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Will experience hold the key to a place in the cup final? The PLZ team discuss the two Scottish Cup semi-finals and the comments from all four managers. The Championship team of the year comes under scrutiny and famous players who ended up becoming stars in new positions in their team.
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00:00:00New or used van, go to CameronCommercials.com and Sean's your man, he'll help you out with
00:00:04whatever you need for your business. As ever, Tam and Gordon Parks haven't quite grasped
00:00:10that the show starts and everybody can hear you before we actually hit the theme tune.
00:00:15We never picked up what he was saying.
00:00:16I'm shining a new penny.
00:00:17Absolutely. It's so unusual to have you two here on a Friday, but good nonetheless. We've
00:00:23got lots to talk about. Scottish Cup semi-final weekend, the dreams of two teams and the nightmares
00:00:29of another. Here's the headlines as far as CancelMyParkingTicket.com. Martin O'Neill says
00:00:35the team is not good enough to be dreaming of a cup final just yet, thinking not too far
00:00:41ahead. Craig McLeish, confident Lightning can strike twice at Hampden for St Mirren against
00:00:45Celtic. Neil Lennon's not happy with the schedule going into the semi-final and John McLean is
00:00:52hoping for a season to remember with another appearance at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final
00:00:58in May. You can give us your thoughts on how you think the semi-finals are going to go.
00:01:04We've got lots to talk about. And with Unai Emery securing a semi-final place in the Europa
00:01:09League against Norringham Forest, I thought we'd make it an Aston Villa question on our quiz
00:01:16question tonight, courtesy of Elite Joinery and Fire Protection. And we want to know who
00:01:22was the manager of Aston Villa when they were European champions. They won the European Cup
00:01:28in 1982. Do you know that? That's a great question. It is a great question. So great.
00:01:34I've got a name. I don't know if it's right. Okay. We'll get the answer by the end of the
00:01:40programme. You can give us your thoughts on that as well. Dunfermline Falkirk is the first
00:01:45of the semi-finals. Give us your thoughts on it. The one thing I was going to ask you,
00:01:49Gordon, do you know why there's such a bit of needle between these two Falkirk and Dunfermline?
00:01:56It kind of brands itself as a kind of unofficial derby. And I kind of get it. If a bridge
00:02:04separates
00:02:04them, isn't it? It's traditionally, I think you've got lightweights, superweights, lightweights
00:02:14always in Scottish football. We spoke about it previously about Dunfermline would be part
00:02:19of a premiership operation with the size of the club. Falkirk joust for that kind of
00:02:23title as well. There's a kind of size, kind of, they're relatively the same, kind of size.
00:02:32They try to punch. They should be in a higher place than they are, not currently Falkirk
00:02:37obviously. So they're always sparring for that kind of role. Not quite superweights, not quite
00:02:44flyweights, middleweights. Is that where the rivalry you think comes?
00:02:48Yes. And it's historically, they've been big, big clubs, haven't they?
00:02:51Yeah. One's a city, one's a town. And I was looking and listening to various packages
00:02:56on it. I don't think anybody can really work it out. They're calling it, what is it, the
00:03:00King Carton Bridge Derby? Because they're separated by water and about maybe 16 miles.
00:03:06Yeah. Listen, I played with both of them. I played for Dunfermline against Falkirk and
00:03:09Falkirk against Dunfermline. I didn't really realise it was that big a rivalry when I signed
00:03:15for the clubs. But then when that game came around, it was a full house. There was a full
00:03:19away support. There was a wee bit of nastiness about it. I don't know where it comes from.
00:03:23I actually asked on Twitter last night and there were various answers coming back from
00:03:28various supporters, blaming another one for the hatred towards them. But that's quite
00:03:34a big derby. And hopefully there's no nastiness tomorrow. But I think we've seen in the past
00:03:40incidents between them. I think it was the boy Kevin O'Hara and Dean Shields. I think
00:03:45there was one at East End Park and then there was one at the Falkirk Stadium. So you're hoping
00:03:49tomorrow the fans behave themselves. But there is. There's a wee bit of needle out between
00:03:53them. Both clubs have their own ultra factions also. And they're quite prominent at the
00:03:58clubs. Yeah, but they didn't have them in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
00:04:01No, they didn't. But we're talking about tomorrow and the potential for a bit of whatever.
00:04:06And you're right. Let's hope there's nothing there.
00:04:09Bob says it's something to do with disrespect towards Norrie McCarthy.
00:04:13Somebody said that yesterday.
00:04:14Yeah. Which, again, is probably an element of people who just do not have a modicum of
00:04:22decency in their body. I wouldn't like to think anything like that rears its ugly head.
00:04:28But nevertheless, there is a bit of hatred there. You always get tribalism no matter where
00:04:34it exists. As I think Wallace Mercer used to say, tribalism, that's exactly what kind of
00:04:41generates so much revenue for some clubs. They feed off it as well. We know that only
00:04:48too well here in the west of Scotland. But nevertheless, it's a game I'm really looking
00:04:53forward to because two teams with two very experienced managers, Dunfermline boss Neil
00:04:59Lennon, not too happy with the schedule because they were quite hectic up until the semi-final.
00:05:05Fourth, seventh, eleventh, fourteenth. They played four games, two wins, a draw and a
00:05:10repeat. And eventually, I think he was actually starting to just pick his team, let a few
00:05:17players not play, Parsi.
00:05:19I think I'm bored out in the result as well. He's wise to do that. Listen, I see his point
00:05:24of view, but I think Lenny's always going to have a grievance anyway if the way the sums
00:05:29added up in the fixture list fell.
00:05:30What do you think he's that type of person?
00:05:32I think he is. I think he is. He's going to throw a grenade of sorts, right? And that's
00:05:36the one that he chose to throw. I've got another wee theory about Falkirk and Dunfermline's
00:05:40rivalry.
00:05:41All right, go on.
00:05:42The Wraith Rovers clash with Dunfermline should be the proper derby, right? But it never ignites
00:05:47properly. Cowden, Beeth, same kind of thing, Fife. Dunfermline and Falkirk then match up
00:05:52properly as two bigger clubs. In the same way as Partick Thistle against Clyde or Queen's Park
00:06:00hasn't quite got the own full role. These are derbies. They've given themselves a higher
00:06:04credibility as a derby, right? And I get that. But as far as Lenny's press conference goes,
00:06:09it wasn't going to be playing so long, was it?
00:06:11No. Ah, well, listen, at the end of the day, his quote is, we're getting punished for players
00:06:16getting picked for Scotland and for getting to the semi-final. Well, that goes hand in
00:06:21hand with the success of a club. Everybody, every manager this season who's been in the latter
00:06:26stages of tournaments can moan about the schedule, but you know what's going to happen.
00:06:31It's a good problem we have, Peter. You want to be in semi-finals. You want to be challenging
00:06:34for a promotion. I think when you look at the league table, they're all but guaranteed
00:06:39a play-off spot. Whether they finish third or fourth is irrelevant, really. They're just
00:06:42going to play with each other anyway, home and away. So I think they're almost guaranteed
00:06:46it. I think it was an important point the other night, just for confidence, because
00:06:49they lost against Partick Thistle at the weekend. You only want to get into this game
00:06:52with two defeats. They came back with a very, very young squad. A couple of young kids
00:06:56come on and done well and scored. So, yeah, I think they're almost guaranteed it. I think
00:07:00our growth play Wraith Rovers at the weekend and that's the two that are kind of, Wraith
00:07:04Rovers are the only one that can catch either of them. So, yeah, I think he'll just be looking
00:07:09forward to the game now. He's rested players. He'll be hoping there'll be players back in
00:07:14from the other night. And it's anyone's game. I think Falkirk are favourites, but
00:07:18their family have got a young, hungry team. And they've put out two Premier League teams
00:07:22already, so they'll get in. If you're sitting in that dressing room last week or the week
00:07:26before and you see the fixtures building up, you don't care. You don't care how many games
00:07:30are coming up. You also, you look at it as a chance to go and pressure a client to get
00:07:34a jersey. But also, you know how it works during the week. If you've got a few midweek games
00:07:39and all that, it means less training for you. So I don't think that's a factor. I think
00:07:44Lenny's manufactured an issue, a grievance, as he's won.
