Scotland (National Football)

The 2008 Six Nations draws to a conclusion this weekend and it’s been a strange old affair. Rebuilding was the name of the game after the World Cup with some targeting a fresh start, others aiming for redemption. In the main this has resulted in an awful lot of caginess, some serious stodge, flashes of brilliance but all in all no real narrative running through the tournament.

It is therefore hard to know what to make of this Six Nations as a whole. Indeed it could easily have been a contest where the victors were merely the least incompetent, the team who deserved to lose least, rather than the team who deserved to win most. Prior to round 4, there was talk of one of the most closely fought and exciting championships in years. And then the whole thing fell flat on its face with three seriously poor games.

So thank god for Wales. Without them the competition so far would have been bereft of excitement and have become one long, rather tedious chore. But they have been a revelation. It is a testament to them that the Irish, despite having rediscovered some form, felt that the only way to beat them was to make the game as slow and tedious as possible. That the tournament will be won by the one team who has been prepared to set a solid platform and utilise it with ambition and pace should be a cause of celebration and a lesson which others will hopefully heed.

The three games in the final week of the tournament all have very different subplots. Wales and France are battling it out for glory, England and Ireland for redemption, Scotland and Italy for pride. These factors will have a profound effect on the ways in which these games are played. If you want to see exuberant, care-free, running rugby this weekend, I suggest you go and find a local league game and steer clear of BBC1, at least until 5pm when Wales play France.

Many players are playing for their international futures and 3 of the coaches are fighting to save their jobs. We saw in the latter stages of the World Cup what pressure can do to a team and how it can restrict the game as a spectacle. But while the matches may be hard work at times, they will never be anything less than compelling as the mental and physical battles unfold.

Italy v Scotland – 1pm

Italy and Scotland’s World Cup encounter was mind-numbing and there is little to suggest this game will be any different. On that occasion the carrot was a place in a World Cup quarter final; this time it is to avoid obtaining an extra wooden implement to add to their already-overflowing cutlery drawers. In its own way, this is just as motivating.

It is a crucial game for Frank Hadden. After the progress of his early days in which made Scotland competitive again, he has proved unable to push on and graft new dimensions on to his team. A championship with only a single victory, albeit over England, could spell the end of him.

Nick Mallett is coming to terms with having to do much with little and, while he is under no pressure himself, a first winless championship for Italy since 2005 would be a big step back for the Azzuri. They will fancy themselves against Scotland who, while on a high after last Saturday, are almost defined by their inconsistency.

England v Ireland – 3pm

At Twickenham, I would love to see Brian Ashton release the shackles and allow his team to run free. Sadly, confidence and morale is so low that it would be extraordinary for this to happen. This must surely be Ashton’s last game – many were saying that getting to the World Cup final would be the worst thing to happen to England and so it proved as spineless decision makers at the RFU took the easy decision and retained the status quo. Even if England win on Saturday, they will surely not make the same mistake again.

Ireland become more of an enigma by the game and they produced one of the most bizarre tactical displays I have ever seen in Dublin. Despite the performance of their backs against Scotland, O’Sullivan decided that the only chance Ireland had was to beat Wales exclusively up front. Except that Wales’ pack is vastly improved and Ireland’s is not really that good.

This is a clash of two teams at a very low ebb and if one of them can get into the lead then the other may struggle to come back. The exciting sub-plot is Cipriani against O’Gara, a contrast in style, attitude and experience.

Wales v France – 5pm

Wales against France is the undoubted highlight of the weekend. Wales have ability, confidence and momentum and are playing a balanced yet attractive brand of rugby. Marc Lievremont appears to have had an epiphany, at least in the short term, with the realisation that you need a pack and a platform in order to play the all-court game he is pursuing. This could well be a very different France team to that which we have seen so far and will possess the hardness they have lacked.

Wales have demonstrated what can be done with a talented pool of players allied to firm hands at the helm. Gatland and Edwards have driven their men forward with dynamism and assurance, qualities ostensibly lacking in the likes of Ashton, Hadden and O’Sullivan.

