Listen to the noise, listen to the passion in Hamden Park.
It's John again. It's Donnie's.
Let's move on. The green dog by the fish chest.
The one for Scotland. Hello and welcome back to the
Scots for Mike podcast. I'm your host James Scott and
we're buzzing to have you back all in again for the new year.
We hope you had a lovely Christmas and had appropriate
celebrations at Hogmanay. The time of record and it's the
5th of January, so I think we're all just about over our
hangovers and ready to pick up the mics again.
And just as well, because there's been a lot going on in
Scottish football, especially over the last 24 hours.
It's been a crazy, crazy whirlwind, even after the
weekend's fixtures came to a close.
Joining me to discuss all the ongoings Fen Crocker back on.
Good to have you, Fen. Good to be back on mate.
And Ian Mackintosh was a pleasure.
Nice to have you back on. Happy New Year all.
Yeah, good stuff, right? Where do we start?
There's been the highest generally, like even, I mean, I
know, seven quarter quarter now and like we thought we'd got
everything and then news just broke again.
We'll take it. We'll take it from the start of
the weekend, obviously, Celtic and Rangers.
The Old Farm kicked off at noon on the Saturday, Celtic losing
31 to their rivals Rangers very pleased with the victory.
It was a, you know, a game of two half Celtic dominated the
first only managed to go in half time one nil leaders and they
didn't really change much going into the second-half, which led
to Rangers coming out and putting 3 past them.
I mean, I don't know, I really didn't.
I didn't have high expectations for this game but it seems there
was a lot riding on it, especially for one man because
Wilfred Nancy has been dismissed of his duties at Celtic.
Yeah, I mean it, it was a crazy game.
Obviously Charmetti finally having a good performance.
I think that it's one of his first I've actually seen.
Yeah, I think it's evident that that Nancy was out of his depth.
I I think for a couple, the the first couple of games, I thought
it was too soon when Celtic fans were calling for a second, but
it was clear that, you know, at half time Rangers had already
figured out what was working for them.
They changed their shapes slightly and all of a sudden the
game flips on its head and and they go on to win the game.
I think that's them 4 unbeaten now against Celtic.
It's been a long, long time since Celtic can beat them in
the league now. And obviously that was, as you
said, the end of the the short, short, short Wilfred Nancy
tenure, his spell as as full time manager was actually
shorter than Martin and Neil's interim.
So Wilfred Nancy was in the position for only 33 days,
whereas Martin O'Neill was in the interim position for 37.
And as we'll touch on in a second or two, news has just
broken the last kind of 10 minutes that Martin O'Neill is
returning to Celtic Park as interim for for the remainder of
the season. Yeah.
I mean, you said there has been a while since Celtic have won.
I mean, in the league at least. Yeah.
Obviously the semi final win but in the.
Last time that was the extra time.
That last win was three nil against Rangers on the 1st of
September 2024. That feels like a very long time
ago, especially for Celtic fans. But yeah, I mean it was like I
said, given 2 halves, Celtic came out, performed well in the
first half, probably should have more than one goal, but they
only took that one going to the break.
It was Yang that got the the opener.
It was some. Goal as well.
It's just it's a good goal, but partly does question they call
it defendant. Like, you can't let a man go
round. Like, yeah, I mean the, the.
Defendant is questionable, but it's still yeah.
They make it look like a great goal, but they should be doing
better. I did.
Initially I was like could they keep it on there?
But when you see the it's an absolute brilliant finish.
It's a rocket of a shot, isn't it?
That's, you know, the peace and the power of the shot pretty
much beat Butland. And I don't think you can
criticize him. I think you can criticize him
with a couple of things that over the course of these of the
season along with Michael as we'll get on to him later on.
But I don't think there's anything he could really do.
But I was saying somebody the other day, they probably need
two goalies in the in the goal not to stop that.
You know, it was that, you know, hard a shot, a fast shot.
There was no way he was going to be able to save that.
Yeah, I mean, he had, I think it was the hardest game.
He was definitely suspected for that Shangling goal.
But this one, there's just, I mean, there was nothing he could
do. He obviously Butler's been quite
suspect, but Casper Michaels had his fair share of errors as
well, obviously dodging in the Denmark versus Scotland game,
dodging against Aberdeen in the cup final.
It seems like he I am honestly shocked that he's still so solid
as no Celtic fans are even questioning them.
I mean, is it? Came in like he was only
stopping in those goals. There's position in that fourth
goal is. Forever.
No. To help you be so far out with
Kenny McLean shooting from the armies.
I. Mean yeah, I think he was he was
in two mains about growing up, I think the patch.
Corner. Be the 11th man.
Yeah, Celtic. I mean, the problem with them
under Nancy has been the resistance to change coming from
the, you know, the dugout in terms of how they're lining up
for fangs. And that was a problem again on
side there wasn't. I mean, it came out second-half
Rangers adopted, Celtic didn't. And I think this might maybe an
early chance for Celtic is pretty much Rangers domination
for the second-half. They made that code with their
free goals that you said, Chamiti getting his two goals
finally sort of living up to the player.
People thought it was going to be Rangers about an.
Upgrade tag. Yeah.
And then like you said about the third goal, Schmeichel
definitely suspect the I think item that's used on Gorgie talk
referenced as going down and and installments.
I think it was. But yeah, but maybe not.
You might not have said that, but yeah.
And it really was that wasn't it?
I mean, he was so slogan then it wasn't the best shot in the
world. Yeah.
Mikey Moore talked away and made it 31.
Yeah, this. I mean, it's, I think again,
there's a tiny little deflection on it, but there's still enough
for him to save that and make it go around the post a. 100% the
deflection takes it closer to them if you actually so.
The deflection is the one that's probably the thing that was
going to save them, but it still ends up good in the back of the
net. So, you know, I have a question
cashless Michael, for a little bit of time.
I'm not anyway related to, you know, anything Celtic connected
whatsoever. But I just look at him and I
just get the fear that he's going to make a mistake.
