Craig Levein.....big bairn.

[Jim44]

:dummytit::dummytit::dummytit: Prams and toys. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951W3Ab3onM)

[The Tubs]

Boy's a fanny. Always mind him going greetin' tae the papers after Mowbray didnae come and have a blether wi him after a derby. So ******!

[RoslinInstHibby]

:dummytit::dummytit::dummytit: Prams and toys. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951W3Ab3onM)

pathetic repsonse to simple questions, he should never have got the job in the 1st place:bitchy:

then again maybe i'm just bitter as i applied and didn't get an interview, got a nice letter from Gordon Smith though:greengrin

[Matty_Jack04]

he should have been carpeted after the czech game and also after that walkout

no strikers = embarrassing
and not giving an efficent post match interveiw = embarrasing

someone should remind that guy exactly how much Sky TV are paying the sfa, spl for coverage of horrible football and all should be done to keep there investment

[Stevie Reid]

he should have been carpeted after the czech game and also after that walkout

no strikers = embarrassing
and not giving an efficent post match interveiw = embarrasing

someone should remind that guy exactly how much Sky TV are paying the sfa, spl for coverage of horrible football and all should be done to keep there investment

Was just gonna say the same thing myself, his response to questions about the lack of strikers in the Czech game was as embarrassing as his team selection.

[talking_wiss]

Total lack of any class from Levein.

Tuesday's performance did him little favours as it showed that with a bit of attacking intent Scotland ain't that bad a team. To start with absolutely no intention of going forward against a team that had just got beat at home to Lithuania beggars belief. Much of the chat after the Spanish game was mainly about why the **** did we not set up like that against the Czech's, hardly unreasonable for Levein to be asked pretty much that question!

[Albion Hibs]

Totally disagree, think he was right to ignore that little fool Tanner.

We had just come of the back of a game where we scored two goals against the best national team in the world by a distance, 10 minutes from a point and some poor defending cost us.

It shows a complete lack of journalistic intelligence that all tanner wanted to do was go on about Friday. That result is done, the game was over, they had many a news paper article and interview to do there chatting on that, why oh why they felt that in the 5 min interview they had after that game they had to focus on the previous game is ridiculous.

Tanner needs to have a look at himself, albeit I am sure he is probably delighted that we was on the end of that and upped his profile.

[Matty_Jack04]

No way was a fair question to ask we played against the best team in the world with the mind set to attack when we could, yet we went out against the czechs like they where the world beaters

Tuesdays performance not only restored abit of national/player pride it highlighted a horrendous decision by levein to feild no strikers against the czechs, he knew that was the case and dodged the questions we where all asking ...embarassing

[--------]

Totally disagree, think he was right to ignore that little fool Tanner.

We had just come of the back of a game where we scored two goals against the best national team in the world by a distance, 10 minutes from a point and some poor defending cost us.

It shows a complete lack of journalistic intelligence that all tanner wanted to do was go on about Friday. That result is done, the game was over, they had many a news paper article and interview to do there chatting on that, why oh why they felt that in the 5 min interview they had after that game they had to focus on the previous game is ridiculous.

Tanner needs to have a look at himself, albeit I am sure he is probably delighted that we was on the end of that and upped his profile.


I could agree with your point if Potter had already answered questions regarding his team selection against the Czechs. But he dodged the question after that game, and he's still dodging it. By the time the next international games come round, the subject will be gone.

I still want to know just exactly what thought process (supposing "thought" was actually involved at any point) would lead a manager to put out a team without a single forward.... :cool2:

[poolman]

Totally disagree, think he was right to ignore that little fool Tanner.

We had just come of the back of a game where we scored two goals against the best national team in the world by a distance, 10 minutes from a point and some poor defending cost us.

It shows a complete lack of journalistic intelligence that all tanner wanted to do was go on about Friday. That result is done, the game was over, they had many a news paper article and interview to do there chatting on that, why oh why they felt that in the 5 min interview they had after that game they had to focus on the previous game is ridiculous.

Tanner needs to have a look at himself, albeit I am sure he is probably delighted that we was on the end of that and upped his profile.


Nay, nay and thrice nay

Tanner didn't just go on about Fridays game (even tho he is a welt) also the two games were only 4 days apart and linked to the same tournament, he had every right to ask about the two sides and how they differed in tactics

HP is a total phanny :agree:

[talking_wiss]

Potter has to prepare for only 4 competitive games in almost 12 months. I think a few questions four days later questioning his tactics for a game that is likely to ultimately decide our fate in 12 months time is fair game.

[johnrebus]

Everything about Potter just screams, 'Heart of Midlothian FC'.

No class, style, intelligence, knowledge, humour, warmth, guile, humility or nous.

The guy is a complete prick.

:taxi

[Spike Mandela]

Showing his true colours.

This man should never be anywhere near the managers position IMO. The sooner his reign is over the better.

[lucky]

Pathetic response from Harry potter. Imagine getting flustered by That wee did Tanner. The man has no class.

[camhibby1]

Totally disagree, think he was right to ignore that little fool Tanner.

We had just come of the back of a game where we scored two goals against the best national team in the world by a distance, 10 minutes from a point and some poor defending cost us.

It shows a complete lack of journalistic intelligence that all tanner wanted to do was go on about Friday. That result is done, the game was over, they had many a news paper article and interview to do there chatting on that, why oh why they felt that in the 5 min interview they had after that game they had to focus on the previous game is ridiculous.

Tanner needs to have a look at himself, albeit I am sure he is probably delighted that we was on the end of that and upped his profile.

You have a habit of defending te indefensible - first Yogi and now Levein. Last Friday night was totally unacceptable and Levein's attitude and behaviour since has been nothing short of scandalous.

1. He tells the fans to get used to it - this is the way of football - rubbish! The under 21's prove that on Monday night - good game shame about the result.

2. Whilst it is one thing to defend your tactics immediately post match - quite another to continue to do so knowing you were wrong.

3. To hide behind your assistant and send Peter Houston out who then refused to answer questions about Friday is cowardice of a low order.

4. To show a lack of respect to the interviewer and walk of petulantly is simply weak and embarrassing.

The guy is way out of his depth and if he is half decent would apologise first to the fans for showing disrespect in the way he set up the team on Friday and then secondly to his employers for his weak pathetic behaviour in front of the cameras. Tanner was hardly aggressive in his questioning - trying to put Tuesday's match and Friday's performance into perspective - nought wrong with that in my view.

[Jonnyboy]

Did anyone else get the sense that Potter was just waiting for that coming? I felt his facial expressions were a bit of a giveaway

[Hibee Daz]

Total lack of any class from Levein.

Tuesday's performance did him little favours as it showed that with a bit of attacking intent Scotland ain't that bad a team. To start with absolutely no intention of going forward against a team that had just got beat at home to Lithuania beggars belief. Much of the chat after the Spanish game was mainly about why the **** did we not set up like that against the Czech's, hardly unreasonable for Levein to be asked pretty much that question!

Right on the money bud.

Potter is dodging the question simply because, he must not have an adequate answer to appease his doubters that and the fact he is far too pig-headed to ever admit he was wrong!

As has already been pointed out he lacks the class needed to be an international manager.
:jamboclow

[Stevie Reid]

Did anyone else get the sense that Potter was just waiting for that coming? I felt his facial expressions were a bit of a giveaway

Definitely.

I also remember him stating quite arrogantly in the press conference prior to the game that he was given the job of getting Scotland to the finals of a major tournament, and that if people didn't like his methods, he "didn't care" - so he looks even more of a t!t by making said arrogant statement and then failing miserably to back it up in interview.

[blackpoolhibs]

I will give Levein great credit for the performance and the way he set the team up on Tuesday. It was a great effort from all involved, but ultimately it was another defeat, one we all pretty much expected.

The Friday before was anti football at its worst, and he was THE man responsible for that. Of course the question should be asked, we don't play another game for months, by the time he's interviewed again he will want to concentrate on the game ahead. He's a phanny that got one of the most important games he will ever be involved in completely wrong, he needs to tell us why, or at least explain his thinking?

[Albion Hibs]

You have a habit of defending te indefensible - first Yogi and now Levein. Last Friday night was totally unacceptable and Levein's attitude and behaviour since has been nothing short of scandalous.

1. He tells the fans to get used to it - this is the way of football - rubbish! The under 21's prove that on Monday night - good game shame about the result.

2. Whilst it is one thing to defend your tactics immediately post match - quite another to continue to do so knowing you were wrong.

3. To hide behind your assistant and send Peter Houston out who then refused to answer questions about Friday is cowardice of a low order.

4. To show a lack of respect to the interviewer and walk of petulantly is simply weak and embarrassing.

The guy is way out of his depth and if he is half decent would apologise first to the fans for showing disrespect in the way he set up the team on Friday and then secondly to his employers for his weak pathetic behaviour in front of the cameras. Tanner was hardly aggressive in his questioning - trying to put Tuesday's match and Friday's performance into perspective - nought wrong with that in my view.


