Can Steven Gerrard Make Rangers Champions Again? | THE JOURNOS

The Journos | Steven Gerrard’s Rangers Return? | McInnes to Hearts | Scottish Cup Final Preview | SPFL Managerial Changes

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The Journos tackle the biggest stories in Scottish football. From managerial shakeups to the looming Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen, the panel delivers sharp analysis, strong opinions, and lively debate.

More to Watch:

Best football club team of all time: https://youtu.be/T5uwaSTE6ZU?si=VEwMrH0KE6Zw04_Y
Ian Durrant on his bust-up with Graeme Souness: https://youtu.be/XI7dE1ooR5c
Martin O’Neill “I’ve never forgiven Jose Mourinho”: https://youtu.be/HIRkTHwD6Gc
Martin O’Neill on his time at Celtic: https://youtu.be/in25WpJJnI0
Neil Lennon one-to-one interview: https://youtu.be/RMtX1MpB-70
David Martindale behind the scenes at Livingston: https://youtu.be/6yI6psxcfGE
Lisbon Lion Berti Auld interview: https://youtu.be/7x1ONLU8Z0s
Gordon Strachan’s Dream Team: https://youtu.be/Zs3Qt3oi1nM

We kick things off with Steven Gerrard being heavily linked with a sensational return to Rangers. Is it a nostalgic, populist move, or a calculated decision in line with the incoming investor group’s ambitions? The panel debates Gerrard’s coaching credentials, his underwhelming post-Ibrox record, and whether he fits into the “data-driven” vision some believe will shape the club’s future. Hugh MacDonald raises a red flag, arguing Gerrard’s profile clashes with a supposed 49ers-style structure built on analytics, sporting directors, and modern football governance.

Attention then turns to Hearts’ appointment of Derek McInnes. Is it a sensible, stabilizing move—or a complete reversal of the club’s previous strategy involving Jamestown Analytics and a progressive model under Neil Critchley? The panel questions whether Hearts’ board abandoned their vision too quickly and whether fan-owned clubs are more prone to emotional rather than strategic decision-making.

Then it’s on to Aberdeen vs Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final. Peter, Hugh, Alison, and Steven offer a brutally honest assessment of Aberdeen’s form, Jimmy Thelin’s underwhelming second half of the season, and the overwhelming gulf in quality. Celtic’s tactical flexibility, squad depth, and players are all discussed as reasons why Brendan Rodgers’ side are heavy favourites.

🔍 The Journos Highlights Include:

Is Steven Gerrard the right fit for Rangers 2.0 under new ownership?
Derek McInnes at Hearts – safe pair of hands or strategy U-turn?
Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen – has goodwill run dry?
Celtic’s Cup Final dominance – can Aberdeen upset the odds?
Ross County vs Livingston playoff – who’s got the momentum?
Do clubs misuse analytics? When data works—and when it doesn’t
The culture of sacking managers in Scottish football
Peter’s Top 10 Most Enjoyable Players to Watch this season
Championship talent that deserves a shot in the Premiership

💬 Have your say:

Should Gerrard return to Rangers?
Will Derek McInnes succeed as Hearts FC manager?
Can Aberdeen surprise Celtic in the final?
Who are your favourite players this season?

📢 Leave a comment and join the debate!

📲 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the 🔔 notification bell to stay up to date with Scottish football’s biggest stories.

The Journos Highlights

00:00:00 Show introduction and audience feedback
00:01:29 Steven Gerrard’s potential return to Rangers
00:06:00 American investors 49ers Group and Rangers’ long-term strategy
00:11:25 Rangers boardroom timeline and PR strategy
00:16:31 Hearts U-turn from Critchley to McInnes
00:21:05 Role of Sporting Directors and analytics in football
00:27:00 Changing culture of football Managers to head coaches in Scottish football
00:29:02 Tony Docherty sacked by Dundee
00:35:55 Scottish Cup Final Celtic vs Aberdeen preview
00:42:45 Aberdeen’s 1990 cup win and historical perspective
00:46:45 Will Jimmy Thelin be sacked and what is Aberdeen’s future?
00:52:04 Livingston vs Ross County playoff preview
00:54:45 Best players of the season Premiership and Championship
01:02:21 Final reflections and next week’s show

