Peter Leven for St Johnstone job? The Football Show LIVE

Scottish Football

Get ready for a thrilling weekend of Scottish Premiership action! In this episode, we dive into the big matchups, including St Johnstone taking on Celtic, Rangers hosting Hibernian, and Dundee battling Aberdeen. Who will come out on top? We’ve got the analysis, predictions, and latest team news to keep you in the know.  Also on The Football Show:  Reaction to Rangers’ 2-0 win over Malmo Aberdeen’s fixture breakdown Preview of key Premiership matches, including Hearts v Ross County, Motherwell v St Mirren, and more Updates on Shaun Rooney's suspension and Scott McTominay's goal for Napoli Stay tuned for all the action and don’t miss out on the biggest headlines from Scottish football!  The Football Show Highlights:  00:00:00 Intro - The Football Show LIVE 00:02:10 Malmo 0 Rangers 2 reaction 00:10:02 Aberdeen FC fixtures 00:12:01 Rangers v Hibernian preview 00:19:49 St Johnstone v Celtic preview 00:31:12 Latest Scottish football news 00:35:12 Dundee v Aberdeen preview 00:39:02 Does everyone want a Celtic v Rangers cup final? 00:41:37 Shaun Rooney suspended by St Mirren 00:43:44 Motherwell v St Mirren preview 00:46:37 Hearts v Ross County preview 00:53:07 Kilmarnock v Dundee United preview 00:57:44 Scott McTominay's goal for Napoli 00:58:55 Man United v Tottenham  00:59:44 Celtic FC Women qualify for Champions League  Love Scottish football as much as we do? We highly recommend you subscribe for the latest Scottish football news, live Scottish Premiership match reports and exclusive interviews with football icons.

Transcript

00:00:00Welcome to the football show on PLZ Soccer's YouTube channel. I'm Peter Martin, Alan Ruff,

00:00:07Alison McConnell and Tam McManus here with me on Friday's show. We're on the podcast,

00:00:12we're on YouTube and if you hit the subscribe button you'll join the football family. If you

00:00:17download the app in Google Play or the App Store you'll get all the breaking news at your fingertips.

00:00:22Thank you for joining us on our live YouTube feed. We like to read out more than a few messages. Big

00:00:27thank you to Kenny who sent us a video. We might put it on Monday's show. He's been doing a bit of

00:00:34hospitality out there in America and LA, just trying to make us jealous really, but the pictures

00:00:40are great. Brilliant, yeah. I mean we're always open to invites abroad. If he wants to pay the

00:00:46airfare I'd be more than happy to go and see how he operates. He's an Avedonian fan, there's no

00:00:50chance he's paying the airfare. I don't think he'd even pay it for family, never mind you or I,

00:00:57but it's always good actually to try and get friends right across the globe. Would you feel

00:01:02uneasy, Ruffy, if we were invited over by somebody in some place and we're staying in their house,

00:01:10would you feel uneasy or would that pass quickly? Oh it would pass, there's no doubt about that,

00:01:15particularly if he's over in that neck of the woods which is very attractive. Los Angeles is

00:01:19fantastic. Alison, from your own point of view, would there be a... I'm hoping to drive to you.

00:01:24Absolutely, no point in asking you because that's how you basically made your career,

00:01:30just staying in people's houses and then signing on for the local club. We've got lots to talk

00:01:35about, Rangers yet again flying the flag for Scotland in Europe, the coefficient gets a

00:01:41major boost with their win against Malmo. St Mirren have suspended Sean Rooney, Celtics women book a

00:01:48place in the Champions League. A little bit of history which we will chat to Alison about. Scott

00:01:53Brown gets a new deal at Air United, not bad Ruffy, that's how you do it. You go and speak to

00:01:57another club and then you get an extra year. Yeah, but they really like him doing what he's doing,

00:02:02another American owner, trying to try him up and this could be a big year for Air United,

00:02:07so he's obviously buying into it. Yeah, lots to talk about. Let's start with that game last night,

00:02:14was it two going on six? I thought they could have won by more. Yeah, I mean I'm not taking

00:02:18anything away from Rangers, Malmo looked pretty ordinary, it didn't look like the team that we

00:02:24saw in Ibrox, was it 2-12 or something like that? When they knocked them out? Yeah, they looked

00:02:32really good then, but all credit to Rangers, got the goal right away which always sets you up for

00:02:37the rest of the game. They just couldn't break Rangers down, I thought the Rangers team were

00:02:42very, very good. I've said it all along, that European football seems to suit Rangers' style

00:02:49of play, rather than back home here where it must be more up and at them sort of stuff,

00:02:55but in European football they've got players who can control the game with the ball and that's

00:03:00what they did last night and I couldn't see them scoring at all. Well I'm going to offer you an

00:03:05alternative to that, every time we seem to get good results as far as Scottish clubs are concerned,

00:03:12sometimes we tend to overplay that they're not good enough. I thought Rangers, considering the

00:03:19bluster that the Malmo manager was saying prior to the game, I thought Rangers, perfect start,

00:03:2556 seconds for God's sake, but they still made them look mediocre at times and that's to Rangers'

