Listen to. The.
Boy, listen to the passion in Hunger Park.
Let's jump again. Let's do it.
Let's go on. Oh yeah, drained down by the.
Fish Chancellor one for Scotland.
Hello and welcome to another edition of Scots With a Mic,
where we're here talking off in Scottish football from the past
few days. I'm your host, Harry Mackintosh
here in the hot seat for you today and I am joined by two
great guests here, James Scott. James, how are you doing today?
Hi, not too bad Scott to be back on hot off the yeah, hot off the
Scott on squad. So plenty to talk about.
Pleasure to talk about MD. It's been a crazy week and I
think we've got a lot to talk about.
Hopefully it's for you in the next few minutes or so.
And I'm delighted to be joined here by Ramsey Bank.
So first timer on the podcast. Ramsey welcome.
Thanks for having me. Hoping to be making a few more
appearances over the next few months or so.
But it's some timing with going, going down at Ross County this
week, having a having me on now. But we'll, we'll, we'll see how
it goes. That's perfect.
I promised all of our listeners that we've not got Ramsey here
just to talk about the what's happened at Ross County over the
last couple of days. So I do promise you that we'll
spend more on rest of Scottish football as well.
But it's good to have you both on board.
Good to have you on the day that Steve Clark named his Scotland
squad for the World Cup qualifiers, our first two World
Cup qualifiers against Denmark and Belarus.
And we're going to go into the squad just in a little bit of
detail at the moment and we'll get your thoughts on it.
But I just want to get an overall picture of what you're
thinking the squad looks like. So James, we'll get you to
think. Come on board.
First of all, with your opinions, what what do you think
in the whole do you think of the squad at home?
Well, it's just it's nice to see a few the the names, the
stronger names that have been missing for the last.
Well, I was going to say the last few months, but maybe even
longer for guys like Garin Hacky, but yeah, it's it's
decency there. The inclusions of Dork,
Christie, Hecky. Some folk might not agree with
us, but it is nice to see McClain back as well because I
do feel he's quite a reliable player on the Clark and
obviously someone Clark trusts. So it's it's good to have that
option again. And yeah, I mean, it's just when
you look at the scores, overall midfield is looking very strong.
In fact, I can't really remember seeing quite a strong selection
as that in the past. I mean you've got 8 midfielders,
half them are playing this area or are due to playing in Syria.
And Lena Millard didn't get any game time if it's an easy this
week, but I can't imagine that'll be too far in the
distant future. And yeah, so it's it's good to
see sort of the inclusion of the guys come back.
So looking at defence in other areas at the goalkeeping is a
wee bit weaker, but overall it's a really strong squad and I
think the confidence is coming back again.
I know we didn't have the best summer and obviously spring
wasn't much better either, so I feel I feel good going into this
campaign seeing that getting released.
I like the fact that you're optimistic.
We want to have as much optimistic as possible in
Scotland and that's great to see and we're going to try and make
sure that we pronounce Ben Dalt's name properly now.
It's oh, Gannon Dalt's, Yeah, Sorry.
You know what? I've got that wrote down and I
went. You can't forget that because
that's going to in a few years time, that will just be common.
You would say Gannon Dalkin. It'll be household name,
hopefully, yeah. I'm trying my best not to make a
Legend of Zelda joke. You can make as many jokes as
you want can make as many jokes as you want.
You want Ramsey. Let's see, let's have your
opinions on this and we'll go into in more detail in a minute,
but just your your thoughts in it.
I don't know. It's a, it is a classic Steve
Clark Scotland squad. To be honest.
I, I don't mean to rain on the positive positivity parade, but
I'm quite, I'm very much to the side of Steve Clark's done well
for Scotland, but it's time for something different.
And that's not so much because I think international managers
have a raw deal when it comes to squad selection.
I think when it comes to players getting called up, I think a lot
of international fans when they're looking at the national
teams have like shiny new toy syndrome.
They want the, you know, the hot new thing to be in the squad.
So I don't have a huge problem with the squad.
I'd, I'd, I'd like to see Tommy Conway in there.
I think something I've been worried about over the past few
years is where are the exciting strikers?
And now we've got I think 2 really big ones in, in Bowie,
who's made it and Conway who hasn't.
So I would have liked to see him in there.
Good to see Hickey back. It was a really nasty injury he
had, so hopefully be a boost for him.
But the squad looks OK. But I I just know when it comes
to football on the pitch, it's, it's, it's probably not going to
look pretty. Think about how I feel.
I have to watch Ross County at the weekend, then international
break comes and I have to watch this Scotland football as well.
You you've got the best of both worlds, don't you?
I don't know if I'd say best mate, but it's definitely
something. That definitely something
indeed. Just going through the the run
in for the the squad. We've got 8 PA players have went
out from the the gene friendlies.
Connor Baron, Tommy Conway, Josh Duke, Andy Irvin, probably
McCrory, Nathan Patterson, Kieran Slicker and Seamus Wilson
and income rank Christie Zander, Clark, Lyndon Dykes, Ben Duke,
Ben Gannon, Duke. We'll get that eventually.
I do promise you.
Aaron Hickey, Dom Haim, Liam Kelly and Katie McLean.
And you talked about Tommy Conway.
I would like to bring him up straight away to begin with
because I think he's been very unlucky.
Scored at the weekend and of course we know that George Hurst
and Linda Dykes both scored in the in the championship.
Do we think James come to you first?
What what do you think about Tommy Conway?