00:07:49Okay. I'll take that on the chin. If that's what he does, that's what managers do. They
00:07:54look for an angle, you know, a sense of injustice, a siege mentality. We've had that all in the
00:08:02last few weeks. I don't know too many of their players that I could possibly say with any
00:08:07great conviction, oh, you know, these are players that could turn the match in his favour
00:08:12because at the end of the day, we know Andrew Todd because he scores 16 goals. We know Chris
00:08:17Kane because he's been around the houses and he's your typical centre-forward hustle and
00:08:22bustle and a bit of muscle in there as well. But of the rest of them, are there players
00:08:27that you're aware of on that Dan Fairland side that have got Neil Lennon in the position
00:08:33of the playoffs and in this semi-final?
00:08:35I'll start off with the big boy Todd that you've mentioned. And whenever I've watched him
00:08:38play live, it offers something unique in Scottish football. That language always looks exhausted,
00:08:45always getting a final touch, always being able to do something different. He sees the
00:08:49game differently. Unlike his dad, by the way, the chalk and cheese players were both good
00:08:54players. But this guy has got the world at his feet because if he can be coached properly,
00:09:00he'll work better without the ball. When he's on it, he's a difference maker. But if you look
00:09:05at the Dunfermline squad as it sits just now, he's brought the full-back in from an English
00:09:13loan club, the big right-back, who I think other clubs are looking at now. It gives them
00:09:19a kind of different dimension down the right-hand side. He's quick, he's physical and it's an
00:09:24attacking weapon for them. But again, I just look at Hamden and I just think, I see a Falkirk
00:09:28team that uses the pitch so well. I think they've both got very young squads. I think
00:09:34when you look at Dunfermline, Jeremiah Mullen, who I think was in the team of the year, PFA
00:09:38team of the year, and Robbie Fraser, who I think they signed from Rangers, I think maybe
00:09:43Whitney Livingston. Those two are in the team of the year, so they two have been excellent
00:09:46this season and been key players for them. I think Andrew Todd's struggling with injury
00:09:51for the weekend, which is unfortunate. Chris Kane could come in and give them something up
00:09:56front. He's obviously won, been at Hamden twice or three times and won a couple of
00:09:59cups. You know, won a key factor in the double season when St Johnson won both trophies. So
00:10:04I think we're a very young squad. I think somebody like Chris Kane will be very...
00:10:08They're quite a physical side. They've got good athleticism.
00:10:10Yeah, they have. Listen, I watched them live against Hibs and they certainly stood up to
00:10:16Hibs and Hibs are quite a strong, big physical side and they've finally stood up to that.
00:10:20They've got the steamroller to Aberdeen. A lot of young players, you've got a lot of
00:10:24hunger in their team and I think a key thing for me as well is there's a lot of Scottish
00:10:30players playing. He's a big blonde-haired boy that runs the lines up front for them. Good
00:10:34physical unit. Scores a few goals. Matty Todd. Yes. I think there's three Todds.
00:10:39Right. So, always catches an eye because he looks the part. He doesn't quite put things
00:10:45together properly with regards to holding the ball anyway.
00:10:49They are, as you say, finding their way in the game. What a stage to go and find your
00:10:53feet and get your teeth out. I'm trying to find your right back for you. That's what
00:10:56I was trying to do there. Is it Freddie Turley or is it Ciarán Nguenna?
00:11:00Nguenna. Nguenna. Right. Okay then. There you are. While you were blethering on there, I
00:11:05was trying to do a bit of research for you to get the exact player you were talking about.
00:11:12So, he's managed to take Aberdeen and Hibbs out of the equation. Hibbs was one of those
00:11:18games where I think, you know, they were well up for it. Aberdeen, they were absolutely
00:11:24soundly beaten by Dunfermline. So, he will not have any qualms about coming up against
00:11:29Falkirk. Will he have any qualms about how he goes about his business and how they play
00:11:34against him? Because, as Patrick has just mentioned there, it's a big park. Falkirk
00:11:38have got players that can hurt you left and right wing and they've got people in the
00:11:42middle of the park. Brad Spencer is a really good player. And they've got Barney Stewart
00:11:47and they've got Calvin Miller. So, how does he approach it? Do they try and go a little
00:11:52bit more direct? Do they sit in? Do they try and...
00:11:57I don't think they'll sit in, Peter. I think they'll fight fire with fire. I think Neil
00:12:00will have confidence in his team that they're just as good as Falkirk and they'll go out and
00:12:03go toe-to-toe with him and see how it goes on the day. They're underdogs. I think most
00:12:07people, most neutrals, would expect Falkirk to win. But it wouldn't be a huge upset if
00:12:12Dunfermline beat them. But I think, in terms of players to watch, I think Calvin Miller's
00:12:16the one for me who Dunfermline needs to keep quiet. I think he's been outstanding this season.
00:12:20Probably one of the best wide players in the division. And if you keep him quiet, I think
00:12:25is it Brogio on the other side, who's excellent as well. You've got Barney Stewart through the
00:12:28middle. So, they've got plenty of pace and power in the forward areas. And I think Dunfermline
00:12:32handle that. But the way you match up against that is Dylan Tate and Brad Spencer run the
00:12:36game for Falkirk. And if you can stop them doing that, and you know Lenny, you know Lenny
00:12:41right, that he'll have identified that. If you can stop the service and they switch a
00:12:45play, which is so prominent in Falkirk's strategy to turn teams, and they can change
00:12:50the angle of attack so quickly because they're versatile and good technical players. But it's
00:12:55the motivation factor that Lenny will have. And I think that's why they've taken the big
00:12:59scalps. I remember playing five a size with Lenny. He makes you want to work harder.
00:13:04His demands, you know, that's only at that. He will have his players bursting for a big
00:13:08moment.
00:13:09He's also a very good coach, Tam. And I think that's, you know, when you look at his CV,
00:13:13you wonder why he's not in a... Even he wondered at some point why they wasn't offered a bigger
00:13:18job.
00:13:20Yeah, I think his CV speaks for itself in terms of Scottish football. He's went over to Cyprus
00:13:25and won a cup, you know, in European football with Celtic. You know, he's done incredibly
00:13:30well. But that brilliant Pep Guardiola Barcelona team went to Rome and beat Lazio, you know,
00:13:34and got to later stages of the Europa League. You know, and when the league with Hibs got
00:13:39them promoted, got finished, I think, third or fourth one season with Hibs as well, playing
00:13:43a really good brand of football. So, no, I think he's a top manager. And listen, I think
00:13:47a lot of eyebrows were raised when... Dunferman are a big club in Scottish football, but, you
00:13:51know, stuck in the Championship, a lot of eyebrows were raised when Neil Lennon went
00:13:54in there, but he's obviously... I spoke about it yesterday, he's obviously getting a few
00:13:57bob, which helps. They're ambitious, the new owners that have come in, and...
00:14:02Tam, do you think... I think in dealing with sporting individuals in my time in football,
00:14:08the perception of Neil Lennon and the misunderstood element of the kind of guy he is, the intelligence
00:14:14that he has, the depth that he has. There's an ignorance to the real, true Neil Lennon, more
00:14:20than anybody I've ever met, actually, where perception and reality collide.
00:14:25Yeah, they do. I mean, we don't have to actually promote him too much here because he was with
00:14:30us for a couple of years and he was absolutely fantastic on this show. So, we certainly enjoyed
00:14:36his company and everybody, certainly, some people who were maybe disbelieving of it or maybe
00:14:41had that perception that you're talking about once they actually met him, and I think people
00:14:46do that. They meet him and then they see a completely different person. Talks a lot of
00:14:50sense about football, but over and above that, he knows what he's doing as a coach, and I
00:14:54think that sometimes is clouded by the baggage that people associate with him, but he's a
00:14:59top coach. He's also coming up against a top coach in John McGlynn, and Neil Lennon has
00:15:04suggested that he's one of the best coaches in the game here, and he's at this moment
00:15:12surprised that he's not being considered for the Celtic job.
00:15:15Great comment. I thought it was the highest praise. It's the first time they've ever gone
00:15:19up against each other as managers, which was quite a shock. But Neil Lennon doesn't entertain
00:15:24the snobbery, that elite kind of snooty kind of managerial mindset, because he doesn't
00:15:31belong in that himself. And he's right to Trump at John McGlynn, because John McGlynn
00:15:35has got everything as a package for what you would want in a manager. And the way that
00:15:39he runs his club, the way he represents his club, the way that he recruits and manages
00:15:44to get players who have fallen off the wagon, back into a situation where their careers are
00:15:49flying again, that's managers, that's gold dust. And he's my full-cut benefit for that.
