http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/ en-us Copyright 2010 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:56:11 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Our live Saturday match in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on ESPN will rightly go down as a classic. Yes, it sometimes takes sloppy defending to produce the kind of spectacle we witnessed at Pittodrie, but this was Scottish football at its most compelling. Most of us in the television commentary world wait for lulls in play to introduce relevant factoids and side stories affecting the particular game we‘re covering. This past weekend it was impossible to find any pauses, such was the cut and thrust of this high energy confrontation. Not that I was complaining! Co-commentator Craig Burley and I settled back and lapped up a thoroughly breathless ninety minutes. After invigorating occasions like this one, I feel it’s important that we talk up our own football. Goodness knows, we’re often very quick to do it down. This was an SPL classic in its own right. Think back to the 4-4 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal last season. It was given its due and is still put on a pedestal south of the border. We should accord Saturday’s epic the status it merits: Scottish match of the season, indeed many a season. That Aberdeen came from 4-2 down to earn a share of the points makes the outcome far more palatable to the home supporters than it does to the deeply frustrated Celtic contingent. As has so frequently been the case this season, Celtic’s defending had that old glass jaw quality about it. More on that in a moment. Tony Mowbray was correct to point out after the match that at least one area of the Celtic team is working. You can’t argue with 10 goals from three games. Particularly eye-catching was the second Celtic goal which saw captain Scott Brown lead by example, going on a splendid run with the ball at his feet. Robbie Keane was then content to be architect rather than finisher, passing beautifully to Marc-Antoine Fortune who swept it home at the far post. In an attacking sense, Celtic were at their most irresistible at the weekend. Keane is now off the mark in the SPL which can hardly hurt his confidence. Mind you, questions were fairly asked about Mowbray’s decision to withdraw his expensive asset with 15 minutes to go and the game not in the bag. Now back to that glass jaw. Three of the Aberdeen goals all had in common, the fact that Celtic failed to clear the ball away with authority. No one in the side looked composed on the ball amid all the constant harrying from the home side. They weren’t helped by the fact that Glenn Loovens and Jos Hooiveld were both missing, but all too often Celtic have appeared vulnerable at the back this season. The problems appear unlikely to go away quickly. The Dons’ penalty of course was down to a bizarre handball by Edson Braafheid. The Dutchman did little in this match to make a case for himself to national coach Bert Van Marwijk. In truth, Aberdeen could have had an earlier penalty when Artur Boruc caught the lip of man of the match Steven MacLean. For Aberdeen, Saturday’s stirring comebacks (they fought back on three separate occasions) might just kick start what has been a perplexingly erratic campaign. Mark McGhee knows he must now get it right on Tuesday against Raith Rovers in the Cup. But his players can feed off the fervour of Saturday lunchtime. In addition to MacLean, who starred with a brace, Darren Mackie and Michael Paton were excellent and both were on the score sheet. We’ll have Aberdeen’s next home SPL game live for you on ESPN at the end of this month, incidentally. The yawning 10 point gap at the top between Rangers and Celtic can likely be bridged, only if Celtic win both Old Firm games, and just about all their other remaining matches, while hoping their city rivals stumble. Stranger things have happened, but it remains the Ibrox club’s title to lose. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2010/02/the_spls_match_of_the_season.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2010/02/the_spls_match_of_the_season.php Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:56:11 +0000 Celtic’s bold personnel moves on transfer deadline day were designed to haul the Parkhead club back into the title race. The signing that had everyone talking of course was that of Robbie Keane and it could only be viewed as a gamble, a short-term solution designed to help land the championship. Now that Tony Mowbray’s men find themselves ten points behind Rangers with the same number of games played, it’s reasonable to wonder if the radical overhaul will be for naught in terms of silverware. Granted there will be commercial spin-offs to having a big name like Keane wear the hoops for a few months. Yet Rangers are going to have to come a cropper a few times, and Celtic might just have to win every SPL game between now and the end of the season. It’s difficult to envisage. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2010/02/keane_gamble_goes_against_the.