Clarke hasn't a clue...sack him

[Caledonian Craig]

1 hour ago, Orraloon said:

Two games three days apart. That's 2 games in 4 days. If it was 2 games in 3 days they would need to play Fri and Sun. Holy fuk man, have you never seen a calendar? 

We will agree to disagree. You won't budge and I won't. End of the day there were many EPL players in our squad to only be involved in one of the two games. One was the captain Robertson and other was McTominay who Clarke was trying to shoehorn into being a centre-back.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Caledonian Craig

[mccaughey85]

I would consider it to be 2 games in 4 days which is what most ppl would consider it.

[gkm_vancouver]

5 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Nah I don't buy it.

What must be understood is that for Tierney the season hasn't started yet so he has not reached full fitness where he can be comfortable playing two matches in three days hence the team selection last night where McGinn (in the same boat) also did not play. Also explains why Armstrong only played one of the two games as did McLean. The only one playing in the EPL who played both matches was the skipper Andy Robertson and McTominay who was a pivotal part in this three at the back abhorration...err ...experiment.

Only an assumption of course but the fragile Tierney situation is well known since his move to Arsenal. Clarke is taking more positives than negatives but seems to have raised more questions than answers. If Czechs had been full strength evidence suggests we would have been well beaten so we've had a fair amount of luck getting away with 4 pts,  a weakened opposition team and two penalties. Can only hope we start performing next month but signs are ominous so far. 

[Malcolm]

15 minutes ago, gkm_vancouver said:

Only an assumption of course but the fragile Tierney situation is well known since his move to Arsenal. Clarke is taking more positives than negatives but seems to have raised more questions than answers. If Czechs had been full strength evidence suggests we would have been well beaten so we've had a fair amount of luck getting away with 4 pts,  a weakened opposition team and two penalties. Can only hope we start performing next month but signs are ominous so far. 

we need consistency of selection and some decent results to build confidence.  Out with right back and centre half we have th players to make a decent fist of things.

[daviebee]

2 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

When Clarke got the Job there three names in contention him, Gemmell and some one else, can some one remind me please the third one before I go mad.

Malky Mackay?

[McTeeko]

2 hours ago, ceudmilefailte said:

When Clarke got the Job there three names in contention him, Gemmell and some one else, can some one remind me please the third one before I go mad.

Slaven Bilic was heavily touted but I’m not sure if he was in a ‘final three’?

[Pocketrocketman1888]

davie moyes ?

[wanderer]

Gemmell, Clarke and McInnes were the apparent "final three"....

Bilic was never anything more than just paper talk down to someone asking his agent (when Bilic was out of work) if the Scotland job would interest him, but was never a serious consideration. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by wanderer

[Guest ElChris04]

Firstly I do feel for Clarke in the way, if he can’t motivate these players then it’s a very depressing play off ahead for himself aswell as the fans if they can’t get behind him.
 

And after the performance against the Czech reserve team. A team that was assembled within a day, that played us off the park for the most part and looked miles better coached than we did. Fuck we looked like a high school football team and Clarke was a PE teacher. It was absolutely fuckin brutal. It looked to me he can’t motivate and there is seriously bad issues there. 
 

Not going to buy the “experiment” talk either, these games are still an opportunity to attempt for a World Cup play off spot, not sure why you’d gamble that. His decisions like Playing McTominay CB both games where woeful. 

Of course he won’t be sacked,  The playoff is what the SFA will judge him on, but what I will say is this, after the underwhelming performance against Israel. And the czech reserve team with all the chances they had that a team with remotely better quality would have scored, my hope of qualifying for anything is very very low. I just cannot see it with Clarke under these core of players who don’t look like a united team with him.

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by ElChris04

[ParisInAKilt]

12 hours ago, Malcolm said:

we need consistency of selection and some decent results to build confidence.  Out with right back and centre half we have th players to make a decent fist of things.

Not having a go, but I don’t get why people think this? Other than finishing above Albania and Israel recently, we’ve achieved nothing as a squad, I just don’t see any reason to be optimistic, in the sense of qualifying for something. 

[kiltedlegs]

34 minutes ago, ParisInAKilt said:

Not having a go, but I don’t get why people think this? Other than finishing above Albania and Israel recently, we’ve achieved nothing as a squad, I just don’t see any reason to be optimistic, in the sense of qualifying for something. 

welcome the the 2000s.  every 2 years this century we've looked like this.