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to the journals on PLZ Soccer’s YouTube channel. I’m Peter Martin, Hugh McDonald, Steve McGowan, and Allison McConnell are here with me on the show and thank you to you for your fantastic support all throughout the season for this show. Lots of great feedback, not only from the uh YouTube channel, but of course lots of people who download it on the podcast to listen to it wherever they’re walking with their dog or just walking about somewhere uh reacting to what we have to say. Some angrily and some saying yes, he’s really sensible or she’s really sensible and I’m glad they’re on the show. Um I think I’ve covered all bases there. Does it matter category? Very narrow category. I just thought to myself, you know, when I when I read some of the negative stuff and then the positive, I thought, keep it credible, Peter. Absolutely. I know. I tried I tried to be so PC there. I don’t know why I bothered actually. Um anyway, uh thank you to so many of you for your support. We have offered you the journals and all our content absolutely free. Um we do have PLZ premium which we are giving you the opportunity to see additional content that we’re making throughout the summer and next season. Hopefully that’ll give you the chance to support us. You’ll get lots of benefits in uh the PL/Z premium section as well. So, lots to look forward to uh and lots of changes coming in the summer which we hope you’ll appreciate. Journals today, of course, Scottish Cup final on the way. Big changes managerially. We’ll get your thoughts on that. I was looking at the top 10 favorite players I’ve watched in Scottish football this season. I’ve actually thrown in six additional championship players that I’ve enjoyed watching as well, but um you can give us your thoughts depending on the club uh you support and over and above that small matter of a playoff coming up and fan behavior never too far away from our thoughts when you consider the injury to Jack McKenzie the Aberdine player. So that’s what’s all stacked up for us. Steven Gerrard red top favorite with the bookies for the return as Rangers manager. So Steven McGawan, whether it’s Steven Gerard or somebody out of left field, what do you think first and foremost the reaction to the names that are being touted? Well, I noticed this morning since the suggestion would vanist won’t be belong for this world or Leicester. So therefore, Russell Martin, which is if he’ll be in there, I thought Sean Dy might be a shout for that. So, looks like Russell Martin is going to drop off the the uh the list as we speak, which I think pretty much only leaves Steven Gerard as a the credible candidate. I did wonder where D might come into the running, but where he f Scottish football, I don’t know. It’s only natural if you’re Rangers and Ranger supporters and you’re looking back at the last decade or even 12 years. And it hasn’t been a great deal to cheer that you resonate that you levitate towards the one event which gave you a really excellent day and season and that was Steven Jerard winning the title and the co season. So I think there’s a slightly sepia tinged aspect to it. I hope that they could they can recapture the glory of that season. I think there’s nuance to that. I think Sel fell off a cliff that season. I don’t know what impact the co had on the whole thing generally. So I think there’s an acceptance amongst fans that it’s not absolutely a guarantee of success if he comes back. I suppose it depends. You look at it two ways. Celtic fans tend to say he only won one one title and won one trophy at a nine and that’s factually accurate. Rangers fans are think but what a trophy it was because it stopped Celt winning 10 in a row. So there are fragmented views on it. I can see the logic in him coming back. Do I think it will offer any guarantee of success? Not sure it will. Yeah, it’s an interesting assessment of the situation you’ve made there. Um Allison, I I look at the overall record of Steven Gerard and as a manager and and by the way, I I would counter this by saying that any manager can have redemption, you know, over a period of time. You know, Frank Lampard certainly was one. I think everybody was wondering why the hell is is another club giving him a chance but suddenly he transforms Coventry City. Um so Steven Gerard certainly is a name that is fondly looked upon by Rangers fans but his record as a manager is not great elsewhere. No I I I think the phrase that Steven used there CP tinged is is very pertinent in this situation. And I just think um I think that season and and delivering that particular title, a title that obviously stopped Celtic winning a 10 guaranteed um a certain place and the affection of range of supporters. I think if you go back and and look forensically at the record and at results. I don’t think there’s a lot there that Celtic as a club or or a fans would look at and think gosh there’s a huge challenge now coming from Ibro. I think um I was at the game uh at Time Castle when I thought Steven Gerard was on the precipice of deciding he’d taken this this team far enough and that he couldn’t go anymore. Um and I think we saw how how co changed things and um and it turned around. But I just wonder if um if Rangers might have been a bit more ambitious in their search for a manager and maybe coming out of the box and going and trying to find someone uh who maybe didn’t already have an association with the club and go and try and find someone to come in and obviously deliver this the kind of success that that’s been conspicuous by its absence uh for much of the last couple of couple of decades. I think Steven Gerard’s a populist appointment. I think it’ll appeal to to a huge demographic of the Ranger support, but I just wonder whether or not he really has the credentials to go and take Rangers back to the top where they would like to be. And the ultimate thing about this, Hugh, is quite simply that for me, the biggest appointment is not Steven Gerard. The biggest appointment is potentially the new group of investors who will change the business ethos of Glasgow Rangers as a football club. I just wonder at this point um you know as a club coming in and as a business whether they will have their own version of Jamestown Analytics which we are about to talk about a little later on in the show if they’ll have their own version which involves having a a chat with Kevin Farewell to say listen you know this is what we want this is what we want as a figurehead to take the club forward. I think I think the club has been run in in many respects by uh the American consortium already or certainly the tiller has been nudged. I I don’t think it’s uh reasonable to presume that uh the present rangers board and uh and the present rangers hierarchy are going to make a decision on the manager without at least very robust consultation with the guys that are coming in. I find the Gerard one strange in the same way I found the McKinnus one strange that is that if you are coming at it from I mean the whole rhetoric behind the new guys coming in was this is a 49ers thing it’s not really a 49ers we know that but this is for infected thing that it’ll all be about analytics it’ll be about data it’ll be about the sporting director uh being at the top I’ll be a head coach slotted in etc etc well the whole Gerard thing just runs Contrary to that strategy, I mean you because what what you would think was that the that the um certainly in American brands and franchises, the sporting director is a top man and the coach is a coach. Yeah. I don’t see how you can sell that to Steven Gerard. I really don’t. And it’s interesting as well that just what you said there. A few days ago, we were talking about David and the big gamble that it would be bringing in this this name, but this unproven name, this young coach with something to prove who’s making his way in the game. So, if that’s in your thinking and that’s the kind of profile you’re looking for, how do you go from that to Steven Jerard? Do you get the point I’m making? I mean, yeah. You know if if you’ve decided that that is what you are after and that listen no one has ever confirmed that because to be fair to Rangers have kept us tight as you like tight as a Trump so very little has got out. I’m just beused that we went for four or five days ago David Angelotti will be manager of Rangers and now suddenly it’s like oh well Steve J. You say there’s been nothing let out. I don’t agree with that. I think significant things have just been let out just to keep the whole thing boiling along. Um uh you know because that’s what clubs do. They strategically, you know, plant little seeds here and there just to keep things going. I don’t I don’t think they do as often as people think they do. Peter, I think that’s one of the myths out there actually is that, oh, clubs brief, you know, vein doesn’t sell to brief. Vin doesn’t sell to don’t brief. They should, but they don’t. Yeah. Uh, well, listen, the great thing about it is um I’ll disagree with you on that on the basis. No, no, no, you’re not allowed to. Yeah, absolutely. Well, this is a great thing. Welcome to my world. I’ll This is your