You know, when you see a goalkeeper who doesn't, who's
either out of his debt or he's, you know, he's not as good as
what used to be. We've all seen a goalkeeper for
our clubs like that. I'm not going to name names.
I could easily name names in the Rover Race Rovers.
I don't think you're going to bring up Andy McNeil.
From Oh, no, no, I want that's we don't have time.
We don't have time for an Andy MacNeil reference.
And if he's just been so suspect, and it's probably ever
since that Denmark game you're at Hampden, that he's been even
worse, you know, And I think the taunts, remember the first game
after it was the Saint Mirren game and Paisley and yeah, yeah.
And the Saint Mirren's supporters and then Kenny McLean
from the halfway line. And then it's just caught on.
And then I wouldn't have been surprised if Celtic fans were
sending that by the time we got to a couple of games.
You know, it was just he's just been so suspect for Celtic
recently. And one good thing I would find
is that somebody mentioned, I can't remember the name of the
Twitter account that's mentioned about Joe Hart because he was
there on Saturday in the in the in the stands.
And you've seen he was like one of the only people who left the
stands on Saturday, the big names like, and he was still
getting like sick in the church. He was getting like, you know,
handshakes on the Celtic reporters and they went, you
know, he's they're trying to give him some encouragement.
You know, he's probably he went out the peak of his he could
have went kept on playing a couple of more years.
I think Johar and but he knew exactly when his time was up,
you know, the body wasn't going to take it anymore.
He wanted to get into the media side of things as well.
That's I think Castro's Michael probably should have done that
in the summer. That that's just my festival
point. I always thought his signing was
going to be like a stop gap between Johar.
Then Castro's Michael comes in, you know, a nice pair, save our
hands for at least a season and then they go and sign somebody
in the summer for about 5,000,006 million who would be
the next long term goalkeeper and somebody who'd be a big
steady pair of hands. That's not happened.
I do think that maybe when it comes to this summer, I wouldn't
be surprised if Celtic signed one or maybe 2 goalkeepers.
They need to sign a goalkeeper of extreme quality because he's
what, 3738 now and can't just keep going on with this.
He's just going to get worse as well.
And I think it to be honest, like in terms of Celtics current
problems, that is actually no. Exactly.
We'll come on to that in a minute.
We'll first let's wrap up on Rangers because obviously Danny
Roll has come into this. He was originally under
consideration this summer. I think I'm right in saying be
withdrew, Martin came in, Martin was sacked, he's replaced Martin
and I think the turmoil at Celtic has actually benefited
him in a way because it's taken a spotlight off Rangers a bit
and he's been allowed to quietly just get on with things his way.
And that's 12 games, last 12 games for Rangers now, one
defeat, 2 draws, you know, he's beaten Celtic.
The only other defeat, the only defeat comes against the team's
top of the league. Yeah, he's a narrow one, Yeah.
So he's been allowed to quietly get on the things and like
they've avoided criticism. They've also avoided about the
spotlight and that's then definitely has benefited them.
I mean, it's interesting to see. We've always things changing.
Celtic, Rangers are up that end of the league now that they've
got that together after the start of the season's shambles,
Hearts just that it's looking so tight up there.
It's going to be interesting to see how they're like 6 months or
five months plays out. Yeah, I mean, I think people
wrote Rangers kind of off at the start of the season when they
were so badly and I thought I was quite premature.
I mean, given how many games were still left in the season
and how you know their league position was was low.
But if you actually looked at the point gap, because it was so
early on, it was not a massive a gap.
And like you said, they've kind of just been flying under the
radar and suddenly they're they're back in the title face
the title race. And I think with Martin O'Neill
coming into into Celtic as the interim manager until the end of
the season, I generally think it might be a three horse race.
Yeah, which was the news. Hard for so long, yeah.
Didn't want what would. This will come first of all,
obviously weekend defeat for Celtic.
Monday comes around, dust is settled and Celtic released this
statement Monday afternoon saying.
Celtic Football Club today announces that it has made the
decision to terminate the contract of manager Wilfred
Nancy with immediate effect. The club thanks Wilfred for his
efforts and wishes him and his family well in the future.
References All the assistants are leaving.
They also confirm that the club is Paul Ted Steel who is head of
football operations. He has left his possession and
then just before we came on to the Cordis, they announced
Martin O'Neill is taking the reins until the end of the
season, which to be fair, is something I thought they might
have done in the 1st place. Again, it feels like they could
have avoided all this mess with Nancy because I mean, who's to
say whether or not it would have worked out before and you know,
the appointed time what happens happened.
But, you know, given the the instability at the start of the
season and the fact that I think the players responded so well to
Neil when they initially came in, I was surprised they said,
right, thanks for doing that, Cheerio.
So, I mean, if you can get, I mean, I know you're asking them
to again, there's no reason you'd think you shouldn't
because I think it was pretty obvious of players.
I mean, when you heard Luke Mccarron's interview after the
on Saturday, Yeah, you know, I think I can't mind you, it was
maybe Scott's confession or Scott's, I'm forgetting who it
was opposed. But basically, you know, the the
tone and the manner he spoke about his managing interview.
You really actually hear that level, not not criticism, but
you know, if you can read between the lines, you never
hear players speak like that too often, even after the managers
left their mind when he's in the role thing, he said some long
lines of he's a manager, what can you do?
Yeah, we've. Got no choice.
Yeah, we've got no choice. You know, as players, we've just
got to get on and do what he's telling us, kind of alluding to
the fad and trying to say, but we don't think what he's asking
us to do is the right thing. You know, as a team it's not
working. But yeah, Martin O'Neill coming
in. Probably not what Hearts wanted,
probably not what Celtic fans want, Rangers fans wants.
So I know they were sort of cheering on Nancy when his name
got read out over Tano at Celtic Park once.
But I mean, I mean for Celtic fans, they'll be happy.
So now because I think like I said, if they, if he can get out
of his players what he was getting out of them back in
November, which wasn't too long ago, you know, like you said, a
three horse race isn't out the equation.
