Maybe they’ll rescind his red card?

The SFA made a big show of inviting all Grade One officials to Hampden for the debut game of the Craig Levein era, no doubt hoping to create a sense of unity behind the beleaguered refs and linesman.

Yes, its a strange one. Hugh Dallas has been critical of refs this season but then rewards them in this manner, we wish our bosses rewarded incompetence, it would make life a whole lot sweeter. Cos we’re fairly incompetent.

Anyways, there would have been a bit of embarrassment amongst the ref’s seats when Scotland took the lead. A great cross from Wallace was nodded back across goal by Barry Robson and Scott Brown was in the right place at the right time to fire the Scots into the lead.

It was changed days from Sunday when Brown was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Dougie McDonald deemed his clash with Kyle Lafferty deserving of a red card. Celtic fans will be hoping that this goal may encourage the SFA to look upon the players appeal with a bit more kindness.

Then again, is there point in trying to work out the SFA logic? Nope…anyways, back to Craig Levein.

There is obviously no guarantee about what will happen in the qualifying campaign but this victory will hopefully give the national team a confidence boost for the vital head to head matches against the Czech Republic.

The most startling thing was the fact that it was Scotland’s first friendly win at Hampden in 14 years. So for that reason alone, the Craig Levein era has got off to a great start.

What was your high point of the evening?

Related posts:

1. Celtic and Brown: Ex-men in black opinions Dermot Gallagher shows up Dougal You all know by know...
2. Scott Brown is the captain of the good ship Celtic He brings good staring credentials As we all know, Scott...
3. Celtic sign Ki Sung Yueng – what now for Brown? Four year deal for South Korean star Following the awarding...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Some new faces as well for new boss Levein

New Scotland boss Craig Levein has finally picked his first squad for the forthcoming match against the Czech Republic. Not only will it be the former Dundee United and Hearts boss first foray into international management, it will be a precursor to the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

Scotland were drawn alongside the Czech Republic (not to mention current European Championship holder Spain) so this match could lay down a marker for Scottish progress. If we win. If we lose, it will clearly have no bearing on the tournament itself!

Sorry, it’s probably best to move away from the negativity that surrounded the Burley reign and if you can’t be upbeat before a ball is kicked, what is the point in turning up?

It will also be the first time the national team turns out in its new adidas kit.

The squad for the match will be:

Goalkeepers
Neil Alexander (Rangers)
Craig Gordon (Sunderland)
David Marshall (Cardiff City)

Defenders
Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur – loan to Sunderland)
Christophe Berra (Wolverhampton W.)
Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic)
Paul Dixon (Dundee United)
Garry Kenneth (Dundee United)
Lee Wallace (Heart of Midlothian)
Andy Webster (Rangers – loan to D United)
Steven Whittaker (Rangers)

Midfield
Charlie Adam (Blackpool)
Scott Brown (Celtic)
Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion)
Darren Fletcher (Manchester United)
Paul Hartley (Bristol City)
Lee McCulloch (Rangers)
James McFadden (Birmingham City)
Barry Robson (Middlesbrough)
Kevin Thomson (Rangers)

Forwards
Kris Boyd (Rangers)
Steven Fletcher (Burnley)
Chris Iwelumo (Wolverhampton W. – loan to Bristol City)
Kenny Miller (Rangers)

There is more of a Dundee United contingent than previously would have been included, which is to be expected but it is not as if any of the players are not worthy of consideration for a cap. We are not too convinced with Garry Kenneth and would maybe have tried David Goodwillie up front but the Tangerine selection is about right.

Of course, the headlines will focus on the returning players and those who haven’t returned. Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd are welcomed back into the fold. McCulloch has clearly settled the family issues that saw him retire from international football but the midfielder has performed well for Rangers this season.

As for Boyd, it would be madness to leave him out of the squad and hopefully Craig Levein can get the best out of the striker.

Barry Ferguson remains unselected but he may well return for competitive matches and goalkeeper Alan McGregor has not been included, although he probably has other matters to contend with at the moment.

So, a new beginning and here’s to a successful campaign towards 2012.

Are you happy with the squad?

