Especially with all the call offs. Steven Naismith just withdrawn as I "speak". Scott Brown will probably be another withdrawal.
Travelling to the other side of the world to play in a meaningless match for a diddy trophy that only two teams are playing for.
I just can't see the point.
Anyone know if all the expenses are met by the Japanese or is Scotland footing the bill?
View Poll Results: Is it a waste of time
- Voters
- 133. You may not vote on this poll
-
Yes
78 58.65% -
No
55 41.35%
Results 1 to 30 of 44
-
06-10-2009 01:30 PM #1
Scotland in Japan - Waste of time or not
-
06-10-2009 01:47 PM #2
I fully back the Scotland team every time but this trip for me is a waste of time........
-
06-10-2009 01:47 PM #3
Travel broadens the mind. Makes you realise there's more to the world than the X-Box, the mobile and the inside of a BMW.
-
06-10-2009 02:31 PM #4This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 02:36 PM #5
- Join Date
- May 2003
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
- Age
- 72
- Posts
- 6,353
If I was in charge of the Scotland set up I'd be playing as many matches as I possibly could, anywhere I could.
I don't see us as being so football knowledgable/wise that we can afford not to play against various nations form different confederations.
Should we ever manage to make another WC finals ever again, it is likely that we would be drawn in a group with Asian opposition.
If we only ever play European nations, then we will be less experienced in a world wide context than we could have been.
Presumably, that is the only reason Japan have agreed to play us...to get some experience playing against a European style of play before they go to South Africa.
-
06-10-2009 02:45 PM #6
The players would otherwise be off doing nothing, as there are no games scheduled anyway. The SPL is off on account of the other international teams playing, and, as most European teams are playing qualification fixtures that day, we were always going to have to travel. The North/South American qualifiers are also taking place this weekend, thus ruling out those continents, and if Japan offered Scotland a friendly, with a chance to play pressure free football, try out new players etc. then why would we turn down the chance?
That's my Devil's Advocate answer - I personally think it's a pointless fixture, as it is going to impact on the SPL clubs with many players returning tired and taking a few days to recover from a rediculous jetlagging effect. Most of the young players who are "decent prospects" will be representing the U21's this weekend, the "top international stars" will no doubt pull out injured (Naismith, Fox, Snodgrass, Thomson, Maloney and O'Conner have already withdrawn, and no doubt players like Brown, McFadden* and a couple others) will follow suit, thus leaving it to the fringe squad players to try and impress. These guys coming in aren't likely to be regular squad players, as they're simply not good enough.
*McFadden is a great player, but he's as guilty as any OF player for withdrawing from meaningless games.Madness, as you know, is a lot like gravity. All it takes is a little push.
-
06-10-2009 02:46 PM #7
I've no objection to this far off game. All the call-offs might force Burley to try out different things and different players instead of the old routine. Hey, even Riordan might get a bit of the action.
-
06-10-2009 02:50 PM #8This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
It will benefit Japan more than it will Scotland.
-
-
06-10-2009 02:59 PM #10
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Posts
- 8,157
Of course it's not a waste of time - these matches are vital in terms of trying new players, formations, tactics or whatever else out - and would you rather that the first time a player travelled any distance to play for Scotland, it was for a vital match so that said player would have absolutely no idea about the way that jet lag etc. might affect their performance???
-
06-10-2009 02:59 PM #11This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Goalkeepers:
Gordon
Langfield
Marshall
Defenders
Berra
Hutton
Wallace
Barr
G.Caldwell
McManus
Whittaker
Midfielders:
Adam
Dorrans
Fletcher
Robertson
Brown
Ross Wallace
Forwards:
Lee Miller
Fletcher
RiordanMadness, as you know, is a lot like gravity. All it takes is a little push.
-
06-10-2009 03:00 PM #12
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Posts
- 8,157
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:02 PM #13This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:03 PM #14
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Posts
- 5,253
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The Scots players I'd imagine will see very little of Japan and Japanese culture.