Yeah, I think, yeah, obviously touching on the stacking one
more time before we move on to a different sacking that confirmed
Wilfred Nancy's the the shortest ever reign as manager of Celtic
are Rangers. The top five is John Barnes at
245 days for Celtic, Pedro Cacina at 229 days, Paula Gwen
for Rangers at 186 days, Russell Martin obviously second to 122
days and Welford Nancy only at 32 days.
So there's quite a jump there. And the top 2 both being the
season is, is quite damning on the state of of Rangers and
Celtic. The season.
Obviously with with the funding they have, you'd expect them to
to, to push on. Obviously Hearts have made a
number of signings already. Geordie Altina, I think that's
how you pronounce that. He made an instant impact on
Saturday, got an assist on his debut against Livingston.
Yeah. So again, you know, these
players you've probably never heard of and then they'll
they'll come and light the league up.
So we just have to wait and see. Obviously that Kazakhstan
international as well Islam Chesnikov I don't know how to
pronounce. Well done.
Is that is that? Yeah, I'm proud of that.
One, it sounds like you say say it with conviction and I don't
think any questions. If you say it with conviction,
then we're just going to say you're a language student.
Yeah, so. So yeah, I think we can move on
now. Yeah, I'll ask enough about
Celtic and Rangers and I. Know you'll be wanting to stop
it and because it's it's all up in your area that what I was
going to say in your area of the country, but you're down here in
Edinburgh. But yeah, it's all up in
Aberdeen. Something I mean, talk to us
about it. How do you feel about it as a
because I know when I spoke to Mum said, well, you spoke about
how much you appreciate failing for what he did, you know, with
the Scottish Cup and, you know, such happy moments.
He brought you through that. But it just hasn't been working,
has it? No, I mean, it's it's been AI
don't know if it's a long time coming as the right way to say
it, but the performances have been dire for a while now.
And I mean, I think Peter Levine said after a second that like
the whole club has to take responsibility for it and that
he's been let down, which I do agree with slightly, but his
selection has been questionable. You know, he clearly had
favourites with Sievert Nelson and and Alexander Jensen, who he
he continued to pick despite bad perform performances.
And ultimately, yeah, it's just not been good enough.
Obviously Barry Robson was sacked and the club stated the
8th wasn't good enough and there was fans questioning that
because we were sitting eighth. And a few days later they I
guess that they got, they got what they wanted and he was
sacked. For me, I don't know if I was
slightly surprised, to be fair. Timing a bit surprised me.
I was sitting. Because obviously we've got,
well by the time this will come out we'll have probably already
played Rangers at the time of recording.
We've got them tomorrow and we've got them back-to-back, but
I was more just surprised because of how much he's been
backed. Obviously with European money
he's been backed. But I suppose with the the new
sport director Lutz, I'm not even going to try and pronounce
his second name, Fran Steel or something.
He's German. Fran Steel, I think.
Within the club and still the Penguin.
Yes, that's the one. That's his name.
You say that when we were. Then you die twice as well that
that and he's like, you're still a Penguin.
He died twice. Spent 100 and spent 101 days in
a Singaporean jail. Yeah.
Oh, he was in jail, Yeah. So, so yeah, with him coming
into the club, I think there's going to be a lot more of an
analytical approach. Maybe not to the extent of
Jamestown analytics, but he's got contacts from all over the
world. He's still the only player to
ever play on the six inhabited continents as a player.
So I'm sure he's got contacts wide-ranging from his time in
Germany, from his time in America.
So yeah, I'll be interested to see who who he goes, who he goes
for. Obviously Peter Levine coming in
to to take charge as caretaker. He proved in the 2022, no 2324
season that he's more than capable as caretaker.
He went 10 unbeaten in his two in his two stints.
Obviously came in for one game against Celtic, then we
appointed Neil, he got a draw there got then we appointed Neil
Warnock, then he was sacked and then he took charge again and
went 9 unbeaten. Steered as well clear of the
relegation fight that we were in at the time and he was actually
the one that gave Fletcher Boyd his debut I'm sure.
So you know he's more than capable.
He was linked with the Kilmarnock job before Stuart
Kettlewell was in the post I'm I'm quite sure he was.
Linked to Race Rovers. Yeah, I was going to say that.
Yeah, I think I quite liked the idea of it.
I was. I was all for it.
So. I think that's when, yeah, I
think that's when you and Murray was sacked, if I remember
correctly, because we took our time to, we took our like
literally, we took our time to appoint his successor.
And I think we took about a month and he was one of the
names. Like, I'm surprised he's still
there, I have to admit. Bill.
Yeah, he's just like he knows what he's doing.
Yeah, he's got a good pedigree as well as a coach, and it looks
like he's got a little bit of respect in the dresser and maybe
even more than a little bit of respect as well.
But it sounds like he knows what he's doing.
He's a steady pair of hands. Because as well, I mean,
Aberdeen had for years consistency.
They had Derek McInnes, you know, achieved varying levels of
success, didn't really bring too much in terms of silverware, but
you always had that yeah, competing up right end of the
league. Since then you've had Stephen
Glass, 34%, one percentage. He was in the door from 21 to
22. You had Jim Goodwin, Josh, shy
of 40%, one percentage. Then it was Barry Robson or
Muffins a mess net Warner here, but by Robson was just over 40%,
one percentage. Then it was Jimmy Fallon.
It's just and I mean Derek had or it was 53.4 percent, 1%.
I know there's numbers like they really it's funny how clubs
struggle after periods of having, you know, the
consistency of one guy in charge implementing his style and club
has influencer and the way their club and Aberdeen just can't
seem to get it right since has you know, and I wouldn't say on
paper, I think. You know, some good
appointments. I mean, Jim Goodwin used to know
at Dundee United now, isn't it, Stephen Glass?
Don't think that was painted that.
Was an awful that was an awful appointment.
Before that, was it really painted out to be as bad as it
ended up being that? Was that was his first proper
managerial gig? True, but as well, I just think
they they just haven't. They just haven't what I've
nailed down have there. I'm really pleased with the the
sporting director appointment and his pedigree.
So I'm hoping that he can take his time and get it right this
time because obviously right now the bookies favorite is Stephen
Robinson. You know, all these the same
names. But like Jimmy Tallinn.
