Canada at Easter Road

[forameus]

5 minutes ago, skippy2015 said:

Yeah agree the Qatar and Canada friendlies especially a joke. There's defiantly a lack of planning here. Also if for instance we are in group c or d we will be playing lower ranked teams which I guess would make it harder to climb the rankings. In that case any spare dates we need to get good standard of friendlies to boost our overall ranking

It balances out.  Winning (or even drawing) matches against teams in tier C and D is certianly going to yield more points than losing to ones in Tier B.

It's not going to be this magic process.  It's not like by organising tactiacl friendlies we'll suddenly climb the rankings.  If we're still poor in competitive games then it's largely irrelevant.  But if we even get back to the point where we're regularly fighting it out for 2nd place in groups, organising the right friendly can make all the difference when it comes to seedings.

[HibeeJibee]

Knowing the way things are done here, we'll probably be treating the Nations League like friendlies as it isn't a "proper" competition.

[forameus]

17 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Knowing the way things are done here, we'll probably be treating the Nations League like friendlies as it isn't a "proper" competition.

I'd really like to think you're wrong here, but it's probably how it'll happen.  I'm especially looking forward to how completely baffled the media act about it, openly claiming they don't really understand it like it's a badge of honour, then complaining about the whole thing.

When in reality, not only is it likely to be a very useful avenue for us to qualify through, it's also a massive crutch to the FA to lessen their self-imposed problems with friendlies.  Think of it like a stairgate to the toddler that is the SFA. They'll still end up climbing it though and tossing themselves over.  Bafflingly.

[HibeeJibee]

I see it as almost wholly positive from our perspective:

* you have to play - the SFA and/or management can't take the "sitting with our feet up" option as with avoiding friendlies. We're likely to end-up in a 4-nation section, at least until we get promoted (!), meaning 6 matches across September-October-November 2018.

* it's competitive matches against what should be beatable opposition, plus a chance of actually achieving something positive - promotion - by 'winning' something even if fairly minor. Then again people approved of us 'winning' the Kirin Cup.

* if you win your section then not only do you secure promotion but if you fail to finish top 2 in Euro 2020 qualifying (which has been beyond us in recent campaigns), you get a kind of 'repechage' opportunity to come through 2 rounds of playoffs - again v what should be beatable opposition - and still make the finals. Possibly this is what'll make the authorities sit up and notice.

I'm still waiting to see FIFA's position on whether they'll count as competitive matches for world ranking purposes; also UEFA's position on whether 3 subs or 6 subs will be permitted. Those could be influential factors in how seriously big countries - and those like us with pretensions beyond our present station - regard it.

[Dipped Flake]

On 3/23/2017 at 16:08, lonewolfie said:

Nothing seismic will happen as long as the TA follow blithely, singing their daft songs and making utter fools of themselves in foreign lands.
They need to get the picture, start booing vehemently, or better still cease attending Scotland fixtures.
The SFA clearly see the foot soldiers as a cash cow, much like Earl Haig saw his foot soldiers as cannon fodder.

did you see the game???  Hardly anybody there and those who were, booed at the end. Not sure what more you want??

[Bedward]

I guess it's fair to assume that the team played just as shite as it looked on paper, and it looked appalling. I have now reached the stage where, even if I could watch Sunday's inevitable horrorshow, I wouldn't.