- 1 day ago
Celtic are riding a wave of emotion as Martin O’Neill delivers one last dramatic push before Wilfried Nancy arrives to take over at Parkhead. We break down The O’Neill Effect, how he has revitalised the squad, and what his final games mean for Celtic’s future direction under Nancy.
We also look at a big night in Europe as Rangers and Aberdeen battle to draws, analysing the key moments, performances, and what these results tell us ahead of a packed SPFL weekend.
We also look at a big night in Europe as Rangers and Aberdeen battle to draws, analysing the key moments, performances, and what these results tell us ahead of a packed SPFL weekend.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to The Football Show. I'm Cara Henderson and I'm delighted today to be
00:14joined by Alan Ruff and Tam McManus. We've got plenty to talk about. We've got the European
00:18fixtures and results last night and then we're going to look ahead to a busy weekend in the
00:22Scottish Premiership. We'll start with the Europa League though. Tam, last night Feyenoord won
00:27it's Celtic free. Great result for Celtic. Yeah, it was. I mean, it was probably the best
00:32performance I've seen from Celtic in Europe since Bayern Munich away. I thought they were
00:36outstanding on the night. I thought Martin O'Neill got his tactics spot on. A lot of people
00:41would have been looking at Luke McCown playing right wing and going, what's he doing there
00:44and bringing the young fool back in. But I think that was firstly to protect Colby Donovan and
00:49then just to be more solid in the middle of the park. I thought Celtic were really, really
00:53tight in the middle, didn't let any balls through them. They learned a lesson from Midgerland
00:58in Denmark where they got murdered. So I thought Martin O'Neill got his tactics spot on. I thought
01:03Celtic were excellent. Rio Hattati thought it was probably his best game in a Celtic jersey
01:07for a long time. With shades of Stille and Petroff, you know, making those late runs into
01:11the box and I just thought to a man Celtic were outstanding and really deserved to win.
01:16So I don't know where that results came from because I watched them in Paisley, you know,
01:20five or six days ago and they were awful. So, you know, Martin O'Neill, obviously I think
01:25he's probably still going to get the game at the weekend against Hibbs, but I think he's
01:30done a really, really good job at Celtic at a time where the club was fractured. So I
01:34think all in all, a great night for Celtic.
01:37I probably disagree with what Tam said. I think the result's magnificent. You can't take
01:43anything away from them. You know, I thought they were fortunate. They rode their luck a wee bit
01:47at 2-1. 2-1, they were under the cosh, you know, but they got away with it. They got
01:51wee breaks here and then. I thought the goal they lost was that high press, you know, and
01:56then that ball over the top caught them out. But no, the result's all important. They
02:01hadn't won a European game away from home for about two or three years. So you can see the
02:05celebrations there and it just gives them something to hang onto for the remaining games. But
02:10yeah, I think with everything that's been happening, you know, the protests and everything. Didn't
02:15see so many protests last night, saw maybe two or three wee thing. So that may be dying
02:19down a wee bit. But certainly the players will enjoy the win because, I mean, some of
02:24the players were coming in for a wee bit of criticism. So you'll take it and move on.
02:29We'll speak about Martin O'Neill. I mean, his contribution since he's come back. I think
02:33it's fair to say he's steadied what was a pretty rocky ship in his time and it looks like
02:37he'll probably have one more game at Eastern Road, which will be difficult for him. But
02:39I mean, you can't fault what he's came in and done at Celtic.
02:42No. As I said, listen, I was fortunate to play against Martin O'Neill's teams in the
02:47early 2000s and it's probably the best Celtic team there's been in the last 40, 50 years
02:53to be honest, since the Lisbon Lions. They were a really strong team, got to the UEFA Cup
02:56final. You know, you want to travel at Celtic as well. And I think him coming back, a lot
03:01of people was a safe pair of hands. I think that he knows the club inside out. He's
03:05obviously a lot older now, but he's came in, he's got the players working hard. I thought
03:09the work rate last night from Celtic, you know, from front to back, Dyson leader, you
03:14know, he's been really, I think he's been poor this season, but he worked his backside off.
03:18He got the reward for the goal, you know, shutting the goalkeeper down. And I just thought all
03:22over the park, Celtic were really at it. And they rode the luck, it was obviously the
03:26second half. But Martin O'Neill's contribution is immeasurable, really. As I said, the club's
03:31been really fractured, a lot of stuff going off the park. You know, the statement from
03:36Dermot Desmond before he came in, you know, the club was a bit of a mess. So he's came
03:40in, I think he's won four out of five. The only game they've lost was obviously Midgerland
03:44in Denmark, but, you know, they've got, he's got Celtic to a cup final. He's got Celtic
03:49in the mix now to qualify, to get in the knockout stages. And they've closed the gap on Hearts.
03:54So I think he's done a fantastic job at Celtic.
03:58It's a sign of a great manager, isn't it, when they can, he can come back in a completely
04:01different era, a completely different style of football, but he sprinkles a little bit
04:04of magic and he gets what is a great result for Celtic.
04:06Yeah, and he's got the respect from the past, you know, and I always think you need somebody
04:10like that at a club. There's always somebody, any of the clubs I've been at roaming about
04:14who are legends or people you look up to that have done something in the game. I know he
04:19doesn't want to be in the coaching side and he doesn't want to be possibly the manager,
04:23but I really do think they should try and find something for him. You know, I mean, the
04:28way, I mean, you look at football teams now, they open up a position, you know, they just
04:32make up a position, you know, director of something. So I think somebody like him, with
04:37the way things that are going on between the club and the fans just now, he could be the
04:41link, you know, that sort of just keeps it calm, you know, and walking about and popping
04:46into the dressing room whenever, or popping in here. And I think it could only be good,
04:51whether he wants or knows another matter, but I'm certainly, you know, I've enjoyed
04:55every minute of it, particularly last night.
04:57Absolutely. We talked about, we'll talk more about the game then. It was a bad goal, like
05:01Ruffy said, but it's something that you've not seen from Celtic really this season, fighting
05:05back from a goal down and being quite comfortable until, you know, obviously under the pressure
05:10a little bit, but showed good character.
05:12Yeah, they did. I mean, it's a long time since Celtic have came from behind away from home
05:15in Europe. You know, usually they would maybe score first and hang on for a win, but, you
05:20know, I just thought, as I said earlier, you know, to a man, they were really at it from
05:25the first whistle. The goal they lost was disappointing, I think, in between scales and Tierney. You know,
05:29it was a good ball in, the striker peels off the back of scales in the gap, and it's actually
05:34a really good goal from Fauna's point of view. Boy squares it to the striker and he puts it
05:39in the net. So from that, you're thinking, oh, here we go again, Celtic in Europe. You know,
05:43there's damage limitation, you know, firing the tails were up, but, as you said, Celtic
05:47fought back, got back into the game, played a lot of good football. You know, didn't just
05:50lump it up the part. I thought Yang, who's obviously caring for a lot of criticism as
05:54well, probably one of his best games in Celtic jersey. You know, a lot of Celtic supporters
05:58have been looking at him and going, he's not good enough, but I think if he plays like
06:01that, then the supporters will get behind him. And Maeda's, you know, pressing for the
06:06second goal, you know, pressing the goalkeeper into a mistake, leads to an easy finish
06:10for Hattati, and then Negrin wraps it up at the end. So, no, all in all, fantastic performance,
06:16fantastic result for Celtic, and I think three games left. Roma at home, Bologna are away,
06:21Utrecht at home. Three points, maybe get them in the knockouts. So we'll definitely get
06:26them in there.
06:27Yeah, I think it's important that we talk about Dyson Maeda, because he was also somebody
06:30that was getting criticised, especially after all the stuff that happened in the summer
06:33with him not getting his move. But yesterday you saw signs of the Dyson Maeda, obviously,
06:36the pressing, but also his assist for Negrin's goal as well. That's what they need from Dyson
06:40Maeda, isn't it?
