- 5 months ago
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00:00:00Welcome to The Football Show here on PLZ Soccer's YouTube channel. I'm Alison McConnell,
00:00:12delighted to be joined by Alan Ruff and Tam McManus. So Tam, a mad night in Leith last night?
00:00:19Yeah, it was. It was a fantastic game, I think, the first half. Obviously punctuated by two massive
00:00:25mistakes with the goalkeeper. I thought the Habs were comfortable in the game, there wasn't much
00:00:28in it. I thought they looked pretty toothless, to be honest, but two shots. Ruffie's obviously
00:00:34no more than me. First one, it's a decent strike, but he's got to save it, and then the second one's
00:00:38just squirmed under him. So that changes the whole atmosphere in the stadium. I think it took the
00:00:42whole, or the air out of the stadium, and suddenly it became a really, really nervy night. Kieran Bowie
00:00:46scores an absolute goalie's dreams. You know, probably one of the best goals I've ever seen,
00:00:51and you think Hibs are through now. They get a man sent off, you think Hibs will cruise it,
00:00:55but Hibs always try and always do it the hard way, and they get a goal in the last kick of the ball,
00:01:00and you've got to give them a lot of credit. They played for a long period, both legs with 10 men,
00:01:05they're a really young team, and you know, at times I thought the tie's over, maybe it's not,
00:01:09then I thought the tie was over again, it's not. They kept going to the end, but I think everyone
00:01:13at Hibs will be delighted, particularly the goalkeeper Smith. I thought if Hibs went out last night,
00:01:18you know, the Hibs supporters would really have turned on him. Unfortunately, that's the way football is now,
00:01:22and I thought David Gray had a big decision to make at half-time. You know, I spoke to a couple
00:01:27of managers, I've remained nameless, and I think most of them said they would have hooked him at
00:01:32half-time. So, he's obviously got together with Craig Sampson and Liam Craig and thought,
00:01:37no, I think we've got absolutely... He was brilliant in the second half. I thought he showed a lot of
00:01:41character and a lot of bottle, because at half-time, when the camera panned him on the TV, he thought,
00:01:46he shot. At the very end, 118th, 19th minutes. Yeah, he did some great saves. So, you've got
00:01:51to give David Gray a lot of credit. I would think 90% of the stadium were thinking, get him off at
00:01:56half-time, and they didn't. They stuck with him, and it paid off. He made a couple of good saves.
00:02:00So, I'm just delighted for everyone at Hibs. I thought they deserved it over both legs, and
00:02:04they've got a really winnable tie, I think, against Ligia Warsaw to get into the group stages,
00:02:07which would be phenomenal for Hibs. Did you think it was gone at half-time, Ruffey? I think a lot of people
00:02:12thought they were gone. You could see the atmosphere in the stadium. The stadium was
00:02:16absolutely bouncing at the beginning. It looked fantastic. It looks as if Hibs had had the four
00:02:20corners. Okay, they had a wee group in the corner, but the whole Edinburgh, that side of Edinburgh,
00:02:27I was absolutely so excited. Then, all of a sudden, the goals were going in, and you could feel the
00:02:31apprehension. Obviously, all the good work on the first leg was nearly going out the window,
00:02:36but Tom's right. The goalkeeper just has to hold his hand up. It's too bad. The first one,
00:02:42I couldn't see it from behind the goal. I don't know if it moved a wee bit and he got his hand to it,
00:02:46but the second one, yeah, was just a horror. But as you said, he had two or three good saves in
00:02:52injury time. I think the manager does his work at half-time there. Yeah, it's a hard
00:02:56shout. It's a hard shout taking the goalkeeper off. You take a goalkeeper off at half-time,
00:03:01that's unturnished. You don't recover for that. Particularly in a high game like a European game,
00:03:06his confidence is going to be shattered. I'm not saying he can never come back again,
00:03:11but he'll be out for a long, long time. As soon as you want to throw him back in again,
00:03:15it's got to be a time when he's got it off his mind, and that's not going to be in the next two
00:03:20or three months. It's a big, big decision, but he's been playing well in the league games,
00:03:25hasn't he? Up until that game, every goalkeeper makes mistakes. I don't care who it is, but you've
00:03:30just got to live with it. The headlines really though belong to Bowie. That goal you've just described
00:03:35as one of the best that you've ever seen. He scored too many more like that in his career,
00:03:39do you think? Nah, I don't think he'll score a better goal than that. Particularly in the
00:03:42circumstances of the game. Partizan and Belgrade were on top at that time. You just thought,
00:03:47surely Hibbs can't blow this. He's really strong holding the defender off. I've watched
00:03:51both legs, he's been outstanding. It's not just his goal, it's his all-round game. He holds the
00:03:56ball in, he bullies defenders, he's physical, he can run in behind. He's good in the air,
00:04:01he's got everything about him to be a really top player. He really showed it over the last two
00:04:06two legs in the European game. It's one of the ones, as soon as he hits it, he probably thinks
00:04:10that's in. He's just struck it so purely and the stadium was bouncing. I just thought all
00:04:15night he was outstanding. He played all the way through to extra time, he looked knackered.
00:04:18He was dead on his feet. He was dead on his feet, but I think we were reluctant to take
00:04:23him off David Gray because of what he gives you. Not just the goals, but his presence up there.
00:04:28I thought he had an outstanding game. Obviously, there'll be a lot of chat now with the Scotland game
00:04:32coming up, Scotland's squad. Is he the man for Scotland? Is he the next number nine? I think
00:04:36he is. I think he's a real deal. I think if he stays fit between now and that game against,
00:04:41I think the first game was against Denmark, I think I'd play him at number nine.
00:04:45Stevie Clarke was in the crowd.
00:04:47Could you take a chance? It's been a headache of a position for Scotland for so long?
00:04:51It is. It's unfortunate that there's not a couple of friendlies that you could give him a chance to go in.
00:04:57It's a big, big ask for him, going in there and at first a tie that you've got to win.
00:05:03It depends on the individual. Any time I'll tell you, if you're playing at the top of your game
00:05:08and you're scoring goals, your confidence is high, you feel as if you can take on anybody.
00:05:14If he's that kind of guy, I wouldn't hesitate at playing him.
00:05:17I think we're maybe guilty of all just getting a wee bit too excited, getting carried away.
00:05:21When somebody's 22, he comes to the floor and everyone, there's all this attention that's
00:05:26invited onto you all of a sudden.
00:05:27Yeah, I think we're just desperate for a hero. We're desperate for a number nine.
00:05:30We have been for a number of seasons now. I think probably Kenny Muller's the last one
00:05:34we really hung our hat on. Lee Griffiths was a good number nine. But we're really, really
00:05:38struggling for that position. And as I said to you, he looks as if he's got everything about him.
00:05:43You know, he's not just a big target man. He can run. You can run in behind and he can shift.
00:05:48So I think he'll definitely be in the squad if he's fit. But you're looking about who else.
00:05:54London Dykes has not been playing for Birmingham. The boy at Ipswich has been an out there team
00:06:00as well. Lauren Shanklin started decent, but I don't think he's that type of lone striker.
00:06:04So I think he's put himself at the real forefront of Steve Clarke's mind, not only for the squad,
00:06:08but to start in that game. There's what David Gray had to say about Kieran Bowie last night.
00:06:13The clearance. I think, no, as I say, take his goal out of it. He was exceptional tonight.
00:06:20Everything he'd done from the first, second onwards, a real handful of everything we've
00:06:24spoke about. Kieran before was there again to see. His goal was a special goal for a special night.
00:06:30Spoke about if you win the game tonight, it would be a special night. It doesn't matter how you get
00:06:34through, how you get through. It would be a special occasion. And it was great that it was a goal.
00:06:40Unfortunately, that didn't actually go and win the game there and then.
00:06:44Would you have saved that one, Rafa?
00:06:46Yeah, no, that was different from the one at the weekend. This one last night was right in the corner.
00:06:53I think it hit the top and the side down the way in.
00:06:56Is that a no?
00:06:57No, I thought it was a great goal. I thought there was no way the goalkeeper would win. I
00:07:01wouldn't even have saved that one.
00:07:07Well, they've got Legge of Warsaw next day. They've obviously dropped out of the
00:07:11Europa League and go in now to the Conference League. Would you fancy their chances, Tim?
