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Craig Brown blasts plans to induct World Cup boss Ally MacLeod into Hall of Fame

Apr 7 2008 By Amanda Keenan

 

PLANS to honour former Scotland manager Ally MacLeod were criticised by one of his successors yesterday.

 

Craig Brown claimed that including MacLeod, who took Scotland to the World Cup in Argentina '78, in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame would be "rewarding failure".

 

He said that, while Ally's personality deserved to be honoured in some way, he did not believe he should be included on the basis of his ability or results.

 

A petition to have MacLeod inducted to the hall of fame was launched by the Ayr Tartan Army branch.

 

If enough people sign up to it, he will be put on a shortlist to be given to an SFA committee in September.

 

But Brown, Scotland's longest-serving manager, claims the next coach to be honoured should be Alex McLeish.

 

He said: "I love Ally and he was a major personality in Scottish football but I don't think you can say in terms of achievement that he deserves to be there.

 

"If the criterion for inclusion is success in managing Scotland, then it should be Alex McLeish. He won an incredible seven out of 10 games."

 

MacLeod died aged 72 in 2004 after years suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

 

His '78 campaign ended in failure after being beaten by Peru and drawing with Iran.

 

He managed Scotland for just 17 games, winning seven, drawing five and losing five, a success rate of 41.8 per cent.

 

Brown led Scotland to 70 games, winning 32, drawing 18 and losing 20, a success rate of 45.71per cent.

 

Alan Rough, Scotland's goalie under MacLeod, agreed with Brown.

 

He said: "I don't think Ally comes anywhere near the managers that are in it.

 

"I think he deserves some kind of landmark for the way he really lifted the nation.

 

"But he hadn't the winning status of the Shanklys and the Jock Steins."

 

 

 

 

For all he didn't have the greatest record and Argentina didn't work out as planned, I think he deserves the award for the way that he put a smile on the faces of the Tartan Army. Let's face it, footbal is supposed to be entertainment and that's what he provided.

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No other Manager has ever made Scotland feel the way we did then, or indeed has got a Nation together like he did.

 

The only time people come together these days is when people die, and even then its all standoff-ish...

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Forgot to add - he deserves it.

 

And Brown should fcuk off the bitter little tit. I have no time for the idiot. My uncle went to school with him and it is confirmed that he was a little cnut then, and he has only flourished as a cnut through his life.

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What memories you guys have! Ally McLeod - who Souness said, thought "tactics was a peppermint" - made us into a laughing stock; the Iran draw was just about the lowest I've ever felt. With the players we had then we should have done an awful lot better. Craig Brown had, on the whole, a much less talented group to work with.

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  • 2 weeks later...
What memories you guys have! Ally McLeod - who Souness said, thought "tactics was a peppermint" - made us into a laughing stock; the Iran draw was just about the lowest I've ever felt. With the players we had then we should have done an awful lot better. Craig Brown had, on the whole, a much less talented group to work with.

 

Well I was only 2 and a half when we went to Argentina!! But I guess it's a glass half full or half empty thing - it never worked out but he made the nation proud to be Scottish and proud to be in the World Cup Finals - is a bit of hope such a bad thing?

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Getting to the finals seems like an achievement now but anyone's Granny could have got the team we had in '78 to the finals. We were very highly rated at the time and it was only four years after a great team were so unlucky in Germany, going out undefeated.

 

We had a top class team in '78 and that's why we thought we had a chance of winning it.

 

Remember we had a good 20 years where we qualified 5 times in a row. Qualifying didn't seem so difficult then.

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Well I wasnt born in 78 but looking back around that time on paper our players wouldnt be far off par with other squads all over the world, plus our clubs could compete at higher levels - the 60's and 80's included.

 

When I look at Craig Brown's team I actually think he still had a very decent squad in his first few years. He came in 92/93 and to name a few he still had Goram and Leighton at there peak for goals, Gough peaking at centre half, talented midfielders like McAllister, McCall, Lambert, Collins then Super Ally upfront.

 

Yet he seemed to pick some bizare players like the guy from Bolton upfront, cant remember his name but began with M....

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