I was actually saying with his appointment as well that just
having something unknown is exciting.
I mean, just like a random foreign manner that you've never
heard of. And then you can spend all your
free time researching what they did in their career, which which
I did with Jimmy Tween when and looked at what he did at
Elfsborg and everything. And it was really promising.
And obviously, like you said, after that Scottish Cup win, he
will forever be an Aberdeen legend no matter what, that that
will be his legacy. He will be the one that brought
Aberdeen the first Scottish Cup since 1990.
And no one can take that away from him.
And even even with the second, I think it's the the the manager
that I think's been the most well received after a second
I've seen in a long time, all the fans just thanking him.
His words were great, weren't they?
Just like you took it. Could have been one that was
raging about the whole thing, about losing his job.
But you took it with grace and honesty.
And you know, I think that's the way it needs to be done, isn't
it? You can't.
Say it wasn't given a chance as well.
I mean, I think there's other clubs that would have far less
patience were having bad things, grappity and I mean he did
manage the time that we did turn results a little bit.
You know, that was it was a period where it was much worse
compared to recently, but defeat to fall cricket weekend was seem
to be the final nail in the coffin.
John McLean, I think it was. Even performances, I think it
was even the performances, it was like even the wins we were
getting, they were undeserved. So yeah, I think he'll he'll be
fondly remembered but ultimately didn't work out, which is sad
because I think a lot of the reason why he got so much time
was because the fans were on side because of that Scottish
Cup one. But there's only so much time
that you can get. Right, right, moving on.
The Jambos extend daily at the top and due to Celtic slipping
up at the weekend as well, how Cat gave them an elite early in
the match against Livingston at Tynecastle.
But actually, to be fair, I mean haven't watched the highlights.
They definitely could have been at least one now up, if not 2
nil up when they got that opener.
But I think it was a performance in the second-half that kind of
left the Jambos, the jumbles, the heart support, a little bit
deflated about what could be a little bit more of an easier
ending to the game. I think now Livingston maybe
could next something down the end.
Elsewhere in the country, there was another Derby going on.
Dundee United hosted their neighbors Dundee at Tannadice.
But it was our third win in a rule for Stephen Presley's men.
He's done quite well, hasn't he? Not too long ago when we're
doing a podcast at the start of season where the League Cup had
not gone too well for Dundee. And there was, you know, we were
talking about the start of the season, how already we were kind
of saying it was a sort of shook the peg.
The Paisley was high school in there.
I. Think that's a very good time
you're going to get. Yeah.
I think the fact that he was a former Duned United defender as
well, you know, I mean, it's like little things like that
probably shouldn't come into the equation when it's a manager,
certainly from my point of view. I mean I wouldn't care if a
former Dunfermline manager or a former Dunfermline player is
managing rethrovers and I don't think.
They'll speak to yourself. I wouldn't want a Rangers player
manager in Aberdeen. That's that's your opinion
though. But no, I think but certainly
he's doing a good job when you look at, I mean I put something
out today, but he things they said in his first press
conference, if you want someone to win titles when you change
the football, win titles. I'm not your man.
He's outlasted the first to do Rangers manager, then the old
Celtic manager, then interim Celtics manager, the Kilmarnock
manager, the Aberdeen manager and the new Celtic manager.
So he's that lasted 6 managers, Yeah.
He's done quite well, yeah. He's done really well.
I think everyone was saying that Dundee were shooting for like
he's a shooting for relegation, almost guaranteed to go down.
And like you said, three wins in the Premiership, that's the
first time they've done that in 11 years, 11 years.
So it's testament to to the work he's done.
Obviously we were all doubtful, especially after the League Cup
group stage them going out early, but you?
Know had from them. Really glad.
Yeah, because you've got to hold hands up and just applaud I.
Think Joe as well said he spoke to him for nice.
Like he's a lovely man. His previous gags haven't worked
out from I think he was at Carlisle before, went pretty
disastrously. He's been walking away at
Brentford, so holding his craft in terms of management and it
was a kind of shock appointment because you know, Dundee haven't
gone for a guy that's in a can't role or that or someone who's
managed and Scott before I think I'm right.
Insane. Not for a while.
Yeah, no, they went, you know, they went to a guy who's in the
Brent for the Academy came up, got questioned, but so far it
looks like it's, you know, it's working excellently from so chef
the best. It's a big deal as well to win a
Derby game, especially with, you know, Dundee.
It's very rare that Dundee actually win games and they
spent back to. Back.
Yeah, I was about to say that's back-to-back.
Yeah, they're, so they're and there are some.
Good. It's a good Dundee United side,
by the way, Exactly. I could do this one.
They're not just, they're not just beaten, you know, a Dundee
because there has been few pretty rotten Dundee United
sides in recent years. I don't think Dundee United fans
will go on me too much for saying that.
But you know, he's putting away, he's put my good performances
against that team that good. Jim Goodwin's got doing good.
Things and they beat and they beat both Celtic and Rangers
this season. I mean, yeah, it's great.
It was the first time they beat Celtic in 16 years.
I remember writing something like that and beat Rangers as
well. So you know, beat both Rangers
and Celtic one in the Derby. I mean I think than the than the
FC fans will be chuffed. I think as well, if I might see
now I got a start, you're saying it's the first back-to-back
league wins at 10 a day since 1999.
You know as history for them. You know you always hear about
bully grounds from people and that's certainly a bug again
from them obviously the one of the last time and they were
brilliant that last game if you remember, four goals in the
first half but two got disallowed.
So five goals, if I remember greatly, I think there were 3
winner at half times. They're certainly, they're
certainly turning, turning the tide.
They've got some good players. We all know what Santa Murray
can do. I don't think he scored as many
goals this season as what he should do.
You know, that would still come to him.
Obviously he was suspended for the weekend.
Players like him, Eastern Hamilton, I think become a very
good addition to them in the midfield.
Luke Graham, who Aberdeen are interested in, I think Dundee
and yeah, Hearts interested. Portsmouth as well or interested
in. I think there's a couple of
other English clubs and somebody who has seen in the Championship
last season somebody who played with Falkirk and did very well.