show. No, no, no. Just my just my world. You can fire in for the show as Hugh does on a regular basis and ali um you know you can give me a right kicking. I’ve had three against one on this show on many an occasion. But the point I’m making is no they do brief they do certain times because there are certain journalists who have you know at one point or another a good relationship with a chairman with a chief executive. You do get snippets and you do get people that I call um and I want to try and use a a word here which does not in any way kind of a take me down a road of madness but cheerleaders lap dogs. Yeah, but I get that all the time. I get I get it all the time. Oh, Peter Lwell and Celtic tell him this that and next thing. Rubbish. I also have Yeah. Complete and utter rubbish. Well, Celtic do not leak or brief anything to me or anybody else so far as I can see. No, no, no. The point I’m making to you is that may be your personal experience of it. I’m giving you it from another angle where as you as you move forward in life, you do get snippets. I got them, you know, from various sources. That’s how you journalism. That’s that’s the name of the game. That’s different, though. You going asking someone a question and someone tells you something off the record isn’t someone briefing you. That’s not someone contacting you to say here can you put this out. That’s a different topic. The the point here is there are occasions when somebody will give you something and they they they say you know listen by this is happening and you as a journalist automatically have to in your brain kick in and go right is this a cynical ploy to try and get me to put out a complete load of nonsense. You do get that because you know at one point or I’m not I’m not individually want to make this about the way I was brought up in in the broadcasting sense of journalism but it was just basically you ain’t get a story you’re not getting on and and every day of my life for at least 20 years it was constantly speaking to people. It was always trying to break stories. That was the name of the game. So you didn’t survive without it. You didn’t get on shows. You didn’t get on television. and then you’re on radio and you were trying lit hell and your whole life became stressed with it and sometimes you got stuff that you have to analyze and say right that’s a lot of bollocks but there are some things that you think I know why they’re doing that now the point here is going back to Rangers is Rangers the only thing they’ve got going against them in this whole process is that the timeline hasn’t worked out ideally for them ideally it would have been the group of investors with this 49ers blueprint have bought the club and It’s March. Mhm. And then all of a sudden they they’ll you know they’re calling the shots. That timeline of due diligence, that timeline of buying the shares and all of that hasn’t fallen in the way. You can’t control that. It’s been in place all the time. Exactly. So you can’t control that element of it. The secondary part to it is is quite simply you have a board at the moment who’s trying to make sure that they have the right uh message going out there to influence people to buy strips to buy season tickets to continue in case something didn’t go right which by all accounts from people that I’ve spoken to said look it’s nearly there so we you could you have to take them at their word because unless someone within an inner sanctum turns and he says to you, “Here’s the problem with the board and and here’s the problem with the actual takeover.” Nobody in our profession really knows the inside track on the dotting the eyes and crossing the tees, but the process and the timeline has not worked in their favor. So, they’re now in a situation where Patrick Stewart and the rest and the previous chairman have said, “Listen, we’ve got to embrace a blueprint like Celtic. We’ve also got to embrace, you know, moving forward and getting investment into the club.” and they’ve they’ve been open with that, but they’ve also got to take the fans along with them. And as Stephen mentioned here as well, the timeline hasn’t been in their favor, but they still have to come up with someone that excites them along the way. And and I don’t I I don’t get Steven Gerrard on this. I agree with you on this. I just don’t get that appointment whether the, you know, it’s it’s supplemented by this time around you’ll have a substantial amount of cash. certainly not in the same aspect as Graeme Sunn has had in those years when nobody was able to keep pace with them. They will have certain, you know, financial fair play rules that will halt that um type of spend, but I don’t I don’t think the timelines worked out in their favor. Yeah, I think um yeah, I think it was always going to take a while for to get the the takeover through and confirmed and and funds in place. I also think the structure of the club I’m interested to see what happens with Steven Gerard because I had assumed the appointment of a sporting director would be the be all and end all that the sporting director then has to be in place first before the manager is appointed uh because of the what the the creation of a new kind of culture around the club and in terms of that guy being the most important central figure within the club I think I think the Steven Jenner appointment flies in the face of that. Yeah. If it happens. If it happens. Yeah. Um and then on the flip side of that, you know, there’s as you say, they’re spinning plates even and now the clear out starts, you know, Balagan, Lawrence, Jeremy Fernandez, and Casmiro all go back to their parenting clubs. So they’re emptying the decks and and to be fair, I think Rangers have strategically emptied the decks at boardroom level as well. Yeah, you know, they’ve absolutely started to offload and get everything as lean and mean as it possibly can be. Allison kind of stole my point I was going to make actually which is I do agree that that Kevin Fwell actually is probably more important than the head coach because yeah sporting directory strategy um in terms of identity and ethos of the club uh given continuity but more important than that recruitment is going to be absolutely key to this and it’s the biggest complaint Rangers fans have had over the years that they haven’t bought players well enough haven’t bought enough good players bought so they clear yeah they now really is the start of that is is restocking the shelves and bringing in players who can work in Scottish football. What we saw last season, this season too often is players who were good at playing a counterattack in high pressing game in Europe and against Celtic were no good at breaking down the low block as we call it. So they need to be mindful of that. Who can they get that can do that? Funny enough, I thought Russell Martin would have been good from that perspective. you know, his defending is always kind of criticized obviously, but you know, in terms of his allout attacking football. It might have worked at Rangers from the point of view of beating the kind of offer if you like. But you know, we we kind of have it both ways because we were a week or so ago people were saying it’s too big a risk, too big a gamble. They need to go for the tried and tested. Well, they’re going for the tried and tested. They’re go if they’re going for Steven Gerard, he’s as tried and tested as they come in terms of a Rangers manager. The question is, can he work with Kevin Farewell to restock these shelves and get really good players in who will make Rangers better on the pitch? And with that in mind, uh, when you’re looking at the criteria for the ideal manager, suddenly um, Derek McKinnus comes in and I mean, I noticed Ryan Stevenson getting all uptight in one of the tabloids uh, today talking about, you know, is he the manager of the coach? This is a lot of nonsense. Poppycck, you know, he should be called the manager. he’s going to be the manager. I mean, I don’t really I mean, I don’t really care about all the the titles that go with it. Derek McKinnus has been brought in. Has he been brought in? Has been debating prior to this show with Jamestown Analytics in mind? I think Jamestown Analytics is basically the the strength of that process, that blueprint, that algorithm, if you will, is all about players. It’s it it there has to be there has to be more of a boardroom feel about let’s look and see overall what a manager offers, what a coach offers and if he has the credentials. I don’t think you start looking at Jamestown analytics and saying well this guy’s won 42% of his matches and you know they don’t take into circumstances all the things that could have been going on in the background like a mad boardroom. You know, I gave you Dundee, which we’ll talk about shortly. But well, I think I mean I I wouldn’t I I think the hearts are all over the place with this one. You know, I said it last week. I mean, they were miffed with you last week. Hearts fans absolutely battered you. That’s fine. That’s what we’re here for. You’re rightly so, don’t you? And I’ll tell you why it is. you know what what you’ve got is that you’ve got a team and that is scheduled to be third in the league