Spartak Moscow v Celtic

First leg has a 5pm kick off next week and it’s live on Setanta. Looked like it would be 4pm there for a while so 5 o’clock should be much handier for getting out of work in time.

My proposed lineup for first leg in Moscow:

Brown

Wilson
McManus
JFK
Naylor

Hartley
Donati
Brown
McGeady

Nakamura

Vennegoor of Hesselink

Don’t usually like one up front but it’s away against a team that will be sharper and fitter than us at this stage of the season. Also not sure how effecitve Jan will be on a bouncy astro surface so I’d be looking to introduce Miller at some stage.

I’d probably bring him on in any event to try and grab an away goal which might be crucial but I think it’s important to start solidly and try and get to half time at nil all. We showed against Milan last year that we can defend when we need to and that will be criticial to our success.

where do you intend watching it rock - are you staying in town ??

Yeah I think it’s Frazers for me. You?

will prob go to frasers so…Bandage wont be there will he ??

I can’t say for certain either way Baby but I’ll try to negotiate something for you.

Baby, I shall be leaving work early and heading for Frazer’s so wear something nice to try impress me. I agree with Rocko’s lineup and formation but would also be slightly concerned about our attacking threat with only one upfront. We need to play solidly and defend professionally and we’re more than capable of getting the result we need. I see Jarosik gave the Russians a comprehensive report on how we play and our personnel - the cheek of the useless fook.

Post edited by: Bandage, at: 2007/08/10 23:51

Whats the latest on Boruc lads? I wouldn’t start Hartley on last years form and would go for two up front. As a matter of interest is it on Setanta in the UK or just Ireland?

Boruc’s injury isn’t serious. Shoulder damage and meant to be a 2/3 week thing. I was a little suspicious of it and wondered were they protecting him from being cup tied for the CL and preparing to sell him before the end of the month. But selling Marshall wouldn’t have made any sense in that case so I think he’s here for the season and hopefully he’ll be fit for Wednesday.

Hartley has been nothing short of awful. Scott Brown needs to play centrally and not be shunted out right to facilitate someone who’s been a massive disappointment.

It’s on Setanta Sports 1 afaik which is available over here and back in the mainland.

I don’t think Boruc will be available. I think he’s out of the first leg anyway but I don’t have any suspicion he’s leaving.

Looking back on last season we really had spent some of the Petrov money (on Jan and Tommy and Naylor) before we sold him and I’d imagine it would be the same if we were selling Boruc.

Hartley has been very poor alright and I have him out wide in my original selection and I’d be adamant that he shouldn’t play centrally instead of Brown. However if it was Naka out wide with Hartley in the middle I could accept that (certainly for a while as a variation) but this business of swapping him with Brown is crap. It would be like playing Roy Keane out on the right for Ireland so McAteer could have a central role.

Strachan’s Press Conference Yesterday:

Strachan: "Doumbe is speaking to us later today. Injuries for tomorrow, none. Pressley is back from suspension. What else? Scott Cuthbert and Adam Virgo have been asked to go on loan to certain clubs. I can’t mention them yet so apart from them nobody has enquired about any players whatsoever at all.

“And that’s that kind of news. As you can see I’m in a hurry because I’ve got to get the team bus at half past one.”

Question: “Has the goalkeeper recovered?”

Strachan: “No.”

Q: “Will he travel with you next week?”

A: “Don’t know.”

Q: “You said Jean-Joel will be coming to see you, do you know how soon?”

A: “Maybe this afternoon. I think this afternoon.”

Q: “That was a position you were looking for cover.”

A: “Yeah.”

Q: “Is that because you want competition for Mark Wilson as well as the fact Doumbe has proven he can do a job?”

A: “Mark can also play across to left-back if you have a problem.”

Q: “You’ve spoken very favourably about John Hughes in the past, do you expect another open game tomorrow?”

A: “Er, yes it should be a good game.”

Q: “You used a golf analogy last week as regards the strikers. Have you been working on that this week?”

A: “If you look at the game, then there was a lot of people in there having attempts who weren’t so great. We have been doing a lot of things. If you’re putting is off at golf you just practise.”

Q: “Have you made a decision whether Steven (Pressley) will come back into the team, or whether John (Kennedy) has done enough?”

A: “Yes, I’ve made my decision.”

Q: “Will it be influenced by Spartak’s artificial pitch which might be a problem for John?”

A: “No.”

Q: “There has been talk of clubs offering you the chance to use their plastic pitch?”