I think he's probably the big name that's missing at that list
so far. Yeah, and I mean, I think Clark
did reference that when he was talking, didn't he said he felt
a little bit sorry for Tommy Conway not been included.
Yeah, he. Said it was sorry, I will do.
I mean, he said it was Linden Dykes.
His physicality, especially for the two games against Denmark
and Belarus being away from home, is the reason why Tommy
Conway's missing out in London Dykes and.
You know, I would, I do agree with him there, Like London
Dykes, even when he's not been playing well at club football,
has proven to be a guy Scotland can rely on and especially in
these away games where you're maybe not having as much
possession. I'm hoping that's not the case
against Belarus obviously, but Denmark could be a game where
we're not dominating the ball as much.
We might find times when we're under the caution, it's loose
balls getting punted out from the defensive for under the
caution bet and that can be areas London Dykes thrives and
to sort of give us time to get up the patch and get Flack ones
to runners like Dork. But at the same time, I do think
when you look at the four strikers that we've called up,
She Adams, Barry Dykes and Hearst, She Adams the only one
that offers something about but more different I'd say at that
group. I don't know if I'm maybe
talking too generally you can just look at the shape of the
guys. But you know, Barry Dykes and
Hearst offered maybe a lot the same and I'm not against Barry,
Ben and the squad at all. He's had a great start the
season perhaps obviously two goals against Dundee's and
scored the absent Belta against Belgrade in the Conference
League. So I mean for me it would be
harsh that we drop out for a Conway because Conway does.
He has shown to really have an eye for goal, especially at the
level him Dykes and Harsh they're all playing at down
South. So yeah, I do feel, I do feel
sorry if I'm but it's time I'll come.
I'm sure in a year or so we'll definitely have more permanent
feature of the squad. Yeah, I, I think firstly for me,
just looking at the the strikers in general, that you were saying
exactly the same thing. Now, I was saying earlier in
private chats and everything about the the strikers, about
George Harris and Linden Dykes in particular feel that they're
too similar. And I no, I think if, if you're
going to call one of them, I think that was fine.
I think two of them might not work, but that's just my
personal opinion. Into the bench and and those are
both your options if you're not changing out too much choosing
between them, it's much the same as I said.
Yeah, exactly. Ramsey, do you have any thoughts
on somebody else who could have been in could have been in for
Tommy Conway? I mean, yeah, I don't, I don't.
Without being too harsh, I don't see it with Hearst really.
Obviously I can't claim to watch him all the time, but whenever,
whenever I have seen him, I don't know, I I just don't
really see it. Whereas Conway, again, hold my
hands up. Not someone I watch too much,
but whenever you do see him, there's footballers that excite
you and he's got, I don't know, he's got a little turn in like
1/2 yard of space, just work himself bit space to take a shot
that I think Hearst just doesn't.
Anyway, it's like you're talking about something different from
your strikers. You want your strikers to be as
different from each other as possible.
And I think I'd be taking Conway over Hearst.
I, I don't know, I think you're right in that it could be Hearst
or Dykes. I think Dykes is probably a bit
more established at international level.
He's done the business for us in the past.
So I'd probably keep just keep him in there.
OK, that's fair enough. Absolutely.
We are happy to see Aaron Heckey back.
It will be his first call. It's his first call since
October 2023. It will be his first cap since
that time as well. Two no defeat against Spain and
Seville, which were still not over without disallow goal.
We're still we're still better about it, but we'll move on.
Let's try try and best as possible.
One thing I've marked down here, we've got three right backs in
the shape of Aaron Heckey. We've got Max Johnson and we've
got Anthony Ralston. James, what do you think?
The fact that we've got three right backs, I mean we know that
Aaron Hecke could put in the left if, if need be as well.
But do you think that we've gone a little bit maybe 2 overboard
with having three of the same position in that in that squad?
We definitely don't need three. I mean you don't know what
Clarke planning in terms of how he's wanting to, what shape he's
wanted to take for these two games.
We seem to, apart from the Iceland game gone more right
back four. So you'd say there's probably
not as much a need to have these excess fill backs that can maybe
take up different roles. You also got asked what capacity
and Hecky's in the squad for Clark's referenced in his
interview that he doesn't expect to get 2 sets and 90 minutes out
of Hecky. He's still in that period had
been managed right back up to getting them into a full 90
minute game. So we're not going to see, you
know, a guy that's going to be playing for the full match in
Copenhagen or Belarus. For me, it'll be Max Johnson.
I can't hearsely say I'd rather rouse and was starting over him.
But yeah, it's just good to see Hecky back in general.
He was always a guy that was going to have to come back into
the squad. We know what talent he is when
he's fully failed, probably are starting right back depending on
how the guy, the guys develop. So it's good to see him.
I just wasn't sure. I thought maybe McCrory was a
little bit unlucky not getting a call over roused and I think
Mccrory's been in a good bit of form down at Bristol.
But yeah, it's it's good regardless.
I think the the feelback situation's looking good.
Yeah, it's looking, it's looking good, isn't it?
And I think we had, we've always had that issue with the left
backs for a long time, the shape of Tierney and Andy Robertson.
Now we're having the same situation from the right backs
now who who's going to be playing near when you've got and
Hickey, you've got Nathan Patterson who's not in this
squad, but you'll be back soon. You would hope Anthony Wellston
and Max Johnston altogether. So that's going to be one for
the future to talk about. Let's talk about players who
we're we were thinking might be in the squad of people we were
assuming that were unlucky to miss out on.
