Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hello, welcome to the Scotsman Football Show. My name is Matthew Elder and I'm joined by
00:08my esteemed colleagues, our sports editor Mark Atkinson and Chief Football Writer Alan
00:12Patillo to look ahead to the SPFL weekend action and beyond. There is some Scottish
00:18interest on the continent this weekend, but we shall start with the Scottish Premiership
00:22where we have Celtic entertaining Hibs on Saturday. Celtic obviously champions now,
00:30dead rubber for them, but Hibs really pushing for this first place now. I was at Easter Road
00:36last week, watched them beat Dundee United 3-1 and I have to say they were very impressive again,
00:40Hibs bouncing straight back from that first defeat in 17 to Aberdeen the week before.
00:45Great atmosphere at Easter Road, one of the best I've seen it. The Hibs fans are really buying into
00:49this David Gray era and a massive TIFO unveil before that game as well in Sir David Gray's honour.
01:00Mark, the way Hibs are going, and obviously we've just touched on the fact that Celtic
01:05are now not needing to win. They're champions and they've obviously got the Scottish Cup final on
01:10the horizon, so might make some changes. Do you see Hibs going to the Celtic Park and getting a result
01:15that could all but cement this third place? I actually think there's a chance, Matthew,
01:21this weekend. Although I think what Brendan Rodgers said yesterday about telling his players to train
01:27like animals for the rest of the season probably didn't go down well with David Gray, but Celtic
01:33are going to move out a number of key players this weekend. Cameron Carter-Vickers is being arrested,
01:37he's got a hamstring issue. We know there's injury concerns over Nicholas Kuhn, and we know that
01:44Jota's out for nine months. And we've seen in the past when Celtic have won the league
01:52well before the end of the season, they do have a natural drop off. I remember Hibs beating Celtic
01:564-2 a couple of years ago under Ange-Posta-Copley, albeit that was at Easter Road. But I think
02:02Hibs should go into this game with an element of comfort behind them. They have a three-point
02:08gap over Aberdeen, they have a superior goal difference. So even if they were to lose and
02:13Aberdeen make ground on them, they're still in their own hands. So the pressure's off in a way for
02:18Hibs. This is a game that no one expects them to win really. And I think Hibs are one of the few
02:23teams this season that I've seen cause Celtic genuine problems. They beat them at Easter Road
02:28back in February, and they actually played quite well in the two defeats at Celtic Park.
02:34It's by no need of certainty that Celtic win this match. They're still favourites, rightly so.
02:38But I think Hibs will go there with a degree of confidence, and they could get a result that
02:43really would cement their credentials as a third of course in Scottish football.
02:50Indeed, Alan, obviously Hibs are the form team in the race for third, with only that one defeat in,
02:56what was it now, 19 league matches. So you're putting them down as favourites,
03:01even though they've got to go to Celtic Park this weekend. And like Mark said, Aberdeen could
03:05close the gap down to goal difference again.
03:09Yeah, I think they have to be favourites for that third position. I'm not sure they're favourites to
03:17to win at Celtic Park. But as Mark says, I think, you know, why not in these circumstances? This is
03:24this is the time to be going to Celtic Park, isn't it? If you're needing a win, a time when Celtic,
03:31whatever Brennan Rogers is saying, they do have one eye on the Scottish Cup final on the 24th of May.
03:38I think I read, yeah, I read Brennan Rogers today, I think yesterday was saying that, you know,
03:43you know, very much minds are focused on on the treble, something that wasn't really discussed
03:48much before he came in in 2016. And now really is, you know, it's a bit ridiculous to say, isn't it?
03:54That would be almost seen as a slightly disappointing season if Celtic don't actually win that treble.
04:00So they've obviously got their eyes firmly on that. And yeah, here come Hibs. You're right, Matthew.