and qualify for European football being in the bottom six team that’s had three managers this season a team that um uh depends on the kindness of others to to to break even and then most crucially a strategy which has it’s like has no semblance it’s like Steven talking about let’s go for Steven Jared of Ancelotti. How’d you get from Critley to Derek McKinnus? That’s a sea change. Now, McKinnus might come in and be the greatest manager in in uh in Scotland. He’s certainly got a a very good uh uh CV in Scotland, but he’s he’s not doesn’t he fill the the the criterion set out by Cretley. So, what do you do? You go on a strategy then because it doesn’t work out, you say, “Oh,” and you go, “Let’s change this ship around now. Uh and that’s what’s happened. The whole strategy in the club has completely did a 180 degree turn. Uh can they not admit to making a mistake here? Yeah, but the mistake it fine they can make a mistake. That’s not a problem. But the mistake is not on who they they chose. The state the mistake is how they chose. If they say this is the KPIs that we want from a manager and identify credul and say well we made a mistake that we’ll use the same KPIs and we’ll get somebody in anyway because this is all going to be run by analytics. They’ve not done that. I I I don’t remember um and listen, I’m here to be corrected on this, but I don’t remember Andrew McKinley coming out and saying we’re going to be selecting a manager fully on Jamestown Analytics. I don’t I can’t remember. Maybe not public maybe not publicly, but I think it was made clear at the time and I I know from checking and running the story that Jamestown Analytics were going to be integral to picking Neil Criteria. Um, I I I I mean I I I think you can tweak it slightly. You could probably still have the same KPI as you put it and you can see we need somebody with experience of Scottish football. And if you put that and the computer says yes, it’s Derek McKinnus. If that’s what you’re looking for, if you’re looking for experience of Scottish football, I think part of this as well, Hugh is that they’re a fanown club. And as we know, fan own clubs, as we’re seeing at clubs like Morton and Mur and so on, can be um unpredictable because the fans want their say and they are emotional and they maybe think with that more than that sometimes. So at hearts, if you have a bad run as a manager, you’re on a really sticky wicket very early as quickly found out. So you’re looking not just the manager, but in terms of the chief executive and sport director, you’re probably looking for a safe option sometimes. And you’re right, Hugh. I mean, clubs do this all the time. You know, sack a manager and they flipped to a completely different opposite end of the spectrum in terms of next choice. Um, but I think they’re just looking for what they think is the safest pair of hands. And I think in terms of Scottish football experience, profile, and so on, I think it’s not a bad fit. I think there’s a valid question to be asked about whether Derek McInness will be comfortable with other people picking the players that he signs. But what I imagine will happen is that he will say, I am looking for this striker with these attributes. They will go in, put the data in, they will find a list of candidates, they’ll come back. Hopefully, it will work collaboratively and it’ll work out well. Time will tell. That point you’ve just made there, Stephen, is exactly the way I think the process goes. Steven Robinson on this program came on and said, “Listen, I I I do look at analytics.” Yeah. But I don’t I don’t live by it. I phone my one soul guy, Martin, who I have 100% trust in, and he said, “I’ve had a look at this guy. it’s not happening or if I have a look at this guy and it is happening why don’t you come and have a look at him now and then we’ll see but he’s trust if he can’t get to someone is in his one man his main man now I stand to be battered from pillar to post in defense of hearts here with the foundation of hearts with Andrew McKinley and budge anyone else you care to mention in that boardroom I don’t know anybody who sat there and went Neil Critley he’s the man, here’s the stats. He’s Jamestown Analytics. He’s a He’s an ideal thing. I didn’t see anything from Neil Critley out of left field that suddenly he was a man redhot for other clubs to even be looking at when he was unveiled. People were like, “Who is that? That guy that just had one game in charge of Liverpool when when the rest of the team had gone to, you know, uh across the other continent.” I do think James Analytics had a say in his appointment. I think they were definitely um they were definitely used, but I would agree. I I always had the feeling that he just wasn’t quite getting the club like he just wasn’t quite understanding the demands at hearts. I was at for park when they failed to get top six and he was saying you know on another day this is actually a decent result and a decent performance and you’re thinking you can’t be sitting saying that on a day when you failed to make the top six hearts or failed to make the top six. I think sometimes you can make an appointment on paper or on on computer without understanding some of the cultural aspects that go with certain clubs. There are there are certain demands that go with with with teams and with clubs and expectations that I think have to be sourced through conversation through I think I think you’ve identified one of the big problems. Vender Rogers always says it doesn’t. He says the data informs my decision- making. doesn’t make a decision because if you you need your due diligence aspect. Yeah. Paul McT his dad was a a great flat cap scout in the touch line. Now we all accept it. You must embrace all the technology. You must use any advantage you can get these days. But the problem with the data is it will tell you how many passes a player makes. Tell you how many yards he runs. Doesn’t tell you how he reacts to adversity. It doesn’t tell you how he will cope when there’s 50,000 fans being at him from the stands. And it’s it’s finding that you need you need someone to work like who are you as a person? What lies beneath the stats and what lies beneath the dryness of the stats? But in terms of what makes you the kind of player or personality that you are, I think that only comes through conversation and through a bit of other homework through through speaking to people. I’d love to sit down with Andrew McKenley and say, “Okay, did Jamestown analytics suggest Neil Critley?” Uhuh. He’s going to embrace the Jamestown analytics. Yeah. Uh final game against Mull need to get into the top six. You need to win the game. Uh did Jamestown analytics go? Okay, we’ll stick James Wilson on and we’ll put you the top scorer who’s likely to get you a goal over the 70, 80, 90 minutes. Yep. I’ve had a look. Yep. His scoring rate is unbelievable. 30 goals last season. I think I’ll stick him on the bench and bring him on with 15 minutes to go. Give me a bloody break. I mean, come on. I mean, it’s just absolute lunacy. He actually he just moved into what I call um I usually have his name to hand. The Hibs go the Hibs manager. Uh Lee Johnson. Lee Johnson. He just moved in. He started talking in riddles windows. Yeah. Yeah. I need five transfer windows. Just started talking nonsense. And then you actually got to the point you thought, come on, man. You cannot you can’t get to the final game and s I don’t buy into this. I think your point there that Brendan Rogers made is absolutely on the mark. It helps me, but it doesn’t make my decision. That’s the crucial that that’s what I’m trying to say. That’s the crucial fault line. The crucial fault line is not analytics and or personal scouting. It’s what the club decides is going to be their primacy. It’s what the club decides is going to be their protocol. Now the protocol itself take is that Brendan Rogers is given various choices and he decides right he says this is it one to four I’ll take or even one to four no I’m going for five who’s over he’s just been uh released from Crystal Palace right that is the protocol and that’s how it works at Liverpool for example it’s completely different slot and klo are told it’s 1 to4 you choose 1 to4 uh and then we’ll have a discussion about it. They can be vetoed. They can say, “Well, I actually want number two and Richard Hughes and all that will say to Walt, no, this is why we’re going for number one.” So, you’ve got really big managers who are comfortable being overruled or not comfortable will accept being overruled. That’s another protocol. I don’t think it takes much insight into Scottish football to where Derek McKinnus lies in that scale. We had a a chat the other week there with Neil Waro. He was up in Denon and uh we’re discussing his views on data and you know obviously Neil as I said he’s one of the great dinosaurs of because of you know his age and what have you and his old school I don’t even think you would necessarily deny that he was old school and he was just talking about when he was at Crystal Palace and uh he was told about a central defender up in Scotland and he quite fancied him and uh his assistant Ronnie Jeepson went up to have a look at