I had a couple of names personally.
We, you know, I thought personally, Josh Mulligan in
particular would have been a good call up for this squad.
I think he started brilliantly for Hibs over the course of the
season. You know, you impressed me a lot
at Dundee, but he's also impressed me very much at Hibs.
He's become, you know, I think the goal he scored against
Livingston the other week was unbelievable.
You know, we've talked about there's two crazy goals in the
space of a couple of days for Hibs.
And you know, I would have thought that Josh Mulligan might
have been in contention, particularly because Clark has
been to Easter Road and watched a couple of Hibs schemes of late
and Ramsey did anybody that you think could have made this squad
and then any wild card choices that you would have liked to
have seen? Just on Mulligan.
I was on work experience with the Herald when Hibs played
Michelin at Easter Road and Mulligan was everywhere.
He's someone that I knew I knew was good when he was at Dundee
but obviously seeing that in European game that, you know,
unfortunately hips did lose a baby, sort of register him as a
player more. Seeing him at that level, he was
everywhere. I think one of the Cadden
brothers, I get them mixed up. Sorry, came off.
Chris and Nikki. Yeah.
Well, yeah, I know the names,
but I forget what. I forget who plays where, but.
Chris plays on the right. Yes, that was it, That was it,
Chris. Chris Cannon had to come off
Chris Cannon and Mulligan went to right wing back and he just
felt like a glove, no issues whatsoever.
So I think in the future we'll be seeing him in the Scotland
squad, if for nothing else than for that purpose.
Someone who can do anything. I really rate him for anyone
else. I'm sort of struggling to think
of names that were unlucky to miss out.
I think just thinking of centre backs, I think Ryan Porches is
kind of in the limbo right now. It'd be fair to say I don't know
the the the the Ryan Gold hype train seems to have died down a
little bit. Unfortunate, but.
Ryan Gold wouldn't be able to have got into the squad because
he's still injured, so that was something that we had to have to
mention straight away. Oh, right.
OK, fair. His name.
So yeah, he was. He's been injured.
I know that he's back. So this is a weird thing.
So I was speaking to Joey Wolfs of Slave is on this podcast as
well. And I've found out as well that
the Vancouver manager has allowed him to train.
This was a couple of weeks ago, allowed him to train indoors,
but he's not allowed to train outdoors.
So I don't know what that's about.
That's a very I've never heard that before.
It might, it might be, it might be something more common as much
in other places, but it's something I've never heard of
before. But that's something that we,
you know, I, I do like Rangled and that's definitely one that
we'll probably speak about when he's back and available.
But he can't. He couldn't have been available
for this squad. I will say he's he's not been in
the last few anyway, so. Yeah, that that's the reason
pretty much why because he got injured right at the beginning
of the season. James, did you have something
else did you wanted to bring out?
Yeah, this might be a bit more of a wild card, but Clark did
touch on his interview how he always showed faith and the
younger guys and he's willing to call for no matter what that
age. And just looking at the
midfield, there's there is a lack of web we've got in our
team. I think especially when you're
trying to line up that midfield, I think it's quite likely
someone who isn't sued to that wild left possession.
F dork is on the right and we sort of take up sort of
formation where there's more wingers, not field backs or the
the white man. Someone's going to have to blink
something. John Mcginn's might be going to
have to fellow left midfield possession.
I thought not to start of SA but I did think Curtis Finley might
have been an option. Yeah, Finley Curtis.
Yeah. Finley, sorry, Finley.
Curtis, yeah, just he has made quite a good start to the season
at Rangers. Obviously he's got his three
goals, one against Panathinaikos, score at the
weekend against Saint Martin's. So I spared Rangers blushes
there from an even worse start to the season than the haven't.
So 18 years old. Maybe it would have been nice to
see him involved. But I suppose is a is going to
be sort of not a baptism of fire.
But we've really got to be on it in the first game.
We've been Denmark away. So he's probably he's probably.
So I'll leave it off that, yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
And I do agree, I thought maybe fiddly Curtis just as a wild
card more than anything would have been a good option.
I think with that left win by that left win role, even been at
this year for a little while, we've had everybody over there.
We've had John McCain, we've had Lewis Morgan, we've had Ryan
Christie. Ryan Christie often yeah yeah
you know we feel as well dope coming back in is is is not just
welcome inclusion because it's dope him and always capable of
but. He's doke.
Mcgannon Doke sorry when you know when he's been missing,
there has been a very striking lack of width.
That was a very welcome addition to the team when we were playing
Croatia and Poland and, you know, he was sort of tangling
his fill back in knots and those fixtures.
So yeah. Yeah, it's good.
It'd be good to have somebody on that left when when position
eventually. And I do think that Finley
Curtis is going to be one for the future and who knows, maybe
if he does keep up his form he might be in with a shout of a
Scotland call up. A couple of other names I put
down on my list just for future reference was Stuart Finley.
I thought maybe a good start at Hearts maybe would have seen him
back in the squad, particularly because he knows Steve Clark
well enough from his time at Kilmarnock and his only other
call up has been under Steve Clark.
So maybe I thought that Stuart Finley might have been a little
bit of a wild card choice, but it's not to be for him.
But who knows if he keeps improving, if he keeps playing
the top of his game, he'll probably be in the squad later
on the year. Let's quickly move on and talk
about the. I just want to talk about the
midfielders. A look at that midfield.
