Motherwell Latest: Transfers, Europe & Manager Search

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]This is Bubba Daft. I'm Cofty in Canada.

[00:00:05]And I'm Peter and Wisher. And thanks for joining us again, ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls. Great to have you with us in the preseason. Um, there's no football happening, but we still here to chat about all things motherball and the World Cup as well, I dare say. Um, if you haven't done it already, I know we're boring the backside of it, but keep saying it. We're on YouTube, we're on Spotify, we're on Apple Podcast.

[00:00:28]Like, subscribe, share, get your pals involved, spread the word, and um keep the Marvel Daff going throughout the preseason. As you see, we've been nice weather this week, Gary. How's your weather been? Cuz I'm looking kind of brown as you probably noticed.

[00:00:42]>> Oh, wait. I was going to say that you you actually doing holiday. You know, you got a good color about you. I'm just I think the gray helps. It kind of makes the skin look a bit darker. You know what I mean? But >> I'm just I'm just starting to build on my tan from uh from see if I can show you my light bit.

[00:01:01]>> Oh, blime me. All right.

[00:01:03]>> So, panic over folks. Panic over there.

[00:01:06]You've seen your light bits. You see my white bits.

[00:01:08]>> Listen, this is this is M. It's not only fans. You can yourself down with that sort of white.

[00:01:13]>> If you if you're interested to see my other white bits, go to only.com.

[00:01:20]>> Oh my goodness. Um, >> I'm having nothing to do with that.

[00:01:24]Nothing to do with that.

[00:01:25]>> We've got a few things to chat about.

[00:01:27]>> Just broken the internet there, I think.

[00:01:29]>> Yeah, I think so. A few things to chat about this week. Some other football related. I'll quickly move it on. I wanted to bring up um a charity that's very important to a lot of Marvel fans hearts. Um, it's called Forever 7. Now model fans will will not need any kind of introduction about um a brave we warrior Zack Gun who sadly passed away at the age of seven. He'd been ill for most of his life and his mom and dad Gordon and Ashley and his big brother Jacob have been through a hell of a lot.

[00:01:59]But in that tragedy um there's been a lot of um positivity. They've set up a charity um for which will raise money to give kids sick kids at the Glasgow Children's Hospital a gift. And I think that's a wonderful idea in memory of that. There's a golf day coming up as well. Now, I've noticed they have um they've got an Instagram page which is forever_7_zap.

[00:02:22]Go there for more details. And they've also there's a page uh where you can buy t-shirts, polo shirts, caps, and hoodies um with the Forever 7 logo. Again, that's where they're raising all the money for. It's forever 7. Echo, that's d-appar apel.com.

[00:02:43]We will put the links to both of those.

[00:02:45]And this is on you, Gary, uh in the show description. No, >> so you can follow the links for more information uh on the charity and to to buy some apparel. Um as I say, it's going towards a wonderful cause and I know that the family, they are wonderful people. They've come through a heck of a lot. So if you can support that, you're supporting the the the Gala Children's Hospital and keeping the Forever 7 Zack Gun memory alive. So if you can get involved, folks, that would be absolutely wonderful.

[00:03:14]>> I think it's the least it's the least we can do. It's at least anybody can do. Um >> yeah, >> you know, tragic, you know, to lose somebody at only seven. I've got a we boy at seven at the moment and I just can't imagine what the guys are going through the family. Um >> it's a sad sad thing. So, let's let's let's pray out the stops. Let's support the charity and let's >> Absolutely. And the thing that's got to me as well is it's the absolute positivity >> that all the three of them have. It's absolutely it's heartwarming and it it should give everyone a real kind of sense of, you know, well, you know, and even in the toughest times, you can keep going. Um there's a Zach's bench in the memorial memorial garden. It's that park as well. If you're ever in there and Mrs. Bailey's B match and Zach's bench is there, you usually find uh Gordon there. His dad's who's an absolutely wonderful guy. Um, you know, how they keep going. How did you put one foot in front of the other? Absolutely astonish me. Um, I'm in absolute awe of the three of them. So, >> if you can support the charity, uh, Forever-7-Zack on Instagram for more information. put the links to that and the page on our show description >> all the links of me there and uh you know Zach was only here for a short time but he probably packed him lots in seven years and >> oh my goodness to make his memory live on um I'm going to go and do that I'm going to go and buy something um to support the charity uh yeah >> after we do this today cuz it's >> I think I might I think I certainly join you I think you a cat for you you like wearing your baseball caps so >> spreading the word Canada would be a nice we thing as well. I think >> anything anything we can do uh to support this charity we will do it absolutely 100%.

