Friendlies before euro 2020

[wanderer]

Irish Examiner saying we are one of 4 options for 2 games in France or Spain at the end of the season.

[ceudmilefailte]

5 hours ago, Archiesdad said:

We should invite Luxembourg over they would provide a stearner test.  

Trip to Luxembourg would be better. 

[loanhead-tartan]

A friendly against Holland apparently in the pipeline doing the rounds on Twitter 

[wanderer]

12 hours ago, loanhead-tartan said:

A friendly against Holland apparently in the pipeline doing the rounds on Twitter 

In Faro according to the Mail.

If Portugal was hosting Euro 2020 games I would say there was a good chance of fans being there, but I suspect it will still be a empty stadium.

[ProudScot]

On 3/29/2021 at 8:08 PM, loanhead-tartan said:

A friendly against Holland apparently in the pipeline doing the rounds on Twitter 

Ah excellent. 90 minutes of defending with Kenny McLean subbed on in the last 7 minutes when we are going to “go for it” 

[ProudScot]

Ireland are playing Andorra & Hungary in Spain pre Euros dates, not us. 

[loanhead-tartan]

Luxembourg and Holland the confirmed friendlies 

[Super_Scotlandfan]

11 minutes ago, loanhead-tartan said:

Luxembourg and Holland the confirmed friendlies 

Netherlands in Faro. Stars are aligning for Ryan Gauld. 

[LewisEDI]

large squad, turnbull, gauld and paterson starting the luxembourg game 

Edited April 6, 2021 by LewisEDI

[wanderer]

Dates have been switched, now Netherlands on the 2nd in Portugal and Luxembourg on the 6th.

Both countries are still closed doors to fans (Portugal had to play a Home World Cup qualifier in Italy last week) so probably not worth spending to much time on unless given go ahead.

[scottincarlisle]

20 minutes ago, wanderer said:

Dates have been switched, now Netherlands on the 2nd in Portugal and Luxembourg on the 6th.

Both countries are still closed doors to fans (Portugal had to play a Home World Cup qualifier in Italy last week) so probably not worth spending to much time on unless given go ahead.

We stayed in Hotel Eva last time in Faro. Right beside bus station for airport bus. But its unlikely as you say fans attending. Great curry house in Faro as well.

[wanderer]

1 hour ago, scottincarlisle said:

We stayed in Hotel Eva last time in Faro. Right beside bus station for airport bus. But its unlikely as you say fans attending. Great curry house in Faro as well.

Yeah, I think Vaccine Passports have to be agreed in parliament (which looks unlikely as Labour are saying they will vote against them) or the UK will need to lift its "illegal" to leave the country criteria before the 21st of June, so I do not see either of games having fans (or if they do it will be last minute)

[adamntg]

3 hours ago, Super_Scotlandfan said:

Netherlands in Faro. Stars are aligning for Ryan Gauld. 

Just turn up and bring yer bits son. 

[Tartan blood]

19 hours ago, adamntg said:

Just turn up and bring yer bits son. 

Apparently he plays literally 7 miles from the stadium we are playing the Dutch in. If he can't get into that squad, he never will (under Clarke).

[ProudScot]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

Apparently he plays literally 7 miles from the stadium we are playing the Dutch in. If he can't get into that squad, he never will (under Clarke).

But Andy Considine, Greg Taylor & John Fleck need to sit on the bench, so there’s no room for Gauld, Turnbull, Gilmour or Patterson 😬

[Tartan blood]

7 minutes ago, ProudScot said:

But Andy Considine, Greg Taylor & John Fleck need to sit on the bench, so there’s no room for Gauld, Turnbull, Gilmour or Patterson 😬

You're forgetting that we need to give Palmer and McBurnie token game time against minnows to not hurt their feelings as well. Know your place, Gauld. 

[scottincarlisle]

Is there not talk of squad size being larger with the 5 sub rule being used?

[ceudmilefailte]

9 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

You're forgetting that we need to give Palmer and McBurnie token game time against minnows to not hurt their feelings as well. Know your place, Gauld. 

