Eck Has Chosen, Let's Get Behind Him And His Squad

YESTERDAY, to a somewhat muted fanfare, Big Eck announced his Scotland squad for the upcoming two crucial European Nations League games. The details are:

UEFA Nations League: Albania v Scotland, Saturday, 17 November, kick-off 7.45pm
Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

UEFA Nations League: Scotland v Israel, Tuesday, 20 November, kick-off 7.45pm
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Celtic), Allan McGregor (Rangers), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland).

Defenders: Michael Devlin, Scott McKenna (both Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew, (Blackburn Rovers), Stephen O’Donnell (Kilmarnock), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie, James Forrest (both Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Gary Mackay-Steven, (Aberdeen), Kevin McDonald (Fulham), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Callum Paterson (Cardiff City).

Forwards: Steven Fletcher (Sheffield Wednesday), Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City), Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City).

These are crucial games for Eck. He may not have “lost the dressing room,” but, he, has perhaps lost most, if not all of the press box. The Lap Top Loyal and the Celtic-Minded are not enamoured of his selections, tactics or results to date, and, if you lose them, then your jaiket is immediately on a shoogly nail.

To be fair to Eck, he has been fairly consistent in his selections; 13 of the 23 men he has named have appeared in at least 4 of the 8 squads he has picked. You could also add Kieran Tierney to that list, since he was voluntarily excluded from the squad which travelled to Peru and Mexico.

No player has been an ever-present during Eck's second term in the “impossible” Scotland job, but, he is at least doing the basics of team-building, in establish a core “spine” to the side: either Allan McGregor or Craig Gordon in goal, Scott McKenna (five starts in eight games and Charlie Mulgrew (6/8) in central defence, John McGinn (6/8), Calum McGregor (5/8 + 1 sub) and Kevin McDonald (4/8 + 1 sub) in the centre of midfield; and if he has yet to find two strikers to operate together, Ollie McBurnie (2/8 + 3 sub) and Jonny Russell (3/8 + 1 sub) have been consistent picks.

Stephen O'Donnell has also come in and pretty-much established himself as first-choice at right back, which gives McLeish a “first-choice” starting XI (in 4-4-2 formation) of:

A. McGregor; O'Donnell, McKenna, Mulgrew, Robertson; McGregor, McDonald, McGinn, Armstrong; McBurnie and Russell.

Immediately you look at that side, McLeish's media problems become obvious – where's Kieran Tierney? Well, KT, great player though he is, is victim to an age-old Scotland problem. Right from the early days, we have had a history of maybe being short of class in one position, while having an embarrassment of riches in another.

Jimmy McGrory for instance, scored goals for fun for Celtic, while at the same time Hughie Gallacher was doing the same for Newcastle, Chelsea and about four other English clubs – and we could only ever play one of them, with Gallacher, for all his discipline problems, usually getting the nod. (And you think Leigh Griffiths was the first “problem” player around a Scotland squad).

Then there was the Reilly or Bauld debate, the Smith or Waddell one, Henderson/Johnstone, Ure or McNeill, Forsyth or Buchan, Leighton or Goram, the list goes on. You have the likes of wee Alex Troup, an absolute star in providing so-many of the crosses from which Everton's Dixie Dean scored his plethora of goals, but, unfortunate to be a contemporary of Alan Morton. Or what about Ralph Brand, a member of the elite goal-a-game at international level club, but, only ever a stand-in for the absent Denis Law.

 Ralph Brand - eight caps, eight goals, but only ever a stand-in for Denis Law

(thanks to Andy the Photo Doctor for this colourised image)

In the old days of the selection committee, the lights would burn into the night while such debates were concluded, usually via an element of horse-trading; today, it's Eck's call, and, even if we disagree with him, we have to back him.

It's not as if he has the power Gregor Townsend, his contemporary across at Murrayfield has. The SRU is run on the basis that, the national side is the one that makes the money and drives the interest, therefore, the National Coach gets everything he wants within reason. He can ask Glasgow or Edinburgh to maybe try-out a Scotland squad member in a new position, or to rest a player who is maybe looking jaded. He can suggest these clubs play in a certain way, to aid the national side.

Scotland Rugby Coach Gregor Townsend, has a power to influence things Eck can only dream of

Eck does not have that control. In fact, it often seems as if some clubs – two in particular - view the Scotland team as a nuisance and a hindrance to their club objectives. Eck is being asked to operate with one hand tied behind his back. His job truly is a poisoned chalice.

Some are already seeing Eck's second spell as Scotland boss as a disaster. However, we have won 9 of the 18 games in which he has led the country. And, this time round, he has a 50% winning record in the competitive games we have played.

But, we cannot overlook the monkey on every Scotland boss's back: this age-old history of “Scotland expects.” We haven't been “World Class” for over 40 years. (I am taking “World Class” to be in the top ten in the World), we haven't reached the finals of a major tournament for 20 years, mediocrity is our normal.

We expect Eck to preside over a win in our European Nations League group; nay we DEMAND he leads us to glory – while at the same time, placing every obstacle we can in his way to getting us there.

But, hey, what's new – that's the Scottish way of working. And I do not see it changing any time soon.