European Championship

[scotman]

Well Scotland out again.
Despite that I think things are looking better for the future. The present team seem to understand the idea of playing the ball on the ground rather than belting it up the park as per usual.
Also tonight showed most of the best players available.

[nungate]

who would you put in his place?

[Duncer]

Ichkeria, it wasn't you alone I was asking that question of, and of course I would love to still be in there with a fighting chance, but we are a small country and we currently seem to be riven by factions within the squad. Nigel Worthington doesn't deserve the abuse he has been getting of late, in fact he is a genuinely nice guy, but I think he had taken the team as far as he could.

Martin O'Neill is out of the running and Walter Smith is apparently the front runner, according to the Scottish Daily Mail. Other contenders are Laurie Sanchez, Colin Clarke, Jimmy Quinn, Michael O'Neill and Jim Magilton, and my preference would be the O'Neill/Magilton pairing that has done so well at Rovers, although Clarke has done a wonderful job at Puerto Rico Islanders.

I can't say I agree about the optimism from Scotland. They were utterly outclassed by a Spanish team in cruise control, but most teams would be, so we'll ignore that one. However, they needed a fortuitous goal eight minutes into injury time to see off the mighty Lichtenstein and they were outplayed by a very average Czech side at Hampden. The aftermath of that game featured almost exclusively on the Czech dive for a penalty while conveniently ignoring the Charlie Adam foul in the first half that should have resulted in a penalty AND a sending off. I've been to quite a few of the Scotland quialifiers (when NI were away from home), and they were underwhelming to say the least. A stuffy victory over Lithuania and a draw away, plus that never to be forgotten 6-4-0 formation in the Czech Republic. Wales look a vastly improved side though and their last four games were impressive.