A: “There have been a lot of clubs offering us. It’s been very good. Different organisations, even outside football.”

Q: “Do you think you will use one?”

A: “We might take up the offer.”

Q: “Is there a big difference in the plastic pitches and, if there is, how big?”

A: “We had one similar at Southampton and it was nice to play on. Not too bad. It’s not the same, obviously.”

Q: “Might you practice on it on Sunday?”

A: “Yeah.”

Q: “Can you say which one you are most likely to use?”

A: “No. I know where I’m going, like. I know where I’m going.”

Q: “Is it a difficult week because you have a big Champions League match?”

A: “No.”

Q: “You can stay focused?”

A: “It’s not difficult at all.”

Q: “It’s your 100th game in charge, can you describe your fluctuating emotions? How has it been as an experience?”

A: “Exciting. Exhilarating. Disappointing. Funny.”

Q: “Has it flown in?”

A: “Yes.”

Q: “Given the spell you had away from football, has this aged you or has it reinvigorated you?”

A:“I don’t analyse myself like that, to be honest with you.”

Q: “Has it proved to be the different challenge that you wanted because you always said that if you were going to do something that’s what you wanted.”

A: “Oh, it’s definitely different.”

Q: “What would you say was your proudest achievement?”

A: “Still being here. My proudest achievement? I have no idea. I’m not interested.”

Q: “You want to build teams and play good football so is it that, or is it the trophies?”

A:“I really don’t know.”

Q: “You are joking about still being here, but last week Walter Smith said that you don’t have a two-year plan at the Old Firm, sometimes it is a two-week plan. Do you agree?”

A: “There is that immediate survival plan. Walter’s not daft and you need to have that bigger picture in your mind to improve your team. You run both at the same time.”

Q: “John Hughes said this morning that he looks at Celtic and tries to copy things that Celtic do. Are you proud he looks at you in that way?”

A: “It’s nice. I should start reading the papers, eh.”(laughs).

Q: “Was there anybody when you started out as manager that you looked to?”

A: “It’s just survival when you first start off.”

Q: “Do you admire John because his philosophy is to get the ball down and play when he is at a team where it might be easier to get the ball up the park?”

A: “Of course it is. He has shown he’s mentally strong as well that he is prepared to do that.”

Q: “Have you given Virgo and Cuthbert permission to talk to other clubs?”

A: “With Adam, yes. With Scott it has to be done through Tommy Burns and Willie McStay.”

Q: “Would you let them go?”

A: “With Adam, I’m quite prepared to let him go. As with Scott, he is under the jurisdiction of Willie and Tommy.”

Q: “Would you allow Adam to go with the view of bringing him back?”

A:“I don’t know whether he has gone. I just said there was an enquiry. I don’t know if he’s gone, or been, or whatever. It’s just to give you the news that we’ve had an enquiry and it hasn’t gone any further.”

Q: “Mark McGhee obviously mentioned…”(interrupts)

A: “It’s not Mark McGhee.”

Q: “Was Doumbe always one you kept on the backburner?”

A: “Joe has been in contact with me over the past few months. We have spoken regularly.”

Other than that not much news today. Leicester look like they’re coming in with a bid for Riordan though.

Today’s Team:

Brown
Wilson
Naylor
McManus
Kennedy
Nakamura
Brown
Donati
McGeady
Miller
JVOH

No Hartley or Pressley.

That’s the right team IMO. Miller for Magic is a must and Naka in for Hartley. Some were suggesting he should be rested because he’s only back but he needs to learn to play with Donati and Brown before the big game on Wednesday.

Happy with that team. It might also suggest Kennedy is fine to play on the astro pitch on Wednesday in Moscow. Magic’s apparent disinterest and negative body language, along with his awful recent performances, mean he had to drop out. Could be the kick up the ass Hartley needs too. They’re hard to beat there so it’ll be difficult. I’m out of here.

Good 4-1 win in the end after a poor first half.

Highlights here: http://www.dailymotion.com/celtama/video/x2qj34_falkirk-vs-celtic_sport

Worried about our defence. They went one up after a couple of minutes and it was down to shocking defending more than anything. Nalyor gets caught out of position and makes no effort to get back. McManus goes out to close down the cross from the right and when it comes in Kennedy leaves Wilson to cope with their striker in the box. Luckily it’s overhit but they get a second chance. In fairness to Wilson he gets out to close down but they’ve a man over (Naka was tracking inside) and when it comes in again Kennedy is marking at the front post and McManus doesn’t bother picking up their striker - leaving him for Naylor who’s easily beaten.

