What A Difference A Competent Manager Makes

[Ke1t]

Since Strachan took over we've been moving up the FIFA Rankings which, whether you like them or not, will play a masive part in the strength of the teams we draw in the qualifying groups ahead.

 

Just checked the FIFA site, we're now up from 63 to 35, a jump of 28 spots. Not sure how subsequent friendlies will impact our rankings, but it can't do any harm if we grind out a couple more wins.

 

Croatia, conversely, have dropped 15 spots from 3rd to 18th, presumably in no small part to us taking 6 out of 6 points off them.

 

Levein was constantly whining about the poverty of talent Scotland has, and how it wasnae his fault that his teams couldn't beat anyone but Lichtenstein, and yet here we are with the exact same pool of talent, and we're making serious inroads already.

 

We're now above Panama, who, on a side note, gave the Yanks a serious fright the other night. Regulation time came and went with the Panamanians 2:1 up... if you haven't seen it, fucking great match.

 

Anyway, we were pot 4 in the World Cup 2014 qualifiers... If we can keep our shit together for the next few months and, say, crack the top 30, what pot can we expect to be in when the 2016 Euro groups are drawn?

[dervish]

Does give us a better chance and for the first time in ages we look a team. Was on that site though canna believe we were 13th 6 years ago!

[Ke1t]

Does give us a better chance and for the first time in ages we look a team. Was on that site though canna believe we were 13th 6 years ago!

 

Even more astonishing is the Repulic of Every Nationality Pretending to be Ireland is in 60th, after very recently being 19th.

[cow]

Since Strachan took over we've been moving up the FIFA Rankings which, whether you like them or not, will play a masive part in the strength of the teams we draw in the qualifying groups ahead.

 

Just checked the FIFA site, we're now up from 63 to 35, a jump of 28 spots. Not sure how subsequent friendlies will impact our rankings, but it can't do any harm if we grind out a couple more wins.

 

Croatia, conversely, have dropped 15 spots from 3rd to 18th, presumably in no small part to us taking 6 out of 6 points off them.

 

Levein was constantly whining about the poverty of talent Scotland has, and how it wasnae his fault that his teams couldn't beat anyone but Lichtenstein, and yet here we are with the exact same pool of talent, and we're making serious inroads already.

 

We're now above Panama, who, on a side note, gave the Yanks a serious fright the other night. Regulation time came and went with the Panamanians 2:1 up... if you haven't seen it, fucking great match.

 

Anyway, we were pot 4 in the World Cup 2014 qualifiers... If we can keep our shit together for the next few months and, say, crack the top 30, what pot can we expect to be in when the 2016 Euro groups are drawn?

 

USA are certainly high up in the rankings, Norway a little above us so all to play for.

 

I believe we can't climb into pot 3, but certainly can't be demoted to pot 5. Don't take this as gospel but as read it on the awful TAMB.

[dervish]

Like you say FIFA rankings are absurd but important. We're doing ok just now so be as well enjoy it. I remember at one point (I'll guess 2007) we 'on form' were the best in the world because we won 6 in a row. Fingers crossed engerland take a few pastings and fall apart at the world cup.

 

England

 

2013 485.46 100% 485.46

 

 

Scotland

2013 471.83 100% 471.83

 

 

Quite tight considering we lost to them... what might have been could have won the battle of 2013... time yet suppose.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

We're pot 4 for the Euros. This was all settled in June.

[The Boofon]

This is correct. Brazil have plummetted down the rankings because they cannot play competitive matches. As hosts they qualified automatically.

 

I'd safely say Brazil are better than 11th in the world.

 

Strachan seems to be doing a cracking job. I wish he wouldn't pick Lee Wallace though.

[tup]

This is the same fool who proclaimed the yanks as miles better than us two months ago.

 

The yanks are pish at football.

[Ke1t]

 

This is the same fool who proclaimed the yanks as miles better than us two months ago.

 

The yanks are pish at football.

 

 

They're not pish at football.

 

You're a buffoon.

 

What was actually said, because obviously you've forgotten, was you telling everyone that "Scotland would hammer the US in November in Scotland."

