Gordon Strachan - Herald Interview

[ErsatzThistle]

No more drinking whilst he's in charge. Includes the national team staff as well as the players.

Very good idea. Never want to see a repeat of "boozegate" ever again.

Decent interview here with Herald.

RINUS Michels introduced total football in the early 1970s and now Gordon Strachan can take the credit for introducing an equally foreign concept to the Scottish psyche: teetotal football.

Some previous Scotland sides might have asked their gaffer for a sneaky swally at the team hotel to celebrate a victory as momentous as the one his side recorded against the Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park on Friday night.

Some, such as those embroiled in the so-called "boozegate" scandal at Cameron House under George Burley in 2009, would even have used a defeat against the Netherlands as an excuse to drown their sorrows.

But there was a distinct lack of bevvying when the Scotland squad retired to their Mar Hall base on Friday night. Not a single drop of alcohol was sampled to toast Scotland's biggest result in years. Instead, as is the way in the modern game, the squad simply shared a bite to eat and dragged their weary, battered limbs to bed.

"I remember when I was a player, the captain would always ask the manager 'any chance of a couple of beers?'" recalled Strachan. "We are way above that now. They don't even attempt it. They are in a routine now and it is just no. We created this - the whole staff aren't allowed alcohol in the hotel. No-one has seen us with alcohol in two years. This is what top teams do. I also think if you look back in history, any argument, it is always involved. So you keep away from that."

Alcohol is deeply ingrained in the Scottish character, but like tennis star Andy Murray, this generation of Scotland players are benefiting from breaking the link. Most players' first port of call on Friday night was simply touching base with their friends and families in hospitality. "It is more civilised after games now," said Strachan.

"My wife [Lesley] was there and said 'this is fantastic'. She remembered the days we used to come up from Leeds and Manchester and stand outside in the pouring rain and get knocked about by the horses.

"They couldn't get in. There would be 200 SFA officials up the stairs and your wife was standing outside in the pouring rain. Players are different animals now, they just come back and go to bed. When you play in a big game like that and it is over, you are so relieved you just want to get back and sit down."

Strachan and his backroom team are well aware that European Championship qualifying Group D still has a fair distance to travel, with replicating Poland and the Republic of Ireland's victories in Georgia already looking crucial when Scotland travel there in September.

However, the only games Strachan accepts fall truly into the "must-win" category are our two meetings with minnows Gibraltar, the first of which is at Hampden in March. This group could go right down to head-to-head countback.

There was some minutiae from Friday night to be pored over. Strachan hadn't been surprised exactly by the Republic of Ireland's decision to omit Robbie Keane in favour of Shane Long and Jon Walters, but he was surprised exactly "how British" Martin O'Neill had been determined to make the match, at times almost a throwback to his old Leicester days.

After a few alterations to protect his back four from the long ball, there was also delight about the goal, a training ground variation of Stuart McCall's, although the one he envisaged didn't include Shaun Maloney's nutmeg or Scott Brown's backheel.

Strachan and his staff were persuaded to pose for a post-match Twitter picture with Ikechi Anya - "most people you would say 'take a running jump to yourself' but he's just such a likeable kid you can't tell him to f*** off" - while particular praise was set aside for Charlie Mulgrew in midfield and Andy Robertson, who set new standards on a flank which included the dual threat of Aiden McGeady and Seamus Coleman.

"Coleman and [Leighton] Baines have been the best full-back partnership in Britain, but Robertson was just phenomenal," Strachan said. "He never panicked at any time."

Strachan will rotate his battered and bruised squad for the meeting with England on Tuesday night, but occasions like these aren't draining just for the players. So much adrenalin has been involved that the Scotland manager has been finding sleep hard to come by.

"That's just part of the deal," he said. "You look drained, but you have to convince everybody before the game you are spot on and everything is alright.

"But it is good coming back and sitting down and watching the players enjoying the victory. You hear the crowd and think, 'that was great fun'. I didn't sleep last night because right away I started to turn over the England game.

"The Republic of Ireland result makes that much easier to deal with. The camp is bubbly, though we are not running about cracking jokes. But there is a satisfaction about the squad, a pride in what they have done."

We've got to get rid of this guy, he's just too damn professional

[Guest allyc]

No more drinking whilst he is in charge...that includes the fans.

[Peedie]

Just read it myself, very encouraging. But get it right it's the "sunday herald", the herald is still a no voting scumbag rag

[TheReid]

Great guy, great mindset .. Long may it continue

[andymac]

Just read it myself, very encouraging. But get it right it's the "sunday herald", the herald is still a no voting scumbag rag

And WTF has that goy to do with TA specific?

[mariokempes56]

Just read it myself, very encouraging. But get it right it's the "sunday herald", the herald is still a no voting scumbag rag

Irrelevant and wrong , the Sunday Herald was the only pro Yes paper in the UK.

[King Of Paisley]

Whit? Nae bevvy at the hotel?

Strachan must go. Unacceptable

[Bzzzz]

The more I listen to WGS the more I like him. It's an absolute delight to have him as our manager.

[King Of Paisley]

Bzzzzz - WGS has way matured as a manager. Gone are the wisecracks and sarcasm that were almost his 'trademark' during Press conferences.

Now you see a manager that is thoughtful, insightful and exuding confidence in his players.

I mentioned this in an earlier thread, but want to make mention of Mark McGhee. Given his failings at Aberdeen, he wasn't exactly the number one choice to be Strachan's number two, but listening to him in pre-match interviews this past well tells me he appears to be more than a positive influence in the dressing room along with McCall.

Amazing what you can achieve when you have a manager and backroom staff that actually trust and believe in the squad of players that they work with.

[Bzzzz]

We were saying on the way to the Weej how much of a pleasure it was to be going to Scotland games with a bit of hope again, still very much in the grateful stage that we've got Levein te fk!

[wanderer]

Bzzzzz - WGS has way matured as a manager. Gone are the wisecracks and sarcasm that were almost his 'trademark' during Press conferences.

Now you see a manager that is thoughtful, insightful and exuding confidence in his players.

I remember when he got the job having some niggling doubts about him being the right man.... during his last season at Celtic and his time at Boro, when you saw him on tv at Euro 2012, he looked a shadow of his former self, yet seems to have that fire back in his eyes now but as you said, a lot more mature now that he doesn't need to go about being snarky (me and the Mrs were watching the Sky programme on him, and my wife commented on "what a right wee sh*t he can be!" when they showed some of his best wise-cracks )

[Orraloon]

Irrelevant and wrong , the Sunday Herald was the only pro Yes paper in the UK.

Read it again ya daftie.

[Orraloon]

No more drinking whilst he is in charge...that includes the fans.

Well, I, for one, have joined the Strachan Temperance Society. Nae mair drink for me for the evening games. I'm driving.

[John_B81]

Another excellent and honest interview from Strachan. You can tell how much the players respect him, no danger of there being another "boozegate" scandal with him in charge.

Edited November 17, 2014 by John_B81

[The Kilt]

Another excellent and honest interview from Strachan. You can tell how much the players respect him, no danger of there being another "boozegate" scandal with him in charge.

helps when the Manager is not holding up the bar also.......and didnt go to bed until the early hours

Edited November 17, 2014 by The Kilt

[ParisInAKilt]

The players respect Strachan.