A sensible perspective?

[Bridie Bhoy]

I actually think Clarke is a very good coach. There is no way a string of successful managers kept him as their assistant at Chelsea unless he has something special about him.

But I'm not fully convinced he is a brilliant manager, as I feel his decision making can be suspect and he seems bloody minded at making "tough decisions" for the sake of it and shows too much loyalty to under-performing favourites. Also, for me he far too often resorts to being overly cautious and defensive.

Personally I think his strengths are working day-to-day with the same players getting them well drilled at defending.

There is a big difference between managing at club level and international level. To manage your country requires you to identify players from different teams and bring them together to gel. They don't have time spend much time actually coaching his players. The international manager must also be able to inspire players who he doesn't know quite as well as a club manager - to be fair, Clarke seems to be able to do this despite his dour personality.

 

[TTQtKK⚠️]

I think in clarks case he is just trying to think he's to clever, but certainly isn't working for him and what I've seen of the Scotland team of late, and Stephen Kenny with Ireland has tried the same approach also without to much success either, but at least changed things slightly and the results have improved also.
Ange so far has stuck to his guns on formation and with at least 2 players for every position with still a fair bit of players been able to adapt in different positions also.
A manager knowing what he wants will breed confidence within a squad prepared to do there roles for the team, compared to a guessing game manager which destroys confidence and gets a team playing with just the same confusion the manager is showing imo.

Ange’s approach I think is bizarrely rare nowadays. Even MON was guilty of it. Maybe there are other things at play, budgets, available players but it’s so infuriating.

 

[TTQtKK⚠️]

I actually think Clarke is a very good coach. There is no way a string of successful managers kept him as their assistant at Chelsea unless he has something special about him.

But I'm not fully convinced he is a brilliant manager, as I feel his decision making can be suspect and he seems bloody minded at making "tough decisions" for the sake of it and shows too much loyalty to under-performing favourites. Also, for me he far too often resorts to being overly cautious and defensive.

Personally I think his strengths are working day-to-day with the same players getting them well drilled at defending.

There is a big difference between managing at club level and international level. To manage your country requires you to identify players from different teams and bring them together to gel. They don't have time spend much time actually coaching his players. The international manager must also be able to inspire players who he doesn't know quite as well as a club manager - to be fair, Clarke seems to be able to do this despite his dour personality.

100% get that for sure BB. The thing that drives me crazy is, as an international manager, you can’t buy players to suit your system. If that’s true then the job is to find players who do (Jack Charlton style) or if you are a top coach find the right system for your players and back ups for each position as Ange has done. Scouting as you are alluding to I think.

 

[Bridie Bhoy]

100% get that for sure BB. The thing that drives me crazy is, as an international manager, you can’t buy players to suit your system. If that’s true then the job is to find players who do (Jack Charlton style) or if you are a top coach find the right system for your players and back ups for each position as Ange has done. Scouting as you are alluding to I think.

Absolutely. I often think that recently retired star players make the best international managers as they as inspirational and sympathetic to the players. This is often what successful European countries do whereas the home nations usually go for older managers coming to the end of their managerial careers.

Clarke is just determined to play this 3 CBs when none of the players are used to it or indeed very good at it. McTominay is a midfielder and should never play as CB ever again (I wouldn't start him in midfield either). Hanley has done OK in the past but I wouldn't start him either. Stop picking favourites and play the best player available.

 

[TTQtKK⚠️]

Stop picking favourites and play the best player available.

I do genuinely think it is this simple. Big Hanley has done well for us in the past but he’s had a horrible season with Norwich, and looking at that first goal tonight he’s seriously lacking in confidence.

 

[John nó]

I actually think Clarke is a very good coach. There is no way a string of successful managers kept him as their assistant at Chelsea unless he has something special about him.

But I'm not fully convinced he is a brilliant manager, as I feel his decision making can be suspect and he seems bloody minded at making "tough decisions" for the sake of it and shows too much loyalty to under-performing favourites. Also, for me he far too often resorts to being overly cautious and defensive.

Personally I think his strengths are working day-to-day with the same players getting them well drilled at defending.

There is a big difference between managing at club level and international level. To manage your country requires you to identify players from different teams and bring them together to gel. They don't have time spend much time actually coaching his players. The international manager must also be able to inspire players who he doesn't know quite as well as a club manager - to be fair, Clarke seems to be able to do this despite his dour personality.