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2010/02/keane_gamble_goes_against_the.php Rae's Say Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:01:35 +0000 It has been the most infuriating of seasons for Celtic fans to endure - that is until recent weeks. In the past few games there's been signs of life in the East end of Glasgow. Tony Mowbray has his men playing with confidence once more. The transition has been quite spectacular when you think about it. Just cast your mind back to Tel Aviv a couple of months ago, then even more recently to Dundee when Craig Levein's United side walked all over the Hoops in the closing minutes. At those junctures I really couldn't have foreseen such a rapid change in fortunes for the new Parkhead gaffer. Somehow Mowbray has found a formula that is working more consistently, and far more efficiently; his team simply have more balance now. It really is hard to work out though how Celtic have made the U-turn, but in my opinion it's been down to a slight change in tactics, and direction. At the start of the season Mowbray utilised a very attacking formation, with the likes of Scott Brown featuring in the same team as two wingers (McGeady and Maloney) and at least one striker. Since the manager tried Barry Robson on the right flank in Germany against Hamburg, the Hoops have looked more resilient and solid. Robson does like to attack, but he also realises his defensive duties – he, I think, has really helped Celtic turn the corner. Then of course there's the return to form of the enigmatic Georgios Samaras, and the return to fitness of Marc-Antoine Fortune. The former looks like a new man (do you remember the big Greek against Hearts in the League Cup a few weeks ago – he could have had a thousand shots that night and still not scored!). When Samaras plays to his full potential he can be lethal – and we saw a rare glimpse of that against Motherwell at Fir Park last weekend. Fortune has also had his critics in recent times, and rightly so. I remember him playing up at Tannadice in front of the ESPN cameras last month, and although he was just back from injury, his confidence looked very low. Now though you'd back him to score, his goal at Motherwell last week has seemingly done him the world of good. He carried that form into the game against Rapid Vienna midweek – and got Celtic back into the game with a great swivelling finish. If those two remain hot, then Celtic will continue their impressive run well into the New Year. Now that's the Hoops, but as for their opposition this weekend, well frankly it's hard to be so optimistic about Hearts. Csaba Laszlo's team have been a sorry state this season. Ok, I concede that injuries and suspensions have both been cruel to them, but aside from the excuses, some of their performances have just not been anywhere near good enough. The Jambos fans deserve more commitment and spirit from their men. I really couldn't believe what I was seeing at New Douglas Park a couple of weeks back when Hamilton walked all over Hearts in the first-half. The brawl that marked the end of the torrid encounter for the Edinburgh side just about summed it all up – they saved their aggression for the tunnel! Their supporters want to see that out on the green stuff. Hearts need to replicate their performance against Celtic in the League Cup match of a few weeks ago. Yes Celtic have improved greatly since then, but at least the Tynecastle side played some nice flowing football that evening. Michael Stewart passed the ball well, Christian Nade used his power effectively and Andy Driver tore Celtic apart in the closing stages (just ask Stephen McManus – he would still be chasing the winger now if he hadn't cynically scythed him down). Driver has been sorely missed of late – and his knee is still causing him problems. He won't take part at Tynecastle this weekend on the park, but I'm pleased to say, he will off of it. Andy will join me pitchside pre-match for a chat about his team's fortunes – so watch out for that on ESPN this Sunday. I'm not sure which Hearts will turn up for the encounter, but one thing's for sure – Tony Mowbray can expect a warm welcome from the home support. They will not have forgotten about his managerial past, I can guarantee you that. Listen for the boos when he reaches the dugout before the game! And enjoy our coverage on an ice-cold Scottish Sunday. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/12/celtic_almost_out_of_rehab.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/12/celtic_almost_out_of_rehab.php Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:15:39 +0000 ESPN cameras - and don’t choke on your lunch if you hear our commentator Derek Rae announce that Pele is starting for Falkirk. No the legend hasn’t come out of retirement, the Bairns have signed his namesake, and we expect him to start. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/12/rangers_must_regain_scoring_to.