And so they've got a good squad of players there at Danes Park
and I'm not a few Dundee fans very well so I'm delighted for
them. It's always good to see.
Yeah, I think we can maybe move on to a bit of news that not
many people were expecting. Obviously over the the weekend
Ruben Amarin was sacked as Manchester United manager.
Not too many people fussed about that up here, but Darren
Fletcher was appointed as interim manager, the first
Scottish Man United manager since obviously 2013 with David
Moyes and before that was obviously Sir Alex Ferguson.
Big steps to follow in with Alex Ferguson.
So Alex Ferguson, there was a clip resurfaced of him talking
about getting Darren Fletcher into coaching and obviously
Darren Fletcher has been holding his craft in the under
nineteens. I think they went a whole season
unbeaten. They've been playing amazing
football and obviously his two sons, Tyler and Jack.
Jack, just say Tyler and the Evil 1.
Yeah, Tyler and the Evil 1. Fletcher 18.
Or twins. Both coming through #3839.
At Man United, yeah. Tyler was #39 taking Scotland
Tommy his number boy so. Yeah, he's following on the
footsteps and giants here, but I help us on your daddy, the
manager to a fair so hopefully. Hopefully getting getting thrown
in straight away or do you think?
Burnley. Burnley first up, yeah.
You start getting some dirty looks of the Dunner table if he
doesn't start also. Certainly start in, you know,
one of them is a kind of which one because I've not really
watched a lot of Man United so far, but one certainly coming on
Jack, Jack. Jack, Jack coming on, but I hope
Tyler comes on a bit more now. Yeah, Tyler.
Tyler's obviously the one who in the Scotland versus England
game, just against each other. Tyler Scottish choose well, both
born South of the border, but Jack chooses to represent
England. Tyler has picked to support and
support to represent Scotland, so phone and his dad's foot
steps there and that he. Said for both.
Yeah, yeah. No, Tyler Jack did as well,
actually. So you never know, you'd be
convinced. Yeah, we weren't in the air.
They also played for Manchester City, The Book Boys, Yeah, Man
City and Stars, and they went to.
Manchester mind that, yeah. I thought it's crazy because
like and people have such short memories, but I mean on the
watch Man United back and then listens to the way Man United
players speak about players in the team.
I think it was Guy Neville or something, but he always said he
was like one of the first names you look for on the team sheet
is Darren Fletcher because of how we did the game, how hard
they worked, you know, you know what?
Then once he had on the game. It wasn't one of those players
who would, you know, had like he would shoot like 30 yards ago
like had, no, he wasn't that type of creative midfielder, but
boy, he was a good midfielder. There was there was actually a
clip that went viral about the new Chelsea manager that who was
the Strasburg manager Liam Rosenaire.
I don't know if that was he was, he was taught a clip of him on
on Sky Sports from back in 2018 went viral again.
And he was talking about how well it was the main topic was
Paul Pogba. And he was saying, you know, if
you look at past magnetic teams, Darren Fletcher made everyone
better, everyone around him better, whereas Paul Pogba makes
everyone around him worse. So I think Darren Fletcher's got
that knowledge of how Man United works.
And yeah, hopefully he can make Tyler Fletcher a great, great
world class midfielder. Yeah.
I was going to say, do you think Darren Fletcher will ever be the
Scott manager and do you think what would you think about it?
And my personal opinion is he will be but I don't know when.
That's the only thing. It depends on how quick he wants
to become a manager like a high level.
So. You know, managers always want
to learn their trade. You know, I mean, you see them,
you see them go into the Championship in England, they're
going to League One in England or going up to Scotland or going
to, you know, Robbie Keane's gone somewhere.
Where has he gone? Was it hungry?
Yeah, you know, you certainly see places like that.
So it wouldn't surprise me if that's going to be his trade.
But I certainly think he's he's got a fairly good chance if you
want a Scotland managed to manage Scotland and I've always
said it's not a big deal to have that.
You know, I know that's a bit controversial for people, you
know, people like to see their their manager, you know, be
Scottish. It doesn't bother me, but it'd
certainly be a good thing to have.
And somebody like Dan Fletcher, who, you know, he was the star
player when I was growing up, you know, along with James
McFadden in that Scotland team. So who knows, maybe, maybe it's
something that's going to happen one day.
I think it's just a case of don't rush them.
And it's like seeing young players don't rush a young
player for the sake of rushing. I think yeah, you just got to
see where your career goes. I mean, he's literally, he's
literally just starting out. Like it's such a I'm sure he
would love to manage Scotland. In fact, I think most Scotland
fans would like to see a guy like Darren Fletcher, not just
because like you said, you quite often want to see guys like that
and they're all just because he is Scottish.
Similarly, same nationalities, you know, he's he's a well
regarded figure within Scottish football overall.
Like he was a player. He was he was an individual that
as a player was denied success by Scott success.
He probably in terms of, you know, things you went and
achieved at club level you would have hoped you did.
He deserves to be in a team like the team we have today, not to
really like, you know, to to shit on guys year of years
before. But, you know, we weren't, we
weren't at the levels we are now.
And Darren Fletcher then get to experience major tournament
football because of that. And I think if there was one
thing that would be nice about getting into management,
potentially managing Scotland and potentially getting us to
World Cup or EUR, it would be the fact that you would get to
to get to experience that for the first time.
And I think, I think that would please people.
But yeah. Yeah, certainly Pat and Evan on
the radio 5I was listening to, there's a field commentary of
the Scotland, Denmark game. You've not listened to that.
I would listen to that recommend.
It's very good. And then Andy was saying about
all the players who not played in the World Cup for Scotland.
You know, Dan Fletcher was the first name he could think of
anybody else for a couple of minutes, for a couple of
seconds, but he was the first name that comes up.
And you know, I think as well remember his oldness as well,
took so much out of them as well.
Yeah, you know, just we things like that.
I mean, who knows what could have happened.
