Alex McLeish Is Sacked.

[Jeremiah_Cole]

10 hours ago, Kuro said:

Very simple, a manager can say two things - any player withdrawing from a squad until further notice will see the four day rule invoked, no exceptions.  And any player withdrawing from a squad won't get picked for the next one, so you miss one you miss two.  Call-offs would fall off a cliff overnight.

What would happen is that a whole load of players would retire from international football, just as McArthur, Ritchie, Snodgrass & Cairney did.

[Bairnardo]

What would happen is that a whole load of players would retire from international football, just as McArthur, Ritchie, Snodgrass & Cairney did.

And we would know who the shitebags are. f**k them.

[Jeremiah_Cole]

3 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

4 minutes ago, Jeremiah_Cole said:

What would happen is that a whole load of players would retire from international football, just as McArthur, Ritchie, Snodgrass & Cairney did.

And we would know who the shitebags are. f**k them.

Its called cutting your nose off to spite your face

[Bairnardo]

Its called cutting your nose off to spite your face

Na I dont agree although I can see your point. The pool of players available to the Scotland manager consists of those who are unretired and willing to show up for competitive games. I think we should work with clubs re friendlies, but for conpetitive games you can answer the call or gtf. If an initial hardline approach from a new manager results in an initial spate of dummy spitting retirements then so be it. How commited are they anyway if they want to retain the right to pick and choose for competitive games?

[Savage Henry]

What would happen is that a whole load of players would retire from international football, just as McArthur, Ritchie, Snodgrass & Cairney did.

Only McArthur of those you listed has retired. Ritchie and Snodgrass have family issues, and Cairney just isn’t getting picked.

[Binos]

14 minutes ago, Savage Henry said:

 

Only McArthur of those you listed has retired. Ritchie and Snodgrass have family issues, and Cairney just isn’t getting picked.

 

Family issues

f**k off

[pandarilla]

Family issues
f**k off

Is it that his family this he's a c**t?

[Aidan]

Family issues
f**k off

I'm pretty certain that Ritchie just doesn't fancy it but the issues with Snodgrass' mum are quite well known, although as far as I'm aware he only missed a couple of squads and is now available for selection again.

[forameus]

1 hour ago, Bairnardo said:

1 hour ago, Jeremiah_Cole said:

Its called cutting your nose off to spite your face

Na I dont agree although I can see your point. The pool of players available to the Scotland manager consists of those who are unretired and willing to show up for competitive games. I think we should work with clubs re friendlies, but for conpetitive games you can answer the call or gtf. If an initial hardline approach from a new manager results in an initial spate of dummy spitting retirements then so be it. How commited are they anyway if they want to retain the right to pick and choose for competitive games?

It's a delicate issue.  In an ideal world, I'd be very much on the side of scorched earth and telling anyone who wasn't really interested to f**k off.  Or at the very least, having some consequences for not joining up.

However, I'm not sure it's really realistic.  We've seen over the past few months what happens when people start to drop out the squad.  We play Shinnie at LB and get pumped by Kazakhstan.  I'm not sure we can really afford to start alienating large swathes of our squad in that way.  Like others have said, it'd probably just leave to players taking the huff, because we've somehow got into the position where players hold all the power.  And if they don't the clubs certainly do.  They'd probably be delighted if we started excluding players.  They're the winners here, not us.

We need to find a middle-ground.  Start building an atmosphere where players actually want to join up and represent Scotland, and do our best to try and work with the clubs to try and minimise them putting the national team down every window.

18 minutes ago, Aidan said:

51 minutes ago, Binos said:

Family issues
f**k off

I'm pretty certain that Ritchie just doesn't fancy it but the issues with Snodgrass' mum are quite well known, although as far as I'm aware he only missed a couple of squads and is now available for selection again.

To be fair though, I'm not sure either of them are that big a miss.  Obviously better to have them than not, but in Ritchie's case especially, he's the example of the policy I'd like to be brought in.  Let him make a choice - he's asked to join up, and he rejects.  Make it clear that this jeopardises future call-ups, and let's see whether he really wants to play for us.  If he doesn't, no issues.  He'd be a good option to have, but not if he can't be arsed.

And Snodgrass had about two good games for us.  He started brilliantly in the WC qualifying, then fell off a cliff massively.  Maybe the personal issues were starting around then and he'd come back and be brilliant, but I don't think he's a huge miss.

[Savage Henry]

1 hour ago, Binos said:

Family issues

f**k off

In the case of Snodgrass, it was featured fairly heavily in the Daily Record that his mother has been rehabilitating from a stroke, which as anyone who has experience of that will tell you, is a horrible, all-consuming process.  In Ritchie's case, he chose not to make it public (as is his right, so let's not pretend the fans are somehow entitled to know), but McLeish was quite clear that he hadn't retired.  It really only takes a minute on Google to find these things out, but no, "players can't pick and choose games" or "these guys just want to enhance their CV"  is the default and nonsensical reaction.