04:08I mean, that was a having lost and against Aberdeen and admittedly, you know, and unfortunate
04:17circumstances, obviously, a wonder goal right to the end against Aberdeen. You know, you wouldn't
04:21suggest it was a sign that Hibs were going off the rails or anything. But yeah, to come back from
04:26that and win very comfortably again, last weekend, I think was just, you know, a small test for David
04:33Gray to, you know, a small challenge for him. And he certainly overcame that. You know, you do,
04:38you know, you sit here and you're actually, you know, very excited to what not just what Hibs can
04:42do this season, but what can happen next season. Now David Gray has got this first full season under
04:48his belt, a slightly traumatic season in the first few months. But, you know, what has he learned this
04:54year? What has he learned this season? Absolute priceless. You talk about coaches, managers going on
04:59these SFA coaches to get their badges, but you can't be actually being there in the dugout
05:05at the cutting edge and having to deal with what David Gray has dealt with this season. It's
05:10absolutely fascinating. And yeah, I think Hibs can, if Hibs can get over the line, get that third place
05:17in the next few days, I think they can reflect on a quite superb season and then, you know,
05:24head towards next season with great, great enthusiasm.
05:28Yeah, it would be probably one of the biggest achievements in terms of a third place finish,
05:34if David Gray could get that based on where Hibs were in November.
05:39One of the chasing pack, Dundee United, they're six points behind now after losing at Easter
05:44Road last week, but they can seal a European place if they beat St Myrne this weekend.
05:48St Myrne win though, and it's still all to play for. How do you see that one going, Mark?
05:55Tricky one to call. Not one that I'd be rushing to put on a coupon. Five points between Dundee
06:01United and St Myrne. I think we all felt that the top five was locked up when the split came along.
06:09St Myrne were just there to make up the numbers, some said. But if they were to win,
06:14two points behind with two games to go, it really would spice up that last spot.
06:24I feel a bit sorry at times for Jim Goodwin because actually his achievements this year have
06:28probably not been chronicled enough, given what Aberdeen had done above him, because they
06:34were promoted last season. And he arrived into the Premiership with a pretty average squad
06:41and has made them much better. And top six was an achievement. European football would be a great
06:47achievement. To be one win away from that, it's a real feather in Goodwin's cap, given where he and
06:53United were. Imagine that game will be quite nervy. I've been impressed by sitting there in recently,
06:58but I always think they're a tougher nut to crack at home than they are away from home. When we talk about
07:02reaction, how Hibbs reacted well from that defeat by Aberdeen, Dundee United need to react well to
07:07how they played against Hibbs. Because as you saw in the flesh, Matthew, United's defending was very,
07:12very poor last weekend. And Goodwin was very scathing of the way his team played. He said it was
07:19unlike them to be that poor. So he'll be looking for a reaction as well. A draw is probably a good
07:24result for United in that game. And maybe that's the way to go if you're trying to predict it. But a really
07:30exciting match to announce. Jim Goodwin, unfortunately, Alan, not to be mentioned
07:36really at all in the Manager of the Year. Conversations, obviously, bringing our team
07:40up from the Championship and being involved in this race for third, probably still in it
07:47to a certain extent. Certainly if they win this weekend and Hibbs and Aberdeen were both to lose,
07:51they would go back to within three points. I think he was unfortunate not to be mentioned at all.
07:55Yeah, no, definitely. I think he will. Yeah, certainly. In this kind of eternal game
08:01of one-upmanship in Scottish football, I mean, Dundee United have, I mean, Dundee got a lot of
08:07praise last season for coming up and finishing in the top six. United have done that. I've done
08:13that as well, very comfortably, and are even actually going for it. As you say, we're still
08:17going for Europe. I mean, it's an extraordinary achievement from them and for Jim Goodwin. You know,
08:22Jim Goodwin, remember this manager who was so heavily discredited just, what, a couple of years
08:26ago now, he did wonder whether he was going to work in Scottish football again after the way it
08:31ended at Aberdeen. But he's come in and, you know, assuredly rebuilt his reputation at Tannadice.
08:40And to the extent, well, you're right, I think it has been harshly, harshly omitted from the
08:49manager of the year shortlist. I think he should definitely should be in the running. And yeah,
08:57if United can get over the line tomorrow, you mentioned, Mark, you mentioned St Mirren being
09:02a tougher not to crack possibly at in Paisley, but I saw him go to Ibrox a few weeks ago and bully
09:08Rangers out of it to win 2-0 Ibrox, one of Barry Ferguson's ill-fated Ibrox outings as a manager.