I think, you know, a couple of definitely a couple of years got
taken off him with his illness and who knows, he could have
probably went on become a much better player than he was and
you know, he was a very good player.
But I'll be interested to see what he's like as a manager
though. I wonder what I wonder if he's a
hands on type manager or if he's attractive.
You know, if he's one who put his the arm around the boy's
shoulders or people just shout right in their faces.
Wonderful it's going to be. I can't see I'm going to shout
in the face so I guide to 1 as well.
No. Well, people lose too.
Nice. Yeah, he does.
Touching on Scotland there. We will deal about housekeeping
because since we last spoke to you, there's been some news
about potential friendlies. Obviously we've got the World
Cup and some are big excitement about that, but we've got our
two March friendlies in preparation and then we've also
got 2 friendlies and June just before we go into the World Cup.
And, and we did confirm already that, uh, friendly and margins
Japan is on the cards and that should be at Hamden Park.
News just since come out that we could also have a, the Ivory
Coast and March, which would be nice.
I don't think we have ever played them before.
Doesn't ring any bells. That'll be in a weak game.
But it will be in England, Everton's new stadium, the held
Dixon Stadium down at the docks and Merseyside.
So yeah, that'd be quite nice to see.
There's also talk about a friendly in Peru.
I think that not in Peru, no, not this emperor.
Yeah, you. Said improve, improve, improve.
Yeah, friendly gains. Peru, but I think Florida.
And Florida. Yeah.
So we'll have our World Cup send off friendly in June, which
should be curious. Yeah, someone from, I think,
like Clark alluded to before, he wants to play teams from each of
the confederations that were playing just to build up
experience. Yeah, obviously Ivory Coast
similar to Morocco and guessing he's thinking then Peru, same
federation as Brazil and then Chris.
So Hamden Park before we then play and.
And. Then I came in Florida just
before we then go up to Boston and kick things off for real.
So that'll be quite. I'm quite interesting.
See, I'm quite actually quite looking forward to the Ivory
Coast game. I don't know why, but I've
always. Yeah, I want to go to I'll.
I'll be trying to get a ticket to that.
Hopefully not a good way. That's a great way to get 2
points. Yeah, I just have WhatsApp
Liverpool 4/4 hour drive in the road, something like.
That I've got. Doable.
Doable on a night. Don't even need a hotel for that
one. Yeah, 2026 obviously just tacked
over into the new year and there's a couple of names we
were looking at earlier. We're just kind of sort of
plotting the beta podcast was going to go and we all sort of
took a stab at seeing who we fought, you know, looking at
Scottish International, some younger, some older, who would
be the guys whose years 2026 what we're hoping for big things
wise. Don't know if any of these want
to go for. For me, a couple of names spring
to mind. I'll not say them all to leave
some for you, but Rory Wilson's the big one for me.
Got a news story today coming out that he he's potentially
going on loan in January to a European top division club with
eight or nine clubs interested so far from Denmark, Austria,
Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Just to just to name some countries.
Obviously don't have the clubs officially that are interested,
but I think a long move into professional football would be
great for him. Obviously 20 years old now.
Sign from Rangers for I think 350,400 thousand.
Sometime. Back in 2022 when he was when he
was really, really young, obviously did so, so well with
the with the youth teams and was getting sniffed about by some
some big European clubs and looked like he was going as he
was running down his contract. But signed the contract with
Aston Villa back in April. And since then it's just
continued to smash. I think he's got seven goals and
11 this season, has been consistently trained with the
first team and yeah, I think I think a load move is the next
logical step. Same with same.
As well. No just about Roy Wilson.
Part of is reluctance to sign a new contract I believe as well
was because of the lack of first team football he was getting.
Yeah, and if he was, I know he had obviously had an injury last
last year that sort of held him back in terms of getting out.
So it's good that, you know, he is generally one of the highest
like sort of potential youngsters in the striking
department. When he left Rangers.
He was really, I don't think I'm overselling him here when I say
kind of went down the road with the same sort of level of praise
that Belly Gilmer got. So, you know, that's a massive.
Talent. Yeah, that's the level that, you
know, player is and I do think maybe he has been shielded about
he's not got been put in low and he has had his injuries and
that's that. You say it could be massive in
terms of it's time to shine and then I heard you saw that before
I stepped across you there. Aiden Borland again, another guy
captain. The youth team's such big thanks
for him too. Yeah, I mean, I think people
have been calling especially Aston Villa fans, I've been
seeing them call for for Rory Wilson to get first team game
time for probably 2 years now. So it's good to see him finally
get some, some first team, first team minutes.
If he does go in loan officer, that's not confirmed yet.
And then, yeah, as you mentioned there quickly in Borland on loan
to Swindon Town, who who are currently second in League 2, I
believe, looking for automatic promotion, good attacking team.
And yeah, hopefully he can do as well as the other Aston Villa
Loney. I can't remember quite his name,
but Aston Villa sent another person out on loan in the summer
to Swindon and they've done really well.
So hopefully can follow in his footsteps then there.
Yeah, obviously World Cup probably too soon for Roy
Wilson, but looking ahead to 2028 when we have all three
group stage games, should we qualify at Hamden, that's a big
opportunity for for anyone in the striking department that's
doing well to get in the squad, obviously because we are lacking
that natural goal scorer. I we have done for years as
well. So there's, you know, it would
be nice to see, I think. If you if you look at like if us
with like a Howlin type, obviously I'm not saying Roy
Wilson's going to be that good, but like a world class
goalscorer. And I think we are really on the
cusp of like going not, I don't want to say fairly deep in
tournaments, but like really competing with the big boys.
Somebody was saying, could you imagine what we would be like
with them? Like Robert Lewandowski?
No. Poland.
No. Yeah, no.
Nor we've got some more bigger talents than just Highland.
Obviously, but yeah, we've, we've not had like a like a
world class #9 since what? Fadi, Alan.
Mccoist. I Mccoist probably yeah, he was
never I'm not I'm not like going to play him down.
But it wasn't exactly like prolific at high level.
Yeah, it was like Alan Mccoist was like the last balland or
nominee before that we had before my comedy like he was a
striker when you see his numbers for Rangers like I mean.