06:41Yeah, but I don't think he's going. I think for a wee while there, obviously, that transfer
06:44thing affected him, as it would have done a lot of players, you know, thinking you're
06:49getting a move, and then all of a sudden, bang, you're not going anywhere. So it took
06:52him a wee while to get his head round it, but obviously nobody told the Feyenoord goalkeeper
06:56that he was going to be coming in at 100mph. So I think the goalkeeper thought he was going
07:00to have all the time in the world with his touch. You know, the wee man was in there,
07:04nipped it, you know, and at times right, you know, a great finish, a bit of composure
07:07to put it in the back of the net. But I think if Celtic play a high line here, you know,
07:13their centre-halves are all in the halfway line, you know, and if you're going to play
07:17like that, the midfield's got to keep possession of the ball, because as soon as you lose
07:21possession, it's just a ball over the top, and then it's somebody with pace you're going
07:24to get done. So, no, I think, obviously, with everything that's going on at the club,
07:28you know, that I think the journey home, as Tam will tell you, the journey home's always
07:33magnificent. You know, if you get a result like that, it doesn't matter if it's club
07:36country or whatever, it just unites everybody, it keeps everybody up for the weekend game,
07:43which is going to be a hard one.
07:44Yeah, and just looking at what Martin O'Neill said yesterday, he's in fine form as he usually
07:48is in a press conference, said that his wife thought he would mess it up coming back to
07:52Celtic, but he's certainly not done that.
07:53No, he hasn't, and as I said to you, a lot of people with eyebrows have been raised his
07:58age, I think he's 73, 74, it's very late to get in as a manager, and a lot of people
08:04would go, football's moved on since Martin O'Neill was a manager, I think his last role
08:08was maybe five, six years ago, I think it was Nottingham Forest, but he's came in, and
08:12football's a simple game, you know, he's got players working hard for each other, and as
08:17I said to you, I thought Masterstroke putting Luke McCown in the wide area, and he tucked in
08:22and Celtic were really hard to play through, and he gave a lot of cover to Donovan at the
08:26back, and he had a really good game as well, so I think Martin's shown that he's still
08:30got a lot to offer, whether he wants to ride off into the sunset and this is his final
08:35herat at Celtic, or Celtic finds some sort of role for him, I think it would be a waste
08:38for Celtic not to tap into that experience, you know, and Martin's got the respect to every
08:42Celtic supporter for what he's done now in two spells at the club, so I think Celtic would
08:47be looking for a role, director of football, something like that on the board, he could well
08:51be the healing factor between the fans and the board for me, so I think if Celtic are
08:56clever about it, they keep him around.
08:58I'm going to play Devil's Advocate a wee bit, because I was thinking this last night, he's
09:01obviously done so well since he's come in, it looks like Wilfred Nonsi will come in and
09:05take over at the start of next week, has he almost, I mean, when he's took over the role
09:11of Celtic in such bad form, all the stuff of Brandon Rodgers, the statement, he's done so
09:14well, has he almost put Wilfred Nonsi in a position now though, where if he doesn't,
09:18it's a case of, oh, bring back Martin O'Neill?
09:20No, I don't think that's going to happen, it doesn't matter what the new guy does when
09:24he comes in, he's obviously got to win games, but he'll have signed a contract three or
09:28four years or whatever, I don't think it'd be a problem with Martin hanging about, you
09:32know, I don't think the new guy would affect him that much, because he's not going to be
09:37tapping into what strategy he's going to play, how he's going to play players he's going
09:41to go in.
09:42I would like to think the new manager would tap into him, you know, and, you know, just
09:47to give him the bit of respect, you know, but I just think a role for Martin out with
09:51the footballing side would be good, but no, I don't think he's going to put any pressure
09:55on the new manager.
09:57J.G.?
09:58Eh, I'm not so sure about that, I think that, I think it has added a little bit more pressure
10:03on Wilfred Nonsi coming in, because Martin has done so well, and you're right, if Wilfred Nonsi
10:09comes in and his first three or four games are huge, and he's got a cup final coming
10:13up, I think they've got Hearts at home, and then they've obviously got Rangers running
10:16about New Year, so I think if he doesn't start well, maybe Wilfred would be a little bit
10:22hankering from some Celtic supporters about, well, why did we not just keep Martin O'Neill,
10:25he was doing well for us, so I hope that's not the case, I hope Wilfred Nonsi comes in
10:28and hits it again running, but yeah, possibly, if he doesn't, I think there would be some
10:35Celtic supporters thinking, well, why did we not just stick with Martin O'Neill?
10:37Yeah, just to wrap it up then, Celtic, as you said, two home matches against Roma, away
10:42to Bologna, and then home against Utrecht, don't they qualify for the next round?
10:48Yes, I think they'll beat Utrecht at home, I think Roma at home, they pack Celtic Park
10:52if they play the way they played last night, is doable as well, but Bologna away, I believe,
10:58after Christmas and New Year, I think that's in January, so Celtic might have some, you know,
11:02strength from death, signed some players before then, so I think out of those three games,
11:07I think Celtic will win one of them, probably Utrecht at home, so I think that 10 points,
11:11or 11 points, is going to get you through.
11:13Yeah, 10 usually does, 10 seems to be the figure, you know, obviously depending on the
11:18other results, but two games at home, any night at Parkhead lights up the whole place,
11:24and, you know, generally if they're on form, and as Tom said, they get maybe a couple of
11:29players in or a couple of players back, you know, could strengthen, but everything's
11:33positive at this moment in time.
11:35Absolutely, we'll move on then, Rangers won, Braga won, a wee bit anticlimactic,
11:40it wasn't, you know, they obviously do well to get themselves in front, but then didn't
11:43really capitalise on it, they went down to 10, what did you make of Rangers last night?
11:47I think it's two points dropped, I thought that from the first five minutes I watched
11:52Braga, and I just thought, they're interested, I don't know if it was the weather, the wind,
11:56how cold it was, I just thought they were miles off it, they had a couple of chances in
12:01the first couple of minutes, Braga, and then Rangers go into the game, get the goal,
12:08oh, you're a bit of a harsh penalty for me, you know, but the handball rule, listen, nobody
12:11knows what's a penalty, what's not a penalty, so you can easily give that, Rangers get their
12:17noses in front, and then Braga go down to 10 men, you're thinking, Rangers just coast
12:20this out now, just keep a clean sheet to win the game, and then it's just dreadful defending
12:24from Jiga, it's, you know, a punt into the box, he misjudges the header, and then Braga
12:30score, and then Braga finish the game, you're thinking, Rangers are going to lose this, you
12:35know, so, I think you're really disappointed at the Rangers support watching that game,
12:38I think the performance was poor, bar the first 20 minutes of the second half, I thought
12:43Conor Barron, substitution, was a strange one, I thought he was really good, I thought he
12:47was probably Rangers' best player, him and Raskin were good, but bar that, final third,
12:53you know, again, in the forward areas, they're really, really poor, and, you know, Cermiti,
12:58£8 million, he's looking like a terrible buy at the minute, he doesn't look at it, Gassama
13:04flattered to deceive, in every department, bar Jack Buckland, defensively, Rangers look
13:09all over the place, midfield, they've got three kind of dogs in there, you know what you're
13:14getting, they're going right after people, I don't think there's a lot of quality in there,
13:16they go and open teams up, in final third, they don't look like scoring a goal, so, a
13:20lot of problems for Rangers at the minute, two points dropped, big January coming up for
13:25Danny Rowe, he needs to, he needs to bring some quality in the final third, because Rangers
13:28don't look like scoring a lot of goals at the minute, and they look like conceding, which
13:31is not a good combination.
13:32Yeah, we'll stick with the defending then for that goal, I mean, it's hard because, at the
13:36moment, there's a lot of injuries in that department for Rangers, but, I mean, it's the basics
13:39of defending, isn't it?
13:41Yeah, it looked as if, I don't know what happened, I don't know if it was windy on the night,
13:44no, I think he just misjudged it completely, I don't think he actually tried to head it
13:50where it ended up, but certainly, you know, he just misjudged the flight of the ball, but
13:54again, you know, that's just a penalty kick, goal, you know, they're not making goals,
13:59they're not cutting people open, they're not, and the manager said, right, this is a European
14:04game, stadium's going to be full, let's get them off their seat, let's the first five,
14:08ten minutes, you know, get them something to shout about, and all of a sudden you've got
14:12Jack Buckland making two saves, you know, and that's just been the way it's been, Jack
14:17Buckland has been the saviour, and keeping them in the game, but as Tom said, after that
14:22when, I don't know what Raskin was doing with that headbutt thing, I mean, he's having a
14:26laugh, you know, I mean, if somebody had hit you in that in Glasgow, you'd be, you wouldn't
14:32be getting back off.
