LEFT OUT IN THE COLD
When I was over in Paris for the World Cup I bumped into a Motherwell fan who was the spitting image of myself. It was as if we had been twins separated at birth - one enjoying the good life supporting the Jambos, the other being stuck supporting Motherwell! I asked him if he, like me, had ever been mistaken for Stevie Frail. Apparently not, but he had been nicknamed Rab, when Rab McKinnon was at Motherwell. So I can expect a lot of people to be calling me Rab in Gorgie next season. Speaking to "Rab", he said that signing McKinnon was a great move and that he is a great player. This was confirmed by a couple of Orangemen standing nearby. The Orangemen in question were not bluenoses from Bridgeton but Twente Eschende fans from Holland where McKinnon has been playing really well. It looks like he is going to be another great Jefferies signing. If not, Gary Naysmith's cup final performance proved he can deal with big match pressure and can play at the highest level.
As my holiday/piss up/magical mystery tour progressed across France it became clear that Scotland lack a decent left footed player who can get down the wing and deliver a decent cross. Against Norway, Christian Dailly was skinning Norwegians down the left wing but had to either cut back onto his right foot to put the cross in or put in a cross with his left foot which usually ended up in row 30 of the massed Tartan Army ranks behind the goals. Against Morocco, Tosh Mckinlay was brought on but did nothing. Tosh has one move - knock the ball down the wing, run after it, swing in a cross. He was stuffed in this game as the Moroccan defenders kept on showing him inside and he didn't know what to do.
So the post mortem on the back page of the Record has already started and the Premier Clubs have been getting it in the neck about too many foreigners in our game and not giving our youngsters a chance. I think this is a bit rough on Hearts who take to the field with the majority of players being Scottish and under 30. No youngsters coming through? How old are Locke, Ritchie, McManus, Allan Johnston, Murie, Murray, Callaghan, John Paul Burns and Derek Holmes? Most of these players had first team debuts before they could buy a pint in a pub legally.
If Craig Brown wants a left-sided player who can deliver crosses he could do no worse that avert his gaze from the Old Firm reserves and look across to Tynie where I can name him three left-footed players who could do a job. First up is our new signing Rab McKinnon who was once on the verge of the Scotland squad before being dropped after it was revealed he wasn't going to sign for Celtic or Rangers. Second is the poor man's Ryan Giggs - Neil McCann who had an excellent season and can get round the back of any defence. Unfortunately Craig Brown will probably wheel out Pat Nevin if he want's a winger to add to his National side.
Third up is Gary Naysmith. Too young? Gary made his Hearts debut at 17 in a League Cup quarter final against Celtic and has never looked back. Can't cope with pressure? If anybody doubted this he answered his critics with a brilliant cup final performance. he is also captain of the under-21 side and surely we should be encouraging youngsters through into the full side. This probably won't happen until he signs for Rangers though.
As for Davie Weir - he had a nightmare against Morocco but who didn't? So he will probably drop out of the team for a while ie until he decides to sign for Celtic, Rangers or a Premiership side. Either that, or he could change his name to Tom Boyd, thereby guaranteeing him an endless amount of Scotland caps no matter how pish he plays.
THE MAN WITH NO NAME.