00:07:16Yeah, I would. I think that Legge of Warsaw are obviously a decent side. I think they'll be
00:07:19similar out to Paterson and Belgrade. And, you know, Hibs have taken care of them. I think
00:07:25it's probably a 50-50 tie. I think, you know, it helps. I think the first leg's at home.
00:07:30You can go and try and take a lead over the opponent. But, listen, I think the Hibs go
00:07:34into it with confidence. It's a really relentless schedule at the minute. You know, it's really,
00:07:38really tough playing Thursday, Sunday. They've got another tough game away at Livingston on Sunday,
00:07:42where there'll probably be a few tired legs and a few changes. Do they kind of rest players for that,
00:07:47to look ahead to the following Thursday? I don't know what David Gray's going to do,
00:07:50but the Hibs have got a pretty deep squad at the minute. But, you know, European football is tough
00:07:56at the minute. And it'd be even tougher if they get into the group stages. You know,
00:07:58I've seen it in recent years. Some of those clubs have struggled. So, I think if we'd have offered
00:08:02Hibs that, as soon as Aberdeen beat Celtic in that game, you know, you're one tie away against
00:08:08Legge of Warsaw to get into the group stages. I think they've taken it. So, they've went about it.
00:08:12Probably they've had a tough, tough-ish draw. And this is one that I think they can go and win.
00:08:16You could sense even just be the celebrations last night, post-match, and the reaction within
00:08:21Easter Road. It looked as though the place was jumping. You can see what the prospect of
00:08:26European football would mean to them, Ruffin. Yeah, you can see the players. I would say the
00:08:30players on both sides, every time they scored a goal. I've never seen celebrations like that.
00:08:35You know, just during a game, when a goal goes in, they're all over at the dugout and jumping
00:08:40each other, which is great. The whole place was bouncing. But I mean, it just shows you how you
00:08:44can forget the whole structure of a game. As Tam said, they played with 10 men and Hibs got beat
00:08:493-2. And everybody's still celebrating because they won the tie. You know, that's all that really
00:08:55mattered. And every goal that Hibs scored, the celebrations were fantastic. They need to lift
00:09:00themselves now for Livingstone on Sunday. David Martindale signed a new contract this afternoon
00:09:06with Livingstone. Do you think he'll be licking his lips? Don't you think he'll be
00:09:08watched? Delighted when that third goal went in that took the tie to extra time. And just
00:09:13thinking, a few heavy legs, a few heavy minds as well ahead of Sunday's game.
00:09:17Yeah, I think that obviously David would have been probably at the game last night. You're right.
00:09:21I think when that goal went in, he'd have been thinking, yes, you're beauty. And I think probably
00:09:26the last place you want to go and the last team you want to play is a David Martindale-Livingstone
00:09:30away from home. You know, they've got high energy. They'll put you under pressure. And it's
00:09:34going to be a really, really tough game. And the Hibs obviously want to progress
00:09:37again in the Cups. You know, they're not going to win the league this season. They're not going to
00:09:41win the European Conference League. But they've got the opportunity to win both Cups. And I think
00:09:45this is a real priority game for them. I think they will make a lot of changes. You know, Grant
00:09:49Hanley could possibly come in. It could be a game for him. Eli Johan came on and done well. Still
00:09:53got the million-pound striker who got another three minutes last night. So there's a few options
00:09:58for him to rotate the squad. But it's a really, really difficult game going to
00:10:01limits. And you're just hoping that they can somehow summon the strength and the energy to
00:10:06get through it. It's the last 16 tie, Ruffy. Is this a tournament that you think Hibs should
00:10:11be thinking that they could go deep in? Or do you think they would say, let's prioritise,
00:10:16try to get through the Conference League and everything that that entails?
00:10:19Yeah, I think you want to stay in Europe. I think they've seen the money that other teams
00:10:22have been picking up. Hearts have been picking up three million here, four million.
00:10:25Nobody going into group stages and staying in Europe a wee while longer. I know you've
00:10:31got to balance it with the league. You want to do well in the league. But I'm sure if you
00:10:35ask the players at Hibs where they want to do particularly well and the supporters, they
00:10:39want European football. You know, European football is the bit where everybody wants to
00:10:45be. Challenging yourself against other teams from other countries. And you could see last
00:10:49night, the supporters have really bought into it.
00:10:51So would you go, you would prioritise European football over a pandemic?
00:10:54Yeah, because they're not going to be on it that long. You know, I don't think they're
00:10:58going to go the whole hog. You know, I think there'll be a cut off maybe at the turn of the
00:11:02year. But I think they've got enough squad and I think they've bought players wisely. I think
00:11:06they've got a good squad there. They should have enough to keep battling away. You know,
00:11:11obviously you want a domestic cup, but if you look at it, it's mostly Rangers and Celtic are there
00:11:16at the end of the day. So I would enjoy Europe while you're there.
00:11:19Okay. Well, Dundee United won't have to worry about fighting on a dual front. They obviously
00:11:25had the heartbreak of a penalty shootout and now it may be harder for them. They've got
00:11:30to go to Rugby Park on Sunday on the back of a defeat. It's very different, I think, going
00:11:35when you've won a tie and won the game and you've maybe got all the adrenaline and a positive
00:11:39energy about you. But when you go on the back of a really tough defeat, a fairly sickening defeat,
00:11:45given the fact that tie was so in their hands. You know, you're 2-0 up and 4-2 on aggregate and
00:11:50you think it looks as though you're just managing the game. A real sickener to go out for them.
00:11:55Yeah, well, I've just seen the highlights last night, but by all accounts, a couple of my friends
00:12:00were at the game. They were tremendous in the first half and they should have been 2-3 up,
00:12:04but they could have been 3-4 up and they played really, really well. You'd always expect a club,
00:12:08the statue of Rapid Vienna to come back into the second half. But you're right, I think they'll be
00:12:12sickened that they've done the hard part, probably away from home. They've got that draw,
00:12:16go 2-0 up at home. You think they can go and hang on and then it's not just that,
00:12:20then it's getting beaten penalties. And I think they only missed one. Rapid Vienna scored all five,
00:12:25you know, so they were ruthless in the penalty shootout as well. They did well as well in extra
00:12:29time. Yeah, the boy was through one-on-one with the goalkeeper and that could have done it for them,
00:12:35obviously. It was a really weak. He sort of was through too quick on it and he had to make a decision
00:12:41and unfortunately he took the wrong one. But they had chances in extra time. And just when you're
00:12:45talking about their penalties, five of their penalties went in the same corner. Five of them,
00:12:50same corner, same right in the corner. You would have thought the goalkeeper said,
00:12:54well, I'm going to go. It's got to go that way. Have you just guessed it to the first three?
00:12:58Yeah, the first three, no, I would have said it's got to go that way now, you know. You've got to
00:13:02make them think about it. Okay, here's what Jim Goodwin had to say last night at Tannadice.
00:13:07Major disappointment within the group having, you know, been 2-0 up at half time. But, you know,
00:13:14we never for one minute thought that the time was over. We respect the opposition. They're a very,
00:13:21very good team, full of quality. And we knew that the next goal was going to be really important.
00:13:27Had we got it, then I think, yeah, you know, we progress. But, you know, credit to Rapid Vienna.
00:13:33You know, they pinned us back there for large periods in the second half. And, you know,
00:13:39they got their goals. The disappointing one for us is that it's another set play that's cost us.
00:13:46Obviously now, down to Rugby Park for them on Sunday. What have you made at Indy United so far?
00:13:51I've been impressed with them. No, I've been impressed with them. I think, obviously,
00:13:54it's a large turnover again of players. A lot of foreign players, you know, it's caused a bit of a
00:14:00discussion. Yeah, it's caused a lot of discussion amongst people with, obviously, the greater good
00:14:04of Scottish football in mind. But, listen, the United fans, Jim Goodwin, no bother. You know,
00:14:09they're backside if they can get results. It doesn't matter where you're from. And they've
00:14:12signed some quality players. You know, Sarpsburg looks a good player. And they've got some strength
00:14:18and depth up there as well. So I've been impressed with them. I think they look good going forward.