[ThistleWhistle]

England played the same formation we did last night and looks slow in attack plus exposed on the break.  It negated the width they usually have via Sancho and Stirling being overlapped and only had one square peg in a round hole.  Apart from Robertson their other ten players would piss in to our starting XI.  

If a team pretty high on confidence with all their resources/ players in correct positions struggles to make it work how're we going manage with Championship standard back 5 and keeper outside of Robertson?  

[Malcolm]

5 hours ago, ParisInAKilt said:

Not having a go, but I don’t get why people think this? Other than finishing above Albania and Israel recently, we’ve achieved nothing as a squad, I just don’t see any reason to be optimistic, in the sense of qualifying for something. 

To me a decent fist of things is be challenging for qualification...   I don't think we have the players that will make it regularly like in the 70s/80s.  I don't think the squad personnel are any worse than anything else we have had over the past 20 odd years.  I am not optimistic as I don't think we have a spine of a team...  no real quality at centre forward or centre half and that is why we are where we are.

 

[Texas Pete]

6 hours ago, ElChris04 said:

Firstly I do feel for Clarke in the way, if he can’t motivate these players then it’s a very depressing play off ahead for himself aswell as the fans if they can’t get behind him.
 

And after the performance against the Czech reserve team. A team that was assembled within a day, that played us off the park for the most part and looked miles better coached than we did. Fuck we looked like a high school football team and Clarke was a PE teacher. It was absolutely fuckin brutal. It looked to me he can’t motivate and there is seriously bad issues there. 
 

Not going to buy the “experiment” talk either, these games are still an opportunity to attempt for a World Cup play off spot, not sure why you’d gamble that. His decisions like Playing McTominay CB both games where woeful. 

Of course he won’t be sacked,  The playoff is what the SFA will judge him on, but what I will say is this, after the underwhelming performance against Israel. And the czech reserve team with all the chances they had that a team with remotely better quality would have scored, my hope of qualifying for anything is very very low. I just cannot see it with Clarke under these core of players who don’t look like a united team with him.

 

The players shouldn’t need to be motivated by the manager for the playoffs. For a lot of this squad this is their best and  probably only chance of playing at a major championship. 

If the players can’t get motivated by that then they’re in the wrong sport. 

[kiltedlegs]

6 minutes ago, Texas Pete said:

The players shouldn’t need to be motivated by the manager for the playoffs. For a lot of this squad this is their best and  probably only chance of playing at a major championship. 

If the players can’t get motivated by that then they’re in the wrong sport. 

Correct.  Really want us to get there. 

 

29th November for the next group btw

[Guest ElChris04]

8 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

The players shouldn’t need to be motivated by the manager for the playoffs. For a lot of this squad this is their best and  probably only chance of playing at a major championship. 

If the players can’t get motivated by that then they’re in the wrong sport. 

In different situations I would agree, but these core of players look morally low on confidence.

And the players even if it may be the only chance for many at a major championship they will play for, look up to the manger to help them lead the belief that they can go in and win the play off and give them that final level of motivation to say - “fuck it why can’t we qualify? We’re good enough of paper, let’s go for it.”

But I just don’t see that kind of confidence with the players at all under Clarke, And that’s the genuine worry, it looks like we aren’t up to much in the organisation department either, we where all over the place. It just seems a real disconnect between the players and manger. 
 

I do hope Clarke can turn it around and prove many including myself wrong, goes back to basics with the tactics. And give these core of players the level of confidence and belief in him to do what are all desperate for. To end the wait for a major tournament. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by ElChris04

[Texas Pete]

31 minutes ago, ElChris04 said:

In different situations I would agree, but these core of players look morally low on confidence.

And the players even if it may be the only chance for many at a major championship they will play for, look up to the manger to help them lead the belief that they can go in and win the play off and give them that final level of motivation to say - “fuck it why can’t we qualify? We’re good enough of paper, let’s go for it.”

But I just don’t see that kind of confidence with the players at all under Clarke, And that’s the genuine worry, it looks like we aren’t up to much in the organisation department either, we where all over the place. It just seems a real disconnect between the players and manger. 
 

I do hope Clarke can turn it around and prove many including myself wrong, goes back to basics with the tactics. And give these core of players the level of confidence and belief in him to do what are all desperate for. To end the wait for a major tournament. 

I get the feeling that some of the players and possibly the manager (like a good few people on here) don’t really take the Nations League that seriously. 