I think that's as strong as a midfield as we've had in a very,
very long time. And James, you touched on that a
little bit briefly. I just wanted you to touch it.
What do you think in general about the midfield?
And we'll include Ben Ganondoke in there as well.
See, we're getting better and we'll include him in there
because he was lifted as a midfielder.
No, I would say that's a forward attacker.
But let's just see if argument see, he's in the midfield and
Rancrest D, Lewis, Ferguson, Bing and Billy Gilmore, John
McGinn, Kenny McLean, Linda Miller, Scott Mctominy.
It's not that bad a midfield option really, when you think
about it. No, I mean, but I was looking at
when it came out, I did think there's probably a few nations
in Europe they wouldn't mind having, I mean, a few.
But some of those names and all this they make Tommy.
It's been a cracking start to the season with man in the match
performance for now play the weekend grabbing his goal of a
little header. But yes, it is a very good it's
a very good bunch of guys to pick from and and our good
quality of visit is the goals there brings.
You know, we're, we don't have that out and out striker that's
going to, you know, the prolific striker, the guy every team
wants. So, but when you look here,
you've got Christie Dogs not scored for us yet, but you know,
it's coming again, McDonald. You know, these are guys who are
all going to chip in over the course of their campaign and get
the numbers in. So yeah, it's good to see.
It's very good to see and Ramsey just by talking about Scott
McDonald, we've seen his goal on Saturday against a swallow 12
last season Syria. Yeah, Siri, I'm a best player in
the in the league last season Balandor nominee Ramsey.
What is stopping him from winning the Balandor this year?
Absolutely nothing that's. The right answer.
That's the right answer. Who else?
Who else is there? Like Dembele?
Who? Like Yamal?
Who? Nah, doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter. We've got the best player in
Syria, we've got a title winner. No, nothing's stopping him from
doing it. It's good.
It'd be good to see you as well because we've not had a Scotland
squad with somebody that high recognition in a long time.
I think Ali McCoy was the last in the ladies.
I can't remember the the year now from the life of me who
should have chased that up before we came on today.
But yeah, that's the first. Scotland's gone a long time to
have a balance or not many, so that's going to be great to see.
I wouldn't. I think he's going to be a bit
humble about it when he gets to the squad.
I don't think he's good. He's not the one to brag about
the whole thing, Scott. They told me about his ballad or
nomination. We'll have a quick, quick run
through the games in a couple of weeks time.
And Denmark, Belarus, we'll have a probably another podcast on
these and then for another day. But just quickly your feelings
about it, Ramsay, we'll start with your feelings.
We'll start with Denmark away. It's tricky to start with.
But do you think maybe getting the trickiest game out and done
with straight away that can give us a platform or do you think we
need to look at and see that's a place we need to get a win or a
draw? Yeah.
I mean, it's a, it's a high pressure game considering, you
know, our form is really not the best.
You know, after having getting when we first qualified for that
second EUR, I wouldn't have thought a couple of years down
the line that Steve Clarke's goodwill would have drained
again because it's kind of gone up and down throughout his
tenure. But yeah, it really is a big
game in terms of how he's, you just got the manager, even
though, don't get me wrong, it's a very, very tough game.
So yeah, it's definitely an exciting one.
Exciting 1 and I think it's one that you've got to realise,
don't you, going into a high pressure environment like the
parking stadium and we've played parking loads of times before in
the past. We know that we can.
No, we've got a good record against Denmark to be honest.
We've got very good. I think we've played them.
I think it was, if I remember correctly, I was looking at this
earlier, I think we've played them about 15 times and we've
won about 10 times over the course of the years.
But this is probably a Denmark team that are not maybe
declining. I think it's probably run to see
because some people will see that they are good EUR 2020
campaigns, not really done anything after that.
But I think they're still a very good side, aren't they James?
They're still got a lot of quality all over the pitch.
Yeah. I mean, we'll touch more on
this. We may have a closer look at
Denmark and the Opposition Analysis podcast, but yeah, I
mean, there's no Christian Ericsson.
I don't know if I can actually mention if he's with a club
right now or that's why, yeah. I I clarified this as well.
He's definitely not at a club at the moment.
But I mean, Denmark is always one of these sides.
I'm going to give you a good game.
They're, you know, the high caliber European side, They've
got decent regulars across the top five leagues in Europe.
So yeah, there'll be a match. And to be honest, I wouldn't
mind just getting a draw over there and coming back home to
have something to play for because, you know, campaigns are
always tricky because the margin forever error and the qualifier
is always so, so thin. You can't really afford to drop
points in any of the games and when you shrink it down, turn it
into three home 3 away, you know, those games become even
more important. So yeah, be nice to get a good
start on the front foot, just get something away from home and
then we could kick on from there.
At least haven't not given their mark an edge in the first game
going forward. This is something that we'll
come to in another podcast, James, but just want to get your
thoughts on the group in general.
Do you think it a lot of people are saying it's quite an even
grip when you consider there's not much between the sides in
terms of world rankings is? It going to.
Be the up and comers and the and the whole because we obviously
know all about Greece now and they are a good side and they
look like they're not much better team than what they were.
You know, they for the last 10 or so years, maybe more than
that and probably their best squad in general since they won
your 2004. And what do you think of the
group in general? I mean, it's I do kind of dread
it in some respects. I know I said earlier on I felt
a bit more confident looking at this squad this morning.
But yeah, it's it's an incredible tight grip.