00:14:21But defensively, you know, they've lost, they've leaked quite a few goals. And that was, you know,
00:14:25they were very, very tight last season. You know, they were very, very good defensively.
00:14:29I don't know whether he's going different this season. They're going to go a little bit more
00:14:31attacking and positive. But, you know, I think at the back, they need to strengthen up and get
00:14:36tighter. But I think going forward, they look really dangerous. So, listen, they're out of
00:14:40Europe. They've had a couple of decent results. And they can try and concentrate now on the
00:14:45league campaign and the cup at the weekend. Stuart Kettlewell fancies chances, you think,
00:14:48on Sunday? Just on the back of another energy sample? Yeah, well, every time we come in,
00:14:53on a Monday after the teams, the Scottish teams have all played European football, the first thing we
00:14:58always say is, oh, they're dying on their feet, you know, they're travelling and all that carry on.
00:15:03Everything goes with it, you know, the extra time. So, I think the clubs that they're coming up
00:15:08against will fancy their chances, but they still have to come up with the goods as well.
00:15:13But I think the teams in Dundee United and Hibbs have got enough quality in their squad.
00:15:19I think these games just, it highlights just the depth that you probably need when you're
00:15:23competing on a European front and then a domestic front. You do need a fairly decent squad, don't
00:15:28you? Yeah, that's why, you know, Celtic and Rangers, you know, they can kind of get through it. They've
00:15:33got a deep squad, you know, they can rotate six, seven players. Dundee United, unfortunately for
00:15:38them, they've been really struggling with injuries as well. I think seven or eight injuries. They're
00:15:42having to go with the same pool of players and it's difficult, you know, people will say, oh,
00:15:45well, it's football, you know, you can play three games a week, but it does take it out of you
00:15:48physically and mentally. So, they haven't been really able to rotate their team to a certain
00:15:54extent. So, yeah, it's difficult, but they're out now. As I said, they can concentrate now and
00:16:00try to get up the table in the league and try to get through to the next round of the cup.
00:16:03OK, well, over to Celtic Park now where they take on Falkirk this evening. It's the first
00:16:09of the last 16 games in the Premier Sports Cup. Ruffy, Falkirk gave a really good account
00:16:15of themselves when they met Celtic at a very similar stage last season. What are you expecting
00:16:19from them tonight? It's a difficult one. I'm really interested to see how they set about
00:16:24it. I think they got a wee lesson last week at Livingston, you know. They went into a game
00:16:31at one stage that they had to try and defend, and they're not used to that. They're not used
00:16:36to it. They're used to going forward and playing really good football, but you've got to have a
00:16:40plan B when things aren't going well. You've got to set your stall up not to lose goals, and
00:16:44they've never done that against Livingston. So, it'll be interesting to see whether they've
00:16:48learnt a lesson for that against Celtic. I know in the Celtic game, the last time they were a wee bit
00:16:53gung-ho, you know, and they got away with it, and Celtic never scored till late on in the game.
00:16:58We're well for an hour, don't we? Yeah, so, it'll be interesting to see how he sets his stall up,
00:17:06because at this moment in time, they're now in a situation now where they're losing games,
00:17:13and they're losing goals. They weren't experiencing that last year. They were high as a kite. You know,
00:17:17they were getting into games with a lot of enthusiasm. So, it'll be interesting if that
00:17:21we defeat last week against Livingston's dented them a wee bit in their approach to the game.
00:17:26Mm-hmm. What do you expect from Celtic time in terms of line-up? Obviously, we've got a huge game
00:17:31in Wednesday night, too, and that first Champions League play-off tie at Celtic Park. Do you think
00:17:38Brendan Orgers will look at it and say, I think I'll maybe rest a few players? Or is it too early in the season?
00:17:42Yeah. You just think that you maybe still need minutes and all that?
00:17:45No, I think he'll play strong as team. Alistair, I think if the game's over in an hour, 70 minutes,
00:17:50he'll take them off. I think he's learned his lesson last season, where Falkirk came and really put up
00:17:55to Celtic. You know, I think Falkirk had that surprise factor last year. Nobody expected him
00:17:59to come and play the way they did. I think you'll see Brendan more aware of what they're capable of,
00:18:04and I think he'll play his strongest team. And if they're winning, he'll take a few players off. But
00:18:09I agree with Offee. I think that Falkirk this season, I think they've lost five goals in the first two
00:18:13league games. They need to tighten up at the back. I think it was the last goal, the third goal,
00:18:17last week against Livingston. Ball outplayed down the channel. The guy had the freedom of
00:18:20Livingston to run through and score, so they've got to tighten up at the back, particularly in a
00:18:25game like this against Celtic. But I think they'll be goals in the game. I don't see Falkirk sitting in.
00:18:29I think if they'd have done that, they'd have done it last season, when they were a championship team.
00:18:33I think John McLean will set his team up to go and have a real go at Celtic. It's a one-off game,
00:18:37and see what they can do. But I would expect Celtic to be too strong and win by a couple of goals.
00:18:42But I think it'll be an entertaining game to watch for the neutral.
00:18:46So it's Celtic to play it tonight. Gives them an extra day, really, to prepare for Wednesday.
00:18:50Yeah, I agree with him. I always think you should play your strongest team first,
00:18:55instead of not playing your strongest team first. And then you start panicking,
00:18:59you know, 30 minutes to go. So I think you get the job done and dusted, you know, and you give
00:19:05the players who might think they've got a chance of playing in Europe a wee chance to highlight
00:19:09themselves. And that's what's been the success of Celtic has been. If things aren't going
00:19:13particularly well, after 60 minutes, five guys come on and they own press. They just want to
00:19:19impress the manager to say, look, here, I should be in the first 11 here. So that's a problem you've
00:19:24got when you come up against Celtic.
00:19:26In an afternoon where managers were signing new contracts all over the league, with Steven
00:19:31Robinson this morning, with David Martindale, no such news coming out of Celtic Park. Do you expect this
00:19:37to be a distraction as the season rumbles on? If, you know, all the signs are that it could
00:19:42potentially just be allowed to drift until the end of the season? I think it's becoming
00:19:46just a perennial talking point.
00:19:48Yeah, because every time yourself, every time, you know, the media go to a press conference,
00:19:53they're going to ask him the question. Because he's got a contract at the end of the season,
00:19:56he's not said that he's going to stay or he's leaving. So it's going to be up and there until
00:20:00it comes to the decision that he's going to be staying or leaving Celtic. So,
00:20:04listen, I think he's going to get asked that a lot this season. But I think he'll just concentrate
00:20:09on getting his head down and getting results for the club. But I think that when the window
00:20:14closes, I think you'll see a happier Brendan Rodgers or you'll see a guy that's desperate
00:20:20to leave at the end of the season, judging on who they get in before that window closes
00:20:23on September the 1st.
00:20:24Well, just where we are in terms of that and the fractious nature of the interpretation of
00:20:30players not coming in. There have been signs read into everything so far, including the fact
00:20:36that he wasn't wearing a tie at Putaudry on a sweltering, sunny day in Aberdeen.
00:20:43You know, and that's what happens, isn't it? Like people start to interpret absolutely everything.
00:20:48Now, it is a kind of two plus two makes five situation in that. But can you see how it just
00:20:53becomes, the whole thing just becomes a massive bubble of constant gossip almost?
00:21:00Yeah, the unfortunate thing what it's doing is it's taking away the good work that's on the park.
00:21:04You know, people are more interested in what you're talking about there. They're not interested in,
00:21:09you know, what a fantastic goal that was. Hattati scored or the way they're playing,
00:21:13the build up to it was, he's not wearing a tie. You know, it's absolutely ridiculous,
00:21:19you know, but that's the way it is. But the good thing about that was he came out and hit that one
00:21:23on the head. You know, he didn't let that rumble on, but you're right, the manager thing.
00:21:26It's a bit remused being asked about it.
00:21:28I know, I know. I think he was stunned. But, you know, you're right, you know, and it means that every game
00:21:35that Celtic go into, the focus is going to be on the result because if it's negative in any way,
00:21:41it's going to get flung right into the managers. But again, so they've got to keep winning games.
