|
|
Post by SteveW on Sept 9, 2004 21:43:50 GMT -5
Ian Ferguson won four gold medals for New Zealand at the 84 and 88 Olympics for canoeing. There was also an Iain Ferguson who played for Motherwell and a few other teams. My brother once had the pleasure of meeting him in a DIY store where my bro had a weekend student job. Mr Ferguson chatted away and told him that he hated football and couldn't wait to retire  That's Motherwell for you I suppose. |
|
|
|
Post by Holyjoe on Oct 10, 2004 20:47:25 GMT -5
We're oot already?  |
|
|
|
Post by SteveW on Oct 11, 2004 5:16:47 GMT -5
We're oot already? Seems like it! Although Slovenia's result with Italy has mibbe given us a chink of light. We have to go to Norway and Slovenia and win though probably. And not lose twice to Italy. Tall order for the Nationwide and SPL Reserves select. |
|
teppic
Junior Member
Posts: 67
|
Post by teppic on Oct 11, 2004 15:30:12 GMT -5
and the world cup will be a poorer event if the brave little lambs don't qualify.  |
|
|
|
Post by ironops on Oct 12, 2004 3:41:04 GMT -5
Fond memories of Archie Gemmill and that goal (for those of us with a vintage that means we didn't see it for the first time in Trainspotting). Yeah, remember it well. There was also a great goal by Johnny Rep in that game for Holland, which meant that although Scotland won, it wasn't by enough goals to get past the group stage. But Archie's goal was perhaps the only highlight (from a Scottish point of view) of the whole tournament. I remember also a 1-4 loss to Peru, and a 1-1 draw with Iran including a howler by Alan Rough in goal. And then there was Willie Johnston sent home in disgrace for taking some funny "cold medicine". And I haven't even mentioned "We're on the march wi' Ally's Army" yet ;D "And we'll really shake 'em up, when we win the world cup" ;D Them were the days. Funny though it was, Scotland's expectations were a world apart from those of now and they could justifiably claim to be the strongest UK national team. Scotland remind me a bit of Nottingham Forest: reached fanatastic heights 20 odd years ago and have had the occasional minor success since, but not really any chance of repeating the feats. |
|
teppic
Junior Member
Posts: 67
|
Post by teppic on Oct 13, 2004 20:14:47 GMT -5
Scotland's 2006 campaign
R.I.P.
|
|
|
|
Post by Holyjoe on Oct 13, 2004 20:50:52 GMT -5
Bye bye Berti. Who the fupp do we get to replace him with though? Is Gordon Strachan daft enough to take it?  |
|
|
|
Post by Holyjoe on Oct 14, 2004 8:38:14 GMT -5
 A headline writer's wet dream of a photograph  |
|
mikey
Junior Member
Super Seoul
Posts: 67
|
Post by mikey on Oct 15, 2004 18:32:27 GMT -5
Scotland's 2006 campaign  |
|
chair
New Member
Posts: 32
|
Post by chair on Oct 15, 2004 19:31:37 GMT -5
Scotland's 2006 campaign  |
|
|
|
Post by nyujeelandsaram on Oct 15, 2004 22:48:05 GMT -5
At least you guys weren't knocked out by Vanuatu a couple of months ago Basically guaranteed Australia a walk through to meet the 5th South American team. Not sure why Australia don't play the lowest Asian team as at least they are closer and we are kind of part of Asia. They would have a much better chance of winning it and they would be a match for any Asian nation. But instead they have to go somewhere like Urauguay and get spat on by supporters as they come out of the airport and crumble 3-0 in front of a massive intimidating home crowd muhahahaha ;D Aussie beat the Solomon Islands about 10-1 spread over 2 legs to go through. At least my little wee NZ usually only loses to them by the odd goal and occasionally thieves a glorious victory. |
|
|
|
Post by ironops on Oct 16, 2004 8:18:00 GMT -5
I do sympathise with Australia a little bit, as there are definitely other teams who've had an easier time with qualifying stages than they have. But, don't get upset NZsaram, not that much sympathy ;D, because I don't think it's necessarily true that they'd qualify from Asia if they joined the Asian qualification stages. At present I reckon Japan, Iran and Korea, recent stumbles notwithstanding are all better than Australia. With 4 or 5 qualifiers from Asia, they'd still have a better chance of going through than in the south American play-off, but it'd be no means the foregone conclusion some think.
It's also worth remembering that they were fairly well beaten by Uruguay, a team, who a few months later went out the world cup after a pretty feeble display.