14:33You understand why he was sent off a bit for the action?
14:35The movement, I mean, he never touched him, he was sort of a down the way rather than at
14:39him, you know, but, you know, when they get down to ten men, you go, here we go, that's
14:43it, you've got to, and then obviously they get the goal, I think every time Rangers lose
14:48a goal, the panic sets in, you know, I think they all lose the whole shape, they lose the
14:54confidence, they lose individually, they just lose the ability to see the game out, and it's
15:01just been happening far too often.
15:03I've got to ask, just on that, I saw a few people try to say the wind, as a goalkeeper,
15:06did you ever blame the wind for it?
15:08I hated the wind, give me anything, rain, give me the ball skidding off the ground, it
15:12just ruins it completely, you know, that, because you're, particularly if the ball's
15:17getting thrown into the box, you've got to make your mind up if you go for it, and if
15:21you go for it and don't get it, then.
15:24You're in no man's land.
15:26Two sending offs, we'll start off then with the Braga player, I thought it looks soft,
15:30but Nico Raskin probably sensibly made the most of it.
15:33Yeah, I think it's a red card, I mean, you can't do that, you can't, you know,
15:36that sort of movement in any league, in any, you know, European football especially, that's
15:40going to get clamped down on.
15:43Disappointed a wee bit with his reaction, you're right, if somebody does that to you,
15:47you're going to make the most of it.
15:48Probably would, yeah.
15:48You're going to make the most of it, because that's part of football, you know, and I don't
15:51blame Nico Raskin for doing that, and he gives his team an advantage, which is you're
15:56going to win the game, so I thought that was a red card.
15:58Dear man, he's never a red card the second, yellow is a joke.
16:01I thought the referee was poor all night, I mean, he's arms up there, but he's, you know,
16:05yourself, you're going to be, for a tackle, you're a challenge, your arms are going to
16:08be up to protect yourself, and to give yourself balance, and I thought that was a terrible
16:13decision, to send Diamandi off, so, probably got one right, probably got one wrong.
16:19And, you know, Rangers are sitting now, I mean, with a point, but it looks like qualification,
16:23or, sorry, moving on to the next round will be pretty far off.
16:27Is it time to park maybe the Europa League and just focus purely on domestic matters for
16:30down at all? Yeah, I think the rest of the season, domestically, is going to be the important
16:34one, obviously, there's always a cup to be won, which is at the end of the season, it's
16:39always good to get in that final and win it and move on, you know, keep the supporters
16:43on board, but again, there's a league, you know, there's nobody so far ahead that you
16:48can't catch them, so, yeah, he's got to, he'll have targets in his own mind, but as
16:52Tam said, January's the one the Rangers supporters must be sitting, waiting and going, what kind
16:57of player are we going to get in with? Saw the last manager bringing guys in for the
17:02Championship and guys that he's worked with and played against, is that going to work
17:07again or is he going to go further, is he going to go to Germany, is he going to, it'd be
17:11interesting to see what kind of player he's going to identify.
17:14What are the priority for your defenders?
17:16For Rangers?
17:17I think forward areas, wide players, I mean, you're talking, you know, Asgard and Antman
17:25were both on the bench last night and that's, and Miofsky, there's a guts of £10 million
17:29all warming up last night and all getting a game, you know, so, in my opinion, the new
17:34manager doesn't fancy them, but you've just signed them, they're on three, four-year contracts,
17:38how are you going to get rid of them? So, it's a bit of a mess at Rangers at the minute
17:41and they're obviously going to have to try and get some players out before they can get
17:45players in, so, I think all over the park, defensively, central defence, left back area
17:51as well, middle of the park, I think they're okay, maybe need a wee bit more guile in terms
17:56of, but that's why they signed the boy Asgard, you know, he supplies that for Norway, scores
18:00goals for Norway, hasn't done it at Rangers and, you know, Danilo's there, Miofsky's there,
18:08Cermiti's there, I don't think any of them are doing it for Rangers, so you're
18:11probably looking at another couple of strikers, but then you're going to be overloaded with
18:14strikers, so, it's an enormous, it's an enormous window, and as Ruffy said, Russell Martin
18:19made the championship, Danny Rall obviously managed the championship, I'm absolutely certain
18:23that the board will be going, listen, let's not go to the championship in England, we've
18:26already been stung with doing that, I think he'll set his sights, maybe abroad, but enormous,
18:32enormous window for Rangers, because no matter how bad they've been, they're still in about
18:37the title race to win it, you know, you wouldn't write them off, you know, the way Celtic and
18:42Hearts have been, so, it's a big window for them.
18:45Yeah, because I think, although they've been picking up points in the league, we spoke about
18:49at midweek, didn't we, that they've not exactly been that impressive when they have, especially
18:52at the weekend against Livingston, maybe we're lucky to not be 2-0 down if they score the penalty,
18:56if they've been given the penalty, but you're looking at a team that's had a lot of money
19:00invested into it, you're going to need to offload a lot of those players before you can
19:03bring people in as well.
19:05It's the hardest bit, you know, because these players will be on good wages, they'll be
19:09on good contracts, you would like to think the sensible ones that are not getting the
19:14game would say, like, there's no point in me hanging about here, I'll find another club,
19:17but it depends on how much money they're on, you know, and what they're going to get elsewhere.
19:22It remains to be seen, I think, as Tam touched on it, there are three players who, when they
19:27come in, everybody was talking them up, well, he's this, he's that, he's the star man
19:31at his country and all that, and I think he's now beginning to see the players he can leave
19:36out, you know, I think he's testing the water, you know, of, right, you're not in my line-up
19:41here, and you haven't been in my line-up for two or three weeks now, and then January comes,
19:46these guys are then going to decide, you know, can I move on or do I want to move on, so
19:51that's a wee bit of the problem that he's got, is getting them out the door.
19:54Absolutely.
19:55If I was to ask you, who are the five players that Rangers should keep and build their team
20:00round, who are you giving me?
20:03Oh, erm, Jack Buckland, definitely.
20:08Suter.
20:08I like Suter, I know he gets a wee bit of flight for Rangers support, I think he's important.
20:13I think the three boys in the middle of the park are good, I think Diamandi, Barron and
20:18Raskin, erm, and in the forward areas, it's difficult to actually...
20:22Kusama, yeah, five, that's probably five, I mean, I don't think there's anyone at Rangers
20:28dispensable, eh, undispensable, sorry, I don't think they can, anyone as a must, must play
20:35every week, you know, maybe, probably only Jack Buckland, so, I think there's loads of
20:39places up for grabs at Rangers, but if you're asking me, there'll probably be those five,
20:43but, it's just, Rangers at the minute are a hard team, I think, for the supporters to
20:49get behind, I don't think they're, I don't think they're shown enough for the supporters
20:53to get behind them at the minute, and obviously, with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell leaving,
20:57you thought there'd been a wee buzz about Rangers last night, as Ruffy said, first five,
21:00ten minutes, they'll go and get after Braga, you know, the two guys that they wanted out
21:04are out, you know, the board have made a big decision, and it's just, there's nothing
21:08about Rangers at the minute, that's, that's hard to get behind.
21:11Usually when you go through a bad spell, there's somebody stands out, somebody, you
21:16know, does something and grabs it by the scruff of the neck and says, right, I'm, teams
21:20can through a wee bit of a bad spell, I'll make sure I'm going to stand out here, I'm
21:24going to score a wonder goal, I'm going to do this, they've got nobody, you know, Celtic
21:29are struggling a wee bit, and then you get Callum McGregor scoring a world, they've got
21:33somebody who's taking that responsibility, and I don't think there's anybody in that Rangers
21:38team can take the responsibility, because they're all too interesting,
21:41what they're doing to sell.
21:42Would you sell Nico Raskin?
21:44Yeah, I think so, he's not done anything for me, he's not, he's not brought what everybody
21:48thought, you know, he was going to be standing in games, and he's playing with Belgium, and
21:54he's this and he's that, but you look at him in games and that, and he just does his bit,
21:59you know, he does the dating outrageous, you know, and I think it was Alec Ray who was
22:02in the other day saying he's, he doesn't contribute enough in the last third of the part.
22:07Absolutely.