00:21:46Here's what Brendan Rodgers had to say just ahead of tonight's game against Falkirk. He said,
00:21:50the club has always notoriously done business towards the end of the window. I think that all
00:21:56managers and coaches want the players in as soon as we can because pre-season is for preparation and
00:22:01you want to be as prepared as you possibly can be. What has gone unnoticed
00:22:06a little bit is we've made a really good start. That has been clouded a bit with all the negativity
00:22:11surrounding the transfers. Is that fair, Tam? You think Celtic have started fairly comfortably?
00:22:18I think they still look as though they probably have gears to go through still. You would anticipate
00:22:24there maybe be at least three before the window closes. They maybe look a very different team
00:22:29on the 1st of September than what they do now. But it's been a fairly solid start,
00:22:34albeit that it's against a backdrop of these grumblings of where are the signings coming from.
00:22:40Yeah, I think it has been a really solid start for Celtic. You know, they've obviously got a high bar
00:22:44every season. You know, they want to win the league and they want to start well. Obviously,
00:22:48I lied to the fact the Rangers have dropped four points as well, so it always looks better from a
00:22:51Celtic point of view. But yeah, I thought they were obviously 1-0 against St Myrne, but I thought
00:22:56they could have won three or four on the day. Really, really good performance against Aberdeen,
00:23:00I thought. You know, people are talking about Aberdeen being poor and a bit toothless, but I think
00:23:04Celtic gave them nothing and won that game comfortably. So, yeah, they're starting well.
00:23:08They'll be looking to obviously continue that tonight. And as I said, he's right. Celtic do
00:23:13tend to do a lot of their business towards the end of the window. Bar the one season with
00:23:17Ange Postacoglu, I think they've done it all at the beginning of the window.
00:23:20So, I think that. Even still, I seem to recall, I think Kiogo got off the plane and turned
00:23:25up at Tyne Castle. Yeah, that's right. So, yeah, listen, I don't think he'll be panicking yet,
00:23:30but certainly be a panic coming in if a Disney sign a couple of wingers and at least a striker
00:23:35before the window closes. I think the point he makes there is you want them in at the beginning.
00:23:41You want them in pre-season. You want them bending in because as soon as a foreign player comes in
00:23:46and he doesn't play particularly well, the first thing is, oh, he needs time to settle. And he's not
00:23:51going to have any time to settle if he comes in the night before a game. You know, he's not going to
00:23:55know his teammates. He's not going to know the style of play that they play. So, it is a negative
00:24:00thing. Unless it's a right good player that can come in that you can throw in right away.
00:24:04Is it fair to say that it can be difficult to attract players at this stage, you know,
00:24:09when you're dealing in a particular kind of market, the kind of player that you want?
00:24:13There's no doubt about it. I mean, if you're dealing in players for loan,
00:24:17if you say Sheffield or Norwich or something like that, it's easy to deal with because they all want
00:24:22to get out. They want to go to another club. When you go to a club and you're talking about 10 million,
00:24:2711 million and the club having to put that player up for transfer, you know, you're then going to
00:24:33persuade them to let their best player go away. So, I would think that would be a lot harder to deal
00:24:39with. But again, it depends on what the package is. You know, if you offer enough money, you know,
00:24:45it's easier for the other club to say yeah. But I mean, a lot of times we hear is you're nowhere near it.
00:24:50You know, see, if you're the buying club, you are at it a wee bit trying to get as cheap as possible.
00:24:57Yeah, because no club wants to lose their best players, particularly in the last week of the window.
00:25:01I was going to say, and that gets harder.
00:25:02As a manager, there's nothing more frustrating than that, losing one of your best players at the end
00:25:05of the window. And obviously Celtic will be going for quality. They'll be going for players that are,
00:25:11as Ruffy says, their team's best players, whether that's abroad or here. So, I think that's always a tough
00:25:16one. Ruffy's right, you know, getting a loan deal players I want out to play is an easy sell for
00:25:20Celtic. But getting quality in the last week of the window, nobody wants to let their quality players go.
00:25:25Are fans right to be frustrated when they see, for example, the prices of tickets on Wednesday night,
00:25:32when they see that there are reserves? Are they right to say, we expect maybe a better structure?
00:25:38What's the transfer strategy? Should there be a more modern entity underneath the club in terms of
00:25:44recruitment and should it be a bit more seamless than this? Or is it fair to say it can be tough
00:25:50for clubs when you're dealing with a particular level of players who will have options elsewhere
00:25:56and who will be being advised by agents to sit tight and see you might get a better league
00:26:01come the end of the window?
00:26:02Yeah, and that's... Listen, Celtic are a huge club in European football, but every player abroad
00:26:09would want to come to the English Premier League and they'll be saying to their agent,
00:26:11can you get them to the English Premier League? Can you get them to maybe Serie A or Bundesliga?
00:26:16You know, it's not Celtic, it's the league that they're coming to. And Celtic is obviously a big
00:26:19carrot as, you know, I can offer you Champions League football. I've not quite done that yet,
00:26:23so maybe after that, if Celtic get through, there's a carrot for guys listening, I don't know,
00:26:28Bournemouth or Brighton or Brentford want you, but Champions League football, I know it's not as good
00:26:32a league. So I think there will be a lot of movement if Celtic get through against
00:26:37Cairo at Almaty, which we all expect that we do. I think after that, it'll be an easier
00:26:41Celtic get the quality players from abroad to come to Celtic.
00:26:44Two wingers and a striker, according to Tam, what do you think?
00:26:47Yeah, I think it's obviously with Jota and Coon leaving, you know, they were big, big players
00:26:51last year. Jota's still there, he's just a bit injured.
00:26:53Yeah, I know, but he's not going to be helping any for a wee well yet, but, and again, the number
00:26:57nine has been convincing. You know, I think every Celtic supporter is still waiting on him
00:27:04doing something. I know he scored a lot of goals last year. If you're a centre forward
00:27:08in Celtic, with the amount of possession you've got, you've got to score at least 20 goals,
00:27:12but I don't think they've got that number nine yet for Champions League football.
00:27:17Yeah, neither, he'll just get thrown out wide again. You're right, I think two wingers,
00:27:22but when you look at the midfield players they've got, there's no need, you know, to bring any,
00:27:28any spend, any money at all with the three that's playing there now and the three that's sitting
00:27:33on their backside, you know. Yeah, he's over-subsidied.
00:27:35Yeah, I always think a centre-half. I think the boy, I keep repeating myself, I think the boy
00:27:40Liam Scales has come on leaps and bounds. I think he's 100% better player than what he is,
00:27:45but I think in the top level of Champions football, he just got caught out a wee bit,
00:27:49and Cameron Vickers injury, I saw a bit in the paper saying, I'm playing through an injury every
00:27:55game, you know, so he's just a wee bit away from whatever he's carrying, you know, so that,
00:28:00that is, I always think that is a big play. We spoke about Dundee United there in Hibs,
00:28:04I think when you go into Champions League European football, you've got to see a game out. You've
00:28:09got people at the back with experience who say, right, we're 2-0 up here or whatever we are,
00:28:14we're not going to lose two goals here, we're going to be tight, and I don't think Dundee United
00:28:18and Hibs are at that level now, that's still to see a game out as it was proved last night.
00:28:24Is Maid irked at going back out wide, do you think, Dan?
00:28:29Yeah, I think I would be if I was him. I think if I came into Celtic as a wide player,
00:28:34and then, I thought he'd done well as a wide player, you know, he caused a lot of problems
00:28:37and got his share of goals, but then you get played through the middle and you're the best
00:28:41player in the country, you score 25-30 goals, then you start the season and you're back out wide again.
00:28:45I think I'd be pretty miffed with that, and asking a question of, well, why are you not
00:28:50playing me in the position that I've done all the damage last year? Obviously, he's got a £9m play
00:28:55at the house, but he's not been particularly impressive either, but if Celtic had more options
00:28:59wide, then I think that would put more pressure on Adam Eder. I think Adam Eder than I was thinking,
00:29:05well, if he drops me and he plays the eyes and through the middle, who's he going to play wide?
00:29:10I think there's not enough pressure on Adam Eder. Adam Eder needs to be a goal scorer, he needs to score
00:29:16goals, he needs to score one goal or two goals or score a winning goal, you know, and a big stage
00:29:23to get the fans right behind him, and there's nothing better when you know the fans are right
00:29:27behind you. You become a better player, you become more confident, and the start of a game,
00:29:31you know the fans are singing your name, and if you get that goal, it keeps continuing on,
00:29:36and I think that's what he's lacking. I know he did score a goal in a cup final, I think, but
00:29:42he's not done it regularly in big games, and I think that's what Celtic supporters are waiting on.