00:15:55We did ask the question on our social media, why do you think John McGlynn is not being
00:16:00considered as one of the frontrunners for the manager's job at Celtic? And somebody put
00:16:06in the comments, he's too young. But nevertheless, I actually think, you know, the problem here
00:16:14is there is an element of snobbery sometimes with clubs, and he's not fashionable, you know,
00:16:20he doesn't have part of his new haircut, your new style of hair, maybe he's not what everybody
00:16:26thinks, the stature of a Celtic manager. I don't know, I can't put my finger on it, but
00:16:30I certainly like his football just as much as I've been trumpeting the fact that I think
00:16:35Jens Berthalaska was perfect for Celtic too.
00:16:38Yeah, I think if he was 20 years younger than he was from Italy or Croatia or Portugal, I think
00:16:42he'd be heavily linked. As snobbery, it's just think, oh, he's just a journeyman manager,
00:16:47he's been about, and he's done all right with Falkirk, but he's no Celtic level. But
00:16:50I think if you dig deeper into, he's actually a body of work. I think that everywhere he's
00:16:56been, he's been a successful member of coming up against him at Wraith Rovers. They were
00:16:59up there challenging for the championship. He's a top manager, they play great football.
00:17:02As Parsi said, he's revitalising people's careers who have fell by the wayside, look as if
00:17:07they're on the way down. He's picked them up in League One, and he's took them all the
00:17:10way through into the Premier League top six. So, no, I think he's, I don't think he'll
00:17:14get the Celtic job, but for him not to be considered for it as snobbery.
00:17:18Do you not think he's the perfect individual to go in and manage, run the team?
00:17:24It's a style of play as well.
00:17:24Bring somebody in who's able to get the continental contacts, and that oversight, as a director
00:17:29of sport and director, director of football, whatever you want, I think he's the perfect
00:17:33person to implement something which is better than what you're currently seeing with
00:17:38with somebody who's able to go and recruit and have a contact base. It's more expansive.
00:17:43Well, can I throw a spanner on the works here?
00:17:45Yeah.
00:17:45Nobody knows that he's not being considered. Absolutely nobody knows.
00:17:49I'll eat my hat.
00:17:51Well, of course, we can all speculate, but nobody knows, because quite simply what happens
00:17:56is Dermot Desmond starts calling people, starts chatting to them, gets a feel for them, has
00:18:02his own favourites, and then he'll decide who it is. And of course, the other aspect of this,
00:18:07which we will discuss at some point, you could dedicate a whole programme to it and more,
00:18:13is the fact that he has to somehow come up with appointments that will appease the fans,
00:18:21that will try and build bridges in the summer. That's what's coming, regardless of what happens
00:18:24with Celtic's results. But John McGlynn, he may well be one of those candidates that people,
00:18:30somebody in a board meeting suggests, why don't you take a look at him? You can't rule it out,
00:18:35but I think, you know, when you consider where Celtic are going and who the early favourites
00:18:40are, you would suggest to yourself that maybe John McGlynn won't be the fashionable choice.
00:18:45If you're a Celtic fan out there, would you welcome John McGlynn as the appointment as Celtic
00:18:50manager? It's just one of those things.
00:18:52I'd say if he started wearing a beret and a cravat, he'd have a greater chance of getting
00:18:56the job.
00:18:57Yeah, well, maybe if he's...
00:18:58Paul Tidsdale, exactly.
00:18:59Maybe if his name was John McGlynn, he might be in with a shout. But nevertheless, he's
00:19:04got Ben Broggio and Philip Lisa, who are the only two lone players that they have in their
00:19:09line-up, which is great credit to him because he highlights the fact that so many of the
00:19:14players that have featured, nine of them in one of the games in the last couple of weeks
00:19:18for Falkirk are all Scots and they're all Falkirk's.
00:19:21They are and they've came through from League One and think of the bond between those players
00:19:25and the manager. I mean, it's unbreakable. You know, usually when you step up a league,
00:19:29you know, the manager goes, right, they've done me a turn in that league, don't know if
00:19:32they're ready for this league and they go and sign six or seven players and then they
00:19:35replace the ones that have come in. A lot of managers do that. He's well, he said,
00:19:39faith in the boys went, right, OK, we're stepping up a level, I'm going to keep the core
00:19:42of the team. And then they've stepped up again at the Premiership and it's still
00:19:45the same six, seven, eight, ten players that have got them from League One. So I just
00:19:50think that bond is unbreakable between the manager and the players. So, you know, you've
00:19:54got to give John and the players full credit for coming all the way through in the last
00:19:59two or three years, winning League One, winning the Championship and then top six in the Premiership.
00:20:03It must have happened to you loads of times that you're sitting in the dressing room and
00:20:06introduce another striker into the dressing room and you go into training ground and game
00:20:09situations and there's no communication, there's no understanding, you try to work out
00:20:14to each other. They've foregone that because of the way that he's recruited and embedded
00:20:20quickly and got them all buying into the one direction. Barney Stewart's a perfect example
00:20:25to come in. He came in, obviously, over the last year and a half, but he's been seamless
00:20:29because he's a certain type and that's Falkert's secret. Right types, working themselves to a
00:20:36manager's instruction and it's perfect and that's why Falkert are doing so well.
00:20:39Okay. Predictions?
00:20:42I hate to go against Lenny.
00:20:45I think Falkert, the size of the pitch, the size of the pitch, the way that they're able
00:20:51to go and change the angle of attack, a switch in place and they've got Barney Stewart that's
00:20:56scoring goals. Extra time, Falkert.
00:21:01I can't see anything other than a couple of goals in Falkert's favour. I think Falkert
00:21:05will win it.
00:21:05Yeah, I'm going to go for 3-2 to Falkert. I just think there's goals gone on in this game.
00:21:10I think when you look at Falkert last week against Rangers, could have scored 5 or 6, could
00:21:13have conceded 8 or 9. They were very, very open. I think Dunfermline are the second high
00:21:18scorers in the league as well. I think they've scored a lot of goals, so I think it's going
00:21:23to be an enjoyable game to watch for the neutral, 3-2 to Falkert.
00:21:26OK, so it looks as if it's a clean sweep. I'm sure Neil will be on our case for that.
00:21:32But there's a good one from Madiki who says, if St Myrland and Firling get to the final,
00:21:39who will be wearing their away strip? Because obviously it would clash, the two of them.
00:21:44I don't think they'll be at the forefront of their minds.
00:21:45Some people will get too much time on that.
00:21:47Absolutely, yes. I don't think anybody really cares. We've gone for Falkert. Who do you
00:21:51think is going to win that Scottish Cup semi-final? Give us your thoughts on that one.
00:21:56Over and above that, there's another semi-final on the Sunday. Celtic vs St Mirren.
00:22:02Martin O'Neill speaking to the press today says he's a realist and he can't allow himself
00:22:07to think too far ahead about the ultimate game to finish with Celtic again.
00:22:12There's a Scottish Cup final waving to everybody as they win the cup and he says,
00:22:17thank you and good night. Or does he?
00:22:21I think he's adopting an alternative Neil Lennon approach. I think he's playing things
00:22:25down. I think it's a bit disingenuous, right? Celtic should be able to go and beat St Mirren
00:22:30on Sunday. Celtic should be competing for the double, the treble, they should be. I think
00:22:36he's hedging his bets a wee bit and trying to give a kind of deflection. I don't think the dressing
00:22:42room
00:22:42message will be the same. I think he's just trying to give out a kind of less weighty
00:22:48kind of taking the pressure off a wee bit, easing things into this semi-final, which matters
00:22:54everything to Celtic fans.
00:22:56Yeah. Listen, the last time around, I mean, it was interesting listening to him today
00:23:01talking about how he said farewell at the semi-final, would love to have had the final,
00:23:06but obviously was witnessing Wilfred Nancy making a complete pig's ear of it. And now
00:23:12he's got the chance to come back there and have the ultimate farewell. I think as we discussed
00:23:17yesterday, Tam, and I think everybody would probably be in agreement with us, is that Martin
00:23:23O'Neill, no matter what happens, he will leave without his image tarnished in any capacity.
00:23:28I don't think there's any pressure at all, Martin O'Neill. I think all the pressure's on
00:23:32the board, I think, for the whole season, really. I think that Martin came in when Brendan
00:23:37Rogers left and got a tune out of a poor squad. Then he did Wilfred Nancy experiment, which
00:23:42was a disaster. He then answers the call again, comes back in, gets a tune out of the players
00:23:48and gets them back into the title race, gets them to a semi-final. So, yeah, I don't think
00:23:52there's any pressure on Martin. And I think that St Mern, obviously, in the last few weeks
00:23:56have certainly improved under Craig McLeish. And I think the league games have been one goal
00:24:01in them every game. And obviously they beat Celtic in the league cup final. So I think
00:24:04it's a really tight game again. I don't see Celtic steamroll on anyone at the minute.