Related posts:

1. Dundee United’s Goodwillie for the Scotland squad Fresh start, new names It is almost time for the...
2. Boyd back in the Scotland fold Rangers hitman to make Scotland return? var uri = 'http://impgb.tradedoubler.com/imp?type(img)g(18262124)a(1741564)'...
3. Levein to be the new man for the SFA? Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post? WeKnowSFA...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Some Friday night games for the Tartan Army

The fixture list in full:

2010
Friday 3 September - Lithuania v Scotland
Tuesday 7 September – Scotland v Liechtenstein
Friday 8 October - Czech Republic v Scotland
Tuesday 12 October - Scotland v Spain

2011
Saturday 3 September - Scotland v Czech Republic
Tuesday 6 September - Scotland v Lithuania
Saturday 8 October - Liechtenstein v Scotland
Tuesday 11 October - Spain v Scotland

8 games in the campaign and only two being played on a Saturday? International football is definitely changing and it will be interesting to see how the switch to Friday and Tuesday games will affect the Scottish side.

Friday the 3rd of September is when it all kicks off with a trip to Tynecastle, err Lithuania and this is quickly followed by Liechtenstein at home on the Tuesday night.

Czech Republic away and Spain at home (again, a Tuesday night) will be tough games putting more pressure on the team to pick up points in the opening two matches.

After the last campaign, Kenny Miller was quick to moan about playing the big team (Holland) at home in midweek so it will be interesting to see if Miller will moan to Levein about the Spanish tie taking place in midweek.

We expect Miller to keep quiet this time around!

After the Spanish lose at Hampden (c’mon, live a little for now), Scotland will have a crucial home double-header in September 2011 where 6 points could go a long way to securing qualification or a play-off spot.

This is followed by a trip to Lichtenstein before concluding in Spain on Tuesday 11th October 2011.

Wow, that is a long way away isn’t it? Those fans who were looking forward to the Spanish trip have a long time to wait!

So, the fixture list, some initial thoughts:

It is very drawn out, over a year to play effectively 4 double headers. This could be good or bad I suppose. Almost a year of a break between the first group of games and second group is a long time.

Finishing with two away ties isn’t ideal although if the Spanish have top place sewn up by their last game, it could be ripe for the Scots to plunder a point or three.

6 points need to be grabbed in September 2011.

Can Scotland at least grab a play-off place?

Related posts:

1. We’re Levein Home for Euro 2012 – Scotland’s Draw Craig Levein’s Scotland were drawn in Group I for the...
2. Will there be a Joy Division for Scotland in Warsaw? Would unknown pleasures suit Levein in Sunday draw? Craig Levein...
3. Levein to be the new man for the SFA? Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post? WeKnowSFA...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Fresh start, new names

It is almost time for the new start under Craig Levein to get underway although some of the gloss has been taken off the Czech Republic friendly with them being our opponents in the 2012 qualifying campaign.

It may be a chance to scope them out or gain a morale boosting win but in all likelihood, it will mean not placing too much importance on the match or score-line and just getting the new regime underway.

Wins are what is really needed under Craig Levein but restoring some of the vitality and passion to the Scottish national team would be a great start and one way to do this is to bring in some new blood to the squad.

We don’t need to jettison the players from the last campaign but having one or two new faces alongside the new manager will help create a YEAR ZERO approach to the new regime.

And if we are looking for Scottish players on form, surely Dundee United’s David Goodwillie is at the top of the list?

The striker notched United’s late winner at St Mirren Park yesterday and he has been at the centre of the Houston led turnaround in recent weeks.

One thing that the Scotland versus Czech Republic friendly should not be about is returning players.

This is Craig Levein’s night and it should be the showcase for a new era. By all means, get the exiled players back in to the squad eventually but with months before a competitive ball is kicked in anger, it would be good to see a fresh start for the squad.

This is why the inclusion of Goodwillie would be of benefit to the nation. It would also serve as motivation for other players. If you can get a run of form playing, you will be recognised by the manager and you can break into the Scotland squad.

Given that Goodwillie played under Levein at Tannadice, the pair know each other well and the manager will know what he can expect from the player. His goal scoring run of form at least deserves some acknowledgment.

Can you think of any other new caps that should be in the Scotland squad?

Related posts:

1. Dundee United take their turn in the great boss hunt With Levein Hampden bound, where next for the Terrors? The...
2. Dundee United boss Levein flavour of the month for SFA? Is the Terrors boss the right candidate for the SFA?...
3. Dundee United progress and keep under the radar Not headline grabbing but a wins a win Dundee United...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Craig Levein’s Scotland were drawn in Group I for the Euro 2012 Qualifiers.

The draw took place in Warsaw Sunday lunchtime for the upcoming Championships being held jointly in Poland and Ukraine.

Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, SCOTLAND Lithuania, Liechtenstein

The current Euro Champions Spain head another daunting group for Scotland.