09:19And yeah, you do you do think it wasn't Barry Ferguson, was it? It was a Philippe Clermont.
09:25I think it was his last game, wasn't it? Yeah.
09:29It's easy to get mixed up.
09:34Yeah. And it was, I just remember being absolutely astonished that I came away from Ibrox
09:40and I don't think I've ever seen Rangers be bullied by another team at home. And that's what
09:44Samirin did. They're, you know, they're quite a proposition, physical. And, you know, you know,
09:50the way Steven Robertson likes to play football, physical, but there's some good players as well.
09:55And I think that's going to be a, yeah, a Titanic tussle at Tanadice tomorrow. And yeah, might go for a
10:03draw, I think.
10:07And that brings us to the final top six match of the weekend, which takes place on Sunday. The only
10:11Sunday fixture in the Premiership this weekend is at Ibrox, Rangers Aberdeen. We've already spoken
10:16about Hibs facing Celtic away from home, but a trip to Ibrox should be difficult for Aberdeen,
10:22but maybe not based on the way Rangers have been going this season. And Barry Ferguson remarkably
10:30still looking for a first home win in his interim spell and charge. You've just touched on Rangers
10:36form this season there, but Alan, can you see that sort of poor form that they've shown
10:41at Ibrox recently continuing and Aberdeen going there and getting the result they need to stay in the
10:45race for them?
10:46I don't know, it's such a difficult one to call. I mean, it really feels like, I know
10:52it's ridiculous to say it, given Rangers aren't really playing for anything, but it feels like
10:56almost a cup final, cup final. In fact, they've got to, you know, they have to win. They have to
11:01win. He's got two chances left, Barry Ferguson, to get that elusive first winner at Ibrox. I think I'm
11:07right in saying if he doesn't do it, he becomes the first manager in Rangers history, including caretaker
11:13managers who have had at least one match at home, not to win a game at Ibrox, and that he just does
11:19not want that on his CV. I mean, actually, when you look back and you think of what Barry Ferguson's
11:23done, you think he's done okay. He's done, you know, he's done okay. But when you look at the actual
11:29facts of the matter, and you think not winning at Ibrox, I mean, you know, it almost, how are we even
11:35talking about Barry Ferguson being a potential manager when the takeover is completed. I mean,
11:41you think anyone would just look at his record and say, well, I can't win at Ibrox, you can't
11:45be a Rangers manager. So, very important for Barry Ferguson, and not just to win, I think to win well
11:51as well. You know, I don't think Rangers fans will be fooled by a scruffy 2-1 win or something. You
11:56know, I think that they have to turn on the style somewhat and give Rangers fans, you know, give them
12:01some entertainment they're crying out for. You know, that obviously last outing at Ibrox in the
12:08Old Firm game last weekend, they were okay, you know, they were okay. They could have possibly could
12:14have won, but I think Rangers fans will be, you know, less forgiving of dropping points, more points
12:23against Aberdeen or certainly even losing. So, yeah, fascinating one. I'm looking forward to being
12:28there. I'm going to be there again on Sunday. So, yeah, we'll see how it goes. And I see Aberdeen
12:34manager, Jimmy Tuleen has just been, I think, named manager of the month. Is that right? So,
12:38he's, you know, he's sort of got, he's managed to win, win favour back round again. What a strange
12:45season they've had. We talked about Hibbs earlier in Aberdeen. My goodness, Jimmy Tuleen, you know,
12:50you'd think he could be in the running for a manager of the year if it wasn't for that,
12:54that absolutely surreal spell and the three month spell of awful results. So, yeah.
13:03I think the Scottish football writers have nominated him. He's in there.
