Hegarty not second choice Gordon Smith insists Scotland manager George Burley has not settled for second-best by appointing Paul Hegarty to his national team backroom staff. Burley offered the former Dundee United manager a coaching role after Gary McAllister turned down the offer. "I didn't say that Gary McAllister was taking the job," said Smith. No. But you said just about everything else that pointed to him being the no.1 choice for the job. Seriously, how is this guy the chief executive...? And as much as I respect Paul Hegarty as a player his managerial career so far has been uninspiring to say the least. Is he really going to bring anything worthwhile to the national team setup? All in all, it justs looks like one more big feck up.
I've read in Scottish news recently that due to the fact they're out of WC contention, they're in season and Japan is ages away that Burley's going to struggle to get some players for the game even though it's a FIFA Match Date. Players particularly from the Old Firm such as Scott Brown. Is scotland going to send over 23 uncapped players?
This friendly is being seen as a test of George Burley's new team unity that is being spoken of. If the players rate him as highly as they are suggesting then a full or near to full turn out is expected. We've always had call offs for matches so I'd still expect a few but if there is a mass no-show then Mr Burley's head will, once again, be on the chopping block.
Squad has been announced for the friendly in Japan on October 10th. Goalkeepers Craig Gordon (Sunderland), Jamie Langfield (Aberdeen), David Marshall (Cardiff City) Defenders Darren Barr (Falkirk), Christophe Berra (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Gary Caldwell (Celtic), Daniel Fox (Celtic), Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur), Stephen McManus (Celtic), Steven Whittaker (Rangers) Midfielders Charles Adam (Blackpool), Scott Brown (Celtic), Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion), Darren Fletcher (Manchester United), Shaun Maloney (Celtic), Robert Snodgrass (Leeds United), Kevin Thomson (Rangers), Ross Wallace (Preston North End) Forwards Steven Fletcher (Burnley), Steven Naismith (Rangers), Garry O'Connor (Birmingham City), Derek Riordan (Hibernian) I suppose it will come as no surprise to anyone to see Danny Fox fast tracked into the squad. Lee Wallace hasn't played for Hearts since going off at HT in the League Cup match against Dunfermline with a hip injury. It would have been interesting to see if he'd have been included in the squad as well, either with Fox or at his expense. Good to see Ross Wallace and Robert Snodgrass getting included as well. Plenty of youth in the squad. Even Riordan has been recalled. Now Burley just has to hope the call offs are few and far between. Riordan will probably end up getting banged up the day before they fly out...
Danny Fox, Kevin Thomson, Robert Snodgrass, and Garry O'Connor have all pulled out. Lee Miller, Lee Wallace and Scott Robertson have been called-up. Scotland squad Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Sunderland), Jamie Langfield (Aberdeen), David Marshall (Cardiff City) Defenders: Darren Barr (Falkirk), Christophe Berra (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Gary Caldwell (Celtic), Lee Wallace (Hearts), Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur), Stephen McManus (Celtic), Steven Whittaker (Rangers) Midfielders: Charles Adam (Blackpool), Scott Brown (Celtic), Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion), Darren Fletcher (Manchester United), Scott Robertson (Dundee United), Ross Wallace (Preston North End) Forwards: Steven Fletcher (Burnley), Steven Naismith (Rangers), Lee Miller (Aberdeen), Derek Riordan (Hibernian) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/8290548.stm
Steven Naismith has followed Shaun Maloney in withdrawing from the Scotland squad to face Japan. Maloney's Celtic team-mate, Danny Fox, had pulled out through injury on Monday along with Robert Snodgrass, Kevin Thomson and Garry O'Connor. Hearts' Lee Wallace and Aberdeen's Lee Miller had been the first additions to the squad and Dundee United midfielder Scott Robertson replaced Maloney. Striker Naismith picked up a knock in training with the squad on Monday. He had been one of six members of the party who did not train on Tuesday because of injury. Scott Brown is seeing a Harley Street specialist about a persistent ankle problem and is not expected to be in the 20-strong squad heading for Japan on Wednesday. A decision on whether the Celtic midfielder can fly will be taken on Tuesday afternoon, but Stephen McManus, Graham Dorrans, Christophe Berra and Charlie Adam are all expected to travel despite carrying knocks. It is really encouraging to know that, even though I have not been at my best, I am still in George Burley's plans Aberdeen striker Lee Miller Celtic defender McManus had stitches inserted in a head wound suffered in Sunday's defeat by Rangers - the same game in which Maloney picked up an Achilles injury. Club-mate Danny Fox withdrew from the Scotland squad immediately after missing the Old Firm derby with a dead leg and a slight hamstring tear. The former England Under-21 had been poised to switch allegiances but will need to wait for his Scotland bow. Cheshire-born 23-year-old Fox had impressed after joining Celtic from Coventry City this summer and is eligible because of a Scottish grandfather. His absence means that Hearts left-back Lee Wallace will have a chance to make his full international debut. Both he and Aberdeen striker Lee Miller expressed their gratitude for being considered by Burley despite indifferent form for their clubs. "I was a lot more confident last season and hopefully this will help me keep improving as I'll be training with a lot of top-quality players," Wallace told Hearts' website. The defender has been capped by Scotland at Under-21 level and there was much media debate when Fox was originally chosen ahead of the 22-year-old for the trip to Yokohama. "It may be a friendly, but Japan are still a top team and of course I want to play," said Wallace. "I know I wasn't in the original squad, but I just accepted that and knew I just had to get on with my game and keep doing what I had been doing." Miller, who has yet to score this season, recalled playing in Scotland's previous visit to Japan, a goalless draw that clinched the Kirin Cup in May 2006. "It is really encouraging to know that, even though I have not been at my best, I am still in George Burley's plans," he told his club's website. "The circumstances of the last trip were similar. I was a late call-up and maybe not playing at the top of my game. "The confidence I got from that trip gave me a lift and I hope this one will as well." Burley's squad had already been weakened by injury. Rangers striker Kenny Miller had been left out of the original squad as he is seeing a specialist for a hamstring problem but played against Celtic, scoring both his side's goals. Forwards James McFadden and Ross McCormack were also excused the long trip as they are both coming back from injuries. Rangers midfielder Thomson dropped out after he missed his side's 2-1 win on Sunday with a knee injury. Forward Snodgrass, who was in line to make his full international debut, was not in Leeds United's squad for the 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic on Saturday. Striker O'Connor played the full 90 minutes of Birmingham City's 2-1 defeat by Burnley but was limping badly in the final 10 minutes after taking a knock on the leg after the Blues had made all three substitutions. BBC
Darren Fletcher and Alan Hutton have withdrawn. Don Cowie, Stephen Hughes and Craig Conway have been called up.
