theabsentee

The team i wanted picked, a bit worried about our defensive abilities but it's a positive attacking selection, well done Clarke. 🤞

Good Post. Incredible that some Scotland fans think we are good enough to play only born & bred Scots. Stupid not to take advantage of the rules that every other nation uses without hesitation. I bet ROI supporters don't debate but embrace any player that is eligible to commit to their cause as they know what a difference it can make to a small nation. (6 major tournaments in 30 odd years) In this players case he could become a special talent, this lad not our Billy was last seasons Chelsea under 23 player of the year at 18. From what I've read he could comfortably play various positions. Scottish mother, Portuguese father, born in England, to me that makes him as much Scottish as English so if he wanted to switch I'd be very excited to have him.. I guess it's highly unlikely to happen as England seem to rate him extremely highly & he has been in their system for years, they won't let him go easily so it would take some serious persuasion from his mother to change this anytime soon.

I had never heard of the lad but having just had a little read of the Southampton forum the lad sounds like he could be a special player so it would be a serious coup if we could snatch him away from England.

Good shot, if that picture doesn't convince the doubters nothing will..

Reality 👍

And of course club football isn't as it has a strong identity with its local community😂

Nice info, hopefully he goes straight in the first team & we can follow his progress. I reckon either Mair or the lad from Man City(Slicker) are our best long term hopes for a top class number 1. Though I'll finish by saying this is based on only gut instinct & I'm a total head in the clouds dreamer on a good day 😂

I agree.

I don't think Stewart was particularly prolific at Ross County but Sunderland fans really rate him so let's hope his goals burst & overall good play isn't a just a form burst & continues for the season. Maybe a bit early to consider a call up but we aren't exactly blessed with options so if he keeps it up why not. Good the young Scottish lads at Leeds getting first team call ups. Sometimes read the leeds fans forum about their development /under 23 squad, both lads are regular starters but there's a few other players that are higher rated by fans so we shouldn't get too excited for their chances yet. Think the best breakthrough young Scots this season so far are Ramsay & Montgomery, they both look outstanding prospects. Anybody think of any others? I mean this season, not lads like Patterson, Doig, Welsh, Ralston etc who we have known for a while.

Good post man👌

Pretty embarrassing not knowing O'donnell wouldn't be allowed to enter & as a consequence travelling with such a small squad & no recognised right back. Tricky one for Clarke though if he called up Ralston & he played a blinder how does he tell him we don't need you anymore as I'm bringing my mate o'donnell is back in the squad. Don't like being cynical as i like Clarke but he shows signs of being too loyal to players that aren't the future. Anyway from what's left this is the best i can come up with. Gordon Hendry Hanley Tierney Fraser. Robbo Mclean Gilmour McGregor Christie Dykes or Adams Bench will have 3 centre backs out of 6 outfield players 😳 Too much negativity here, we will never qualify if the players go into these type of games feeling inferior. Denmark are better than us but they have injuries also, maybe 1 time in 3 we can get a result in this fixture so it's not beyond us to do it tomorrow.

I'd be fuming with him if i thought he was a big loss.

🤣

We surely have good enough players that we can play through the midfield without launching it long all the time? This is exactly why i said NO to 2 strikers when playing against good opposition especially away from home. Too many British defenders when put under pressure like we will be in Copenhagen & probably in Vienna are lazy & will resort to the easy option, humping it long & hoping for a flick on from a target man. Think we can all predict the result of that, lost possession & the pressure just builds until the inevitable. We've got quality ball playing midfielders in McGregor & especially Gilmour so please let's use them not resort to neanderthal football from a bygone era..

Yeh that'd be my team also. Fraser at his best definitely would be support striker but i expect due to lack of game time Clarke will go with Christie, Forrest or even Armstrong. I'm ok with any of those selections just not 2 outright strikers please.

Amongst plenty of Scots in Carabao Cup action tonight are these 3 promising youngsters.

Yeh very good point, ideally O'donnells time is coming to a end but it's slightly too early for Ralston. If he keeps the imminent croatian international signing on the bench in October hopefully he will be rewarded. I hope Soutter & Welsh continue their good form & are also pushing for places on October. Very pleased for Zander Clark, always thought he was one of the better spl keepers. Is Gordon fit enough for 3 games in a week? If not I'd give Clark his debut against Moldova as i think he looks a strong & confident enough character not to be phased by the step up.

I wrote my previous posts before knowing about Ramsey's motm performance, I've not seen the lad of play but if Vanderark14's description is right fck all this Scottish conservatism & get him in the squad at O'donnells expense now 🤣

Yeh your probably right though i did say potential. The kids missed most of last season injured, let's see how he performs for our Under 21's & if he can get some first team action for West Ham in the league Cup before raising expectations. To a lesser extent it's the same with Ramsay, only a handful of first team games so it's a bit early to judge his potential. Next squad i suppose we stick with Patterson & O'donnell & if Ralston keeps his place & performing well i would hope Clarke will consider bringing him in at the expense of O'donnell for the October fixtures.

Well said. Patterson looks to have all the attributes to be a mainstay for us but until he is playing high level regular first team football there's no guarantees. Ralston may not be the most talented but his attitude seems fantastic so if he keeps his club place ahead of their new signing he should certainly be a contender to start for his nation. I'm just happy that we're able to debate the emergence of 3 or 4 potential quality right backs(Patterson, Ashby, Ramsey & Ralston) who could be fighting for places in our squad over the coming years. Similar debates from quality number 9's who can finish soon please 🤞😊

Fair enough. We will look out for Johnston's performances this season & hope he kicks on. Actually i had high hopes for Rose, I've never seen him play but Leeds where supposed to be in for him after he had a great season in Coventry's promotion season. Think he had injury issues initially last season & a change of formation may have effected his playing opportunities. Lindsay started well when he first went down south, like Rose rumours of a big money move to the epl (Southampton) never happened & what I've read on forums about him since is that his defending is fine it's when the balls at his feet that his limitations show up.

You've missed out Welsh, younger that anyone else quoted there & outstanding tonight. Celtic fans are raving about him & the transformation in Tony Ralston. I watched the whole game as i support all Scottish clubs in Europe & they where both great, far superior than Taylor who's distribution is terrible. We along with most Celtic fans not long ago would have doubted Welsh was good enough & thought Ralston had no chance but the improvement in these 2 lads is incredible. First choices for me are any 3 from Hanley, Tierney, McTominay & McKenna. I think Welsh is good enough to challenge for the squad places alongside Cooper, Hendry & Souttar McIntyre & Porteous (still too rash) are next, both young enough to make the step up in the future. As for Johnston, i have my doubts as he has been rejected by 2 big clubs already in his career, though he is still only 22 & Bolton think enough of him to give him 3 year so you never know. The others you quoted, sorry but i can't see it, the Coventry lads & Lindsay are all 25+ & have not done anything last season that should make us think they are still improving as players.

Yeh true, thought he was poor during the Euros but think he is still pretty raw at this level so room for improvement in him. Good start for him today, long may it continue.

No chance unless he bangs in 3 or 4 goals in the next couple of weeks, that's highly unlikely as he didn't even start today. Strikers will be as in the Euros, Adams, Nisbet & Dykes. Squad will also be pretty much the same though one player who should be under serious consideration is Scott Wright, apparently he was poor against Malmo but apart from that Rangers fans are raving about him.

Yes big season for him, maybe its now or never.