In both cases, asking not to be included in the national team squads is personal and frankly none of our business, so I'll gladly not f**k off.

Whether either player is a massive loss is neither here nor there, but questioning their dedication is an easy cop out.   But of course, if your only argument is that "we only want people who are passionate about their country", then we're just as well calling up East Stirlingshire players, or, dare I say it, Pie and Bovril posters.    It's as banal a statement as "the players weren't trying".

Fans who don't realise there are much more important things in life than playing international football, and then turn it into a grudge against players, have a seriously warped sense of priority.

[pandarilla]

In the case of Snodgrass, it was featured fairly heavily in the Daily Record that his mother has been rehabilitating from a stroke, which as anyone who has experience of that will tell you, is a horrible, all-consuming process.  In Ritchie's case, he chose not to make it public (as is his right, so let's not pretend the fans are somehow entitled to know), but McLeish was quite clear that he hadn't retired.  It really only takes a minute on Google to find these things out, but no, "players can't pick and choose games" or "these guys just want to enhance their CV"  is the default and nonsensical reaction.
In both cases, asking not to be included in the national team squads is personal and frankly none of our business, so I'll gladly not f**k off.
Whether either player is a massive loss is neither here nor there, but questioning their dedication is an easy cop out.   But of course, if your only argument is that "we only want people who are passionate about their country", then we're just as well calling up East Stirlingshire players, or, dare I say it, Pie and Bovril posters.    It's as banal a statement as "the players weren't trying".

Fans who don't realise there are much more important things in life than playing international football, and then turn it into a grudge against players, have a seriously warped sense of priority.

All fair points, but let's remember the lifestyles these guys have. Everyone has problems to cope with, but most folk could only dream of the help and support available to epl footballers to manage their problems.

[Savage Henry]

Just now, pandarilla said:

All fair points, but let's remember the lifestyles these guys have. Everyone has problems to cope with, but most folk could only dream of the help and support available to epl footballers to manage their problems.
 

That's entirely fair.  Absolutely no argument with that.

[GordonD]

11 hours ago, Kiwisaint said:

Glad to see him go. Guy never had any class. I remember as a 12 year old delivering newspapers on a Saturday morning in Perth around 1980, Aberdeen FC team bus passed me en route to Glasgow fixture...very clearly McLeish was at window of bus along with Miller and Strachan, 3 of them  giving me Vs, middle fingers, could even lip read what they were shouting at me. Ironically, I had soft spot for Aberdeen around then (2 of my brothers and my old man to this day big supporters), they were right good side. I was totally gobsmacked, they say never meet your heroes...

The Aberdeen squad of that era was notorious for shouting abuse at passing paperboys. Maybe it was your Rangers top?

[GordonD]

It's not all bad news for McLeish. He can now devote all his time to appearing as Bobby in Scot Squad.

 

   

[RandomGuy.]

14 minutes ago, pandarilla said:

All fair points, but let's remember the lifestyles these guys have. Everyone has problems to cope with, but most folk could only dream of the help and support available to epl footballers to manage their problems.
 

Yes, and most people dont spend 52 weeks of a year getting abuse at both work, and in social media. Jordan Pickford went for a meal and ended up having his wife called a "whore" by groups of folk around him.

[sergie's no1 fan]

Allardyce [emoji38]

Is that Allardyce no chance we'd afford him or Allardyce he's a crap manager with one style? [emoji39].

[pandarilla]

Yes, and most people dont spend 52 weeks of a year getting abuse at both work, and in social media. Jordan Pickford went for a meal and ended up having his wife called a "whore" by groups of folk around him.

I think both know that the are ways and means to avoid any trouble when you're out and about. As for abuse at work? Come on to f**k.

Nurses, bus drivers, even primary teachers facing verbal and physical abuse on a regular basis. Some nasty football chants and social media posts can get in the sea.

[DA Baracus]

17 minutes ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

Is that Allardyce no chance we'd afford him or Allardyce he's a crap manager with one style? .
 

Neither. It's that he's a poor manager and a horrible dodgy arsehole. He won't be able to spunk millions signing players for Scotland.

[sergie's no1 fan]

Neither. It's that he's a poor manager and a horrible dodgy arsehole. He won't be able to spunk millions signing players for Scotland.

Fair enough bud.

I think he's a decent enough manager who'd have us organised, possibly get us punching above our weight. Very efficient at putting out fires at clubs in crisis.

Doubt he'd be interested or we'd be able to offer high enough wages for him.

[Gordopolis]

Keith Jackson - new levels of brass neckery in today's rag.
Calling the SFA crass and cack-handed in how they managed McLeish's sacking? He was the bellend who made the "deeply troubling episode" pish public!
And the all-caps rant at the end just sums up the petulance of the man.