drew

I'm not excited about this appointment but anyone who thinks we'd be better off or as well as sticking with Strachan has gone nuts in my opinion. I'd trust McLeish to make us tighter at the back than Strachan has over time which although negative is the only way we'll qualify.

Levein got the Scotland job. Think it's reasonable for anyone to point to him if they are never considered an option by the SFA

Hughes isn't a bad manager. The Scotland job is probably a position to far for him but he probably has as good if not a better record than Levein considering what he has achieved with lesser clubs. He is to harshly judged because of the way he speaks. I disagree with you about McLeish. Did reasonable jobs at Motherwell and Hibs to get his crack at Rangers. Did what was expected of him at Rangers. Did well with Scotland in his short spell. Mixed spell with Birmingham getting relegated twice but also got promotion and a league cup. Kept Villa up who are a basket case. Everything since then has been down hill I agree.

I'd be confused. Gutted at the thought of losing McInnes and worried we'll replace him someone hopeless like we have done so often in the past. Delighted as he would be better choice for Scotland manager than some of the names being mentioned. Probably slightly more gutted than delighted.

This is the bit that people who complain about Hampden forget. Moving isn't just about getting a better stadium to watch football in. You are potentially losing out on lost revenue from Hampden being used for concerts and other events. No chance of the SRU / Rangers / Celtic are going to agree to the SFA getting a decent cut from there stadiums hosting such events. The SFA get a good deal out of Hampden and the only way they could get a better one is to own the stadium rather renting.

This is why it is down to Murrayfield and Hampden. Ground hopping would cost a lot more than paying one venue a fixed fee. Add to that if leaving Hampden you would need to find new offices for the SFA and SPFL which I imagine the SRU have included as part of there bid.

That is my reaction to most of them as well.

I miss the old days when we could beat Lithuania at home.

I wouldn't say Smith or McLeish are depressing. Questionable as they've been out of the game for a while.

Agreed. I always have a look at fixtures and try and work out how many I can manage and which ones I have a realistic chance of tickets. Really wanted to go to Dublin but knew there was a chance I'd just miss out so went to Georgia instead. Wasn't sure what the Slovakia ticket situation would be so went to Czech Republic friendly earlier in the year. On occasions I wait till late on to see if I have a chance of tickets before booking things. Can mean the price increases for flight but you can still find reasonable prices usually if you put a bit of effort in. Hotels you can book well in advance and then cancel if you decide you are not going. This year I won't manage Albania or Israel so I'll do the Hungary game. OK there are a few games which you can misjudge. France friendly comes to mind.

Considering the names that have come up recently Walter Smith is one of the better ones. Really not happy that he walked out in the middle of a qualifying campaign but how many people that are complaining would complain if he had left to take over there club side.

I don't know the details of how the Old Firm work it but yes regular attenders will get first dibs. Would be shocking if someone who goes to most home and away games misses out on an Old Firm derby to someone who never goes but fancies that match. How would you feel if you had a season ticket at your club and went to a few away games a season to be told you're stuck in a ballot with everyone else for a cup final including people who haven't gone to a game that season.

So lets say 10% of tickets go into a random ballot. As a result someone like me who is on 3 points might miss the 90% cut off and falls into this. I then lose in the ballot to some people who hardly go to any home or away games. That is hardly fair. The only reasonable argument I see is dish out points for home and away games but the number of people who don't currently get away tickets that will under the new system will be tiny.

I believe they all have a loyalty system in place. England home and away games are awarded the same points (they call it caps) which are used when demand outstrips supply of tickets. Used to just be away games that were awarded but it hasn't made much of a difference in who got tickets as nearly everyone who goes to an away game will go to the home matches. Aberdeen do similar thing although some matches get slightly more points than others. They have on the odd occasion misjudged demand and set the points to low resulting in some people missing out who would normally have got or to high resulting in a very slow sale process.

Not against rewarding home games in the same way as away matches just not sure if it really makes much difference in who gets tickets in the end. The idea of everyone in a ballot is absolutely daft. Your reward regulars as is done in the same way by club sides and other national teams. You want tickets for a big away game then go to a few more home friendlies or less appealing away games.

It shouldn't be difficult. The sticking point sadly would be the SRU moving rugby games to Hampden seeing as they own Murrayfield and are selling it out on a regular basis. I agree on this. If this was ever a serious thought then it should have been done during the Commonwealth games when the stadium changes to host it could have been permanent.

Why not both Murrayfield and Hampden. If a cup game involves 2 east coast sides play at Murrayfield and if 2 west coast sides then Glasgow. Otherwise alternate. Alternate the internationals between the 2 grounds. There are occasionally cup or internationals around the same dates as the rugby so wouldn't require either the SRU or SFA to change there current schedules. Could also as part of the deal get the SRU to play a couple of rugby matches a year at Hampden.

I'd rather a home game as well but more to do with only being able to afford 1 away game this year as getting married next year. I'm about to see a lot of away points drop off as well. Did we not have 5 or 6 away games under Levein one calendar year. Brazil, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Lichtenstein + 1 more possibly.

I agree there is no point in Brown going. I'd be playing an under 30 team for the next 4 friendlies. The issue is the rest of the players from Celtic and other clubs. You still need a few key players on this trip. You can't play an entire team of players with less than a handful of caps each.

I fully agree it is UEFA that is at fault here. The problem is clubs and FAs have no power to change it. As a result they target the things they can change or have some influence over which is the national teams. The reality is that UEFA will not change the qualifying process and FIFA won't change international dates. The only long term solution is for the SFA / SPFL to change the domestic schedule and format in the future. You are right that Rodgers is only really interested in Celtic but he does have a point. It is massively beneficial for the national team if our players are well rested and are playing in Europe for there clubs BUT it is just as beneficial if they play as many games for the national team. For Aberdeen we might hit the same problem losing a couple of players to Scotland and Northern Ireland for friendlies but also Arnason to the world cup. Depending on how well Iceland do Arnason might miss the first qualifying round.

This was the point I made earlier. Celtic and there players are correct to complain as should other clubs in Europe but they are blaming the wrong people. UEFA / FIFA should be taking the brunt of this for having crazy international / continental schedules and formats which result in players not getting any rest. Imagine if Scotland had somehow qualified for the World Cup and got past the group stages then Celtic might have to play a qualifying round without half a team. To a lesser extent the SFA / SPFL could be questioned for not changing the domestic season format and schedule (summer football?) to allow players ample rest and possibly an increased chance of progression in the Champions League / Europa League.

Home or away?

I could be wrong but I thought we were being made by UEFA to play a friendly on at least one of the 2 free dates.

Yes (with a few ifs and buts) So basically the winner of each group qualifies for the playoffs playing the other 3 group winners in there league. If a group winner has already qualified for the euros then there playoff spot goes to the next best team in the league that hasn't already qualified. If all the best placed teams have qualified then the playoff spot goes to the next best placed team in the league below that hasn't already qualified or made there leagues playoffs.

I'd say the same. Used to be I was more enthusiastic about Scotland than Aberdeen but it has now flipped due to a variety of reasons. Still going to Scotland games though as I did with Aberdeen when we were putting up with crap from McGhee.