him and he thought this boy will do for us playing with a in his mouth and we backed down he said to his data man three of them were away at Crystal Palace. He said, “I want you to have a look at this fellow.” And he said, “Goodby, you know, we don’t want you to sign him. He’s too slow. He’s too slow.” Of course, Virg turned out okay. Yeah. Virgil of Van Dyke turned out okay. So, I suppose that just gets back to the point which is that data is useful, it’s not perfect. Yeah. Don’t let your eyes deceive you. And with that in mind, um, all the data, albeit the data suggests that they’re only one point worse off, but they played lesser clubs in the bottom six. But suddenly if you get a team like Dundee in top six and then the next season you get to a situation where you have injuries which everybody does but you’re great rivals Dundy United suddenly are above you going for Europe and you’re struggling to stay in the league. You get the sack Tony Dockerty I’m smacked. I was surprised. I’m not much surprised being um in Scottish football. I think uh Ian Murray perhaps uh at Wraith Roth Rovers. I didn’t quite see that coming though. I knew there was, you know, there’s a new a new broom or brooms at RA Rovers. Uh uh but uh yeah, I I was surprised that Tony Dockett had gone. the reasons for going as you’ve probably outlined you know they they were parachuting down towards uh the relegation in the playoff spots that certainly concentrates the mind of a board they they don’t come out a sense of relief and and and and jump about saying we’ve escaped it they probably look at right we don’t want to go we don’t want to be in that position again there was certain flaws in the team team couldn’t defend um that uh when we we’re going to discuss the exciting players we’ve uh watched in in in Scottish football this season and I would think there would be three or four we could mention Dundee but their problem was keeping keeps out the close as they saying they couldn’t do it and I think the the board who have got uh various uh strategies in place one of which is a move to a new stadium will want to go down a different route. Are you surprised? um probably shouldn’t be. I’ll say that because Dundee are acquiring a track record of yielding the axe freely. It’s nine managers in 11 years now. I think it is. Uh since 2019, they are moving on to manager number seven. They’re not alone in that by the way. Harts, Hibs, and Karman are moving year on are moving on to number seven as well. But in a climate where managers are just sacked of impunity, they’re sat joy freely. John the Elms and Gordon Straken are obviously at the helm and if you think back to Gary Ber for example who I think I think you won a managerial award and was sacked the next week. So um I think you tend to if you’re lucky you have a two-year shelf life at Dindy and I think anybody who’s looking at that job be it Sean Maloney or Scott Brown or whoever would be looking at that and wondering whether it is the best job for your long-term prospects because as I say you’re becoming a club hiring fire managers at will. Yeah. Um, I mean it’s it’s just shows you how the managerial mira is. It’s crazy. Sean Maloney could be in the running for this may well be the influence of Gordon Straken on who they’re picking as the manager. But over and above that, Shawn Maloney get in at Hibs and he said he he felt he told me he said I thought I was going to get sacked after four weeks because what they told me I was getting what actually started to transpire was so far away from it. He says I genuinely thought they were going to bump me four weeks into the job. Um and and suddenly that Shawn Maloney experience prompted the Hebs poor to change their tact. Completely changed tact. If you look at how long they they stuck with David Gray this season when it was really looked as though it was in the me into December and they were still at the bottom end of the table and and it’s worked having a bit of patience and sticking with it has has worked. I have to say I was I was surprised at the Tony Dockery announcement this week. I think um what’s the rem at Dundee? What’s the expectation level? He came up. He kept him up. He’s a fantastic first season after winning promotion. He’s kept him up. You would have to see what’s the what’s the standard and expectation at Den Park for next season? What is it that they do? They see themselves as a top six club. Is that what the the the challenge is for any manager coming in? But I think he I think I thought he had enough credit in the bank from last season. And then I think if you keep them in the top flight for another go, I thought I thought he was worthy of that. But in terms of of clubs hiring and firing, I think sometimes you can do it far too quickly. I think sometimes it can just be it becomes knee and then if you have a reputation as a club of not giving manager space and time to work with it, you have that example Sean Malone getting in and thinking I’m feeling the pressure immediately because it’s not working. I think it’s because that and certainly from my point of view as a as an old grander and and a football grander is the whole culture of football has changed when at once the manager was the man and even to and that even tries in the analytics the previous but the manager was the man he decided everything you know etc etc uh and he expected to be given time and he expected that you know they’ll get nowadays managers are just coaches generally yep subcontractors. Subcontractors and they know and the other thing as well is that not only they they know that like uh there’s there’s there’s various cultural things that come into like a Shawn Maloney. I mean Shawn Maloney going into HS and getting sacked. He’ll accept it much more than say an Eddie Turbull would have you know years ago for two reasons. One that’s a culture now you get and out and second reason is he’s not working for a living. It’s a very important you know because you now say to people who would take that job and then and and they say yeah I’ll take that job just to have a go at it even if I only get a year a season it’ll be b and see if it doesn’t work out it doesn’t really torpedo my sea anyway because everybody knows I mean top class managers are coming in and out for a year and you know you’re going to see what an after two years the story with him is a man that’s won titles literally the world the story isn’t matter what he does in the the Europa League final, he’s out. He’s done. Yeah. You know that and and and don’t speak for an in the old days when when uh Bill Shankley was told to go away from from Liverpool, a guy who actually physically built the club, he went back to his semi- detached house and his Ford Zephr or something. Anos Cog was generationally wealthy because of what’s the contract Spurs gave him. It’s just a completely different thing now. Yeah. Let’s not knock Ford Zephers. Um, worth a few bob now if you get one. Still got one. Still got one. No. No. Listen, this man’s the only man I know that can buy a car and age it within 3 weeks of taking it out of the showroom. Last time I looked at his car, I didn’t have a passenger door. Really? Hugh has uh I’m almost there and get four or five managers in the back of the boot of his car. Um, but nevertheless, that was quite a leap. calm down. We’ve been used to that this this week and all. Um, okay. We’re going to talk we’re going to talk Scottish Cup final. We’re going to talk Livingston and Ross County in the playoff. And then we’re going to talk our top 10 favorite players, Alli, that I’ve watched this season. We might as well. We’re getting to the end of the season. Not necessarily the best players. So, I’ve thrown up a few that I’ve seen cuz like Hugh um and I I I include both of you in this as well. We are, I would say, journals who go and watch other teams other than Celtic and Rangers. Some out of necessity cuz we can’t because we can’t get in. But but I have always I have always been known for going watching other teams as well. Anyway, Stephen, just as you gave me that one, it’s a matter of time before you’re banned by them as well. So, I know it’s it’s certainly going that way. Um, but uh we’ll talk about that. And we mentioned Gordon Straen there and of course there’s lots of things going on at PLZ soccer of course PLZ premium we’ve got lots of new programs coming on in the summer lots of things changing events that we will be doing with various footballers managers we’ve got one coming up which I think I can’t remember I mean they might have been together in one room they certainly said to me that they hadn’t been actually in each other’s company um when I invited them to the PFA awards Martin and Neil and Gordon Straen um which I found uh rather startling So, I’ve decided to get the two of them together for an evening talking about Koff Ferguson, Aberdeen, um Manchester United, uh and of course the two of them managed Celtic. Uh and of course when you think of their successes, European success, certainly for Gordon Straken and Martineel, it’s unbelievable. And roll that all into the fact that the two of them are incredibly funny and entertaining. I think it could be a good