Hit the nail on the head there BB with the difference between the coach and the manager upon the decision making.
The mindset of the players now and of the top managers imo, is a draw can be looked upon as a defeat in many ways nowadays with handing a huge advantage to your rivals.
For example at present with Clark in the nation's league a draw in both games against the Ukraine might seem as decent results but in truth only allows Ireland back in with an outside chance of topping the group, so gaining a win in at least one of the games should be the priority now, but that doesn't seem like the mindset of Clark, especially with the attacking players he has to work with for some reason.
Yet Clark looks very comfortable setting up a team that can be hard to beat, but supporters want to be entertained with seeing good attacking football.
Getting that balance right is a key for success especially within a possession based game these days.
Just think Clark is far more comfortable in the defensive side of the game and yet is struggling so badly at present with it, and Ange is far better having a team on the front foot instead of the back foot and only criticism about Ange approach is not been clinical enough at the finishing that the good play deserved at times, but hardly a criticism of Ange as such.
Certainly know which approach to the game I like to see anyway

 

[Smelltheg-love]

I actually think Clarke is a very good coach. There is no way a string of successful managers kept him as their assistant at Chelsea unless he has something special about him.

But I'm not fully convinced he is a brilliant manager, as I feel his decision making can be suspect and he seems bloody minded at making "tough decisions" for the sake of it and shows too much loyalty to under-performing favourites. Also, for me he far too often resorts to being overly cautious and defensive.

Personally I think his strengths are working day-to-day with the same players getting them well drilled at defending.

There is a big difference between managing at club level and international level. To manage your country requires you to identify players from different teams and bring them together to gel. They don't have time spend much time actually coaching his players. The international manager must also be able to inspire players who he doesn't know quite as well as a club manager - to be fair, Clarke seems to be able to do this despite his dour personality.

There’s no doubting he knows the game and the players seem to like playing for him.
I think he blew the euros in the first game by being cautious when he should have realised a home game was a one off yi he taken advantage of
Set the Tone before a baw was kicked
Great result/performance v that mob down south though

I thought he made a similar arse of the Ukraine game and blew his chance by refusing to change It when we all saw it going south

In Ireland the players done him up

But we look like we’re capable at times and he did get us to euros which is more than anyone in however long.

He’s the right man for the job, of that I’ve no doubt. There’s nobody else out there I think that would take the job then better his record

 

[Winter]

Well I'm going against the grain it seems.
I'm liking it for the really unreal results its throwing out.
Players want to play for their country unless nearing the end of their career.
It's the fans who dont want their clubs players playing too much .
One country that definitely are loving it , Turkey they must've been dancing a wee jig to be grouped in with Luxembourg, the Fareo Islands and Lithuania ( who have 0pts in that group) albeit that's a group C level Turkey are better than C and it shows, still they couldve had Greece, North Macedonia and Slovakia who are in the Cs.
If it keeps throwing spanners in aw directions then more of the same please.

 

[John nó]

Well I'm going against the grain it seems.
I'm liking it for the really unreal results its throwing out.
Players want to play for their country unless nearing the end of their career.
It's the fans who dont want their clubs players playing too much .
One country that definitely are loving it , Turkey they must've been dancing a wee jig to be grouped in with Luxembourg, the Fareo Islands and Lithuania ( who have 0pts in that group) albeit that's a group C level Turkey are better than C and it shows, still they couldve had Greece, North Macedonia and Slovakia who are in the Cs.
If it keeps throwing spanners in aw directions then more of the same please.

Not so sure some players really want to play for there countries in what they could class as meaningless games at a time of year when rest with so much uncertainty surrounding their club futures, could be seen as a much bigger priority for them at this moment in time.
Also makes very hard work for the manager's and leaves them wide open to huge criticism and trying to keep unity within a camp, when possibly many of the top players within the squad would rather not be there imo.
Using Scottish players as examples, John Robinson has had a gut wrenching end of season capped off by missing out as captain for his country going to a world Cup, yet still expected to preform in games after that still?
Mctominey facing a very uncertain future with a new manager coming into man united and this on the back of a dreadful season for them, and hardly been helped with having to play totally out of position in a back 3, for which he wouldn't do at club level, and hardly impressed the new manager if he was looking in at him.
So this mini international tournament may have given the football junkies like myself an interest, not so sure the players and management involved will see it quite that way now.
Think the club v country row may well intensify in future now if this is going to increase with the number of extra matches involved with internationals nowadays, especially with many still expecting footballers to be able to preform as robots still.

