Scott7

That was some team Scotland had. Stanton and Buchan in defence. How did the opposition ever score?

Does that show that AF is the better manager?

Very true. The exceptions are Souness and Wallace, first time, sort of. He went down in terms both of geography and status to Leicester though that was more to do with not being given what he needed at Ibrox rather than a burning desire to join a great club admired since childhood.

We don’t wish to know that. Kindly leave the stage.

I don’t approve of this sort of thing. It’s timmish. But since I’m on, Gary Player. And Ian Botham.

Is it not if you can remember it you weren’t there? I canna mind.

John Prentice the flukey, offside equaliser in a benefit match v Elgin City 1952. For the first competitive goal, I was sure it was Derek Grierson but checking the record it was in fact John Prentice again v Thirds Glasgow Cup Final 1953.

That is dreadful.

Any idea who the tims don’t want us to get?

You and I usually warble from the same tattered hymn sheet but not on this one. You jest, of course?

I see what you’re getting at. Mancini opened the door for Guardiola to slip through. How would the magic circle of managerial wizards get on at keeping Burnley in the top division for years? Not so well, I fancy. How would Dyche get on at City or Chelsea? We’ll never know.

I don’t think Hagi is that type of player. He’s a locksmith and an innovator. Aribo ought to be. Talent. Physique. But something’s missing.

Anybody who dolls himself up like that must be instantly disqualified.

Correct. I think that’s what I was trying to say. He would have gone to ‘Spurs if he’d been invited but not, for example, Brighton or Palace. It’s a risk for him but he must think the risk of finishing second to celtic is greater.

Villa job’s available. That’s what’s changed. He might have gone to ‘Spurs if he had been invited. I doubt he would ever have gone to Norwich, Watford or the like.

Is it? Always thought it was Lamps.

If I were Patterson I’d be wanting Liverpool. If it’s between Everton or Villa he might not want to go to the manager who didn’t pick him.

Brighton, Palace, Southampton, Norwich, Watford, Brentford, even Leicester. Some are above Villa in the table currently but together they don’t have Villa’s potential. Fair to say, though, that some notable managers have failed to unleash that potential.

That looks right except drop Mourinho back to fifth place because of his destructive tendency. Guardiola could overtake Ferguson and Tuchel’s coming up fast on the rails but he may not be a stayer. The new runner from Villa Park has a lot of hard furlongs before Rodgers is even in sight.

Martin? Surely not.

Respect to a Throstle. I agree with your post except the quote. Finance will have been on his mind but I don’t think that’s prompted his departure. Aston Villa is the causal factor. He wouldn’t be leaving for Palace, Southampton or Brighton. See my reply above to Ian.

He knows he won’t go straight to Anfield from Ibrox without having won a European trophy. He knows that’s not going to happen. He doesn’t have to do that at Villa, just get them playing well and threatening the top four in the league and good cup runs. No trophy needed because in the eyes of EPL clubs good performance in the EPL is all that’s needed. If you take Arsenal, City, Liverpool and Chelsea as the top four, only Villa, Newcastle, ‘Spurs and Everton and possibly Hammers, have the resources for a consistent challenge. Conte got the ‘Spurs job. Newcastle are too big a risk this season. West Ham don’t really have it. He’s never going to Everton. Villa’s his best chance. He may fail hopelessly but there’s a greater prospect of hopeless failure at Ibrox where hopeless failure is defined as finishing second behind celtic.

I’ve said it before. The Portuguese journos knew a player when they saw one.

Is any EPL manager going to come to Scotland?

If it’s Beale, “Hello, hello, we are the Bealey boys” is legit.