Gordopolis

That sums up my memories of that game almost perfectly. I was desperate for Rhodes to get his chance and instead on comes Miller, wtf? I guess it just highlights the contrast between the 'in media res' reactions we have during actual games versus the reflective and more balanced assessments we can make about the likes of Miller and Rhodes now that both are (just about) finished. Nah, he had not long turned 27 and was playing regularly for Birmingham in the EPL, and was top scorer in our squad (Miller was only on 11 goals, McFadden on 15). He had a good 5 years left in him at least. I do think the rise of the 'quick, strong forward' would probably have marginalised him but I don't think he would have dropped out completely.

IIRC Miller said after the game he just got his laces into it and hoped for the best. That was kind of his thing - explosive instinct over composure and placed, thought-out finishes. My fave goal of his was the bullet header vs Italy in 2005.

I think that's a wee bit overly focused on the negatives of McFadden there. Yeah the Liechtenstein game was his final cap, but it was a horrible injury shortly after for Birmingham - as opposed to that clusterfeck of a game - that ended his international career. And I don't think that's quite right about the Kirin Cup. He made it into the bus, albeit hungover like most of the squad. It was in Vogts reign that he missed his flight home from Hong Kong, I believe. Anyway, negatives aside, McFadden was great for us (relative to his era). A matchwinner on his day, capable of things nobody else in the squad could do. I hold him and Miller in equal esteem. What we wouldn't give for two attackers like that now, both with goal tallies in the high teens. Then again, didn't the pair both start up front in that loss to Georgia? 😔

KT pulling a right snider in that pic. [insert joke about him withdrawing from the Scotland squad with a pulled snider]

...

I quite agree

Starts Vs Barca today. I don't know if WBA mandated some kind of playing time clause in the loan, but if not, his run of games this season is quite encouraging. ETA: Alaves got pumped 5-0 and Burke was subbed at half time. Burker King!

If you weren't in the stadium to see the assist with your own eyes, it didn't happen.

Fair point. It might be a matter of paring back the coaching to just teach him one, simple but effective thing, over and over, as opposed to throwing too much at him. Not sure if this was what Leipzig tried to do. Frustratingly, he seems fairly sharp and articulate off the pitch, so you have to wonder what the disconnect is between there and on the training field. Perhaps, as someone said, the fact he might have been able to use his athletic ability to bully his way through age groups until now is partly responsible for his current lack of technical talent... but that lack has been evident for 4 years now. And that brings us back to the question of why he apparently can't be coached. Frustrating one.

Aye, why not [emoji4]

Exactly. Perfect for when the floodlights break

Boyd? He only got 300 (293 for club, 7 for country) over his career, not 400. Also, he never came close to 45 in any one season. Best he did was 37 with Rangers and Killie in the year he moved between them. There was one 31 goal season after that but otherwise it was all sub-30 seasons. That said, I liked Boyd and thought we could have utilised him more than we did.

That's it. Coach him to be more dominant in the air, or just to have basic consistent control of a football and he'd be pretty useful for us.

I believe it was 7 in 6. But 6 of those were against utter dugshite national sides, so he deserves a lifetime ban.

Yeah his debut (I think) vs Macedonia was all about that burst of acceleration from a standing start. First time I remember seeing that from a Scotland player, ever I always thought pace was something other national teams had. Cracking goal in that game too IIRC.