 

And I said they wouldn't.

 

Then, oddly enough, Scotland vs the US was announced for November, your arse fell out, and you reneged on 'Hammer' and tried to say 1-0 could be a hammering.

 

To my mind 3-0 or above would be a 'Hammering', but you refused to take the bet.

 

Again, if you want to bet that Scotland 'Hammers' the US, then I've STILL 50 of your British pounds that says Scotland won't be hammering the US at all.

 

Or is your arse still currently AWOL and unable to back up your massive flapper?

[KentishDon]

Probably all down to the Assistant Manager....

[Henry]

Probably all down to the Assistant Manager....

 

Is that you LondonScottish?

[dave_min]

 

"Scotland would hammer the US in November in Scotland."

 

Agreed.

[madjockmcferson]

The US will win a World Cup before England will again. All they need is a little creativity. I'll go as far as to say that outwith Europe and South America, the US will be the first in the modern game to win a World Cup. They have facilities and a league that is way ahead of the Scottish game thats for sure.

[Bluto10]

I'm cheeringtmm americaland next year. Just to annoy tup

[Bluto10]

I'm sure you do it on purpose now, because when you're flustered and wound up - your spelling is immaculate.

 

Anyways, Scotland are still poop IMO. A few results lifted by a new manager always happens, it won't be long until they are absolutely shite again.

 

good guess but terrible.

 

that was from a sony experia ray phone, bad screen crap keyboard and even if it was a good interface, like the keyboard im on now, i still wouldnt go to the effort of correcting mistakes.

 

dont get flustered or wound up. jeez min keep of the detective work eh

[Bluto10]

 

I'm not correcting mistakes, I had no idea what you said but got the gist of it.

 

When something winds you up, you come back in with a perfectly spelt post - so it makes me think you're at rather being a thick cunt.

 

It was a compliment, however I take it back now that you're confirming you have David Murray legs as hands.

 

ha ha.

 

never once said im thick. i constantly call harcus a wankstain cause he thinks correcting typos on here make him more intelligent than me

im just lazy and winna waste time perfecting and editing my postrs.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

The US will win a World Cup before England will again. All they need is a little creativity. I'll go as far as to say that outwith Europe and South America, the US will be the first in the modern game to win a World Cup. They have facilities and a league that is way ahead of the Scottish game thats for sure.

 

Why do you say the modern game? Has a team from outwith Europe/South America EVER won it?

[madjockmcferson]

My bad, I thought Sweden won it in the 30's or something....and I wasn't sure if that counted as European at the time......but, it turns out they didn't...so ignore me.

 

I really do think that the US can win a world cup. It might take another generation or 2 but I think that out of Africa, Asia, Oceana, they are the premier team that isn't European or South American and who can win it.

 

I think they have the facilities, the only problem is that kids tend to play baseball or NFl in college, well at least the premier athletes / sportsmen do. That might change over the next generation or so, so football might attract some of the better jocks. Their other problem is I think they lack a bit of flair. They don't have a Messi (there is only one!) but they are well trained and they have good coaching so I think that will come.

 

I wouldn't go rushing to put any money on it but I see no other team outside of Europe and South America who look likely.

[Ke1t]

My bad, I thought Sweden won it in the 30's or something....and I wasn't sure if that counted as European at the time......but, it turns out they didn't...so ignore me.

 

I really do think that the US can win a world cup. It might take another generation or 2 but I think that out of Africa, Asia, Oceana, they are the premier team that isn't European or South American and who can win it.

 

I think they have the facilities, the only problem is that kids tend to play baseball or NFl in college, well at least the premier athletes / sportsmen do. That might change over the next generation or so, so football might attract some of the better jocks. Their other problem is I think they lack a bit of flair. They don't have a Messi (there is only one!) but they are well trained and they have good coaching so I think that will come.

 

I wouldn't go rushing to put any money on it but I see no other team outside of Europe and South America who look likely.

 

One of the most significant differences I've noticed between Scotland and the United States is the fact that in Scotland football tends to be kids kicking a football around without any real kind of coaching. Coats for goalposts, picked the best kid for your team first and the diviest kid last... maybe stick him in goals. Sorted. One ball between the lot of them, and if you get 30 seconds on the ball during the game then well done.