Another thing that seems to go against Australia, is that seemingly lots of their Europe-based players don't really give a toss about their national team.
|
|
|
|
Post by SteveW on Oct 16, 2004 9:38:28 GMT -5
At least you guys weren't knocked out by Vanuatu a couple of months ago Basically guaranteed Australia a walk through to meet the 5th South American team. Not sure why Australia don't play the lowest Asian team as at least they are closer and we are kind of part of Asia. They would have a much better chance of winning it and they would be a match for any Asian nation. But instead they have to go somewhere like Urauguay and get spat on by supporters as they come out of the airport and crumble 3-0 in front of a massive intimidating home crowd muhahahaha ;D Aussie beat the Solomon Islands about 10-1 spread over 2 legs to go through. At least my little wee NZ usually only loses to them by the odd goal and occasionally thieves a glorious victory. Sounds like Scotland need to arrange a friendly with the Solomon Islands then. We might get a draw! |
|
|
|
Post by nyujeelandsaram on Oct 17, 2004 8:24:30 GMT -5
I do sympathise with Australia a little bit, as there are definitely other teams who've had an easier time with qualifying stages than they have. But, don't get upset NZsaram, not that much sympathy ;D, because I don't think it's necessarily true that they'd qualify from Asia if they joined the Asian qualification stages. At present I reckon Japan, Iran and Korea, recent stumbles notwithstanding are all better than Australia. With 4 or 5 qualifiers from Asia, they'd still have a better chance of going through than in the south American play-off, but it'd be no means the foregone conclusion some think. It's also worth remembering that they were fairly well beaten by Uruguay, a team, who a few months later went out the world cup after a pretty feeble display. Another thing that seems to go against Australia, is that seemingly lots of their Europe-based players don't really give a toss about their national team. Uruguay weren't that bad. From memory they drew with both France and Senegal. What the hell did China do? They were completely crap. As to were Saudi Arabia. If Australia isn't better than them on an average day out then I'm a Suwon supporter! I don't think Australia should be walked into the WC but this playing South American teams is a complete joke. Australia lost one game in their entire WC campaign and didn't qualify. I imagine Uruguay lost several and qualified. I'm twisting things a bit but it's ridiculous all the same. And right now I would gladly put my money on Australia to beat Korea, Japan or Iran. Aussie isn't that great but they aren't too shabby either. It woudn't be much money though. Maybe 10 won. Imagine one of those Asian teams flogging the pants of England in England. We'd never hear the end of it. Mind you, it was England I suppose  Aussies results against decent opposition in the last few years... v Turkey 1-0 loss v Turkey 3-1 loss v South Africa 1-0 win v Venezuela 1-1 v Jamaica 2-1 win v Ireland 2-1 loss v England 3-1 win v New Zealand  1-0 loss ;D funnily enough the last time the made the confed cup in 2001 they beat France, Brazil and Mexico and lost to bloody Japan and Korea. Just goes to show what a bunch of bloody weirdoes Aussies are. |
|
|
|
Post by ironops on Oct 17, 2004 9:53:49 GMT -5
It also goes to show how meaningless some friendly (or not very important) international fixtures can be; I'm sure in that tournament there were complaints of France not taking their game v Australia very seriously. Whilst I was amused when Australia beat England 3-1, I think the aftermath saw people complain about the level of seriousness with which England took the game (they fielded effectively 2 different teams in each half). From what I saw nobody seemed bothered about the result, just pissed off that an international fixture had turned into a training match. Actually, both Japan and Korea held England to 1-1 draws in games the English were clearly taking much more seriously than the Aussie encounter, each being one of their last games in preparation for the World Cup and Euro 2004 respectively. Definitely agreed that Saudi and China were dismal in the World Cup. Not sure what happened with Saudi as they had looked fairly decent in France 98. I'm yet to be convinced that China are up to much, but one mitigating factor re their world cup performance is that they did have the misfortune to be in the same group as not only the eventual winners but also the 3rd place team. I don't think Aussie would have got much change out of that group had they been in China's place. Sure, I wouldn't bet money on Australia not getting to the WC from an Asian qualifying route as the 3rd or 4th team. But, sorry, if they can slip up against NZ (is Wynton Rufer still playing?), then surely there are plenty of Asian teams they could feasibly do the same against. Oops, I think this thread was about Scotland. Perhaps they could join the Asian qualifiers too. |
|
1-0 loss ;D