If the occasion doesn’t get to everyone, it could be a classic being as it is a clash of two teams who are at their best when they put as much pace on the game as possible. However Wales at home for the Grand Slam will be very hard to beat.

So what do we think?

Will everyone be cheering for Wales for the Grand Slam or cowering at the prospect of the close harmony singing which will be drifting over the border? Will Ashton or O’Sullivan save themselves? And who will be left holding the wooden spoon? What are your thoughts?

by Stuart Peel

“Well it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle, and the less said about the end the better, but apart from that, excellent”. Thus spoke Captain Edmund Blackadder in response to Baldrick’s rather pathetic attempt at war poetry. The words could just as easily be applied to England’s efforts against Scotland, although in fact they contrived to show even less wit and invention than Baldrick.

I would probably have rather have spent an evening in the company of Baldrick than in the North stand of a sodden Murrayfield on Saturday. Watching England produce one of the most insipid performances I have ever seen on a rugby pitch was one thing. Having to endure it sitting next to an Aussie who was supporting Scotland was quite another. He may have bought me a beer at half time, but I am not sure I will ever forgive Brian Ashton and his boys for putting me through that.

A few of us tried to raise our spirits by striking up a chorus of Swing Low at half time as it was clear by that point that this may be the only time we got to do it. And it was almost certain that the 10 minutes England spent absent from the pitch could not possibly have been less productive and entertaining than the 80 minutes they spent on it.

The step backwards England took on Saturday was staggering. It was a truly awful game all round but one team came with a plan, however limited, and carried it out. There was little evidence of England having any sort of plan whatsoever, and if they had one they mislaid it somewhere on the M1 on the trip up.

Each of the previous three games had shown a degree of progress. Before the shocking mental collapse against Wales, England had played some of their best rugby for some time. Against Italy, while largely poor, they still strung together some encouraging passages, although the mental flaws were still very much in evidence in a decidedly shaky second half. Against France, it seemed the mental weaknesses had been eliminated and further progress was in evidence as England rediscovered their core values of power and physicality.

In a world of kneejerk reaction, where media and public search hungrily for the sensational headline, we have a tendency to lose patience too quickly and don’t let coaches establish their own structures and develop their team. That England were making progress, albeit painfully slow progress, was sufficient grounds for a degree of cautious optimism.

Those flickering flames of hope were extinguished in the rain, wind and hail of Edinburgh. The period of advance is over and England have regressed to the state they were in after the 36-0 loss to South Africa in the World Cup. They showed no bite, no invention, little physicality and no hope. They kicked incessantly and poorly, were driven back around the fringes, were lumbering and one-paced and showed no appetite to alter their approach and try to change the course of the game. All the best teams have the ability to switch to a plan B in reaction to how the game is unfolding. At no stage did England look remotely capable of doing this.

Ireland should now be treated as a one-off game. England have gone nowhere in this championship and no result against Ireland can change that. They must pick a big, mobile pack built around the exuberant aggression of Sheridan, Stevens and Haskell and must introduce some of the exciting young backs whom Ashton has seemed so reluctant to trust thus far. The current crop have had their chance and failed. There must be no more hesitation before he unleashes Cipriani, Simpson-Daniel and Tait to play a quick game with quick ball, or at least show the ambition to do so. If they do well then at least something positive will have come out of the tournament.

What of Scotland? I asked the chaps behind me if they did not feel a little disappointed and cheated by the fact that Scotland have produced three such heartless performances when they are capable of playing with such impressive physical presence and power. Clearly 30 seconds after they had just beaten the old enemy was not quite the right time to ask this and they looked at me as though they had just trodden in me. The point stands though, and Frank Hadden must strive to find out how he can harness that passion more regularly and not just when the English hordes hove into view. It will be disastrous if they lose to Italy but still regard the championship as a success just because they defeated England.