night. Hopefully, you can come along. Hi there, I’m Carrie Pollock. Come and join us for an evening with Martin O’Neal and Gordon Straen. Together for the first time as a double act, Martin O’Neal and Gordon Straen talk football management, look back at their trophy laden playing careers, the management they worked under, and share the laughs that they had in the dressing room at the peak of their powers. It’s tales of Kluff and Ferguson chasing domestic and European glory. Both former Celtic managers will tell their tales of title triumphs and European nights not to forget. It’s a night not to miss on Saturday the 14th of June at the Alona Hotel in Strath Clay Park. Click on the link below to secure your table now. Yeah, it should be a good night. Really looking forward to it. Um you can click on the link for that and come along if you want. You’ll see Martin and Gordon in full flow. Uh with that in mind, uh of course Gordon was able to man Celtic and he played for Aberine with distinction and the two of them come together in the Scottish Cup final. And I I I’ll hide that cuz Alli, I know you scanned this. Uh I have no specs on I can’t go straight to it then. Um I wonder if you can uh remember the 1990 cup final. It actually went to a sudden death penalty because obviously um it’s the last time Aberdine won in a cup final against Celtic. Um any idea um who missed that? There was two Celtic penalties missed. Any idea, Stephen, of who missed them? Yeah, because I spoke to Brian Irvin for the paper last week. Uh, Dove missed the first, did he? Yep. And Anton Rogan ended the one saved by Tio Snelders with a 19th penalty, I believe. Yeah. And the other one that brought it to the 19th penalty was an Aberine player who missed it. Oh, now that was Brian No, it wasn’t Brian Grant. Yes, it was. Was Brian Grant. Yeah, was Brian Grant. Yeah. Not good. It was a good it was a I was talking to Brian over last week of a big fellas up in Inesse now. You talk about generational wealth. you know, Brian is is working in March and Spartans and Inesse now, you know, and it just shows it’s a different world for for the players of today from 30, 40 years ago. But, um, he had a a story that tickled me when he was at school, the Victoria school in the air area and they played against Chapel Hall the 1979 schools cup final and it was a free- draw. After extra time, it went to penalties and he was one of four Victoria players who missed a spot kick. It was his 14th birthday and sitting in the turf that day he said, “I’m never taking another penalty as long as I live. Never taken one as long as I live.” That’s I’m done with penalties. And of course, we get forward to May 1990 and 19 penalties have been taken and only players who left for Abu can take one of Brian and Tail Sners. She’s like, I’m going to have to take this. So he’s walking forward from the center circle thinking back to 1979 at Chapel Hall against Victoria and he puts it past big Pat Boner and he’s the last man who scored a winning penalty or a winning goal of any description for Abedine Scottish Cup final and you’ve got guys like me still calling him about it 35 years later. I mean you talk about sliding doors moments and that’s one of them. Yeah, absolutely. And and they’re a very good side then. Hans Heel House, Jim Bet was in there. Charlie Nicholas playing for Aberdine. Um, Robert Connor. Um, so there’s a really good side. Um, yeah, I’m glad you actually mentioned that. We’re willing to give you the uh the benefit of it because you were chatting to him as well. Uh, young Graeme Watson was in the side. I mean, Graeme Watson, I don’t think I don’t think he he would have played with any great regularity after that, but he got he got a penalty. Yeah, he got a Scottish Cup winners medal, scored a penalty. Um, so suddenly we we look at that side. We look at the fact that in 1990, and you’ll be well aware of this, you and Allison and Steven, this Aberdeene side that got to the Scottish Cup final, when you talk about Rangers nine in a row, six out of the nine that Rangers won. Celtic were the second force. Um, you know, you had Aberdine, you had a Motherwell in there, um, obviously chasing Rangers down. Um but Aberdine more often than not were the team that were chasing them down and Aberdine merely had to go to Ibrooks and avoid defeat and and win a title under Alex Smith. Um uh but they get terrorized by Mark Haitley that day. Can Seal House miss early in the game as it called? Yeah, a big miss early in the game. Uh and uh so yeah, Aberdine uh were always I mean that was probably coming towards the end of the the decade that Aberdine you always associate Abberine with the 80s I think and to a certain extent and reunited as well but this it was just coming to the age of when uh Scottish football finances were going to change because uh um Sners in goal was outstanding and Hill House up front. My goodness. It wasn’t in goal the day Rangers beat them two. Oh, no. It was Michael. Michael Mark Haley stood in the tunnel. He uh like years later I spoke to Mark Haley about it some anniversary of it and Mark Haley stood in the tunnel and looked at him and he said I thought he was a maser and he said he said said and he said the first thing he turned round uh to whoever it was I can’t remember who precisely it was and said hit a long sort of lob a hanging lob into the area I’m going to take this kid out the first challenge and of course he clattered them first time. Yeah, these are the days where you got more than got away with that kind of was expected and he clapped them first time and he said soon as I cl them he said two things he said I felt the Aberdine players should all have had a go at me they should been pulling Aberine players off me and you know the referee should have booked me he said neither happened and I went this is going to be our day all right yeah absolutely although um I would concede that even if Hulk Hogan had been in goal Markley would still have had a go at him um he one of those really Oh, I very much center forward, but also but also a very technically good center forward. I mean, this this a guy that this a guy that this career, you know, encompasses Milan, you know, so and we’re talking about Celtic and Aberdine where the you know, it wasn’t as big a chasm as it is now. And and I and I don’t know if and by the way, I have to say Nikki Dean sent me a text. I said that I would on the show that I would wear the full Aberdeene kit if Aberine beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. Um, but I have to be honest. I know you’re laughing about it, Ali, but Nikki Delin sent me a text saying, “What size are you?” The boys all want to know what size, and I thought, there you go. It’s got there. It’s got there. Um, but nevertheless, I think you’re going to be on a notice board on Saturday morning, aren’t you? But, but the point, you know, for me, as I look at it, I’m looking at the stats. Four wins, one draw. They’ve scored 19 and they’ve conceded four Celtic against Aberdine. They’ve absolutely battered them. And this is if this was a boxing match, it would you would have thought to yourself, wait a minute, this is I don’t know who put this together. You know, even in an algorithm and an analytics, you don’t put Celtic and Aberine together, you know, in the ring with this one because it just looks so one-sided. You Yeah. Well, that again, that’s what figures of this. I mean, Celtic B went up there the other week and won 5-1. You know, probably I can’t remember the precise team, but maybe just uh one of the starters perhaps starting in in Saturday, Carl Mack, Carl McGregor, I don’t think any of the other players that played in the in the five one game will will start even in in Saturday. So, uh yeah, that’s what the that’s what the the analytics say. That’s what the the form says. I think Aberdine are knitted for Celtic in the way that they play because they they they want to you know they want to play aggressively. They want to press high. They want to uh you know they want to use space and the more space you give Celty particularly at Hampton the more problems you have. You saw that in the the League Cup semi-final when Celty just broken Aberdine ferociously. Um but and there’s always a but um stranger things have happened. I’m always in and I think football in a 90minute game a cop final things can happen. Well you know you’re talking about starting 11 that night James Forest is in it and if James Forest isn’t starting 11 Saturday I’ll be gobsmacked. I mean I know Nicholas started the season well but in terms of the impact Forest has had in Celtic coming off a bench or starting in recent games I mean that night Pudrey he terrorized the 33y old forest terrorized poor Graham Shin at left back and he did that last season towards the tail end absolutely and he he got a place in the Euros and he’s history is going to repeat itself so for me I would have Forest in for on Saturday and the other thing I would have I would start young as Well, and I would have made her through the middle. Yeah. I I I just think I’m not going to join a pile on an ada or what have you. You know, he he is what he is. His goal tally is decent. I just think that Celtic