 

[Winter]

Not so sure some players really want to play for there countries in what they could class as meaningless games at a time of year when rest with so much uncertainty surrounding their club futures, could be seen as a much bigger priority for them at this moment in time.
Also makes very hard work for the manager's and leaves them wide open to huge criticism and trying to keep unity within a camp, when possibly many of the top players within the squad would rather not be there imo.
Using Scottish players as examples, John Robinson has had a gut wrenching end of season capped off by missing out as captain for his country going to a world Cup, yet still expected to preform in games after that still?
Mctominey facing a very uncertain future with a new manager coming into man united and this on the back of a dreadful season for them, and hardly been helped with having to play totally out of position in a back 3, for which he wouldn't do at club level, and hardly impressed the new manager if he was looking in at him.
So this mini international tournament may have given the football junkies like myself an interest, not so sure the players and management involved will see it quite that way now.
Think the club v country row may well intensify in future now if this is going to increase with the number of extra matches involved with internationals nowadays, especially with many still expecting footballers to be able to preform as robots still.

I suppose theres 2 ways of looking at this.
Before that though, the waters been muddied a bit with the world cup being awarded to Qatar meaning a fixture scheduling nightmare that will run into the 23/24 season before any semblance of normality can be re-established by domestic associations around the world but especially in Europe, I dont need to explain that ,we all know about this.
I'll take my cue from Ange.
He actively encourages/wants his players to be part of their respective national sides plans even though it may mean more games and weve heard him say as much , how it's an honour to play for your country and players should want this if they have any ambition.
Ange opinion aside these players not just at Celtic are young healthy and super fit.
In my teens and 20s/30s ( just very recently ) I was playing 5 asides and full length 11v11 often 3 times a week, just as much as todays professional players who are far fitter than I ever was, I've never bought into the ' players are playing too much ' theory. They get paid way more than they should for doing something they love anyway.
I take the view players should want to play all the time and are rewarded well for it and all should want to represent their country.
Unless nearing end of career were to maintain a high standard at club level it might be best to prioritise club over country , like broony did though broony had had the honour of captaining his country many times.
Some players will never even play for club and country and must be envious of such an option.
Fans want players to be fit for club over country normally though many want both.
The other side of the coin is you're above post.
Players arent robots but they are mostly all paid for doing something they love.
Want to be recognised as being the best the nation has to offer in position and the exposure that comes with performing well on the international stage.
It's not the same as being asked to put in a double shift at a factory or labour intensive job they certainly dont love.
Balance though has to be there as well.
Being as fit as a horse is one thing but mental fatigue can detract from form as much as any injury can.
Awarding Qatar that tournament will test clubs more than others messing with the scheduling and recuperation time players get which if you're calmac or juranovic , isnt much , worse if your playing in Europe and japanese , Australian internationals with all the travel that's involved.
That's part and parcel of the game, has been for decades now.
We can thank the corrupt fifa/uefa and national associations bribes for Qatar and it will take time to iron itself back out.
I'd say if I was a club manager and my 23 year old player had no interest in representing his nation with the only reason being ' it's too much football' I personally would be disappointed with this attitude as that would mean the players only in the game for the money, happens more and more that players have the ability and talent but see it as a job and nothing more .
The vast sums on offer for wages dont help this.
2 sides which is right or wrong is a toss up or take your pick .

 

[Tarzan Trombone]

I actually think clarke is making Scotland punch well above the general standard of our players.

I dont think he would be good fit at Celtic although i do think he would get best out of players albeit in a mourinho style set up

I really dont think there are better managers for our current scottish players in terms of actually being able to get more out of them or being inteested in the job.