It's good to play against different styles and physices but I think that taking the players this far is a bit much for a one off game. I do think that a game is worthwhile though.
-
06-10-2009 03:04 PM #15This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:07 PM #16
- Join Date
- May 2003
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
- Age
- 72
- Posts
- 6,353
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
They might cancel the fixture.
-
06-10-2009 03:10 PM #17
- Join Date
- Nov 2003
- Age
- 41
- Posts
- 5,025
Yes. It is a complete waste of time.
-
06-10-2009 03:10 PM #18This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:11 PM #19
- Join Date
- May 2003
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
- Age
- 72
- Posts
- 6,353
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Australia are playing Holland in Sydney in a 'friendly' on Wednesday in preparation for facing Oman in the Asian cup in Melbourne on Saturday.
-
06-10-2009 03:12 PM #20
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Posts
- 5,253
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:15 PM #21
I dont think its a waste of time to play the fixture as it will give fringe players a chance to shine, just look at Riordon, may never have got a chance otherwise.The only thing thats gettin oan ma goat is the fact its not on the telly,we were sortin out a day with the lads to start 12ish, oor time,now we will just have to play pool and avoid happy englishmen.
Oh aye its aboot time Wallace got his call up.
-
06-10-2009 03:16 PM #22
Scott Brown now called off.
The fixture is now becoming a bit of a farce when you consider most of the players going to Japan will only be there to make up the numbers.
-
06-10-2009 03:39 PM #23
- Join Date
- Apr 2002
- Age
- 49
- Posts
- 27,490
For the odd player, like Riordan, its worthwhile, but on the whole we are not really learning much. We are so far away from playing a competitive game that there's nothing which can be worked on and so few first choice players that it can't be ticked up to a bonding and gelling exercise.
So, overall a waste of time I think.
-
06-10-2009 03:46 PM #24This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
-
06-10-2009 03:58 PM #25
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
- Posts
- 2,896
This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
I think he would have started anyway, to be honest - but now with Fletch as his partner rather than GazO.
The defence remains solid and the midfield not too bad, so I would expect that this is a major opportunity for Deeks and Fletch to state their claim to be the starters for the next Euro campaign!!
(In every cloud.....)
-
06-10-2009 04:06 PM #26This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
i know there are a few players out but where are the rest of the B squad players to make up the numbers? where are all these players?
Goalkeepers:
Neil Alexander
Mark Brown
Defenders
Ian Murray
Graham Alexander
Jamie McAllister
Gary Naismith
James McEvery
Callum Davidson
Steven Smith
Kirk Broadfoot
Lee Wilkie
Midfielders:
Gary Teale
James Morrison
Chris Commons
Paul Hartley
Barry Robson
Gavin Rae
Stephen Pearson
Lee McCulloch
Forwards:
Kevin Kyle
David Clarkson
Chris Iwelumo
that other boyd?
are all these guys injured as well????
-
06-10-2009 04:45 PM #27
Dont think it,s a waste of time.It gives him a chance to try out players who might have to be brought into the squad at a later date.Gives them a chance to see what international football is about and try out form players like Deeks and Wallace etc.If he finds a couple of guys that can add to our squad it will be worthwile IMO.
-
07-10-2009 04:49 PM #28
There are no games anyway so why not fit in a friendly. It can only be positive. It's great for Deeks getting the experience and will no doubt do his confidence alot of good
-
07-10-2009 07:21 PM #29This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
BUT an 11000 mile round trip
Surely doesn't make sense in the middle of a season.
Once flew roughly the same distance (Glasgow/Hong Kong and back ) in four days and was knackered for at least two days when I got home !
Certainly it was a good few years ago when planes still had outside toilets but nevertheless was tiring !!!
-
07-10-2009 09:32 PM #30
Going all that distance for a meaningless friendly...here's praying Deeks doesn't get crocked...
Log in to remove the advert |
Bookmarks