[00:04:58]>> Absolutely sir. No, if you can get involved folks we I know they would very much appreciate that. Um it's all quiet in the model front at the moment. Um obviously there's stuff going on in the background you say Sadley uh appointing the new manager. Um I want to talk about season ticket sales up 54% on this time last year which is absolutely remarkable isn't it >> incredible. It really is incredible.

[00:05:20]What what a legacy uh to the football that that was that was seen last season and by the way the positivity of you know losing the manager and thinking that okay we believe in the foundations that have been laid and the people in the club. I reckon you got to look at the rest of the wider club here and it's a huge compliment to how they've managed the situation uh from the fans. So brilliant. Well done.

[00:05:46]>> Absolutely. I mean obviously Yens is away in the end of the season. Andy Holidayiday retired. We know Callum Slatterie um is is moving on. A few others like Zack Robinson who had injury problems. Um interesting. Liam Gordon and Zad Mallister were listed as still under under discussion for new contracts. So we could see something there. and a few of the guys are still on contract like um Aposttoatopolis.

[00:06:10]First time that's been said through on the podcast. Um he's coming back from Australia whether the club you know keep them or whether they sell them on but we got plenty of players under contract and um so plenty of positivity for next season. The the Conference League second qualifying round draw Gary is on the 17th of June. Now we will be unseeded and Hibs will be seeded which is a strange one for some I think that's appearing in Europe and their efficient rating but I've made a note of a few of the teams that we could face at that round.

[00:06:44]>> I'm going to start off with probably the the biggest name which would be Ajax.

[00:06:49]Fancy a couple of days in Amsterdam.

[00:06:53]>> I mean why not?

[00:06:56]>> Ajax is one of the teams you could face.

[00:06:58]Sporting Braga of Portugal. Not to be confused by Brager of Hearts. That's just one guy. We won't be playing him.

[00:07:04]Although our fancy is 11 against one.

[00:07:06]>> That's a bad joke. That's >> don't deny it. The Sporting Bra there.

[00:07:11]Um Rapid Vienna as well. Big uh Austrian team. A couple of teams that model faced previously in Europe. Um Champions League 2012. We faced Panathan there in the draw.

[00:07:24]>> We could be back over there. and our first ever European opponents back in 1991. Katavichi >> I remember in there as well. So we go back to Poland and the last one I've noted is the shortest trip we could have which would be across the water to Belfast to face Lynfield which would be an easy trip for a lot of people and obviously the Northern Irish and the Scots were very similar people. I'm sure it would be a wonderful friendly chip for everyone be a wonderful time.

[00:07:52]Belfast is a wonderful city. So there's opportunities there if we if we draw Lfield, but there's lots of other other teams involved as well. I think there's a few either ors depending on the first qualifying round. So a few exciting names there. I actually is the one that obviously jumps out I think. Is it?

[00:08:08]>> Yeah. I think you know you know it's great Peter that we're having this conversation. You know what I mean?

[00:08:14]Actually it's it's a bit like Scotland being in the World Cup. You know it's the fact that we're going to be there.

[00:08:18]It's very similar similar emotions to it. The fact we're back in Europe. I don't really care who we get. I'm just looking forward to the the whole experience. Although the Northern I northern Irish uh trip, I think that would be that would be quite a good good fixture to get. I think >> I think so certainly kind of peak a lot of interest um you know uh here and uh over over the water as well. Um I think obviously Winfield I'm going to say I guess it's probably fair to say they've got some close affiliation with Rangers.