Totally disagree, perhaps my defending of the in-defendable, as you say is similar to you comparing the incomparable. Under 21's at home to Iceland V full international away from home? Not seeing a comparison there, other than the fact that both teams lost, one by a far greater margin than the other.

1. I think what he said is that approach is likely to become more familiar for teams in general - I will listen to his point and see what happens - you will accept he understands more about the game of football that you?

2. Did it occur to you he did not think he was wrong - PS as football fans why are we so obsessed with people coming out and apologising to us? He did what he did, we did not get a result and it is his head on the line.

3. The media as always do not care about reporting anything positive, why bow to there pressure and pash questions, how often do you read anything of interest in the EEN for example - never. Once the matter has been dealt with once, it is over, the question asked and answered end of.

4. The interview showed him a complete lack of respect, to all those watching on sky and listening on the radio, but by little Tanner, not Levein. The first time Levein was asked about Friday he said he was not there to talk about that, the little runt Tanner then tried to think of as many different ways to ask the same question.

In my view he was completely out of order. We all watched or listened to a good game of football against Spain – the worlds best football team, were we got the performance and approach to football we asked for, why not talk about that? Be happy that our approach to the game was different - given you think Levein should apologies for Friday, do you think we should all send him a "thank you" for the approach on Tuesday?

Friday was in the past a game I would rather forget, I wanted to hear our national manager talk about that game, how he thought we did, the approach we took to the game, if he felt we could adopt that going forward - but no, lets just hit him with Friday again.

Tanner was the one being disrespectful to all us fans. We all probably felt a little bit better and wanted to focus on the positives....a dirty word on here I know.

With regards to Yogi, I dont really wish to start on that again, but I will always give my support to a manager so long as he is in charge at Hibs and on the basis he has shown he can do something for us.

[johnrebus]

Totally disagree, perhaps my defending of the in-defendable, as you say is similar to you comparing the incomparable. Under 21's at home to Iceland V full international away from home? Not seeing a comparison there, other than the fact that both teams lost, one by a far greater margin than the other.

1. I think what he said is that approach is likely to become more familiar for teams in general - I will listen to his point and see what happens - you will accept he understands more about the game of football that you?

2. Did it occur to you he did not think he was wrong - PS as football fans why are we so obsessed with people coming out and apologising to us? He did what he did, we did not get a result and it is his head on the line.

3. The media as always do not care about reporting anything positive, why bow to there pressure and pash questions, how often do you read anything of interest in the EEN for example - never. Once the matter has been dealt with once, it is over, the question asked and answered end of.

4. The interview showed him a complete lack of respect, to all those watching on sky and listening on the radio, but by little Tanner, not Levein. The first time Levein was asked about Friday he said he was not there to talk about that, the little runt Tanner then tried to think of as many different ways to ask the same question.

In my view he was completely out of order. We all watched or listened to a good game of football against Spain – the worlds best football team, were we got the performance and approach to football we asked for, why not talk about that? Be happy that our approach to the game was different - given you think Levein should apologies for Friday, do you think we should all send him a "thank you" for the approach on Tuesday?

Friday was in the past a game I would rather forget, I wanted to hear our national manager talk about that game, how he thought we did, the approach we took to the game, if he felt we could adopt that going forward - but no, lets just hit him with Friday again.

Tanner was the one being disrespectful to all us fans. We all probably felt a little bit better and wanted to focus on the positives....a dirty word on here I know.

With regards to Yogi, I dont really wish to start on that again, but I will always give my support to a manager so long as he is in charge at Hibs and on the basis he has shown he can do something for us.



You actually come accross in a very similar vein as Levein himself.

Is that you Craig?

:wink:

[Phil MaGlass]

I will give Levein great credit for the performance and the way he set the team up on Tuesday. It was a great effort from all involved, but ultimately it was another defeat, one we all pretty much expected.

The Friday before was anti football at its worst, and he was THE man responsible for that. Of course the question should be asked, we don't play another game for months, by the time he's interviewed again he will want to concentrate on the game ahead. He's a phanny that got one of the most important games he will ever be involved in completely wrong, he needs to tell us why, or at least explain his thinking?

Disagree, Levein deserved no credit whatsoever for the game against Spain, it was the players efforts, fight and spirit and the fu-- you Levein were better than that attitude the players showed, Levein comes out of this mess with absolutely no f,n credit at all.

[Albion Hibs]

You actually come accross in a very similar vein as Levein himself.

Is that you Craig?

:wink:


Yeah, how did you guess? I was obviously chocking to come on here and see what the Hibs fans (who are naturally going to support me) had to say about the recent games.

Peter has nipped to the shops but will be back soon, I have promised if anything comes up which is decent I will send him a text.

Word on the street is Tanner is on here aswell - do you know his posting name is?

[emmjayfox]

I think Craig got it all wrong on Tuesday night, why he never went a 4-6-0 is beyond me.

[silverhibee]

What a tosser Harry Potter is, a really genuine horrible person.

[blackpoolhibs]

Disagree, Levein deserved no credit whatsoever for the game against Spain, it was the players efforts, fight and spirit and the fu-- you Levein were better than that attitude the players showed, Levein comes out of this mess with absolutely no f,n credit at all.

As much as i think he's a tosser, i wont go down the route he's to blame when we do badly, but its nothing to do with him if we do better.

[Albion Hibs]

As much as i think he's a tosser, i wont go down the route he's to blame when we do badly, but its nothing to do with him if we do better.



Agreed, have always worked on the philosophy success has many fathers, failure is a bast*rd.

Perhaps the motto of many a .net poster!

[Arch Stanton]

What a tosser Harry Potter is, a really genuine horrible person.

No he isn't. Perhaps you might consider it is you who are being mean spirited in saying that.

This fervent grasping at the tiniest hold to heap all this vindictiveness on Levein is really painful to read.

[Twa Cairpets]

1. I think what he said is that approach is likely to become more familiar for teams in general - I will listen to his point and see what happens - you will accept he understands more about the game of football that you?Nope


2. Did it occur to you he did not think he was wrong - PS as football fans why are we so obsessed with people coming out and apologising to us? He did what he did, we did not get a result and it is his head on the line. If this is the case, see the above answer.

. The interview showed him a complete lack of respect, to all those watching on sky and listening on the radio, but by little Tanner, not Levein. The first time Levein was asked about Friday he said he was not there to talk about that, the little runt Tanner then tried to think of as many different ways to ask the same question.
Bollox. All absolutely valid questions, and still would have been valid if he was being interviewed by Fred West or Adolf Hitler. How in any way is not valid for a Scotland manager to answer comparative questions about a game. Pound to a penny if/when we do eventually win a match in some style he'll be quick enough to refer back to it in mitigiation of the next horrendous flop.


In my view he was completely out of order. We all watched or listened to a good game of football against Spain – the worlds best football team, were we got the performance and approach to football we asked for, why not talk about that? Be happy that our approach to the game was different - given you think Levein should apologies for Friday, do you think we should all send him a "thank you" for the approach on Tuesday?
Irrelevant
Friday was in the past a game I would rather forget, I wanted to hear our national manager talk about that game, how he thought we did, the approach we took to the game, if he felt we could adopt that going forward - but no, lets just hit him with Friday again.
Or maybe be asked given the contrasting performances of the two games, which approach did he feel would service us better for the next one?

Tanner was the one being disrespectful to all us fans. We all probably felt a little bit better and wanted to focus on the positives....a dirty word on here I know. And another dig at the denizens of Hibs net. Impressive collection youre getting there Albion old boy.


With regards to Yogi, I dont really wish to start on that again, but I will always give my support to a manager so long as he is in charge at Hibs and on the basis he has shown he can do something for us.As I believe you to be a :jamboclow:trumpet:, I have to congratulate you on the subtlety of the words chosen in this post.

[Albion Hibs]

Nope

If this is the case, see the above answer.

Bollox. All absolutely valid questions, and still would have been valid if he was being interviewed by Fred West or Adolf Hitler. How in any way is not valid for a Scotland manager to answer comparative questions about a game. Pound to a penny if/when we do eventually win a match in some style he'll be quick enough to refer back to it in mitigiation of the next horrendous flop.


Irrelevant
Or maybe be asked given the contrasting performances of the two games, which approach did he feel would service us better for the next one?
And another dig at the denizens of Hibs net. Impressive collection youre getting there Albion old boy.

As I believe you to be a :jamboclow:trumpet:, I have to congratulate you on the subtlety of the words chosen in this post.

Clearly a difference of opinion, I am fine with that and happy enough for you to think what you think.

Remarkable how difference of opinion = being a hertz fan on here.

I believe we may have had the jambo chat before, and I believe that last time I was of the opinion that such a slate does not bother me, I will again stress that one.

One thing about your post does however impress me, I just love the carve up of all the little quotes, that is very good - shame about the comments in between each of them though!