00:29:47I think that just the fee that they paid for him just hangs over him. Yeah, I think that as well,
00:29:52and I think that as Ruffey said, he set such a high bar when they come up and won. He did score in
00:29:56the big games, you know, he was really, really impressive against the old firm and scored goals
00:30:00in Europe, and now you've signed him, you're looking for the same again, and he's not quite hit
00:30:05the ground running, but I still believe in him, I think he's a good player with good potential, but
00:30:09as Ruffey says, he's a Celtic number nine, you know, you get two or three chances, four chances
00:30:14a game, you've got to take a couple of them, you know, you have no, there's no room for missing
00:30:17three or four, because you'll boot the team. Okay, well, Rangers are back in action tomorrow
00:30:22night, they take on Aloha at Ibrox, and Russell Martin, it's been a tough couple of weeks for him
00:30:28on the back of those draws against Dundee and against Motherwell. Ruffey, does he really need,
00:30:34not just a win tomorrow night, but a big performance to you? Yeah, I think they will.
00:30:39I know Aloha has had a good start to the season and the league that they're in, and in the Cup as
00:30:43well, so they'll go into the game with a lot of confidence, but it'll just be an experience for
00:30:49their players to play against Rangers, and maybe one or two of them might do something a wee bit
00:30:54special, but I would think at the end of the day, I would think Rangers have got far too much in reserve.
00:30:59You know, it'll be interesting to see how much he tinkers with it, or does he try and get a best
00:31:03of living out there, win the game comfortably, and then move on. I think everyone would envisage
00:31:09it being straightforward for Rangers tomorrow night, but there might be a few Aloha players
00:31:14there just looking at what happened when Queen's Park went to Ibrox. Do you see it being straightforward?
00:31:19Do you see it just being a case of, don't panic, it's just a case of going out, being professional,
00:31:25ignoring the build-up of noise that's just surrounded the club across the last week or so?
00:31:32Yeah, I think it'll be straightforward for Rangers. I think that they'll go and take care of Aloha
00:31:35pretty comfortably. Listen, we all speak about the Queen's Park game last season, but everything
00:31:40went right for Queen's Park on the day. You know, Rangers missing a penalty and missed a number of
00:31:43chances. Aloha got the part and score, so listen, it is possible, but I just don't see it at this
00:31:50stage of the season. I think the Rangers will win the game comfortably, but there'll be a lot of Rangers
00:31:54supporters having a wee bit of a fear at the minute because of the way they've started and
00:31:58because these are the games Aloha will come and sit in and these are the games that Rangers really
00:32:03usually struggle in. I think if Rangers were playing Aberdeen at home or Hearts at home,
00:32:07they'd probably be more confident than this, but I don't see anything other than a straightforward
00:32:10Rangers win. Okay, well, Kerry Paul goes out at the Rangers training centre this afternoon to hear
00:32:16what Russell Martin had to say. Here at the training centre today, Rangers boss Russell Martin has given
00:32:21us an update on Cyril Dessers after the striker looked as though he took a nasty knock in this
00:32:26week's Champions League qualifier against Victoria Pilsen and the update is good news for Rangers
00:32:30as Cyril Dessers' injury isn't as bad as what was once feared. Russell Martin also talked about the
00:32:36pressure that's on these players going forward, particularly domestically, and the criticism that
00:32:40comes from outside this building can't affect their efforts going forward no matter who it comes from.
00:32:45Everyone here supports the club and they really feel things, but our job in here is to try and
00:32:53just work and then not let like the outside noise affect how we work. It just can't. So like
00:33:00you'll ask me about Andy, your next teammate of mine's comments at some point, I'm sure,
00:33:05but it can't affect the work we do. So everyone is in touch to opinion. I think when you come and work for a big club like this,
00:33:11you have to accept that there's going to be so many opinions, ex-players, supporters,
00:33:16but we have to just focus on what we can focus on. So it really doesn't affect or shouldn't affect what
00:33:20we're doing here. In terms of this weekend, Rangers host Aloha in the Premier Sports Cup
00:33:25and the manager has maintained that his side must be ready for just about anything.
00:33:31I think teams will do whatever they want to do. I think it will look different. I don't think
00:33:34everyone's going to come on low block. So tomorrow might look different to, well, I expect will look
00:33:39different to Tuesday. So we have to be ready for everything. We have to be prepared for everything.
00:33:43So as a manager and as a coach, I have to look at my part in the Dundee one and maybe we didn't get
00:33:54enough messages about that. So we've done a lot of work on that since and hopefully we'll see that
00:34:00tomorrow. But we have to first turn the game into that and make sure it is that and then work out ways
00:34:04and find ways to break it down. So it's been good learning. I said this to you guys, we're so
00:34:08early on in the process, everything's going to be about learning.
00:34:13It all takes place this weekend at Ibrox kickoff is at 5.45.
00:34:18Okay, a few interesting points raised there. Just first of all, Tam Russell-Martin talks about
00:34:24ignoring the noise and not listening to the drama that goes around and surrounds
00:34:30rangers when things aren't going well. As a player, how easy is it to do that just to stay
00:34:37single-minded, to trust the process essentially? Or is it almost impossible when you're bombarded
00:34:44constantly with the chat about what's going wrong? You're booed off the pitch at home when
00:34:49you're first home league game of the season. How hard is it to say,
00:34:53That used to get booed when he come on. Exactly. That was just for you. That was just
00:34:59the home fans. No, listen, I think as a player you can kind of shut it out. I think Russell,
00:35:06you know, he was pretty philosophical there about Andy Halliday. You know, he knows it comes
00:35:11through territory at a club like Celtic and Rangers. You know, there's going to be columns,
00:35:15there's going to be people getting asked off and you've got to have a thick skin, I think,
00:35:18as a manager of Rangers. Or as a columnist. As a columnist you've got to have a thick skin as well,
00:35:22because I know I've upset my big people at Hibs as well at certain times, but everybody's entitled
00:35:27to their opinion. And he didn't really have a bite back at Andy there, which I thought was pretty
00:35:30good. So, yeah, I think he's concentrating on Rangers. He's concentrating on getting performances,
00:35:35getting wins. And he knows if Rangers win games and play well, you know, they'll be positive outside
00:35:40of the club and people will be speaking positively about the club. But yeah, you've just got to get on
00:35:45with your job. And starting from Alawa, I think, you know, obviously with the game on Tuesday at home at
00:35:50Ibrox, I think the Rangers will rest a few key players and they should have enough to beat Alawa
00:35:54anyway. But Tuesday's obviously a massive game for them as well. But you'll be looking for a good
00:35:58performance, a few goals and to go into that tie and choose doing good fettle.
00:36:01Yeah, without doubt. But obviously when he talks about, I've been here before at clubs,
00:36:06I've seen a sticky start. I can see that it can be, maybe there are teething problems when you first
00:36:12try and implement a new style of play and come in and try and get a team to, a tier to how you want
00:36:19to set up and play that there can be issues. The problem is that Rangers and Celtic too,
00:36:25they're very unique environments to work in and that you might not always get the time
00:36:30to see that out just because the intensity of the club is probably unlike anywhere else.
00:36:35Yeah, and I think he's right. You know, as soon as you walk in that door at Celtic or Rangers,
00:36:40it's a different, it's a different deal, you know, because I would hazard a guess,
00:36:45particularly Rangers, all the players that Rangers have signed, I think it's 10 players have signed,
00:36:50I don't think any of them came from a club that's played in front of 50,000, 60,000.
