Scotland Centre Backs

[gannonball]

HarronD’or makes his Aussie debut in style.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/17960337.hearts-john-souttar-brother-harry-joke-international-allegiance-stoke-city-defender-scores-australia-double/

[Clyde01]

About 6 years ago, I met Declan Gallagher in Prison when he was a prisoner on remand and awaiting sentencing. Although it’s been mentioned in other posts, I can’t remember the ins and outs of the incident, but ultimately his contract at Livingston FC had been terminated and he found himself behind bars, which despite what the media tell us, is somewhere you really don’t want to be.

I worked in the gym in this prison and one Saturday, after finishing a workout, Declan was sitting on the cross-trainer watching the scores come in via Sky Sports News. He was devastated and spoke of how his life was in ruins and that he had let so many people down and he didn’t know how what he was going to do. I’d heard sob stories a million times over the years, but I could see (and hear) that what this lad was saying was true, and from the heart.

I remember saying to him that his life was now at a crossroads, he could go on to be another young footballer who flew with the crows and was shot with the crows and he could continually do that, or he could do the best that he possibly could, to stay out of all the nonsense that goes on within prison and do his best to get his life back on track when he got out, but ultimately, learn by his experience and never take the position that he was is in, prior to the incident, for granted.

He already knew that, I didn’t tell him anything he hadn’t heard a million times before, or that he hadn’t already told himself a million times. Over his time on Remand, Declan did everything he possibly could, to show that he was sorry for what had happened and actually, for the time I knew him, came across as a really good young lad with his head screwed on.

He went to court after about a month of being in Remand, maybe slightly longer, and from memory the judge gave him a suspended sentence of a few years. Upon returning to society he was re-signed by Livingston FC, who were hugely criticised on social media and in the national media at the time and 3 years later he has been called up to the Scotland squad and has arguably been the best Defender in Scotland so far this season.

So what can we take from this story??

I would say that ultimately, from the individual point of view, never think your life is over. No matter how dark it is or how bad it gets. We all make mistakes, some are huge and seem like the end of the world, others are not so, however if you have the right attitude and show remorse and prove to people you are a good person, then things can work out. You may not get back what you lost, but you can still have a happy ending and doors will open for you.

Furthermore, be remorseful. I know from what Declan had said over his weeks in prison that he was, and I know from media reports that he did everything he could to apologise and make it up to the victim, who will probably never forget what happened, but also, never give up showing people and proving to people that you have learned from your mistake.

From a society perspective, give people a second chance, if they are working hard to show they are sorry then they deserve that. You know when someone is a good person. If the people at Livingston FC had never allowed him a second chance, or any other club in Scotland, how would his life have ended up? It could have been a downward spiral for the lad that could have ended horribly.

Good luck to Declan, it’s great see that he was sincere in what he was saying during this time and it’s great to see that he has managed to put that behind him and hopefully his career doesn’t end here and he he goes on to get more caps for the nation and maybe even go onto bigger things at club level.

Anyone else reading this in Morgan Freeman’s voice?

[Ludo*1]

Declan Gallagher pisses me off. He could've been a stalwart at Dundee possibly even going on to bigger and better things. Then the assault charge came out and we withdrew the contract he was wanting to sign - naturally because he was going away for a long time - credit to him, he's rebuilt his career and he's a cracking CH. But I can't help but feel annoyed that his fucking stupidity and criminality cost us a cracking CH that could've netted us a pretty penny or two.

[killie_lad]

I've just realised Declan Gallagher is the guy Jordan Jones absolutely spitroasted when we beat livi to go to top of the league last year. I remember genuinely feeling sorry for him because he looked like he was going to burst into tears. Turns out he's a horrible c**t. Terrifying stuff that he's considered one of Scotland's best defenders

[sjc]

We could play McBurnie & Chris Martin at centre half......

[Stellaboz]

To all those who are demanding he publicly apologize , why the f**k should he do that? He's got nothing to apologise to anyone on here, nor the general public.

He's got a family to apologize to, I've no idea if he has or has not but that's private and f**k all of anyone else's business.

[Marshmallo]

7 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

Declan Gallagher pisses me off. He could've been a stalwart at Dundee possibly even going on to bigger and better things. Then the assault charge came out and we withdrew the contract he was wanting to sign - naturally because he was going away for a long time - credit to him, he's rebuilt his career and he's a cracking CH. But I can't help but feel annoyed that his fucking stupidity and criminality cost us a cracking CH that could've netted us a pretty penny or two.

Yeah that's the real travesty in all of this 

[killiepiemuncher]

I like the enthusiasm of that Findlay boy, I’d give him another go at CB.

