Barry Ferguson

[1864roverite]

looks like he played the 90 minutes okay in the game.

[Radagast]

Barry Ferguson STARTS for Scotland today the quoted post edited by Paul

Ever considered stand-up? With acerbic wit like that I'm sure you'd make the big time.

Edited October 15, 2004 by Paul

[McClarky]

I can report that Barry played the full game tonight and played allright. Typical performance really, he played a few nice passes and looked quite good but didn't do quite enough.

On saying that he stood out in that team.

[herbergeehh]

Anyone heard anything about his injury ?

[LeChuck]

Barry apologises to Scotland fans

Good lad, if I saw 1800 Scots I'd probably be tempted to swear them too.

[John]

Ferguson must be sick at the moment with losing football matches. Hopefully playing for Blackburn can put a smile back on his face because the amount of cr*p he going through with the Scotland team must be taking it out of him. Not just trying to carry the team but all the off the pitch nonsense which must be having an effect on him.

[T4E]

The sooner Vogts gets the bullet the better for all concerned. Although Scotland are hardly flush with talent at the moment, they are nowhere near as short of it as a 1-1 draw with Moldova would suggest.

The likes of Ferguson, Fletcher, Dickov and McFadden deserve much better. Vogts squad selections are indicative of his lack of nouse - I believe he has used somewhere in the region of 60 players in his 2 and a half years in charge. Someone like Strachan would be ideal, and I think the SFA are thinking along the same lines.

[grizfoot]

As long as he doesn't start swearing at us

[John]

I think Vogts should go but a new manager would still have the same problems.

Problem is that players like Fletcher, Naysmith and McFadden dont play regularly for their clubs. Dickov works his heart out for Scotland but as we have seen at Blackburn he lacks real quality in his finishing. Last night you could see Ferguson trying to lift the team, he played well first half. But he needs more quality around him or the game just passes him by.

Edited October 14, 2004 by John

[greggyk]

Barry Ferguson STARTS for Sotland today the quoted post edited by Paul

Ever considered stand-up? With acerbic wit like that I'm sure you'd make the big time.

No i have not considered it.

But I everything i said it that post was true, wasnt it.

Unless you consider getting a point to Moldova a good one

Edited October 15, 2004 by Paul

[The Producer]

Vogts squad selections are indicative of his lack of nouse - I believe he has used somewhere in the region of 60 players in his 2 and a half years in charge.

You might be right, but have to say that if I'd inherited the squad he did, I'd also be trying out every player in Scotland in the hope of unearthing new talent...

[rover6]

Fletcher...deserves much better.

If Fletcher played for us, don't you think he'd just be considered a very ordinary player.

Because imo, that is what he is. Lacks pace, isn't the strongest of tacklers and is hardly a goal threat.

[Radagast]

Barry Ferguson STARTS for shitland today

Ever considered stand-up? With acerbic wit like that I'm sure you'd make the big time.

No i have not considered it.

But I everything i said it that post was true, wasnt it.

Unless you consider getting a point to Moldova a good one

Well no, because there is no such country as 'shitland' you irritating little clown.

Hopefuly you saw my assertion of you before den deleted it. Incidentally, why isn't 'shitland' worthy of deletion?

[herbergeehh]

Fletcher...deserves much better.

If Fletcher played for us, don't you think he'd just be considered a very ordinary player.

Because imo, that is what he is. Lacks pace, isn't the strongest of tacklers and is hardly a goal threat.

Agree with 6, Fletcher isn't special at all.

The new Beckham my ass..

He'll might become what Souey used to call "a proper player" in the future for all I know, but at the present he's far from it - from what I have seen.

Makes wrong choices, tries to play on abilities he just does not have. Look to Dickov, Darren, he knows what he's capable of and what he's not capable of.

The only two quality players is IMO Barry Ferguson and James McFadden. Haven't seen the youngsters much, like Pearson, but from the XI that played against Norway, they were the only positives.

Well, obviously Dickov is a threat to every team, but that's just because he's such a hardworking player.

EDIT: Naysmith is also a fairly good player, forgot about him..

Edited October 14, 2004 by herbergeehh

[McClarky]

I hate to say it but I can see a lot of similarities between Scotland and Rovers at the moment. Both give away too many soft goals and create bugger all at the other end. Both also have several hard working but not quite good enough strikers.

And yes, both have a decent central midfield player who plays well but doesn't quite manage to grab a game by the scruff of the neck like he should do.

At least we've got a decent goalie.

[Shevchenko]

What I can't understand is why Robbie Winters isn't getting picked. Maybe Berti should actually come to Bergen to check him out for himself.

Amatures my ar*e...

Winters for Scotland~

[T4E]

Fletcher...deserves much better.

If Fletcher played for us, don't you think he'd just be considered a very ordinary player.

Because imo, that is what he is. Lacks pace, isn't the strongest of tacklers and is hardly a goal threat.

Agree with 6, Fletcher isn't special at all.

The new Beckham my ass..

He'll might become what Souey used to call "a proper player" in the future for all I know, but at the present he's far from it - from what I have seen.

Makes wrong choices, tries to play on abilities he just does not have. Look to Dickov, Darren, he knows what he's capable of and what he's not capable of.

The only two quality players is IMO Barry Ferguson and James McFadden. Haven't seen the youngsters much, like Pearson, but from the XI that played against Norway, they were the only positives.

Well, obviously Dickov is a threat to every team, but that's just because he's such a hardworking player.