00:36:54So that's the first thing you've got to deal with. You've got to deal with that environment,
00:36:58you've got to deal with having to win every week, no drawing or maybe every second week losing
00:37:03a game, you've got to win every game and that's a different pressure that a lot of these players
00:37:08that come from wherever, whether it's a Scottish club or an English championship team, you know,
00:37:13they've never experienced it and it's great when you're winning, it's great when you're winning
00:37:162-0, 3-0, it's give me the ball here, I'll play this, but when it goes the other way and you having
00:37:22the experience what it's like when there's 50,000, 60,000 people breathing down your neck, that's when,
00:37:28I'm not saying 11 players don't respond to that, but you may get two or three who go into a wee shell
00:37:33and it's like, I don't fancy this sort of thing and I think that's been Rangers' biggest problem
00:37:38over the last two or three years. There's too many people who haven't been able to handle
00:37:42the negative stuff, the good going forward and the positive stuff's great, but the negative stuff
00:37:48they're going into their shell a wee bit. Russell Martin said after the game at the weekend
00:37:53against Indy that I was relieved not to get beat, you know, does that, is that a kind of naive
00:37:59statement as a Rangers manager that maybe just shines a light on the fact that when you go to
00:38:05Rangers you're in an entirely different environment than anything that you've been to before and even
00:38:12just, well privately, you may think that based on the performance that maybe it's not best to say
00:38:18it publicly because it invites another layer of criticism. Yeah, I think you've got to be pretty
00:38:22careful as a manager as well, Celtic Rangers, you know, obviously he felt that and delighted to get
00:38:27a point, obviously in the end to get the result, but when you see that as a manager at the Rangers
00:38:32against a club like the Indy, you know, disrespect to Leo Cameron and get into trouble for this, so,
00:38:37you know, when you're playing against a club like that and you're expected to win the game,
00:38:41the Rangers fans don't want to hear you're happy with a point, even though he was, you're right,
00:38:45privately could have said that, listen, well done guys, you went to the end, you got a point, but
00:38:48in isolation, you know, people will clip that and then it's put on and then Rangers fans,
00:38:54it just adds to the pressure, so I think that Russell Martin's now very, very aware that he
00:38:59has to win every game. I don't like the point you made with Leo Cameron, I didn't see, I saw where
00:39:04Leo Cameron was coming from, because, I mean, when I played with Partick, when they had average
00:39:09attendance, it was maybe 6,000, 7,000, went to Hibbs and it was maybe 15,000. When I walked
00:39:15through the door at Celtic, it was wow, it's a different, it's a different, as soon as you walk
00:39:20through the door and you go to training and you see the players that are there and then you've got
00:39:23to perform on a Saturday and you walk out there and there's 50,000 people, it's an experience you've
00:39:29got to take in, but you want to take it in when it's positive, you know, I can, I bet there's lots
00:39:35of players who've went for Rangers and Celtic from other Scottish clubs, like the best player at Aberdeen
00:39:40they're the best player at Hibbs, they're the best player at heart, and they walk in and if it's not
00:39:44going well, it doesn't go well, you know, if they can't handle it, and I'm sure they're, I don't want
00:39:49to start naming names, but there's a lot of players who've went to Rangers and Celtic from Scottish clubs
00:39:54just haven't made it, just because of that.
00:39:56They see the intensity, I think the boy Cameron, I think, I took it that what he meant,
00:40:01what he was meaning was a compliment to Rangers rather than to be disparaging to Dundee, I think he's
00:40:06just a kid and it's, you know, you've said something, and again, just been a bit naive with
00:40:10how it's been framed, but the news that Dessler's injury isn't maybe as serious.
00:40:15He never still told us how non-serious it is, is he going to be available for all of us?
00:40:20Well, I think he's expected for Bruges, I don't think he'll make all of us.
00:40:22But he never said that, I think if he was definite he was going to be fit for Bruges, you would have said
00:40:27he's definite. I think he just left it out there.
00:40:30I think the insinuation is that he should be fit for Bruges and choose the night, but you know,
00:40:34there's still question marks over whether or not he'll still be there at the end of the window.
00:40:39Do you think Rangers could afford to allow him to go just now?
00:40:41No, because I don't think Danilo's come up with the expectations as a goal scorer, you know,
00:40:46that everybody thought, and everybody keeps saying Dessler scores goals, misses a lot,
00:40:51but he scores goals, he's the top goal scorer on the team, and just like we talked there,
00:40:57I think Tam mentioned it there, are you going to lose your best player, you know, at the window?
00:41:01No, which he is at the moment in time, but again, money might talk on that one,
00:41:05but that's went a bit quiet now. I think there'll be other fringe players at Rangers leaving before him.
00:41:10We'll probably look at it in a bit more depth on Wendy Tam, but Club Bruges on Tuesday night for
00:41:16Rangers, is it a plausible tie, or do you think it's a bridge too far?
00:41:21I think it's probably a bridge too far, but I think you'd be loath to write off Rangers in Europe.
00:41:25I think that you've seen it so many times, you think, ah, that's Rangers done now, that's them
00:41:29going out now, and they pull a rabbit out of the hat and get a result. So I think Bruges are a better
00:41:33side than Rangers, they're obviously much further forward in development as well, they've done
00:41:37really well in the Champions League group stages last season, I thought they were superb at Celtic
00:41:41Park, you know, Celtic were lucky to get away with a draw, so if they bring that sort of form,
00:41:44I think they'll have too much for Rangers, but you know, you can never write off Rangers in Europe,
00:41:49and you'd be loath to go against them, but I think if you look at everything,
00:41:52you know, look at the strength and depth, look at the squad, look at the pedigree that Bruges have
00:41:55got in Europe, you would fancy that they would take care of Rangers, but I think Rangers would
00:41:59have to win the first leg on Tuesday night to have any opportunity, I think if they don't win at home,
00:42:04then I think they're out. And news today too, I think it looks as though Yefty will definitely
00:42:08move on at the end of the window, no great surprise here roughly. No, and I believe it's for a few
00:42:13bob as well, they're talking about 6 million, 5-6 million, something like that, so that's something they're not
00:42:18going to turn down, because they're not too sure he has the finished article, but I think
00:42:22there'll be other players who will leave as well, but Tam's right, you know, they've got to do something
00:42:26at home, they've had a wee taste of Bruges at the beginning of the season, I think it was one each,
00:42:31wasn't it? Two each. So they've got a wee idea of, you know, the players that they've got,
00:42:36the standard that they set, I know it was only pre-season, but it gives you a wee idea,
00:42:41but I think Rangers have got to win this one, 2-0.
00:42:45Okay, well, over to Paisley now, and Hearts have to travel to take on Steven Robinson's
00:42:52side tomorrow afternoon, and Derek McInnes said it was probably that both managers, when the draw was
00:42:58made, would have been thinking, you know, he might have got an easier route, but he was also very keen
00:43:04to stress that there should be an expectation at Hearts, and on Hearts players, that silverware should
00:43:10be expected when you sign for Hearts, whether you go through the academy, or whether you come from
00:43:16elsewhere, that you should be expected to go and win silverware, and what he said was that not doing
00:43:23that, for example, this is not getting through, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be saying it,
00:43:27that you have to say, this is the expectation, and this is the demand, you go along with that, Tam?
00:43:31Yeah, I think you have to, I think Hearts and Hibs are big clubs, in Scottish football terms,
00:43:37they should be up there challenging, listen, I don't think either are going to win the league,
00:43:41over the course of 36 games, they're not going to be strong enough, but certainly in one-off games,
00:43:46you're capable of winning any game, so I think he's trying to instil that winning mentality at Hearts,
00:43:51you can sense it off the park as well with Tony Bloom, who's succeeded in every business he's been in,
00:43:56whether that's been poker, horse racing, football, you know, he's really, you know,
00:44:01he's a very, very shrewd cookie, and I think you've got a guy in it, Derek McInnes, you know,
00:44:06who's a really experienced manager as well, I just think they're trying to set that bar higher,
00:44:09they're trying to instil that winning mentality, they're trying to get that siege mentality to
00:44:13say, listen, we're Hearts, we're a big club, you should be challenging to win trophies, and
00:44:19I think that's where the expectations should be for a club with the size of Hearts and Hibs.
00:44:23Here's what Derek McInnes had to say on tomorrow's game against St Mirren.
