weekevie04

Not at all, Jimbo, keep um coming. Lovely pics!

Duplicate.

Great pics, lads! I love hiking. Growing up close to Dundee, we weren't too far from a fair few munros. A few of my pals would do it every second Saturday morning from spring to October or so and get up about 6am and go for it. I really regret not going more than a handful of times, but since I hit my early to mid 30s, I've really got into hiking and walking. I really fancy getting a dug, always wanted something like a Newfie, but they are expensive, eat a lot, slaver, and don't live long ; but they are magical wee dogs. Maybe something like yours, is that a chocolate lab? Someone who's up for a hike and will sit at your feet once its over. We were looking after a mini Schnauzer in the summer for three weeks, (his owners had booked a holiday home that no pets were allowed) and I really enjoyed it. Anytime we see him, he's wimpering and wagging his tail, seems genuine happy to see us (although did spoil him a bit. Up on the sofa, slept at the bottom of the bed etc, took him out for loads of walks, and the odd bit of meat more than he gets at home) but anytime I pop round to visit them (and him) he always cheers me up, I really need to get one. I've got family in Ontario and went to NZ 9 years ago - the strangest, strangest thing happened. I met someone I vaguely knew on our way out to Franz Josef Glacier whilst he was on his way back. What's even weirder is, he's Spanish and we got to know each other in Iceland ; lost touch a bit and bumped in to him THERE. I was basically screaming for about 5 minutes, surely there's better odds of winning the lotto than that? How did that happen, why wasn't I 5 minutes later, or an hour later, or spend an extra day in the town or Greymouth, or the North Island rather.. Insane.. Ramy, do you see a lot of wildlife out there? I hiked a bit in Blueridge Parkway - just short 2-3 hour ones, but can't recall seeing anything, had visions of turning the corner and spying a grizzly! I do love seeing the mountain hares though especially if they are white. If I am not paying attention, the grouse will make me shit myelf when they just take off after blending in to the path. Has anyone seen a capercaillie? Unfortunately not, but hopefully some day. One of my favourite moments walking, was August, about 5 years ago, a perfect day, about 16 degrees, there was one other car in the car park, and was hiking up near Dalwhinnie - Geal Charn or A' Mhaorinich, and was near the peak and looked up and seen 3 stag about 50 yards in front of me - they looked at me, I looked at them - for about 5 seconds and then they took off again. Just an amazing moment, and the silence and surprise of it all was wonderful. I'm slowly turning in to a bird enthusiast too. Not in the sense of museums, but love seeing new and exotic birds either at home or abroad or ones I've never really paid attention or appreciated to at home til now e.g Oyster catchers, never knew they were so coloruful or cool, and plentiful in Scotland as well!

Very impressive last season - haven't seen enough this year - but has he been a bit disappointing? Maybe just Motherwell in general have.

Haha, we'd find a way of sending the Faroes to their first WC.

Very happy with the draw. Denmark are the best top seeds we could have drawn, and Austria - whilst a very decent side these days - it could have been a lot worse. It was always going to be Israel. Whilst we have struggled against them, we surely can get over the hoodoo, surely! They are a decent side under their new boss too, so they may well beat Austria again or even Denmark too. They'll no doubt be fancying at least pushing for third in this group. Faroes are ever improving and had a fantastic Nations League campaign, but I still think we'll be able to win 2-0 or so over there and at least get six points. With their recent form, they may well be able to help us out as well and repeat their historic victory over Austria, and what they would give to get one over their colonisers the Danes. I thought Moldova and Malta were probably the worst/hardest pot 6 seeds to draw. We can't really complain considering we were drawn a very decent group. If you were to give me this group today, I'd have tried to plead with you to give us someone other than Israel, but I most certainly would have taken this. This is our BEST and kindest draw in YEARS. Every game will be difficult including Moldova away ; but there is not a Spain, France, Portugal, or Turkey, Switzerland, Russia etc where we would almost be giving up a lot of points. We need to find a way of winning away from home, and if not winning then grabbing draws in Vienna or Copenhagen to have any chance in this group. It's no use taking 4pts from Denmark or Austria and then 2 pts from Moldova or Israel. Then again, stating the obvious, but if we fail to improve abroad or beat the teams in this group then we don't deserve to go to a WC. A very kind draw for us. As for England, can it get any easier than that! Poland and Hungary (very much improved) but they are two of the weaker top seeds not to mention Albania, Andorra and San Marino. They might end up with a +30 goal difference!

Draw will be streamed live on Fifa.com for folk looking to see it.

