Strachan names squad for qualifying double-header

Thursday, 07 March 2013

 

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifiers

Scotland v Wales

Friday, 22 March 2012, kick-off 8pm

Hampden Park, Glasgow

 

Serbia v Scotland

Tuesday, 26 March 2012, kick-off 8.30pm (local time)

Karadorde Stadium, Novi Sad

 

Scotland national coach Gordon Strachan has added three new recruits for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 Qualifying double-header against Wales and Serbia this month.

 

Gary Mackay-Steven has been rewarded for his scinitllating displays at Dundee United with a call-up.

 

Subject to Scottish FA clearance, Brighton and Hove Albion’s holding midfielder, Liam Bridcutt, will also been included, to counterbalance the loss of captain Darren Fletcher and the Celtic midfielder, Scott Brown.

 

George Boyd has also made it into his first A squad, with the Hull City forward in fine form under Steve Bruce. Boyd played and scored for Scotland B in a 3-0 win against Northern Ireland in 2009.

 

“Gary Mackay-Steven has been terrific this season and I think it is only right that we recognise young Scottish talent,” said Gordon. “Liam is a player I have known for a while and is highly regarded in the holding midfield position.

 

“Again, George is a player I have watched for years – I tried to sign him at Middlesbrough – and is in good form at Hull City.”

 

Scotland squad:

 

Goalkeepers

Matt Gilks (Blackpool)                                         

David Marshall (Cardiff City)                               

Allan McGregor (Besiktas) 

 

Defenders

Christophe Berra (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 

Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic) 

Daniel Fox (Southampton)   

Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers) 

Alan Hutton (Real Mallorca) 

Russell Martin (Norwich City) 

Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic)     

Andy Webster (Heart of Midlothian)

 

Midfielders

Charlie Adam (Stoke City) 

Liam Bridcutt (Brighton and Hove Albion) 

Chris Burke (Birmingham City) 

Kris Commons (Celtic) 

Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion) 

James Forrest (Celtic) 

Gary Mackay-Steven (Dundee United) 

James McArthur (Wigan Athletic) 

James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion) 

Robert Snodgrass (Norwich City) 

 

Forwards

George Boyd (Hull City) 

Steven Fletcher (Sunderland)                               

Ross McCormack (Leeds United)     

Shaun Maloney (Wigan Athletic) 

Kenny Miller (Vancouver Whitecaps) 

Steven Naismith (Everton) 

Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers)

Does this mean e're the first European team to be guaranteed non-qualifiers? Sure I read that somewhere.

 

Belguim have just taken the lead in their game thereby ensuring we are officially out as things stand

Royally fucked

 

Really don't know why I bother watching this shit

Nearly 20 mill for 2 of those cunts, probably the 2 worst on the pitch.

 

Hellish.

Got to go down as the lowest Scotland have been in the modern era. Maybe not ranking (or maybe that too), but eliminated before San Marino, Luxembourg, Malta and Andorra.

Meh, can't say im surprised or bothered. Wake me up when jenny miller and Caldwell stop playing.

Clutching at straws for any tiny positive, the new additions were decent. Bridcutt, Hanley and in parts Boyd impressed me. Rhodes needs more support if he's expected to have any influence though.

 

The more established members of the squad were dreadful though.  What the fuck were Caldwell and Hutton playing at not only for the 2nd goal but for most of the 90 minutes?! Adam can get to fuck as well, except one charge not long after he came on he was shocking.

 

There's a lot of work to be done if we ever want to challenge during qualifiers again, time to ship out the deadwood once and for all, stick to form players and build a team for the future. (without the usual suspects that have let us down again and again...)

Bardsley, Brown, Berra, Fletcher, Morrison, Fletcher all missed over last two games in my opinion. I wouldn't underestimate just how much extra Brown's industry & Morrison's creativity & intelligence brings to this team.

 

A McFadden-shaped hole still exists in this team, here's hoping he can finish season strongly with Mwell. Whatever happened to Stephen McManus? Is the boy Martin at Norwich any good? Playing at RB every week in EPL but despite being in every squad for past 2yrs, still can't dislodge Hutton. Dixon had good debut v Serbia, certainly better performance than Mulgrew's on Sat.

 

Caldwell, Hutton, Adam & Miller now really need to be moved aside. Hanley, McArthur, Dorrans, Burke all extremely out of their depth. I suspect Strachan is experimenting.