collectively are better when Mida plays through the middle and I would play him there and I think Yang is sure enough in recent games actually to get the nod for this one. The strange thing about it is and I mentioned Nikki Develin there. um you know he was getting rave reviews early on in the season and then obviously Jimmy Ten decides to pick his own man. It certainly hasn’t been backed up with the back line and and their forum of late. No and but you know Tina will probably say yeah they need time to bed in etc etc but um oh you know ham in the Scottish Cup finals and Dyson Ma going about like a an angry bee is not the place to bed in. I think the the the if you were looking for you know the contrary view if you’re looking for a view to say you know how did Aberdine win Aberdine win in the break with pace it’d be interesting to see if if if Talin plays you play Keskan but if he plays Shaden Morris as well because you could see a Celtic high back line you know being compromised by praise but they I I really don’t see much else although they the lost five won a Celtic partner midweek game and had two or three brilliant chances the way they started started the game really well. Had they taken one or two of them, they could have made a real game of it. That’s their best chance the weekend. I just I slightly worry for Jimmy to lean if they do go down to another heavy defeat here. I I have to be highly critical of him on the basis of this Allison and I I might be wrong here but I think a a homebred manager would have been under more pressure when he went through that unbelievably dreadful run. People are saying, “Oh yeah, but he came out of it.” He he might have come out of it in people’s eyes, but he came out of it with the wins were against Dundee, they were against Karman, they were against Mother Ross County and the one that you would say was a good credible one was a really inform and they had them at Padre. The rest of it is all draws and and defeats. You know, they’re beating Elgen in the cup. They’re beating lesser sides from lower divisions. There’s not been a great there’s not been a great switching for them. They’re on the back of four consecutive defeats. Their forum going into it abysmal. And I don’t see for that full season. And by the way, can I just say something to you? He’ll be the manager next year. I mean, I I can tell you cuz I’ve spoken to people at Aberine. Awesome. Yeah, they are going to He is going to be given another summer of transfer when I’m not advocating he should be sacked. I’m just saying there is the forum’s not great. The team hasn’t since that real fall off hasn’t come back with any great gusto to suggest he’s starting to get it right again. He’s going to get another transfer window to for obviously Aberdina going to back him. Yeah, I think what’s helped him is just the start that he had, the fact that he had so much credit to begin with. The fact he got off to such a a good run and we spoke about it at the time that they were beating teams that they should be beating, that they were winning games that you would expect them to win and there was they were going to come a point there was going to come a point where you know it got a bit more challenging and they actually had come through the challenging period until they got to Hamen. It was when they played Celtic in the League Cup final. I think the the the ramifications of that result just seemed to linger like a hangover. It just seemed to run through that squad. You you could sense a real death of confidence after it manifest itself in performance. I’ve been critical in this hour of clubs hiring and firing managers. We talk about deartzuk um you know going on to our seventh manager. Well actually you would have thought Aberine would have been high in that list. They’re actually not that high. Yeah. Since 2019, AB had four managers. So, you know, although Dave Cormarmac had a ropey spell with it as if he was going through them, he’s he seems to really like Jimmy Tene and I think I my information ties are yours. I think he wants to stand by him. I just think that becomes a more difficult line to hold if you get into September and October and they’re still playing the way they are just now and fans are not really seeing anything. So it’s a this is a big game for Jimmy Tillian because if he won this cup it would give him such an impetus and such a a level of confidence and that that he would be unstoppable in terms of the perception of the fans. Yeah. Okay. We never sh opinion on this program. I just feel they’re going to get trounced on that park. I think Celtic will win. Yeah. I mean, I don’t think if you look at it anyway and you look at the bookmakaker’s odds, I think the only reasonable conclusion of looking at the season is that Celt won. But like all things football football, everybody’s got a puncher’s chance in football over 90 minutes. Um, but I think I’m Yeah, I would I would agree that Celtic will win. Don’t think I’ll get trounced. Think Celtic will win. Agree. I think all the evidence points to the fact that Celtic will win it. But I would agree with you. You never know in a final. You never know what can happen in a one-off game. But I think if you to sit down and analyze both squads where they are performances, players, all evidence points to a Celtic one. Sometimes though, the problem which you won’t realize Ally is sometimes Hugh sits next to Allan Ruff quite a number of times and what happens is Ruffy just starts giving his probabilities. You know, Ruffy’s got this new form of Jamestown analytics. when you go, you never know. It’s a one-off game, blah, blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And then Ruffy goes, uh, 5-nil gives the opposition a cuddle and then he goes by unless unless I’m wrong, Ruffy played in the party fizz four goals up and drops to himself at half time frames for granted. Even recently I mean who would have given I mean I know it’s different levels and that but Crystal Palace be Man City you know and everybody Glasner goes away tactical genius everybody you know Crystal Paly blah blah but a lot of it in football and I think Glasn it’s a luck I mean because they were pounded in the second half they did so well the goalkeeper saves a pen I mean you know there’s blocks in the penalty area football’s football’s there to confound us. You know, if Aberdine win, great. I agree with you, Jimmy to lean. You know, they’ll be they’ll be thinking a bit of statue for him there. Um but, you know, I’ll wait for your text coming in rapidly uh on that evening. Um because I just can’t see anything other than I I think it’s worth Alberine winning just for you to wear the full I think it’s it’s a price well worth paying to walk up and down this table. You’re walking up and down the table now, Ali. Has this PLZ subscription level got a sort of only fans? Peter leon only fans. Exactly. Is that where we’re moving towards? Cuz I’m all in. Let’s not let’s not rule that out because the way our industry is going, anything goes. Um, a couple of things before we finish then. Uh, Livingston, Ross County, if we’re talking about managers and and the forum going into it, again, you’ve got to look at forum. You’ve got to look and say to yourself, I I mean, I’ve watched them and I don’t think, you know, and I don’t at times listen to people lazy journalism who who haven’t watched them and don’t know what they’re about. Livingston are good football inside. You know, they play some good football. They’ve got some good players. Um, and I look at the situation, I’m saying to myself, they beat them in the cup earlier in the season. They’ve had one defeat in the last seven games, six wins. County, on the other hand, nine without a win and seven defeats. It doesn’t augur well for them. And I look at the experience and the mix and the substitutes bench that Livingston have and I’m thinking to myself, I can see Livingston edge this one. A tight one, but edging it. I agree. I agree. I can see I’ve watched them a few times this season. I agree totally with your um summation. They’re not the the long ball team that everybody thinks they’ve got. I mean, even in the bench, they’ve got guys like Shinny, Andrew Shen, who’s I think is a real he can bring Stevie May off the bench as well as he tends to do. got real good experience in defense. Central defensive partners are of Wolson and McGawan is you know that that’s top notch for that level. Pitman still a force in midfield. Um yeah I could I and the the thing I get with Livingston is tilting me towards Livingston is I’ve watched them quite a lot towards the end of the season and I watched the two games against party thistle and they looked fresh. You know, sometimes the playoff teams going in against the and they look this I think Falcourt one year, you just say this is just going to be a game too far from. I don’t get that feeling about Livingston. Alli, I would agree. I’ve watched them. I I covered the playoff games and I felt that too. Um I just wonder sometimes too about momentum about when you’re on a losing streak and you’re going into games with such pressure and magnitude around them. I think it always feels weighted in favor of the top flight