The other groups:

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
Group B: Russia, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra
Group C: Italy, Serbia, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands
Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg
Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino
Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta
Group G: Eengland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Wales, Montenegro
Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland

WeKnowSFA will be back later for more insight and updates on Scotland’s latest attempts to qualify for a major tournament.

Related posts:

1. Levein hoping for a Scotland v England clash for 2012 qualifiers Bold statement from the new boss Craig Levein wants England...
2. Will there be a Joy Division for Scotland in Warsaw? Would unknown pleasures suit Levein in Sunday draw? Craig Levein...
3. Craig Levein loses out on The Saturdays Some Friday night games for the Tartan Army The fixture...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Would unknown pleasures suit Levein in Sunday draw?



Craig Levein has already stated he would have no problem if Scotland were to face England in the qualifiers for 2012 and that would certainly be a match with ‘Atmosphere’. The opportunity does exist though as Scotland are ranked as third seeds and the chance of the clash exists as Scotland hope to end ‘Decades’ without an appearance at a major football tournament (and yes, thats the last of the Joy Division song titles!)

Seed 1:
Spain (holders)
Germany
Netherlands
Italy
England
Croatia
Portugal
France
Russia

Any of these teams would pose a great test to Craig Levein but some would provide a greater chance than others. You cannot say that Portugal or Croatia are as intimidating as Spain or Italy. Yes, they are all well ranked above Scotland for a reason but there could be the chance of an upset. Worst case scenario would be Spain with regards to hope of beating them but what a game it would be at Hampden up against the stars of La Liga.

Seed 2:
Greece
Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Serbia
Turkey
Denmark
Slovakia
Romania

These are the teams that Scotland need to perform against and out-rank. If you get a seed one team that devours everything in its wake, its fair enough and the second spot of the group would be in your own hands. Again, Scotland have not earned the right to be blasé in looking forward to any of these matches but there is no reason why 3 or 4 (at least) should be obtained from these games. The eight runners up go into a play-off in November 2011 and this has to be Scotland’s minimum aim.

Seed 4:
Slovenia
Latvia
Hungary
Lithuania
Belarus
Belgium
Wales
FYR Macedonia
Cyprus

Given the way Wales have demolished Scotland in recent friendlies, it may be best to avoid them, a trip to Cyprus could be quite welcoming for Scotland although WeKnowSFA would choose Belarus, purely because it is a song title by Low!

Seed 5:
Montenegro
Albania
Estonia
Georgia
Moldova
Iceland
Armenia
Kazakhstan
Liechtenstein

Seed 6:
Azerbaijan
Luxembourg
Malta
Faroe Islands
Andorra
San Marino

So….we’re Levein home for 2012 – any team you fancy or want to avoid in the Warsaw draw?

Related posts:

1. Levein hoping for a Scotland v England clash for 2012 qualifiers Bold statement from the new boss Craig Levein wants England...
2. Boyd back in the Scotland fold Rangers hitman to make Scotland return? var uri = 'http://impgb.tradedoubler.com/imp?type(img)g(18262124)a(1741564)'...
3. Heart’s Andy Driver puts Scotland in the driving seat Player ‘dead keen’ to join the Tartan Army Craig Levein...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Bold statement from the new boss

Craig Levein wants England in the draw for the Euro 2012 qualifiers this Sunday. That may seem like a strange request from any Scottish manger but perhaps Levein knows what he is doing. After all, you have to play one of the top seeds, perhaps the passion involved in these clashes could make for an unlikely outcome.

Don’t forget, Levein managed to get his Dundee United players fired up for the games against Celtic and Rangers…only to see them perform under-par against teams like Hamilton Academical and Falkirk. The big games may bring out the best in manager and players.

A draw against England would also bring further benefits:

John Terry and Alan McGregor could swap notes

We might just give them a bloody nose (and not at Central Station)

Another important thing for Levein to do, and a reason why the SFA said they wanted their man in charge by this point, is to assist with the fixture list and hopefully get it working in Scotlands favour.

“I’ve got a strategy that I think might work,”

“I’ll need to sit down once the draw has been made and finalise that and go over to the draws meeting and see if we can get what we are looking for.

“There are loads of factors that you have to take into account. You have to think about which teams are playing in the World Cup – will that have an effect on their performances early in the Euro qualifying?”

“You have to look at the temperature in the countries when you are playing, which countries have different seasons to ours.”