[bighairyfaeleith]

Levein is a ******. FACT

[sesoim]

Agree with most people here - the Czech game tactics were a sackable offence in themsleves, yet Levein wont talk about it or apologise.

Scotland could and should have at least 7 points so far. Like Burley and Vogts, we have yet another manager who has made major mistakes that have cost us. Anyone who doesn't think the manager is that important should take a look at our record under Smith compares to those three.

Levein IS a good club manager, but he seemed uneasy in his first press conference and still seems the same now. For everyone's sake I'd rather he left now so we can get in a more experienced guy who knows what he is doing.

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

Everything about Potter just screams, 'Heart of Midlothian FC'.

No class, style, intelligence, knowledge, humour, warmth, guile, humility or nous.

The guy is a complete prick.

:taxi


:top marks

[Arch Stanton]

Agree with most people here - the Czech game tactics were a sackable offence in themsleves, yet Levein wont talk about it or apologise.

Scotland could and should have at least 7 points so far. Like Burley and Vogts, we have yet another manager who has made major mistakes that have cost us. Anyone who doesn't think the manager is that important should take a look at our record under Smith compares to those three.

Levein IS a good club manager, but he seemed uneasy in his first press conference and still seems the same now. For everyone's sake I'd rather he left now so we can get in a more experienced guy who knows what he is doing.

In this little world that we internet posters live we all know that any team that loses a game would have won that game with the simple virtue of choosing a different starting line-up / different formation / different substitutions etc.

If Levein didn't want to bandy 'what-if' scenarios with a journo about a previous game then that is his choice - what I wonder is how many times does someone have to say 'no' before it means 'no'.

The journo was clearly working Levein trying to get a headline grabbing quote and Levein held his ground - and this is really atrociously bad, how?

Levein has already explained his reasoning behind Friday's selection and I fail to see why he needs to apologise just because everyone else in Scotland would have played Kenny Miller and have him score a hat-trick to boot.

I'm really not sure what sort of manager you would want - Smith may have been decent for Scotland but he still didn't get us into any finals.

[hibeenicol]

In this little world that we internet posters live we all know that any team that loses a game would have won that game with the simple virtue of choosing a different starting line-up / different formation / different substitutions etc.

If Levein didn't want to bandy 'what-if' scenarios with a journo about a previous game then that is his choice - what I wonder is how many times does someone have to say 'no' before it means 'no'.

The journo was clearly working Levein trying to get a headline grabbing quote and Levein held his ground - and this is really atrociously bad, how?

Levein has already explained his reasoning behind Friday's selection and I fail to see why he needs to apologise just because everyone else in Scotland would have played Kenny Miller and have him score a hat-trick to boot.

I'm really not sure what sort of manager you would want - Smith may have been decent for Scotland but he still didn't get us into any finals.

What a rubbish post.

Levein played the 4-6-0 0n Friday and what a disgrace it was to do so. I've never seen any team play something like that and me personally would like him to answer the questions that Tanner was asking him as I think we deserve answers as supporters. And I think the supporters that spent hundreds of pounds going to czech deserve answers NO?:confused:

And as for going on about internet posters what aload of kack that is I'm still hearing folk in the pub going on about the rubbish that man put out on friday.

[blackpoolhibs]

What a rubbish post.

Levein played the 4-6-0 0n Friday and what a disgrace it was to do so. I've never seen any team play something like that and me personally would like him to answer the questions that Tanner was asking him as I think we deserve answers as supporters. And I think the supporters that spent hundreds of pounds going to czech deserve answers NO?:confused:

And as for going on about internet posters what aload of kack that is I'm still hearing folk in the pub going on about the rubbish that man put out on friday.

That was after how well we had played the biggest question being asked all Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. In the pubs after the game everyone was saying what a ridiculous decision it was, and how it seemed to have cost us at least a point. Folk are still livid now, and still talking about it as they still cant quite believe it? :boo hoo:

[Arch Stanton]

What a rubbish post.

Levein played the 4-6-0 0n Friday and what a disgrace it was to do so. I've never seen any team play something like that and me personally would like him to answer the questions that Tanner was asking him as I think we deserve answers as supporters. And I think the supporters that spent hundreds of pounds going to czech deserve answers NO?:confused:

And as for going on about internet posters what aload of kack that is I'm still hearing folk in the pub going on about the rubbish that man put out on friday.

For me a rubbish post is based on pure emotion and lacking in reason - like yours for example.

We lost away to a team 10 places above us in the world rankings and this is a disgrace - common, get real.

When I first watched football teams actually DID play 2-3-5 - when formations like 4-4-2 came in they were seen as quircky foreign things. I'm sorry, but 4-6-0 doesn't become a useless formation just because people rant and rail about it the way you are.

Now - in the fantasy replay of the Czech game we are playing it is assumed that a highly gifted and committed attacking team would not have pushed us back as much if we had played fewer midfielders - it just doesn't follow. The whole premise is as ridiculous as Mixu trying to get back into games by putting on more and more forwards.

[blackpoolhibs]

For me a rubbish post is based on pure emotion and lacking in reason - like yours for example.

We lost away to a team 10 places above us in the world rankings and this is a disgrace - common, get real.

When I first watched football teams actually DID play 2-3-5 - when formations like 4-4-2 came in they were seen as quircky foreign things. I'm sorry, but 4-6-0 doesn't become a useless formation just because people rant and rail about it the way you are.

Now - in the fantasy replay of the Czech game we are playing it is assumed that a highly gifted and committed attacking team would not have pushed us back as much if we had played fewer midfielders - it just doesn't follow. The whole premise is as ridiculous as Mixu trying to get back into games by putting on more and more forwards.

Its no disgrace to lose an away game against the Czechs. It is a disgrace to lose the game the way we did and the way the team was set up imho.

[ekhibee]

There seem to be 3 points being made here:

1. Levein's a tosser.
2. His ability, or lack of it, to handle criticism at interviews.
3. His tactics for the games on Friday and Tuesday.

Answer 1: Yes, and he always has been.
Answer 2: Well this is purely my opinion, but I wouldn't even bother interviewing him. He contradicts himself from one interview to another i.e 'I want the best players playing for Scotland' then goes off on one when he gets questioned about not playing at least one of the best Scottish strikers.
Answer 3: Again, just my opinion, but he could maybe have got away with switching the tactics about for the 2 games-playing 4-6 against Spain and trying to play counter attack against the Czechs. But that might have meant using 4-4-2, and that's just a no no :wink:

[Spike Mandela]

There seem to be 3 points being made here:
1. Levein's a tosser.
2. His ability, or lack of it, to handle criticism at interviews.
3. His tactics for the games on Friday and Tuesday.

Answer 1: Yes, and he always has been.
Answer 2: Well this is purely my opinion, but I wouldn't even bother interviewing him. He contradicts himself from one interview to another i.e 'I want the best players playing for Scotland' then goes off on one when he gets questioned about not playing at least one of the best Scottish strikers.
Answer 3: Again, just my opinion, but he could maybe have got away with switching the tactics about for the 2 games-playing 4-6 against Spain and trying to play counter attack against the Czechs. But that might have meant using 4-4-2, and that's just a no no :wink:

Fact is there were no points being made here, zero out of 6!!!. That's the bottom line.

[Arch Stanton]

Its no disgrace to lose an away game against the Czechs. It is a disgrace to lose the game the way we did and the way the team was set up imho.

In a way I am nostalgic for our glory days when Colin Hendry was diving about the box like superman blocking shots left right and centre which did allow us to scrape a win here and there.

I guess that's really set the bar for how Scotland teams are judged these days - huh?

[ScottB]

4-6-0 is utterly indefensible, and even more insane when he seemed willing to throw every striker we had on to the pitch against an actual top side on Tuesday night.

He's a joke, terrified of any kind of attacking formation against Lithuania, Lichtenstein and the Czech's, but happy to go all out attack against Spain? His negative tactics could well have cost us points, but they have certainly cost us mentally, with the players, the fans and most importantly, the opposition.

His crap has helped turned the Czech's from a side in crisis that their own fans were boycotting into a galvanized challenger for second place. A position we won't get near thanks to him.

I draw attention to the Under 21's performance, Northern Irelands draw with Italy and our own performances against France and the Ukraine as to how to go about playing against 'better' teams. Turning up and packing the box is an utter disgrace and results in defeat anyway.

[Bostonhibby]

Totally disagree, think he was right to ignore that little fool Tanner.

We had just come of the back of a game where we scored two goals against the best national team in the world by a distance, 10 minutes from a point and some poor defending cost us.

It shows a complete lack of journalistic intelligence that all tanner wanted to do was go on about Friday. That result is done, the game was over, they had many a news paper article and interview to do there chatting on that, why oh why they felt that in the 5 min interview they had after that game they had to focus on the previous game is ridiculous.

Tanner needs to have a look at himself, albeit I am sure he is probably delighted that we was on the end of that and upped his profile.