Until we find really capable strong strikers Scotland will struggle to beat good defences imo

 

[John nó]

I suppose theres 2 ways of looking at this.
Before that though, the waters been muddied a bit with the world cup being awarded to Qatar meaning a fixture scheduling nightmare that will run into the 23/24 season before any semblance of normality can be re-established by domestic associations around the world but especially in Europe, I dont need to explain that ,we all know about this.
I'll take my cue from Ange.
He actively encourages/wants his players to be part of their respective national sides plans even though it may mean more games and weve heard him say as much , how it's an honour to play for your country and players should want this if they have any ambition.
Ange opinion aside these players not just at Celtic are young healthy and super fit.
In my teens and 20s/30s ( just very recently ) I was playing 5 asides and full length 11v11 often 3 times a week, just as much as todays professional players who are far fitter than I ever was, I've never bought into the ' players are playing too much ' theory. They get paid way more than they should for doing something they love anyway.
I take the view players should want to play all the time and are rewarded well for it and all should want to represent their country.
Unless nearing end of career were to maintain a high standard at club level it might be best to prioritise club over country , like broony did though broony had had the honour of captaining his country many times.
Some players will never even play for club and country and must be envious of such an option.
Fans want players to be fit for club over country normally though many want both.
The other side of the coin is you're above post.
Players arent robots but they are mostly all paid for doing something they love.
Want to be recognised as being the best the nation has to offer in position and the exposure that comes with performing well on the international stage.
It's not the same as being asked to put in a double shift at a factory or labour intensive job they certainly dont love.
Balance though has to be there as well.
Being as fit as a horse is one thing but mental fatigue can detract from form as much as any injury can.
Awarding Qatar that tournament will test clubs more than others messing with the scheduling and recuperation time players get which if you're calmac or juranovic , isnt much , worse if your playing in Europe and japanese , Australian internationals with all the travel that's involved.
That's part and parcel of the game, has been for decades now.
We can thank the corrupt fifa/uefa and national associations bribes for Qatar and it will take time to iron itself back out.
I'd say if I was a club manager and my 23 year old player had no interest in representing his nation with the only reason being ' it's too much football' I personally would be disappointed with this attitude as that would mean the players only in the game for the money, happens more and more that players have the ability and talent but see it as a job and nothing more .
The vast sums on offer for wages dont help this.
2 sides which is right or wrong is a toss up or take your pick .

Very true winter that there is 2 ways to look upon how these international fixtures were used and definitely Qatar has messed up the international calander as such.
For Ireland it was a great opportunity for a young developing team to gain experience in order to potentially make a decent chance to actually qualify for an international tournament like the euros in a few years time, so time well spent imo with getting a more settled team for qualifying matches in the future.
However watching the few Scottish games, I wouldn't say Scotland could make the same claim with far more questions than answers raised during these games imo.
Don't believe turnbull and Taylor were given enough opportunity to see what they could actually bring to the Scottish team as such, and still looks like a team with a closed shop front still remains very evident imo.
So the real question imo, is did Clarke really use these international matches wisely enough to be of a benefit to the Scottish national team in future?
Only time will tell, but his selection process for a vital world Cup play off game hardly helped his cause and opened himself up to plenty of criticism in the matches afterwards with his team selection process.
If he believes that the 3CB option is the best way for the national team to operate then fair enough, yet in the games I saw it looks a shambles and without the players to play it with any degree of confidence imo, so a missed opportunity for the national team imo, yet could have given Clarke many answers to questions he was looking for, but I would differ on what I saw.
Confidence is a huge factor in football and seen nothing within the Scottish games to actually build upon, a bigger case for the actual oppersite happening imo.

 

[Winter]

I actually think clarke is making Scotland punch well above the general standard of our players.

I dont think he would be good fit at Celtic although i do think he would get best out of players albeit in a mourinho style set up

I really dont think there are better managers for our current scottish players in terms of actually being able to get more out of them or being inteested in the job.

Until we find really capable strong strikers Scotland will struggle to beat good defences imo

Aye I'd agree with you on that.
I cant think of any Scottish manager right now that would do better.
Grateful he didnt get the Celtic job as well, hes been interviewed twice now for the post and his philosophy is not the Celtic way.
I cant get my head around the constant rotation and mctominey at RB when we have good RBs there .
It's as though mctominey MUST play at all costs no matter where, I'm sure hed put him in goals if that was his only option of getting him on the field.
I'd understand if hes trying things and players for future situations but surely he can see mctominey at RB doesnt work.
Reminds me a bit of Lenny#2 at times and his obsession with ntcham had to play no matter what leading to calmac at LB once which was insane our most creative player at LB and I think that was a European game.