There is no doubt that the sight of the red rose does something to the likes of Scotland and Wales but that is no excuse for England. They should be used to it by now and should deal with it. But the non-performance they produced on Saturday beggared belief. Any advance has been shattered by the knowledge that on any given day the team can play as badly as that. Many of the current team will be haunted by that and fresh blood must be brought into the side to inject some life into proceedings before they too are infected beyond repair by the atmosphere of failure.

by Stuart Peel

It’s back to Six Nations action this weekend—and with all three matches taking place on Saturday, there is plenty to get excited about.

Wales v Italy

The unbeaten Welsh host the Azzuri at the Millennium Stadium, keen to avenge their acrimonious defeat last year. 

In that match, Wales were chasing a try in the dying moments and were awarded a penalty. The team confirmed with the referee that there was time for the lineout, but then he prompty blew the final whistle as soon as Wales had kicked the ball into the corner. Who said Chris White doesn’t have a sense of humour?

Wales will be strong favourites to continue their Grand Slam march, despite Warren Gatland making several changes including recalling Stephen Jones at the expense of James Hook. Italy will be looking to keep it tight, with Marco Bortolami returning to the fold, whilst Wales will want to play with width and set little Shane Williams free on the wing.

Expect Italy to hang on for dear life, but Wales should open them up in the second half and win comfortably.

Ireland v Scotland

The last thing Scotland need at the moment is a difficult trip to Croke Park, and their losing streak looks likely to continue - they are even without stalwart Jason White and his young back row partner, John Barclay, who have been two of their stronger players so far.

Ireland’s second half performance against France reminded everyone of the team they once were, and they’ll be looking to continue their revival on home soil. Again, I can’t really look beyond a Home win and yet more misery for the Scots.

France v England

Can England recreate their World Cup scalp by bullying France in the forwards and playing an unimaginative tight game? Will that strategy be sufficient given the rebirth of French flair, courtesy of Vincent Clerc and Cedric Heymans?

In some respects, it could be a similar contest to the Wales v Italy game - England looking to keep it tight and sneak a narrow victory, whilst France look to run from anywhere and carve up England’s back three. I wouldn’t be quite so worried about that if we had the no-nonsense Josh Lewsey as our last line of defence, but with Lesley Vainikolo, Paul Sackey and Iain Balshaw up against Clerc, Rougerie and Heymans, it’s time to be afraid.

As someone recently commented on this site, it will either be a very close game, or a complete rout by the French—I’m leaning towards the latter at the moment.

For those in the betting league, don’t forget to place your bets - and have a look at The Betting Blog for some tips.

England, Scotland, and Ireland have all got new coaches after their failed Euro 2008 qualifiers and they're all looking for a spot at South Africa 2010.

England and Ireland have both appointed world renowned foreign coaches in the form of Italians Fabio Capello and Giovanni Trapattoni. Scotland have gone with one of their own, in the form of George Burley.

England's Capello is reportedly on a staggering six million pounds a year to revive England's fortunes, after a dismal Euro '08 qualifying campaign. Early signs are good as Capello has reshuffled the pack and brought in some new blood to the England set up. He is a world class coach who has won everywhere he's been and will be positive about continuing that record with the three lions.

It was announced this week that Giovanni Trapattoni had accepted the Ireland job after a successful spell with Austrian side Salzburg.

The veteran coach has won league titles in four different countries, most recently with Salzburg and before that with Benfica in Portugal. He won league titles with Bayern Munich in Germany and of course in his native Italy, where Juventus spring to mind!

Trap (as he has been dubbed by the British media) did however, have a largely unsuccessful spell with Italy between 2000 and 2004. He did beat England though, thanks to a wonder strike by Gennaro Gattuso in a 1-0 win.

Trapattoni is a no-nonsense kind of coach, who shouts his way through 90 minutes, constantly pushing his players. This sounds like a positive Irish trait and he will always get 110 percent from his boys in green.

Scotland have gone down a totally different street with their appointment of George Burley. It is however, the same street that found Walter Smith and Alex McLeish. Burley won't be earning six million pounds like Capello, but a measly 350,000, if reports are to be believed. That is less than he was earning at Championship side, Southampton!

He is most importantly a Scot, and after our horror spell during the reign of Berti Vogts, it will be a while before we hear a foreign accent at a Scottish press conference again.