The playoffs for Euro 2020 will be another matter and I’m sure the players will be totally up for it. 

[ParisInAKilt]

17 hours ago, Malcolm said:

To me a decent fist of things is be challenging for qualification...   I don't think we have the players that will make it regularly like in the 70s/80s.  I don't think the squad personnel are any worse than anything else we have had over the past 20 odd years.  I am not optimistic as I don't think we have a spine of a team...  no real quality at centre forward or centre half and that is why we are where we are.

 

I agree about the lack of quality in key positions. Hopefully we can get young players abroad in their mid teens and they can develop technically, we only need a few playing at a high level to make a difference. The fact we’ve not had a genuinely world class player in my lifetime is pretty depressing. 

[er yir macaroon]

On 9/8/2020 at 4:41 PM, Parklife said:

Haha!! 
 

We all hold out hope that Barrie McKay will come good one day  

I saw a headline that he was investigating a change of position. I thought, yes, he’s finally going to realise his potential by moving from the wing to the middle. Turns our he’s training to be a hairdresser. 

[scotlad]

On 9/8/2020 at 7:44 AM, Hertsscot said:

Lot of talk about dumping McTominay at the back. I don't think he should be there either but if we persist with three at the back I don't know who takes his place, Palmer? Gallagher? Would either be an improvement? Or go with three left footers in Cooper, McKenna and Tierney?

Wing backs, the only natural one is Tierney. If you use Forrest or Fraser you take away their ability to create in the final third.

I actually think any of those players would have been better in a back three than McTominay - at least they're actual defenders.  He was at fault for the Czech goal and it reminded me a little of the goal Kazakhstan scored where Graeme Shinnie was playing left-back - they both allowed attackers to run in behind them simply because they are not used to defending those positions.

As for Clarke, yeah, we could get rid but we've been here before, haven't we?  Changing the manager - again - doesn't address the more fundamental issues, namely the dearth of talent in goals, defence and attack.  However, a display as listless as the two we've just seen against opposition even slightly better and it could get very messy indeed.

On 9/8/2020 at 9:33 AM, Parklife said:

One of the worst takes ever. Didn't read on after this. 

Under Burley we attacked and went at teams. We were more shambolic defensively but much better going forward. 

So much better that we managed a grand total of 8 goals in 14 games - and one of them was an OG.

Burley took over a team that did attack opponents and score goals but in a remarkably short space of time undid almost all of the good work put in by his predecessors. He was a dreadful Scotland manager, arguably only eclipsed in that respect by the person who replaced him.

[scotlad]

4 hours ago, er yir macaroon said:

I saw a headline that he was investigating a change of position. I thought, yes, he’s finally going to realise his potential by moving from the wing to the middle. Turns our he’s training to be a hairdresser. 

Makes sense, he was always pretty good at cutting inside.

[kiltedlegs]

if only we could have the team of 2006/7

proper team that had bite and desire.

 

Even made Gary Caldwell seem like a footballer.

[Orraloon]

3 hours ago, scotlad said:

Makes sense, he was always pretty good at cutting inside.

Was he not more of a fringe player?

[Parklife]

7 hours ago, scotlad said:

I actually think any of those players would have been better in a back three than McTominay - at least they're actual defenders.  He was at fault for the Czech goal and it reminded me a little of the goal Kazakhstan scored where Graeme Shinnie was playing left-back - they both allowed attackers to run in behind them simply because they are not used to defending those positions.

As for Clarke, yeah, we could get rid but we've been here before, haven't we?  Changing the manager - again - doesn't address the more fundamental issues, namely the dearth of talent in goals, defence and attack.  However, a display as listless as the two we've just seen against opposition even slightly better and it could get very messy indeed.

So much better that we managed a grand total of 8 goals in 14 games - and one of them was an OG.

Burley took over a team that did attack opponents and score goals but in a remarkably short space of time undid almost all of the good work put in by his predecessors. He was a dreadful Scotland manager, arguably only eclipsed in that respect by the person who replaced him.

No one argues that Burley was a good Scotland manager. So not really sure what the point of your post was. 

[mccaughey85]

6 hours ago, kiltedlegs said:

if only we could have the team of 2006/7

proper team that had bite and desire.

 

Even made Gary Caldwell seem like a footballer.

That team certainly had more commitment and defensively it was better. It was well managed by Smith and mcleish as well. 

Although I wouldn't say it was necessarily better player wise than todays squad on paper. Better management and a solid defensive base is why it got results.