We had a few more scares at the back but from what I saw (first half and only the goals from the second half) we were decent enough going forward. Thought Jan fought well up front and had a couple of decent efforts. Aiden was very good again and Miller worked hard - which is somethign Magic hasn’t been bothering to do.

Needed a confidence boost begore Spartak Moscow so that could prove crucial.

  • Defence were really poor at times. Complete lack of communication, marking and tracking at times. Mick and JFK need to be much more commanding and authorative.

  • Full backs need to improve their final ball in the attacking thrid.

  • Some of the passing, movement and link up play between Naka, Brown, McGeady and Miller was exceptional.

  • Naka grew into the game to such an extent that he was operating on a plane far above anyone else by the end. Another sublime free kick.

  • Encouraging to see McGeady playing so well and he’s gotten much stronger. He was bursting through attempted tackles and shrugging lads off him.

  • Brown had a quiet first half but a storming second. Talk about drive from the kid. His runs were surging and his effort and energy levels are excellent.

  • I was delighted to see Miller play so well. He was at the heart of everything good we did and seeing as there’s a second striker spot up for grabs he didn’t do himself any harm at all. He was constantly running in behind and linking up well to feet all through.

  • Jan put in an excellent shift upfront and the goal will do him good and get him running too.

  • I liked Donati’s vision and range of passing and his hunger for work in both halves. The partnership between Donati and Brown is developing nicely although you wouldn’t know that listening to Scott Booth in commentary who was eager to start another ‘Celts in crisis’ story.

  • Initially I was thinking 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 for Wednesday night to give ourselves protection. And based on the defending yesterday it looks like we’ll need that extra security in midfield. Hartley could come in but that’d be harsh on Miller after his excellent display yesterday. I’m actually edging towards the same team as yesterday due to Miller’s threat in behind and the fact he might poach an away goal. I’m hoping the defensive frailties from yesterday can be ironed out on the training ground over the next couple of days and with better communication and players taking more responsibilty to keep a good collective defensive shape when we don’t have the ball.

  • Overall happy with the fluency and imagination in attack but concerned about the defending. It needs to be so much better on Wednesday or we could leave ourselves with a lot to do in the home leg.

Strachan in the Sunday Herald in Scotland today. Interesting in that he says more funds could be spent by the end of August. The man’s obsessed with ‘yob culture’ - all his interviews are about it. He’s a very complex character, reviled by many Celtic supporters, but I’m a fan of the ginger prick.

By Michael Grant

Gordon Strachan on the media, the fans and whether hes a better manager than Martin ONeill

THERE MUST be more than one Gordon Strachan because the thorny one who could start an argument in an empty room was nowhere to be seen. Almost an hour in his Parkhead office began with him apologising for arriving a few minutes late and ended with him saying sorry again for the tea being served in polystyrene cups. If Strachan can be that courteous to a journalist, given that he finds many in the football media as appealing as something a dog would deposit on the pavement, he would doubtless show good manners to a murderer.

Celtic and Rangers managers tend not to do one-to-one interviews but Strachan has been in the mood to let the drawbridge down. Needless to say it was highly rewarding to spend time in the company of one of football’s more complex and intriguing personalities; witty and challenging in equal measure, but always stimulating. One minute we were comparing the funniest parts of The Simpsons movie, the next disagreeing about whether Scottish football writers had made their minds up about him from the moment he arrived at Celtic in 2005.

Two years later we hardly know him any better, and what little evidence we have is based on the very environment in which he is most guarded and wary: the artificiality of a press conference. His mood can lighten or darken depending on what he is asked. Now and again he shows how much fun he can be. One of the most striking things about Strachan is how readily he laughs.

advertisementSince coming to Celtic he has paid no attention to media coverage of himself or the club. Or so he says. It is one of the oldest lines in the book, but what makes him different from all the other managers who trot it out is that he has never let his guard drop by alluding to something a sports journalist has come out with. He makes a virtue of the fact he has never complained about anything written or said by a reporter since he came to Scotland. How could he, if he never read or listened to it in the first place?

The idea of Strachan avoiding the likes of the Daily Record, Radio Clyde’s phone-in or even BBC Sportscene is interesting because, as his cinema visit to see Homer and Marge proved, he is not the type to cut himself off from popular culture. He turns to the cinema, DVDs and television to give his mind a break from football.