I agree with most of that mate but I think Bridcutt looked handy and I thought Hanley was one of the better players tonight. Much better than that absolute Jakki Caldwell.

 

That said, the midfield horribly exposed the defence, and in particular 2 fucking rockets in the shape if Whittaker and Hutton, fucking disgraceful performances both. The midfield has been denied its first and second teams and I have to say Maloney was torture at times, really laboured, maybe had too much to do one that flank with that cunt Whittaker.

 

Miller, Caldwell, Hutton, Whittaker can all vacate the scene now and will not be missed.

saddest thing is the people most likely to continue to feature are the ones everybody apart from successive managerial teams can clearly see need to be jettisoned. We need someone with the guts to actually change things.

 

Main problem is that 'international manager' on the CV is all these jokers are really interested about. Who cares if they lose every game? They can just say "no my fault, have you SEEN the players I had to work with??" Then get a good wage in their next short-term job. Also works for the Caldwells of the world because people get fooled by the number of caps into thinking they can play at any sort of level. Suppose it's totally fitting for Scottish football given the attitude most players/managers have towards the SPL.

 

Charlie Adam - £10m 

 

Mental

 

 

Who paid £10m for him? Or are you adding all transfer fees ever paid for him?

 

But aye he was fucking awful. As was Caldwell and Hutton. I'm lost for fucking words. Get them all to fuck. Cunts. SMG

But aye he was fucking awful. As was Caldwell and Hutton. I'm lost for fucking words. Get them all to fuck. Cunts. SMG

 

 

I'm genuinely astounded that people care that much?  The same team is getting picked (for the most part) so I expect the same results.  As Mav said yesterday, the sooner this campaign is over the better and we look a million miles off from ever qualifying for a tournament again.

 

 

Until Strachan or whichever manager grows some balls, we'll be fucked.  I'm not sounding negative, just realistic at what I see in front of me (not a lot tbh be honest).  I wasn't able to watch either of the past two games and I'm genuinely glad I wasn't able to.  Both have sounded horrific.

 

 

How Hutton still manages to get a game is beyond me.

I'm also surprised at how much I still care tbh honest.

Veteran international Kenny Miller is set to call time on his international career to give younger strikers more experience. (Sun)

 

Possibly the best news i've read in ages.

Veteran international Kenny Miller is set to call time on his international career to give younger strikers more experience. (Sun)

 

Possibly the best news i've read in ages.

 

Is this an old quote

 

Is this an old quote

 

 

Not unless the BBC are regurgitating their info (which is also possible)

 

Not unless the BBC are regurgitating their info (which is also possible)

 

Ah you've missed my point mate

Given recent performances from him, thought he'd called time a couple of years ago

 

Ah you've missed my point mate

Given recent performances from him, thought he'd called time a couple of years ago

 

 

Haha I did wonder if that was what you were getting at

It shouldn't have been Kenny Miller's decision to make.  I'm very disappointed Strachan called him up.

It shouldn't have been Kenny Miller's decision to make.  I'm very disappointed Strachan called him up.

 

Difficult to argue with that comment

 

Is this an old quote

I'm sure it is from last week actually, so yes it is.

 

Wee Gord did mix it up a bit, I've never seen 6 changes in an International team within a week before but given our complete lack of centre halfs and a treatment room full of midfielders his hands are tied a bit. 

Having said that the first 30mins v Wales must be some of the most depressing I have witnessed watching Scotland, and that says alot.  No idea where we go from here but he has a fucking hard job on his hands.  I think some of you (Mav I'm looking at you) are being a bit harsh on Strachan and he needs to be given time but it is going to be a long hard slog.

Trip to Serbia was brilliant one of best I have done. Just a pity that team is so bad. No idea how Strachen sorts it but he needs to do something quickly as we could go to pot 5 if we do not pick up at least 2 points in our remaining games. Very hard to see us getting two draws never mind winning any of our last 4 against Croatia away, Belgium home, Macedonia away and Croatia home. If we do drop to pot 5 it very likely we will not qualify for a major tournament again.

Don't buy that 'never qualify again' stuff, we're suffering a steady decline, but recovery can be just as steady. A situation like this was unimaginable 5 years ago, and it's hard to imagine us being a quality side with quality players again, but it will happen. We'll be back.