Scotland Game

[Sir David Gray]

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Agree. If we fail to beat San Marino then we might as well chuck it. Would go as far to say that anyone playing in the team that lost to San Marino should never play for Scotland again. It's never gonna happen anyway.

Why is the game getting played at Hampden? Mental.

Agreed. If San Marino get anything tonight then the game's a bogey.

[Jim44]

San Marino 80/1. Scotland 1/100. We should never be such short odds on against any team.

[heretoday]

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On Zitelli at all?

Naw. On the Rae-dio.

[CMurdoch]

1-0 to Belgium in Kazakhstan midway through the 1st half

Scotland 5th in the Group at the moment
We will finish 3rd
To do that we need to win today and get a win and a draw in the final 2 game in Cyprus and at home to Kazakhstan which is well within our compass.

For those that are still humpty about the Russia game. Get a map out and look at the size of Russia and then look at the size of Scotland.
Most folk would have predicted losses home and away to Belgium and away against Russia with a tough game in Glasgow. The only real issue is the scores in those defeats as well as the heavy defeat in Kazakhstan.

However, we will finish 3rd in the group and all but the most blinded amongst us would have predicted that position before a ball was kicked.
All is not lost and it all hangs on the play offs which again we knew before the groups kicked off.
In effect nothing has changed and Scotland have 5 months to get their **** together.

Tierney back fit for the November matches and hopefully no more Mulgrew.

[pontius pilate]

When did Gilmore and Fletcher get called up to the squad? Charlie nicholas is calling for both of them along with shankland Christie and McGregor to start.

[Hibby Kay-Yay]

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1-0 to Belgium in Kazakhstan midway through the 1st half

Scotland 5th in the Group at the moment
We will finish 3rd
To do that we need to win today and get a win and a draw in the final 2 game in Cyprus and at home to Kazakhstan.

For those that are still humpty about the Russia game. Get a map out and look at the size of Russia and then look at the size of Scotland. Logic is your friend.

It’s not as simplistic as that. How many times have Russia, China and America won major tournaments? Looking at the size of Italy compared to Russia also dispels the ‘size of a country’ logic.

[Ozyhibby]

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Less than 10k sold (and that's including season ticket packages), so according to Radio Scotland it will be a record low attendance for a qualifier. They're hoping a last-minute splurge of free tickets to schools etc will boost numbers a bit.

Why on earth is this game being held at Hampden? Even if Scotland were doing moderately well it would be far better suited a smaller stadium. Based on current ticket sales McDiarmid Park would be ideal.

As for watching it on TV have folk really not got anything better to do at the weekend?

In most other countries, a record low crowd would result in a lot of soul searching about how we can make the team better and people would be losing their jobs. With the SFA there will be no change whatsoever and Rod will be working out how he can cut costs to suit the new reality of sub 20k crowds.


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[JimBHibees]

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In most other countries, a record low crowd would result in a lot of soul searching about how we can make the team better and people would be losing their jobs. With the SFA there will be no change whatsoever and Rod will be working out how he can cut costs to suit the new reality of sub 20k crowds.


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The Sfa CEO should be hauled out for interview to explain what he is going to do about it and further explain the nonsense of playing San Marino at Hamden when live on tv. Talk about shooting themselves in the foot.

[CMurdoch]

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It’s not as simplistic as that. How many times have Russia, China and America won major tournaments? Looking at the size of Italy compared to Russia also dispels the ‘size of a country’ logic.

China didn't play football until recent years so count them out.
In America mens football has only started to take real hold in recent years so count them out.

Russia in the European Championships:
1960 Won it
1964 Runners Up
1968 3rd place play off
1972 Runners Up
1988 Runners Up
2008 Semi Finals

Scotland - Zero ever

Italy has a population of 60 million and are football mad so easy to get 11 class players out of that.

Bottom line is Scotland are hamstrung by population size and the only countries to buck that handicap regularly have been Uruguay and Croatia. I think a population of 10 million is needed to get 11 good players on the park.

[JimBHibees]

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China didn't play football until recent years so count them out.
In America mens football has only started to take real hold in recent years so count them out.