I believe he can carry on from the great work done by his predecessors. Burley has an improving side who now believe they are capable of beating anyone. 14th in yesterday's world rankings release doesn't lie. Scotland are capable of defeating the Dutch.

So with the whole of Britain watching Euro 2008 at home, I hope these three men can get you scrambling for World Cup tickets come 2010! Good luck everybody!

Eyebrows were notably raised at the start of the season when Sunderland splashed out £9 million on Scotland’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Craig Gordon.

After Saturday's performance against Wigan, however, the fee seems utterly justified. 

It simply doesn't matter how much Roy Keane paid for his keeper—if Gordon keeps them in the Premiership, he’s earned every single penny!

It's true that it's been a bumpy road.  After a strong start in the EPL this year, both Sunderland’s and Gordon's stars began to wane.  The pressure of getting Scotland to Euro 2008—with huge games against the likes of Italy, France, and Ukraine—took its toll.

While he failed to perform at Sunderland, Gordon maintained excellent form at Scotland, mastering his defense for a clean sheet in Paris as Scotland shocked France 1-0.  He also contributed significantly to earn wins over Ukraine and Lithuania.

Gordon has been championed by many—including Gianluigi Buffon who hinted at the possibility of Gordon—to potentially be the best in the world.

But after Scotland’s heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Italy and the 7-1 demolition of Sunderland at the hands of Everton, Keane dropped Gordon.

Gordon managed to respond spectacularly to this move.  Keane said, "If you want to be a top player you have to deal with disappointments, and Craig will be a top player."

Since his return to the side, Sunderland has again started to pick up points.  Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wigan was all about Gordon who, simply put, earned his team three points.

It's points like these that will keep Sunderland in the EPL and if that's the case, Roy Keane has been vindicated!

Wigan manager Steve Bruce said of the game, "We won (Stadium of Light) 3-0 here in the FA Cup a few weeks ago, but played twice as well today and ended up losing.  Their keeper (Gordon) was brilliant and one save in the second half was world class."

It's only been his first year on the world stage that is the EPL, so maybe Buffon had a point. 

After all, it takes one to know one.

I'm writing this belated response to the end of Scotland's Euro 2008 dream, because I feel it would be unjust to acknowledge only my country's successes.

Scotland lost a humdinger of a match at Hampden Park on Saturday night. The 2-1 loss to Italy ended Scotland's dream of reaching Euro 2008.

I could use an old cliche, and say that the atmosphere inside Hampden was 'electric'—but in all honesty, it was much better than that!

The fans sang and chanted louder than I've heard anywhere before. Not only that, but the Tartan Army stayed inside the ground and sang even after the cruel ending to the Scottish campaign!

As for the game itself, Scotland looked world-class for most part, but switched off twice,and were punished by the world champions.

The decision to award Italy the free kick that led to the winning goal, can be described by no other word but "disgrace!" It broke my heart watching that header go in, and I hope that level of pain never leaves the Spanish referee.

I cannot argue about the result, as Scotland had their fair share of luck through the qualifiers, but it could so easily have been their day.

The fans' staying on after the game was a special gesture towards the players, who responded by taking a lap of honour to thank their special fans.

To watch this young team grow—to see players like James McFadden prove themselves on a world stage, has been incredibly exciting.

However, I reserve the highest praise for man of the match: Alan Hutton.

Not much more than a year ago Hutton was on Paul Le Guen's scrapheap at Rangers, fighting his way back from a broken leg.

What a difference a year makes!

After Walter Smith took over at Rangers, the young fullback thrived at this new opportunity and has not looked back since.

And last night, in the biggest match of his career, he was—in the words of Sir Alex Ferguson—"exceptional."

With the World Cup qualifying draw to be held soon, Scottish fans can only hope for a favourable outcome which avoids the group of death.

This way, we'll get to see this fantastic group of players live in South Africa, starring on the world's biggest stage!

My eyes were sore when I retired to bed Saturday, after a poignant night for all the Scotland fans around the world.

I don't know whether it was due to tears, but they were under strain for ninety minutes.