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/12/rangers_must_regain_scoring_to.php Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:14:37 +0000 ESPN’s Matchday Live from Tannadice, I find myself pondering what’s next for Dundee United’s excellent manager Craig Levein. Not without good reason, Levein is the favourite to land the vacant Scotland post. United’s remarkable 2-1 win over Celtic on Sunday certainly did plenty to bolster the argument that the 45-year-old - who played 16 times for his country - is the ideal man to succeed George Burley. One of the Scottish game’s deeper thinkers, Levein has something all the top managers have in abundance: natural authority. Not a man to suffer fools gladly, you had better be on your game when working with the United boss, and that applies to us in the media as much as it does to players wearing tangerine. His work since 2006 with Dundee United might appear solid, rather than spectacular, but the evidence of significant improvement is undeniable. It’s all the more laudable when you consider that no player on the club’s books makes more than £2,000 a week. Levein has the knack of getting the very best out of players who are far from superstars. As Sunday proved with the astute use of substitutes Jon Daly, David Goodwillie and Danny Swanson, he has the ability to make positive, match-altering decisions. These are important qualities the next Scotland manager must possess. So you might expect me to be a strong advocate of Craig Levein for the national side, and I have to say he does appear to be the outstanding candidate. But there’s part of me that hopes he remains on Tayside to build on the blocks already put in place. During the summer, Levein thought outside the box and tore the club’s old youth system asunder, appointing the innovative Ian Cathro and Brian Grant and placing the emphasis firmly on players’ technique. Cathro has no prior experience with an SPL club but his radical methods struck a chord with the manager. I made the point on-air before kick-off on Sunday that if one team is to push Rangers and Celtic this term, Dundee United might just be that team. A case can be made for Hibernian too, but United appear to have a little bit more tactical flexibility, again a tribute to Craig Levein. No one can get inside his mind, and approaches haven’t been made to him or any other potential Scotland manager, but this much is clear: Levein is the hottest coaching property in the Scottish game at the moment. He has unfinished business south of the border too, having found himself in charge of Leicester City at a less than opportune time. Does Craig Levein covet the Scotland job? Will he stay the course with Dundee United and finish the job he has started? Are both the Scotland and Dundee United positions, in his way of thinking, a stepping stone to English football? Deep down, I’m guessing he’s rather enjoying being the king of the managerial castle in Scotland at the moment. It’s never a bad thing to be wanted in any walk of life. Even if - when all is said and down - Levein remains at Tannadice, he’ll still be a manager going places. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/levein_a_leading_contender_for.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/levein_a_leading_contender_for.php Rae's Say Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:04:41 +0000 It’s time for everyone connected with Scottish football to get on with the business of improving our game north of the border. I write this in the immediate aftermath of the Premier League’s decision to reject a proposal arguing for future involvement by the Old Firm in a new and expanded form of England’s top flight structure. Perhaps now we can all forget about EPL 2, North Atlantic leagues and escape hatches generally. Rangers and Celtic are in Scotland to stay, and they would be doing themselves and all the other SPL clubs a favour, if they start talking up and empowering the domestic league. The 12 SPL chairmen rarely dance to the same tune, but when it comes to the future of the top division, not one of them should be off key. They are all in this together, and it’s time everyone got around the table and agreed on a radical plan to serve the interests of Scottish football as a whole. If that means throwing out the current 38-match fixture list, with a split after 33 games, so be it. Likewise, if a relegation play-off would make for a more compelling end to the season, put it in. This is no time for beating about the bush. No one can deny that this is a difficult period for the Old Firm clubs on the financial front. Yet it’s vital that they view their current off-pitch travails in the context of the league as a whole. For many years, the top clubs in Italy and Spain have been sending their younger players on loan to other clubs in their own leagues. That a Real Madrid player might prosper wearing the colours of Getafe is deemed beneficial to that particular youngster’s development. A case in point is Esteban Granero, now back at the parent club after a highly successful loan period with Getafe. Many of us in Scotland have been salivating at the prospect of a title race involving more than just two teams. Hibernian and Dundee United have both demonstrated in the early part of the campaign that they have the capacity to push Rangers and Celtic. It’s incumbent upon all the decision makers to find a way of making this the norm, rather than a once-in-a-decade phenomenon – and that includes the two established powers. As I’ve argued in previous blogs, the only way forward for Scottish football is to place a strong emphasis on youth. We might all have to get used to a tumbling co-efficient for a while, but realistically there is little choice, and there will be benefits in the long run. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/spl_must_focus_on_youth_not_en.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/spl_must_focus_on_youth_not_en.php Rae's Say Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:06:36 +0000 Let me start with the good news today. The most recent round of SPL fixtures was the most compelling so far this season. Sadly, the one match that didn’t deliver was the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle. After all, some of us had journeyed quite a distance to see it unfold! We, on ESPN, gave the Hearts v Hibernian contest the requisite big build-up but it was a drab affair with little to say for itself. Such a shame really as the day itself in one of Europe’s great capitals was glorious, while Armistice weekend was marked with taste and dignity. Hibs, the form team going in, were never able to impose their preferred slick passing game on a Hearts team better known for robust obduracy. That John Hughes lost Merouane Zemmama to injury and had to leave Derek Riordan on the bench for the same reason, meant a big shift in approach. Colin Nish an old-fashioned aerial centre forward has his uses, but you always feel there’s a tendency to play too many high balls in his direction when the big man is named in the side. Nish also needs someone to play off and there was no one fulfilling this important role. Abdessalam Benjelloun, who endured a forgettable afternoon was caught in the no man’s land area between midfield and attack. Anthony Stokes was similarly marginalised in a wide position on the left. Hibs simply didn’t spark into life until the gifted Riordan came on midway through the second half. Suddenly the Hearts defenders, Jose Goncalves and Ismael Bouzid who had been strolling through the game had something to think about. Hearts held dominion over their city rivals for much of the game but lacked a cutting edge. It has been a problem for the men in maroon all season and there is no panacea in sight. The bulky Christian Nade can hold the ball up well enough, but hasn’t scored for nine months in the SPL and all clubs must demand more from their first choice centre-forward. Hibs came close to scoring when David Wotherspoon’s shot took a slight deflection off the head of Nish, yet somehow Janos Balogh changed direction to make one of the saves of the SPL season. Hearts had a last gasp shout for a penalty rightly turned down when substitute Jamie Mole went down but an award would have been very harsh. Conclusions from the first Edinburgh derby of the campaign? Hearts will continue to struggle unless Csaba Laszlo is allowed to sign a finisher in January and preferably someone with a bit of creative ability in midfield. They are woefully short in both areas. Saturday was proof that Hibernian don’t have the capacity to play swashbuckling football every week. For verve and adventure they are heavily reliant on the manager’s ‘maverick four’ (Riordan, Stokes, Zemmama and Benjelloun.) When one member of that quarter is out, they’re not quite the same. Every other match on Saturday and Sunday provided the sort of entertainment Scottish fans have been craving. The 2-2 draw in the Lanarkshire derby between Hamilton and Motherwell was incident packed and engrossing. Fair play to the Accies for earning a point despite being reduced to ten men for most of the match. Sunday’s 3-3 draw at The Falkirk Stadium must go down as one of the best SPL spectacles in many a year. Celtic fans probably thought they would stroll to victory against the bottom club, but Eddie May’s young charges were up for it and provided a perfect example of how the less fashionable clubs might have a go at the Old Firm as winter takes hold. Meanwhile, I remain confident that the next Edinburgh derby on January 3 will have considerably more substance. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/edinburgh_derby_fails_to_shine.