[craigkillie]

To all those who are demanding he publicly apologize , why the f**k should he do that? He's got nothing to apologise to anyone on here, nor the general public.

He's got a family to apologize to, I've no idea if he has or has not but that's private and f**k all of anyone else's business.

He was happy to come out in public and give interviews about how it affected him personally and essentially implying (though Livi said it explicitly) that he was a victim too. When there's no apology attached to that it gives the impression that he still doesn't give a f**k about the actual victim.

[tree house tam]

So what he batted someone, maybe the c**t deserved it. Part of growing up imo.

[Stellaboz]

37 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

He was happy to come out in public and give interviews about how it affected him personally and essentially implying (though Livi said it explicitly) that he was a victim too. When there's no apology attached to that it gives the impression that he still doesn't give a f**k about the actual victim.

Why do you need an apology from him? 

[craigkillie]

I don't need an apology from him, but I also don't need to show him any sympathy or think he's anything other than a violent thug.

[Stellaboz]

Nobody is asking you to show sympathy, you're now making stuff up. 

[craigkillie]

Nobody asked him to publicly apologise either, which was the weird premise you started all this with.

[Kuro]

On 10/10/2019 at 14:04, Ron Aldo said:

@Kuro

I was right wasn't I?  I have been proved right, less than a year (I said two or three) he'd already be a first choice for Scotland and right now is as good as any Scottish CB alive, only McKenna is on a similar level, and Souttar is just starting out, he'll be much better soon.

I was also right about Mulgrew, we could go back and show how many people here had him in their team and virtually everybody had him in their squad.  I told you he was utterly finished and shouldn't be anywhere near a Scotland squad, I was correct.

[Estragon]

21 hours ago, craigkillie said:

I don't need an apology from him, but I also don't need to show him any sympathy or think he's anything other than a violent thug.

This is a neat summary of my own thoughts on the issue.  I do believe in the concept of restorative justice, so have no issue with him making a living following a time in prison - but for me there's been an uncomfortable narrative in the last week, mainly on radio, about how we should be seeing him as someone who has emerged from a dark period as though it wasn't absolutely of his own making.

There is a third way, of being comfortable with him being a professional footballer - but also understanding of the implication his past conduct makes on his present character.  However this doesn't really fit with our age of extremes in terms of online commentary about absolutely everything, and as such hasn't really been represented.

[Antiochas III]

On 14/10/2019 at 00:24, killie_lad said:

I've just realised Declan Gallagher is the guy Jordan Jones absolutely spitroasted when we beat livi to go to top of the league last year. I remember genuinely feeling sorry for him because he looked like he was going to burst into tears. Turns out he's a horrible c**t. Terrifying stuff that he's considered one of Scotland's best defenders

Could be worse.  Go see what Curtis Main did to McKenna and he's supposedly our great hope for Centre Back 

[54_and_counting]

On 15/10/2019 at 09:50, Estragon said:

This is a neat summary of my own thoughts on the issue.  I do believe in the concept of restorative justice, so have no issue with him making a living following a time in prison - but for me there's been an uncomfortable narrative in the last week, mainly on radio, about how we should be seeing him as someone who has emerged from a dark period as though it wasn't absolutely of his own making.

There is a third way, of being comfortable with him being a professional footballer - but also understanding of the implication his past conduct makes on his present character.  However this doesn't really fit with our age of extremes in terms of online commentary about absolutely everything, and as such hasn't really been represented.

Wonder if these same people who are championing him for redeeming himself etc had the same opinion of ched evans

[Smokerson]

On 14/10/2019 at 21:00, Kuro said:

I was right wasn't I?  I have been proved right, less than a year (I said two or three) he'd already be a first choice for Scotland and right now is as good as any Scottish CB alive, only McKenna is on a similar level, and Souttar is just starting out, he'll be much better soon.

I was also right about Mulgrew, we could go back and show how many people here had him in their team and virtually everybody had him in their squad.  I told you he was utterly finished and shouldn't be anywhere near a Scotland squad, I was correct.

He is probably near finished at international level now, but name me one centre back who has played better than him in a Scotland jersey since Strachan left?, nobody has, its time to move on now and look to the future but I don't think McLeish or Clarke can be blamed for having Mulgrew in squads.

[Rodhull]

Soutar can’t even get a game at a bottom of the table Stoke side and is further down the pecking order than Liam Lindsay who can’t get in the Scotland squad either. He could well go on to be very good but performances against Nepal or Chinese Taipei aren’t anything to go by. No more than the San Marino game is for Devlin and Findlay.