Hopefully things don't go wrong, but if things don't go to plan, I hope everyone keeps up there optimistic approach with the national side. Makes a refreshing change after so much doom and gloom. Maybe it is because I live south of the border that I care so much about the National side, but for the 1st time I really do think we have a half decent squad.

I am just fearing, if we lose both games, everyone will turn on Walter and the boys and look for a scapegoat, many seem to be making Barry Ferguson that already, which is uncalled for in my opionion. I don't care what club they play for, as long as they do the business when playing for Scotland.

I'm 25 and in my life time I can safely say, in Craig Gordon we have the 1st keeper I actually feel confident with. Although technically not the best, the pool of strikers and up coming strikers is the best we have had for along time, Maloney, Boyd, Miller, Naismith, O'Conner, McFadden etc... As I honestly belive we have a great coaching staff. Say what you like about Rangers/Celtic, to win the league and cups with them, you still have to be a decent manager and Walter Smith done that. He done a average job at Everton but to be fair they were in a mess when he took over. Burns is a passionaite guy and a decent coach. Ally McCoist must be great for morale in the dressing room and on the ground, reckon the lads have a good laugh with him.

Not sure what the point in this post is, probably 1 to many Strongbow's tonight. But guess I am just trying to stay stand behind the lads no matter what.

Not to be nit-picky, but in your life time, being 25, surely you grew up with Goram as a goalkeeper too?

Aye, fair comment. But still prefer Gordon.

Nah! His inclusion will not to be for the benefit of Scotland - and I say that as a neutral

When has Ferguson ever done it in a Scotland jersey?

what has most of the first 11 ever done for scotland? Was barry ferguson not in the team that beat Holland, England, drew with italy and beat germany and drew with them?

Barry Ferguson is the best midfielder scotland has, people expect him to cover every inch of the park, put in every challenge and score and set up goals. He does his job efficiently and nobody does it better. He keep posession is always available to take a pass and never afraid to accept it. Against Lithuania we were crap to be honest there was no link between defence and midfield which ferguson gives us and we constantly lost out in posession in the midfield which barry ferguson rarely does.

Back to the main point of the thread, I am very optimistic of getting at least 4 pts over the 2 games if we get beat off France its no disgrace as long as we dont get beat heavily which could dent our confidence, but if we want at least second place in this group we need to beat teams like ukraine away. I wasnt impressed by them at the world cup and by the looks of it in this campaign they havent been to impressive either.

Goram was a better keeper than Gordon is.

As long as we play more than 1 up front and actually make an attempt to win games.

I wouldnt like us to do that against France as I think we could end up getting humped. One striker against the bigger teams like France and such like seems to work.

i think peoples problem with Ferguson is that we seem to be doing ok without him at the moment yet it is percieved he will still march back into the starting line up.His present and past form does not warrant this.
As regards the keepers,Jim Leighton did pretty good for us too.The way he was treated prior to euro 96 was nothing short of a disgrace(talking of players walking straight back into a side)

Darren Fletcher is a far,far better player than Ferguson.

I'm rarely convinced that Ferguson is the best midfielder that Rangers have

I don't mind Fletcher and would love to see him make it at Man Utd, but for past year or so he has been a bit of a target for the boo boys. Hopefully Ferguson will stick by him

I also think Ferguson is the best midfielder we have. Despite some people views. He can drive me mad at times, but so does every other player. Ferguson's time in England is proof that leaving a club to join a team in the English Premiership is not always a good move. Paul Hartley being a close 2nd.

We won't need to remain optomistic, we can take all three points of these forg eating surrendering clowns

definately mate, couldny agree more, I have been goin to Scotland homes games since a wiz a wee boy, a only live across the road fae hampden but never the less. I have never been critical with the country, even under berti vogts, I am confident we will beat France or draw with them but even if we dont I will still be behind the team aw the way

Agree, i think its an absolute disgrace the way he gets disregarded by the pundits and fans down in England. Both him and Scholes run the midfield for Man Utd and it seems on Scholes gets recognition. Fletch is as good if not better than Schole IMO.

A few mates and myself always speak about how bad Scholes is. He is a midfielder yet he can't tackle to save his life. If he does a bad tackle the commentators laugh and say a typical mis-timed tackle by Scholes, a typical forwards tackle (even though he has played in midfield for past 10 years). If Savage does it the commentators have a field day, calling him dirty, to aggresive etc... When Scholes does get the ball, all he does is want to shoot, just like fat frank Lampard another very over rated player. Fletcher has put on a bit of muscle/weight over the summer and looks an even better player for it. Hopefully with Ferguson being Scottish too, he will stand by Fletcher (which to be fair to Alex Ferguson, he has done so far). Man Utd should be more worried about donkeys such as Scholes, O'Shea, Richardson (England international ha ha ha) Silvestre, Vidic and Evra

Man U fans are all prawn sandwich eaters anyway,so they don't really know what they're talking about

As long as his boss keeps picking him,then Fletch is impressing the only main that he needs to,which is good enough for me.

true, A seen Fletcher on his first scotland game where he came on as a sub and scored against lithuania!, from then on hes put in some world class and a meen world class performances since then. Just wish he wiz a bit more built like o'connor. Ad say our best player along wae kenny boy