I think this is, there's not much between Scotland, Denmark
and geez. And I think whoever qualifies
from a lobby to other countries, whether or not they get through
the the playoff system, that'll probably feel a bit disheartened
about, you know, I see I might you might be seeing a different
behind say you don't know how the games are going to go, but
you know, I beg a big country with good players is going to
miss out. But yeah, Belarus obviously got
to put them away. Don't like to to I'm not too
much because we know what we've been like in the past.
But yeah, it's going to be it's going to be a right fight.
And I think the way points getting dropped all over the
place by by all countries, all all three big ones, but.
Yeah, they're all big. They're all difficult OE games
as well, even with the Belarus being behind closed doors and a
neutral venue as well. I think it's neutral as well,
isn't it? I'm sure wrote that down
somewhere. But yeah, they've could be 3
difficult OE games. Especially so far it's in
Hungary that game's getting played.
Yeah, I thought it was. I had a note for it earlier.
I've lost it. Never mind, we do not on this
show. Do you believe that?
Anyway, let's move on and we'll come back to Scotland for
another podcast. We'll try and talk a bit more
about the games in general and another podcast.
Let's move on to the SPL Roundup and well, I was going to start
in the Premiership, but I want to go straight to the
Championship and I'm going to go to Ramsey.
First of all, it's good to have Ramsey on here on our first show
and I did on his first show and I did from something that we
didn't do this on purpose. We he was booted to come on here
or before the news on Sunday that don't carry it got sacked
as Ross County manager Ramsey, I'll let you come on board just
to get your thoughts on that and Jim, well before we talk about
the game that happened on Saturday.
So what's your thoughts on don't carry his departure Ross County?
I do apologize. I think he I said he was sat, he
was mutually terminated, so I do.
Apologize. Yeah, he got it.
Was it was the the Old Mutual consent?
I don't know how I Yeah, I mean, when someone in football gets
mutual consented, it's just kind of a nice way to say they've
been given the boot, I think. But I don't know, you know, you
don't know what conversations go on.
But so for context, Don Kelly's initial appointment as Ross
County manager was something that was sort of a long time
coming. So to to finish his playing
career, he came back to us, lifted the championship as a
player, went into our coaching setup, was assistant under
numerous managers and eventually, you know, everyone
knows that Derek Adams third spell went as well as it did and
Don Carey got the interim job. He got us our first ever win
against Rangers in the league in Dingwall and eventually managed
to keep us up via the playoff system against Race Rovers.
Goes back to burn that up, don't you?
Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
You could have your revenge this time.
Yeah, so we get into the season after, you know, everyone's
feeling all right, we lose some key players, but you know,
everyone's feeling OK because, you know, it's done at the helm.
He's a club legend, came through the youth system.
There's something, there's a good, there's a good feeling
about having a Ross County like, like a Ross County LED dugout
It, it starts purely that season, but in the middle we
have a really, really strong stretch form, get some really
good results. We beat Kilmarnock away, we beat
Aberdeen away. We've got a really good core of
players. It seems like everything's going
to be fine with 9 games to go. Last season we had already
equalled our points tally from the season before and then it
all just falls apart. What initially seems like a blip
turns into defeat after defeat after defeat and eventually
we're back into the playoffs. And there is a sort there's sort
of a feeling of of this is this is a step too many playoffs
three seasons in a row. Turns out we were right.
We go down, we lose to Livingston.
And then there's sort of a, you know, everyone's like he's done
going to keep his job because you know, Ron McGregor, he's
been he's been looking at Don Don as a long term Ross County
manager for years now. Is he going to is he going to
get rid of him based off of this eventually?
It doesn't. We recruit really well this
summer. And I still, despite how things
have gone, I still think we've recruited really well.
Yeah. I was going to bring that up
actually about your recruitment you've done, I think you've done
some of the best business in the league, vibrant and not only
somebody like Datelin Gallagher and Ross Docherty, Nikki Clark,
Gary Mackay, but somebody I was really like and wanted to get
our place was Aaron Lyall, somebody who I.
Really. Oh mate, yeah, he like I mean
yeah, that's the thing. I but I think that's sort of
worked against him. You know, he's been backed and
three games into the season we got a draw where to Airdrie
after having gone 2 nil up. But The thing is like we went
two nil up in that game, but it was the the goals were both from
corners. The football wasn't anything to
write home about. And then we lost our home to
Saint Johnstone. We didn't look great.
We were it was basically we we've reverted.
But like the basis on which Don kept his job, I think was that
it was going to be different. We were going to play on the
front foot, the five at the back.
Murder ball was going to be gone.
We were going to, you know, Jay Henderson was back from low and
we were going to play with wingers.
It was going to be exciting but we sort of reverted back to the,
you know, 10 men behind the ball and it was rubbish.
And I tell you what it was, it was devastating to watch at the
weekend, losing to Partick Thistle.
The football was torrid. They looked so much better than
we did. They they scored and I looked
towards the dugout and Don Cowie booted the water bottle and I'm
not sure how much you guys know about Don, but he's just.
He's always cool, He's always seemed cool and calm and
collected. Seems to be.
The kind. Of guy well, no, that's that's
the thing he's not he's very cool, calm, collected.
And I tell you what, on a personal note, he's just a
lovely person and I do feel terrible saying all this because
I I've spoken to him A story I've got is that I'm half
American. I've got a cousin who my wee
cousin was over visiting from America last summer.
I took him to one of our PCs and friendlies against Clapham and
the Highland League team and Don Kelly came to the side of the
pitch after the game and I was like, oh Don, this is, this is
my wee cousin. He's over from America.