For a man who applies a form of self-censorship in terms of what he reads and watches, namely avoiding coverage of Scottish football, he is highly critical of the way this country perceives itself in the media.

Strachan has spoken before about how pessimistic and critical Scottish society can be and the longer he stays here the more the issue troubles him. A radio presenter’s remark about the Edinburgh Festival, which he visited late last week, epitomised the attitude which depresses him. "There’s no doubt that the scrutiny of football in this part of the world is as intense as anywhere. But I don’t think the negativity is just towards football. As a nation we are very negative. We are a fantastic nation, but so negative.

"Take the Edinburgh Festival. It’s a fantastic thing, it really is. People from all over the world come to our country for it, they love it, they take pictures, they see the type of country we are. And then I hear someone on the radio - I don’t know what it was, one of those nugget ones where the local hero is some joker cracking innuendos from 7 o’clock to 9 - and he’s saying it’s useless and pompous and all the rest. This is a festival everyone wants to go to but over here in Glasgow it’s crap, it’s useless, it’s only for big-headed or pompous people. No!

"If I did read the papers and listen to everyone’s opinions maybe it would bring me down. But because I protect myself and I am quite happy with what I’m doing it’s not a big thing to me. When I do go somewhere else outside Scotland I can pick up a paper. And I can get my news from national television.

“There is a lot that is good about the game in Scotland. There is. But I don’t know if we like the good stuff as a nation. I used to get Scottish papers when I lived in England and I’d think come on, give yourself a shake for Christ’s sake’. It was so negative. Musicians, artists, actors, engineers, scientists: it’s phenomenal what they’ve done as a small nation but that doesn’t get promoted.”

Being an Old Firm manager is not the first job that comes to mind for someone determined to be sunny and upbeat about life. Often Glasgow isn’t about a glass being half full or half empty, but broken and held up as a weapon. Celtic and Rangers, or their supporters at least, are consumed and preoccupied by arguably football’s most powerful rivalry. If Strachan dislikes negativity then surely nothing is more negative than the Old Firm environment and its stew of hatred, bigotry, jealousies and accusations?

On this, his reply is shrewd, careful and - it has to be said - disappointing. “Yeah. I don’t want to get involved in that though. I think there is enough said about it, enough in the papers about it. There are more educated people than me who can deal with that. I know I can do coaching okay, so I will leave it to other people to deal with.”

When he talks to a journalist Strachan feels as though he is in a game laced with tricks, and if the end result is a strong newspaper headline he has fallen for one. That meant he could not be persuaded to go on the record about what he really thought about sectarianism. It was a shame, given how intriguing it would be to hear the views of an intelligent and opinionated outsider on the corrosive effects of life as a prominent Glasgow football personality.

But he did expand a little, referring to the traps into which a Celtic or Rangers figure can fall. He brought up the incident in which John Hartson and Stephen Pearson sang at a supporters’ function in Donegal only to be hurled into controversy because fans shouted IRA slogans in the background. The episode was caught by a mobile phone camera and eventually made the front pages.

To Strachan the specifics of the incident were trivial although useful as a warning of the minefield which surrounds Old Firm people. “These things he lifted his phone are deadly now. Before I came here someone had videoed some of our players singing The Fields of Athenry. I know, everyone knows, that our boys are singing a song and some nugget who has nothing to do with the club shouts out in the background. It was a nothing story that one paper kept going for four days of coverage. These are the last fragments of it sectarianism, hopefully it would be dying, but that just keeps it going.”

Sectarianism co-exists with yob culture in the west of Scotland. It is hard to think of a combination which could be more repellent to Strachan. He is able to live contentedly here because of a lifestyle which limits his exposure to the yobs and neds. He has been with his wife, Lesley, since 1975, and as a couple they wouldn’t exactly give Amy Winehouse and her man a run in the hellraising stakes. The Strachans’ marriage may be the most secure in football; husband and wife, grandparents, and happiest together in their own company. When they go out it may be to an afternoon cinema show rather than nights in pubs or clubs.

Strachan was amused by the idea that a couple of previous incidents - he once chased some youths who were abusive outside a cinema, and got into a verbal altercation with a Rangers supporter at a filling station - have created the impression he does not trust himself to walk the streets of Glasgow. If it seems as though he is lying low, it is only because he and Lesley have always done so.