00:44:28I've said this to him a few times now, that there's not one player I don't think should have
00:44:33signed for Hearts without having that aspiration or hope to win a trophy here. There has to be that,
00:44:40I mean, players sign for clubs for loads of reasons, financially, whether they come through the
00:44:46academy or whether you sign from, when people see it as a stepping stone, it's something bigger or
00:44:50whatever, but really a huge part, a fundamental part of signing for a club with Hearts should be
00:44:57that you want to be successful and live silverware. Ruffy, Hearts won last, won the League Cup in 1963,
00:45:06last major trophy in 2012, is this a season for a trophy? I think they should be there or thereabouts,
00:45:11I think Aberdeen and Hearts have been the two teams and Hibs obviously on occasions have went
00:45:16through at the semi-finals quite a lot, but not the finals and winning it. I think this particular
00:45:21cup gives the other smaller teams a chance to advance very quickly because a lot of the premier
00:45:27teams get drawn against each other, which eliminates them and sometimes you can stay away from your big
00:45:32team right through to the quarter-finals. So no, I think the way Hearts are going just now, and Hibs,
00:45:38you know, I would like to think the two of them will be saying to their players, look this could
00:45:42be the year. Obviously, St Mirren, I'll have something to say about that tomorrow afternoon.
00:45:47Stephen Robinson has just signed a fresh deal with the club, makes sense for you Tam, not
00:45:52for everyone's perspective of someone, where to come in from him in the back of what he's done
00:45:57across recent seasons that the club are compensated properly and also it just lends itself to a bit of
00:46:02stability too. Yeah, I think he thoroughly deserves it, Alison. I think that, you know,
00:46:06the job he's done at St Mirren has been incredible, you know, top six three seasons in the trough,
00:46:09got the club into Europe, you know, he's doing a fantastic job there, him and obviously Brian
00:46:14Kerr signed the new deal as well. So great for both of those guys, continuity at the club,
00:46:18you know, they've brought a lot of players in, they've started slowly, which is surprising,
00:46:22I think. I think when you look at obviously the first game away to Celtic, it was a tough game,
00:46:260-0 at home. The mother was a pretty disappointing result, they've no scored a goal yet in the league.
00:46:30So, you're right, I think both clubs would have been wanting an easier tie than this,
00:46:35this is a really difficult one. I think Hearts put St Mirren out one of the Cups last season,
00:46:40I think it was a last minute go at St Mirren's part. So, Alison, I think that it's a tough,
00:46:45tough one for both clubs, but I think Hearts would maybe nick this, to be honest.
00:46:50Is this the tie the round for you tomorrow?
00:46:52Yeah, I think it'll be a great atmosphere. I think, again, well done to the supporters,
00:46:56it'll be a full stadium, great atmosphere, which always adds to Scottish football when
00:47:00people start talking about the way we play and the state of our parks and all that. But I think
00:47:05at this moment in time, every stadium has been full, you know, the atmosphere at all the games
00:47:10has been great. I think this will be another one. I think Hearts might just nudge it.
00:47:16Obviously, St Mirren just touched on it, they're not scoring the way they were last year, but at
00:47:20home they'll be stuffy and they'll be hard to beat.
00:47:22Have you been impressed by Hearts and the way that they've started?
00:47:24Yeah, I think so. I think the additions that he's got in there, particularly at the back,
00:47:29I think they look a lot stronger. Stuart Finlay's there, Halkett's back fit after a bad injury,
00:47:34and I keep talking about our boy Harry Millen at the back. I think he's going to be a big,
00:47:39big player this year. I think he's progressed so much, you know, the strength. He looks a much
00:47:45stronger player and he looks as if he's got a bit of confidence about him going forward. He's as
00:47:50good as what they've got, and obviously Shanklin's back. So you're looking, if you're
00:47:54a Hearts supporter, you're on a high just now. You're thinking you're unbeatable, but just be
00:47:59anticipating when Rangers and Celtic come and then we all get a better idea.
00:48:03You've both tipped Hearts, but is this a game where maybe St Mirren could just maybe kickstart
00:48:09their season? It has been fairly slow for them so far, but is this the kind of game where you come
00:48:13out with a positive result that, you know, it has an after effect on everything else?
00:48:17Yeah, and as Ruffie says, Hearts have got real momentum at the minute. You know,
00:48:21winning their first couple of games, you know, they've won all their games in the League Cup
00:48:24group stage as well. So they've got real momentum about them. And if they go and win this again,
00:48:28then confidence will build again for the League campaign. But you're right, if St Mirren win this,
00:48:32you know, it could be Hearts bubble burst a little bit, going out one of the Cups so early. So
00:48:37really looking forward to it. I think it'll be a cracking game and there'll be much in it.
00:48:40Here's what Steven Robinson had to say on signing that new contract this morning with the club.
00:48:44Yeah, good. Some we've spoke about for a while now. We, you know, we feel that we've had three
00:48:51top six finishes. We want to keep going. We want to keep building. We feel that we're right at the
00:48:56start again of another process of, you know, I believe we brought 11 players in. So it's exciting.
00:49:03It's tough. It's always a tough job, but we believe with everybody together, you know, everybody,
00:49:08I always use the phrase, if it makes the boat go forward. And we've got everybody at this football
00:49:14club, you know, the directors at the football club, Jim Gillespie, Keith, who we have a really good
00:49:19relationship with as a staff in terms of pushing the club forward. And everyone's trying to do the
00:49:22same thing is try and push it forward as quickly as we possibly can within our limits. And, you know,
00:49:29we don't have a magic wand, but what we have is a really good group of people all wanting the same thing.
00:49:34He wasn't the only manager getting his pen out this morning. David Martindale too has committed
00:49:40his future to Livingston. Ruffy, are you looking forward to seeing a bit more of David Martindale
00:49:45this season? Yeah, I'm looking, I'm looking forward to seeing him being a wee bit more relaxed. I think
00:49:50last year, every interview he had, he was worrying about the finances of the club. He was worrying about
00:49:55the ownership. He was worrying about this instead of, you know, having to worry of what he should be
00:50:00worrying about was on the park. So he's had to deal with everything. So I would expect this season
00:50:06to see a new David Martindale, you know, a new owner coming in, taking a lot of pressure off him.
00:50:11All he's got to do is concentrate on the park and he's always good value anyway. So no, it's good to
00:50:18see him getting a bit of stability. Is he underrated for you as a manager and as a coach? Yeah, I think a
00:50:25lot of people initially thought, probably myself included, just thought he was a shout on the baller.
00:50:30You know, a disciplinarian who was just shouting ball at players and it was a stick, long ball,
00:50:36stick it in behind, horrible to watch, you know, and I think as times went on, you start to look at
00:50:42Livingston, they're starting to develop a better style of play and you listen to him in interviews
00:50:46and he's coming across better now and they're trying to play more football and even the wee documentary
00:50:51that we had with him, I think it was Adam Binney went through there and spoke to him with Peter.
00:50:56He knows his stuff, he knows his football and I think he is underrated, he's underrated as a coach as well.
00:51:02So yeah, I think it's good business for Livingston, you know, I don't think he's going to be there
00:51:06forever. I don't think he's, I think he'll be ambitious like everyone else. I think he'll want
00:51:11to go into a bigger club and that might happen in the next couple of seasons, particularly for the
00:51:15good year this year. So no, I think he thoroughly deserves it, as Ruffy says. Last season, a lot to deal with,
00:51:20you know, new ownership, stuff going behind the scenes at Livingston, obviously trying to chase
00:51:25Falkert down as well, they got up through the playoffs and the first couple of games I've seen
00:51:30them, you know, they've picked up four points out of six, they look pretty decent and I think they'll
00:51:34do well this season, Livingston, I don't think there'll be any ball at the bottom. No, I think it's great
00:51:38all round for Livingston to get him tied up. You think they'll stay up? I think they'll be down there,
00:51:42but I think they'll stay up. I don't think they'll be top six. Okay. That's really putting your head in
00:51:48the block, yeah. Let's have a look at the fixtures across this weekend in the Premier Sports Cup,
00:51:58obviously tonight's game at Celtic Park, Celtic and Falkert and then we've got Morton against
00:52:03Aberdeen, Thistle against Air United, St Mirren against Hearts, Rangers against Alloa, St Johnston against
00:52:10Motherwell, Kilmarnock against Dundee United and Livingston against Hibbs. The pick of the tie there
00:52:18for me I think is probably St Mirren Hearts and St Johnston Motherwell is quite an intriguing one too.