He spoke to us for a good 10 minutes about, you know, his
trip and what I liked about Scotland and what I didn't like
about Scotland. Just a lovely person and a great
representative for what Ross County Football Club should be.
So to see him go in this manner is devastating and I really do
hope he lands on his feet. But the the football was off.
Not good to watch. I don't even want to think about
how much time and money have wasted over the past year
watching that Ross County team. So it's OK, Don't worry.
You, you, I I had to suffer Neil Collins ball last season, Neil
Collins ball last season. And then it was, it was like
murder ball at times. But we did get a win against
Dunfermline. So I suppose that that's
something. Yeah.
I'm, I I've not read. I've not read it up, so I will
so clarify me if I'm wrong. Imagine it's John Robertson
who's going to be in caretaker charge.
It is. I imagine he's going to be a
short term solution. We don't know, you know, Ross
County have you know, he Dong was an interim manager, a
caretaker manager, then became the permanent.
Do we imagine John Robertson, I know that he was brought in in
the summer. Do we imagine he's going to be
anywhere near that job or do you think it's going he's going to
be the assistant again? Just what's your thoughts in
general about what's going to happen next?
Do you think, John, could she get the job or do you think
you've got somebody in mind that you would like to see come to
Ross County? We have look at Plato like
Robbie Nielsen, who was the championship.
Do you think somebody like him would be interested in Ross
County? I don't think Rob was going to
be anywhere near it, I think. I don't think Ron McGregor is
really, I don't think that's the type of statement Ron McGregor
wants to put out. He appointed Don and it was sort
of a, it was a very romantic appointment, you know, came into
county as a young kid, came up to the youth system, etcetera,
etcetera. I think John Robertson, you
know, you know, he's had managerial success in the past,
but I don't think, I don't think that's the message Ron MacGregor
would want to put out. He's yeah, I don't really know
how to put it. But in terms of other names, you
know, yeah. Robbie Nielsen, I think, I think
he's, is he not #2 to Lee Johnson over in Yeah, that's
right. Yep, he's #2 to Lee Johnson.
I think it's. In Belgium, right?
Yeah, I don't know. He'll probably earning good
money over there. I think looking at some other
names, I think I've seen Reese McCabe is that that's a very
exciting potential appointment. The thing is like he he wants
his teams to play very attractive football and well
after, after what I've watched Ross County teams play in the
past few years, that's a very attractive prospect.
But also that doesn't necessarily win you leagues.
And we've already got ground to make up if we want to go up
automatically. So I think sort of a sort of
safe ish appointment appointment if you want to call that like
Tony Dockerty or someone like that might be what Roy decides
to go with. That like he's very somebody I
thought of as well. I thought as soon as I heard the
news maybe Tony Docherty would be showing up in Dinwell and
that was my first and thought in my head straight away.
Just because we know what we're saying about Robbie Nielsen.
I think he is as Belgium will get a clarify on that for
another show probably. But I think he'd be a good fit
for you. Do you think he'd be a good fit
for you? Tony Docherty at Ross County?
To be honest, I don't see why not.
I think it went a bit sour at Dundee towards the end, but I
think he, he, I think he, I think he generally did OK.
I think, I don't know, I think managers come under a lot of
criticism. Even when Dundee weren't doing
well, I think I always saw him as a very competent manager, to
be honest. I want us to go there the Saint
Johnson Motherwell route and just find someone random from
the continent. Thanks somebody from Denmark.
To disappoint him. Yeah, just pick him up from the
street and go. You'll do.
I exactly. It's what it's worked very well
for Motherwell so far, so I'm guessing that it could work for
us. Can't even for the same.
Yeah, we're not. Yeah.
To be. Why not?
We have a, We do have a Norwegian supporters club, so.
I know, yes, I've heard, I've heard about the Norwegian
Supporters Club, but that's another story for another.
Yeah. That's another story for that
time. James has been very quiet, so
we'll get James involved on Championship talk, we'll talk
about our favorite subject and that is a 5 Derby win for Rath
Rovers and Wraith Rovers are now 11 home games unbeaten against
Dunfermline. Going back to last season.
Rath Rovers have got Aaron beaten in 13 games, they are the
longest side unbeaten catching back from last season and Lewis
Vaughn has now scored an 8 goals in the five Derby.
A brilliant Friday night, James, but despite the fact you were
not there, you were not there on Friday night.
Yeah, I had a prior engagement sound Fender, but I was
disappointed say BBC had decided to move that so my my two
favorite things had clashed but no another routine 5 to RB for
the Rovers. I've I don't see that last smile
on my face, but it's. Not easy being a way through a
supporter against Dublin because there's always another game
coming up. Not that long to go.
In a few weeks time, you just go, oh God, we've got to do it
again. We've got to make sure the
record keeps intact, especially because now we've lost two games
against Dunfellow East End. Now be the next game coming up.
But yeah, Lewis Vaughan. I mean, I think we could do a
whole podcast on Lewis Vaughan, but I don't think we'll have
enough time to do it. But let's see.
Let's just quickly talk about now.
Eight goals in the five Derby. No one scored more goals in that
fixture. And what he's went through and I
think he is the, you know, he is the story certainly for me
watching over the years, he is the the ultimate fairy tale in
football. Stories like all these injuries,
all these, you know, disappointments.
He doesn't, you know, he always backs until to come back.
He always backs himself to get stronger.