Scotland should be grateful to get a friendly with a 4th consecutive World Cup side like Japan and give it the respect the game deserved. Somebody tell me why Celtic and Rangers as football clubs have higher jurisdiction than Scotland over the players on a FIFA match date. I mean seriously, to FIFA that's not allowed and players are dropping out cause they have pulled a muscle in their thumb. 10 players have left from the named side which was already understrength. Holland have qualified, and they're playing Australia with the respect their game deserves. They played Japan last month with the same respect. Togo are playing Japan on the 14th and have brought their best players. I've heard criticism about George Burley and unless this is the players way of saying they don't want him as manager, the old firm need to be taken down a few notches and realize they're not allowed to do this on FIFA Match Days even if Scotland have failed again to qualify for the World Cup. Players can cope E.g. Nakamura plays any friendly Japan calls him for. He still managed to play as a top top player for Celtic the whole time. Even if he played for japan on a saturday, and champions league the following wednesday. Sorry for the frustration but it's absolutely pathetic how little respect this game has.
European games next week. There's no chance these players will play in a friendly half way round the world before that.
If ur talking about UCL, Europa, Nakamura did exactly that for celtic and Japan and japan have played more games than scotland i think recently
Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus are staying. Makoto Hasebe of Japan is playing UCL football for Vfl Wolfsburg. Nakamura did UCL & Japan NT games a lot. Why can't the rest of the players.
They probably don't want to travel all that way for a friendly and risk injury when they have big games during the week.
I meant caldwell and mcmanus are going to japan. who are the only two players i'm happy to see in the squad. So if Caldwell and McManus go, why not the rest of them. nobody say injury cause there's no way scott brown can play 90 minutes teh weekend before he gets declared injured.
Caldwell and McManus have been awful this season and there's a chance they might not play next week in Europe. Mowbray has probably told them to go and play and try to find a bit of form.
And whose going to play instead? Thompson? Misun? Don't make me laugh. It'll be some combination of the 3 stooges.
Scott Brown has had an ongoing ankle problem for quite some time. I don't think it's a world's first for a national team to agree to allow a player to miss out on a friendly to try and cure a long running complaint that is, obviously or hopefully, depending on how you look at it, affecting his form for both his club and his country in recent meaningful matches. Danny Fox was injured and didn't even play in the Glasgow derby so it's perfectly understandable that he therefore isn't fit enough to travel to play for Scotland. As for Maloney, that I don't know, but in general, Celtic players have been fulfilling their national team commitments in recent seasons.
I've just read on a German teletext that the Scottish national team was almost involved in a plane crash over London. Thanks God, the pilot managed to avoid a collision according to this source. Is that really true? Didn't find any confirmation in British newspapers so far...
No idea. I'm in a hotel in Bury, near Manchester. A near miss you say... it does sound suspiciously like something the Scottish National team would partake in.
I'm not sure you understand fraser that a FIFA international match date requires clubs release fit players in the squad 5 days before the match, unless they are properly unfit and not able to play. As a result, no league games are held in those times. As I have read, the JFA were assured by SFA that their best side or the side that had played qualifying would play to give japan some practise before the 2010 FWC. The JFA are apparently fuming at the way this turned out. No way 10 players were injured i'm sorry. So in conclusion, the players/clubs have broken FIFA match day rules, the SFA has lied to the JFA and are now going to get a free trip (probably getting paid extra) to Japan for sending a bunch of players some of which in the championship and league one and many of which are debutants.
Most footballers carry small knocks etc most of the time. A meaningless friendly is a chance to rest those knocks. My issue with this game is who arranged a friendly half way round the world before midweek games in Europe? What was the thinking?
When was the last time any team anywhere sent players with meaningful club commitments to another continent to play a game that matters to nobody outside getting some practice. Are Japanese players coming back for this?
So this following quote wasn't about who Celtic are going to play midweek? Thompson is an 18yo CB from some League One side that signed in the summer. You mean Japanese internationals? Naka, Hasebe, Matsui played on Thursday in a qualifier. Honda, Morimoto, and Ina will probably feature against Scotland or Togo. That's right. Not only are they flying to another continent (cue up scary music), they're playing 3 three 3 matches Anyway, South Americans, US Americans, Mexicans, and Asians all make these flights every international break. It's far less harrowing than you're making it out to be.