“Big Alex McLeish tried to describe me as a tea-drinking recluse. I’m not. It’s not like I’ve come to Glasgow and hidden away from the world. I was like that anyway. I never drank on Saturday nights. I never came out with that old line about I always like going out for a quiet meal with my wife’ - which really means you get pissed anyway. I’m not hiding from anything. I hope people don’t think I’m scared to go out in Glasgow: I’m not, far from it. It’s just that I didn’t like going out, full stop.”

After a long overdue hip replacement operation in May his physical fitness is being restored. A diet including porridge and bananas prolonged his playing career to 40 and, now aged 50, he still looks after himself. The heavily-lined face is misleading: he seems better able than most to cope with the stress and relentless demands of managing a major club. Sceptics doubt that he has the inclination to have a long reign at Celtic but he is into his third season and has yet to drop a hint that he sees a leaving date on the horizon. A 12-month rolling contract offers no clues; no chance of giving us a big headline.

He played for Scotland on the night Jock Stein died in Cardiff and had a scare of his own when he collapsed at Coventry’s training ground and panicked that he was having a stroke. It turned out to be a virus and he has been okay ever since. As was shown by his 15-month sabbatical before coming to Celtic he is a rounded character capable of putting football in perspective and losing himself in films or even safari holidays to get a release from it. He can escape the madness.

"I still suffer, don’t get me wrong. I still suffer badly when we don’t get a result. I probably suffer worse than some of those other guys. Some like to go out and have a drink on a Saturday and lose themselves in that for a couple of hours. I can’t. I just sit there and suffer. But in the morning I go: right, here’s what we have to do, bang, bang, bang’ and then I carry on.

“I think I am still in good physical shape to stay on the coaching field. When you start to get overweight and fat, when you can’t get about and you don’t look like you should be out there, that’s when you should get off.”

For two years the bad hip prevented him spending time in the gym but since the operation he has returned. He doesn’t eat junk, doesn’t booze, and doesn’t even play as much golf as he would like. "I love golf, but I don’t play it in the summer because I’ve told the players they cannae play it either. The same with alcohol. If I had been out for a drink the players could sense it one way or another. I cannae do that.

“You have to discipline yourself to lead by example. That’s not a problem for me. It’s not as if I’m desperate for a drink. I can laugh and joke without alcohol.”

He suspects that some of his critics are less inclined to lead such an abstemious existence. Dismissing all websites and newspaper or radio phone-ins may seem arrogant given they are an outlet for legitimate expression and some of it might even be positive or constructive. Well, in theory at least. But to Strachan they are little more than the voice of the yob culture he detests.

“Years ago if you wanted to state an opinion about a football club or its manager you had to have the ability to construct and write a letter. You don’t have to do that now. You could be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, stupidity, lack of intelligence - but if you pick up a phone and shout it someone will put it in print or broadcast it.”

Similarly he is unconcerned by the Celtic supporters’ debate about whether or not he is a better manager than Martin O’Neill. Two title wins, one Scottish Cup and one League Cup and progress to the last 16 of the Champions League were secured by a squad younger and on lower wages than O’Neill’s.

Some supporters cite the team’s lack of entertainment, failed signings such as Thomas Gravesen or Jiri Jarosik, or even his sarcastic attitude to the media. Strachan has in the past alluded to not having “the Irish aspect” that O’Neill did, which meant he would never become as popular at Celtic as his predecessor. Yet criticism of him can be exaggerated and the majority of fans admire and respect him. His public persona is probably too difficult and challenging to unite the support of any club.

"Winning the league and cup and getting to the last 16 in the Champions League was a kind of treble for me because the last 16 far outweighs winning the League Cup. But not even trophies are going to satisfy people. I used to watch the Prime Minister making a decision and most of the country would say that’s a good idea’ but you would always find a backbencher wanting to stick himself in front of the television to criticise.

“We could still do significant deals before this transfer window closes. But in real terms we have spent 4.5 million so far this summer with people coming in or going out. That’s no’ bad considering that Michael Chopra went from Cardiff to Sunderland for 5.5m. But after 4.5m here you get: go on Gordon, get out there and win that Champions League…’”

And guess what? That gave him another laugh.

Celtic leaving the airport preview from Sky Sports News. From letthepeoplesing.com

{flvremote}http://www.letthepeoplesing.com/uploads/39844d4c489e867a33f03c9efcfdabf7_celticairport2.mpg.FLV{/flvremote}

Post edited by: therock67, at: 2007/08/13 18:32

Boruc has travelled and said he’d play with painkillers but Strachan said it’s very unlikely he’ll play. I see the greasy hun Pressley in the background there - hopefully they’ll drop him off in Serbia on the way over.

