Enjoy The Trip Lads - History's Against You Getting Many More Caps

A WEE history lesson. Between 1947 and the mid-sixties, roughly 1964, the SFA would arrange a wee end-of-season treat for the hard-working SFA Selectors. I mean, all those all-expenses-paid trips to England to watch potential Scotland players were a sign of devotion to the game – the pay-back being a place on the summer trip to somewhere warm in mainland Europe.

 

 Sammy Cox - who got his first Scotland cap on a European tour, challenges Stan Mortenson at Wembley

Generally, there would be one Hampden friendly, after the Home Internationals and the cup final, followed by two or three friendlies, against good European opposition, but, as far as possible keeping us away from the really top European nations,who might just skelp oor erses.

What did for these tours was the growth of World Cup and European Championship games, making them harder to fit-in in May and June. However, while they lasted, over that 20-year period, 39 players won their first cap in such friendlies – of these, only 6 managed to accrue a caps total in double figures.

So, I think it is fair to assume, we may not see too-many future members of the SFA's 50-caps-plus roll of honour, among the newcomers Big Eck has named for this season's wee jolly to Peru and Mexico, the playing party for which is:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Archer (Millwall), Allan McGregor (Hull City), Jon McLaughlin (Hearts).

Defenders: Barry Douglas (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jack Hendry (Celtic), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Callum Paterson (Cardiff City), John Souttar (Hearts), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian).

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Dylan McGeouch (Hibernian), John McGinn (Hibernian), Kenny McLean (Aberdeen)*, Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Jamie Murphy (Rangers)**, Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen).

Forwards: Ryan Christie (Aberdeen)***, Oliver McBurnie (Barnsley)****, Lewis Morgan (St. Mirren)***, Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City).

*On loan from Norwich City
**On loan from Brighton and Hove Albion
***On loan from Celtic
****On loan from Swansea

Players in italics are as yet uncapped.

The chosen squad is minus several “first picks”, so, even if they play out of their skins none of the as-yet uncapped players is likely to come back as a stick-on to be starting in the more-important games to come next season, but, the tour should allow Eck to pick his alternates and increase his squad depth.

Jordan Archer, should make his debut on tour

I expect, both uncapped goalkeepers to get at least half a game. Callum Paterson has a chance to make the right-back spot his own – although, Eck may still be tempted to perhaps use Kieran Tierney there in the more-important games, leaving Andrew Robertson as the first-choice left-back.

With time apparently having been called on the international careers of Russell Martin, Grant Hanley and Christophe Berra, who have featured either individually or collectively in 47 of our last 50 internationals, Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna have a chance on tour to show they can fit-in beside Scotland captain Charlie Mulgrew. Up front, any goals scored might just help the scorer stay in the squad once Leigh Griffiths is back. It could be an interesting tour.

(Late edit: Barely had I put up this post, than the news came through that Barry Douglas had pulled-out of the tour, to be replaced by Kilmarnock's Stephen O'Donnell - another newcomer.)

I HAD a wee chuckle to myself when one or two of the Celtic Family's media cheerleaders voiced their dissent at the Scottish Football Writers Association awarding the Manager of the Year award to Stevie Clarke, rather than Yer man Brendan.

The best response to the howls of indignation from the ranks of the “Never defeated, always cheated” came from a Kilmarnock fan on their Killie Fans Facebook page, who asked: “If the jobs had been reversed and Brendan Rodgers had taken-over at Rugby Park when Stevie Clarke did – would he have overseen the turnaround in fortunes which Stevie has?

Cue Jonathan Watson as King Kenny: “Maybes aye, maybes naw.”

But, to the supplementary question: “Would a Celtic team managed by Stevie Clarke have won the league?” The answer has to be: “Aye, definitely.”

And that, Celtic fans, is why Stevie deserved to win the award.

A NOW retired mate of mine, released back into the wild after some 40-years on the Herald Sports Desk, took me to task the other day over a piece I had written elsewhere, about the decline in standards among our football writers today.

He explains the perceived decline in the Herald as down to having gone from: “When I started there, we had a 'Token Tim', when I retired, I was 'The Last House Hun'”. He felt, I had, in my piece, listed too-many tabloid hacks as my influences, and too-few broadsheet writers. At least we were agreed on one thing – The Herald is going to Hell in a jet-powered hand cart.

I have to say, Ah hae ma doots about some of them today, but, they earned a stay of execution with that vote for Stevie Clarke.

I ALMOST forgot, but, just about the biggest laugh I had over the weekend – excepting wee Lenny's priceless celebration at Easter Road, was when I read the howlingly indignant interview the Cove Rangers captain gave following Cowdenbeath's win in the League Two promotion/relegation play-off.

The Cove boy, enjoying his 15 seconds of fame went on about The Establishment not wanting his side to go up into Senior Football. Then I remembered, the present President of the SFA, Alan McCrae, represents which club – why Cove Rangers.

Bobby Kinzer scoring - His was the proudest Walk of Shame before Lenny's on Sunday

Speaking of Mr Lennon's Easter Road red card I haven't seen such a triumphant “walk of shame” since, back in the 1980s, Falkirk's Team Solripe toppled the hitherto all-conquering MIM in the Scottish Basketball Cup Final.

Bobby 'Special K' Kinzer, aka “The Fruit Pastilles Man”, because of his appearance in a TV advertisement for the wee sweets, “fouled-out” in the game. (In basketball, after your fifth personal foul, you are out of the game, but can be substituted). His was a cracker, he dunked over the top of wee Alton Byrd of MIM, leaving a size 14 dusty footprint in the middle of Alton's chest and knocking the wee man almost out of the building in the process.

He acknowledged the “red card” with a waze and sauntered off to a standing ovation from his adoring public – rather like Lenny on Sunday.