European golden boots and stuff like.
That yeah, I mean you'd say it was, it was only Rangers, it's
only Scotland. Like the sheer number of goals
he scored like was crazy. Hell, to have a guy like that
nowadays that was doing that for Celtic or Rangers or anyone in
the Scottish leagues. So yeah, it'd just be it'd be
nice to see. And you know, when you watch the
highlights from already, it's just yes, they'll win the news
level, but pure literally just like I hate it in like the term
like the sensing box, like he just he just wants to shoot.
He just knows everything about him is like, he's just been
like. Whereas with like Shay Adams and
Linda Dicks, they always, I feel like they're always looking to
to pass that move. Like, he's got that.
Yeah. He's got that instinct where if
he gets a ball even, like even if he gets criticism sometimes
for it, for being selfish, you know that he's going to look to
shoot and that will result in more goals.
Because he backs himself. Yeah.
So what about you guys? What?
Who do you think's going to have a big 2026 about you, Aaron?
I think well, apart from the in the months, I think Kim Bowie, I
would, I always back him up, obviously local boy and all
that. And I think I've said this too
on this podcast, how many times he's local and I always back our
local guys as well. But, you know, I think if he
continues what he's doing at Herbs, you know, you know, who
knows what's going to happen? The wolves are interested in
them, apparently. I don't think that's going to
happen. I hope not.
I hope. But certainly, you know, you
know, he lives up here with his young family and that was one of
the reasons why he wanted to come back to Scotland was to be
closer to his family because he's got his young kids.
And so I don't see him move to wolves happen And, you know,
that's just mine. On his opinion, obviously things
could easily change, but certainly that's one of the
things. We have, we haven't had like a
pillar, I know we just touched in there, but we haven't had
like a prolific striker, a Celtic, arrangers who is a
Scotsman of late. Apart from Lee Griffiths, yeah.
But that's what I was going to say.
That goes back a wee while. That goes back longer than you
think. That's almost 10 years ago.
Like that's, I hope Karen Berry does not go to Celtic arrangers.
Personally, I think I think it's ceilings higher than that.
I think as well as he's definitely got, I think he's
been well trained and well coached and well looked after.
You know, John McGlynn gave him so much advice when he was at
Race Rovers, you know, and I think that was one of I think he
said does well if I'm incorrectly.
I think there was. I've seen scouts and at Stars
Park I've seen a Shepherd United scout, I've seen Celtic scouts,
I think Chelsea scouts, you know, they're all wearing I.
Know for a fact there's an Arsenal.
Scout. And that was an Arsenal scout.
They were all there, you know, they were all watching them and
I think, you know, Celtic really wanted them at one point.
I think Celtic and Rangers both really wanted them.
But I think John McGann said I would go somewhere
out-of-the-box and think, you know, where's the big, what's
the biggest club that you can see that you can realistically,
not necessarily get game time at the big club, but you know,
certainly get you a good training that and you chose
Fulham because he went to the facility down there as.
Math Class A facility and pressure, Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. A brilliant place to go and
train and play football and you know, learn and learns from some
good coaches. Well, so I don't think he's
going to go to Celtic and Ranger.
This is my opinion just right now, maybe a couple of years
time maybe. Who knows when he's if he's got
if he's got the prospects that we all know he's got.
I mean he's not scared of shooting anywhere.
You haven't you've seen that goal in Europe earlier season.
He almost did it in in Derby as well.
You know, he's shooting from one distance, things like that.
That's something people don't like that.
I love that. Like why do I mean we see Kenny
McLean do it. It's just like if Kenny McKean
Bowie can do it. But certainly him.
I would certainly think he's the one to watch out the young
people. But certainly somebody up and
coming and I'm just trying to think who were the best person?
Maybe Finley Curtis, he'll be interested to see what happens
to him. I know he's on going on loan and
from Rangers I would like, well certainly he's on the loan list.
Well, yeah, him and James Wilson, I think.
Yeah, I think, I think because we're looking, you were saying
about strikers. I think somebody with a bit of
pace and a bit of excitement as well.
Every time I see him play with Rangers, I think he could make a
little bit of a difference, whether they'll just be a change
of pace, whether that just be not scared to take somebody on
on the wind. And that's again, maybe apart
from being dope, we don't have that.
It'd be good to see what happens to him.
I think you'll publish the in the Premiership.
You might. I think Kilmarnock, you're
interested in him. I think that's somewhere that he
might go and play some football, but certainly, certainly.
It's disappointing though, because like at the start of the
season, Finley Curtis was like a shining light and a put Rangers.
He was he. Should be starting.
I honestly think he should be, you know, in that I'm that team
playing more football, but and. They need to they, I think he's
the only if I'm writing, said the only 21 Scottish player who
they have that's actually got any game time this season.
Yeah. Any.
Yeah, I think. So I think Bailey Rice has been
injured to put them again, yeah. I think we really need to put
conscious effort and Scottish football to play we.
Got some pretty grim stats and I didn't mean we published a
couple of weeks back. Have zero had 0 minutes given to
under 20 ones. I don't know if that's changed
since then, but obviously riddim a lot.
Nicole. I've got some game time last
season and he's not a sniff. So yeah, keep going on 2026.
Who's your player that you want to look at for James?
I mean, from, from me, I mean, it was a big year from last year
and it's an even bigger year from this year.
It's got to be Lena Miller because he he's he's gone to
Italy and he's not got the game time.
I think we're initially expecting him to get, you know,
I think one of the preferences around them choosing a club was
getting first in football and he's not got it so far.
But the weekend passed. He did get on at the Fort half
time for Daisy and that's, you know, that was a lot more game
time than he's been getting off where it seems to be in like
last minute camels and things. And, you know, I guess probably
more like minutes to keep him quiet other than actually to,
you know, have time to influence the game and, you know, really
test himself. And he seemed to despite a
defeat against Cuomo, the fans seemed to give him pretty good
reviews. So.
Really pretty good views as well.
Yeah, George, really, really impressed by him.