 

In the US it's organised at all levels. At age two we had the loon enrolled in a fitba organisation. The parents drive the kid to his game or his training session, and there are coaches there who will work at developing the kids' skillsets rather than just sticking a bunch of kids on the pitch and leaving them to it, with decisions going the way of whoever shouts loudest.

 

When I'm teaching my team every kid has a football at his feet, every kid is running with it, using both feet, and shooting with both feet. For 80% of the training session every kid is spending time on the ball, actually learning the basics.

 

And while I'm coaching my team there's half a dozen other teams out training and being coached on the pitches... and this is just in our own little area. And that's just in the Under 8 age group. There are multiple age groups in the area.

 

A lot of these kids will be lost to baseball, 'Football', Hockey... probably not basketball... but by the same token a lot of these kids are enthusiastic about fitba and will stick with it.

 

The point is that there IS a huge grass roots move towards fitba over here, but it's being organised so that those who are interested in the sport are going to learn how to play the sport. They'll know how to trap, pass, shoot, cross... I've kids of 6, 7 and 8 who are already way ahead of where they've any right to be. Nationality is no barrier to being good at fitba... so just because a kid is a Yank is no impediment to being a footballer. In fact, the way it's organised here I'd say being a young Yank learning the game probably gives you a head start simply because of the facilities and the structure of the sport.

 

I don;t know if the US will win a World Cup any time soon, but the sport is here to stay, and seeing what I do every week, and knowing what I know about the sheer size of the organisation, I'd say the United States will be a serious force in 10 - 15 years time as this generation of kids move up.

[Sonoftherock]

 

USA are certainly high up in the rankings, Norway a little above us so all to play for.

 

I believe we can't climb into pot 3, but certainly can't be demoted to pot 5. Don't take this as gospel but as read it on the awful TAMB.

 

As has been said, the UEFA qualifying format is changing and there is no final definitive words as yet... however, the one thing that won't change is the way UEFA calculate their rankings. Unlike the FIFA rankings, these are based only on competitive matches. Scotland have no more competitive matches until the Euro qualifiers, so our UEFA ranking will not change before the draw. A couple of good results in the November friendlies will, bizarrely enough, be more useful to us when it comes around to the draw for the next world cup!

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

Kelt, when your kid is a world class soccer star, is he going to play for Scotland or USA??

[madjockmcferson]

If I have a kid then I'd encourage him to play for the US. Any young aspiring football kid who can play for Scotland or X country should choose X country (assuming X country isn't Lichenstein!). I think professional players have a duty to try and play at the highest level and Scotland isn't the highest level.

 

Its sad to say but Scotland are no longer a serious international team. Its an easy choice to reject them.

[dave_min]

If I have a kid then I'd encourage him to play for the US. Any young aspiring football kid who can play for Scotland or X country should choose X country (assuming X country isn't Lichenstein!). I think professional players have a duty to try and play at the highest level and Scotland isn't the highest level.

 

Its sad to say but Scotland are no longer a serious international team. Its an easy choice to reject them.

 

Fits yer problem with Liechtenstein like?

[Ke1t]

Kelt, when your kid is a world class soccer star, is he going to play for Scotland or USA??

 

He told me he wants to play for Scotland a couple of weeks back... I told him to wise up, "You'll play for America" I tells him.

 

He considers himself to be as much Scottish as he is American, which passport aside, I suppose he is.

 

He's a decent wee player, though, but he's in an age group where he's the youngest right now so he's struggling to make an impact, though he's a big kid so he looks like he's the same age as the oldest players... he just doesn't have the same strength or motor skills yet. That'll come though, and of course I'll teach him some wee tricks like stamping on a foot or ankle, or a wee raised elbow in the tackle.

[The Boofon]

 

ha ha.

 

never once said im thick. i constantly call harcus a wankstain cause he thinks correcting typos on here make him more intelligent than me

im just lazy and winna waste time perfecting and editing my postrs.

Lies. Your spelling mistakes on here are pretty much always intentional.