00:24:08I think they're poor in the final third. And I think if you're St Mern, if you're Craig
00:24:11and Stuart Taylor, you're hatching a plan to try and sit in and frustrate Celtic because
00:24:17they've not got a lot of creativity and a lot of goals in their team. And I think that's
00:24:20what you'll see. St Mern sitting in and trying to hit Celtic on the break with the two powerful
00:24:25boys I've got up top.
00:24:26That would be a contrast to what they did in the previous game then. They didn't sit in in the
00:24:29previous game.
00:24:30No, they didn't. They had a goal. They had a goal. And certainly at Parkhead in the second
00:24:33half, they controlled the last parts of the game. So this is a real tough game for Celtic.
00:24:38St Mern have got a taste of success at Hampden. They've won. I think they beat Motherwell 4-1
00:24:43and then they beat Celtic 3-1. So they've scored seven goals in the last two visits to Hampden.
00:24:47So it'll be a tough game for Celtic.
00:24:48Tom, they've got to find a way to create chances because I was at Celtic Park on Saturday.
00:24:51And I have to say that they do have a lot of physical presence. And they were dominant for
00:24:55long spells in that second half. There's nothing to show for it. No attempts at goal to show for it.
00:24:59No real chances. They'll have to identify something. They need to take more of a responsibility creatively.
00:25:05And a Celtic, no Alistair Johnson. He's suffered a setback away with Canada that's ruled him
00:25:12out as possibly a return. When you look at that side, is he closer to what you would think
00:25:18would be a definitive that's going to carry him through these six crucial games, possibly
00:25:24seven if they get to a final?
00:25:25Yeah, I think their strongest line-up was evident on Saturday. It was. He's got everything
00:25:30there. Again, they're a well-coached team. They've come from the legacy of Stephen Robinson.
00:25:35And Craig's obviously done well to continue that. The only difference will be the goalkeeper.
00:25:40And Ryan Mullin came in after making his debut actually at Celtic Park, a former Celtic kid.
00:25:45He was high as a kite. High as a kite getting opportunity to go and play in front of a
00:25:49packed Celtic
00:25:49park. Looked assured. Looked as if he had confidence. I think St. Murr's biggest issue is belief.
00:25:58Do they believe, genuinely, they can go and win that game?
00:26:01I was on about Celtic, though. No Alistair Johnson.
00:26:04Right.
00:26:04Is that 11 picking itself?
00:26:06No.
00:26:07No?
00:26:08You have to find a guy that's going to put the ball in the back of the net.
00:26:10Donovan's out struggling as well, isn't he?
00:26:12Anthony Ralston's going.
00:26:13Listen, Ralston, you're getting what you're getting.
00:26:15Again, it's almost like it dams the recruitment process that they've got no other option.
00:26:22I don't think Donovan was a good option either. I don't think he's been enhancing the team.
00:26:27I think people forget. Celtic injury has been crippling their list. Alistair Johnson is one
00:26:31of them. But he's also been a leader. And taking that element out of the team and the attack
00:26:37and drive that he's got, you're taking an awful lot away. You're asking Anthony Ralston again
00:26:41to go and put his two fingers up against the doubters that are waiting for him to criticise
00:26:46him. Waiting to boo him. But he'll give you an honest shift again. But is honest shift
00:26:52going to be good enough?
00:26:53I think he's an easy target. I just have got no time for the people who absolutely slaughter
00:26:57him. Because if it was a situation where Anthony Ralston was rank rotten every week, he's actually,
00:27:03the thing he's suffering from is he's doing an honest job in a really poor team that's
00:27:09been asset stripped, derailed at every opportunity. And it's not his fault. He comes in and tries
00:27:15to do the best he can. And if somebody thinks that it's not the level that Celtic should
00:27:21be looking at, well, it's certainly not his fault in the right back position. The levels
00:27:25are everywhere else where the problems lie for me.
00:27:28Yeah, you're right. It's an easy target. Homegrown player comes through. I think he's a steady
00:27:33influence. A steady hand in the right back area. He never lets anyone down. But he's never
00:27:38going to, he's never going to be a top, top right back for himself. It's the same with
00:27:41scales.
00:27:42Damn, he's 25 caps to his name. I've got to admire that.
00:27:45Yeah.
00:27:45I mean, how many players crumble under criticism?
00:27:49No.
00:27:50And actually, the testament to his enduring quality might not be seen with his flamboyance
00:27:57on the ball and ability to go forward. You've got to pay tribute to a guy who's been steadfast
00:28:03in his own confidence.
00:28:04And he's always fit and available. It's one of the A-1's. You know, see Anthony Ralston
00:28:07for two months and then somebody gets injured and he comes in and plays nine months.
00:28:10Well, they spoke after the game about the extra sessions that he does so that he's not going
00:28:13to let anything down if the call comes. But I think it speaks volumes over how he's regarded
00:28:18as an option. The fact that Donovan can get a game ahead of him. I mean, he's effectively
00:28:21fourth choice and everybody's fit. To know that within yourself is a hard thing. And to also
00:28:27to go and deliver, honestly, and give you a shift when you know that you're not exactly
00:28:32at everyone's cup of tea. I've got to admire that.
00:28:35So it looks like he's got a dilemma there and with trusty as well. So suddenly you're saying
00:28:41to yourself, he's got some selections, some tweaks that he's going to have to come up with.
00:28:46Middle to front, is Arnott Engels starting?
00:28:49I think if he's fit enough, he comes into the team. I think he'll come into the team.
00:28:54I thought he'd come on. He looked decent last week when he came on. I think Celtic have
00:28:59missed him. He's another one who the Celtic fans have never really been convinced about
00:29:03and then Nottingham Forest wants to pay 25 million for him and then all of a sudden
00:29:07Celtic fans are going, well, we can't let him go.
00:29:09Who drops out then?
00:29:10Oxlade-Chamberlain for me.
00:29:12Yeah, I wouldn't.
00:29:13I think Oxlade-Chamberlain drops out.
00:29:15Big games. Scored his goal at the weekend.
00:29:18I think Celtic lack a bit of legs in there with him and McGregor.
00:29:21Is that not an easy cop-out though? If you sign him and you know what you're getting
00:29:25and you know what he brings to the side.
00:29:27I think he's more an impact player. Maybe 20 minutes, half an hour.
00:29:31How did he play for you in that first half?
00:29:33He looked a pedigree above for spells. The definite touch that he had, the vision that
00:29:39he did to release players. He has got a dexterity on the ball that very few people
00:29:45have got, certainly playing in the Premiership. I think he's confidence with Sergei getting
00:29:49the goal. I think you'll understand this is a showcase for him. I think you do play him.
00:29:56And I think Engels has to sit on the bench again and come on.
00:30:00And again, it just shows you how Tati came off the bench to come on to the game as well.
00:30:06It just shows you how calamitous this whole squad is because we haven't even got to the
00:30:12forward line yet where I think if Travanchara starts, I don't see what he offers.
00:30:17And I'm looking and I'm saying to myself, when does Martin eventually unleash Ayanacho and
00:30:22say, right, you're getting the final six, seven games?
00:30:25I had a conversation with somebody earlier on today and I said, regardless, Ayanacho has
00:30:29to start. He said, but he can't start. He's not got the 90 minutes. I went, forget it.
00:30:34We're now in a desperate state, right, for Celtic, where you need, you cannot go with the
00:30:40same. You can cut the nose off the Celtic forward line just now, there's nothing there.
00:30:44He's the only one who's able to hold the ball up, understands how to move within a penalty
00:30:49box, has a bit of lethality in his finishing. Even if he lasts 70 minutes.
00:30:55Get him in there.
00:30:57Agree, totally agree. I think you've got to play in a natural. You've got to start him.
00:31:00If you get 60 or 70 good minutes out of him, you might be the difference rather than coming
00:31:04on for 20 minutes. I don't think Travanchara's the answer and the rest of the Celtic forwards,
00:31:09not for me.
00:31:10Travanchara on Saturday, you could see, it was evident, the play broke down so often at him
00:31:17that the players stopped having faith and hit them. And it was not an option then.
00:31:20You see, once that happens and you're looking elsewhere, the whole function of the thing
00:31:24breaks down.
00:31:25Paul Beard says the Ox will start on Sunday, Tam. He's definitive on that.
00:31:30The Ox in the box.