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/edinburgh_derby_fails_to_shine.php Rae's Say Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:11:32 +0000 So we are finally here – the first Edinburgh derby live on ESPN – and you would not want to miss it. Thanks to an incredible start to the season by Hibs under the stewardship of new manager John Hughes, and the lacklustre start by their capital rivals Hearts – this game has all the necessary ingredients to be a classic. Hearts simply can’t afford to lose this one, as that would leave them an amazing 14 points behind Hibs in the table, an embarrassing statistic that really sums up their SPL form this season. In fact, it’s hard to know which Hearts side will turn up on Saturday at Tynecastle, the one which defeated Celtic at Parkhead just a week or so ago in the League Cup, or the one which lost 2-1 at St Mirren a while back. It must be an infuriating question for boss Csaba Laszlo. The manager in fairness has been without many of his key players this season, but still, their squad is better than their league position suggests. So perhaps there is a bit of early season pressure on Laszlo. He will also be only too aware that he’s not won a game against Hibs in the league since he took over in Gorgie. Yet, what a tale of contrasting fortunes it is for ‘Yogi’ Hughes. The enigmatic Easter Road boss is off to a dream start in Edinburgh. He has his team 2nd top of the SPL, and two weeks ago they drew 1-1 with Rangers at Ibrox – an indication that they are the real deal (for now anyway). Hughes has employed an attacking formation in recent games highlighting his bravery, and it’s proved to be a real hit with his players. Perhaps it can be best described as a 4-2-4, yes that’s not a typo, and I mean 4-2-4! In Zemmama, Benji, Riordan and Stokes they have quite a forward-thinking quartet. If they are deployed in the capital clash then it could be a wide-open explosive affair. Benji even recently stated that he thinks his team can split the Old Firm this season – I doubt that, but if he’s serious then this is the kind of game they have to win. Mind you, recent history is on Hibs’ side. They did not lose a derby to Hearts in the league last season, and they have actually won the last two in a row. Any guesses as to when they last won three in a row? Well it was the 1975-76 season – what a chance they have to do that at Tynecastle. The last derby in Gorgie was a tough battle between the teams, with Derek Riordan’s penalty proving the difference (and it sparked mayhem in the crowd), but I expect this one to be a little different. I really do think there will be more passing and creative play on display – that’s what Hughes and Laszlo demand – but I fear that type of encounter will only play into Hibs’ hands. They have the attacking options and the form book with them – but hey after all, it only takes a derby to throw all that form out the window! Catch our big-match build-up live on ESPN tomorrow at the slightly earlier than normal time of 11.45am. In the lead-up to kick-off we’ll bring you exclusive interviews with Derek Riordan and Anthony Stokes, as well as Andy Driver of Hearts, a man who’s been in the headlines a lot recently. You really wouldn’t want to miss this one. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/its_derby_day.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/11/its_derby_day.php Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:51:47 +0000 ESPN, I've looked at squad lists choc-full of players in the early years of their football development. Part of that of course has to do with the much criticised SPL under-21 rule. In a matchday squad of eighteen players, three must be under-21. The SPL's chief executive Neil Doncaster has been quick to acknowledge that there are differences of opinion amongst the clubs when it comes to this issue. While introduced with the best of intentions, it has had the effect of promoting young players before they're truly ready for the top flight. Many clubs use the three under-21 slots ostensibly as bench fillers. Anyone covering Scottish football on a regular basis naturally wants to see a harvest of emerging players who have something to offer the SPL and ultimately the Scottish national team. The truth is, we often end up giving star billing to footballers who are at best ordinary. However it surely stands to reason that with more players than ever being given a chance at a very young age, one or two might just represent the real thing. In recent weeks, I've seen impressive performances from Murray Davidson at St. Johnstone, David Wotherspoon at Hibs and Fraser Fyvie, who is tasked with dominating in midfield for Aberdeen at the age of 16. Such players usually benefit from experience around them though. On Sunday, I watched Hamilton's 17-year-old Jordan Kirkpatrick grow in confidence once the seasoned Guillaume Beuezelin came on to supply him with ammunition against Celtic. Maybe we simply have to show a bit of patience. In the mid-nineties, an entire generation was damaged by the effects of the Bosman ruling. It became more convenient for clubs to sign quick-fix players from overseas for no transfer fee, than to invest in youth. The likes of Fyvie and Kirkpatrick will get the chance to prove themselves in these financially constrained times. It's up to them to seize it. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/spl_is_young_at_heart.