[00:08:48]So with me saying it would be kind of like um kind of friendly terms but perhaps it might not be quite as much but um I think genuinely between Scotland Northern and Ireland the people are very similar very similar outlooks on life and I think in general terms it would be would be a great trip. Um the next day actually no it's June the 18th that's when the Scottish Premier League fixtures for next season are out. So we've got a couple of days there um uh just a couple of weeks away where we've got a lot of um games to look forward to. So quite quite exciting times coming up.

[00:09:19]>> Where when is it the guys are back their summer holiday? It's only in a couple of weeks, isn't it?

[00:09:23]>> Well, I reckon though I mean the the first the qualifying round ties that we face uh will be on the 23rd and the 30th of July. So I reckon the players will be back at the end of uh at the end of this month. I reckon it's usually late June cuz I need to have a few friend leaves before we play our qualifying ties.

[00:09:42]>> 18th Thursday the 23rd 30th >> they're back the 18th of June and the Thursday that's when I thought >> I hopefully hopefully we'll have a manager in place but then I'd be interested.

[00:09:54]It's all quiet on that front, but that's good.

[00:09:57]>> They were doing a business quietly cuz the last two appointments, Michael Vimmer and obviously Yens, >> none of them were mentioned prior to appointment and then they were just appointed and that's when we first knew about it. So, >> I say K and the boards are doing uh work behind the scenes as we speak. So, interestingly times lying ahead.

[00:10:17]Obviously, as soon as that's announced, we are going to obviously jump on and we'll find out as much find out as much as we can about the the new manager, you know. Um, >> you know, I mean, I know I know Barry Ferguson quite well. I've got his number. He might even come on. Do you know what I mean?

[00:10:32]>> Why doesn't that surprise me?

[00:10:36]>> I'm glad on the podcast. Get him on the podcast for talking at the World Cup and nothing else.

[00:10:42]>> Do you know what? I'm glad um I'm glad I don't think he'd come on if he's watched you. You slagging him off as a manager.

[00:10:49]>> I wasn't slagging him off. I said the club would not be going down the route of a point Scottish a Scottish manager at this point. So, >> all right. So, I wasn't slagging him off.

[00:10:58]>> So, we'll forget about the fact that the silky football that we played and you mentioned we'd just be hoofing it up the park if Barry Ferguson was in charge.

[00:11:05]Was I quote what we said exactly? So, anyway, I think we need to I think we need to revisit that. But uh you know, >> listen, Barry, I'm glad we never got to with Declan last time, but um the the thing is I'm still serious about it. I still think he'd be a great appointment.

[00:11:20]And by the way, I hope we're not in the middle of the season thinking I just wish we had a Scottish manager that understood our game to get games one.

[00:11:29]And by the way, I still stick with us. I hope I'm wrong. Right. It's very difficult to get the manager that we just got and to come in and play that same style of football.

[00:11:41]>> Why?

[00:11:42]>> Very difficult.

[00:11:42]>> I don't disagree with you. I don't disagree. But the you know, obviously we might be looking at it negatively thinking, are we going to get somebody as good as Jens? Are we going to get maybe players that are as good as these guys? I mean, what happens if we get a better manager?

[00:11:55]>> Well, we're not we're not going to get somebody that's better than Y. I'm telling you.

[00:11:59]>> Maybe it's someone that just it just clicks even better. Maybe win a trophy.

[00:12:02]Who knows? Yens has done the speed work and set everything up for us. But >> so Yen is a way to lose, right? And and excuse my ignorance here, but I've got a life away for football, but I haven't double checked. Maybe should have, but see the background stuff like, you know, assistant manager and all that, you know, to only taken him or anything, have they?

[00:12:22]>> No, I think that the rest of our background staff are remaining at F Park at the moment. Whether they're potentially going to be working with whoever the new manager is or whether whether he will want to bring in his own guys, I don't know. But no, >> I suppose if it's someone coming from overseas, they might have they might want someone a group of people like Max Rogers, Neil Alexander, the goalkeeping coach, and the rest who have been here already, who know the club, who know the players.