All these Acls, you know, he's had thigh injuries, hamstring
injuries as well. He's.
Just been unbelievable for 8th Rovers and I think no one was
happier in that S stand on on Friday night.
It was Lewis Vaughn that scored that goal.
Yeah, I mean, I think if you're over, fine.
You'll you know all too well what Lewis is capable of.
He definitely wouldn't be playing at this level if it
wasn't for the injuries he's had.
He'd be at a top club in Scotland for sure, but that's
sadly not the way it's worked out.
But it means everyone that starts Park gets to enjoy him
right now. Yeah, and he came on off the
bench on Friday night and did what he does best, put the ball
on the net. Didn't think it was the best
goal in the world. Speaking with a Dunfellon fan
today and yeah, I think we were both surprised the keeper
actually allowed to slip past them.
And the keeper had a nightmare on Friday because he classed
into two defenders. Yeah, Benedictus took a sore one
of them in the first half, didn't they?
But I mean, you forget what sort of reputation don't Lewis
Vaughn's got not just amongst Silver's fans, but Dunfeldon
fans too. Because I mean, when we're
talking about the game and get into the second-half, he felt
the Dunfell remember they starting to get their foot back
in the door a bit and, you know, dictate the ball have a bit of
possession. And he said he saw a #10 go up
on the board for the substitutes needs for here but go again.
I didn't realize, didn't realize that was how strongly they felt
about his school, school scoring abilities.
But yeah, it was it was a head mixed reviews on the Derby
duffel and being toothless was one of them.
Just not quite knowing what to do with the ball despite having
a lot of that. I think when Christine came on
they said they would talk better but still not enough to get the
ball in the back of the net and properly tested over so.
That's a strong start to the season for us.
So obviously we're just two points.
Austin Johnson, who have made the perfect start, beaten our
pro. Our pro 3 nil at the weekend,
got an 8 point lead to Ross County now, which was kind of to
add earmarked has been the guys going for the title.
So it's nice to be up that end of the league and this point in
the season, putting the points on the board.
Die Robeson has definitely continued to impress.
Think there's a little bit, I think the flag, the fans were
flagging a bit over the summer with sort of disappointing
results in the League Cup against East Kilbride and St.
Johnson. But terms of league, terms of
league games were certainly, certainly getting on fine.
Like you said, 13 on being in the league, stretching back to
it for April or March last season.
So yeah, good things coming at the Rovers right now.
Hopefully it continues. Yeah, hopefully continues, but
we're going to be trying to be and as possible.
But yes, we have a big game on Saturday.
We have a we have a big game on Saturday and we're hoping that
we can get three points. But you can come at me, Partick
Thistle supporters. If we if we don't.
I mean Partick's made that David again that I'm not touching this
before, but I don't think anyone was really impressed by the
appointment of, you know, the manager that came in Martin,
especially after all the, you know, the Graham get interviewed
and then deciding to move on going to Falkirk.
So, you know, beating Ross County if you wanted the weekend
up. But then well, you know, you
still got to get the results and they seem to be doing quite
well. So could be all the match at the
weekend. I think that Partick hosting us
at Mary Howe. I thought how sorry will
probably the tastiest one in the Championship.
Yeah, it could be it could be well, just about to go to the
Premiership, but we'll have a quick run through of that.
But I just want to quickly point out some news that came out last
week in regards to more and and to do game break.
Very sad news with over the the I'm sure everybody's seen it now
that his daughter passed away on Tuesday and he was still I don't
know how he could do it. He was still involved on
Saturday's game against here and he was saluted and I don't know
if he's seen it there was Motherwell support or was at
Tynecastle held a banner at there at Tynecastle and it was
unbelievable just seeing the respect and you know, we don't
want to see anybody in football and not even football in life in
general have this. Nobody should lose a child that
young and we just want to see our thoughts are with you Doogie
when we hope that everything's going to be hopefully come back
to some sort of normality quite soon and we hope that your
family taking as much time as you need.
So best wishes to you and your family and good luck for the
rest of the season as well. More.
Let's quickly go to the Premiership and we'll go to
Tynecastle. Ramsey 3 all between Hearts and
Motherwell. Motherwells were 3 1/2 after 60
minutes, but then Hearts got three goals in the last half an
hour. Would Motherwell have been happy
with a point at field time or do you think they because maybe a
point at Tynecastle is not a bad result but because they had it 3
nought with half an hour to go, do you think there'll be more
disappointment or you think you'll say you know what the
point is not too bad at the start of the season at Tank
Castle? No, I think they'll be furious.
I think I think it's obviously not a bad result in a in a
vacuum, but going three nil up like 2 nil up and it coming back
to two 2 is one thing, but 33 nil is a crazy comeback.
And I think Motherwell are an interesting case for this
season. I think A-Team that's been in
the top, like top flight for so long.
They've been treading water a bit over the past few seasons,
but it it seems like they're starting to play some really
good football. Even even though they didn't
quite get the win at the weekend, it sounds like they're
playing some really exciting stuff.
So that will be an interesting one to look at.
But yeah, no, I don't think there'll be any.
I don't think in that dressing room or among their fan base,
they'll be like, oh, you know what, before the game, we've
been taking the point. No, I think they'll they'll be
devastated at that. But I think they they look
promising because they are a team that, as I said, of sort of
maybe over the past few seasons going been going through the
motions a bit. Yeah, it's good to see Mother
were playing some good football. I mean, I've watched their first
game. I have to say I've not seen too
much of them, but they've watched their first game against
Rangers in the second-half especially.