00:52:22Well, I'm going to go Partick Thistle Air United, I think that would be a great game, good atmosphere
00:52:27there, you know, both teams don't think there's much between them, you know, Scott Brown going back
00:52:31there, there's a few Partick Thistle players in that Air United side, so I think there'll be a wee bit of
00:52:36a needle going on there, Bannigan's in there, Kevin Holtz, I think he's got a wee injury just now,
00:52:44but this will really need to start winning games, you know, they've had a good obviously section,
00:52:50but now they've got to start winning. It'll be Motherwell's first game since Lennon Miller's
00:52:56formal departure from the club this week. Tam, are you excited to go and chart this boy's development
00:53:02now over the next couple of seasons? Yeah, listen, I think he's a very, very talented player,
00:53:07I think that Motherwell have done great to get nearly £5 million for him, I think that's enormous
00:53:12money for a club the size of Motherwell, you know, you can see that he's been out the team, you know,
00:53:16I think it needed to happen for everyone, it needed to happen for Motherwell, it needed to happen for
00:53:21Lennon, you know, he needed to get away at this window or else his fee would have been reduced
00:53:26dramatically, so I think Murrell have done really, really well to get that fee for him, I think
00:53:30they'll miss him, I think he's a quality player, and I think that the best place for him to go
00:53:34was abroad, I think it suits him more, I don't think his game would be suited to the Premier League
00:53:40in England or the Championship in England, I think more time in the ball in a slower league,
00:53:45we've seen Lewis Ferguson, guys like that go over there and really develop Billy Gilmore,
00:53:49Scott McTominay, I think at least more slower pace that will suit a more technical player, so I'm looking
00:53:54forward to seeing how he does at Udinese, and no doubt for him he'll do well there and move on to a bigger club.
00:53:59Did you think he would be encouraged, just be the fact that there's been so many
00:54:02Scotland players who have gone over and done so well, you've got Scott McTominay and nominated...
00:54:07That'll be in the dialogue, there's no doubt about that, and I think his father would have
00:54:12a lot to say in that, you know, the only two teams I think he could have went to here was
00:54:16Rage and Celtic, and we know what that can happen to a young player, would he be playing all the time,
00:54:21you know, and I think at this stage his career he wants to be playing, I don't know if he's going
00:54:26to be playing every week with Udinese, but I think nowadays younger players want to experience
00:54:31away from home, you know, they want to try it, and you're right, they've seen the success of any
00:54:36of the boys that went over there, he's probably spoken to them as well, you know, I would like
00:54:40to think they've had some kind of dialogue of are you enjoying it, what likes the language,
00:54:45the food, you know, your lifestyle, so yeah, I think it's always good to get away, I mean,
00:54:49we went to America and had a ball. It's quite a steep learning curve for a
00:54:57teenager to go when you think you've got an entirely new culture to adapt to a new language
00:55:02to try and learn, maybe living on your own and standing on your own two feet, for the first time
00:55:07there's a lot of newness in it, can that be quite daunting? Yeah, I think it will be, I think as an
00:55:1318-year-old kid going to Italy, I think it will be daunting, I think he's still, you know, he's
00:55:16still a very, very young man, as Ruffy says, I don't know if he's, maybe his father or his
00:55:21mother or whatever, I'll go over with him and try and help him. I know Josh Doig's mum and dad
00:55:27went over and stayed with him when he first signed for, I think it was Verona, they went over and
00:55:31helped him settle in, and I think that helped him find his feet, get a flat, maybe stay with him,
00:55:36you know, he's cooking and he's washing and whatever, and let him concentrate on the football,
00:55:39but no, I do think that it's going to be difficult for him initially, but listen,
00:55:44I think he's going to go over there and enjoy a real different culture from Scotland.
00:55:48If it was my son, I would be insisting I went.
00:55:50Me too. Especially if it was Florence or Tuscany or somewhere like that, he'd be like,
00:55:56I'll come with you. There might be a bit of relief for Jens, Bert, I'll ask you now,
00:56:03because all we've been asking the last couple of weeks is what's happening, what's happening,
00:56:08what's happening. So here's what he had to say on the move.
00:56:12We're not going to get a replacement for Lennon because he's a player you can't replace,
00:56:16but we need to have a squad where we have our position covered and enough numbers and that's the job.
00:56:23Obviously, he leaves a slot in midfield open. I think some of the guys, combined with the ones we
00:56:32already have, but some of the guys that has come in, like Elliot and Lucas, have stepped in and
00:56:38done fantastically so far. I'm sure more than capable to fill the gap.
00:56:45Big shoes to fill for whoever takes that position, but in terms of St Johnson tomorrow, do you think
00:56:53they might have a bit of a point to prove going down?
00:56:55Yeah, definitely. I think they've started particularly well. I think they've started really well.
00:57:00We saw at the end of the season that he was starting to rejig the St Johnson team. He's
00:57:05brought a lot of experienced players in there. I think that would be a tie to watch. As I said earlier,
00:57:12I think there's six of the ties. They're all Premier League teams playing each other.
00:57:16So, this is one, I think, one maybe could just drop it.
00:57:20Aberdeen down to Greenock. They take on Morton. Jimmy Tillene's been well-backed.
00:57:26This summer, that's eight players come in. Keenan Bilalovic, I think the eighth signing.
00:57:33View, it's been a fairly difficult start for them, obviously. Tyne Castle, the first night,
00:57:37that Monday night, the first season, then they had Celtic. No points from their opening league games.
00:57:43A bit poor, I thought, on Sunday against Celtic, but maybe too early, Tam, just to judge them.
00:57:48Yeah, I think it is. I think they've had a tough start. I think if you're an Aberdeen fan,
00:57:52you're looking for a bit more, right enough, with the money that they've spent.
00:57:55I think the number nine area seems to be the one that they're lacking. They seem to have
00:57:59signed a lot of wingers, wide players, but I think that number nine,
00:58:01I've not been impressed with the boy Yenge yet. They're still early doors.
00:58:06A couple of other options in there as well that they could play, but I think that's,
00:58:09on the basis of the first two games that I've seen, I think that's where they're going to
00:58:13struggle, is at number nine and getting a goal scorer in. But I would expect them to go to
00:58:18Morton and win the game. Morton will be stuffy. It's a tough place to go. Capelo in a cup tie.
00:58:22But start of the season, nice weather, decent park. Capelo can be difficult in December,
00:58:29January, but I think that they'll go there and they'll get through to the next round.
00:58:32Not a Darville? Not a Darville, no.
00:58:34Okay, well down south, the Premier League returns too, but Jota's family I think are expected at
00:58:42Anfield tonight as they take on Bournemouth. It's just quite an emotional evening.
00:58:47It's a bit emotional for everybody. We saw what fans are when particular heroes pass away.
00:58:56They get right behind their team, obviously the players as well. It's a bit emotional
00:59:01for some of the players who knew them really, really well. It's something you should celebrate
00:59:05as well because he was a wonderful player. Difficult for everyone in the dressing room,
00:59:10I think going back to the club and going back to the training ground, it must be really difficult
00:59:17to try and get your head around it. Yeah, I think everyone in the stadium, everybody watching at
00:59:21home, I'm planning to watch that game as well. I think I'd be emotional if you see his wife and
00:59:27kids up in the stand as well. I don't know how Liverpool react to that. Did they go out and put on
00:59:32a real big performance and scud Bournemouth or did they get affected by it and maybe drop points?
00:59:36It's been interesting to see but I think Liverpool have obviously looked after the family as well
00:59:42as they can. They'll pay salary and stuff like that but it's a great touch that they're having
00:59:46them back for the first game. In terms of the games themselves over the weekend,
00:59:51Sunday's game, Man United, Arsenal, the pick of the bunch for you?
00:59:54Well, everybody will be looking at Man United. Man United were all over the place last year.
00:59:58They're still debating whether they need a goalie or they don't need a goalie. Do they need a centre
01:00:02forward? Do they need this? A lot of money getting thrown about or a lot of money getting
01:00:06talked about but I think this is the year that the Man United have to do something.
01:00:11Just quickly, title winners in England this year? Liverpool, Man City.
01:00:17Okay, give us your predictions, tell us what you think but we're out of time. That's all we've got
01:00:22time for this afternoon. Thank you for listening, thank you for joining us and don't forget to
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