 

[John nó]

I actually think clarke is making Scotland punch well above the general standard of our players.

I dont think he would be good fit at Celtic although i do think he would get best out of players albeit in a mourinho style set up

I really dont think there are better managers for our current scottish players in terms of actually being able to get more out of them or being inteested in the job.

Until we find really capable strong strikers Scotland will struggle to beat good defences imo

Not so sure myself TET about Scotland punching above there weight, as on paper Scotland certainly have a decent enough squad on paper, but Ireland are certainly punching above there weight with the caliber of players they have at present and the level of club football they are currently operating in.
In a very tactical game nowadays Clarke and Kenny have both fallen short, but at least Kenny made the changes to improve the results hugely, yet Clarke can't make the same claim imo.
Got no issues with a manager going for a 3CB option especially when it's becoming more popular amongst managers nowadays, but like any formation it has good and bad points.
The big question with the 3CB option calls into question of the full backs with a more defensive mindset against using the midfielders as a wing back more so.
Worked very well for Ireland when the switch was made in using the wider midfielder as a midfielder in pressing higher than the natural full back in the role and results also improved hugely also.
Scotland still prefer to use the full back trying to push higher up the field which is causing confusion within a 3CB option especially one that lacks so much pace.
Wouldn't like to see Ange opt for the 3CB option especially without us having the players still to go with that option imo, not one that would give me any confidence against a half decent team anyway

 

[Winter]

Very true winter that there is 2 ways to look upon how these international fixtures were used and definitely Qatar has messed up the international calander as such.
For Ireland it was a great opportunity for a young developing team to gain experience in order to potentially make a decent chance to actually qualify for an international tournament like the euros in a few years time, so time well spent imo with getting a more settled team for qualifying matches in the future.
However watching the few Scottish games, I wouldn't say Scotland could make the same claim with far more questions than answers raised during these games imo.
Don't believe turnbull and Taylor were given enough opportunity to see what they could actually bring to the Scottish team as such, and still looks like a team with a closed shop front still remains very evident imo.
So the real question imo, is did Clarke really use these international matches wisely enough to be of a benefit to the Scottish national team in future?
Only time will tell, but his selection process for a vital world Cup play off game hardly helped his cause and opened himself up to plenty of criticism in the matches afterwards with his team selection process.
If he believes that the 3CB option is the best way for the national team to operate then fair enough, yet in the games I saw it looks a shambles and without the players to play it with any degree of confidence imo, so a missed opportunity for the national team imo, yet could have given Clarke many answers to questions he was looking for, but I would differ on what I saw.
Confidence is a huge factor in football and seen nothing within the Scottish games to actually build upon, a bigger case for the actual oppersite happening imo.

This is what TET and myself are also on about , this obsession with mctominey must play is holding back the development of our actual RBs Ralston and Hickey , Hendry.
Hendry didnt cut it here but did well at oostende and got a move to anderlecht or another Belgian club canny mind , shouldnt mean hes suddenly better than hickey hes playing in serie A as a RB and mctominey is keeping him and Ralston oot? Mind boggles Idk whits going on.
Clarke has brought debuts for youngsters elsewhere in the team that's good I'll give him that much.
Fact is we only have dykes and Adams as strikers right now and Clarke's trying to bring in a couple of others but its been forced upon him and no really by choice.
Ireland on the other hand, well this is exactly what was needed for ireland cos that run couldnt continue just a pity it was us that kick started yous haha.
I know you think that Armenia result has mibbe cost yous this group ( I noticed in an earlier post you mentioned that) I wouldnt write Ireland out yet.
It seems that all 4 sides are capable of taking something from each other and the results that's been getting churned oot have been unreal and not just our group or the B level. Never know the minute with this tourny

 

[Winter]