:agree: I am absolutely not a Levein fan, but on this one just looking at Tanners "style" he is ecstatic to be praising McGregor and I too saw nae point in the reference to Gordon at that point, maybe its Spanner saying you daren't drop McGregor now?
Having done his bit of McGregor praising he then rather amateurishly attempts the ritual negative ambush at the end, don't know whats worse, him for trying it or his bosses giving him a free hand to attempt it when he is clearly another amateur Journo, left standing with his microphone. Probably another OF ar*e kisser.

[Sir David Gray]

I saw the interview for the first time this morning and it was absolutely embarrassing, almost as embarrassing as his tactics in Prague.

It's obvious that he now realises he made a big mistake with his formation but he isn't big enough to admit it publicly. His response to the (perfectly legitimate) question was totally out of order and he should apologise for that alone. He told David Tanner that he only wanted to speak about the Spain match but the question Tanner posed was linked to the Spain game and I think it was entirely relevant.

I have thought for a while now that the job is too big for Levein and that is beginning to show.

Walking away from an interview because you're in the huff is really poor form.

[blackpoolhibs]

In a way I am nostalgic for our glory days when Colin Hendry was diving about the box like superman blocking shots left right and centre which did allow us to scrape a win here and there.

I guess that's really set the bar for how Scotland teams are judged these days - huh?

Its funny you should mention Hendry, his team under brown was the main reason i gave up going to watch Scotland. Little did i know these were the glory days. :wink: We had stopped getting to tournaments by then, and the anti football had started. There is a right way and a wrong way to play football, especially when its Scotland, we have no chance whatsoever of winning anything we enter, but we can try and entertain the fans, and try and get them excited. Last Fridays formation had no chance of that, and very little chance of winning the game. Is that not the object anymore?

[Supraninja]

McGregor was... absolutely FABULOUS

[JimBHibees]

Its no disgrace to lose an away game against the Czechs. It is a disgrace to lose the game the way we did and the way the team was set up imho.

Spot on we may have lost anyway if we had played 451 as was expected however I think we would have at least created a number of opportunities and tried to win the game.

Levein got it massively wrong and if Czech had carried a bit of luck would have deservedly beat us by 3. It was and always will be an indenfensible decision IMO.

[SMAXXA]

:agree: I am absolutely not a Levein fan, but on this one just looking at Tanners "style" he is ecstatic to be praising McGregor and I too saw nae point in the reference to Gordon at that point, maybe its Spanner saying you daren't drop McGregor now?
Having done his bit of McGregor praising he then rather amateurishly attempts the ritual negative ambush at the end, don't know whats worse, him for trying it or his bosses giving him a free hand to attempt it when he is clearly another amateur Journo, left standing with his microphone. Probably another OF ar*e kisser.

I think it was a totally fair question, bit of an innocent way of asking, "many people say Gordon is the best keeper we've had, surly it will be hard to drom Mcgregor after that" whats wrong with that? If Harry had handled it better it would have been no issue, he was a man looking like he was going to crack right from the off, he looked like he was waiting to kick off.

As much as I think it was a total joke the formation we played, embarrassing and he deserves all the flack he gets, I do however believe credit where credit's due the performance on Tuesday was much better so he deserves credit for it / picking the right team.

The best thing about this for me is im sure if he came out and just admitted he got it worong it didnt work out on Friday, he would get far more resepct than blatently dodging these questions that are quite correctly being asked.

[Arch Stanton]

I think it was a totally fair question, bit of an innocent way of asking, "many people say Gordon is the best keeper we've had, surly it will be hard to drom Mcgregor after that" whats wrong with that? If Harry had handled it better it would have been no issue, he was a man looking like he was going to crack right from the off, he looked like he was waiting to kick off.



Yet when Chick Young asked Walter Smith a similar question based on fan's views and got his head bit off everyone was on Smith's side - funny thing that. (There was a UTube vid of that as I recall.)

[Albion Hibs]

:agree: I am absolutely not a Levein fan, but on this one just looking at Tanners "style" he is ecstatic to be praising McGregor and I too saw nae point in the reference to Gordon at that point, maybe its Spanner saying you daren't drop McGregor now?
Having done his bit of McGregor praising he then rather amateurishly attempts the ritual negative ambush at the end, don't know whats worse, him for trying it or his bosses giving him a free hand to attempt it when he is clearly another amateur Journo, left standing with his microphone. Probably another OF ar*e kisser.

Tanner is a silly little yam, that spends his saturdays crawling about the floor of ibrox, then when he has to runs over to celtic park.

Your are right the interview went from will you drop mcgregor onto what do you think about friday. any proper journo that was interested in scotland would have talked about a big night at hampden with the world champs - the boy was not interested.

[blackpoolhibs]

Yet when Chick Young asked Walter Smith a similar question based on fan's views and got his head bit off everyone was on Smith's side - funny thing that. (There was a UTube vid of that as I recall.)

But Young was asking about the players Smith brought to rangers, insinuating they were not good enough for the European cup. It was a stupid question, especially as Basil Boli had been playing the the seasons before European cup final. I cant see what that has to do with a manager playing a football match against a team not that far ahead of us in the rankings, with no forwards?

[Arch Stanton]

But Young was asking about the players Smith brought to rangers, insinuating they were not good enough for the European cup. It was a stupid question, especially as Basil Boli had been playing the the seasons before European cup final. I cant see what that has to do with a manager playing a football match against a team not that far ahead of us in the rankings, with no forwards?

Oh, dear keep up Blackpool - the post related to Gordon and like it or not to fans views about McGregor keeping his place (not about how we played against Czech at all).

[Bostonhibby]

I think it was a totally fair question, bit of an innocent way of asking, "many people say Gordon is the best keeper we've had, surly it will be hard to drom Mcgregor after that" whats wrong with that? If Harry had handled it better it would have been no issue, he was a man looking like he was going to crack right from the off, he looked like he was waiting to kick off.

As much as I think it was a total joke the formation we played, embarrassing and he deserves all the flack he gets, I do however believe credit where credit's due the performance on Tuesday was much better so he deserves credit for it / picking the right team.

The best thing about this for me is im sure if he came out and just admitted he got it worong it didnt work out on Friday, he would get far more resepct than blatently dodging these questions that are quite correctly being asked.

I suppose it all depends on whether Potter thought, or was led to believe, the interview would be about the Spain game, as one of the posters above said, there's about 5 mins to do it in. Whilst I felt the same way as most about the Czech fiasco, I knew all about it news wise before Spanner' appeared.

Potter should probably take a look at how some of the other managers swat down this type of question though, I do agree he can't go on walking away every time it goes like this.

Opinions eh........

[blackpoolhibs]

Oh, dear keep up Blackpool - the post related to Gordon and like it or not to fans views about McGregor keeping his place (not about how we played against Czech at all).

Keep up? the question had been answered about the keepers, Levein then made an arse of himself when asked about Fridays game. Smith answered a stupid question from Young by making him look the idiot he is. Every player he brought to that side had a European pedigree, one had even played in the final. The interviews are only linked in your head.

[SMAXXA]

I suppose it all depends on whether Potter thought, or was led to believe, the interview would be about the Spain game, as one of the posters above said, there's about 5 mins to do it in. Whilst I felt the same way as most about the Czech fiasco, I knew all about it news wise before Spanner' appeared.

Potter should probably take a look at how some of the other managers swat down this type of question though, I do agree he can't go on walking away every time it goes like this.

Opinions eh........

It was always going to be about the spain game as it was on the back of it but I think it really boils down to how he as a man handles these kind of questions. It's funny ive never seen him act like that in an interview at club level could be the national public slating he got in the press and he cant cope with it, I duno. Ive seen many tricky questions being asked to managers in the past and the majority shrug/laugh it off or just be honest and tell them their feelings on it, for me all Levein did was refuse to discuss it and storm off like a coward. National manager, infact any manger has a duty to address the questions us fans are asking and unfortunatley for a reporter he has the job of delivering these face to face with the manager.

To maintain a level of professionalism isnt much to ask for surley? I was expecting tanner to get the John Barns 1-2 ala Jim Maclean :greengrin

[Arch Stanton]

Keep up? the question had been answered about the keepers, Levein then made an arse of himself when asked about Fridays game. Smith answered a stupid question from Young by making him look the idiot he is. Every player he brought to that side had a European pedigree, one had even played in the final. The interviews are only linked in your head.

OK - listen carefully and I'll explain the link between the two interviews-

both interviewers introduced a question based on FAN'S VIEWS!!

That was the basis of the post I made which you replied to - after that you have gone off on your own, making you look like the idiot you are :-)

[Arch Stanton]

It was always going to be about the spain game as it was on the back of it but I think it really boils down to how he as a man handles these kind of questions. It's funny ive never seen him act like that in an interview at club level could be the national public slating he got in the press and he cant cope with it, I duno. Ive seen many tricky questions being asked to managers in the past and the majority shrug/laugh it off or just be honest and tell them their feelings on it, for me all Levein did was refuse to discuss it and storm off like a coward. National manager, infact any manger has a duty to address the questions us fans are asking and unfortunatley for a reporter he has the job of delivering these face to face with the manager.