Russia in the European Championships:
1960 Won it
1964 Runners Up
1968 3rd place play off
1972 Runners Up
1988 Runners Up
2008 Semi Finals

Scotland - Zero ever

Italy has a population of 60 million and are football mad so easy to get 11 class players out of that.

Scotland are hamstrung by population size and the only countries to buck that handicap regularly have been Uruguay and Croatia

Never mind Uruguay and Croatia we can't even get anywhere near what a country very near to us with 1.5m population can do or nick their manager.

[CMurdoch]

2-0 Belgium.
Wonderful pass by Hazard
Game over with almost 40 minutes to play

[CMurdoch]

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Never mind Uruguay and Croatia we can't even get anywhere near what a country very near to us with 1.5m population can do or nick their manager.

If you mean Northern Ireland.
They have 12 points at the moment but won't be adding to that total in their last 2 games.
Like Scotland they can't get points from the top 2 teams in their group.
They have performed better than Scotland in the group stages but the result will be the same, 3rd and failure to qualify through the groups stages.

[B.H.F.C]

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If you mean Northern Ireland.
They have 12 points at the moment but won't be adding to that total in their last 2 games.
Like Scotland they can't get points from the top 2 teams in their group

But unlike Scotland, they consistently beat the teams in and around them to at least give themselves a chance. And unlike Scotland, they at least compete in their games.

[BigKev]

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But unlike Scotland, they consistently beat the teams in and around them to at least give themselves a chance. And unlike Scotland, they at least compete in their games.

NI are the Hertz of international football. Hammer throwing hoofball relying solely on counter attacks. Horrific to watch but gets a result against lower-mid ranked teams.

[CMurdoch]

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But unlike Scotland, they consistently beat the teams in and around them to at least give themselves a chance. And unlike Scotland, they at least compete in their games.

When did they last beat a country with a population of 11 million or more in a competitive match?
They beat the wee countries, same as Scotland.

[Ozyhibby]

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The Sfa CEO should be hauled out for interview to explain what he is going to do about it and further explain the nonsense of playing San Marino at Hamden when live on tv. Talk about shooting themselves in the foot.

They won’t though. The Media will concentrate on blaming Steve Clarke and the players. The won’t go after Petrie or Maxwell because their access will be cut.


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[HFC93]

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When did they last beat a country with a population of 11 million or more in a competitive match?
They beat the wee countries, same as Scotland.

11 million is oddly specific criteria. Why 11 million? They've taken a few decent scalps under Michael O'Neil

[CMurdoch]

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When did they last beat a country with a population of 11 million or more in a competitive match?
They beat the wee countries, same as Scotland.

Looked it up 3.5 years

[B.H.F.C]

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When did they last beat a country with a population of 11 million or more in a competitive match?
They beat the wee countries, same as Scotland.

They only play against 11 folk at a time mind, no 11 million.

Scotland don’t beat the wee countries routinely any more, that’s my point. Northern Ireland do. They wouldn’t have been pumped 3-0 from Kazakhstan or anything ridiculous like that. Northern Ireland at least punch their weight.

[Sir David Gray]

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China didn't play football until recent years so count them out.
In America mens football has only started to take real hold in recent years so count them out.

Russia in the European Championships:
1960 Won it
1964 Runners Up
1968 3rd place play off
1972 Runners Up
1988 Runners Up
2008 Semi Finals

Scotland - Zero ever

Italy has a population of 60 million and are football mad so easy to get 11 class players out of that.

Bottom line is Scotland are hamstrung by population size and the only countries to buck that handicap regularly have been Uruguay and Croatia. I think a population of 10 million is needed to get 11 good players on the park.

That's clearly nonsense.

Since Scotland last qualified for a major tournament 21 years ago, the following nations, all with a population of less than 10 million people, have all qualified for either the European Championships or World Cup on at least one occasion;

Hungary
Honduras
Austria
Switzerland
Togo
Paraguay
Bulgaria
Serbia
Denmark
Slovakia
Norway
Costa Rica
New Zealand
Ireland
Panama
Croatia
Uruguay
Bosnia
Albania
Slovenia
Wales
Northern Ireland
Latvia
Trinidad and Tobago
Iceland

Scotland's population size may mean that we'll never win the World Cup but not qualifying for over two decades is an absolute disgrace.