[00:12:45]>> So, I think that's most likely that's paramount. I think we keep see if we keep everybody else the same and we bring in a new manager >> who's who's got, you know, a remat to come in and try and take us on from what Yen started and he's got that style of play in him, >> that makes me feel a bit better about it, you know. I think I think that's probably what will happen. One move I don't see happening um a lot of my fans that are exciting was peaked yesterday when Celtic basically released Steven Welsh um with a year to go in his contract. Um as much as I would love the big man to come back, I think they'll have much more exciting and attractive financial offers from elsewhere. Plus, and I mentioned this to yourself, I don't know whether it is a thing or not.

[00:13:28]I don't think Celtic would have released him with for no money if he thought he was going to come inside for Mullible.

[00:13:33]They wouldn't want to strengthen the rival, you know, at their cost. Um, as much as I would want him to come back, um, I think he's probably going to be overseas. It wouldn't surprise me if we ended up with with Yens Doo, who knows, but um, whatever he ends up, obviously we wish him well, but realistically, it's not going to be in Claraba again this year.

[00:13:53]I think you're right because if you look at the kind of statement that Celtic made, they thanked him for his contribution >> basically as a lone player weakening the chances of the other sides in the league.

[00:14:06]>> So um obviously he couldn't play when we played Celtics. So he did it and he did it really well. He did make us stronger.

[00:14:13]There's no two ways.

[00:14:14]>> Oh, listen. He absolutely put his heart and soul into it in every game. And I've got nothing but good things to say about Big Welshy. Uh he does an absolute brilliant term uh a model professional and I'm sure he'll be a big success wherever he goes. Um, now I want to touch on since our last episode the and I almost get fed up talking about this.

[00:14:39]The latest VAR review show with Willie Colum come out to obviously as usual to kind of universal approval and everyone nodded sage and went yeah Willie absolutely thanks for that. Um, obviously the the big incident with Sam Nicholson against Celtic uh was the major talking point to start with. My first point on is I want to we had major major raps to Gordon Duncan, a fellow Marvel fan who properly probed what they call him with every time he answered uh an element of the whole uh circus I'm going to call it that night. Um >> Gordon really really tested it. However, >> on every point >> and and I don't think Gordon could have done this and I don't blame Gordon for this, but there are at times I would have loved him to call back to what he said about that in when he was looking at other incidents to say, "Wait a minute, the consistency between using still images, and that's good. But in this instance, we've got to be careful."

[00:15:40]>> I mean, I'm talking about the the Mikey M tackle.

[00:15:43]>> It was a It was a glance. It was a glance. It was a glance. You know what I mean? It was a glance. Now, doesn't that what that reminded me of that discussion was the tackle um at Celtic Park um on Eli just um when the Celtic player was booked and they talk about oh it was just on the top of the boot and John beaten was saying oh there's some like blood on his shin there and they say no it was just like much much saying glancing contact um and again it was kind of like very very similar my own opinion on the oneway Alistar Johnson I've seen tackles like that showing a red card and if it had been a red card the the VAR would not have overturned I don't think because there's enough there even though Will said oh the leg was bent it wasn't straight the point of contact on Mikey Mo looked a bit kind of you know it was it was it was above the ankle and it's one of those ones and if you're a Celtic fan you'll defend it and say no it's just a yellow he got the ball first if you're a Rangers fan you'll see a definite red you know and um there's no middle ground when it comes to the old fora Can I just mention something else?

[00:16:48]Right. Uh see when they were looking at the penalty you go, right? And the hand ball. No, no, it wasn't penalty. It was a goal actually. The hand ball situation. Right. This is this is this is the bit that really annoyed me. The amount of effort they put into every camera angle to make sure that did not hit the ball hit his hand was in was was formidable. Right. Compared the the the way they looked at the mobile game. They did use a still image. And you know, I've seen people say this like Scierry and what have you. You know what I mean?

[00:17:18]You kind of jump up the head with your hand in front of your your head. I'm you blend, man. You know what I mean?

[00:17:24]>> The hand was the hand was at the side of the head. It may have the ball may have struck his hand but his Duncan kept saying and other people have said um he mentioned will come due to the kind of the silhouette of the player where if the hands cert in place um then you know it there's no advantage you know to the opposite for the ball hitting the hand because it was going to hit the head anyway and Willie K was saying yeah but it's the hand started in an unnatural position even though Gordon had quite likely problem says well look the arm got there because of the challenge with the Celtic player >> will reply saying Oh, it's not a foul.