To maintain a level of professionalism isnt much to ask for surley? I was expecting tanner to get the John Barns 1-2 ala Jim Maclean :greengrin

But really - the question fans want to put is "you did a rubbish job!". I wouldn't have answered that.

Really though - what do you want to know? That Levein can be brought to his knees and grovel for not doing things the way fans would have been happy with?

[blackpoolhibs]

OK - listen carefully and I'll explain the link between the two interviews-

both interviewers introduced a question based on FAN'S VIEWS!!

That was the basis of the post I made which you replied to - after that you have gone off on your own, making you look like the idiot you are :-)

Yes the questions were based on fans views, but one of them was ridiculous (young) and smith answered it while making the interviewer look stupid, And one of them walked out on the interview.

[Arch Stanton]

Yes the questions were based on fans views, but one of them was ridiculous (young) and smith answered it while making the interviewer look stupid, And one of them walked out on the interview.

Isn't it true that Smith humiliated Young for asking a question that Ranger's fans wanted to know?

[blackpoolhibs]

Isn't it true that Smith humiliated Young for asking a question that Ranger's fans wanted to know?

He made him look an idiot because the question was stupid, there was nothing wrong with Tuesdays question. At least Smith answered his one.

[stantonhibby]

Isn't it true that Smith humiliated Young for asking a question that Ranger's fans wanted to know?

Don't think so - Youngs question to Smith was along the lines of - that maybe these players he had signed were not good enough for Europe ( Boli being one who had already played in the final and I think a certain B Laudrup being the other) Regardless of their talent they had only been at Rangers a v short while. Even by Chic Youngs standards it was a ridiculous question and certainly got short shrift from Smith

The question to Levein was to me a legimitate question given it was probably what every fan was wondering . Why did we not play a forward against the Czechs and we may have had a chance ?

Tbf i think Levein got his tactics against Spain spot on and he would have come out of the week with a lot more credit if he at least acknowledged that just maybe he had got it wrong v Czechs rather than going in the cream puff !

[Albion Hibs]

Don't think so - Youngs question to Smith was along the lines of - that maybe these players he had signed were not good enough for Europe ( Boli being one who had already played in the final and I think a certain B Laudrup being the other) Regardless of their talent they had only been at Rangers a v short while. Even by Chic Youngs standards it was a ridiculous question and certainly got short shrift from Smith

The question to Levein was to me a legimitate question given it was probably what every fan was wondering . Why did we not play a forward against the Czechs and we may have had a chance ?

Tbf i think Levein got his tactics against Spain spot on and he would have come out of the week with a lot more credit if he at least acknowledged that just maybe he had got it wrong v Czechs rather than going in the cream puff !

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

[stantonhibby]

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

All about opinions i suppose

I expect more from the national manager than walking out of interviews when he is asked questions he doesn't like.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

Levein made an arse of himself. The boy didn't ask a question about Friday - he referred to Friday and Levein took the huff 'cos he knows he was wrong to play no strikers but isn't man enough to admit it.

BTW I don't think the Sky interviews are live either - usually shown on a 5/10 minute delay.

[Jonnyboy]

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

That's not strictly true AH. It's only at the very end of the interview that Tanner refers to the Czech game. I've no time for Tanner, no time at all but it was a pretty poor show by Levein when all is said and done.

[blackpoolhibs]

Don't think so - Youngs question to Smith was along the lines of - that maybe these players he had signed were not good enough for Europe ( Boli being one who had already played in the final and I think a certain B Laudrup being the other) Regardless of their talent they had only been at Rangers a v short while. Even by Chic Youngs standards it was a ridiculous question and certainly got short shrift from Smith

The question to Levein was to me a legimitate question given it was probably what every fan was wondering . Why did we not play a forward against the Czechs and we may have had a chance ?

Tbf i think Levein got his tactics against Spain spot on and he would have come out of the week with a lot more credit if he at least acknowledged that just maybe he had got it wrong v Czechs rather than going in the cream puff !

:agree: Its getting to the stage now, that managers want to just answer questions they are comfortable with, not questions that question their actions.

[Albion Hibs]

All about opinions i suppose

I expect more from the national manager than walking out of interviews when he is asked questions he doesn't like.


It is, not saying you are wrong, just different in terms of what we expect of a manager.

I would expect any manager to stand up for his club, country but more importantly I think the journalists should have a look at themselves, there is an expectation on them to behave in an approp. manor, if they have been asked not to go down a route, once, then twice then they should no better.

If they had not had the chance to ask about Fridays game, or that interview was from friday night, then i would agree levein had to answer, but tuesday was very different, nothing to say they would never have spoken about friday again, but the focus of a post match interview should be the match it is post thereof!

[matty_f]

Levein made an arse of himself. The boy didn't ask a question about Friday - he referred to Friday and Levein took the huff 'cos he knows he was wrong to play no strikers but isn't man enough to admit it.

BTW I don't think the Sky interviews are live either - usually shown on a 5/10 minute delay.


That's not strictly true AH. It's only at the very end of the interview that Tanner refers to the Czech game. I've no time for Tanner, no time at all but it was a pretty poor show by Levein when all is said and done.

:agree:

[blackpoolhibs]

That's not strictly true AH. It's only at the very end of the interview that Tanner refers to the Czech game. I've no time for Tanner, no time at all but it was a pretty poor show by Levein when all is said and done.

:agree: I can tell you John, at the end of the game every person i spoke to wanted to know why he'd elected to play one up front against Spain, yet none against the Czechs? For me its never acceptable to play no forwards.

[Arch Stanton]

Levein made an arse of himself. The boy didn't ask a question about Friday - he referred to Friday and Levein took the huff 'cos he knows he was wrong to play no strikers but isn't man enough to admit it.

BTW I don't think the Sky interviews are live either - usually shown on a 5/10 minute delay.

That is just so hilarious - what the whole furore is all about I would say.

IT IS WRONG TO PLAY NO STRIKERS!!

and consequently he that dares to do so is an eternal sinner and be herwith damned unto hell.

And yes - he didn't ask questions about Friday - HE ONLY REFERRED TO FRIDAY IN HIS QUESTION!!

Sorry for the Caps but this thread defies logic.

[Albion Hibs]

That's not strictly true AH. It's only at the very end of the interview that Tanner refers to the Czech game. I've no time for Tanner, no time at all but it was a pretty poor show by Levein when all is said and done.


It is strictly true that the czech game was referred to at the end of the interview. The reason for it being the end of the interview was his consistant reference to the czech game. How do we know how long it was supposed to last?

He started with you must be really disapointed, moved onto are you going to drop McGregor and then into his Friday night game crap.

Where were the questions on how he felt tuesdays tactics worked, if he would use the same system again, the impact of the home crowd etc etc etc.

A strong show from our national manager and probably a very proud scot that was in charge of a team that almost achieved a result against the best team in the world - I will guess he was probably gutted and a little fed up of the yam grunts questioning - I was getting bored of him trying to angle it in in an unsubtle and uneducated way.

Friday is over, done, dusted, end of. Tuesday is over done, dusted, end of. Why as football fans in the country in general do we always select to focus on the negatives?

[blackpoolhibs]

That is just so hilarious - what the whole furore is all about I would say.

IT IS WRONG TO PLAY NO STRIKERS!!

and consequently he that dares to do so is an eternal sinner and be herwith damned unto hell.

And yes - he didn't ask questions about Friday - HE ONLY REFERRED TO FRIDAY IN HIS QUESTION!!

Sorry for the Caps but this thread defies logic.

Perhaps we can have a list of what questions managers will or wont answer, that should make interviews a lot more interesting?:yawn:

[lapsedhibee]

I don't get all this criticism of Potter for walking away from an interviewer. He's steeped in the culture of Arabs FC, whose history includes the manager punching a TV interviewer if he doesn't like the question. Potter is comparatively highly evolved and should be congratulated on this improved mode of response!

[Jonnyboy]

It is strictly true that the czech game was referred to at the end of the interview. The reason for it being the end of the interview was his consistant reference to the czech game. How do we know how long it was supposed to last?

He started with you must be really disapointed, moved onto are you going to drop McGregor and then into his Friday night game crap.

Where were the questions on how he felt tuesdays tactics worked, if he would use the same system again, the impact of the home crowd etc etc etc.

A strong show from our national manager and probably a very proud scot that was in charge of a team that almost achieved a result against the best team in the world - I will guess he was probably gutted and a little fed up of the yam grunts questioning - I was getting bored of him trying to angle it in in an unsubtle and uneducated way.

Friday is over, done, dusted, end of. Tuesday is over done, dusted, end of. Why as football fans in the country in general do we always select to focus on the negatives?

I wasn't aware that I was :confused:

You clearly dislike Tanner, with a passion and I ain't gonna argue with you on that front but I still maintain he had a right to ask the question that was on the vast majority of Scots' lips. He may have made a hash of how he did it but that doesn't mean he didn't have the right to ask it surely?