Not so sure myself TET about Scotland punching above there weight, as on paper Scotland certainly have a decent enough squad on paper, but Ireland are certainly punching above there weight with the caliber of players they have at present and the level of club football they are currently operating in.
In a very tactical game nowadays Clarke and Kenny have both fallen short, but at least Kenny made the changes to improve the results hugely, yet Clarke can't make the same claim imo.
Got no issues with a manager going for a 3CB option especially when it's becoming more popular amongst managers nowadays, but like any formation it has good and bad points.
The big question with the 3CB option calls into question of the full backs with a more defensive mindset against using the midfielders as a wing back more so.
Worked very well for Ireland when the switch was made in using the wider midfielder as a midfielder in pressing higher than the natural full back in the role and results also improved hugely also.
Scotland still prefer to use the full back trying to push higher up the field which is causing confusion within a 3CB option especially one that lacks so much pace.
Wouldn't like to see Ange opt for the 3CB option especially without us having the players still to go with that option imo, not one that would give me any confidence against a half decent team anyway

Fair point but mibbe unfair a bit on clarke cos what he inherited from eck was pretty much on a par with Ireland after WGS had just about put us into a decent place.
Clarke got 23 pts from 10 games that was enough for 2 other nations to win their 10 match groups croatia and canny mind the other.
Ireland have turned 2 performances in just right now , last 2 games .
Kenny has to maintain that and go on an long unbeaten run, something Clarke's done twice ( I'll give him that , still not his biggest fan though) cant be overlooked that we only lost once to Denmark away in those 10 games and beat them back.
Austria and israel are hardly mugs either so I'll give him credit where its due.
Have to mind Clarke's done this on the back of losing the best striker weve had for years in Griffiths, and has a QPR target man striker and 1 top flight striker Adam's who's games came on leaps and bounds since he pledged allegiance tae the lion rampant.
If Kenny keeps it going, outside of the nations league then I'll give him the same nod.
Until then the nations league isnt the same as a euros/wc group where theres always a top nation or 2 sometimes in the group.
I cant stand Kenny must say but I'd love nothing more than for him to turn Ireland's fortunes around cos for Ireland, defeats and draws to Luxembourg and such nations ireland would normally blow away , even a depleted Ireland . Just hope it's not against us anymore haha

 

[Tarzan Trombone]

Not so sure myself TET about Scotland punching above there weight, as on paper Scotland certainly have a decent enough squad on paper, but Ireland are certainly punching above there weight with the caliber of players they have at present and the level of club football they are currently operating in.
In a very tactical game nowadays Clarke and Kenny have both fallen short, but at least Kenny made the changes to improve the results hugely, yet Clarke can't make the same claim imo.
Got no issues with a manager going for a 3CB option especially when it's becoming more popular amongst managers nowadays, but like any formation it has good and bad points.
The big question with the 3CB option calls into question of the full backs with a more defensive mindset against using the midfielders as a wing back more so.
Worked very well for Ireland when the switch was made in using the wider midfielder as a midfielder in pressing higher than the natural full back in the role and results also improved hugely also.
Scotland still prefer to use the full back trying to push higher up the field which is causing confusion within a 3CB option especially one that lacks so much pace.
Wouldn't like to see Ange opt for the 3CB option especially without us having the players still to go with that option imo, not one that would give me any confidence against a half decent team anyway

decent squad but seriously lack a top striker

our balance isnt very good across squad imo

we have good players but i think every team ranked higher than us has better players and better balance to pick from

we also need to play counter attacking football at international level imo

and our best players playing in scotland are better at attacking football but i dont think we have the right quality of players to play a more attacking game at international level.

just how i see it.

i think clarke miles better than last few scotland managers if not all managers we ever had

His style of football reminds me a lot of MON without having any of the players MON ever had

we dont have the aerial threat needed for proper quality counter and our strikers arent good enough to control an attacking style and finish

for me mon was the most boring manager we ever had but it worked direct as feck long wide balls into our very strong attacking three

But because it workred so well MON gets credits other managers wouldnt simply by having real top players who could play his system well

scotland dont really have top players in any positions imo other than maybe left back and we have 2

i dont think any other players in our team would get many games in teams rated above us

Therefore i think we do punch much higher with clark than without him

just my opinion

 

[John nó]

