Breaking news that O'Connor will not be on the flight to Kiev today, having been disciplined by the management. No further details at this stage, but it may be the case that he has played his last match under Walter Smith.

If thats true, Im sure its not 'last match'....he's too good to ignore!

Absent O'Connor dropped by Scots

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/6032917.stm

What a numpty!

It's a strange one, it doesn't seem like one of those stay out all night get left in Hong kong kinda things . Much more pre-meditated, not that surprising for a guy who, it was reported yesterday, has personal problems at the moment.

Will some-one else be brought in as cover or will we be OK with Boyd, Miller and Faddy?

He may well have a legitimate excuse,though it's all unclear currently.

I hope for his sake he hasn't bollocksed this up completely,as he's a player we want to have in the squad.

This is a real pity- he is one of my facourite Scotland players, and one with an abundance of talent and potential. I know that he has a history of "enjoyin himself" off the pitch, but when I saw him recently he seemed far maturer, and said he was really enjoyin Russia- obviously things have changed, I hope Walter can show him the same sympathy that was shown to James McFadden when he missed that flight in the Far East.

(I was going to go into town today and buy the home top with O'Connor on the back this afternoon- might hold back...)

Disappointed at this happening, especially just as we are about to head off to one of the biggest away games in years. The last thing we need is anything to take the guys minds off this game, they need to be focused. I can only hope he's not went awol, and their's a good reason for it.
He seems to have a habit of getting his name into papers at the wrong time with daft issues. Firstly, talking to the press about telling the Scotland players taking a dive in the Faroes game, and secondly, going on about his missus wanting them to leave Moscow. The press must love this, but his timing, and the content, I'm not so sure.

Agree, what a fool



Those 3 will be ample. I reckon Miller will start. Mcfadden or McCulloch will be back on the bench along with Boyd

Tommy Burns has said that O'Connor still has a future playing for Scotland

Th guy has clearly is having problems with his home life - I think we ned to wait for the full facts to come out before making a judgement on this one. I am sure that is the policy that the management are taking as well

It would be a dissapointment if he is frozen out over this, esp. if he is having personal problems. He didn't just fail to turn up, his agent notified the SFA. Can't see how that is worse than missing your flight...

Reading between the lines, it looks like he's went straight back to Moscow rather than just "failing to report" to the team hotel. To me, that suggests that it's linked to his family not being able to settle over there.

If that's the case, you can't blame him - family comes first over everything in that situation.

All seems very strange but I am relieved to find it wasn't indiscipline within the squad. The squad spirit is what got us to where we are now, we don't need it disrupted by stupidity.

Hopefully whatever his problems are he will sort them out and be back in due course. I don't especially see why he shouldn't play under Smith again unless there's more to the story than what we've been told so far. He's hurt himself in pecking order terms most likely but we don't really have another physical striker in his mould and we can't afford to jettison him altogether in my opinion. His presence late on on Saturday was just what we needed at the time.

From what he was saying in the Sunday Herald it seems his Mrs and kid are spending a lot more time over here. It seems its either it happend as you say or he went home on Saturday night and it all kicked off and he rightly felt that his family comes first. If he wasn't just a 'no show' and the management were kept informed of what was happening I can't think of any reason why he shouldn't play again. Whatever happens it seems he won't be in Moscow next year.

They don't seem to have made an attempt to learn the Russian language. Not surprising him and his family have found life difficult.

Agree with what most are saying. From what i read, his agent called the SFA to say he couldnt go to a team meeting at the hotel the night before the flight. The SFA have said that if he didnt, he wouldnt be going to Ukraine, and he has appologised for this happening, and said he didnt want to say anything about it justnow but will talk face to face to Walter when he gets the chance. I think this is a mature way of taking care of the situation, and although it isnt the nicest thing to happen, im sure that when all is explained it will be forgotten about.

Anyway, we have Kenny Miller back for the next game, so have the ideal replacement for him.

Apparently he's picked up some Russian easy enough, but his family hasn't!

It can be quite difficult for a family of a footballer to learn new language. They are probably sitting around the house not doing anything. I would think the club would help out and get someone to teach the language but that may not be happening.

That was the gist I got in his interview in the Herald. He's picked up a bit (though most at the club speak English) but his family hasn't. They have the continental attitude to the game where players go into a hotel for a couple of days before matches so I can understand why his Mrs might feel a bit lost, especially if she's stuck at home a lot of the time with a small child.

At least he seemed to want to go on and play elsewhere rather than just coming back to Scotland with his tail between his legs.