Graham Spiers article below. I can see Strachan coming under pressure if we don’t qualify which is a bit strange considering his success with the club. Having said that he has been up against a very poor Rangers side each year and he had the benefit of Celtic being second seeds last year in the CL group stages which was something MON never had.

Gordon Strachan was understandably pensive as we flew into Moscow yesterday with Celtic. The champions of Scotland face the arduous task of getting past Spartak Moscow in the final Champions League qualifier, the first leg of which is in Russia tomorrow night, and Strachan was entitled to his brooding on the plane.
Like Walter Smith, he is a man under intense and unrelenting pressure. If this word pressure is too often used glibly and exaggeratedly in football, perhaps the closest it comes to being properly applied is around Glasgows Big Two. Nothing Strachan does no comment, quip or cough is spared obsessive scrutiny.
That kind of attention can lend itself to managerial fits and huffs, and we have seen more of it from the Celtic manager in the past three days. On Friday, Strachan was found to be tetchy throughout his media duties, and on Sunday he aroused further ire, this time from among his clubs own supporters, after he implied that many football fans fell into the category of neds.
Of his pique or short temper on Friday, Strachan was perfectly within his rights: which normal person would not get fed up with the press? If it is any guide, we get fed up with ourselves. In his comment to a Sunday paper, however, the Celtic manager strayed into a more dangerous terrain.
Strachan, almost word for word, chose to repeat the comment he made in an interview with The Times two months ago, in claiming that a football fan who places a call to a radio football phone-in to complain is likely to be a guy sitting in a tracksuit sipping from a can of lager, coked to the eyeballs with his devil-dog by his side.
These are the words of a man who feels contempt for the society around him, and, more to the point, contempt for a certain constituency within the average football community.
It is well known that Strachan has an issue with what he calls Britains yob culture. He has been vocal on the subject on two or three occasions now. Yet what Peter Lawwell, the Celtic chief executive, might be keen to emphasise to his manager is that, whatever he thinks of some people around him, first, you dont go out your way to insult your customers, and second, you avoid if you can the sort of harsh generalisations that Strachans neds comment implies.
The truth of it is this: in newspaper columns, on TV or radio, football managers are prickly about the criticisms that come their way. And Strachans response to the sort of griping he hears on radio phone-ins is contempt and disdain for the people behind the voices. If there is a degree of truth in what he says, there is also a shocking calumny.
The issue is pertinent right now, given the context of Strachans continuing marriage with the Celtic support. Frankly, it seems that two successive league titles and a breakthrough to the last 16 of the Champions League last season mean little in terms of his adoration in the eyes of the faithful.
Celtic fans like and respect Strachan but they dont love him as they did Martin ONeill. Moreover, they will also pounce with greater alacrity to criticise Strachan if things start to go wrong, which is maybe why yesterdays flight to Moscow found the Celtic manager in a contemplative mood.
The oppressive heat is set to be on him once more, and not just from the air of a Muscovite summer. It will be a significant feat if Strachans team can oust Spartak over these next two matches, given their excellence in the Russian Premier League, where they command a comfortable lead.
Celtic, like Rangers, crave Champions League activity (and money). Few will hesitate to point out that, should they fail over these next two weeks, Strachan and his team will have cost the club 20 million in income, having also failed to qualify for the tournament in 2005-06.
The Strachan critics will be jostling to form a disorderly queue should Celtic fail. And not all of them will be neds.

Bandage wrote:

  • Encouraging to see McGeady playing so well and he’s gotten much stronger. He was bursting through attempted tackles and shrugging lads off him.

Noticed the same and thought it was very encouraging. He was riiding tackles that used to know him off the ball. Fair play to him, he’s obviously worked hard in the gym. Deserves his place at right midfield for Ireland.

I really like Spiers’ stuff. I have no idea why Strachan keeps moaning about ‘yob culture’ and wish he’d just shut up about it. There’s nothing worse than a whinger.

Re McGeady, I think if you did a straw poll of Irish football supporters they would overwhelmingly vote to have Stephen Hunt in the Irish team ahead of McGeady (assuming of course that Duff was fit, which he isn’t, and pushing him to the right and playing Hunt on the left).

This would be a sad, sad reflection on the knowledge of most of the clowns who ‘support’ Ireland.