22:08We'll move on to Aberdeen then, one each with Noah, Jeremy Saleen said, must win game,
22:13he obviously didn't win it, I think that's them pretty much, I don't think mathematically
22:16out of it, but I'd say that's most of their aspirations probably, now gone.
22:21Yeah, I think they've got Strasbourg and Sparta Prague coming up, who are, I think Strasbourg
22:25are one of their favourites to win it.
22:27Really, really disappointing result, I think, I think you look at a club like Noah, who are
22:31fifth in the Armenian league, you know, and Aberdeen at home, you should be beating them,
22:36I'm sorry, you should be beating them, and I think, I just think, I was flicking back
22:41and forward, I watched, obviously it was at the same time as the Rangers game, but speaking
22:45to people and looking at some of the, some of the supporters were saying at Aberdeen,
22:49it was a really poor performance as well, so I just think it has more pressure to Jimmy
22:53to lean, you know, he was brought in, you know, to do well in Europe as well, and they're
22:58sitting in the bottom six in the, in the Premiership as well, they're out of the League
23:01Cup, you know, it's been a really disappointing start to the season for, for Aberdeen, listening
23:05to A.K. Athens away, you can think, that's a tough game, you know, even A.K.
23:09Alarnecker, who are decent, that's nearly got a good point away from home, but no at
23:13home, you've got to be beating them, and going 1-0 up, you've got to go and win that
23:17game, I think they've got two points now, they're not going to qualify, so, again, much
23:21like Rangers, do you park it, do you constitute domestically, but I just think it has a wee
23:27bit more pressure to Jimmy to lean, because that's a game that Aberdeen supporters will
23:30be turning up thinking we should be winning.
23:31Do you think Jimmy to lean is under pressure again? It seems like he's managed to buy himself
23:34a little bit of time.
23:35Well, on the face of it, you think with the season last year, you know, if it had to
23:40have been the Scottish Cup win, he probably would have been it during that, there's just
23:43too many highs and lows up there, and I think when they were in the winning games, the supporters
23:48were beginning to turn a wee bit, and then he would get a result, and then they'd all be
23:52back on board again, obviously, the results at the weekend helped him, but it depends what
23:57his remit is, every manager has a remit at the beginning of the season, if you're in
24:01the league, where they want you to finish, if you're in a cup, they'll say, right,
24:05this is how far we want you to go. He seems to get on all right with the owner, but he's
24:10running a big risk continuing this inconsistency.
24:15Absolutely. I'd say one bright spark for Aberdeen is Toby Keskin, and he seems to have a lot
24:19about him. I think that's somebody that they should definitely try and tap into, isn't
24:22it, now that they head into probably the crunch point of the season as they try and get into
24:26the top six?
24:26Yeah, I think he's obviously cost them a lot of money, I think he was near enough a million
24:30pound, young Finnish player, and yeah, he scored a great goal against Hearts at the weekend,
24:34and he was one of the bright sparks last night, but there's not been many for Aberdeen this
24:38season, and as I said, it's inconsistency of them, you know, and after the 6-0 game against
24:44the AK Athens, I thought he was really under pressure, but they picked up some good results
24:47domestically, they got a good result in Cyprus, great result of the weekend, and then they
24:51go in a game and they're really, really poor again, so it's just inconsistency that's
24:56killing Aberdeen, and Kevin Nisbet scored a good goal last night, I think he should
25:00be doing more, I think he's a good player, I think he should be contributing more for
25:03Aberdeen, I think he's capable of more, he's capable of moments like that last night, so
25:07yeah, I mean, I'm not sure who they play the weekend, but he needs to keep picking up
25:13results and get into the top six, or else the fans are still going to be asking these
25:17questions.
25:18Yeah, I suppose just lastly on it, aside from Celtic's result last night, it's been a poor
25:22European campaign for Scottish teams, mostly obviously Celtic maybe could sneak into the
25:28mix, but I mean, there's not really any excuse for us, there's been a lot of games that you
25:31probably think that they should be better.
25:33No, it seems to me that, I'm not saying all the teams in the European game, they all seem
25:38to me have improved, they all seem to me have got better technically, I know a lot of them
25:42are financed with big companies like Red Bull and all that, carry on, but we just seem
25:47to me stagnant, we don't seem to me have improved or got year on year.
25:52You know, and we're relying on the Aberdeens and relying on them for the coefficient points
25:57and our coefficient points are getting ridiculous now, so you're relying on Rangers and Celtic
26:02to hang on in there and get the points, because you don't want to see your top teams playing
26:07two and three qualifying rounds to get into any cups.
26:11Lastly, talking about managers under pressure, we spoke about it on Tuesday, this was before
26:14Liverpool played PSV, Arnslaut, I mean it's bizarre, he won the Premier League, but he's
26:20had a terrible, terrible run of form, and you've got to ask how much longer he can
26:25stay in a job if they keep losing.
26:27Yeah, they've lost 9 out of 12, which is the worst run I think since the 50s or 60s, so
26:31yeah, listeners, there's obviously mitigating substances, I think the death of Jotter, I
26:37think it's maybe affected Liverpool more than people think, and maybe that's a factor,
26:41but they did start the season pretty well, I think they won the first five games, so yeah,
26:45they're just conceding too many goals, the big players on the big money, Salah and Van
26:50Dijk, look as if they've got the cigars out after signing their big contracts, so I think
26:55they've got West Ham away at the weekend, I think he needs to win that, I think he is
26:59under pressure, and Liverpool have spent far too much money to be languishing where they
27:04are in the league and in the Champions League.
27:06Absolutely, well we'll move on to Scottish Premiership action this weekend, we'll start
27:10off with Dundee versus St Mirren, the bizarre game, we've got a team who aren't playing
27:15very well, we've got a team that are playing well but not picking up points, we'll stay
27:18on the Dundee side of things, are we getting into must win territory a wee bit for Stephen
27:23Presley?
27:24Yeah, I think, I mean, I don't know if you've watched his after the game comments, he keeps
27:28saying we're doing well, you know, and I'm really happy with my team and I'm really
27:32happy with this and happy with that, you usually say all these things when you're winning
27:36games, not when you're getting beat every week, but if he believes in what he's seen
27:40Monday to Friday that the Saturday is going to turn, it needs to turn very, very quickly
27:45because if they don't start winning games, we're getting to the stage of the season now
27:49where they are going to be down there, you know, the bottom two or the bottom three and
27:54that's no good for players, you know, with the confidence and everything, so this will
27:59be a game he'll be looking, he said he was looking at games where they should be picking
28:03up points and obviously they'll maybe be catching St Mern at the right time away from
28:07home, you know, because it's always difficult to play them at home, so this is a game I
28:12expect them to see after we've done really well today and I'm really confident, but I
28:17don't know, I'm not buying into what I'm seeing, so I think it'll be a tough one for
28:22them.
28:23It's been a bizarre season for them, obviously they got, I mean, a great result against
28:26Celtic at home, they played well at Ibrox away at the very start of the season, but
28:30there's a sort of, there's a different way, there's a way to play against Celtic and Rangers
28:34isn't there, and then there's a way to play against probably the rest of the teams where
28:36it's much more maybe competitive and you don't just sit in the low block and that's
28:40where they seem to be struggling in terms of creating chances, scoring goals.
28:43Yeah, I'll listen to what I'll tell you, you pull yourself, Cara, I mean you come up against
28:47the top teams, the Celtic Rangers, you lift your game, you raise your game, because you
28:50want to prove that you're as good as they guys, so I think they games take a look after
28:54themselves, you always get up for those games, but it's the games against St Mern and
28:57Camarnock that Dundee have really got to win Livingston. St Mern's been a funny season
29:03for St Mern as well, I think that they've obviously had a great cup run in the final,
29:07but they're struggling in the league, you know, I think they're only a point or two
29:09above Dundee at the minute, so it's a really hard one to call, I think that St Mern have
29:14been unfortunate, I think they played really well, I thought they were unfortunate against
29:17Hibs, the two goals disallowed, the goal disallowed against Celtic, and then they scored
29:21in the last minute, just everything's going against St Mern, so it's going to turn for
29:24them at some point, you know, these wee rub of the green that they've not been getting,
29:27and I think they are, I think they're a better side than Dundee, and I think that St Mern
29:32will get up there and win. For Stephen Presley and Dundee, it's important that they don't
29:38become detached, I think there's still three of them down at the bottom, there's Livingston,
29:42Camarnock and Dundee, and as long as it's a mini-league of three, I don't think they'll
29:47sack any of their managers, but if somebody becomes four, five, six points detached for that,
29:52I think one of them will get the bump out of three, so as long as they're still in the
29:56mix, those three clubs at the bottom, I think those three managers will be fine, but I think
30:00I fancy St Mern to win this.