[CMurdoch]

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11 million is oddly specific criteria. Why 11 million? They've taken a few decent scalps under Michael O'Neil

11.5 million is where the Belgium's of Europe come in.

Northern Ireland have more than punched their weight under O'Neill. They are well organised hammer throwers like Iceland.
Scotland have some decent players at the moment so have decided not to play eye bleeding football against the big teams and that has in turn resulted in the recent kickings because we don't have the same quality throughout the team (at the back and upfront). Double the Scottish population to 11 million and we would have quality throughout the team not in patches like we have.

[ekhibee]

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I agree...and then I remember Hibs are currently crap as well. Is there no break from crappy football at the moment 🙄

Certainly a valid question.

[HFC93]

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11.5 million is where the Belgium's of Europe come in.

Northern Ireland have more than punched their weight under O'Neill. They are well organised hammer throwers like Iceland.
Scotland have some decent players at the moment so have decided not to play eye bleeding football against the big teams and that has in turn resulted in the recent kickings because we don't have the same quality throughout the team (at the back and upfront). Double the Scottish population to 11 million and we would have quality throughout the team not in patches like we have.

Or is it because 11 million fits your argument because it discounts wins against the Czech Republic, South Korea and Belarus who all have significantly bigger populations than N Ireland but not quite 11 million. It's an arbitrary figure.

[CMurdoch]

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That's clearly nonsense.

Since Scotland last qualified for a major tournament 21 years ago, the following nations, all with a population of less than 10 million people, have all qualified for either the European Championships or World Cup on at least one occasion;

Hungary
Honduras
Austria
Switzerland
Togo
Paraguay
Bulgaria
Serbia
Denmark
Slovakia
Norway
Costa Rica
New Zealand
Ireland
Panama
Croatia
Uruguay
Bosnia
Albania
Slovenia
Wales
Northern Ireland
Latvia
Trinidad and Tobago
Iceland

Scotland's population size may mean that we'll never win the World Cup but not qualifying for over two decades is an absolute disgrace.

Take out the countries who have a bigger population than Scotland or who qualified for the World Cup from Oceania and you are left with a tiny part of your list.

[CMurdoch]

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Or is it because 11 million fits your argument because it discounts wins against the Czech Republic, South Korea and Belarus who all have significantly bigger populations than N Ireland but not quite 11 million. It's an arbitrary figure.

a bit
P.S. South Korea has a massive population but it was a friendly

[B.H.F.C]

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11.5 million is where the Belgium's of Europe come in.

Northern Ireland have more than punched their weight under O'Neill. They are well organised hammer throwers like Iceland.
Scotland have some decent players at the moment so have decided not to play eye bleeding football against the big teams and that has in turn resulted in the recent kickings because we don't have the same quality throughout the team (at the back and upfront). Double the Scottish population to 11 million and we would have quality throughout the team not in patches like we have.

If only it was that simple eh. If you doubled our population would the quality of coaching improve? Would the authorities make football more accessible to kids? Would the infrastructure change?

Painting it as us not ‘choosing’ to play the way teams like Norther Ireland (or Ireland for that matter) is ridiculous. We’re not capable of doing it.

[Sir David Gray]

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Take out the countries who have a bigger population than Scotland or who qualified for the World Cup from Oceania and you are left with a tiny part of your list.

That's not what you said.

You said a country needed a population of at least 10 million in order to get 11 good players on the park.

As I said already, it's nonsense.

[CMurdoch]

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Take out the countries who have a bigger population than Scotland or who qualified for the World Cup from Oceania and you are left with a tiny part of your list.

By my calculation, slightly less than half your list.

Uruguay, Costa Rica, Panama from South America (3) and from Europe (9):
Norway, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Iceland and Ireland.

[CMurdoch]

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That's not what you said.

You said a country needed a population of at least 10 million in order to get 11 good players on the park.

As I said already, it's nonsense.

What I meant was to get a good team on the pitch consistently you need a population of 10 million.
Only Croatia and Uruguay defy that statement massively.

[BoomtownHibees]

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By my calculation, slightly less than half your list.

Uruguay, Costa Rica, Panama from South America (3) and from Europe (9):
Norway, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, Latvia, Iceland and Ireland.

Are you arguing with yourself?