International Caps

[King Street Loon]

This has maybe been done before, but I can't find anything and it made me think of other players who got more caps than they probably deserved.

Piece by Andrew Southwick in the 'Aberdeen Now' paper.

 

There are many things that the great minds of the human mind may never be able to figure out.

Can we achieve immortality, travel through time, travel faster than the speed of light?

When m y time is up and I'm stood in front of my maker, I know what my first question will be.

Christian Dailly was capped 67 times. Neil Simpson 5. How on earth did that happen?

Once the driving force in Aberdeen's midfield, how good was Simmie?

How does he compare to other midfielders? Paul McStay (76 caps), Stuart McCall (40), or Murdo MacLeod (20)?

Many people only look at the amount of caps a player has to determine how good a player he was.

Nonsense of course, especially when you consider the Gothenburg Greats strike-force of Mark McGhee, Eric Black and John Hewitt amassed just 6 caps among them. Kenny Miller got 69.

I was born on the same day as Xabi Alonso. He has 107 Spanish caps, a World Cup, two European Championships and a Champions League medal. I once finished second in a primary school drawing contest and scored in a game of fives. I just don't boast about it.

Of course, we can be blinded by the fact we grew up idolising certain players as schoolkids, and now we're old and grumpy, we're more critical of who is in our team.

Eoin Jess could break into my house tomorrow, help himself to whatever he liked, burn what he didn't want, and boast about it on the internet.

I'd just feel privileged the great man chose my house to burgle.

Now I'm adamant there is no comparison to Jess. The North-east hasn't produced a player of his quality since he made his début. That's a fact.

However, what about the rest? How do the current players stack up in the list of Scotland's greatest players?

Where does Niall McGinn rank? He will never reach the heights Hewitt did by heading a winner against Real Madrid in a European final. However, player v player, who is better?

We could go on all day, but while we're talking about caps and the standard of players, here's some current ones to think about.

Who is currently right back? Alan Hutton (35 caps) or Ryan Jack (none)? Who would be your left back, for Scotland or Aberdeen? Steven Whittaker (21) or Mark Reynolds (1 Scotland B cap)?

One m ore just for fun. What on earth does Jamie Langfield have to do to get close to the Scotland squad? Not concede a goal the entire season?

Here's a good quiz question for you, though.

Who is the most capped Aberdonian?

Kim Little, 84 caps. You should already have known that.

 

He was doing alright until the Jamie Langfield part.

 

But it rue though.

Obvious favouritism has long since been a huge part of our game up here where the national team is concerned.

 

[Tommy]

That's Panda who was on the late official site, now a Madder.

It always annoyed me when a player signed for the tims or huns he was

then into the Scotland set up.

[King Street Loon]

I mind a panda who posted on here.

 

Decent piece, think he writes regularly for the paper.

[caledonia]

True enough apart from langfield

Look at willie Miller he would have had twice the caps if he played for either of the old firm or in england

I am not being biased here when i say Willie Miller was the best player i have ever seen and i have seen some world class players in my time.

[360]

Why buy Blackman?

[muttonhumper]

Eoin Jess could break into my house tomorrow, help himself to whatever he liked, burn what he didn't want, and boast about it on the internet.

I'd just feel privileged the great man chose my house to burgle.

 

I liked that bit.

 

But he fair fucked it up with the Langfield pish.

Made a complete cunt of the whole thing unfortunately.

[The Boofon]

Why buy Blackman?

 

Good old Pitch.

[RUL]

Clangers or McGregor? I'd say McGregor is an outstanding goalkeeper, potentially world class? Much like Craig Gordon before him, brilliant keepers.

[The Hulk]

That's Panda who was on the late official site, now a Madder.

 

Moved on to bigger and better things now as well as I noticed yesterday...

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24503669

 

By Andrew Southwick BBC Scotland

[Moorie86]

Wasn't he involved with the fanzine 10 men went to mow with Holly Joe?