00:31:31Yeah, well, and some people are critical of Anthony Ralston. And Jimbo, who clearly does
00:31:40not have a grasp on what good midfielders are all about, says we need to try to actually
00:31:45play a game without Kalmak. I don't get it. I just do not get it for some people who are
00:31:51critical. I don't know if it's, I don't know if it was a media-led thing or if it was
00:31:54fans
00:31:55who suddenly were talking about it or whatever. But right now, because I just, I think a
00:32:02midfield without him looks completely different.
00:32:05That was still the first name in the team.
00:32:07If you think back to Celtic semi-finals in the Scottish Cup against Aberdeen, against
00:32:12Hearts, in my mind's eye I've got Callum McGregor running the game. On all those occasions,
00:32:16taking responsibility. The one with the pivot, who drives the team forward. The logic behind
00:32:23being criticising Callum McGregor's baffles.
00:32:26Absolutely. I just don't get it. The problem that I have with Celtic and Martin O'Neill
00:32:32undoubtedly has it, is the supporting cast. It's the people that he's going to have to
00:32:36put in there that suddenly will get a grip of the midfield, will obviously give them
00:32:41the chance to win the game. And when you look up and you see another guy alone signing
00:32:46in Chavanchara, you look up and you think to yourself, well, you know, never mind one
00:32:50chance. If he's got two chances, you're not putting your money on him finishing them.
00:32:54That's why I think you should start agreeing with you.
00:32:56Peter, listen, Steve, when you saw Celtic in the first 15 minutes against St Mern, you
00:33:00thought they're going to score 4-5. When it never happened, when the chances were missed,
00:33:05the draining of the personality throughout that team, the personality drained alarmingly through
00:33:11that team. Nobody stepped up in the running back. The body language. And then you're looking
00:33:18towards the bench, and whenever any action went out and warmed up, you're thinking, must
00:33:21be now. But the problem is, if that's a broken team that does that, it's not got enough.
00:33:27As soon as the hard yards were required to come in and St Mern started asking questions,
00:33:32not enough of incidentally, but the personality was not there in that Celtic team.
00:33:35Jamal George, a doubt with an ankle injury, Ryan Mullen might end up in goal. Is that a blow?
00:33:40No, I thought he did very well. I thought he looked confident, his distribution was good,
00:33:46he made a good save within moments of coming on, playing against his old club. There was
00:33:52a fairytale there at Burnham.
00:33:53Okay, there you are.
00:33:56You're thinking of an article already.
00:33:58That's exactly what I was thinking. There's a back page lead. But nevertheless, we've got
00:34:06to call it. So it's Celtic against St Mirren on the Sunday. Tam, how do you see it going?
00:34:14Very, very narrow Celtic win. Wouldn't you be shocked if St Mirren won?
00:34:18Celtic don't score in the first 20-25 minutes, St Mirren won that. If they believe St Mirren
00:34:23will win that, because anybody who was inside Celtic Park on Saturday, and the St Mirren
00:34:28players will know this, Celtic shrunk. And if they shrink again at Hamden, in front of
00:34:33those fans knowing what's at stake, it's all there for St Mirren. As it was last Saturday,
00:34:37they've got to find a way. Who are you going for?
00:34:41Ask me after 25 minutes on Sunday.
00:34:4425 minutes, I'll be sipping champagne and not giving a flying hoot what you're doing,
00:34:49Parsi. Celtic should win that.
00:34:53Narrow like Tam says it's going to be tight, because they don't score goals. They need to
00:34:58find something. Just give us a scoreline rather than sitting in the roughy chair.
00:35:031-0 Celtic, right? And it will be another missed opportunity for St Mirren because they
00:35:08will not have been able to carve this defence open, which is crying out to be exploited.
00:35:12That 1-0 would be four 1-0s in the same season.
00:35:15Celtic season, isn't it?
00:35:17That's unheard of, isn't it?
00:35:18Okay, give us your thoughts on it. I just have the feeling that it could be Martin
00:35:23and Neil against John McGlynn, combined age of 187. But nevertheless, all the experience
00:35:29in the world. What's your thoughts on that?
00:35:31I was reading there, Aidan McGeady really touting himself for a coach's job. Is that something
00:35:37you think they would consider in the summer, Celtic?
00:35:41I think he's got a lot to offer. Obviously, he's played at a very, very high level.
00:35:45A bit of a divisive character, I would say, in terms of the football world.
00:35:49But, as I said, if he wants to go and do his badges, and I don't know if he's done
00:35:53them yet,
00:35:54I'm sure there's a role for someone like him who has attacking, you know, nows.
00:36:01Maybe it's at Celtic, maybe it's somewhere else. But, yeah, I think Aidan's got a lot to it,
00:36:04a lot of experience and a lot of know-how worked under a lot of good managers, played at the
00:36:08highest level.
00:36:09I think it would be a waste to kind of waste that.
00:36:12Yeah, he's a kind of a marmite situation. One minute you can really like him,
00:36:17and then one minute he just turns you the opposite way.
00:36:23By the way, I, you know, listen, I play six of sides and he's there and he's absolutely sensational.
00:36:30I think as a coach, you know, as life goes on and you get through your period of learning,
00:36:36of, you know, just understanding what it takes and how to become part of a team, I think he's got
00:36:42a lot to offer.
00:36:43He's got a lot to learn as well, Peter, then.
00:36:45Well, that's the problem with him. You know, there are times when I think he's really good company,
00:36:50good to listen to, got some great ideas. And then there are times when you just, you know, it's like...
00:36:56Peter, see the best coaches, and Cam will know that's better than Andy. They're givers.
00:37:00They're selfless in their approach to try and make other players better.
00:37:03And that's a fundamental ingredient of a good coach. You coach.
00:37:06You're trying to impart something in other players to make them better.
00:37:10It's no longer about you. It's about you trying to go spend time, energy,
00:37:15and try and light sparks within a player and try and get them to do things and bring the best
00:37:19out of them.
00:37:20Well, maybe Aidan.
00:37:21Do I think Aidan fits that profile? I don't. I don't know him that well.
00:37:26But certainly, you're right. You don't earn the reputation that maybe unfairly or fairly has earned.
00:37:33But there's a degree of selfishness within his make-up.
00:37:36And that's not a good coach make, in my opinion.
00:37:39But he could prove everyone wrong.
00:37:40But he has to go and do it at a different level.
00:37:42He went to Aidan coached. I don't think he set the heaven fire there, did he?
00:37:45Well, listen, we don't know what his overall strength will be if Celtic do indeed bite.
00:37:52He's certainly touting himself for it.
00:37:53But I think he's got a lot to offer.
00:37:55Whether it's at Celtic or not is another matter.
00:37:58Over and above that, I think they've got bigger things to worry themselves about.
00:38:02One is the semi-final, which we think they'll just get.
00:38:05And the other one is that they've still got to, you know, as they tread this thin ice of,
00:38:14eventually, where I think the avalanche of anger and protest is only a game away, Tam.
00:38:20I think there is a role for Martin O'Neill, never mind Aidan McGeady.
00:38:25I think for Martin O'Neill they will somehow, in the summer, come up with him as the chairman or
00:38:30sporting director or something
00:38:33to try and build bridges and avoid what I think will be an absolute tsunami of real unrest coming Celtic's
00:38:41way.
00:38:42Yeah, I think there has to be a role for Martin O'Neill, you know, in some sort of aspect
00:38:46at Celtic,
00:38:47whether that's manager, people will think, no, he's too old.
00:38:50Whether that's in the boardroom, whether that's a director of football type role.
00:38:54There's got to be a role for Martin O'Neill because you're right, to a man, woman and child,
00:38:58he's respected at Celtic Football Club.
00:39:00And I think that's missing in the higher echelons at the minute at Celtic.
00:39:03So, yeah, I think there has got to be a role for Martin in the summer.
00:39:07Because he's one of those guys that brings people together.
00:39:10I think he had a big part to play in the Green Brigade, for example, coming back.
00:39:14I think he kind of mended bridges and tried to get them together and I think he was a part
00:39:18of that.
00:39:18So, I think he's someone at Celtic that the fans respect and the fans would like to see involved at
00:39:24Celtic going forward in the next couple of seasons.
00:39:27Okay, just one little caveat to this whole thing.
00:39:30We've picked Celtic and Falkirk, but can you imagine it with Celtic and then Fairmont?
00:39:35I mean, if it was St Mirren are in there, all hell lets loose.
00:39:40But there's a great back page lead if you're a journalist on, you know, as Tam put it beautifully yesterday,
00:39:47the master and the apprentice, which is Neil Lennon walking out there with Dunfermline against Martin O'Neill.
00:39:52That, I think, would be an absolute humdinger of a story.
00:39:55It would be beautiful.