Since the Czech game where quite frankly the tactics adopted were embarrassing, I've read nor heard anything by way of an explanation from Craig Levein. In the post match interview after the Spain match Naismith 'revealed' they'd gone looking for a draw in Prague which I guess was obvious but the only answer Craig Levein had when questioned on it was along the lines of 'I'm the manager and I'll do what I see fit and if it upsets you guys (sports journo's) then that's too bad.' I agree with him - who cares if the sports journo's are upset? I do however feel that the fans have a right to know why he went 4-6-0 against a team a million times less talented than Spain and then go 4-5-1 in a game we were never going to win.

I applaud Levein for setting out his players in the way he did to face Spain but I condemn him for the way he set them out against the Czech Republic and I'll wager I'm not alone in that regard.

[Arch Stanton]

I wasn't aware that I was :confused:

You clearly dislike Tanner, with a passion and I ain't gonna argue with you on that front but I still maintain he had a right to ask the question that was on the vast majority of Scots' lips. He may have made a hash of how he did it but that doesn't mean he didn't have the right to ask it surely?

Since the Czech game where quite frankly the tactics adopted were embarrassing, I've read nor heard anything by way of an explanation from Craig Levein. In the post match interview after the Spain match Naismith 'revealed' they'd gone looking for a draw in Prague which I guess was obvious but the only answer Craig Levein had when questioned on it was along the lines of 'I'm the manager and I'll do what I see fit and if it upsets you guys (sports journo's) then that's too bad.' I agree with him - who cares if the sports journo's are upset? I do however feel that the fans have a right to know why he went 4-6-0 against a team a million times less talented than Spain and then go 4-5-1 in a game we were never going to win.

I applaud Levein for setting out his players in the way he did to face Spain but I condemn him for the way he set them out against the Czech Republic and I'll wager I'm not alone in that regard.

Before the Czech match Levein said he had been doing his homework and had chosen this lineup and said he hoped he had got it right. What else is there to know? Has any manager ever given the detailed reasoning behind his team formation? The majority never give the slightest inkling as far as I can see.

I have a bigeer porblem with your maths however. If Spain are number one in the world and Czech Republic are 37 then perhaps you have tried a trifle overhard to make your case by saying that Spain are a million times more talented that Czech.

And by the way, saying that we were never going to win against Spain makes as much sense as saying we could never have beaten France when they were up there with the best.

[stantonhibby]

I wasn't aware that I was :confused:

You clearly dislike Tanner, with a passion and I ain't gonna argue with you on that front but I still maintain he had a right to ask the question that was on the vast majority of Scots' lips. He may have made a hash of how he did it but that doesn't mean he didn't have the right to ask it surely?

Since the Czech game where quite frankly the tactics adopted were embarrassing, I've read nor heard anything by way of an explanation from Craig Levein. In the post match interview after the Spain match Naismith 'revealed' they'd gone looking for a draw in Prague which I guess was obvious but the only answer Craig Levein had when questioned on it was along the lines of 'I'm the manager and I'll do what I see fit and if it upsets you guys (sports journo's) then that's too bad.' I agree with him - who cares if the sports journo's are upset? I do however feel that the fans have a right to know why he went 4-6-0 against a team a million times less talented than Spain and then go 4-5-1 in a game we were never going to win.

I applaud Levein for setting out his players in the way he did to face Spain but I condemn him for the way he set them out against the Czech Republic and I'll wager I'm not alone in that regard.

:top marks

[Jonnyboy]

Before the Czech match Levein said he had been doing his homework and had chosen this lineup and said he hoped he had got it right. What else is there to know? Has any manager ever given the detailed reasoning behind his team formation? The majority never give the slightest inkling as far as I can see.

I have a bigeer porblem with your maths however. If Spain are number one in the world and Czech Republic are 37 then perhaps you have tried a trifle overhard to make your case by saying that Spain are a million times more talented that Czech.

And by the way, saying that we were never going to win against Spain makes as much sense as saying we could never have beaten France when they were up there with the best.

Aye very good. A million times better was a turn of phrase as you probably well know but it obviously suits you to pick up on that to rubbish my argument.

Even Levein said he thought Spain would win all their matches and so he knew he was likely to be fighting with the Czech Republic for second spot.

The thing is if Levein had gone 4-5-1 but still had the players keeping it tight and looking for the draw then the furore would never have happened IMO. Instead he went for a mystifying 4-6-0, leading to the conclusion that he wasn't really planning on us doing much attacking against a side that is universally felt to be no better or stronger than Scotland.

[Arch Stanton]

Aye very good. A million times better was a turn of phrase as you probably well know but it obviously suits you to pick up on that to rubbish my argument.

Even Levein said he thought Spain would win all their matches and so he knew he was likely to be fighting with the Czech Republic for second spot.

The thing is if Levein had gone 4-5-1 but still had the players keeping it tight and looking for the draw then the furore would never have happened IMO. Instead he went for a mystifying 4-6-0, leading to the conclusion that he wasn't really planning on us doing much attacking against a side that is universally felt to be no better or stronger than Scotland.

Yes it was a turn of phrase but it was totally exaggerated to rubbish Levein- all I did was your use your phraseology to rubbish your argument.

The fact he was aware that Spain were favorites to win does not mean that he was therefore going to go into the game with a defeatist attitude as you have inferred. And neither does it follow that a 4-6-0 system was chosen solely to get a draw - a draw would have been a rational target whatever system was employed.

edit: Personally I would think less of Levein if he let his decision making be dictated by how he might be judged by fans.

[KiddA]

:dummytit::dummytit::dummytit: Prams and toys. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951W3Ab3onM)

The problem with Levein is he is well and truly out his depth at this level. The guy should do us all a favor and step down and take his sh#te assistants with him :agree:

Playing without a single striker was shocking to say the least.

The guy is an arrogant p##ck and a typical jambo

[Lucius Apuleius]

Personally I don't think it matters a tinker's curse what the questions were. No manager, National or Club should be so ignorant as to walk off in the middle of an interview. If his knowledge of football is not good enough to put down a thick journalist verbally then I really do not think he is suitable for the job in hand.

[greenlex]

Right let me get thus right. Levein plays fior a draw away from home against a team that is above us in the rankings. He then has a bit of a go at home against the World Champions. Now because he hasn't come out and said publicly he deliberatey set out fir a draw in Prague ,even though the formation and players are a give away ,every one hates him more than normal?
I don't really get why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist to be honest.

[HibeeMG]

Right let me get thus right. Levein plays fior a draw away from home against a team that is above us in the rankings. He then has a bit of a go at home against the World Champions. Now because he hasn't come out and said publicly he deliberatey set out fir a draw in Prague ,even though the formation and players are a give away ,every one hates him more than normal?
I don't really get why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist to be honest.

Righty then.

I take it you didn't bother reading the rest of the thread?

Nope. Well let me condense it for you.

Us knicker-twisted people realise that the 6-4-0 formation was set up to get a draw. We're tactically astute enough to figure that out.

Unfortunately though, little old Lichtenstein, Lithuania, the Faroe Islands and many other nations have proved that given the correct tactics, willingness and spirit the mighty world rankings can be proved wrong.

The thing is though, NONE of those footballing powerhouses have EVER played without a striker. So either we are worse than them or more cowardly. Which one is it?

We're not looking for Levein to come out and explain that he was playing for a draw. Like I say, we know that. What we want him to come out and say is that the tactics were shockingly wrong and that we will never ever play without a striker again.

Not gonna happen though.

[bighairyfaeleith]

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

You talk some nonsense, you really do. They talked about the game for ages, then as soon as they touched on the previous game he walked off!

The boys a fanny!!

[bighairyfaeleith]

:agree: I can tell you John, at the end of the game every person i spoke to wanted to know why he'd elected to play one up front against Spain, yet none against the Czechs? For me its never acceptable to play no forwards.

Aye but your no a jambo, it's perfectly acceptable in there non footballing world.

[greenlex]

I know Potter hasn't said very much about tactics fir last Fruday but has he ever actually said 4-6-0? Just interested likes.

[Danderhall Hibs]

I know Potter hasn't said very much about tactics fir last Fruday but has he ever actually said 4-6-0? Just interested likes.

No - he refuses to discuss it. That's what the thread's about.

[greenlex]

No - he refuses to discuss it. That's what the thread's about.

I thought it was about his panto performance on fromt of camera with the media and how much of a tit he is. (which I actually agree with even although I can empathise with hus exasperation)

[Danderhall Hibs]

I thought it was about his panto performance on fromt of camera with the media and how much of a tit he is. (which I actually agree with even although I can empathise with hus exasperation)

The panto performance was after the interviewer mentioned how it was good to see Scotland played a striker on Tuesday night after not playing any on Friday.

[Jonnyboy]

Yes it was a turn of phrase but it was totally exaggerated to rubbish Levein- all I did was your use your phraseology to rubbish your argument.