None of those players could replace, McBurnie, your just jumping on the he's rubbish band wagon

[Tartan blood]

31 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

None of those players could replace, McBurnie, your just jumping on the he's rubbish band wagon

I'm really not, and have very rarely said a bad word about McBurnie on here. I even put him in my recent 23 man squad list. You are also making the assumption there is a rigid quota of players per position. I'd personally only take 3 strikers, and at least 1 less CB. So it is perfectly acceptable to replace a striker for a midfielder.

I don't think anyone necessarily needs replacing for the friendlies though. However, the point is, there are clearly players in the squad that Clarke has little to no intention of using much (Considine, Taylor, Fleck, Palmer, McBurnie(?)) So, if we are tight for space, then surely 1 or 2 of them can be freed up to have a look at future talent in training and cameos.

Edit: I rate all of the players I mentioned highly. But if Clarke isn't going to use them, then what's the point? Especially the older ones. 

Edited April 7, 2021 by Tartan blood

[ProudScot]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

You're forgetting that we need to give Palmer and McBurnie token game time against minnows to not hurt their feelings as well. Know your place, Gauld. 

Yes of course we do. 

There’s quite a clamour among ex players for including those listed.

It’s such an opportunity missed to not have included the 4 of them in the recent squad - we didn’t even need to leave anyone out to do it. 

[Third Lanark]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

You're forgetting that we need to give Palmer and McBurnie token game time against minnows to not hurt their feelings as well. Know your place, Gauld. 

If I remember rightly, Considine (whose main contribution to date has been that awful song) was only brought in because of a sizeable injury crisis involving McKenna, Tierney, Cooper among others. The fact he didn't feature in the last 3 games suggests he may be being slowly phased out - there is really no justification for keeping him in ahead of younger talent. Might not be without significance that McBurnie didn't feature either, though I'm still unsure about Nisbet, his potential notwithstanding.

[Tartan blood]

12 minutes ago, Third Lanark said:

If I remember rightly, Considine (whose main contribution to date has been that awful song) was only brought in because of a sizeable injury crisis involving McKenna, Tierney, Cooper among others. The fact he didn't feature in the last 3 games suggests he may be being slowly phased out - there is really no justification for keeping him in ahead of younger talent. Might not be without significance that McBurnie didn't feature either, though I'm still unsure about Nisbet, his potential notwithstanding.

It would be a great story if Considine did make the Euros squad and actually play. But, realistically, even with a larger squad, we have to be ruthless. As much as I like him, I don't think he should make the final list.

I did think that Nisbet being brought on before McBurnie against the Faroes was quite telling. But I might be reading into it too much and it could simply be because Clarke knows McBurnie well, and doesn't need to see him on the pitch as much as he does Nisbet. 

If it were me, I'd take 30+ players to Portugal, including Gauld, then whittle it right down for the Luxembourg game, depending on who performs well in training and in the match.

[ceudmilefailte]

1 hour ago, Tartan blood said:

I'm really not, and have very rarely said a bad word about McBurnie on here. I even put him in my recent 23 man squad list. You are also making the assumption there is a rigid quota of players per position. I'd personally only take 3 strikers, and at least 1 less CB. So it is perfectly acceptable to replace a striker for a midfielder.

I don't think anyone necessarily needs replacing for the friendlies though. However, the point is, there are clearly players in the squad that Clarke has little to no intention of using much (Considine, Taylor, Fleck, Palmer, McBurnie(?)) So, if we are tight for space, then surely 1 or 2 of them can be freed up to have a look at future talent in training and cameos.

Edit: I rate all of the players I mentioned highly. But if Clarke isn't going to use them, then what's the point? Especially the older ones. 

My McBurnie comment was slightly tounge in cheek, but when you think about it who do can you really bring of the bench. Really don't fancy any of the alternatives 

I would imagine squad sizes will be increased but if not I would imagine you have pretty much named the three to let go. 

[wanderer]

It was announced tail end of last week that UEFA were to raise squad sizes from 23 to 25 for the Euros

[adamntg]

4 hours ago, Tartan blood said:

Apparently he plays literally 7 miles from the stadium we are playing the Dutch in. If he can't get into that squad, he never will (under Clarke).

Is the game at Algarve Stadium?