00:39:56And for that reason alone, I would hope that to heart.
00:39:59That would be fantastic.
00:40:00What a story that would be.
00:40:01It would be great.
00:40:02What an afternoon for sets of fans again.
00:40:06St Mirren had their moment.
00:40:10So you can sacrifice them for that kind of...
00:40:13It would be beautiful.
00:40:14I think it would be great.
00:40:15And I think it's not going to happen, but the headlines are going to be made.
00:40:18Yeah.
00:40:19Okay.
00:40:20Give us your thoughts on that as well.
00:40:23That's the two semi-finals.
00:40:24We've picked our winners and losers on it.
00:40:26What do you make of it all?
00:40:27By the way, the PFA Player of the Year Awards, fast approaching.
00:40:31It's a great night out.
00:40:33It's one of those ones where you get a chance to see the cream of every division.
00:40:38The latest release on the Championship Team of the Year.
00:40:42What do you make of it?
00:40:42It's only three teams.
00:40:44And by the way, the players vote for this.
00:40:46There's nobody else.
00:40:47There's no panel.
00:40:47There's no journalists involved.
00:40:49There's nothing that's other than players voting for who they think are the best players.
00:40:55And there's only three teams.
00:40:56St Johnston, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline.
00:40:58You know, absolutely fill it.
00:41:00And you've got Toby Stewart in goal.
00:41:03Defenders Ben McPherson of Partick Thistle.
00:41:06Jeremiah Mullen of Dunfermline.
00:41:08Cheek Diapati of St Johnston.
00:41:10Robbie Fraser, Dunfermline.
00:41:12Then you've got Ben Stanway at Partick Thistle.
00:41:14Reece McAleer at St Johnston.
00:41:16Jason Holter at St Johnston.
00:41:18Jamie Gullen at St Johnston.
00:41:19Alex Samuel, Partick Thistle.
00:41:21And Josh McPake at St Johnston, who will be hearts bound in the summer.
00:41:25I love the Josh McPake story.
00:41:27He should almost be a Falkirk player, shouldn't he?
00:41:30That rehabilitation.
00:41:31I remember watching him play my Unscotting Under 21s at Dunbarton.
00:41:35And I spoke to Scott Gemmell after it and it was just a kid lost his way.
00:41:38Just completely, I think, Rangers was too much for him at the time.
00:41:41The headlines that he got and I think he'd be the first to admit.
00:41:45Went to England, lost his way.
00:41:46He seemed as if he was doing a Calvin Miller.
00:41:48During a phase where he just went into the wilderness and didn't look anything like the player.
00:41:53That burst onto the scene as an 18, 19 old kid at Ibrox.
00:41:57Having watched him again in the flesh, the penny's dropped.
00:42:01Sometimes it takes the penny to drop for you to fall low
00:42:04before you actually realise what's actually there and what you could lose.
00:42:07And I love the fact he's got your hearts.
00:42:09He's a hearts player.
00:42:09Because he's got something there that hearts are good at.
00:42:13Bringing wide players into the game.
00:42:15Josh has scored some critical, important late goals.
00:42:18I think Josh has been the guy in the Championship.
00:42:21And I think he deserves his move.
00:42:23I think when you look at him as well, Peter,
00:42:24it reminds me a bit of Paul Hartley.
00:42:26You know, Paul Hartley came through and kind of lost his way.
00:42:29Went to St Johnstone.
00:42:30And then went to Hearts.
00:42:31That's true.
00:42:32And then went to Celtic.
00:42:33So who's to say that Josh McPake doesn't go somewhere bigger than Hearts?
00:42:37Goes to Hearts, lights it up and then goes to the very, very top clubs.
00:42:41So we just have to wait and see.
00:42:42But I'm glad that he's not wasted his potential.
00:42:46Isn't it amazing how sometimes you can get a manager who spots a player and, you know,
00:42:53and then reinvents him.
00:42:55Paul Hartley was a winger.
00:42:56Mm-hmm.
00:42:57And I think Billy Stark is in Johnson.
00:42:59Played the middle of the park.
00:42:59Played the middle of the park.
00:43:00And therein, you know, suddenly you've got a number 10.
00:43:03Mm-hmm.
00:43:04And one of the ones that I love looking back and listening to was Harry Redknapp,
00:43:09who basically turned around and said to his assistant,
00:43:12I'm playing Modric in the middle.
00:43:14And he went, he'll get absolutely battered in there.
00:43:17And within one game, you know, suddenly one of your ultimate number 10s is born.
00:43:24I remember playing with a guy called Grant Johnson.
00:43:26And Grant Johnson was at Dundee United and Jim McLean.
00:43:30Used him as a right-sided player.
00:43:33And eventually just told him to sit in the centre of the park,
00:43:36win the ball and pass it.
00:43:37Grant was a good passer of the ball.
00:43:40He's gone from a guy that's about to get released to a guy that played in the first team
00:43:44and get a move to Luton Town.
00:43:46That's all about a manager.
00:43:48A sliding door moment.
00:43:49Identifying something different and changing the trajectory of his career.
00:43:53Modric, obviously, one of the greatest players ever.
00:43:56Yeah.
00:43:56But Rio Ferdinand plays a centre midfielder under Harry Redknapp at West Ham.
00:44:01I'll give you another man that you might not believe who was ripping it up in,
00:44:06I'm not sure if it was the juniors, but eventually when he turned pro,
00:44:10he was actually a striker, was Willie Miller.
00:44:14Ended up at the back.
00:44:16It's true.
00:44:17Phenomenal.
00:44:18Do you know what youth club he played for?
00:44:20Go on.
00:44:20Easter Criggs.
00:44:21Is that right?
00:44:22Became the honorary president and played as a striker.
00:44:24And really, it's amazing, you know, being a West of Scotland boy,
00:44:28suddenly he really adopted that seizure mentality when he went to Aberdeen, didn't he?
00:44:32Do you know how many teams Easter Criggs have got now?
00:44:35Go on.
00:44:36None.
00:44:37They were always a team.
00:44:39I was with them for seven years and so many more progressed.
00:44:45Senior careers.
00:44:46So if you cut off the head of the talent base, it doesn't arrive anymore, does it?
00:44:49Yeah, absolutely.
00:44:51Okay.
00:44:52Give us your thoughts on all of that.
00:44:54Are there any players that you can think of?
00:44:56Can you guys think of any?
00:44:57Paul Hegarty.
00:44:59Centre forward?
00:44:59Yeah.
00:45:00Yeah.
00:45:00I'll give you another one.
00:45:02Tom McCarrum.
00:45:03He was a second half and they moved him up front.
00:45:06Right.
00:45:06And then he became one of the all-time top goal scorers for Celtic.
00:45:10That's a good question.
00:45:10Here's one for you.
00:45:11Here's one for you.
00:45:12Celtic.
00:45:13Didier Agath.
00:45:14I play with Didier Agath when they ran a walk at Hibbs.
00:45:17He only signed a three-month contract as a striker.
00:45:20As a striker?
00:45:20Celtic.
00:45:21He scored two goals against Dundee and then I think Dundee United and then went to Celtic
00:45:25and Martin O'Neill put him right wing back.
00:45:27Yeah.
00:45:28There are some people who are actually really, really good and they could play anywhere.
00:45:32It doesn't take a manager to work out.
00:45:33I think one of my favourites obviously since I worked with him that long was Derrick.
00:45:38Derrick Johnson.
00:45:38Good play centre, half midfield and striker.
00:45:41Sandy Jabin actually started off in the middle and then he goes to full-back and he was one
00:45:49of the best at full-backs.
00:45:50Do you not find it's funny how players always, like you play midfield right?
00:45:54You're just a midfield player.
00:45:56You're just a striker, Tam.
00:45:57You're not a full-back centre-half.
00:45:58You're a striker.
00:46:00Right backs look like right backs.
00:46:01Centre-halves look like centre-half.
00:46:03Strikers do look like strikers.
00:46:05But if you play in Holland, you play at every position as a young kid.
00:46:08You rotate throughout the whole thing and you learn the game.
00:46:11We've long since given up that approach.
00:46:12Well, I was going to concentrate you there because right backs sometimes can play left
00:46:17back and be just as good.
00:46:18But I give you Danny McGrane.
00:46:20But over and above that, did you never fancy just dropping off into the midfield, Tam?
00:46:26I predominantly played when I was at Hibs as a right midfielder in the 4-4-2 and I hated
00:46:32it because I had to do a lot of work that way.
00:46:34I thought it was a shift and I preferred playing as a striker.
00:46:37And Bobby Wilkinson.