The fact he was aware that Spain were favorites to win does not mean that he was therefore going to go into the game with a defeatist attitude as you have inferred. And neither does it follow that a 4-6-0 system was chosen solely to get a draw - a draw would have been a rational target whatever system was employed.

edit: Personally I would think less of Levein if he let his decision making be dictated by how he might be judged by fans.

I wasn't aware I was 'rubbishing' Levein though crabit :confused: What I was trying to say is that the questions re the Prague embarrassment were relevant ones to ask but Levein's reaction to them and to previous questions of a similar ilk were both childish and unprofessional.

It's clear he didn't set his side up with any sort of defeatist attitude against Spain and I applaud him for that. It's all the more confusing though that he didn't do the same against a Czech team that may well have been beaten had he tried. It's been said he went looking for a draw but 4-6-0 was ludicrous.

[Arch Stanton]

I wasn't aware I was 'rubbishing' Levein though crabit :confused: What I was trying to say is that the questions re the Prague embarrassment were relevant ones to ask but Levein's reaction to them and to previous questions of a similar ilk were both childish and unprofessional.

It's clear he didn't set his side up with any sort of defeatist attitude against Spain and I applaud him for that. It's all the more confusing though that he didn't do the same against a Czech team that may well have been beaten had he tried. It's been said he went looking for a draw but 4-6-0 was ludicrous.

Well saying someone is an embarrassment is what I would call rubbishing and by now calling him childish you are still at it.

What is the least bit childish in terminating an interview that was already over. It was over because he had made it plain that he was only there to be interviewed about the Spain game and the interviewer continued to ask questions about Friday - Was Levein supposed to stand there saying 'no comment' until the camera crew had given up and gone to the pub.

Like you, I would like to know the thinking behind his team selection but since managers are rarely so forthcoming I don't go making a song and dance about it.

During the game on Friday, as soon as we had got possession, 2 or 3 midfileders started making runs forward - if we had a forward on which we just lumped out-balls to, would that really have been a more positive move?

If he had played Miller but told him to sit deep and not sit on the shoulder would this thread even exist? A de facto 4-6-0 would have gone by unnoticed I'm sure of it.

The anti-Levein comments really have little substance. "You have to play with forwards" is the sum and total of it - repeat ad nauseam.

It was the Dutch playing Total Football who first merged the distinctions between midfield and forwards - I can't remember anyone accusing them of being negative.

And the Italians before that could hardly have praised for playing positive football because they played with forwards.

Of course the Dutch played that way because they had so much striking ability throughout the team - in Scotland we struggle to find forwards with any kind of striking ability. It was Miller who was left on the bench for pete's sake - not a Villa.

And while some proclaim that Miller is on fire for Rangers just now I just don't get too impressed with that. Kris Boyd was on fire for Rangers last year so what kind of message do you take from that?

[greenlex]

That's kinda where I was gonna go with thus Crabit.
Managers rarely discuss tactics and team formations.
Jamie Mackie is in fact a Striker. So we dud actually play with a striker on the pitch. The only question would be his role that is rarely if ever discussed. Or us that too simplistic

Well saying someone is an embarrassment is what I would call rubbishing and by now calling him childish you are still at it.

What is the least bit childish in terminating an interview that was already over. It was over because he had made it plain that he was only there to be interviewed about the Spain game and the interviewer continued to ask questions about Friday - Was Levein supposed to stand there saying 'no comment' until the camera crew had given up and gone to the pub.

Like you, I would like to know the thinking behind his team selection but since managers are rarely so forthcoming I don't go making a song and dance about it.

During the game on Friday, as soon as we had got possession, 2 or 3 midfileders started making runs forward - if we had a forward on which we just lumped out-balls to, would that really have been a more positive move?

If he had played Miller but told him to sit deep and not sit on the shoulder would this thread even exist? A de facto 4-6-0 would have gone by unnoticed I'm sure of it.

The anti-Levein comments really have little substance. "You have to play with forwards" is the sum and total of it - repeat ad nauseam.

It was the Dutch playing Total Football who first merged the distinctions between midfield and forwards - I can't remember anyone accusing them of being negative.

And the Italians before that could hardly have praised for playing positive football because they played with forwards.

Of course the Dutch played that way because they had so much striking ability throughout the team - in Scotland we struggle to find forwards with any kind of striking ability. It was Miller who was left on the bench for pete's sake - not a Villa.

And while some proclaim that Miller is on fire for Rangers just now I just don't get too impressed with that. Kris Boyd was on fire for Rangers last year so what kind of message do you take from that?

[Albion Hibs]

You talk some nonsense, you really do. They talked about the game for ages, then as soon as they touched on the previous game he walked off!

The boys a fanny!!

"ages" - You must that attention span of a 3 year old. Oh, well at least it lines through to the standard of your post.

[blackpoolhibs]

"ages" - You must that attention span of a 3 year old. Oh, well at least it lines through to the standard of your post.

You really are a patronising pratt at times.

[Albion Hibs]

You really are a patronising pratt at times.

Any the other times?!

[Arch Stanton]

That's kinda where I was gonna go with thus Crabit.
Managers rarely discuss tactics and team formations.
Jamie Mackie is in fact a Striker. So we dud actually play with a striker on the pitch. The only question would be his role that is rarely if ever discussed. Or us that too simplistic

The wee chart before the game showed him lining up right midfield (very wide right in fact given that there were 6 of them strung right across the pitch) - I never really followed who actually was playing where though - where is Andy Gray when you need him!

[poolman]

Dont agree.

And more significantly than anything the interview with smith was a pre-recorded one, not one live on sky sports where some smarmy little grunt is trying to make a name for himself.

Levein was more than entitled to walk away from the interview the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished, he probably spent the few hours before hand with his yam mates crawling about hampden with his autograph book, thinking up ways to get away from the positives of the night and back to what happened on friday.

Glad levein did it.

What a crock o' keech

[Albion Hibs]

What a crock o' keech

Good comment mate, did you get help with that.

A paragraph of facts from myself, would be interesting to see if you could muster the same?

[blackpoolhibs]

Any the other times?!

I agree with quite a lot of what you say, but anyone you disagree with, you almost always try and put them down as if they are not as intelligent as you clearly are.

[Albion Hibs]

I agree with quite a lot of what you say, but anyone you disagree with, you almost always try and put them down as if they are not as intelligent as you clearly are.

Would disagree with that (I am sure you guessed that) I may have used a put down comment, but never without being on the end of one first.

[Jonnyboy]

Well saying someone is an embarrassment is what I would call rubbishing and by now calling him childish you are still at it.

What is the least bit childish in terminating an interview that was already over. It was over because he had made it plain that he was only there to be interviewed about the Spain game and the interviewer continued to ask questions about Friday - Was Levein supposed to stand there saying 'no comment' until the camera crew had given up and gone to the pub.

Like you, I would like to know the thinking behind his team selection but since managers are rarely so forthcoming I don't go making a song and dance about it.

During the game on Friday, as soon as we had got possession, 2 or 3 midfileders started making runs forward - if we had a forward on which we just lumped out-balls to, would that really have been a more positive move?

If he had played Miller but told him to sit deep and not sit on the shoulder would this thread even exist? A de facto 4-6-0 would have gone by unnoticed I'm sure of it.

The anti-Levein comments really have little substance. "You have to play with forwards" is the sum and total of it - repeat ad nauseam.

It was the Dutch playing Total Football who first merged the distinctions between midfield and forwards - I can't remember anyone accusing them of being negative.

And the Italians before that could hardly have praised for playing positive football because they played with forwards.

Of course the Dutch played that way because they had so much striking ability throughout the team - in Scotland we struggle to find forwards with any kind of striking ability. It was Miller who was left on the bench for pete's sake - not a Villa.

And while some proclaim that Miller is on fire for Rangers just now I just don't get too impressed with that. Kris Boyd was on fire for Rangers last year so what kind of message do you take from that?

Ah well you're entitled to your opinion but I'm afraid I don't share it :wink:

[Jonnyboy]

Good comment mate, did you get help with that.

A paragraph of facts from myself, would be interesting to see if you could muster the same?

"the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished"

Not sure you can claim that as a fact though AH :wink:

[poolman]

Good comment mate, did you get help with that.

A paragraph of facts from myself, would be interesting to see if you could muster the same?

Sanctimonious claptrap :bitchy:

Facts ? Dearie me

Why exactly was Levein entitled to walk away from legitimate questions :confused:

If you and your pal Harry did not think that Tanner was entitled to ask about
you are as deluded as that lot over the road

Jeez, after the shambles on Friday of course Tanner was going to compare the two games as well as the fact (as you like to state) that all Scots fans want to hear the excuse for the shambles that was Friday night but the petted lip twonk ****ed off

Aye, whatever :yawn:

[Arch Stanton]

Ah well you're entitled to your opinion but I'm afraid I don't share it :wink:

Yea - I'd already kinda twigged on that one. :agree:

[Albion Hibs]

"the guy had no interest in the game that had just finished"

Not sure you can claim that as a fact though AH :wink:

Not sure you can claim it is not, so perhaps best to leave it there.