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/spl_is_young_at_heart.php Rae's Say Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:45:29 +0000 ESPN this weekend – McInnes has indeed put pen to paper and committed himself to the Saints until 2011. That news will be a massive boost to all the St Johnstone players as well, as McInnes was a favourite while he pulled on the blue strip at McDiarmid Park and he remains a firm favourite as boss as well. The manager who learned his trade at Ibrox under the man in the away dugout this weekend – Walter Smith – has shown maturity in his first few top-flight games in charge. Impressively, he’s also even stuck with his purist approach, trying to get his newly-promoted team to keep the ball on the deck. I took notice of that when the Saints played Celtic earlier this year at Parkhead. Okay they lost 5-2, but they used the ball nicely at times, and few teams score twice at Parkhead by the way! The fact that St Johnstone also won their first SPL game of the season a couple of weeks ago against Hamilton will help their confidence – it will allow them to play with more freedom against Rangers. The Ibrox side will not be expecting to head south on Saturday afternoon without all three points though, so McInnes’ men will have to be on top form. Rangers got their campaign back on track two weeks ago against Celtic, even if it wasn’t the most convincing of displays. Prior to the Old Firm encounter the Gers had gone three SPL games in a row without a goal – a truly amazing stat. Kenny Miller was the man who broke down Celtic’s defence in that match (or perhaps the Celtic defence broke down themselves) and he will have re-enforcements on Saturday to help him up top. Kris Boyd is a surprise inclusion in the squad after his swift return from the fractured eye-socket he suffered against Celtic. Kyle Lafferty (who came on for Boyd at Ibrox early on) will also be key in the coming weeks. Anyone watching Northern Ireland’s World Cup Qualifying campaign in recent months will have noticed how devastating Lafferty can be when he’s on-form. The Rangers fans may have wondered what all the fuss was about when Kyle first arrived at Ibrox (as he took time to settle), but I’m pretty sure the striker will have a big role to play for Walter Smith this season. Keep an eye out pre-match for our interview with McInnes by the way, as we’re going to try and re-unite him with old pal Ally McCoist prior to kick-off. Those two were great friends at Ibrox when they played together during the nine-in-a-row years, and I’m sure they will have some stories for us on Saturday. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/saints_face_tough_test_in_gers.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/saints_face_tough_test_in_gers.php Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:16:39 +0000 ESPN they defeated St Mirren, but it wasn’t vintage Celtic, and Mowbray made it clear to me after the game that he expects better – an honest assessment from the manager. I admire Mowbray for attempting to get his team to play slick, attacking football but his frustrations suggest his players aren’t executing his game-plan well enough. Mowbray is still experimenting with his side in defence as well, his centre-half pairings have changed in the past few weeks, and that is another area he’ll have to think long and hard about ahead of this game. Does he pick McManus and Caldwell (as he did midweek), or is it Loovens and McManus (as at St Mirren Park last week)? It’s something he’ll have to get right, and it’s a big call. Both managers have tough decisions to make ahead of the game, but Walter Smith’s dilemma may be at the other end of the pitch. Up front his men have not been firing on all cylinders and Kris Boyd has not been sharp of late. The Rangers boss will need to decide who the best partner for Kenny Miller is on Sunday, assuming the Scotland international is fit enough to start. Of course Smith has seen it all in these derby matches, and his experience (and the fact that Rangers are at home) perhaps gives the Gers a slight advantage. The fact that they’ve also had one day more rest than Celtic may also be a factor. Then again, who knows what will happen, it is after all the Old Firm, the derby of all derbies, and the outcome is almost impossible to predict. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/smiths_gers_cannot_afford_derb.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/10/smiths_gers_cannot_afford_derb.php Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:21:29 +0000 It seems like just yesterday, but Celtic’s traumatic trip to Tel Aviv should be all but forgotten inside Parkhead. Two games have come and gone since that uncomfortable night for Tony Mowbray, and two wins have been the more than welcome result for Celtic. It’s true that last week perhaps there was an element of luck involved in the win against Hearts, as the Hoops could easily have conceded a penalty a 1-1, but as the then assistant manager at Spurs - Guy Poyet - once said to me – “a win is a win”. It’s exactly that kind of result that can change a season. Three games without a victory in Scotland is seen as a crisis, so that result at Parkhead last week really was crucial. I fully expect Celtic to build on that win, and their midweek demolition of Falkirk in the League Cup, at St Mirren Park on Saturday. Mowbray’s men will play with confidence once more, and that was lacking when they took to the field against Hearts a week ago. It will be especially interesting to see what