00:46:39Listen, we had some very, very talented strikers.
00:46:41You know, Ryard in the corner.
00:46:43You know, Stephen Doby.
00:46:45Guys like that.
00:46:45And I kind of get shifted out to the right and I hated the right-hand side.
00:46:48But I've always preferred playing as a striker.
00:46:51But I feel as a striker, there's not as much running as I was as a wide player.
00:46:56I played to a guy with one of my best pals at school, Kevin McGoldrick.
00:47:00Kevin McGoldrick had a sweet left foot, good athlete.
00:47:03And he got played down the left side his entire career.
00:47:05Left back, left wing back, left winger.
00:47:08He was a centre midfield player.
00:47:10Yeah.
00:47:10But he basically wound his whole career because he was pigeonholed into the one position.
00:47:15Big John says here, well he says, John says Big John Hughes, the younger version,
00:47:20was originally a striker.
00:47:22Aye, Big Yogi.
00:47:23Yogi, yep.
00:47:23Started off his career, I think, at full cup.
00:47:28And I think he started in the green star.
00:47:30I think he was in the juniors and then went to full cup as a striker, aye.
00:47:33And I can't imagine Big Yogi's a striker.
00:47:36No, I certainly wouldn't like to play against him.
00:47:40Anyway, that's the Scottish Cup semi-final weekend.
00:47:43Please give us your thoughts on who you think is going to win.
00:47:46Right across social media on PLZ you'll be able to cover,
00:47:49you'll be able to keep up to date with what's happening in that game and elsewhere.
00:47:53If you download the app you'll get all the breaking news at your fingertips as well.
00:47:58A couple of things I want to draw your attention to.
00:48:00I saw the best game in Europe that I've seen in many a year.
00:48:04Barcelona, not Barcelona, Bayern Munich against Real Madrid.
00:48:07What a game.
00:48:07Loved it. Loved it.
00:48:09And do you know there wasn't a lot of centre-halves passing to full-back,
00:48:14to full-back to centre-half, to centre-half to full-full-back.
00:48:16Well, if you had gone back to the Arsenal game against Sporting,
00:48:19you might have seen Arsenal do that.
00:48:21There wasn't a chance I was ever going to flick over.
00:48:23But see if you want a great example of how you see one modern, effective style of play
00:48:29with entertainment and then you flick the channel and you see what's not selling
00:48:33and what is predominantly English League football now.
00:48:36It was a brilliant game.
00:48:37It was emphasis on attack at all times.
00:48:41I think the red card was shocking.
00:48:46The referee didn't realise he'd already booked them.
00:48:49Is that what you think?
00:48:50Aye.
00:48:51He gave him a yellow initially and then he gave him another red.
00:48:54I thought he just didn't realise he'd booked them
00:48:56and then he thought he had to send them off.
00:48:58It was ridiculous.
00:48:59Yeah.
00:48:59The one thing about it was a joy.
00:49:02It's not that it restores your faith in football.
00:49:04It enhances the image that you have of how you like to see the game being played
00:49:09and you know that there's still a platform where you can see that.
00:49:13And Bayern Munich for me, I just hope they win it.
00:49:15I love Harry Kane.
00:49:16His performance even in that game.
00:49:18His use of the ball, the way he uses his body, his goal threat, his touch.
00:49:23The best striker he's back to go in the world at the moment,
00:49:27which gives England a chance.
00:49:28Yeah, absolutely.
00:49:29I've tipped him to win it.
00:49:30Oh dear.
00:49:31Yeah.
00:49:31I'll get that then.
00:49:33I know.
00:49:33Always.
00:49:34Arsenal, is this the week where it all comes crashing down at the Etihad?
00:49:42Yes.
00:49:43I always thought Manchester City would come on a horse and they have done.
00:49:46They're always too good not to.
00:49:48And I think that again, you see the Man City fans with the bottles out.
00:49:52And I think it's relevant.
00:49:53I think there's a bottle crash element here and it will be again showing itself at the weekend.
00:49:58Does he get the sack after that?
00:49:59People say that.
00:50:00No, you don't sack a manager that's...
00:50:03Consistently failed.
00:50:04Consistently failed, but still a young manager, right?
00:50:06Yeah.
00:50:08And coming up against a team, a Man City team, a Liverpool team that are no longer the force
00:50:13of the word, but it's keeping them in the hunt.
00:50:18Yeah.
00:50:18What do you do if you sack a manager that's...
00:50:21He's had a good go at parts of the stuff.
00:50:22I think he's gone.
00:50:23I think he's gone in the summer if he won the league.
00:50:25Do you?
00:50:26I think they've spent a fortune in the summer.
00:50:27How is it harsh?
00:50:29He's had some run at this, by the way.
00:50:31It's not as if he's...
00:50:31There were a fair amount of points clear as well at one point.
00:50:35It's not as if he's just in the door, Tom.
00:50:36I think the pressure's all on Arsenal.
00:50:37They've partied both cups in recent weeks as well.
00:50:39There was a chance of them winning everything.
00:50:41Cam, if you're sitting in that dressing room as an Arsenal player, you're biting your
00:50:43nails.
00:50:44You know that your two things have gone.
00:50:47And you know the consequences.
00:50:49And you're also thinking about the manager.
00:50:51He's out the door as well.
00:50:52But I think it's harsh.
00:50:54Yeah.
00:50:54Merger side derby.
00:50:57Fancy Everton.
00:50:58Oh, that's going to be a cracker.
00:50:59Fancy Everton.
00:50:59Loverpooler.
00:51:01Do you think Slott will get sacked in the summer?
00:51:03Eh?
00:51:04Do you think Slott will get sacked in the summer?
00:51:05Yes.
00:51:05I think he'll get bulleted.
00:51:07So they are.
00:51:07I actually think he's been really lucky because I know it sounds really harsh to say
00:51:11it, but I have to say there are mitigating circumstances because the loss of Diego Jota is massive.
00:51:21Massive.
00:51:22To lose someone who still had a predominant place in that team and was such a character
00:51:28that was loved.
00:51:28I think that affects people.
00:51:30But I do think he's benefited from inheriting Klopp's side.
00:51:35And I don't think he's got anything out of them.
00:51:38And in fact, if anything, Salah's departure has gone against Andy Robertson getting an extended
00:51:45deal because the Fenway group will not give 32-year-olds a new contract.
00:51:49Right.
00:51:50And I think, you know, there's been lots of decisions that they've made holding out for
00:51:56Izak for so long as well.
00:51:58They've made a lot of poor decisions.
00:52:01And their back line's been chopping and changing.
00:52:04Kerkes.
00:52:05And it doesn't work.
00:52:06I think they've lost the essence of the team that won the Champions League.
00:52:09I think it's a big weekend for Everton, you know.
00:52:11It's absolutely fantastic.
00:52:13I might have a starter then the main course and hold on for the sweet cut.
00:52:20It's a game I'm really looking forward to.
00:52:22Can't wait to watch Everton against Liverpool as well.
00:52:27Who's here winning it?
00:52:29Just because you're there, Peter.
00:52:30Right.
00:52:30And you're getting wind and dined.
00:52:32And your pals, Davey Moyes.
00:52:34Davey Moyes has been, again, a John McGlynn-esque kind of unfashionable.
00:52:41Clubs don't know what they've got until he's gone.
00:52:43Yeah.
00:52:44You're talking, of course, about West Ham, aren't you?
00:52:47Am I?
00:52:48You know what I mean?
00:52:48They'll never see a European top now.
00:52:50No, they'll never.
00:52:50Crazy.
00:52:52Incredible.
00:52:52Who are you going for?
00:52:53Liverpool.
00:52:54Everton.
00:52:55Yeah.
00:52:55I think Everton.
00:52:56Everton Man City.
00:52:57Two homes.
00:52:58Yeah.
00:52:59Okay.
00:52:59Who's the Champions League final going to be?
00:53:03Hopefully not Arsenal.
00:53:05Athletico versus...
00:53:06Oh, that's the other one.
00:53:07It's a hard one to call.
00:53:08PSG Bayern.
00:53:08That's a coin toss.
00:53:09Yeah.
00:53:10I'll go Bayern.
00:53:11Yeah.
00:53:11Bayern Athletico.
00:53:12Hopefully Bayern win it.
00:53:13And if Arsenal don't make it to the Champions League final, it gives you an indication of how much money
00:53:18has been spent by all those English clubs who are in the Champions League, who are now out of the
00:53:24Champions League and can't get to a final.
00:53:26It's a sad indictment on the wastage of money in that league and the fact that...
00:53:32I say it often, right?