[00:17:58]No one's saying it was a foul. It's just a natural kind of players jing for the ball in the air and you know, you don't juggle your hands with your sides in a straight line. You know, I kind of ruled that out and some of his reasoning was very strange and flew in the face of other answers he's given >> across the season and that's my big issue with it. And as you say, the time taken to look at it as we mentioned at the time and everybody had said >> was minimal. It was minimal. Interesting thing I want to mention as well that later on that show apparently the hearts didn't get the well they call and thought they should have got for the trip on Kizeras by Mazani um when Steven Mlan went to the screen basically said is that all you've got is that all the igles you've got um but before he went there again on his way to the screen and this is my big bug bear >> is know V saying to Stephen McLean as he's going across we're going to show you the model player tripping the heart's player again it's leaving lang language.

[00:18:53]>> Yeah. No, it's not. We're going to show you that incident again where the house player went down.

[00:18:57]>> Yeah.

[00:18:58]>> It's leading language and that >> that has to be cut out. That has to be stopped.

[00:19:03]>> It has to be stopped. But you have to go back to the penalty that Celtic got, right? It's the same thing. Now, as Willie Callum now saying to me, right, that see the VAR are ruing it's a hand ball that the referee just has no point of looking at it because that's what he said on that show. He said, "We're not going to bring we're not going to bring a referee to the screen, a hand ball if it isn't a hand ball." So, what is the point of John Deon going to the screen and have >> any look at it? That was very, very interesting. They've looked at it again very quickly. Even though they said it was a, you know, a kind of thorough robust process. Um, but never once, never once did they say, well, the ball's traveled quite far. It might have hit the house finally, but it's mainly off the head. And I say it wasn't like his side wasn't out blocking a cross or block blocking a shot at goal. Um there wasn't a disadvantage to the opposition there. Um but you know um it's just it brings the whole thing kind of uh not in disrepute but I it provided more questions than answers as far as I'm concerned.

[00:20:05]>> Yeah. No, you're right. And I know I've heard some people say that the the the throw he was over the line when he threw the ball. I'm not going to get into that. Right. I I I really don't want to get into that exact if we start doing stuff like that then that's just pathetic. But if you are if you are going to be you know get into these things in that kind of detail you need to go back all the way of the movement >> you know is justice and this is such an important decision was it was it throw proper in the first place before >> I don't think var I don't think var are able to intervene on things like that unfortunately for a throw in that's that's the issue there that would have to be spotted by the lo or the ref on the night and stuff like that is very difficult >> but what helps me it needs to be sorted for next season because this is not value for money. Will he call them, you know, I mean, I don't want anybody getting any, you know, abuse or any of that kind of stuff, but there needs to be constructive debate over the fact that this is ludicrous, some of these that, you know, decisions that they're making.

[00:21:04]>> But you see the SFA statement, they're um they're really backing the referees and they were always kind of deriding the media and the clubs and the fans for being critical. So, they're almost doubling down. So, I don't see it getting any any better. I don't see their attitude being any different next season, unfortunately.

[00:21:21]>> Well, there's a problem there. There lies the trouble.

[00:21:24]>> Yeah, very very much.

[00:21:26]>> Anyway, I have spoken enough about VA this season, even though we'll be going since February. I want to move on. We've got the World Cup coming up, but >> um the interesting thing from a slightly more perspective in the recent days and going back a few months actually um has been the omission of Lennon Miller. not so much in the initial squad but I think when Billy Gilmore unfortunately was injured at the weekend um and has was zealed out now I want to say young Tyler Fletcher come on Darren Fletcher's son that bar Fletcher that used to play with Man United and I thought the boy looked very assured very calm good good prospect similar age to Lennon but before Saturday he' only had something like 17 or 18 minutes of first team football at Man United compared with Lennon Miller who's over 70 games in at Mono some quite a lot of them as captain he's had um 25 or more games playing in Syria and the cop at Italia for udones.