side Mowbray picks, and whether or not he sticks with the impressive Paddy McCourt against St Mirren. The Northern Irish midfielder starred at the Falkirk stadium on Wednesday, and many think he deserves a chance in the SPL. With Aiden McGeady missing from the squad there’s a chance he could make the starting line-up, but realistically Mowbray will replace McGeady with Niall McGinn, who’s electric pace and endeavour against Dundee Utd a few weeks ago made many in the Celtic Park crowd sit up and take notice. McGinn’s namesake – Stephen – is also one to look out for on Saturday. He’s been on fire for Gus MacPherson’s St Mirren side, and it looks like he is destined for bigger things. It’s not just his goals that have made me notice him this season; it’s his overall work-rate and performance. He links play together, shows creativity on the ball – oh and did I mention his goals? Against Kilmarnock on Tuesday he found the net yet again, and the strike was fantastic. Just don’t mention home form on Saturday (St Mirren are still looking for their first home SPL win at their new stadium). The subject is a mute-point among the players. Odds are though that MacPherson and his team will have to wait at least another few weeks as, if Celtic don’t come away with all three points, the ESPN cameras will have filmed a real shock. Watch out for our interview with Scott McDonald in the build-up to the game. It’s a typically honest account from the Australian who’s scored six goals already this season. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/tel_aviv_trauma_well_in_the_pa.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/tel_aviv_trauma_well_in_the_pa.php Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:43:06 +0000 Rangers arrived at Rugby Park on Saturday on a real high note, having come close to taking all three Champions League points against Stuttgart, but they left Ayrshire disappointed after another indifferent display in the SPL. The question Walter Smith must be asking is; why the inconsistency? The signs were good in Germany; Rangers had the lion’s share of possession in the closing half-hour and could even have won the game. For the first time in a while they also out-passed a top team in Europe. Yet in the SPL in the last 2 weeks they’ve been out-played by sides they really should be beating. In fairness, Motherwell were extremely impressive against Smith’s men, but the ease in which they created chances throughout the game will worry Gers’ fans. Kilmarnock on the other hand are not as fluent as Motherwell and they still gave the Rangers defence a difficult time. Of course, indiscipline did not help on Saturday, Pedro Mendes saw Red early on, marking the third game this season Rangers have had a man dismissed. That did make life hard for the Ibrox outfit, but to be honest, they didn’t look like scoring before Mendes headed to the dressing-room for an early bath. Walter Smith put out an expansive attacking line-up against Killie, and he should be commended for trying to get Rangers on the front-foot from the start. Novo and Naismith were charged with supplying Kris Boyd - and with Fleck, Mendes and Davis in behind – you would have expected Rangers to create more. The players simply didn’t perform though, and you can’t blame that on the manager. In fact, few in the travelling Gers’ support would have complained about the line-up at kick-off I suspect. Why the system didn’t work is baffling. Perhaps the legs were tired after the midweek exertions in Germany (although there were 4 changes made to the starting side), or perhaps the come-down was too great from Germany. There’s no getting away from the fact that it’s tough to raise your game again so soon after a massive European occasion. Either way, the performance was sub-par, and that will worry the management team at Murray Park. Rotation will be key for Smith in the coming weeks, as the games come thick and fast (they have the League Cup midweek, then an SPL match before the Champions League tie with Sevilla and an Old Firm match), so the fringe players will simply have to step-up their game. Many more dropped points and Rangers will once again go into the closing stages of the campaign playing catch-up, and that’s hardly an appealing scenario given the demands on them in European competition. Aberdeen come calling next in the SPL, and the Ibrox men need to find their Champions League form before Sevilla arrive at Ibrox (Luis Fabiano will expose Rangers unless they are at their very best). Without the suspended Pedro Mendes, Kevin Thomson will play a key role supporting the excellent Steven Davis – who seems more comfortable in the centre of the park anyway – and both Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd will need to re-discover their goal-scoring form. The defence has done their job (two consecutive SPL clean-sheets, and one without Boughera) so now it’s over to the attackers. Walter Smith will hope they find consistent form soon. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/domestic_inconsistency_takes_s.