I wish the lad all the success in the world, but from the limited times I've seen him at U21 level I don't think he's anywhere near as good as some folk imagine him to be. He's big and makes a nuisance of himself, and he does give everything ; but his first touch is quite poor, he's missed a few golden chances as well. He's maybe not a natural striker, but he does get in to good positions although doesn't always score. 21 is still young, and hopefully it works out ; but I don't think he'll be our great white hope up front for the future.

They had the same issue against Finland. Played reasonably well, but trying too much and couldn't score. These two results are probably going to stop them from qualifying. Unless, they do win the next three and get a favour in the Finland-Portugal game.

Croatia and Denmark are probably the teams from Pot 1, possibly Holland and Germany - on current form - but whoever we get in Pot 1 will be a hard slog. Would certainly take Slovakia, Romania, Turkey, Sweden, Wales, Poland and possibly Austria. Really would like to avoid Switzerland, Serbia (they'll click and they tend to go from horror qualifying campaign to belter, and no doubt will want 6 pts from us), Ukraine have been very good under Shevchenko, and some talented youngsters coming through. Pot 3 - would happily have taken Iceland, NI, Ireland, possibly Finland in our group. Happy to be avoiding Greece (has a 0-0 at home and 2-0 away written all over that) ; Czech Republic ; Norway ; Russia and Hungary. Pot 4 - you could argue Bosnia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Israel are better or on par with ourselves, Iceland and the two Irelands. There are no easy away games in any of these games. An awfae lot of hard places to go, and even Luxembourg who prop up the bottom of the seedings have improved tenfold of late. Want to avoid Israel though - we really struggle against them and have we no played them enough of late. You'd probably fancy Bulgaria, then again they might have found a new coach, some form by the time this comes around. The old cliché but very true ''No easy games at all in this group'' and arguably its harder than half of the teams in Pot 3. Pot 5 - Andorra, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia would chomp at the bit to have. Probably the Faroes too - who have done very well of late. Armenia would be interesting and our first game against them, but a decent enough side. Cyprus proved hard work as well last time around, so let's avoid them hopefully too. Azerbaijan and Kosovo after decent spells over the past few years, seem to be sliding a bit, but again, probably very decent and difficult away games. Pot 6 -if lucky enough to get a six team group, Malta and Moldova are the two to avoid. Gibraltar did well in their Nations Group and they've really tightened up and improved, Ireland only beat them 1-0 over there and 2-0 in Dublin. Dream Pot probably : Denmark, Wales, Scotland, Luxembourg, Estonia, San Marino No Thanks : Spain, Switzerland, Scotland, Israel, Armenia, Moldova/Malta

Good post, Craig. The world is a smaller place and many of us have relations, live abroad, have wives/husbands from other countries and even relatives who are eligible for many nationalities. I have a pal who could play for Canada, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and USA! I have no issue with anyone outwith Scotland playing for our national team, but there has to have been commitment from the get go and not just at a very convenient time e.g qualifying for a major tournament. As much as I am not keen on McBurnie as a player - he's gone through the under age teams for us ; you've got players like Jordan Archer who have played for us from 17s up to the full team ; Liam Palmer etc. Then you've got the likes of Graham Alexander, Don Hutchison who grew up Scottish in England, I wouldn't have the arrogance to tell them they cannot play for Scotland, they are obviously as Scottish as we all are. I used to work with a guy who was at school with Paul Devlin, and IIRC, his father was a Glaswegian, he grew up wearing all the Scotland gear, supporting us and identifying as Scottish and great for him, he played a few times for us. We all love the likes of McTominay and there's no denying his connection and love for the national team. Adams has to learn his stripes, it would be very unfair for him to be chucked in - even ahead of McBurnie, IMO - or right in to a Euro 2020 squad having not played any part of the qualifying. And let's remember, he's a young guy, I'm all for redemption, but he has turned us down! We should wait until after the Euros and if he's still keen to play for us in the rest of the WC qualifying campaign, friendlies or Nations League games again.

I'll watch the Sportscene highlights later, but how was Nisbet yesterday? Not to put all the eggs in one basket, but I really, really hope he continues this brilliant start and can make his way in to the squad. Seen him through the lower leagues, and is a very impressive player ; and again, would be a terrific wee story for a player who worked his way back up the leagues and in to the national team. Losing that wee bit of timber too - he was never fat, but certainly not as toned as he looks now at Hibs when at the Pars or Raith - has increased his sharpness.

TBH, I'd quite fancy Wales and hopefully time for some payback. They have on paper a worse squad than us outwith Bale and Ramsey. Pot 2 teams none are super scary, and don't mind really whoever we draw. Pot 4 is a different story and can see a few 1-0 away defeats in there for us, if we are not at the races or can't score.

