Jaggernaut Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 But they are only honouring Levein's contract till the 2014 campaign ends (Just over a year to go?) The longer they go without naming a Manager, the more money they'll save. Billy Stark seems to be doing quite a good job with the U21's. In with a shout perhaps? I've been wondering about him too. He knows the SFA set-up and what is involved in running Scotland teams. Nobody would have the same expectations (however unrealistic) that would emerge if it was a big name like Strachan or Jordan (though I'd be happy with either of those). Maybe if we get a half-decent result under him in the next game he'll throw his hat into the ring. (Cliche alert!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 But they are only honouring Levein's contract till the 2014 campaign ends (Just over a year to go?) The longer they go without naming a Manager, the more money they'll save. Billy Stark seems to be doing quite a good job with the U21's. In with a shout perhaps? Good point. Stark as caretaker (but for how long?) would be a cheap option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Kerr Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Is Bora Milutinovic still alive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afghan Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Whatever happened to John Collins? Knowledge, ability............and some experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 (edited) What we can't afford is the SFA wasting time to save a bit of money. We have an opportunity here to bring a new guy in with no pressure for a few games - let him try out the odd new player or formation (while keeping a certain continuity to prevent too bad, confidence sapping results) and get things prepared for the new campaign. We need to find a couple of decent young defenders as Berra has gone backwards since he left Hearts and Caldwell is inconsistent. Midfield is OK though no one outstanding (though Adam needs to be dropped, he's a liability) but there are promising young forwards in Rhodes, Goodwillie, Russell and Griffith - and we have Steve Fletcher available again. In fact the above shows our main problem really is defence (why the team as a whole is so often on the back foot is that they're forced to cover for weaknesses at the back). The new manager must address this and give 2 or 3 promising guys a chance, even if they're young, to see if we can improve there. A solid defence means you can afford to be a bit more attack minded. Edited November 6, 2012 by Mr Bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Whatever happened to John Collins? Knowledge, ability............and some experience. Director of Football at Livingston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 I've got an inkling that Martin O'Neill will be available soon. Not a Scotsman, but has a good knowledge of the game up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 I've got an inkling that Martin O'Neill will be available soon. Not a Scotsman, but has a good knowledge of the game up here. Apart from winning things up here, which a donkey could do given the obscene advantages that managers of the OF have, has he ever done anything more than mediocre when given mediocre resources? This isn't a dig at O'Neill or anybody else, but I'm wondering if we should be going for a journeyman manager, or somebody that has shown that he (or she) can make a silk purse out of something or other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Apart from winning things up here, which a donkey could do given the obscene advantages that managers of the OF have, has he ever done anything more than mediocre when given mediocre resources? This isn't a dig at O'Neill or anybody else, but I'm wondering if we should be going for a journeyman manager, or somebody that has shown that he (or she) can make a silk purse out of something or other. If only John Lambie was still fit and healthy .... Johnny Lambies' ... Tartan Army ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willjag Posted November 6, 2012 Members Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 I'm going to suggest Harry Redknapp again backed by his old Spurs assistant to inspire the players, Joe Jordan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Apart from winning things up here, which a donkey could do given the obscene advantages that managers of the OF have, has he ever done anything more than mediocre when given mediocre resources? This isn't a dig at O'Neill or anybody else, but I'm wondering if we should be going for a journeyman manager, or somebody that has shown that he (or she) can make a silk purse out of something or other. Have a look at what he achieved at Leicester City with limited resources Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Billy Davies did well at Notts Forest but was sacked after failing to win promotion to the EPL. Forest went downhill fast after he left but are doing better this season under O'Driscoll. The Championship is a tough league and a much higher level than the SPL. Davies would be on my shortlist. It's interesting that no one has mentioned Paul Lambert. He worked wonders at Norwich and is working under a tight budget at Villa. Compensation could be a problem but Villa, 4th bottom, could be tempted release him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Billy Davies did well at Notts Forest but was sacked after failing to win promotion to the EPL. Forest went downhill fast after he left but are doing better this season under O'Driscoll. The Championship is a tough league and a much higher level than the SPL. Davies would be on my shortlist. It's interesting that no one has mentioned Paul Lambert. He worked wonders at Norwich and is working under a tight budget at Villa. Compensation could be a problem but Villa, 4th bottom, could be tempted release him. Not a bad shout, actually, but more one for the future I would think. He's still relatively new to top level management and will want to prove himself further at this stage I'm sure; if only as a fall back position for when the Scotland job falls out with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fearchar Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Exactly. It shouldn't be restricted to a Scot either. The only proviso if it's a foreigner is that they should speak excellent English, unlike Vogts or Capello. Steady on! They have to be fair about this: all applicants will have to be able to speak comprehensible English. That should stop any applicants from the resource that is the Scottish fooball managerial roundabout. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p12tfc Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lars Lagerback ( sp? ) Worked wonders with Sweden over many many years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Lars Lagerback ( sp? ) Worked wonders with Sweden over many many years Great shout! BUT!! Hes at Iceland at the moment and doing a decent job. Would he leave them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 (edited) I've got an inkling that Martin O'Neill will be available soon. Not a Scotsman, but has a good knowledge of the game up here. I doubt that O'Neill will be available soon. He supported Sunderland as a boy and, in general, is liked by the fans. In any case, I can't see O'Neill swapping the EPL for Scotland and he would not be cheap. Edited November 6, 2012 by kni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Did I hear right. Levein left with £700,000 in his pouchy. How much of a salary was he on for dear God to merit such a golden handshake. Bugger that, I am applying. I dont think I could do much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 I think the newspaper mob should get the shout for Scotland manager. They have been picking the team for the last wee while anyway (Fletcher, Commons etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Dastardly Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Did I hear right. Levein left with £700,000 in his pouchy. How much of a salary was he on for dear God to merit such a golden handshake. Bugger that, I am applying. I dont think I could do much worse. roughly 2 years left on his contract, so left me work that out ............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armand2 Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 One of the main things you require as a national manager is some sort of tactical nous. Now, Levein has always been a manager who has played not to lose, first and foremost, something which was never going to appease most folk. As far as I can tell, despite this morning's media desperately suggesting otherwise, Strachan isn't much better although he is perhaps at the other end of the scale with a preference for attacking. I thought he got an undeservedly hard time at Celtic, and did a good job in my opinion, but I have doubts whether he is the right man to lead us now. If the SFA are serious about changing the culture of Scottish football and investing in these new elite training schools then maybe now is the perfect time to go down another road. Such is the state of Scottish football, I don't think the job has the pull to persuade a manager in a full-time club role to leave, nor do I think we're in any position to offer the sort of compensation required after Levein's pay-off. So, we're left with unattached managers who are so, invariably, due to poor performance. It's somewhat of a vicious circle. I mean, looking at the list of favourites on Betfair, it's bloody depressing reading. I'm not particularly sure how good a job Mark Wotte is doing as it is difficult to measure his performance when he is working behind the scenes but he does seem to be pushing things through and has been pretty integral in getting the aforementioned elite schools running. I would be reluctant to remove him from that position to fill the vacancy - that is, of course, presuming he doesn't feel any sort of loyalty to Levein which I doubt he will. If the SFA decided to go down the old "tried and trusted" route which I fully expect them to do as they are, on the whole, a shower of idiots, then I see no better candidate than Walter Smith, if he could be persuaded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eff Tee Ohh Eff Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 It might be time to go down the foreigner route again, with more careful consideration given to choosing the right candidate than the last foray abroad. A loosening of the purse strings might be needed to attract one of the big European names but given Scotland's current standing, bottom of our qualifying group with 6 games to play and 56th in the FIFA rankings, this would be an attractive time for an experienced coach to take over as he would be guaranteed a fairly long honeymoon period. Names with proven international track records that spring to mind are Lagerback (currently Iceland coach), Hiddink (currently at Anzhi), Trappatoni (Ireland coach) and Hitzfeld (Switzerland coach). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 It might be time to go down the foreigner route again, with more careful consideration given to choosing the right candidate than the last foray abroad. A loosening of the purse strings might be needed to attract one of the big European names but given Scotland's current standing, bottom of our qualifying group with 6 games to play and 56th in the FIFA rankings, this would be an attractive time for an experienced coach to take over as he would be guaranteed a fairly long honeymoon period. Names with proven international track records that spring to mind are Lagerback (currently Iceland coach), Hiddink (currently at Anzhi), Trappatoni (Ireland coach) and Hitzfeld (Switzerland coach). Sadly none of those options will be possible. I had a similar thought about Dick Advocaat but he's recently returned to PSV. Lagerback would be a great option and is someone who has been interested in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted November 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 It might be time to go down the foreigner route again, with more careful consideration given to choosing the right candidate than the last foray abroad. A loosening of the purse strings might be needed to attract one of the big European names but given Scotland's current standing, bottom of our qualifying group with 6 games to play and 56th in the FIFA rankings, this would be an attractive time for an experienced coach to take over as he would be guaranteed a fairly long honeymoon period. Names with proven international track records that spring to mind are Lagerback (currently Iceland coach), Hiddink (currently at Anzhi), Trappatoni (Ireland coach) and Hitzfeld (Switzerland coach). Where's the money going to come from? Hiddink will be getting a massive salary at Anzhi. Trappatoni's record in Ireland is mixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 There's only one guy who can take us forward in the present circumstances........ The Bunnet. I am 50% serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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