The last few of these comments can easily be read alongside Scotland’s World Cup 2010 campaign so hopefully Levein has a plan of action that he can get into place. Make no mistake, if Scotland are to get back to a major tournament, a lot of things need to go in their favour.

Who do you want in Sunday’s draw?

Related posts:

1. Dundee United boss Levein flavour of the month for SFA? Is the Terrors boss the right candidate for the SFA?...
2. Levein to be the new man for the SFA? Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post? WeKnowSFA...
3. Calderwood Tango the top with Scotland Is the next Scottish boss currently without a club? Well,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Levein’s appointment all official now

The biggest question surrounding the Press Conference to announce Craig Levein as Scotland boss wasn’t about compensation, remit or ambition. No, all eyes were on Wiggy Smith to see if he could up-stage the new man like he did the last time.

The welcome conference for George Burley allowed Smith to rant and rave to the Press about perceived slights on him. By the end of it, Burley would have been desperate for a drink as he contemplated the way his new boss showed total disregard and disrespect to him.

Perhaps the warning signs for Burley’s tenure were laid out here.

Therefore, those in attendance were waiting to see if the Chief Clown would be taking centre stage in the SFA Circus again.

Gordon Smith, David Brent or Billy Smart? It’s hard to tell these days but to be fair; Smith and the SFA have been swift in getting the man they believe is right for the job.

It’s hard to think why they have needed to be this swift but if they dragged it out, they would face criticism so let’s not be churlish and put the boot in for working quickly.

The press conference was originally scheduled for a 1630 kick off but it was just before 1815 when Levein emerged from backroom talks, flanked by George Peat and Gordon Smith.

His opening statement at Scotland boss ran as follows;

“I really am thrilled to be here today. When I first got word of the SFA being interested me I was very excited indeed. My job is to do the best job I can for the country, work as hard as I can and see if we can take Scotland into the Euros.”

Gordon was given his chance to speak when asked if Craig Levein will have control over the structuring of the national team, beyond the A-Team but thankfully, his time on the mic was brief.

“Craig will have an input” was the opening line of the response which allowed Smith to bring the new manager into the circle but also made it clear that it remained his ball.

Smith then put the spotlight back onto George Burley with praise for Levein and his ability to man-manage players. This was clearly something which was lacking in the World Cup qualification campaign but if Levein can do a better job in this regard, Scotland should be in a better shape.

George Peat took the lead in saying that although there had been perceived differences between the SFA and their new man, much of it grew from a desire to be a winner and not be a ‘Yes’ man.

All very noble and WeKnowSFA are willing to accept that for now but let’s just see what happens if George Peat makes a comment about one of Levein’s players the way he did about Chris Iwulemo!

It seems apparent that Levein will be open to re-selecting the Rangers players who turned their back on their country, so it certainly appears to be a slate wiped clean moment for the national team. In the spirit of hoping for the best for the nation, this is probably the right move but every player needs to show willing, whether selected to play or not.

With no games looming, there will no doubt be a lot of talk to come from the new Scottish boss but first impression indicates that a lack of passion will not be an issue.

So, everyone happy with the appointment?

Related posts:

1. Levein to be the new man for the SFA? Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post? WeKnowSFA...
2. Dundee United boss Levein flavour of the month for SFA? Is the Terrors boss the right candidate for the SFA?...
3. Levein in the spotlight at Hamilton Which young boss will be happier in Hamilton? Every club...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

With Levein Hampden bound, where next for the Terrors?

The merry-go-round rarely stops when it comes to managers moving about. Although there has been no official confirmation, it is looking very likely that Dundee United will be on the lookout for a new boss.

If, as expected, Craig Levein becomes the new Scottish national team boss, United will once again be searching for a new boss and one that will hopefully take the club to being best of the rest and possibly beyond.

When it comes to appointing a new manager, there are three main areas:

An up and coming young manager with something to prove

An experienced manager to steady the ship

An ex-player keen to revive his former club

Sometimes, a candidate can fit one of the first two criteria and the last one, making them more likely to success. Keeping the fans onside is important to all boardrooms and football fans love nothing more than an old hero coming back to bring new glories to the club.

Sadly for Dundee United, this hasn’t always been the case with Cup Final legend Craig Brewster being unable to bring his early success at Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Tannadice. Paul Sturrock was another Tannadice striking hero who was unable to bring the playing success he had to his time in managing the club.

Both Brewster and Sturrock may be tempted to apply again for the post although the increasing health problems that Sturrock sadly faces may prevent him from being a genuine candidate, although he stresses that he is entirely in control of the situation.