Fair point but mibbe unfair a bit on clarke cos what he inherited from eck was pretty much on a par with Ireland after WGS had just about put us into a decent place.
Clarke got 23 pts from 10 games that was enough for 2 other nations to win their 10 match groups croatia and canny mind the other.
Ireland have turned 2 performances in just right now , last 2 games .
Kenny has to maintain that and go on an long unbeaten run, something Clarke's done twice ( I'll give him that , still not his biggest fan though) cant be overlooked that we only lost once to Denmark away in those 10 games and beat them back.
Austria and israel are hardly mugs either so I'll give him credit where its due.
Have to mind Clarke's done this on the back of losing the best striker weve had for years in Griffiths, and has a QPR target man striker and 1 top flight striker Adam's who's games came on leaps and bounds since he pledged allegiance tae the lion rampant.
If Kenny keeps it going, outside of the nations league then I'll give him the same nod.
Until then the nations league isnt the same as a euros/wc group where theres always a top nation or 2 sometimes in the group.
I cant stand Kenny must say but I'd love nothing more than for him to turn Ireland's fortunes around cos for Ireland, defeats and draws to Luxembourg and such nations ireland would normally blow away , even a depleted Ireland . Just hope it's not against us anymore haha

Must admit winter not a fan of Kenny as a manager myself even if credit is due to him upon the last couple of results and performances still with a limited group of players on ability wise.
Yet still quite annoyed that scales wasn't even called into the squad and especially when he wants to play with the 3CB option, as still think that could well be a great position for scales to actually shine in.
Doesn't make any sense to myself with Kenny and his league of Ireland background still ignoring a player who was regarded the best player within it before he joined us, strange decision imo.

 

[John nó]

decent squad but seriously lack a top striker

our balance isnt very good across squad imo

we have good players but i think every team ranked higher than us has better players and better balance to pick from

we also need to play counter attacking football at international level imo

and our best players playing in scotland are better at attacking football but i dont think we have the right quality of players to play a more attacking game at international level.

just how i see it.

i think clarke miles better than last few scotland managers if not all managers we ever had

His style of football reminds me a lot of MON without having any of the players MON ever had

we dont have the aerial threat needed for proper quality counter and our strikers arent good enough to control an attacking style and finish

for me mon was the most boring manager we ever had but it worked direct as feck long wide balls into our very strong attacking three

But because it workred so well MON gets credits other managers wouldnt simply by having real top players who could play his system well

scotland dont really have top players in any positions imo other than maybe left back and we have 2

i dont think any other players in our team would get many games in teams rated above us

Therefore i think we do punch much higher with clark than without him

just my opinion

Agreed about a top striker TET and strange now how the British and Irish nations are seemingly struggling to get decent top quality strikers these days.
However can't see any comparison with how Scotland and a MON team like to set up.
Mon always stuck to his 442 with the use of wingers at possibly every role in management he took on with possibly the most success gained with us in doing so.
Game has moved on nowadays and players tend to be not able to express themselves with such a possession based game these days and players sticking to gameplans etc etc.
Even with the increased science and technology used these days, then every performance from any player can be dissected to pieces these days especially when such fine margins remain within the game.
Never been much of a fan of the loan striker role with having to do so much thankless work expected and far fewer goal scoring opportunities for the striker to thrive upon imo.
VAR has hardly helped there cause now with having to play more in front of a CB now when a toenail can prevent a great run and finish to actually stop you doing what was so natural for the striker in how he once used to like to play, hence more of the attacking midfielder is seeming to come into play more these days imo

 

[Tarzan Trombone]

Oniel motly played 352 or 343 with us imo

with real quality delivery from wings into front 2 or 3

when i used to go to games in top tier i lost count of the amount of times id be staring across the city above main stand only to miss yet another goal

Mon for me was good man manger and good at direct hoof football and just so happened to have some top top players to execute it right to euro final

But 442 was rare imo and usually only against advocaat

if clarke had sutton larsson and hartson to pick every game i think you would see the same style better in scotland

try playing mon tactics with scotland squad and you will probably find he jacks it coz he only wants players who can do it at top levels

clark much better than mon imo coz he can get best out of mediocre players

mon could only get best out of top players

but both play direct football with onus on counter attack with long balls into our strongest players but scotland dont have players to pull it off imo at highest levels of tourneys

MON was good but still very ooverrated imo

boring as feck

not a patch on clough and less strong manager than clark

clark doesnt have the hype factor required but he is a top manager especially with ordinary players.

without the hype factor you will struggle to keep top players on their toes.

scotland will never have hype manager or a better manager than clark imo

in our superficial world hype counts more than ability

and few have both

but hype mangers will always get top jobs since hype at highest levels makes the top players tick, for a year or two anyway.