anyway and I love Hibs.

:top marks

Well done mate. Think there are too many folk in Scottish football who forget that its a miracle that a tiny wee country like us even has a full time league system. Who lets not forget have had two teams in the UEFA cup final in the last 10 years ( even if it was them )

I dont think theres a country our size even comes close.

hibsbollah
23-05-2010, 08:15 PM
With Blackpool being promoted and Charlie Adam, who was a bit part player with the Huns, playing a crucial role with his goals. Fletcher went down there and it's fair to said did better then most expected and is now being touted as a £7-8 million pound player. There are others like Robert Snodgrass who hardly set the heather alight here. Spotty Gordon who is now justifing his transfer fee, Berra and er....

Caldwell :rolleyes:

Im a big believer that Scottish football is better than its made out to be. Its in the national psyche to moan and whinge and criticise our own.

lyonhibs
23-05-2010, 08:19 PM
I can't help but think that some people need to give themseves a shake when it comes to Barry Ferguson.

Yes, the guy is a horrid Hun fud, but he completed the most passes in the Premiership last season, out of every player, and won Brum's player of the year.

Not bad, and certainly better than his injury curtailed last stab at the Premiership

Hainan Hibs
23-05-2010, 08:39 PM
Im a big believer that Scottish football is better than its made out to be. Its in the national psyche to moan and whinge and criticise our own.

:agree:

yekimevol
23-05-2010, 11:20 PM
i personally think that scottish football is better than people think as far as the national side is concerned cause we do have a really good group of players and very good prospect in the up and comming players and we have a better manager in charge now so that side is looking up.

But the scottish leagues i actually think are worse than we think (i know ill get slated for this) but we have seen our euro place get cut because the old firm are getting hammerd in europe and so are our teams in the uefa / europa cup. so unless we can get our own leagues to compete with the rest of europe (i hope we can contribute to improving it) i know we cant beat the likes of serie a and the preimership but beating wee teams like odense, Llanelli and Flamurtari then we aint as good as ive heard people say.

bighairyfaeleith
24-05-2010, 03:02 AM
Scottish football is greatly under rated, I mean we have our own Champions league winning team just across the city. :devil:

bighairyfaeleith
24-05-2010, 03:04 AM
I can't help but think that some people need to give themseves a shake when it comes to Barry Ferguson.

Yes, the guy is a horrid Hun fud, but he completed the most passes in the Premiership last season, out of every player, and won Brum's player of the year.

Not bad, and certainly better than his injury curtailed last stab at the Premiership

It's not that hard tgo complete a 5 yard backwards pass though is it:confused:

jacomo
24-05-2010, 09:02 AM
There are plenty of individuals who've successfully made the move from the SPL down South, so no, the gap isn't as big as it's made out to be.

The biggest difference is in defence, IMO. If Hibs played in the Premiership next season we'd concede a mountain of goals, because our backline isn't physically or technically the strongest, along with most SPL teams.

Money buys you better players, and even if being in the Premiership only allows you to buy a keeper, centre backs, full backs who are 5% better individually than what you have, cumulatively that adds up to a significant improvement.

Stevie Reid
24-05-2010, 09:43 AM
I don't think it is as bad as some people make out. The way I see it is the problem lies with the league structure ie. far too few teams in the top flight, which means far too many teams are scared to lose. This does not lend itself to good football IMHO.

Exactly the point that I was going to make - the English Championship is a great example of a big league where there are enough teams with genuine ambitions and belief that they can get promoted into the promised land, and who try and win games as opposed to desperately trying to stop the opposition winning, as a result. The last 2 play off winners have been late runners into the play off places and their good form has got them into the Premiership - with such a huge prize on offer the incentive is there to go out and attack and win, and a good few Scottish players have thrived in that environment.

The SPL on the other hand has so many teams for whom relegation would be a financial disaster (and possibly compromise the very existence of the football club), that it is full of fear and teams packed with players who simply go all out to stop the opposition playing. Of course countering your opponents is key for any football team, but when all you've got is shutting the game down and trying to nick a goal from a set piece, the football really suffers. A bigger SPL that gives teams more breathing space is desperately needed.

JimBHibees
24-05-2010, 10:05 AM
There are plenty of individuals who've successfully made the move from the SPL down South, so no, the gap isn't as big as it's made out to be.

The biggest difference is in defence, IMO. If Hibs played in the Premiership next season we'd concede a mountain of goals, because our backline isn't physically or technically the strongest, along with most SPL teams.

Money buys you better players, and even if being in the Premiership only allows you to buy a keeper, centre backs, full backs who are 5% better individually than what you have, cumulatively that adds up to a significant improvement.

I think that physicality is the key difference. The Championship and Premier teams are markedly bigger
than Scottish teams. Each team appears to have 3 or 4 giants. Can remeber going to a Derby Palace
game a few years ago and both teams were massive.