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/domestic_inconsistency_takes_s.php Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:46:47 +0000 I’ve watched a couple of ragged 0-0 draws in the Scottish Premier League in the past week. The Falkirk v Aberdeen stalemate lacked all-round quality but, if anything, Saturday’s meeting of Kilmarnock and Rangers was an even poorer spectacle. I would be tempted to say the Killie pie was game’s tastiest offering but they had all been gobbled up by the time I made my way down from the commentary gantry. Referee Steve Conroy is getting much of the blame for the fact that the Rugby Park tussle failed to hit the high notes. Fair enough, he booked eleven players and sent off two (plus Rangers manager Walter Smith) and many have argued he was hasty in reaching for his pocket in most instances. I’ve spent the last few seasons with Spanish football as my commentating bread and butter. I can assure you, most of the cards issued by Mr. Conroy would also have been cautions and orderings-off in the Primera. The trouble is, in Scotland we prefer to let certain things go, in the name of the ‘flow of the game.’ Obviously I’m not a referee myself and I have great admiration for the men who take on this difficult job. It seems to me, the officials are caught in something of a quandary between managing the game as they see fit, and at the same time, pleasing the assessors watching in the main stand. Some Rangers fans believe the first booking handed out to Pedro Mendes (he was later given his marching orders) was on the soft side. In the old days, they point out, he might have been spoken to and warned before the card game started. To run this argument to its logical conclusion, a referee runs the risk of spoiling a game by taking the names of too many players and eventually being forced as a matter of consistency, to bring out the red card. But was Conroy really to blame for the inadequate passing, the complete lack of subtlety and general huffing and puffing we witnessed in East Ayrshire? I’m not so sure. In fact, a case can be made that the decision to book Pedro Mendes for a second time actually put a bit of life into a match that was slowly dyng on its feet. Sometimes, players just don’t deliver and Rangers were well below their best on Saturday, lacking the imagination and verve they displayed in Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday. It’s difficult to be as critical of a Kilmarnock side who had gone 27 competitive games without beating Rangers at home, a run dating back more than fifteen years. Their priority was always going to be keeping it tight and making sure the champions didn’t cut them open. Steve Conroy may have been over-zealous with a few of his cards, but it seems churlish to say it’s the referee’s fault when so many players underperform. http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/players_to_blame_not_the_ref.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/players_to_blame_not_the_ref.php Rae's Say Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:55:31 +0000 ESPN broadcast of Hibs' home game against Celtic, we showed several replays of the now infamous Aiden McGeady sending-off incident. The first couple of retrospective views gave the impression that there was perhaps clumsy contact by Paul Hanlon. But the telling angle, which showed what referee Dougie McDonald saw, made it clear that McGeady had indeed gone to ground without any help from the young Hibernian left-back. It was a courageous decision by one of Scotland's top whistlers to hand the Republic of Ireland international his second yellow card of the day, but our pictures proved that it was, under the circumstances, absolutely the correct one. Now with the naked eye, it appeared to most people, myself included, that Hanlon had caught McGeady and was about to go into the book himself. Certainly that was the opinion of assistant referee Gary Sweeney, whose flag indicated a free-kick to Celtic. The entire matter shows just how hard a referee's job is. In this case, McDonald should be congratulated. However, can you imagine if there had been say, just a single camera showing highlights of the Sunday match, or no camera at all? There's every chance the referee would have been roundly criticised for reaching a bizarre conclusion. Most of us will applaud the directive aimed at stamping out simulation. Occasionally, refs will wrongly book a player for diving, but we must perhaps accept such collateral damage in the name of clamping down on those who seek to con the officials. As Sunday's incident demonstrated, it's not always easy to differentiate between the legitimate and the illegal. Not all referees are as strong or as able as Dougie McDonald. At least the message has been sent out that cheating will not be tolerated in the SPL. Let's hope everyone takes note in the weeks and months ahead. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/bravery_of_mcgeady_ref_to_be_a.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/northoftheborder/archives/2009/09/bravery_of_mcgeady_ref_to_be_a.php Rae's Say Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:35:10 +0000