I withdraw my fool comment. Was to quick to reply without hearing full story, thought it was a discipline matter eg drinking. So hold my hands up to that



I don't want to sound tight, but i am sure he is not on a bad wage so I am sure they could get a tutor over there to teach his wife Russian. I know it is difficult moving but loads of people have to do it, and like his wife they don't have a choice. Alot of men in the Armed forces get posted (not just in the UK), there wives taken out there home Town and all of a sudden in the middle of no-where and know nobody. Then there husband may get sent to Iraq for 6 months, that also puts things into perspective. I am sure O'conner will be back in the UK soon, fair do's to the lad if he does come back to keep his wife happy, as that has to be his number 1 priority. (was just trying to point out, that not everyone has that chance though). Probably worded badly but hope you know what I am getting at

To be fair i dont think he would come back with his tail between his legs. I dont know how well he has done, but it doesnt seem like his time there is a failure. If your family cant settle somewhere, then its better off if you move away as that will hurt you on the field. I think he can do a job atleast in the Championship for now, if not the Premiership. As he said on BBC.COM, he doesnt want to come back to SCotland, and atleast not to Hearts. Good luck to him whatever happens.

I should clarify that my original comment was written in response to what I heard Chic Young say on the radio this morning. It was Chic who intimated that O'Connor may have played his last game for Walter Smith's Scotland. Hopefully, it'll just be the usual ill-informed hyperbole from Mr Young.

Wasnt too impressed by O' Connor's whining in the papers over the weekend. He knew Russia was going to be a very different culture but the promise of £16,000 a week was more than enough to convince him to give it a go. To turn and around after just a few months and say he cant settle is pretty poor IMO.
He also said his wife really missed having English language TV but that they didnt have it installed...he went on to say that it was easy enough to get SKY in Russia but that you need to buy a card in Britain then get somebody in Russia to set up and that he hadnt done that. You earn £16k a week you idiot, how hard can it be to organise the above?
He also said that its his wife who wants him to move but that while he would take a pay cut to get that move she doesnt want him earning any less, they sound like a right pair of eejits.

Unimpressed by him pulling out at this stage too but I dont know whats going on behind the scenes so will reserve judgement on it.

Edited to add - this quote from Smith doesnt cast O' Connor in a very good light;

"He has not managed to contact us with a relevant
reason.
"So there is obviously a question mark over whether he wants to be involved
at an international level or not."
He added: "The only contact we have had is from Gary Mackay, his agent, who
was in touch with our administrator to say that he had no idea where the player
was.
"I think we are all in the dark in that aspect of it.
"Obviously, I am a little disappointed as, at the very least, there could
have been some contact."

I bumped into the O'Connor clan when going on holiday last year: maw & paw accompanied Garry, his wife & young son and I was genuinely surprised that he would consider a move to such a distant country (and for the Russians to have not done a bit more homework on the player's mentality, as to whether he was likely to see it through).

His missus looked harrassed (the wee fellow was going through the 'terrible twos' ), and I can sympathise if they have found it difficult to settle.

BUT, no one forced them to move (same as Mr Riordan ) and they are paid handsomely for it, so they needed to try and understand that Moscow is a wee bit different from Port Seton, and they probably don't do salt & sauce on the chips over there!

However difficult it may have been for him on Sat pm (i.e. an earbashing & tears before bedtime), I am quite SURE he had the manager's phone no, and to abrogate responsibility by getting his agent to phone in, is not really on (as far as the manager is concerned, I am sure).

I think he will be left out of quite a few squads, as the manager will be fizzin' at the way this has taken the shine off the result; whether he comes back in will depend on how contrite he is with the manager.

I am sure that Walter will turn it to his advantage i.e. he can appear magnanimous and decent, by allowing him to come back into the squad after a suitable period of time.

Tommy Burns was on the radio, well not him but his interview read by someone else, saying it won't be his last game under Smith - they realise he has troubles and won't take any more action

Strange one.

Whilst walking back into the city centre on Saturday after the game, Gary O'Connor drove past us with his wife in the passengers seat of his red Ferrari (nice . All the fans were cheering him and he gave the thumbs up before driving on. However I did find it strange how quickly he had got out of hampden and away. Would have though the team would have been having a wee celebration but Gary obviously made a quick exit.

Whatever his reasons i hope he is back soon playing for Scotland as i think he is a fantastic player.

The JT's for Gaz in January then???

He's obv. under the thumb at home. Get the missus telt that he's in Moscow and playing for Scotland and she can damn well get used to it!