30:01Can I ask, I'll ask both of you, but it's a weird one, St Mern, they've got obviously
30:04a cup final around the corner, they did so well to get there, from a player's perspective,
30:08I definitely know that it happened with us when we were in the cup final, that we had
30:13a drop of form just in the lead up to the final, and it felt like a lot of the stuff
30:16that you were doing, you kind of had one eye. Do you think it's difficult for a player
30:20when you know that that's in the horizon, it's such a big game, maybe they fancy themselves
30:23a little bit with how Celtic are at the moment to remain focused on the league duty, because
30:27I mean, that's your bread and butter.
30:28I think there's two ways I look at it, managers will say that players will be performing to
30:32get in the team for the cup final, but I think as a player's point of view, if you've got
30:35a massive game coming up, you don't really want to get injured, I think that, you know,
30:40I'm not saying you don't get into flying into tackles, but you have got one eye on it,
30:44because you think, right, okay, I want to be in the team, but I have to want to pick up
30:46an injury here, it's the cup final, so, yeah, I think that the manager will be driving that
30:51and the staff will be going, listen, there's a cup final places up for grabs, you know,
30:55you get the jersey, you could be playing in the final, a chance to make history for the
30:58club, so, no, I don't think that that will be affecting the players too much, but St Mern
31:04need to start picking up wins, there's only so long you can go, you've been unlucky,
31:08you've this or that, if they drop into the bottom two, all of a sudden St Mern fans
31:13have started to get on the managers back, who has been outstanding for them, so, it's
31:17a big game for both clubs actually, this one.
31:20We'll talk, just on last week, it was a great performance against Celtic, and as Tam says,
31:24they've been on the wrong end of some of our decisions, but, you're sure they take confidence
31:28from how they have been playing and go into the game in decent enough spirits?
31:32Yeah, well, the Celtic game was a marker to the Celtic players that you're not going to
31:37get this year, oh, you're on way, you know, we've showed that we can compete against you,
31:42okay, you've got the late goal, the loss start, but you can pick yourself up for that, I just
31:47think the performance, going into a final, you'll remember that game, but as Tam said,
31:52there's a lot of games before, you know, you get to that final, you know, and I don't
31:57think you ever want to go into a cup final in the back of a bad run, you don't want to,
32:01you want to go in, you know, from the Monday to the Saturday, you want to be on a two or
32:06three winning run, and you go into training, and the Monday before the Saturday, everybody's
32:11kidding on, I'm laughing, I carry on, and they build up to the final, everything that goes
32:15with that, you want to enjoy that, you don't want to be going into the final going, God,
32:19we've no one again for four weeks, you know, the confidence has just shattered.
32:23Absolutely. Predictions in?
32:25I'm going to go one each.
32:27One each?
32:27Two once in a minute.
32:28I'm going to go two once in a minute as well. We'll move on to, which I think is probably
32:31one of the, probably the biggest game of the weekend, Motherwell versus Hearts, I'm going,
32:35and I'm really looking forward to it actually, because it presents an interesting one, especially
32:39from the first game, was it 3-3 at Tynecastle?
32:43Ian's Berthasco has said that, you know, he wants his team to go higher, he's made a
32:47great start to life, and they did well against Hibs midweek.
32:50Oh, they were outstanding against Hibs, you know, I was at the game and, you know, for
32:54the first 20-25 minutes they played Hibs off the park, they really did, Hibs are poor,
32:59but I'd always like to give the other team credit rather than saying somebody's poor, I think
33:04it's important that you give Motherwell credit. I thought they kept the ball well, they dominated
33:08possession, Hibs were chasing shadows, okay, they're sending off, you know, helped, but
33:14I was really, really impressed with Motherwell. I'm really impressed with James Berthasco,
33:17I think that he's came in, and he's not got a big budget at Motherwell, and they're playing
33:22probably the best football in the Premier League at the minute, no doubt for me, and
33:26there were a lot of clubs and chairmen looking at him and going, he's doing really well
33:32at Motherwell, and I think it would have been Motherwell's best interest, I'm absolutely
33:35certain they're already doing it, and now the wheels have been motioning to get him
33:38tied down on a longer contract because, you know, he's punching well above his weight
33:42at Motherwell, you know, they're sitting, I think, fifth at the minute, I think they're
33:46levelling points, or fourth levelling points with Rangers and Hibs, so this is a hard game
33:51for Hibs, you know, if Motherwell play the way they played at the midweek, I think
33:55they'll beat Hibs, and Hibs have just come off the boil a little bit, I think they've
34:00only won one of the last four, so you're right, this will be a really intriguing game,
34:05you know, both systems, both managers play a different style of football, you know, Harts
34:10have a wee bit more direct, they'll get the ball wide and get crosses in, Motherwell want
34:13to play through the thirds, so I think this will be a really interesting game.
34:17And to be fair on you, Innsbert Alasko, we all thought it was, from the very start of the
34:21season, that game against Rangers when they opened up, they've played well, haven't they?
34:24It's been consistent.
34:25Yeah, it has been consistent, but there was a wee spell there, but it wasn't it, but
34:29we're coming in on a Monday and going, God, they're playing good football, but they're
34:32not winning, you know, but now he's winning, you know, and you can tie the two of them in
34:37together and go, well, they are playing good football and they're winning and they're scoring
34:41goals, so that's a wee test for them, obviously, Harts are the top team, sitting top of the
34:46league, you know, it's a test for them.
34:48If we're sitting here on Monday and saying, God, they play good football and they beat Harts
34:53quite convincingly, they're top four, you've got to be looking at top four with the results
34:57that they're getting, but as Tam said, it's a wee test for Harts now to bounce back after
35:01the Aberdeen game, you know, when you've not suffered a defeat, you've got to sort of
35:05manufacture a win as quick as possible, so it'll be really, really interesting to see
35:10how that game ends.
35:11What's been impressive as well, I was at the semi-final against St Mirren where they got
35:15beaten and that day looked like it was sort of a juxtaposition against a team that, you
35:20know, wanted to dig in, play a long ball against, you know, sometimes that's more effective
35:24rather than playing the pretty football, but he didn't let that bother him, he's kept his
35:27principles and they're now showing again the rewards of what happens when you play like
35:31that.
35:31Yeah, I don't think it'll change, I think that that's the way he wants his teams to play
35:36and that's the way they're going to play going forward, so last night I think that Harts
35:41will try and be aggressive and try and bully them, but I thought Hibs tried to do that
35:46at midweek and couldn't get the ball, couldn't get near Harts, so as I said to you, I just,
35:51you know, if you're asking me for a prediction, if Harts will play the way they played it during
35:54the week, I think they'll beat Harts, you know, and Harts, when you're on a long unbeaten
35:59run and you lose a game, sometimes it can just harm your confidence, you know, you can
36:03sting your confidence a wee bit and you maybe lose the next one, but I'm going to go for
36:07Harts, I don't know if it's a massive upset, but I think Harts will beat Harts.
36:11Shankland potentially back, so that could be quite big for them.
36:14Yeah, I think Shankland and, was it Halkett was missing, Beningame, that was three massive
36:18players that missed the Aberdeen game, I don't know how many of them are back, Shankland's
36:22obviously huge for them, I think, they look toothless without him, I think he's a really
36:26important player for them, but, no, I'm quite confident that Murrow can win this.
36:31What do you think, score?
36:32I think the goals in it as well, go 2-1 Murrow.
36:35Well, I think if the three Harts players come back, it'll be difficult for Murrow to win
36:39the game, so again, I'm going to sit on the fence, one each.
36:42I hope it's not.
36:44I'll come and win soon, come and we've got another game and I'm coming for the win.
36:47Just last point on Harts, they've got Kilmarnock, Celtic, Falkirk and Rangers next.
36:52If they weren't to win tomorrow, they've got a tough month or so in December, don't they,
36:58that they want to sort of steady themselves fast before they've got to go to Celtic Park
37:02and have Rangers come to Tyne Castle as well.
