A fred for sensible people to talk about the next Manager of Scotland

Moooooooo

Get him added

shhhhhhh

I haven't followed this market closely but it appears they're going to take their time.

They will look at Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Wales and see how they seem to be progressing with experienced and high-profile managers.

They have no money but it's feasible that a rich Scottish individual (and there are plenty of them) may bankroll it (as I believe is the case in the ROI).

I expect they'll want someone who understands the Scottish mentality. Which will rule out many.

Someone who can help young players flourish and advance. There seems to be a lot of comment on there being no young players coming through. There are many reasons for this but football is becoming a more athletic game and nations with a propensity for producing athletic individuals will become more successful. Scotland is not such a country.

And then the hardest task. Finding someone who wants it.

So I have no idea. Levein wears glasses so he looks intellectual and as if he has a plan. But I know little about him. I'd lay the favourites but I hear that you (Alex) are the master in this market.

Stab in the dark would be Wim Jansen at 130-1. Seems to meet all the criteria. A tehcnical advisor/assistant coach at a Dutch team will have a very good knowledge of producing youngsters. Knowledge of Scottish football/mentality. Seems to have had some time out of the game so doens't appear to need to be on the training pitch at all times. May enjoy the greater challenge of improving Scottish football. Close to home.

I have just had £5 on him. I have left £2 at 100-1 for someone else. Although, like I said, it's a stab in the dark and I know nothing of his current situation.

Thank you. I do speak sense sometimes but should be ignored fairly often.

I do believe I recently posted a self-confessed inability to get these markets right. Very rarely bet but sometimes tempted by the outsiders on these markets. Will leave it at £5 on Wim then.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00p9c7j/Chick_Youngs_World_of_Football_19_11_2009/

After 38 minutes, Joe Jordan interview, eventually get round to talking sbout Scotland. Would be very well received by the Tartan Army

That should be I don'tthink these guys will jump ship to West Ham.
Apologies

*sorry Crawford*

as if it matters a jot who the manager is. they've got sh1t players and will probably never qualify for a major tourny again. not surprising given the average young jocko is about 6 stone overweight

Hi Alex and the rest of the troops,
Had a weekend away. Was on a train journey today with Chief Brody. We bought a couple of Broadsheet newspapers and read their articles relating to the Scotland Manager debate.
In the Sunday Times I was heartened to see they backed my fancy, Kenny Dalglish, stating he was the best candidate in their opinion. In the Scotland on Sunday they also did a interesting article featuring Craig Levien and his credentials. It basically pointed out that although they felt Levein just about justified favouritism he was perhaps overrated. The SOS pointed out that yes, Levien's Dundee United team has a good record against the Old Firm, however in the last two seasons Dundee United have finished fifth in the SPL. McGhee (Motherwell) , Laszlo (Hearts) and Calderwood (Aberdeen) twice finished above United with similar budgets. These three managerial records are comparable with Leviens's but are not as fancied as he is.
I have stated on here earlier I think a elder statesman should take the Scotland Manager's post. The market is a bit out in my opinion. 3/1 Levien is way too short as is 7/1 Collins and Walter Smith and 20's Darren Ferguson. Levien hasn't won a trophy and I think he should grow further as a Manager before taking our National Team's role. Walter Smith has ruled himself out. Even though his contract runs out in January at Rangers I cannot see him walking away or Rangers letting him leave. £31 million in debt, Rangers need the steady guidance of Smith more than ever. John Collins? What has he done? He won a League Cup at Hibs and then left in strange circumstances. He has also had a spell at Belgian club Charleoi (Is that the correct spelling?) and had a good interview at West Ham. If this is qualifcation enough to be Scotland's National Team Manager then heaven help us!! Collins, like Levien, is one for the future but right now should not be allowed near the job. Finally Darren Ferguson at 20's is absolutely mental. I know Smith has on record said that he will consult Sir Alex Ferguson on who should get the post but surely Fergie won't tout his own son.
I'm happy with my position on this market. Dalglish at 74/1 I am happy. I even put a daft £2 on Sir Alex at 169/1. He has to retire from Man Utd sometime and the job's his if he wants it. If they approached him and he said he would take it at the end of the current season I think the SFA would keep the position open till then.

I think Craig Brown is in the running. I personally do not want him back. Yes he took us to Euro 96 and France 98 (How we could do with that now!). However I recall he was reluctant to blood new players towards the end of his tenure. Friendlies were being played with as much full strength sides as he could muster. Wee Berti took over the reins and had to blood a lot of new players, some who were up for it, so who weren't and the problems escalated from then to now. Craig was not forward thinking enough in 2001. I get the feeling he will be like that now.
I like Gordon Smith. I think he is forward thinking enough for Scottish Football and I believe he is ambitious enough for Scottish Football to progress. I believe he and his colleagues have to take their time and pick the correct candidate. I believe if they go for someone like Collins then they are nothing short of a disgrace. He is far too young, inexperienced and ambitious. England have Capello, Ireland have Trappatoni and Wales have Toshack. All are managers who have managed at the top level, have bags of experience and have EARNED the right to manage at International Football level.
I, for one, believe the Scotland Manager's role is still a prestigious one. If John Collins is placed in that role then I believe the SFA devalue it's importance. They mahy as well get bl**dy Simon Cowell to create a show around it and we can all apply!