EDIT: Naysmith is also a fairly good player, forgot about him..

I do think Fletcher is very talented, his performances for Scotland vs Lithuania and Holland last year certainly confirmed it. He also has Champions League experience, albeit limited, credentials that are like rocking horse ###### in the Scotland squad.

Naysmith is also an excellent player, and I fully agree with Shev re: Winters. Stephen Pearson has bundles of potential, as does Shaun Maloney. Gallagher should also be in the squad.

There are plenty of Scottish players good enough to beat Moldova and the Faroes. The current state of affairs is down solely to the manager.

[philipl]

Not sure that there are Scottish players good enough.

The Scottish Leagues at all levels are full of non-Scottish players and Scottish- qualified players in the English game are a rarity at all levels, particularly in the Premiership.

This article lists 210 Premiership players who reported for international games this week. Only three are Scottish- Ferguson, Dickov and Fletcher.

It must be over a year since I last watched any action involving a Scottish club side. But is Caldwell the best right back available?- he is outstandingly bad.

This BBC article sums up the sorry state of Scottish football. The old firm come in for some criticism.

Edited October 15, 2004 by philipl

[Radagast]

Players of a good standard that Scotland have available are Gary Naysmith, Barry Ferguson, Paul Dickov, Jackie McNamara, James McFadden.

Some players of a reasonable, or reliable, standard are Steven Pressley, Barry Nicholson (never, ever gets picked), Russel Anderson, David McNamee (no kidding), Steven Thompson, Stevie Crawford, Robbie Winters, Nigel Quashie.

Some players with the potential to be very good Scotland players: Stephen Pearson, Shaun Maloney, Derek Riordan, Darren Fletcher, David Marshall, Craig Gordon, Chris Burke.

Players not good enough for international football: the Caldwells, Malky MacKay, Gary Holt, Lee Wilkie, Richard Hughes.

From the 'good' and 'decent' players listed above Scotland certainly have the quality to beat the likes of Moldova. It's a shame, but Vogts has to go.

On the subject of Robbie Winters - a man who i don't think ever managed more than 10 goals a season in Scotland has got something ridiculous like 23 in 26 games in Norway. If that doesn't say something about the quality of team he's playing against I don't know what does.

[bellamy11]

Bringing the subject back to BF, I asked a Rangers fan what sort of role BF played for them and what kind of player he needed alongside him. It seems we haven't quite figured it out yet, and as a result we aren't seeing the performances he is clearly capable of. This is his reply:

Barry Ferguson performed best for Rangers when he had the likes of Tugay, Albertz, Reyna and De Boer.

It seems that he likes to play in a midfield where all 4 players like to play neat, short passes and are highly focussed on ball retention.

When he was at his best for Rangers, he was our driving force. He'd be tracking back and tacking on the edge of his box, before bursting forward, into the opposition box to get on the end of a 1-2.

What he needs next to him, is a similar player who can go forward when he stays back and who can stay back when he goes forward.

He doesn't like to be an attacking midfielder, or a defensive midfielder, he is a hybrid of both. Therefore he needs somebody like that alongside him. For Scotland, Paul Lambert was too defensive a partner while Darren Fletcher is too attacking a partner. When playing with Lambert, Ferguson is expected to be a Deco sort of player, lying behind the front two and jabbing away at the opposition backline with probing passes. He can't do that. When playing with Fletcher, he is resigned to being little more than a water carrier, breaking opposition play, but he can't get forward as he has to cover Fletcher.

For Blackburn and Scotland he needs someone who can defend and who can burst forward working in tandem with him. I think Ferguson and Tugay would excel if Blackburn played with 3 players in central midfield, adding another attack minded player to that trio. Ferguson and Tugay can rotate the duty of sitting infront of the back 3 and Ferguson will also have a partner who he can build attacks with through short passing and who is far better at playing the killer pass than Ferguson is. Bazza is far better at getting on the end of a killer pass than he is at making it. In my opinion, Blackburn need a player in the mould of Ronald De Boer to complete their midfield.

[CAPT KAYOS]

What he needs next to him, is a similar player who can go forward when he stays back and who can stay back when he goes forward.

Exactly how a central midfield should be played IMO

none of this we need an attacking or defensive midfielder.

What we need is two who can play as a unit and learn to work with each other, as should be the case with the two up front and the two at the back.

BACKBONE - Making of any team

[Jan]

Dickov good? gimme a break. If he still played for Leicester he'd be seen for the headless chicken he is. (Unfortunately- compared to what else we have, that would still put him in the "decent" category)

Shaun Maloney and Jackie McNamara are still injured. Both are on their way back but nowhere near ready.

I do agree with getting Vogts out, tho' Most of our lot cannot understand the complicated tactics and ideas he gives them. Get someone who can explain in layperson's language in (Gordaon Strachan please- or wait until December and get Paul Lambert in- he qualifies as a coach then)

On another tack

Barry Ferguson and Tugs couldn't play together, even the almost useless Advocaat saw that.

[Radagast]

Did I say McNamara or Maloney should have played against Moldova? I was making a general pooint about the standard of Scottish players available.

Paul Lambert as Scotland manager? You've got green-tinted, retinas never mind glasses!

[Jan]

Radaghast

I was just adding a little context for those who don't know much about Scottish football.

Maybe Bertie should read it???

[philipl]

It appears Motherwell have the best academy in Scotland.

However, the article suggests that they spend only 10% of what it costs to run the Rovers' Academy.