13:06Yeah, he is in the running football writers. Yeah, of course. Yeah, rightly so. Yeah,
13:09he wasn't in the PFA one. Yeah, but right, you know, rightly so. And, and as we, we always say
13:16when we're talking about these nominees, don't we? Why, why, why pick them now? Let's wait
13:21at the end of the season, because Aberdeen, I mean, if Jimmy Tuleen wins the Scottish Cup
13:24with Aberdeen, my goodness, first manager to win the Scottish Cup since 1990, since Alex Smith,
13:29and you think, well, he deserves to be manager of the year. Indeed. Indeed. That's wrapped up the top
13:36six, the bottom six, some big matches taking place this weekend. None more so St. Johnston,
13:41Viros County. It really is do or die in this one for St. Johnston. If they lose, then they will be
13:48relegated this weekend and back to the Championship for the first time in what seems like forever.
13:54I've not got the exact number of years that they've been in the Premiership, but it does feel
13:57like a very, very long time since they were in the second tier. And they've just been rooted
14:05to that bottom spot for most of the season and just haven't been able to climb their way out.
14:10Mark, do you see it all being confirmed this weekend, St. Johnston to go down? Can Ross County
14:13go there and get us out? They can, Ross County. They can. I find Ross County an incredibly hard
14:21team to predict at times. Normally not great on the road. They had that terrible run-up until
14:27Christmas where they felt like they hadn't won for an eternity on the road and then won three games in
14:31a row away from the thing. Well, it's such a pressurised match for St. Johnston, but I've been
14:37quite disappointed with St. Johnston in the way they've tackled this bottom six. They take the lead at
14:42Motherwell and then ship three goals. They're at home to Kilmarnock and they're pretty meek and
14:49error-strewn. I just wonder if Simo Balakari's run out of petrol with this St. Johnston team. Not
14:55helped by injuries to the back line. Most of their best defenders have been picking up injuries.
15:01And yeah, I think whatever revival we saw under Balakari, it feels like it's stopped. And even if they
15:08were to win against Ross County, it's still a three-point gap with two games to go.
15:13And I, in my head, they're probably condemned now to the championship. If it happens this weekend,
15:20then it happens this weekend. I just don't know if they've got it. They're going to have to take
15:23seven points out of their last nine, out of the last nine to, to get out of this problem.
15:30And they've already got a Tyne Castle as well. I just think they're doomed now. And for Ross
15:35County, I think it's about looking above them. They need to try and get themselves out of the
15:41playoff position, which we'll come to in a second, because there's still a chance that they can
15:46finish ten if we're above. We talk about being a must win for St. Johnston, and actually it's
15:51possibly a must win for Ross County too, in terms of their status. It'll be a nervy match,
15:57not one that'll be particularly pretty at McDermott Park. Lots riding on it. I don't think Ross
16:04County will lose, but with a win, I'm not sure. Got the figure now, 16 seasons that St. Johnston's
16:10have been in the top flight consecutively. That's our longest ever run in the top flight. So it looks
16:15like that is now coming to an end, but slightly further up the table, we have Kilmarnock hosting Dundee,
16:24both of whom still need to get out of trouble, particularly when it comes to escaping that
16:28relegation playoff place that Ross County currently occupy. Obviously, Kelly having their own situation
16:34at the moment with managerial speculation. They're kind of strongly linked to the Hart's job when he
16:40didn't take his press conference during the week. So you wonder how much that's been a distraction
16:44possibly. But they'll be hosting Dundee looking to possibly all but guarantee their safety. Dundee
16:53need a result as well ahead of facing Ross County in midweek. How do you see this one going, Alan?
16:59Difficult, difficult. Yeah, Mark mentioned, obviously you mentioned, talked about St. Johnston
17:04v. Ross County earlier. I think that game's going to be the opposite of what we watched on Tuesday night,
17:10that Barcelona against Inter. You know, you talked about that game.
17:16When you watched, Alan, you're not watching Partick Air.