Either way, with a number of fresh candidates, these ex-Arab hitmen may not even get on the starting blocks.

Two ex-players listed in a few online sources are Derek McInnes, currently impressing at St Johnstone and Michael O’Neill, boss of Shamrock Rovers. Both would also fit the bill of up and coming managers and would need to be considered as strong challengers.

Other ex-players with a bit of experience who would no doubt love a crack at the United job would be Maurice Malpas or Paul Hegarty. Given their none too exciting track record in Scottish football management, the United fans may not be overly keen on their appointment but the players will harbour an interest.

In recent times, Dundee United have favoured the younger approach but there may be a switch to a different tact this time.

It could be that ex-Scotland boss George Burley fancies a quick return to management and a job swap with his SFA replacement could be of interest.

There have been internet murmurings about Jimmy Calderwood being offered the post. Given the Aberdeen v Dundee United rivalry this may take the United fans a while to warm to but it should be remembered that the Tango man was able to finish higher above Levein’s United two seasons in a row.

As an outside bet, is it not time Jim Jeffries gets a crack at a bigger team than Kilmarnock again? Yes, he is a moaning faced toerag but he is well respected in Scottish footballing circles and this job may put a smile on his face.

Yes, WeKnowSFA are looking for miracles!

Whoever gets the job, United fans will hope that he is in place as quickly as possible. With the January transfer window looming, it is not a bad time to be coming in to manage a club.

United fans, who do you fancy as your next boss?

Related posts:

1. Dundee United boss Levein flavour of the month for SFA? Is the Terrors boss the right candidate for the SFA?...
2. Levein to be the new man for the SFA? Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post? WeKnowSFA...
3. Dundee United v Rangers – Team News Splish Splash they were having a laugh the last time...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tannadice boss ready to leave for the national post?

WeKnowSFA has already discussed Craig Levein with regards to the Scotland job and to be honest, we weren’t convinced that his CV stood out compared to his peers.

However, the news that the appointment of Levein to the top post in the country appears imminent sees the time for this doubt to be put aside and to get fully behind the new international manager.

Levein himself had this to say after talks with the SFA;

“I can tell you that I was pleased with the way the discussions went and that’s important,”

“It’s important for me to learn just what the job entailed and what I learned from the members of the SFA was fairly encouraging.”

Levein certainly seems to be the popular choice at the moment, even if the lack of a full interview process is a little concerning.

This may be due to the fact that it was during the interview process where George Burley excelled during the last recruitment drive. Gordon Smith and George Peat were said to have been impressed by the ‘enthusiasm and imagination’ shown by Burley during the previous interview process.

Some people are natural in an interview environment but the real test for a manager is getting results on the park and no amount of enthusiasm or imagination by Burley was able to get Scotland above 3rd place in a group where 2nd place was up for grabs.

Levein is well known to all within Scottish football and those at the SFA, and given the history between the two sets, it can only be hoped that all issues have been ironed out in advance.

If they have been, then it is actually an encouraging appointment by the SFA.

For far too long, the ruling body within Scotland has been paraochial, small minded and even petty with a great number of decisions they have made.

If they believe Craig Levein to be the best man for the job, even after his numerous run-ins with Gordon Smith, then it has to be applauded that they have acted upon this belief.

There is a saying in football that you are only as good as your last game.

If thats the case, Craig Levein should be nowhere near the Scotland post after his Dundee United side failed to turn up in a 3-0 defeat to Rangers. However, United have built up a lot of goodwill in recent years and now is the time for Levein to further his career.

There was a feeling that he had possibly taken United as far as he could (which wasn’t ultimately that far) but a new challenge may invigorate the man once again.

Craig Levein certainly had an eye for spotting talent where others perhaps overlooked it and this is something he will need for the Scotland post. He wont be able to buy players in but perhaps he will be able to spot a talent for a particular role that was overlooked by other managers.

If the Scottish national team can replicate the hard work ethics that Dundee United have shown in recent years whilst adding a more ruthful streak, the Tartan Army is likely to be happy with this appointment.

Do you back Craig Levein?

Related posts:

1. Levein takes control at the SFA press conference Levein’s appointment all official now var uri = 'http://impgb.tradedoubler.com/imp?type(img)g(17326040)a(1741564)' +...
2. Dundee United boss Levein flavour of the month for SFA? Is the Terrors boss the right candidate for the SFA?...
3. Levein in the spotlight at Hamilton Which young boss will be happier in Hamilton? Every club...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.