(Heh.)

It is pretty obvious that the situation is pretty serious. IE extreme family issues. It may be even something that big Gary is not comfortable discussing with Walter at this moment. I think we just need to leave him to sort his problems out and hopefully he can do this.

To be honest it would have been crazy for him to travel in such a frame of mind.

I see his Dad in the paper today saying he doesn't blame Garry for going AWOL, because he travelled 26 hours to play 18 minutes of football.

Oh and plus the fact he doesn't get paid for playing for Scotland!!!

Whit an erse!!!!

Aye, with that kind of attitude from the old man, and his missus bending his ear as well...

I hope he gets it together, but if not we'll survive without him I would think.

What an unprofessional attitude! He should be honoured that he was chosen to play for his country against one of the best teams in the world.

f**k the little twat.

Did he actually say that? If O'Connor holds a similiar attitude then he can get to f**k. No we wouldn't miss him; Miller, McFadden, Boyd - all better than O'Connor.

Turns out I wasn't far away from the truth. His wife was obviously going a bit mental at him and he felt he had to stay and resolve it. I'm sure many of us can relate! Absolutely agree with O'Connor when he says family is the most important thing.

Wouldn't be surprised if his missus is suffering a little from depression, or the like, must be rough to move from a wee place to a big scary foreign city where you know none of the language and none of the people, or else be seperated from your spouse for extended periods. No wonder she felt like freaking out at him when he came over!

A lot of that is surmised, O'Connor's comments are now on bbc, etc. websites.

O'Connor explains Scotland snub

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/i...als/6046782.stm

Daily Record;

SCOTLAND STRIKER'S ALL-NIGHT BENDER
WHY GARRY WENT AWOL
By Paula Murray

SCOTLAND star Garry O'Connor partied the night away hours before he failed to turn up for the squad's trip to Ukraine. The former Hibs striker, pictured right, blamed "personal reasons" for his no-show on Sunday. But the Record can reveal that he went on an all-night bender after Saturday's famous 1-0 win over France at Hampden. He visited a number of pubs before enjoying himself until 3am at the capital's City nightclub.

O'Connor, now playing for Lokomotiv Moscow, was still standing outside the club at 4am. Witnesses said he seemed unsteady on his feet as he waited for a taxi. One clubgoer said: "He'd had a few all right - a bit of a skinful. I think he was drinking bottles of lager and spirits, mixed."

The 23-year-old, who came on against France, has yet to explain to boss Walter Smith why he failed to join the squad for the Ukraine game. Smith is understood to be furious. O'Connor hit the town after Saturday's Euro qualifier with girlfriend Lisa and a group of pals. He was spotted in Edinburgh's Walkabout bar and various other pubs near the Playhouse Theatre. And after midnight, the player and his entourage arrived at the City club, a popular haunt of Hibs stars.

An eyewitness said: "For a while they were in the VIP bit of the club. He seemed to have fun and it looked as if he'd been out for the night. There were quite a few folk taking pictures of him. He left the club when it shut at 3am and hung around for another hour or so. They were just larking about the entrance and I think they finally got a taxi just before 4am. At one point it looked as if Garry had a bit of a tiff with his girl. She took off and he ran after her and after that it seemed OK."

O'Connor is now back in Russia but hopes to win a move back to Scotland. His agent, Gary Mackay, was unavailable for comment last night. Earlier this week, O'Connor said in a statement: "I apologise to the SFA, Walter Smith and his staff for my non-appearance for the flight to Kiev. At the earliest possible opportunity, I hope to meet Walter Smith face to face to explain my reasons."

If that is the case then he will be lucky to get back playing for Scotland again

I'm sorry but if my misses started playing up before one of the major games in our qualifying group I'd tell her where to go, not that I'm a bad boyfriend but she would obviously be out of line by not realising that a whole nation is depending on these players. If that's the sort of dedication he is going to show to his country he can feck right off. I know there is a whole nation of Scots that would use their dying wish just to step out infront of the tartan army and play for their country and if he doesn't appreciate that privaledge then he doesn't deserve it.... I think he largely over-rated anyway I hope Smith tells him to take a running jump!!

Agree with that, he's made his bed he can lie in it.

I am sure if the claims of him being on an all night bender are true then it won't be long before some photos surface of him out doing so.

Will he be singing 'Rudi Skacel is a f*cking refugee' though?

Did the absolute truth ever come out here? Been reading through this thread for about 10 minutes and it just kind of dies, was it bladdered, attempted suicide, pissed off, or another reason?