37:04Yeah, Kilmarnock at home, I think Kilmarnock have got a great record at Tyne Castle in
37:09recent years, obviously they're struggling and obviously Celtic and Rangers, I think
37:12they've got Hibs in the Derby around about Christmas as well.
37:14So, yeah, they've got a real tough run of games, I think everyone has.
37:17But if Harts go and win tomorrow, then everybody, you know, it's title charges back on.
37:24But it's a tough game for them and as I said, I think they'll drop three points.
37:31I don't know, I'm hoping it's 3-3, like a classic game.
37:34I think they're big goals in the game, the way that both clubs, both teams play.
37:38Nice and open.
37:39Well, we'll move on again, Kilmarnock versus Dundee United.
37:41Two teams not in the best of forms, Kilmarnock especially.
37:44Strip Kettlewell under pressure, do you think?
37:46He's under pressure if he doesn't win games and obviously we heard the boos last week
37:50at halftime, you know, the fans are not happy with what they're seeing.
37:55But again, he'll be looking at this fixture, he'll be looking at the Dundee United scores,
37:59you know, and go, all right, we're at home, this is a game we need to win.
38:02But unfortunately, the fans will look at that fixture as well and say, right,
38:06the better win it.
38:07I don't think he's under any pressure, he's not like hovering about the bottom two.
38:12I mean, he's not far off it, but he's not in it.
38:15So this is a game, you know, that he'll be looking to pick something up.
38:19Quite a lot of injuries.
38:20Jamie, what you said, Jamie, Brandon and Kilmagenis out to the new year and to General Daniels
38:24already out long term.
38:25It's a tough ask for him at the moment with the squad that he's got available with a lot
38:29of players moving on.
38:30Yeah, yeah, I think they've lost six in the bounce and that's just a run you don't want
38:34to go on.
38:36You know, and they've slipped into the bottom three, as I said, they're still in the mix.
38:39I think there's no much between the bottom four or five clubs at the minute.
38:42So Dundee United have been a wee bit disappointing this season, I think.
38:45I think they started the season well, going and getting a good result at Ibrox.
38:50But it's a difficult one to call.
38:53I think Ruffey might be going one each again here, but it's a tough one to call.
38:57Dundee United, as I said, struggling a wee bit at the minute.
39:01I think Camarlot would take a point to stop the rot.
39:03So I'm going to do a Ruffey here and go one each.
39:08It depends on the goalkeeper.
39:10Dundee United to go keeper?
39:12I don't know, it's a big decision.
39:14It's a massive decision.
39:15It's not as if, I mean, last week was bad, but it's not the first time he's done it
39:19this year.
39:20He's had quite a lot of that coming in amongst crowds and not getting it right and losing
39:24goals.
39:25So it depends how the manager sees it.
39:28You know, does he give him a wee bit of credit for some of the saves that he has made this
39:31season and leaves him in for one more game to see how it goes?
39:35Because as a goalkeeper, you're only as good as your last game.
39:38And if you've had a bad game, you want a chance to rectify it.
39:41It might be the case he goes out and makes the save of the year, you know, and wins the
39:45game for Dundee United, but he's not going to do that if he's not picked.
39:48So we'll have to wait and see if he gets picked.
39:50I'm sorry, but I'm not going to go one each.
39:54I'll go two each.
39:57The only thing I would say, though, is football is a funny old game because both Kilmarnock
40:01and Dundee United at the start of the season, and I remember watching the show, we're giving
40:05them a lot of applause and praise.
40:07And now we're talking about two teams that are under pressure.
40:09I've got written here, six points separate the bottom six sides.
40:13So it's not, we're talking about managing under pressure, but it's hard to say that
40:17one's under more pressure than the other at the moment when it is so tight, like you've
40:19said.
40:19Yeah, as I said, nobody's detached at the minute.
40:22As I said that, I think that every manager will be going to the chairman and going, listen,
40:27we're three points off his sixth.
40:30You know, but when you go four or five points adrift at the bottom, panic stations, you know,
40:34chairman, Rafael Telly, boards, they think we're going to go down here, we need to change
40:38something.
40:38So as long as that doesn't happen, I think every manager will be breathing a wee bit
40:42easier.
40:43But if somebody does start getting detached, whether that's a Kilmarnock or a Dundee or
40:47a Livingston, then the pressure will come from that.
40:51But that's a hard one to call from you.
40:53I'm going to go one each and both teams stop it off.
40:56I think it could be nil-nil.
40:57But then I do agree the goalkeeper is a big one.
40:59And I think if, it sounds bad, but I think if the United goalkeeper is playing, it could
41:03be 2-2 or something like that.
41:04But yeah, we'll move on to the Sunday games then.
41:07Probably the big one is Martin O'Neill's last dance by the looks of things for Celtic.
41:12Hibs versus Celtic, 12 o'clock kick-off on Sunday.
41:15What are you thinking about your Hibs?
41:17They'll need to play a lot better than they played during the week.
41:20You know, I thought that was the worst I'd seen Hibs the first half in a long time.
41:24To be honest, I thought they were woeful.
41:26Defensively, you know, Grant Hanley, who's been excellent this season for Clubbing Con,
41:29had a really poor night.
41:33He hooked Jack Airedale and Nicky Cadden after 25 minutes.
41:42So, does he bring them?
41:44Do they come back into the team or do they stay in the team?
41:46He's got real competition for play.
41:48So I looked at the Hibs bench and they're really strong.
41:50Joe Newell's back now.
41:51O'Hara come on.
41:52Obita come on.
41:54He's got Eli Johan there.
41:55He's got Cleeje there who's a million pounds signing.
41:57Martin Boyle done off night, Mr Sitter.
41:58So I think they're going to see four or five changes here on this Hibs team.
42:02I think he'll change it up.
42:03And he needs to get a reaction against Celtic because if Celtic play the way they played
42:07last night, they'll win the game.
42:08I thought they were excellent.
42:09But Hibs are capable of beating Celtic.
42:11No doubt for me if Hibs turn up and play well.
42:14The problem for me is, and the issue for me is, Hibs against the big teams this season
42:17have been terrible.
42:19They've played Rangers twice.
42:20They've not scored the goal.
42:21They've lost 1-0 away to Hearts.
42:23So, and they drew 0-0 away at Parkhead, which is a decent result.
42:27But they've not scored a goal against Celtic Rangers of Hearts this season.
42:30So they've got to change that.
42:34I just think Celtic, maybe with Martin O'Neill's last dance, will win the game.
42:38But as I said, if Hibs turn up and play well, they're capable of beating Celtic.
42:41They've got a decent record against Celtic at home over the last few seasons.
42:43But that game worried me during the week.
42:46I thought...
42:48Have you ever whipped off, are they?
42:49Like that, as a player?
42:51Bobby Wilson whipped me off for Hibs against Dundee up at Dens Park.
42:57I was playing against a guy, Johnny Hernandez.
42:58He was a Venezuelan left-back and he was really quick.
43:01And I hated playing wide right.
43:03And I never had a trick.
43:04If I came up against a fast full-back, I was struggling because I couldn't knock it by him.
43:09If I came up against a slow full-back, I used to love playing against Michael Ball, Rangers.
43:12Because he was quite slow.
43:13He was a good player, but quite slow.
43:14And he used to knock it by him.
43:15I used to get joy against him.
43:17And the first couple of times I tried to knock the ball by the full-back
43:20and he just outpaced me and out-muscled me and took the ball off me.
43:23And I just started playing everything inside.
43:25And Bobby was shouting at me, keep getting at him.
43:26And I just thought, why am I getting any joy out of him?
43:29And then one of the times I passed it inside, he just hooked me.
43:32I was about half an hour, 35 minutes at Dens Park.
43:35So I have been hooked early, but...
43:38How did you take it?
43:39Oh, terrible.
43:40Called him all the names under the sun.
43:42But, you know, it's not nice for any player.
43:46Different if it's somebody gets sent off and it's a tactical thing,
43:48but if he gets hooked, and as I said, during the week there,
43:51he hooked Nicky Carden, who's been excellent,
43:53and Jack Airedale.
43:54He hooked him after 25 minutes.
43:56They were getting murdered doing that right-hand side.
43:58So I think he might bring a beat in.
44:00I think he might bring O'Hara back in.
44:05Cleggia might come in.