I'm not a partisan Scotland fan, but when a team is playing brilliant football and defying all the odds, you have to root for them.

The Tartan Army has been the most impressive side of this campaign, pulling off some major shocks against heavy favorites—like the stunner against France.

The knockout stages were dancing in their dreams, and success was just around the corner—until the Azzuries came and shattered all of their hopes.

The last-ditch effort of Cristian Panucci made all the difference in this game, which was  dominated equally by both teams. The atmosphere was electrifying inside Hampden Park, and every Scottish fan was anticipating a football fiesta. Nobody expected the Azzuries to make an early breakthrough, but Luca Toni had other ideas, and slammed home the ball to silence the fans just two minutes in.

After that wake-up call, the game was on. Tackles were flying in all corners of the field, with both teams desperate to win the ball and have shots on goal. Di Natale and Luca Toni continuously terrorized the shaky Scottish defence, but goalie Gordon was in top form on the goal line. Italy dominated both halves, but failed to capitalize, and the Scottish defence only strengthened throughout the course of the game.

In the second half, Scotland approached with some fresh strategems: playing defensive and striking on counterattacks. However, the equaliser came from a set-piece when McFadden's shot was impeded by the wall, and the ball fell to captain Barry Ferguson, who slotted the ball home to rekindle Scotland's hopes.

With over 25 minutes in hand, both teams pushed themselves to their limits to take the accolades. As the injury time neared, the fans could hear there exit bells ringing to a crescendo. Cristian Panucci increased the volume even higher, when Pirlo's ball from a controversial free-kick met his head, and he squeaked the ball past the despairing goalkeeper. 

This match was an absolute heartbreaker for Alex McLeish's side, who have coruscated Scotland's image in the International arena after several years of letdowns. Nevertheless, the young squad of Scotland looks promising—and come next October, they will be the team to beat when the World Cup Qualifiers get under way.

The night's other shock came from the Macedonia-Croatia game, where the Minnows ended Croatia's unbeaten run in a crushing 2-0 loss. Croatia boss Bilic had been contemptuous of England, tagging them as "self-confident" prior to their game. Surely, this loss was a tight slap in his face, and revealed who was more "self-confident."

To put icing on the cake for England fans, Russia caved to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Israel—who deserved to win the game if you ask me. With stalwart Yossi Benayoun missing, you couldn't have expected a better performance from this young, inexperienced side.

The losses for both Russia and Croatia mean that England is the master of its destiny yet again, and it's up to Steve McLaren's barmy army to reprieve themselves. A draw will be sufficient for them to progress, but McLaren must go for a win if he wants to save his blushes. 

Though the Three Lions have a striker crisis—with Peter Crouch remaining as the only first-choice front runner—McLaren may employ a 4-5-1 formation, or a 4-3-3 formation with Beckham and Cole playing down the flanks.

Against Austria,the Gerrard-Lampard partnership again misfired, although the latter player managed to shine. Becks was back in business and sprayed some terrific crosses and through-balls to the attackers. Joe Cole also lived up to the fans' expectations. 

Let's hope that their upbeat attitude acts as their spearhead against Croatia, and they finally call a hiatus on their never-ending criticism—at least for the time being!

It was a night of big wins for major players in the European arena.

Favorites like France, Spain, Italy, and England easily outmaneuvered inferior adversaries. An upstart Scotland side, meanwhile, once again opened eyes around the continent with a resounding 3-1 win over Ukraine.

The highlights came from the avalanche of goals netted by the French and the Slovaks, and from Germany's emergence as the first team to qualify for the next round.

In Group A, an ongoing two-horse race between Portugal and Poland saw both teams comfortably defeat Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, respectively.

Group B, the so-called Group of Death, looks to be going down to the wire. Both Italy and France are breathing down Scotland's neck, and all three teams were victorious yesterday.

France was particularly impressive in a 6-0 mauling of the Faroe Islands. In a tight group, Italy's away match against Scotland may well be the decider.

Group C has been dominated by Greece and Turkey, but the Turks were held to a 1-1 draw at Moldova.