They were fantastic that game and I've heard so many good
reviews about the way that they've been playing lately.
It's unbelievable how Motherwell have been.
You know, they've always got good football players and you
know, they've always seemed to play football in the right way.
But it's good to see them playing this style of football
and doing it quite well, especially quite early on under
a manager's tenure. And they're doing it, of course,
without their star player Lennon Miller from last season, who's
hopefully going to light up for Syria quite soon as well.
And let's quickly talk about Russell Martin at Rangers.
Rams will get your thoughts on this as well.
Russell Martin has got three wins at 9 at Rangers.
He's got the worst start and any manager has made at the club in
36 years. So I think that was the league
start. So I do apologize if I've got
that wrong. League start in 36 years, Club
Brugge in the Champions League next, then Celtic Park.
Sorry, not Celtic Park, Celtic at Ibrox.
I do apologize for that. What do you think is going to
happen to Russell Martin? Do you think these now have got
to be when either any way possible, even if they do get
knocked down the Champions League, do you think that he's
just got to get these two wins in two high profile matches?
I mean, yeah, I mean Celtic, Rangers, you know, with the way
those fan bases are, you have to be perfect.
I can't even begin to imagine the pressure those managers are
under even when things are going well, let alone when they're
not. It genuinely looks like it could
be a Tom Kelly situation where it's, you know, it's only a few
games into the season and you're gone.
Obviously you know, the difference being Martin's just
just in pretty much, but I don't know, it's, it's a funny thing
for Rangers where it seemed like they were back and there to stay
when they won the league under Gerard and they've just been
cycling through managers. You can't do that forever.
And before the season started, I was saying to my mates and
people I talked to about football that if Rangers don't
win the league league this season, they need to stick with
Martin if it looks like he's got an idea.
Because, you know, chopping and changing is not how you
eventually have success. But keywords, well, the key
phrases are if they don't win the league, but it looks like
the form they're in right now, they won't even finish second.
So yeah, I don't know what's going to happen there.
He's already under huge pressure.
His it's, it's a bit, it's a bit of a weird case with Russell
Martin because I was lucky enough to again in my week with
the Herald, I was lucky enough to go to a Rangers pressure
presser. And he does in in his
interviews, he plays a sort of unflappable, you know, measured
type. But something I thought was
strange was when he called out his player for the the
pronunciation is Igomani, I think.
Is that how you say it? I'm not sure for not coming on
and that's. The race you're going to get
from me, Igomani or Igomani, one of the two.
Yeah, I don't know. I think things like that, you
know, it shows that you're a bit rattled, which is fair enough,
but I don't know He, he seems to want to play this sort of
unflappable type and I don't know, highlighting that for Mega
Man, it seems like the cracks are beginning to show a bit and
I think he genuinely is on a timer despite not being long in
the job. Yeah, I think everybody's trying
to feel that we are already certainly around Ibrox that may
be so early on in our takeover that they probably have a point
in the wrong person. But who knows, a couple of you
know, you know what football's like as soon as you get a couple
of good wins, even in high profile high pressure matches
that the whole week can change within a couple of days.
So let's watch this space and we'll see what happens with
Russell Martin next. Next up, we're just about to
wrap it there. I think for today, we've just
got time for a good story. I think we'll give you a good
story to end our podcast this week.
And I wanted to talk about and the guys won't know that I'm
talking about this because we I've given, as I said already,
I've given them all my notes about what we're going to bring
up. But I just wanted to bring been
up on a fairy good. We attend our, our podcast this
week. And I wanted to talk about Sky
Stout, who is the Kilmarnock women's footballer who is 16
years old. She signed her first
professional contract and she got all this hassle in line
because she's got acne around her face.
You know, she's covered in spots and it's not nice at all.
And you know, any teenagers simply not good.
You know, I've had it and it's not good.
And you'd see all these online shows and it's just unbelievable
what she's gone through. And I probably would have rolled
up in a corner, cried about this.
But instead she's made a great statement saying she's going to
let her football do the talking. And then she's only 16 and she's
only played two professional matches.
Last week, she scored a goal against St.
Johnstone, and on Sunday, she scored against Berrimere Thistle
on Sunday. So she is definitely letting our
football do the talking. And that's a very good way that
we can sign up for this podcast. James, anything you want to
bring up to end this podcast? Anything we've not covered?
No, All good. All good, Ramsey, anything you
like to run up for the end of the podcast?
Yeah, just that, you know, Sky Star is obviously a fantastic
footballer, but the people going at her online behind faceless
accounts will always be horrible people, no matter whether she's
got a few spots on her face. It seems like she's a very
resilient person and I definitely admire her a lot.
Yeah, that's about it. Yeah, I think we all admire her.
My thanks then to James and Ramsey for joining me this week
on the podcast. We hope that you all certainly
enjoyed it. Don't forget to subscribe to
Scots with a Mic from wherever you get your podcasts.
And also don't forget to follow us on our social media.
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We'll be back for another edition very, very soon.
Just want to say on behalf of all of us, we want to wish all
the teams that are taking place in Europe this week very good
luck. We hope that we can get four
wins and we hope that we can get four teams qualifying and
especially good luck tabs. We want to see four teams get
into the league phase. We want to try and cover as many
good stories as possible in regards to Scottish football in
Europe. My thanks to you all.
Thank you for a good week and we'll see you again next time.
Bye for now.