[00:22:26]So that's almost 100 probably 100 games included previous Scotland caps um of experience.

[00:22:32]My question and I'd love Steve Clark to properly answer this because he's not really been quizzed on it. It's why someone like Lennon Miller was not selected uh when Billy Gilmer was injured and a guy who's I mean some Celtic fans were more minutes in the pitch than Tyler Fletcher um this season in their pitching races.

[00:22:53]>> Why see no not against him but stand personal against the lads. I hope he does well.

[00:22:57]>> No, I totally agree.

[00:22:57]>> Why? It can't for me be purely football reasons. Steve Clark must have a personal issue with Lennena Miller.

[00:23:04]Perhaps the statement Lena made about, you know, once he was in the squad, he want wanted to be the best player in the squad. Um, which maybe wasn't clever, but is that really is Steve Cl really holding um apparent arrogance against him already when he should should have been the next cab off the rank in in the squad once Billy Gilmore went down?

[00:23:22]>> We've met the guy, right? You and I have both met Lenny Miller, right? There is no he's not there's not an arrogance about that boy. He's a lovely He's a lovely young man who works hard and if he then that he wants to be the best player on the team, it's because he believes that he can go in there and give it his all. That's it. But here's the thing. Here's the thing I'm going to say to you, right?

[00:23:41]>> And this is and I don't normally use lime's le, but Stevie Clark's ripped to piss out of that ball. Boy, you know what I mean? Because he took him to those friendly matches, right? Didn't give him a minute. And I I think that is embarrassing and that is actually I'm I'm so disappointed. It's disrespectful to the the talent we've got to not even give him a minute. And then >> Billy Gilmer's out and then this you're right. There's an issue there. Um I've got an issue with Steve Car and a couple of things, but that's that's that's the main one. I'll be honest. Yeah, we we we uh we we mentioned the Lennon Miller's uh call up for the friendlies against Japan and Costa R not Costa Rica, uh Ivory Coast, I should say, at the end of March and sitting on the bench for the full 90 minutes in both games, not even a minute. Also, there was a a lad from West Ham, Andy Irving, who I think was on loan uh in Europe. I want to say it might be um Sparta Pragger somewhere. I could be totally wrong, but he's been playing this season again. He sat on the bench for both games. didn't get a minute of action. And if it's a a qualifier, big match, I understand. You don't just throw caps out willy-nilly.

[00:24:49]But in friendly matches, why invite people over? They were playing overseas to then not give them even 20 minutes of football, half a game, just to see, right, let's see how you're playing at the moment. Um, there must be more to it than just football because people can say that Lenny Miller, how good a player is, people have their own opinions.

[00:25:09]That's fair enough. Um but he has featured you know uh about 25 matches for Udonesia this season. He started nine matches in Sera for a young guy which I think is fantastic.

[00:25:22]>> You know his minutes have been getting more and more. So it's obviously they've taken him on. They've given him a chance to settle. He's away from home as a young man in a foreign country. Um so he's his minutes have increased over the season. New have looked after him well.

[00:25:35]But he's had nine starts in Serat. you know, it must be doing something right playing against your EC Milans, your Adventes, uh your Napoli, you know, who get Scott McTominay there as well. Um, and all the games they had at Model, uh, starting as a 16y old, >> in fact, 3 days before his 16th birthday.

[00:25:56]>> Yeah.

[00:25:56]>> You know, what's what's he not doing that Steve Clark needs him to do? I genuinely cannot understand his emission. And let let me just say I would be saying this if Lennon Miller's first few years of his career had been at Hibs or at Dundee or another Scottish club.

[00:26:14]>> I was say he's playing the area. How come he's no getting a look at?

[00:26:17]>> Yeah.

[00:26:17]>> You know and in the position where there is an obvious gap >> in the squad with Billy Gilmer's um you know injury. It feels bizarre to me.

[00:26:25]>> The way Billy plays you know the way plays you know that the controlling of the game. And by the way, heart goes out to Billy Gilmer. Absolutely. I mean, what what a horrendous There is a there is a there is a few of my mates have questioned the fact why we play these friendly matches with our with our stars.