17:20I was looking between the channels. I was, in honesty, I was. But yeah, I think that'd be the
17:28flip side of that, isn't it? St. Johnston v. Ross County for survival, grim survival. So yeah, I don't
17:35think it's going to be a free-flowing exhibition of football in Perth. But yeah, heading to Robbie
17:42Park, probably the same could be said of that as well. Derek McInnes, obviously being linked with
17:48hearts, as you say, I would suggest possibly he might be minded to give away a farewell gift to his
17:54old pal Tony Doherty before he leaves, perhaps in the form of three points at Robbie Park. Is that
18:01possible? Come on, I don't need them. Come on, I don't need them. Yeah, these games have been
18:09topsy-turvy games, haven't they, in recent months, and either high scoring or draws, invariably with one
18:18of the teams speeding into a two-goal lead and the other team pegging them back. So we'll see what
18:25happens on Saturday. Dundee obviously need points. If they can get a win on Saturday and they'll be
18:35hoping that possibly St. Johnston can beat Ross County, then that gives Dundee a chance to make
18:42themselves safe with a win on Wednesday night against Ross County. So yeah, all to play for so much
18:48is to be, so much is to unfold in the next few days. It's going to be fascinating. But I will put my
18:55neck on the line and say a draw at Rugby Park. How about that? There's some questions over Dundee's
19:02selection issues. Trevor Carson, the goalkeeper, doesn't of course play on AstroTurf, so whether he's
19:09going to be pushed into action on Saturday with the kind of words of Tony Doherty ringing in his ears.
19:14So, you know, you've got to play. You've got to play this one, I'm afraid. Forget your knees for 90
19:20minutes, because he's been good for Dundee in recent weeks. So yeah, I think that's a big decision
19:26actually for Tony Doherty to make. So I wouldn't fancy John McCracken, who's number two being pushed
19:31back in again. His confidence seems a bit short. So I like John McCracken. I think he'd be a good Dundee
19:37goalkeeper in time. I think for a game like tomorrow, it's such a nervy game. So yeah,
19:41I'll be looking at that team sheet with great interest tomorrow.
19:47You know, match of the bottom six, the race for seventh place. Can we really bill it as that?
19:52I'm not sure. It doesn't seem like something worth racing for, really. Certainly not from
19:56the Hearts perspective after where their season's gone. But that's effectively the only thing that
20:03they're playing for. Hearts v Motherwell at Tyne Castle. Hearts are obviously just needing to
20:09continue the sort of positivity that was built from finally getting a win last week at Ross County,
20:14which has pretty much secured their place in the premiership for next season. And Motherwell doing
20:21quite well under Michael Wimmer to make sure that they are not involved at all, really, in the
20:26relegation discussion. A big match at Tyne Castle, just like we say, Mark, to keep that sort of
20:34negativity bubbling under the surface that has been there for a lot of Hearts' season. Obviously,
20:41they're busy with the manager hunt at the moment, but could do without Tyne Castle turning toxic again
20:47on Saturday. Yeah, I agree with you there. Although I think with Hearts now, it's all about what happens
20:53off the pitch, not on it, when you're looking at the aforementioned managerial search. And also the
20:59investment, potential investment from Tony Bloom. I feel like there's a lot going on at Tyne Castle,
21:05but actually the 90 minutes that's going to come on Saturday is largely irrelevant. I suppose you're
21:10playing for prize money, I suppose you're playing for Pride, and some of those Hearts players might be
21:17trying to play for a new manager, trying to show that they've got a future at Tyne Castle.
21:20I had the misfortune of being at Motherwell Hearts last month when they both failed to make the top
21:26six, and it was an absolutely wretched game of football. Hopefully, with less jeopardy on the
21:33line, both teams could open up a little bit more. I actually wonder if Hearts might sprint through the
21:38finishing line now, now that they're safe. I think Liam Fox has actually done quite a good job in both
21:43spells as caretaker this season. So he'll also improve as well, he'll want to stay at Hearts and
21:51be part of the future under which our manager comes in. So I think Hearts might actually kick on and do
21:58quite well for the rest of the season. But of course, what was it two weeks ago at Tyne Castle,
22:03you mentioned the word toxic, that's probably underplaying what it was like when Dundee won one,
22:07one nil there. Harmony and Gorky is probably no bad thing. I'm going to plump for a Hearts win there.
22:16It's nothing that laps up the Premiership action, but as I touched on at the top of the show,
22:20there is some interest on the continent, particularly in Syria, where Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmore are
22:27bidding to become the first Scots to win the Italian title. Big games on Sunday, Torino hosting
22:35second place Inter. They're currently three points behind Napoli in second place. That game's at
22:41five o'clock in Napoli v Genoa at 7.45. So Napoli will know what Inter have done in the earlier kick-off
22:49before they go into their match. They would love to still be three points ahead going into that game
22:53and trying to open up a six-point advantage. There's so much interest around Scott McTominay,
22:58Mark, and how he's basically become almost a Maradona-like figure for Napoli this season.