The team has improved in all three games, even if we can't score, we looked harder to beat and actually can hold on to the ball for some time. The general style and confidence in play, we look a better side, but there's still a huge road to go. It'll never happen but I'd seriously consider switching Tierney to LWB or LB. I'm so-so about not getting promoted. It is so frustrating that we couldn't see out the group with one win out of two, and the Czech manager is actually right about being bottlers ; but whilst going up to A might well have helped secure both a playoff for the WC or the Euros, I wouldn't fancy us much in a group of Spain, Holland, Italy - if we can get Romania, Iceland, Macedonia or so, I think I would rather focus on trying to get results out of those games. Lots to think about especially up front, corners and ball distribution.

I missed a fair bit of the first half, but we looked OK-ish from the bits I saw. Second half, we dominated possession, but didn't do anything with it. A great big reality cheek for many, especially some pundits getting carried away after Serbia of how we might even get to the QFs etc. A huge wakeup call hopefully for them. Corners : how wasteful and horrible are we at that them? How many went on target? The actual whipping balls in most of the time were decent, and I really like Gallagher, but it would often just come crashing off his head and go sailing over. They are huge asset in football, and we really need to improve there. We don't look like scoring. Our record speaks for itself, we had huge parts of the ball in the second half, but didn't do anything with it or create anything. Some nice passing and build up play, but you can do that for hours on end and we'll still be waiting to score. Israel obviously invited us on to attack, and we couldn't break them down at all. The crashed bottle. We needed one win out of two, against the two lowest teams in the group and we couldn't do it. I can understand the highs of getting to the Euros on Thursday were fantastic, and the team had a short turn around of 3 away games in a row in 6 days, but its really disappointing that we couldn't get the job done.

Dream - Denmark, Wales, Scotland, Luxembourg, Estonia, San Marino Worst -Belgium, Switzerland, Scotland, Bosnia-Herz/Israel, Armenia.

A bit like the Slovak game. Decent spells, but can't break teams down. Israel look dangerous every spell they go forward. Watch Clarke not change anything until the 68th minute.

I think the Nations League is terrific especially for smaller teams. People joked about the lowest seeded teams in Europe getting a space at the Euros etc, but I think ourselves and North Macedonia are hardly cannon fodder qualifying (from C and D). If you look at the four teams who have qualified from the Euros ; 3 of us have went from relative strength to strength too - Macedonia look very likely to be promoted to B ; we have a great chance of going up to A tonight ; and Hungary could even win their group and head up to A too. Also the Faroes - a very decent minnow - were promoted to the C pot last night too and have gone on a very decent run of late by playing sides around their level. Long live the Nations League!

Latvia?

It's incredibly frustrating to produce decent results against the top two and then pish it all away against 4th and 5th. Time for a change as well regarding management. We have been pretty dire to watch, albeit apart from a couple of decent performances. There are players or some players there though and it'll be interesting to see if they can make the move up a level to the national side : Campbell, Ferguson, Harvie, Gilmour, etc. Turnbull is a bit out of sorts since his move to Celtic, maybe trying too hard when he came on? Porteous is good, but you always feel he has a lose the heid or Steven Pressley moment in him, he's still very young and I rate him, but I don't think he's ready for the step up yet. I know a lot rate him, but I'm not sure about Hornby. Wait and see, but I hope it works out for him, but maybe I'm missing something, but the 7/8 games I've seen of us in this campaign I have not been super impressed with him. He's doing a hard job especially with hoofball and Gemmill's tactics - was he playing Campbell as a supporting striker/attacking midfielder? They're all young lads, and I'm disappointed for them in not getting there. Would have been a great 2021 and experience for them considering the big side last week. Hope they can push on. Doohan looks fairly steady as well, so figures crossed he keeps getting better - as we are needing a young decent keeper to push on in the next few years.

This will be a tough game, as the stats show, there is nothing between our two sides of late. Israel have impressed me in doses the times I've seen them, I also note their caretaker boss (who's done well, IMO) is fearing the sack if they don't win tomorrow and they want to stay in the B section and no doubt keep us with them, and draw us again in the next Nations League Tomorrow will be a good test as well to see where we are. If we can grind out results away, something we have really struggled with and cost us in previous qualifying campaigns. If Robertson, is out, I'd basically go with the OP's side. Captain isn't a big issue, but possibly give it to Tierney.

Score 1 goal in four games against Lithuania and Greece, you get what you deserve, even if on a shite pitch.

Awful performances. Hit and hope and basically just punting up front to two lumps. Getting run ragged and caught out time after time in the middle of the park. Pitch isn't great, but unless a huge second half, then we'll be oot.

It's on just now. I'm watching it right now via 365.

It's on Bet365 for anyone who has an account there.