[00:26:43]>> Yeah, I think you've got to, you know, um get some minutes in the legs getting together, especially some of the the goalkeepers and not as much game time for their respective clubs this season either.

[00:26:54]>> They need to play obviously someone like Aaron Hickey at Brenford's just coming back from injury. He needs some game time. It's great to have him back.

[00:27:02]Again, guys like Tony Robbston at Celtics not had much game time this season. These guys need to be match sharp. Um whether whatever people's opinions on how good players are or who should be there, who shouldn't be there.

[00:27:15]Um they need to be need to be matched.

[00:27:17]There's another match this Saturday night and they play Bolivia. So I think some of the players who didn't play at the weekends will get a run out. But again, you don't want to you're under risk of injury, but you've got to have them ready to play as well. And by the way, Haiti uh today beat Eli just New Zealand 4-0. Eli played about 64 minutes. So, I don't know what that says about New Zealand, what it says about Haiti. But I think a few folk have gone, "Oh, hello. This could be this isn't a walk in the park against Haiti." But >> it never was going to be anyway because one thing we need to remember is we're Scotland. We never do things the easy way.

[00:27:54]>> Sure.

[00:27:54]>> Uh so it's going to be very very interesting feel for Billy Gilmer. Uh obviously but the Lenny Miller thing is very strange. As much as Ste Clark for me he's done a really really good job and he's got another four years that has divided opinion in fairness. But um you know in in qualifiers his record's fantastic. uh and he really if he should be the first Scotland manager to get us out of the group stages and into the latter stages of uh a competition.

[00:28:24]>> If he doesn't do it, then that fouryear deal will look a bit foolish. But >> um I predicted it's happening this time.

[00:28:31]>> I hope he's learned from the last time to let this let the let the guys play, man. Let them go out there and play. Do do things, you know, that they're used to doing at their clubs back back home, >> you know. Don't go in too too safe, man, because it just we're by the way, if we go in like that, we don't have a good enough defense. I'm going to just say it. That's my other issue I've got. This this is blind loyalty. It's blind stupidity. Listen, I think Stevie Clark has done a great job, right? Yeah.

[00:29:01]>> But I hope I'm wrong yet again. I hope I'm wrong, but I think our biggest issue is our defense. And I think his blind loyalty may be a problem. I hope I'm wrong. I hope these guys have stepped up before and done really well in a Scotland jersey, but I'm not seeing some of them doing that week in week out in their club jerseys. And I'm not going to go on about it, but Paul McIn should have been at that World Cup purely on his season. Steven O'Donnell should have been at that World Cup purely on their season. And you've always argued for Steven Welsh. Um, he probably was a good shout as well. Maybe two out of three of them or one out of three of them should have been recognized in that squad.

[00:29:40]Yeah, I think supporters of every club will always root for their favorites.

[00:29:44]Um, I think the thing with Ste, the way Scotland play, the way Welsey and the other guys have played this year is not the way the Scotland defenders play. So maybe he's looked at that minute. I'm just trying to kind of guess what Steve thinking.

[00:29:57]>> No, but well, here's what I'm thinking.

[00:29:59]Steve Clask, if you ever watch this, I'm thinking we're trying not to let the goals the ball go in the back of the net. And these players have done that at the highest level in uh in Scottish football all season. Do you know what I mean?

[00:30:15]>> Yeah. No, listen, I I totally took your point and I have said before as regards the Scotland squad. It seems more difficult to kind of get out the squad than it is to get into it. But um listen, the squad's been picked. Uh I'm I've always been a critic of guys at Ralston who is like third choice right back at certain Grant Hanley who must have compromising photographs of Steve Clark. Now listen if they go there and they both play well big Grant Hanley ns the opening goal against Haiti I'll be the first to say there you go it shows I'm an Egypt so I want them to do well.

[00:30:48]He needs he needs it needs to use people like us train this right as a bit of focus because that's when it's going to kick. I'm being I'm being serious, right? Because we've seen Grant Hanley and we've seen Rston play really well in a Scotland jersey, right?