Dashing Bob S
24-05-2010, 01:09 PM
Scottish football is pretty poor - probably worse than we think. The real issue is that English football is nowhere near as god as THEY or sadly, some of US, seem to believe.

Overall, English football is a bit like Hearts. Loaded with debt, but for the money they spend they should absolutely tremendous, but they are some distance short of that.

The game in England, despite the money and hype, is going backwards quality wise and sliding into financial crisis. Rooney is probably the only one of the top ten creative/offensive players in the world currently plying his trade in the EPL and you sense that if he was a little more worldly and sophisticated as an individual, he'd be off to Spain.

Danderhall Hibs
24-05-2010, 01:24 PM
Rooney is probably the only one of the top ten creative/offensive players in the world currently plying his trade in the EPL and you sense that if he was a little more worldly and sophisticated as an individual, he'd be off to Spain.

Torres would definitely make the top 10. I'd imagine Drogba would be pretty close and maybe Lampard as well.

Gary Caldwell creates a lot of goals too. :greengrin

johnrebus
24-05-2010, 01:24 PM
Scottish football is pretty poor - probably worse than we think. The real issue is that English football is nowhere near as god as THEY or sadly, some of US, seem to believe.

Overall, English football is a bit like Hearts. Loaded with debt, but for the money they spend they should absolutely tremendous, but they are some distance short of that.

The game in England, despite the money and hype, is going backwards quality wise and sliding into financial crisis. Rooney is probably the only one of the top ten creative/offensive players in the world currently plying his trade in the EPL and you sense that if he was a little more worldly and sophisticated as an individual, he'd be off to Spain.

Sums it up perfectly for me.

English fiba is very overated and will probably - and hopefully - eat itself very soon. And as an appetiser I look forward to the international side making their usual arse of themselves in the World Cup.


Which reminds me........,

Why is Fernando Torres still at Liverpool?

Total mystery.


:dunno:

zosohibee
25-05-2010, 10:56 AM
No

Phil MaGlass
25-05-2010, 11:05 AM
I think Scottish fitba is under rated,I was of the mind it was pi5h, but have recently changed ma mind,(nothing new there). I think the Scottish players are good enough to play in England although we have no real world class players but are being stifled by teams who are only out to draw/stifle opposition, I think the problem is our league is too small, if it were atleast 4 teams bigger more teams would try playing fitba without the threat of relegation. Our players are good enough.

JimBHibees
25-05-2010, 11:25 AM
Im a big believer that Scottish football is better than its made out to be. Its in the national psyche to moan and whinge and criticise our own.

I agree though another factor is that given the tabloids are pretty much dominated by the OF it suited certain papers interests to be slagging off Scottish football when the big 2 were whoring themselves to every league in the planet. Dont think this is likely to go away anytime soon either.

There are obviously tough times ahead if you look at the attendances of some of the SPL games this year which will not go away in the future.

Personally think there are a lot of decent younger players in Scotland who can do well in England. The high value transfers of Hutton and Gordon are testament to that as is the likely move of Danny Wilson to Liverpool.
Dorrans and Adam both players that werent obviously brilliant in Scotland have been standouts in the last season.

basehibby
25-05-2010, 01:01 PM
Im a big believer that Scottish football is better than its made out to be. Its in the national psyche to moan and whinge and criticise our own.

:top marks there is something in the stereotype portrayed in Fraser "we're all doomed" out of Dad's Army. As a nation - especially in sport - we are a fatalistic bunch more likely to deride our own than hype it/them up.

As a good example there was a thread on here a while back about one of our few potential sporting world beaters - step forward Hibs fan Andy Murray - and I couldn't believe the amount of posters who seemed to be falling over each other in the rush to find some excuse NOT to like him.

This is also prevalent in football - eg. just how many posters were predicting with great certainty that Steven Fletcher would NOT be able to cut it in the EPL? Quite a few as I recall.

This effect is exacerbated by the posturings of some of the arrogant fuds in the English media (Mark Lawrenson take a bow) who just love to look scornfully down their noses at the Scottish game. They are of course idiots as, despite all the billions being poured into English Football, the Scottish game STILL stands up pretty well to it if you take the imense disparity of populations into account.

Lets not overstate it though - the recent record of Scottish teams in Europe has been nothing short of dreadful. I think there are often reasons for this poor performance though - one of them being the fact that any non-OF side qualifying for Europe has usually been systematically stripped of all their best players before they even reach the first round - particularly since being crippled by debts due to punishing stadium criteria imposed after the Taylor report some 20 years ago.

That's not the whole story though - a lot of Europe has moved forward while Scotland has stood still and there's plenty of room for improvement as discussed recently after the Henry McLeish report was published - Will anything ever be done to sort it out though??? Not so sure - if there was a World Cup for bungling and prevaricating then our football administrators would surely be serial champions!