44:06So I think Hibs will make a lot of changes.
44:08So it'll be interesting to see how they react to it.
44:10I presume you've never been subbed halfway through a game?
44:13No.
44:14Not too good.
44:15There was no goalkeepers on the bench when he played.
44:17There was two subs, two outfield players.
44:18Wasn't there, Ruffy?
44:19There was.
44:19In the early days.
44:21In the early days, eh.
44:22If you get subbed for an outfield player,
44:24that would have been the ultimate insult.
44:25Of course it would.
44:26But, I mean, even getting a goalkeeper,
44:28getting subbed during a game,
44:29when there's somebody on the bench,
44:31it would be a shocker.
44:32How would you have felt if,
44:33you know how sometimes they now sub a goalkeeper on for penalties?
44:36That they think might be better.
44:36How would you have felt if he'd been subbed?
44:38Well, if the guy was better than me.
44:39Are you good at penalty, Ruffy?
44:39Saving him.
44:40I just used to die the same way all the time.
44:42That was my theory.
44:43If it went into a penalty kick competition,
44:45and it was five penalties.
44:46One of them was going to go right at one point.
44:48Somebody is going to say,
44:49he's not going to keep going there all the time.
44:51So around about the fourth, fifth penalty,
44:53the doubt starts stinking in.
44:56But it's horrendous if they all go,
44:58the five go.
45:00What if they'd watch film and say,
45:01Ruffy, the dives right at the time?
45:03I mean, you say that odd.
45:04Do you remember there was a World Cup or something?
45:07A country, a goalkeeper,
45:08I don't know who it was,
45:09but he had all the penalty kicks on his bottle of water.
45:11Aye.
45:12Do you remember that?
45:13And then it came to the penalty kick
45:14and somebody took his bottle and threw it into the crowd.
45:18So he didn't, I think,
45:20I mean, there's a few,
45:22but just say you were taking a penalty against me, right?
45:25And you're saying, right,
45:27he goes to the right.
45:30You're going to be saying to yourself,
45:32what happens with Disney?
45:34I don't know.
45:35No, it's this, man.
45:36No, it's how you,
45:36I think as far as the kicker's concerned,
45:40it's whatever side you'd feel confident.
45:42You're not going to change it.
45:43You know, unless you're a really good,
45:46like Tavenier's magnificent,
45:48he can go left and right.
45:49I think you go, you go with your strength.
45:52Did you take pins?
45:53I did.
45:54Did you put yourself forward for a penalty kicker?
45:56Yeah, I scored,
45:57I actually scored a couple of really important ones
45:58for Hibs,
45:59last minute goals and pressure ones.
46:02I missed one at Ibrox
46:02and I scored one in the League Cup semi-final
46:05against Rangers
46:05and we beat Rangers in penalties.
46:08But I wasn't a great penalty taker.
46:11You know, I would change my mind all the time.
46:12I think usually as a penalty taker,
46:14I whip it across, the goalkeeper.
46:17I went, I just,
46:18I changed my mind five times walking up to it.
46:20If you knew Ruffy was always going to,
46:22if you'd looked at the film
46:23and you knew he was always diving to the right,
46:24would you?
46:25I'd go to the left.
46:26Would you?
46:26Or would I?
46:27Oh, I don't know.
46:28If you had five.
46:29Especially if I hadn't saved one in about four years.
46:31If you had five,
46:31but you wouldn't be taking the five,
46:33you'd just be taking the one.
46:34You'd be standing at the side
46:35because the other three before you would be going,
46:39ah, he's not going to go right there.
46:42I did an apparently kind of competition
46:44with David Cooper at Hamden.
46:46I don't know if it was Coca-Cola or something.
46:47It was a competition
46:48and he had ten penalties
46:50and he scored the ten of them.
46:51Yeah.
46:52And I went the same,
46:53I went the right way this time,
46:55ten times
46:55and I never got near any of them.
46:58It was so good.
46:58It was so good.
47:00It just,
47:00it just touched the inside of the post
47:02and went in the corner.
47:03Every time.
47:04Left and right.
47:05Right, well,
47:06we'll get back to topic then.
47:08I'm not sure if it's penalties again.
47:09Exactly.
47:11Celtic then coming into it,
47:12they'll probably be feeling pretty good about themselves,
47:14but I mean,
47:14it is probably all going to be about Martin O'Neill
47:16and can he deliver?
47:18A win away at Easton Road
47:20would be a great parting gift,
47:21wouldn't it?
47:22It's a tough game for Celtic.
47:23You know,
47:23it's Tibbs at home
47:25against Celtic
47:26and the last couple of years
47:27have picked up results against Celtic.
47:29Martin O'Neill's last game,
47:31as I said,
47:31I think he'll get a hero's reception
47:33for the Celtic supporters
47:34and they want to get out now.
47:35They want to get out with a win.
47:37It's a great record.
47:38He's been imperious domestically
47:40with one every game,
47:41so
47:41they'll be looking to go and beat Hibbs,
47:43but
47:43I see there's difficulty.
47:44If Hibbs turn up and play really well,
47:46I think they're capable of beating Celtic.
47:47I don't think it's a great Celtic team,
47:49but
47:49maybe the corner's been turned for Celtic,
47:51the Callum McGregor goal,
47:52the performance last week.
47:53Maybe they're starting to turn the corner,
47:55but
47:55Hibbs will need to play
47:57and defend a lot better
47:58than they did against Milo.
47:59Prediction?
48:00I'm going to go
48:012-1 to Celtic.
48:04Yeah,
48:04I've been impressed,
48:06obviously,
48:06Hibbs moving up the league,
48:08but I wasn't,
48:08I know they beat Dundee last week,
48:10but later on in that game,
48:11Dundee had chances.
48:13Hibbs goalkeeper
48:14had two remarkable saves
48:15that kept him in the game,
48:16so
48:17that midweek game proved
48:18that they're only playing
48:19particularly well.
48:21I think Celtic will get a buzz.
48:22I still don't think Celtic
48:24are the real deal
48:25in certain positions.
48:26I mean,
48:27they're getting the results,
48:28I think they'll go there
48:28with more confidence
48:29than the Hibbs players,
48:31but for me,
48:31this one's about on the day
48:32which players
48:34stand up and be counted.
48:36Celtic 2-1.
48:37Celtic 2-1?
48:38I think we'll clean sweep that,
48:39I think Celtic will win as well.
48:41Moving on then,
48:41Rangers-Falkirk.
48:43Probably on paper,
48:44when you look at that,
48:44you'd go,
48:45Rangers should,
48:46but I mean,
48:46Falkirk have really picked up,
48:48it's been impressive,
48:48hasn't it?
48:49Yeah,
48:50I think this is going to be
48:51the upset of the weekend.
48:52Oh, do you?
48:52I do.
48:54I was going to say
48:55Rangers are going to win,
48:56but I've been really,
48:58really impressed
48:58with Falkirk this season.
48:59I think they're playing
49:00with such a freedom,
49:02I think they'll go
49:02and they'll have a real go
49:04at Rangers.
49:04I think Rangers' confidence
49:05at the minute
49:06is really brittle.
49:07I think the performance
49:08at the weekend
49:08against Livingston,
49:09I think they were fortunate
49:10to win the game.
49:11And I think Falkirk
49:12are capable,
49:13and I can't believe
49:14I'm saying this,
49:15I think a newly promoted club,
49:16I never thought I would say this
49:17at the start of the season,
49:18after Rangers spending
49:19£20 million,
49:20but I think Falkirk
49:20are definitely capable
49:21of going to Rangers
49:22and winning.
49:23And I think they're
49:246 of 71,
49:25I think they'd be
49:26worse 6 of 71 bets
49:27this weekend
49:27to stick a wee 10-round.
49:29I think that Falkirk
49:29are capable.
49:31Rangers are struggling
49:32defensively,
49:32they're not creating anything.
49:33You know,
49:34the strikers are struggling
49:34to score goals.
49:36They've had a tough game
49:37last night.
49:38I think it's a great
49:38opportunity for Falkirk
49:39to go there and win.
49:40So,
49:41I'm going to go for Falkirk
49:42to win.
49:43No,
49:44I'm not.
49:45No?
49:45No.
49:46I think Celtic...
49:46There's nothing
49:47in this Rangers team
49:48performance.
49:49No, I know, I know,
49:49but it's a home.