I'd like I just I just would like to see him really kick on
and get the minutes because for Scotland, whenever he's came on,
I mean, we talked about the potential he's got the ability
he already has is huge. But you, you know, is a belly on
the ball with range of pass and, you know, just as football
intelligence is so clear to see any time he's played for
Scotland so far, even the shorter and I'm speaking, I'm
getting more game time, but he hasn't had a wealth of, you
know, time in Scotland so far. But from the short performances
we have seen, he's been really good and, and he's going to, I
mean, he's got like many of us, like Bendalk, like others.
He's going to be a massive player for us going forward,
absolutely. But I just would like to from me
2026 about him finishing the season getting as much minutes
as possible for isn't easy or I know he was also rumoured
Strasbourg initially. I was going to say that, yeah, I
was going to say he'll be interested to see what actually
happens to me. Yeah, he's going to go on more
and I don't believe he's going to because you know, the club
seems like to the well what not, they seem like certain that they
want to. Hopefully the weekend at the
past there's a sign that things are going to change that
department because. Yeah, don't.
Don't forget he's arrived and into the easy on the back of an
injury as well. You know you didn't have much
first team at game time. Motherwell in the cup to begin
with. This season, 4 games or five
games played in the cup. Was that an injury or was that
waiting for a move? But no.
I think, I think there was no way they were risking the multi
£1,000,000 deal. I think it's coming their way.
Yeah, I think it's, I think it's probably, I think you probably
had fitness issue more than that.
I don't think it was, I don't think it was an injury such.
I don't see that story play. Wait a minute.
Times. No, that's.
Nice you. Don't touch on that performance.
Yeah, he was. He was really good.
The fans really rated him. A lot of fans have been calling
for weeks for him to play. And they've got a massive squad
in it as I'm pretty sure at one point they had a bench of about
15 players just on their bench. So yeah, hopefully he can kick
on. And I think just to end off the
podcast, we can talk about maybe a couple of domestic midfielders
speaking on midfielders, Elliot Watt and Josh Mulligan, both had
really good seasons and and both kind of maybe wild cards to get
in that that World Cups gone. Yeah, I mean say.
That Elliot Elliot, what's been the best midfielder in the
country I think this season. I think it's definitely between
him and Josh Mulligan for me. I know that you can see some
like in Cami Devlin for Hearts as well, but I think those two
in particular are looking at Scots as well.
Those two have been made the best two players as well, and
they've both been signed. I think Elliot Watt was
definitely a free agent if I remember and seeing that right,
and Josh Mulligan was a free agent, it will.
So we've both been good pickups for Motherwell and for Hibbs.
I think it'd be very interesting to see if they keep them both.
I think they will. I don't see any reason why they
need to sell the players off. I know that.
Josh Mulligan did a lot of European.
Interest. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, obviously not the first, Yeah, Yeah, obviously Celtic
were really interested in Josh Mulligan when he was a free
agent along with Aberdeen, but Hibbs got a signature was ranges
as well as it ranges for instance, the main one actually
along with Aberdeen. But yeah, massive cook for Hibbs
and I think Elliot what? Yeah, he came from England.
Yeah, he came by an Albion, but he was on loan at Saint
Johnstone, so you know, the everybody kind.
Of knew. Everybody knew about him but I
think he's taking his game on terms of the level and I
certainly think his goal, I do see his goal on Saturday was
fantastic, a brilliant strike on Saturday and he was probably the
best player on the pitch against Celtic as well.
I've not seen a midfielder do that against Celtic in a long
time. You know, controlling the game.
You know, normally you talk about Callum McGregor
controlling the game. He was he was the one really
controlling the game in the midfield in that match.
So yeah, big. I think it's good to see them
both doing well. I think it's good to see them as
Scott as to Scots doing well and in the big leagues well, I think
they'll both stay at their clubs.
And definitely wild card Josh Mulligan for me.
You seem like some of the goals and some of the assists he's
got. I think he's more of I think
he's you know, he's been in the he's been in the squad before.
I don't see why he doesn't get an again but certainly the
midfield is the hardest. If they were strikers they would
be on the, you know, in the squad for sure, but not.
Literally it's just this is because they play in the most
competitive part of that Scotland team.
That midfield is unbelievable. I mean, I've said this before in
this podcast, and I've said it to group chats and I've said it
online. Our midfield's brilliant.
No, I wouldn't swap that would feel for anybody else's really.
I mean, Scott McDonald, Billy Gilmore, John McGann, you know,
those in particular, Lewis Ferguson, those were in
particular, You can put them into any squad I think with the
top ten in the world and they would go out and get into, you
know, I think they've got that good, we've got that good in
midfield. So it's a hard 1 to get
themselves into. I mean, you've got to think
about who would be, what would be the worst case scenario for
them to actually get in to the squad.
I think when you'll consider the last European Championships, I
think Ryan Jack was in the squad purely because there was an
injury to somebody like Billy Gilmore who was coming for
Billy. Well, it'll be Ryan Jack.
So we've got to think about who's best fit for who's Josh
Mulligan, the best fit for see Scott McDonald to come into.
You know, we've got, I think, I think that's how the only way
they can get in is they need to come in as backups to the.
Well, it was it was Steve Clark also touched on it saying, you
know, these opportunities don't come around often and it's just
great to have young players in and amongst these these these
moments. And I think it's really
refreshing to see how much obviously some of these boys
were mentioned. Doesn't aren't teenagers, but
it's really refreshing to see how many young prospects are
coming through, especially attackers as well.
Because I think for a couple of years we kind of had a lack of
that. And we were thinking, oh, you
know, this is this team isn't getting any younger.
You know where where we go. From here, but it's really.
Refreshing to to see how many young fans are coming through.
Bye. I mean, but I think we have
literally covered F and their boys.
It's been a, it's been a long one, I know.
Hopefully we'll be chatting to you again soon.
I'm sure they'll be plenty to talk about in the coming weeks.
Where Martin O'Neill Celtics stayed in the ship.
See what happens there and Hearts obviously continuing
there. Romp at the top of the League
fights Game Boys and we'll chat to you in the next.