[00:31:01]>> So that's what we need. But I'll tell you what, there's See if these guys end up, you know, putting us on the road to not qualifying for our first uh World Cup, getting out the group. Um cuz that's the way I can see it happening. I can see it happening at the back.

[00:31:19]>> Yeah. I mean, I think obviously, you know, people have said Scotland don't play enough attacking football and we, you know, we don't make enough chances.

[00:31:27]>> We need to play football to take the pressure off these guys. Well, I mean, that's the thing. If you if like like you look at obviously we've used M as an example. If your defenders are comfortable on the ball and you can have much more possession than your opponent, then the chances of them scoring goals, if you have such a a great passing accuracy, if you can retain possession even and when you're, you know, and you've not got a lot of space, you know, retain possession in tight areas, be comfortable when you're uncomfortable, then you're limiting the opposition, you know, time on the ball, and you're putting them under pressure, chasing the game, maybe making um you know a bit more jaded a lot earlier but listen you know if Scotland get the right result against Haiti to start it sets us off in a positive uh positive uh fashion and who knows that might be enough on its own to get through >> you know then you take a point in the other two games you know >> I feel bad being negative because I'm genuinely really excited about >> well I'm looking forward to it I mean I'm genuinely can't wait and I see Clark has my full backing but >> loyalty to some players I think I'm really worried about it. I just want to document it, you know, because >> Yeah, I mean I've I've said that as well. There's players who are not playing for their clubs very often, but still in the squad. I know Steve Clark, his big thing was was creating like a a club mentality and a kind of club feel to the international team where so it's like you go there and everyone kind of everyone knows each other, everyone gets on well and it's a tight unit. I totally get that. But you have to allow room for people who have been playing well and scoring goals or defending well or creating chances. Whatever position they play in, there has to be uh a a a root map for them to get in the squad when they're playing well. There has to be players have to have, you know, the opportunity to break in to the squad that's there. Um and somehow like Finley Curtis, I thought when he came on at the weekend, he looked very lively, took his role well. It was always it was always hard to get on the ball. The same as Ben Gar on the other side. We tricky attacking wingers getting on the ball can put the fear of God into defenders.

[00:33:37]>> And that's what I I'd like to start both of them against Haiti. Get the ball wide. Especially if you've got Hickey in one side as a fullback, Robertson the other, you know, two in the left, two in the right running up causing the defense all sorts of problems. Uh I think that would be the the route for Scotland to be successful.

[00:33:56]>> We need to start with Shanklin. See if he doesn't start with Shankland. I I think I'll throw my telly out the window. Do you know?

[00:34:02]>> I think if you start if you start Shanklin, you have to start another striker with him. I'm going to play Shackland on his own. I liked the Shankland and Dykes partnership on Saturday. Obviously, it's it's um you know, caveed by um Kurissau didn't have you know a lot of ball in the second half. We're playing against 10 men and we dominated possession as you would expect. But I think they allowed to look at Shanklin second where D had a beautiful first time layoff. Shanklin took one touch and then dured it. I think if they can do some like up like that, it would be great. Um so you know I I think there is positive signs there.

[00:34:38]I think everyone's just really excited at the moment. So hopefully that positivity continues into the Haiti game >> and beyond. You know, bring on looking forward to it.

[00:34:47]>> Yeah, me too. Well, more chat about this as we get closer as well. Absolutely.

[00:34:52]>> Yes. Well, we'll see. We'll see if we can um another podcast maybe into next week as well. But uh I think we'll maybe that maybe do us for for now. So, if you have any comments, >> I think you know, >> always leave your audience wanting more.

[00:35:10]Um you I mean obviously you've you've made a career of it. Um so, what >> that's terrible, isn't it?

[00:35:18]I resist. But listen, uh please give us your teammates um uh on the on the YouTube uh video once we get once it goes up. Um we're on we've got an Instagram page. Give us your comments, your thoughts there. Um don't forget we're on uh Apple podcast and Spotify as well. So like, share, subscribe, do everything. Get on board and we will see you again very soon. Gary enjoyed it, mate. Thank you very much. Look after yourself.

[00:35:44]>> Have a good one. voice.