49:50I think,
49:52I mean,
49:52Falkirk did play
49:53very, very well
49:54last week
49:54against Dundee United,
49:55but you've got to look
49:56at the goals
49:56that were given,
49:57you know.
49:58But in saying that,
49:58you can't take away
49:59from home and win
50:00like that.
50:01I just,
50:02I agree with you.
50:03I think the Rangers team
50:05is just,
50:06you're just juggling
50:06it's up in the air,
50:07who's going to be playing,
50:08who's going to turn up
50:09or whatever.
50:10I just think this Rangers team,
50:12although it might sound
50:13really stupid,
50:13they're not playing well,
50:14but they're due a win
50:15and I think it might be
50:16against Falkirk.
50:18I think it's interesting
50:19about Falkirk
50:20because I was at the game,
50:21do you know,
50:21start of the season
50:21or near the start of the season
50:23when they were beaten
50:23at home by St Mirren
50:24and John McGlynn spoke
50:27about how
50:27if they,
50:29they wouldn't have
50:29conceded those goals
50:30if they were St Mirren
50:31because they hadn't been
50:32and he was talking
50:33about the adjustment
50:33from Championship life
50:34to Premiership life,
50:35they seem to have,
50:35that seems to have now
50:36clicked,
50:37doesn't it?
50:37It's like that adjustment
50:38of being more sound
50:39at the back,
50:40but also now adding goals
50:41to their game as well.
50:42Yep,
50:42and as I said,
50:43you're right,
50:44I think that at the start
50:44of the season,
50:45they were a wee bit gung-ho.
50:48You know,
50:48they thought,
50:48it's just,
50:49well,
50:49it's the same group of players
50:50that have won League One
50:51and the Championship.
50:52You know,
50:52it's been remarkable,
50:54really,
50:54from Falkirk
50:55but they've got some
50:56good young players up and loan
50:57from Manchester
50:58and any guys like that
50:59so I think they've got
51:01a lot of energy
51:02and a lot of hunger
51:02on their team.
51:03They'll really
51:04anticipate going to the Rangers
51:07and getting a result
51:08so,
51:09as I said to you,
51:10it's very difficult for me
51:11to see Rangers beating anybody
51:12the way they're playing.
51:13I know they've been
51:14eating out results
51:15but
51:15I think Falkirk
51:17are capable of going
51:18and getting a result
51:19and I think they're
51:19a wee upset,
51:20I think I'm a big upset
51:21obviously but
51:21what are you thinking
51:22score-wise?
51:23I'm going to go for 2-1
51:23to Falkirk.
51:26I think Rangers
51:27are due
51:28a comfortable win
51:29so I'm going to go
51:30Rangers 2-0.
51:32I'm going to go
51:33Rangers 2-1
51:34Brian Graham
51:35scoring for Falkirk.
51:37You're your hero.
51:38Well,
51:39we'll go that far.
51:41Last game of the weekend
51:42then,
51:42Livingston
51:43against Aberdeen
51:44David Martindale
51:45dead for a win
51:46especially after
51:47last week's disappointment
51:48at Ibrox.
51:49Probably needs a win
51:50as well
51:50but we spoke about it
51:51it's all relative
51:52I suppose at this point
51:53but a tough game
51:54for Aberdeen
51:54especially after
51:55last night's efforts.
51:58Yeah,
51:58I think Livingston
51:59still have been
52:01a bonnet
52:02about last week
52:02at Ibrox
52:03I think that
52:03that was a huge
52:04decision at 1-1
52:05not to give the penalty
52:06I think that
52:07I've been a wee bit
52:09disappointed
52:09about Livingston
52:09this season
52:10if you'd have asked me
52:11would Falkirk
52:13be sitting in the top
52:14six now
52:15and Livingston
52:15bottom of the league
52:16I don't think
52:17there was much
52:17between them
52:18obviously
52:19Falkirk won the league
52:20last year
52:21but I don't think
52:21there was much
52:21between the teams
52:22at all
52:22and I thought
52:24Livingston
52:25maybe a wee bit
52:25better equipped
52:26more experience
52:27in their team
52:28in the Premier League
52:28and they've struggled
52:30this season
52:30but I've seen enough
52:32last week
52:32against Rangers
52:33to see they're
52:35capable of creating
52:35chances
52:36Yenge
52:36obviously scored
52:37and missed
52:38another good chance
52:39later on in the game
52:39but Aberdeen
52:41I've actually started
52:42to pick up as well
52:43they've went to
52:44five at the back
52:45domestically
52:46and started to
52:47keep clean sheets
52:48tough game to call
52:49and I'm going to
52:51sit in the fence
52:52I think
52:52on each
52:53not fun to call
52:55yeah I'm impressed
52:56with Livingston
52:56last week
52:57and that performance
52:59last week
52:59you wouldn't say
53:00this is a team
53:01that's sitting
53:01behind the league
53:02they had a lot of
53:03fight
53:04they went against
53:05them
53:05I just hope
53:06a VAR
53:07doesn't go against
53:08Livingston
53:09this week
53:09David Malkiel
53:10have we thrown
53:11things about the
53:12place
53:12but no
53:13I'm not too sure
53:15about Aberdeen
53:16away from home
53:16I don't know
53:17we saw about a
53:18dig at home
53:19in the last week
53:20I just think
53:21away from home
53:22they don't have
53:22the players
53:23they've got the
53:24good nice football
53:25players
53:26but I don't think
53:26they've got the
53:27dig in it
53:28to see it out
53:28so I'm going to
53:29stick my neck out
53:30and go for
53:31Livingston
53:312-1
53:32I think I agree
53:34with Ruffy
53:34I think that
53:35away from home
53:36Livingston
53:36because I think
53:37Livingston
53:38probably need to
53:38get back to
53:39making it just
53:39really really
53:40hard for teams
53:41don't they
53:41it's not a nice
53:42venue to go
53:43they were unlucky
53:44to not beat
53:45Hibs a couple
53:45of weeks ago
53:46I watched that
53:46game
53:47I think it was
53:47two each
53:47they scored a
53:48late penalty
53:48I thought they
53:49were the better
53:50side against
53:50Hibs
53:50I think their
53:52performances are
53:53definitely no
53:54merit and the
53:55points are getting
53:55at the minute
53:56so this might be
53:56the time that
53:58they go and get
53:58a result on
53:59Sunday
53:59against an
54:00Aberdeen team
54:00that's had a
54:01disappointing
54:01European result
54:02but I don't
54:03know I'll go
54:04for one each
54:05and so
54:06well that wraps
54:07up so in
54:08your predictions
54:08Celtic are going
54:09to be a point
54:10behind Hearts
54:10Rangers and
54:12Hearts are both
54:12going to lose
54:13so you think
54:14Celtic will be
54:14back in
54:15I think they
54:16will be and I
54:16think Mother
54:17will be sitting
54:17in the top
54:17three
54:18I think Falkirk
54:19will be pushing
54:20for the top
54:20four
54:21it's wide open
54:23this season
54:24I don't think
54:25it's a great
54:25standard overall
54:26the league
54:26I think European
54:28results prove
54:28that but it's
54:30difficult to see
54:31every week
54:32just going
54:32they'll win
54:33I think it's
54:34hard to just say
54:34they'll win
54:35there's a couple
54:36there's a couple
54:37of fixtures
54:37this weekend
54:39that could
54:40produce a gap
54:41depending on
54:42where they
54:43go
54:43and I was
54:43going to ask
54:44when you were
54:44talking about
54:44Hibs
54:45were you at
54:47Hibs when
54:47Yogi was there
54:48when the first
54:49half of the
54:50season
54:50you were sitting
54:51first
54:51they were
54:53sitting there
54:53and I'm
54:54looking at
54:54Hearts and
54:55going a fantastic
54:56first bit
54:57Yogi Hughes
54:58had a magnificent
54:59bit sitting
55:00first or second
55:00and then the
55:01second half
55:02of the season
55:02nothing
55:03and they got
55:04sacked
55:05but you've got
55:07to judge it
55:08over the whole
55:08season
55:08you can't just
55:09judge it over
55:1012-13 games
55:11absolutely
55:12it will be an
55:13interesting weekend
55:13for sure
55:14thank you so much
55:15for joining
55:16Alan and Tam
55:18and thank you so
55:19much for watching
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