00:53:33The two standout teams in Europe are Bayern Munich and PSG because they play the game with a forward motion
00:53:40and they cut out these stupid safe nowhere passes.
00:53:45Everything's got a purpose.
00:53:46Everything's got a purpose.
00:53:46And they go and they attack you and they go for your throat.
00:53:49Going for your throat football is the way forward.
00:53:52And that's why this is a crime of a semi-final because you're going to have to eliminate one of
00:53:55them.
00:53:56And it would be a great final.
00:53:57What are you laughing at?
00:53:57I'm laughing because, Tam, every now and then...
00:54:00Have you read it?
00:54:01Have you seen it?
00:54:03Every now and then, Tam and I read the feed of people who sometimes...
00:54:07We don't mind people having a go at us, right?
00:54:09Yeah.
00:54:09We don't mind them leathering us as long as they're not abusive.
00:54:11Have you seen it?
00:54:12Which is absolutely fantastic.
00:54:13Can I ask who that is getting it?
00:54:14It's Paul Baird.
00:54:15It's me that's getting it.
00:54:17That's okay, Paul.
00:54:18I've got to read it out, Paul, because it's absolutely vintage from you.
00:54:21Pretty spot on, by the way.
00:54:22Do you?
00:54:22Proper, proper royalist here, unionist.
00:54:26Paul Baird says,
00:54:27Peter tips hearts and England.
00:54:29That tells us all we need to know about him, really.
00:54:34No arguments there, Tam, is it?
00:54:36I have to.
00:54:37I have to.
00:54:38That's one of the best ones I've heard.
00:54:40Paul, you've made my day and my weekend with that line.
00:54:43It's a really good baseball bat and I quite like the fact that you've said that
00:54:47because they have tipped England to win the World Cup
00:54:49because I think they've got all...
00:54:50I think for the first time they've got all the elements.
00:54:53As long as...
00:54:53If Harry Kane, God forbid, broke his leg tomorrow, they wouldn't win it at all.
00:54:58They'd be lucky to get out of the group.
00:55:00But he is phenomenal.
00:55:02Gives them hope.
00:55:03Gives them hope.
00:55:03Gives them everything that we're talking about.
00:55:05Just out of curiosity, Aston Villa will play Norringham Forest
00:55:09and Crystal Palace are still in the Conference League as well.
00:55:12So at least they'll have a couple of chances to get into the finals there as well as Arsenal.
00:55:17Yeah, I watched the Northern Forest game last night in spells against a good Porto team.
00:55:21But again, that red card, another dubious decision, cost Porto.
00:55:26Aston Villa, I think, you've just said that.
00:55:29Yeah.
00:55:29Yes.
00:55:30Okay.
00:55:32Well, listen, give us your thoughts on it all.
00:55:34We all want to hear what you've got to say.
00:55:36Download the PLZ Soccer app.
00:55:37You'll get all that breaking news at your fingertips.
00:55:39There's lots of content and lots of things that are going to feature,
00:55:43not only this season all the way through to the end,
00:55:45but we've got some fabulous things in line at PLZ Soccer that I hope you'll enjoy.
00:55:50So make sure you hit that subscribe button on our YouTube channel
00:55:54and come and join the PLZ family.
00:55:55As far as the quiz is concerned, Ron Saunders was in charge of Aston Villa.
00:56:00That's what I thought.
00:56:00Ron Saunders.
00:56:01That was my guess.
00:56:03Well, no, it's not Ron Saunders.
00:56:04Three months before it, eventually, it was Tony Barton who took over.
00:56:09Tony Barton, whoever he was.
00:56:11Exactly.
00:56:11And by the way, you know, it's such a great quiz question
00:56:16because so many people forget they associate Aston Villa with Ron Saunders
00:56:21and then it was Tony Barton who took over three months prior to it
00:56:25and led them to the European Cup final where they defeated Bayern Munich.
00:56:32Bayern Munich.
00:56:33And, I mean, the funny thing is, I know that I can see that vacant look in your face,
00:56:39but, Tam, when you're growing up, and I don't know if you're like this yourself,
00:56:41but for a period when you're growing up and if you're right into it
00:56:45and you collect Panini sticker albums and you know the teams
00:56:48and you're totally immersed, I loved English football,
00:56:51you know exactly everything about that era from about easily 70,
00:56:58I think from 1970 onwards.
00:57:02You know, I could rhyme off FA Cup winners,
00:57:04I can rhyme off Champions League winners, European Cup winners,
00:57:07you know, and you automatically think Tony Morley crossing it over,
00:57:10Peter Wythe scores the goal, Aston Villa win the cup.
00:57:12You know, in Liverpool, Norringham Forest and Aston Villa
00:57:16was a period where English football was absolutely dominating
00:57:20and they were dominating because, as we all know,
00:57:23they had Scots on their team and they had wingers
00:57:25and they had good goal scorers, but wingers was the key to it all
00:57:28and football hasn't moved on or changed from that, Tam.
00:57:30It has if you watched the English Championship.
00:57:33It has.
00:57:34The Premiership, you mean?
00:57:35Both.
00:57:36Both, yeah.
00:57:37It was a joy, it was an absolute joy.
00:57:39That's why I like Lamine Jamal.
00:57:41I think he could save football.
00:57:44If you play a pragmatic pass to the side from midfield,
00:57:50defenders passing the buck back to the full back,
00:57:53you will not get anywhere close if you aspire to be Barcelona, PSG, Bayern Munich
00:57:59because they now go for your jugular.
00:58:01And you're seeing it in the big nights in Europe.
00:58:03Well, I like, Tam's got to say that he's talking about Lamine Jamal.
00:58:07You only have to watch, is it Carichvela and Vitinha at Paris Saint-Germain?
00:58:12Brilliant.
00:58:12Absolutely a joy to watch.
00:58:13And by the way, the best of them all in European football this season,
00:58:17I think he wears number 21, Olysses, for Bayern Munich.
00:58:20It is an absolute joy.
00:58:21I mean, he had me out of my seat the other night there
00:58:23when he curled that into the roof of the net.
00:58:25It was fantastic.
00:58:26That's what we want, we want wingers.
00:58:29Thank you very much to so many of you who have commented
00:58:34on all the things we've been talking about.
00:58:36I hope you enjoyed the show today.
00:58:38As ever with Parsi, you always get a good line, a good noise up.
00:58:41Tam gets excited when he sees Parsi in because he knows that there's...
00:58:45A legend.
00:58:45A legend.
00:58:46Do you know what it's like?
00:58:47It's actually, and I think I'm painting the picture wonderfully here, Tam,
00:58:50it's like Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito sitting next to Jack Nicholson
00:58:56in One Play Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
00:58:57I didn't see that vacant stare you were talking about.
00:58:59He doesn't know who Christopher Lloyd is.
00:59:00I thought he was going to say Arnold Schwarzenegger.
00:59:01No, no, no.
00:59:02If you watch One Play Over the Cuckoo's Nest,
00:59:04there is Jack Nicholson on the left-hand side.
00:59:07When you come into the studio, you know you're going to get lunacy,
00:59:11bordering on madness.
00:59:12He's got a strong opinion, the man.
00:59:13But an absolute joy.
00:59:14I like it, I respect it.
00:59:15Tam, see if you're giving a platform to have an opinion.
00:59:17Have one.
00:59:17Yeah, thank you.
00:59:18Thank you for me giving you that platform.
00:59:21He can just get his hair done and it's looking dangerous, isn't it?
00:59:23Are you coming into the night?
00:59:24Yeah, look at your hair cut.
00:59:26Kneeing you out together, it would be pandemonium.
00:59:29Yes, absolutely.
00:59:30Moving on.
00:59:31Still, we'll talk about, on another PLZ soccer show,
00:59:35Gangs With No Morals.
00:59:36That's another show at midnight.
00:59:38You two in a night out would be absolutely mad, by the way.
00:59:41It would be a good laugh.
00:59:42Yeah, it would be a good laugh.
00:59:43I'd really love it myself.
00:59:45Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the show.
00:59:47Football, 99.9% of it.
00:59:50Don't forget, PLZ soccer over the weekend on our social media.
00:59:55We'll keep you right up to date with what's happening.
00:59:56Daniel McLeod, our reporter, will be there for the two semifinals.
01:00:00And on Monday, Ruffy's still not back, still on holiday, Tam.
01:00:05Still me, you and Alec Ray holding the boat together.
01:00:08Join us, if you can, 4 o'clock live on Monday from Parsi,
01:00:12from Tam McManus and myself, Peter Martin.
01:00:14Thank you for listening and watching.