side, but I don’t know. I think I fancy Livingston. I just I think they’ve got enough about them to to come through and prevail. Los County have been great escape artists in the last couple of years, but I do worry that they’re going to get bullied physically and mentally bullied by David Martin, Dale Livingston. I felt for weeks that Livingston would come through this and nothing has changed my mind. Okay. Um there you are. You’ve got your opinion on it. You can uh let us know exactly what you think. try and order to let us know exactly what you think to the same um extent that you did on Hugh’s comments on ours last week because there was there was one which is particularly scathing and uh that was mine to be fair I think alli sent a thing going I don’t know if it was yours or Cheryl one of our other journalists you sent it around going a friend and and I just you know as if it was a friend review and I went probably a cousin you know because probably my son it was brutal Um but nevertheless, we’ve given you the opinion. Um the season is almost at an end. Um if I’m being honest with you, uh in the summation of the football that we’ve watched, I think I think Brendan Rogers and his Celtic side deserve tremendous credit for the way they played in Bayern Munich Stadium. I thought was absolutely the best football I’ve seen in a long, long while. Um I thought that deserved particular mention. some of the standard of football elsewhere has been poor. I enjoyed watching Hibs um to be perfectly honest with you and but I still think we need to this season hopefully whether it’s through analytics or whatever the hell you want to mention. I think next season we have to have improvements on the other teams out with Celtic and Rangers to get to group stages. If Celtic win the Scottish Cup, Hims will have group stage European football, which I think is a huge financial it kills managers that it’s amazing actually if you look at the managers who have finished third in the Scottish Premiership in recent years. It’s almost like a death wish. Yeah. The next season they go quite often, I think, because they’re going to Europe and they can’t cope with the three games a week and it just proves too much for them. Uh it’s it’s actually remarkable. Um and and if if you’re David Gra, just think you’d be slightly concerned actually. Um but they need to kick on. Hearts need to kick on and I do hope the data analytics will help us to just make the league more competitive and the dual ownership and these new owners coming in just to freshen things up. Yeah, it needs a we bit of money spent on clubs and players as well. And hopefully I’d like to see a lot more homegrown players rather than some players who’ve been taking money and never really uh contributing to our game. I wish they would invest a little bit more in some of the homegrown talent to give it uh to give them more. I’ve picked out 10 players. I’ve picked six in the championship. This is our last point before we finish. And the reason I’ve picked them is I’ve enjoyed watching them. They’re not necessarily the best players in the league. I’ve enjoyed watching them add in or take out as you see fit. Uh and it’s a good talking point for everyone. Uh, and some of these players that I’m mentioning, I think if you were a Scottish Premiership club looking to enhance your squad, you would look at them and say, I should be going and trying, you know, get them. Um, and the 10 MA has been a joy. Center forward. Nobody thought he was going to go in and score the goals that he scored. Nico Raskin I like because I I like the way he rats him out in the middle of the field. It’s the greatest compliment I can play him. He really is back in the you know retained in the Belgium squad that was announced. Love loves a header from a corner as well. Yeah. I mean um Nikki Carden best crosser of the ball in the in the division’s fantastic. Me personally, I love Callum McGregor because he makes the game so easy that when he’s in there, you’re now at the point where you’re saying to yourself, “Oh, I’m not going to mention him. He’s a nine out of 10 anyway.” He just takes the ball off players in places which are difficult and makes it easy for them. I’m going to give Craig Gordon a mention because for his age and the fact that he still comes up with big saves for hearts was incredible. I thought he was magnificent. Toyos Olasagna um got his move but was a real thorn for a lot of clubs when he played for M. Lennon Miller obviously because of I started to watch and see if he is the big wig that everybody’s talking about coming taking it. Has he got the same type of thing as a Lewis Ferguson? I thought I think he’s a different player from Lewis Ferg, but but he certainly I I saw him at Ibros in the Mother World game. Obviously I broke mother victory there and I thought it was just the little things he did just almost metronomic taking the ball quickly and moving on and I said oh yeah he’s you know he’s very assured for his age mentioned one out of left field soft spot for him Bruce Anderson got you know double figures this season for Kelly um you know obviously the twilight of his career but still a good player and absolutely ws his socks off. One out of left field was Lesh, the left back for Dundee, because it’s I like I like left backs who actually pass the ball forward. Ali, you know, rather I’m not naming any names. I’m just saying to you. Um, and Ronan Hale. Mhm. Anybody else that if if I was choosing a left back, I like James Pen. I look at Hibs. I think Chantis has had a terrific season. Totally agree. Nikki Caden, glad you got him up so high. goalkeeper Zack Camming I think deserves a real mention in dis dispatches I think he’s been terrific couple of Dende just to round it off I really like Doom I’ve seen him obviously on loan from Burnley and obviously as a as a cut above but that kind of player who I think a club could pick up for for a reasonable fee and he he’s shown he can do it up here Josh Mulligan as well I’ve really liked it in D as well so there’s players out there and I think as well the boy wheels at I think he he’s a with and he also talks says we can do a whole program in this and how young players are now it’s very difficult to bring them through it’s almost impossible to retain them now yeah Ken Bowie is a case in point as well he’s been terrific yeah I liked him at the weekend uh I’ve picked out um seven players from down in the championship that I really liked Calvin Miller I think y if somebody could look at him with his left peg I thought he was excellent Tate is on loan from heart but he comes and takes the ball off the back line which were alike. Kean Adams. He’s a he’s a standout for me. M Robbie Murehead Livingston, Brian Graham. Um still still think you got another three moves out of him. Um might get one other move that might surprise everybody by the way. Um Dylan Eastston midfielders and Steven Kelly at Livingston. So I’ve picked I mean there might be others that you’ve watched yourself, but I you know I thought those guys I liked watching them. I think Dylan Ward um the fullback at Air United’s got a future. He’s still a bit um not quite immature because he’s very very young but uh he’s he’s absolutely lightning. Uh I went to a game and I think most of the scouts there it was uh Fal uh Vier and I think a lot of them were there. They watched Dylan and they ended up uh uh uh watching the Faler ride by Adams instead because he had such such a good game that day. Uh, I think I I think the the boy Spencer midfield I was going to say Spencer Spencer John Spencer. I think he’s a real I didn’t realize I think he’s a real um Yeah. What’s the word for it? Like Lennon Miller is real sort of like presence in midfield and just keeps everybody playing. Yeah. Uh Faler were the my championship games this season. I watched a lot of championship games this season for me and uh uh live not just in the tail of night in a lonely Friday night for an old age pensioner watch that but um there was some really good footballers in the championship. Yeah, well worthy of uh catching your eye at some point and you never know maybe some of the Scottish Premiership clubs will snap them up. Um it’s not the last of the journals. We’ll be back again next week, but uh next week is a different twist obviously. Um if you’re listening to it in the podcast, hopefully you’ll enjoy the chat. If you’re watching it on YouTube, apparently it’s going to be a walk across the center of the studio with an Aberdeene top on. So that’s not Phil. And uh and then you can then you can subscribe to my new channel, which Hugh’s just given me an idea for. Um but but then again, I hope you’re not made out your day job, Peter. That’s all we say. But yeah, listen, there are some who have there are some in our profession who have taken on roles. I think really um anyway, apart from anything else, always good to get absolutely battered by Hugh McDonald, Steve McGown, and Allison McConnell. Hopefully, you enjoyed the program. Don’t forget to hit the subscribe button on our YouTube channel if you want additional content over the summer. We’ve got PLZ Premium. But to all of you, thank you for listening and watching.