Germany breathed a sigh of relief after confirming their qualification in a lackluster 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland. One more win and the Czech Republic will also move on in Group D.

San Marino, the worst team in the competition, surrendered seven goals to the Slovaks.

Group E play saw England and Croatia get the better of Estonia and Israel, respectively. The two group leaders will meet on the last Matchday at Wembley.

Group F is dominated by Spain and Sweden, with the latter leading the pack.

Group G is slated to see some upcoming cliffhangers, with Romania, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria all in contention for the top two spots.

With veteran goalkeeper Van der Saar out due to injury, the Dutch were unlucky enough to lose to Romania by a goal.

And to close with an argument:

With all due respect, I think it's unjust to allow minnows like Andorra and San Marino to compete for spots in Euro 2008.

Yes, they are bound to be underdogs in every competition, but such impotent teams have no place amongst the European elite.

Instead, they should be confined to International Friendlies, where at least they'll be able to hone their talents.

What do you think?

France is in a state of shock today after one of the worst weeks in the country's sporting history.

First, the hosts of the Rugby World Cup were stunned 17-12 by Argentina on the tournament's opening night.

Then, less than week later, the French fell to a hungry Scotland side in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Paris.

Particularly galling was the fact that Scotland had beaten France in their first Group B meeting in Glasgow.

A lack of interest by the local faithful allowed Scotland fans to buy up empty seats. At game time, the Tartan Army was 20,000 strong inside the stadium—with their flags flying and their voices at full pitch.

In fact, one could argue that Scotland were playing with twelve men, as their supporters won the battle of the crowd in getting right behind their side.

And it was fitting, then, that those fans who made the journey witnessed a historic victory.

The game was an edgy affair, with Scotland determined to maintain their defensive stall. The first half ended without a goal, as the French, who were minus Thierry Henry, managed only a few chances.

As the game wore on, the Scots started to pick up a few small breaks. The French created some chances of their own, forcing a handful of superb saves from Sunderland's Craig Gordon.

In the 64th minute, a Gordon goal kick found James McFadden of Everton with his back to goal over 30 yards out. After a single touch, he turned and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the French net.

The Scots were ahead again—deja vu for the French!

The Scotland fans went crazy; the French players looked stunned. The game continued as before, with the French pushing forward but creating little headway. A handball in the box by Scotland skipper Barry Ferguson in injury time went unnoticed by the officals—and the final whistle gave Scotland their first win in France in over 50 years.

As for the rest of Group B—a win for Italy (2-1 over Ukraine in Kiev) keeps them in contention, and two points still separates the top three sides.

The Scotland fans partied all night around the Eiffel Tower, winning great affection from the French public. The Scots are, in my opinion, the best fans in the world.

I've personally never been so proud of a nation—not only the players, but the magnificent Tartan Army.

If nothing else, they'll always have Paris. 

Once upon a time, back when football was a sport, Britain's national teams used to play each other regularly.

These games were affectionately known as "home internationals," with the biggest clash being Scotland against England.

Now, after nearly 20 years, intra-UK matches are set for a return.

Officials from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are in talks over a proposed "Celtic Cup."

England, unfortunately, have turned down the chance to be involved.

The English FA's refusal to enter talks is a selfish act that will disappoint millions of English football fans. The chance to take on the "Auld Enemy" is always eagerly anticipated both in England and Scotland, and will remain sadly missed.

England aside, there are plenty of positives in this story. The chance for the Celtic nations to play competitive matches against one another—while all the other teams in the world are having friendly kick-abouts—could be of great importance.

Imagine, for example, the Celtic Cup Final: 52,000 at Hampden Park in Glasgow watching Scotland play Wales for the trophy, with two sets of fans passionately urging their countries on.

Then stop and compare it to any friendly match you've watched recently. It's not even close.

I also believe the home internationals will be a boon for ticket sales (generally poor for friendlies) and television ratings, as entire nations of football-loving fans tune in to follow their sides.

As a Scot who adores his country, I'm really excited by the prospect of the Celtic Cup—and look forward to that great day at Hampden.