Sanctimonious claptrap :bitchy:

Facts ? Dearie me

Why exactly was Levein entitled to walk away from legitimate questions :confused:

If you and your pal Harry did not think that Tanner was entitled to ask about
you are as deluded as that lot over the road

Jeez, after the shambles on Friday of course Tanner was going to compare the two games as well as the fact (as you like to state) that all Scots fans want to hear the excuse for the shambles that was Friday night but the petted lip twonk ****ed off

Aye, whatever :yawn:

I have been over and over this.

I will in attempt to convey my view, do a further summary of why little boy tanner was out of order;

- We had just lost to the best team in the world via a poor goal 10 mins from time,
- He was no doubt gutted with the result
- That loss was on the back of fighting back from 2 nil down,
- We had a team that produced a fantastic display
- He had been over and over the game on Friday
- It WAS A POST MATCH INTERVIEW - i.e. post the match that had just been played
- The journalist (and I use that term very loosely) went almost straight into how he was going to get Gordon back in the team (tanner = yam)
- He did not start by saying AM was fantastic he will be a hard man to replace i.e positive for Scotland, no that would be too simple – straight for a negative
- He then went straight to the game on Friday night
- He was told it was a POST MATCH INTERVIEW - he persisted but tried to ask in another way - very annoying - I was irritated by that, and he could not even find a better way to ask
- The little grunt could have asked about what tactics we were going to use going forward, but no sensed he had the chance to rattle and went for it
- Prior to that Levein answered every question in detail that he was asked

You sum up you attitude / view on football in the last line, and I quote you as "that all Scots fans want to hear the excuse for the shambles" - is that really how your mind works? That you are obsessed with hearing someone grovel, and like others on here say they are due an apology- what is wrong with you?
Why would you not rather here about us playing a team of superstars, and what we are going to be doing going forward?

I would ask you is someone was goading you, rattling your cage, in front of 10 people let alone millions about something that was not related at that point in time, what would you do. Furthermore imagine it was some little yam grunt.

Would you stand there and be made a fool of, or walk away and not give the tool the time of day?

[bighairyfaeleith]

"ages" - You must that attention span of a 3 year old. Oh, well at least it lines through to the standard of your post.

are you a potter or something because your blind defense of him is becoming a little bit freaky to say the least. I really hope you are a member of his family, otherwise it's just weird:crazy:

[bighairyfaeleith]

Not sure you can claim it is not, so perhaps best to leave it there.



I have been over and over this.

I will in attempt to convey my view, do a further summary of why little boy tanner was out of order;

- We had just lost to the best team in the world via a poor goal 10 mins from time,
- He was no doubt gutted with the result
- That loss was on the back of fighting back from 2 nil down,
- We had a team that produced a fantastic display
- He had been over and over the game on Friday
- It WAS A POST MATCH INTERVIEW - i.e. post the match that had just been played
- The journalist (and I use that term very loosely) went almost straight into how he was going to get Gordon back in the team (tanner = yam)
- He did not start by saying AM was fantastic he will be a hard man to replace i.e positive for Scotland, no that would be too simple – straight for a negative
- He then went straight to the game on Friday night
- He was told it was a POST MATCH INTERVIEW - he persisted but tried to ask in another way - very annoying - I was irritated by that, and he could not even find a better way to ask
- The little grunt could have asked about what tactics we were going to use going forward, but no sensed he had the chance to rattle and went for it
- Prior to that Levein answered every question in detail that he was asked

You sum up you attitude / view on football in the last line, and I quote you as "that all Scots fans want to hear the excuse for the shambles" - is that really how your mind works? That you are obsessed with hearing someone grovel, and like others on here say they are due an apology- what is wrong with you?
Why would you not rather here about us playing a team of superstars, and what we are going to be doing going forward?

I would ask you is someone was goading you, rattling your cage, in front of 10 people let alone millions about something that was not related at that point in time, what would you do. Furthermore imagine it was some little yam grunt.

Would you stand there and be made a fool of, or walk away and not give the tool the time of day?

You've just surpassed yourself, as the manager of the national team he should behave with a bit of dignity, and taking a strop live on tv is not dignified. Can't expect much else from a yam fud though can you?

[camhibby1]

By walking away from an interiew; by hiding behind the feeble excuse that Friday was Friday and this is Tuesday; by instructing his assistant to say nothing to the press and by indoctrinating the players to a single response to questions from the media - blah, blah, blah - Levein has not only shown disrespect to the paying public; he has let his employers down but worst of all in my book he has failed to accept responsibility for his actions. In any other profession not explaining your actions when there is grave concern about your ability to do the job in the first place can lead to only one thing and Levein should do the decent thing but he wont because everything he has/hasn't done since last Friday suggests he is far from knowing what that is. Mind you those who employed him have as much to answer for too.

[Albion Hibs]

You've just surpassed yourself, as the manager of the national team he should behave with a bit of dignity, and taking a strop live on tv is not dignified. Can't expect much else from a yam fud though can you?

For me, again my opinion, he showed more dignity walking away from that idiots questions. As our national manager I would not expect him to be getting bossed of some EEN journo on a high. He could have stood there and scrapped with him - is that dignified?

Or walk away, teaching him a lesson.

I have never said that Levein should never talk about last fridays game again, simply there is a time and a place, he spent a lot of time talking about it between Friday and Tuesday evening.

I may be on my own on this but I would much rather have heard him talk about tuesday which I thought was a good game and an encouraging performance.

He spent four or so days talking about Fridays game, why not spend four on spain and then go back and look at it all?

I suspect however, the driver to part of your emotions is the fact he is a yam. Therefore I am sure if he beat spain you would still want excuses, apologies, and reasons for Friday.

I guess you can never be all things to all people.

Again, IMO.

[bighairyfaeleith]

For me, again my opinion, he showed more dignity walking away from that idiots questions. As our national manager I would not expect him to be getting bossed of some EEN journo on a high. He could have stood there and scrapped with him - is that dignified?

Or walk away, teaching him a lesson.

I have never said that Levein should never talk about last fridays game again, simply there is a time and a place, he spent a lot of time talking about it between Friday and Tuesday evening.

I may be on my own on this but I would much rather have heard him talk about tuesday which I thought was a good game and an encouraging performance.

He spent four or so days talking about Fridays game, why not spend four on spain and then go back and look at it all?

I suspect however, the driver to part of your emotions is the fact he is a yam. Therefore I am sure if he beat spain you would still want excuses, apologies, and reasons for Friday.

I guess you can never be all things to all people.

Again, IMO.

You think walking away in a strop shows dignity?

I actually wanted levein for scotland manager because I thought he normally talked sense when doing commentry etc, however his performance and talk since taking over as scotland manager has shown me I was wrong and actually he is just another yam fud.

[alex74]

Sanctimonious claptrap :bitchy:

Facts ? Dearie me

Why exactly was Levein entitled to walk away from legitimate questions :confused:

If you and your pal Harry did not think that Tanner was entitled to ask about
you are as deluded as that lot over the road

Jeez, after the shambles on Friday of course Tanner was going to compare the two games as well as the fact (as you like to state) that all Scots fans want to hear the excuse for the shambles that was Friday night but the petted lip twonk ****ed off

Aye, whatever :yawn:It dosent stop alex ferguson from walking out when hes no happy about some questions asked so why not levein gee the guy a break.

[Albion Hibs]

You think walking away in a strop shows dignity?

I actually wanted levein for scotland manager because I thought he normally talked sense when doing commentry etc, however his performance and talk since taking over as scotland manager has shown me I was wrong and actually he is just another yam fud.


I think you should watch the interview again.

Even when tanner stuck in the dig about McGregor and gordon he answered positively and gave a view on the performance.

When asked about the Friday game he clearly stated that was not what they were there to talk about, in a post match interview he wanted to talk about the game that had just been played - very clear and very authoritatively - thats pretty clear dignified for me.

Tanner continued to be wide and probe, and he ended the interview if anyone lacked dignity there it was tanner.

[poolman]

It dosent stop alex ferguson from walking out when hes no happy about some questions asked so why not levein gee the guy a break.


Fergie doesn't walk away from interviews

He just doesn't do BBC

[bighairyfaeleith]

I think you should watch the interview again.

Even when tanner stuck in the dig about McGregor and gordon he answered positively and gave a view on the performance.

When asked about the Friday game he clearly stated that was not what they were there to talk about, in a post match interview he wanted to talk about the game that had just been played - very clear and very authoritatively - thats pretty clear dignified for me.

Tanner continued to be wide and probe, and he ended the interview if anyone lacked dignity there it was tanner.

Sorry but walking away in a strop lacks dignity, I don't care if the interviewer showed dignity or not, he's not the scotland manager. As scotland manager Levein should be able to handle tanner and his associates.