23:08His recent scoring exploits help in that, of course, but he's also just been such a powerhouse for them.
23:13And Man United fans pining for him, you'd have to say,
23:16based on the form that he's shown over there, I think we'll all be tuning into the goings-on in
23:22Serie A on Sunday night, won't we?
23:24Yeah. I mean, Sky Super Sunday is definitely not the games they've got. It's all about the Scudetto
23:30Sunday in Serie A. You know what? Obviously, I can't wait to watch McTominay and hopefully
23:38Gilmour play on at 7.45, but I'm more intrigued about Torino against Internazionale because
23:45Alan touched upon that absolutely gloriously bonkers game of football on Tuesday between
23:50Barcelona and Inter, which Inter came through emotionally and physically. How do you recover
23:56from that type of match, especially when you know you have to win? And they're going to Turin against a
24:02a 3-0 side that's mid-table, stuffy, hard to beat, of course, has its own Scotsman in Shea Adams.
24:08How fitting would that be if Shea Adams was to give his Scotland international teammates
24:14a wee gift by scoring the winner or an equaliser against Inter? There's no guarantee that Inter
24:20win that match. They've been really struggling for goals and form in Serie A.
24:24And of course, even if they do win, Napoli have got the three-point cushion and they've got two home
24:31games out of three left, starting against a Genoa team that haven't been that good this season.
24:36I mean, the atmosphere at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is going to be just jumping on Sunday
24:43night, regardless of what happens beforehand. And it's so exciting to think that we could potentially
24:48have two Italian Serie A winners. And of course, we could also have a Coppa Italia Scottish winner,
24:53Lewis Ferguson. It's heady times for Scots. And then, yeah, I think we, it's reaching
25:00to your pitch, the interest in what these guys could achieve.
25:04Well, and you wrote a piece on Nick Tomeny's rise to Stadham in Italy this week.
25:09How much have you enjoyed watching him? And is it taking you a bit by surprise just how well
25:13he's done over there?
25:14Yeah, it has a bit, it has a bit. Even slightly taking surprise that Napoli are doing so well.
25:21You know, not just McTominay. So yeah, it's been, it's been great to watch. Who'd have thought,
25:29who would have thought the Scotsman football show would be having a little Italian segment
25:32on the end of it? You know, that would be necessary, but it is, since it's great.
25:38A friend sent me a picture last week of, as I was writing this Scott McTominay piece, and he'd gone
25:43up over to watch the game, uh, two weeks ago. And, uh, um, when he beat Torino, wasn't it? Yeah.
25:51And, um, with McTominay brace, and he'd sent me a picture of, uh, of the, the Friday Tartan army
25:56express. Yeah. About to take off from, I think it was Gatwick airport, just a sort of stream of,
26:02of Scotland fans and kilts and Napoli tops, um, getting on this, on this plane to head over to,
26:09uh, to Naples. So yeah, I mean, it's obviously caught the imagination of Scotland fans who,
26:14uh, yeah, and you don't need, you don't need too much excuse to want to go to Naples for the weekend,
26:18but this is a pretty, a pretty good excuse to go and see, uh, a couple of Scots. Hopefully,
26:24hopefully create history and, and win the Scudetto for the, the first Scots to do so. And, uh, yeah,
26:31I'll, I'll certainly be tuning in on, on Sunday evening when I get back from, uh, from, from Ibrox.
26:37And, uh, yeah, looking forward to Mark sending me out there for a game for perhaps the next couple
26:42of weeks. Go, Alan. We, we can all dream, can't we? We can all dream. That's a nice note to finish
26:50on. So thank you to Mark and Alan for joining me. Um, you can read all about the Scottish Premiership
26:56action and what happens in Serie A this weekend on scotsman.com. Thanks for watching and we'll see
27:03you on the next Scotsman Football Show.