I notice Collins price contracts further. Surely 92 votes out of a measley 526 on the Tartan Army website will turn the blazers heads. Also you cannot vote for George Graham or Kenny Dalglish.
Ernesto I see you are on King Kenny as well. I would also be happy with the appointment of Jim Jefferies but as a Falkirk fan I look at the appointment through rose tinted glasses. He did a cracking job for Falkirk during his time at Brockville. Unsuccessful at Bradford ( mainly due to inheriting a financial mess) he did win a Scottish Cup at Hearts. He has done well at Killie over the years and this is the fresh challenge he just might relish.

I haven't bothered with this market so far but could I just ask a question of the Scottish contributors who care who is appointed from a footballing not gambling perspective please? SSN stated that, because of the Bertie Vogts debacle, it is unthinkable that the Scots would appoint from overseas again. Is it? Has this been confirmed by Gordon Smith at al? Why would you shun applications from every point of the globe because you tried it once and it didn't work out?

I accept that there probably isn't an attractive salary on offer so it may restrict the quality of the applications but wouldn't you prefer to see what turns up rather than have a shortlist made up of the only handful of Scottish managers that would actually consider accepting the post?

Gordon Smith would not rule out a foreign manager when he was interviewed last week.

I doubt they would rule out all foreigners because they had one failure. But I never do well on these markets as I totally over-estimate the intelligence of people who appoint managers.

I'm still hurting from the ridiculous appointment of Sbragia at Sunderland.

I wouldn't pay much attention to the list on here. Joe Kinnear, Kevin Keegan and Terry Butcher are much less likely than hundreds of foreign managers.

Aye, hence my final comment.

Cheers Ernesto. The "tabloid" (I include the man in the pub type radio and TV shows) media only or is it more widespread? It drives you mad how they speak as if on behalf of everyone when in reality they drive the parochialism and antagonism towards individuals (same down here.)

I can't see how any of the managers who have been linked are going to be able to change the fundamentals which clearly you need. The change in attitude of the media and even the clubs (as well as the previously self absorbed players) through Capello has been astounding. That would have taken some doing. I know you can't aim that high but surely a change of direction is required not more of the same. Though Scotland did seem to have turned a corner under Walter Smith.

Tigana would do the job for much less than 400k. ;)

Finally a drift on Wattie and less of a willingness to take Collins down to 5's. A few quid on the lay side but next to nothing on the back.

I've spread a few quid on the silent types (like Billy Davies for eample) who aren't commenting publicly. He's come in but only on the back of 25 quid at 30.0.

Generally a drift on the field making the market much tighter. As cgull pointed out though the next manager may not be on there.....yet.

Alex that sounds much more manly than "Would you like to go out for a drink".

Would it offend you/make you nervous if I ordered a G & T :D

I'm in London much more irregularly these days but will give you a shout when I am.

You are obviously a student of the side markets Alex and in the absence of a permanent NMM I'm sure there must be rich pickings lurking in those dark waters for an analytical mind.

We are treading a little water in the market but I've just tidied my book a wee bit there. After the initial rush to positions, I'm enjoying this drift. The Scottish press are making great play of the chances of Dundee United splitting Celtic and Rangers. I think this could be keeping Levein's price high (as well as his problems with G Smith).

The main drifters still have scope to fall further though imho. The press are taking such a lazy position over this that I almost believe it would be possible to make someone a candidate just by dint of them shortening on here.

This from todays super soaraway scottish sun

"SFA chief executive Gordon Smith, who'll face the media this morning, has already started the search for Scotland's sixth boss in five years.

But it's believed the SFA Board, headed by George Peat, could wait until the New Year before making an appointment.

They are in no rush to find a successor with Scotland having no game until a Hampden friendly against the Czech Republic in March.

They'd be keen to have the new man in place for the Euro 2012 qualifying draw in Poland in February and a subsequent squad gathering later that month.

Former Hibs boss John Collins has already thrown his hat into the ring for the job, with Dundee United's Craig Levein - the 5/2 favourite - and Jim Jefferies of Kilmarnock also in the frame.

Walter Smith and Graeme Souness have ruled themselves out the running.

But Billy Davies, Jimmy Calderwood, Gary McAllister and Darren Ferguson could be contenders."