00:03:31credit. Yeah, I think you've got to give Rangers the credit for making them look like an average

00:03:35side, I think they're not an average side, you see their record in Europe in recent years has

00:03:39been decent, they're at the top of the league in the Swedish league, they're miles ahead,

00:03:42so they're a good side and Rangers went there and battered them to be honest, you're right,

00:03:46could have been five or six, but for poor finishing for Rangers, they missed a couple of one-on-ones,

00:03:50they really should go in and score and I just thought it was a really great European away

00:03:55performance, I think that Ruffey hit the nail on the head, I think that it suits Rangers,

00:03:59teams attack Rangers in Europe, I don't think teams sit in against Rangers in Europe, they go

00:04:03and attack them and that leaves space for Rangers on the counter-attack and for the last four or

00:04:07five seasons have been excellent in Europe, so brilliant result, great start to the group,

00:04:11they've got a couple of winnable home games coming up as well, I know they're having a difficult

00:04:15group but I think they're capable now of getting nine or ten points and maybe getting into the

00:04:19knockout stages. Well amazing, that point that you're making, I mean first of all this is what

00:04:24Philippe Clameau had to say on that performance, if you see how many new players were on the pitch

00:04:29today who were not here one or two months ago, the team has already made a massive step forward

00:04:34to play that kind of football in this environment against that kind of opponent, he said it was his

00:04:39best yet and picking up on Tam's point Ruffey, in fact they only need two more wins from seven

00:04:47according to Opta and they've been to the next round. Yeah I mean this is a new thing,

00:04:51you know people predicting things so early on in the start of the competition, now we usually sit

00:04:57here and go for some reason the Champions League and the old groups have you got nine or ten points

00:05:02but the computers seem to be doing all the stuff you know and hopefully it does pan out that way

00:05:06because you would fancy Rangers at home, particularly against that team, so you're

00:05:11thinking about just one and one more game. Rangers fans offer their own opinion on Decer's week in

00:05:18week out Ali and at times you think maybe they've been a little bit too critical you know but to be

00:05:26fair god almighty he missed a sitter in the first minute, hit the post. Yeah I think he'd be delighted

00:05:31he'd be the most relieved man in the pitch when that went in. Yeah he missed a couple of those

00:05:36real chances. I think that is the kind of perennial criticism that he needs a lot of chances to reap

00:05:42the return that he gets, I think it is a bit harsh I think I take the point I think sometimes

00:05:49you know the chances that are there in a play are the ones that he doesn't take but I think he'd be

00:05:54kind of quietly satisfied with the way he started the season to be honest. Yeah okay he scored goals

00:05:59but you know as ever Tam when you get to European games and big games, we were discussing this

00:06:06earlier in the week as well, you need to score in the big games you know because punters, people

00:06:12who go and watch Rangers who are not fooled by any bluster or statements you know they'll look at the

00:06:19way any player plays in that Rangers jersey, you've got a big chance in a European game you have to

00:06:25take it. Yeah well listen Rangers won the game comfortably it didn't really matter last night

00:06:30but in bigger games against better opposition you're only going to get three and four chances

00:06:34you're maybe only going to get one and you've got to take it so that's been obviously a big criticism

00:06:38from large sections of Rangers fans that he doesn't take enough chances doesn't score enough

00:06:42goals. He wasn't the only one Cherneys was a... No Cherneys was a sitter and again I thought he was okay

00:06:47last night he should have scored he's been disappointed I thought Bajorani looked good

00:06:52a couple of three or four great through balls you know. Diomande? I thought he did a decent game as well I

00:06:56thought Souter at the back was superb and him and Proper cruised the game so a lot of big

00:07:02performances from Rangers and if you take out that Celtic game you know if you take that out in

00:07:07isolation they've actually had a good start of the season Rangers you know apart from that game

00:07:11they've won most of their games if not all their games and great start in Europe so as I said it's

00:07:16just that one that one major blip against Celtic but by that I think the Rangers supporters will be

00:07:20delighted with the start of the season. And again Robbie it just shows you the erratic nature of

00:07:24supporters maybe at times I have to say sometimes even in our group whether it's broadcast written

00:07:33you know we are guilty at times of maybe looking on a game by game basis but to their credit he

00:07:40has emphasised he wants to build a team he wants to try and get the average age down get the people

00:07:45that were high wage earners off the bill off the books and then look to try and get

00:07:54the formation of his team and you've got to give him credit for that. Yeah I mean right for the

00:07:59start you know he's tried to get everybody to buy into everything he's been doing you know he's been

00:08:04saying to everybody you know just sit tight you know I think the one see Celtic in January was

00:08:11just a wee bit too much but certainly there's a lot of games in between and I think that

00:08:16we're now looking at a Rangers team with certain players coming back and if the 11 stick together

00:08:21they will get better there's no doubt about that because there's some quality players in that

00:08:25in that side so you just have to hang tight and judge the games as they come up. Yeah absolutely

00:08:31and just correcting you on that Robbie I think it's a similar style again this new format the

00:08:37Europa League you know you're getting you're not getting home and away you're getting different

00:08:42opposition which I think is great Ali. Yeah I think so too I think it's something new I think

00:08:48I think there's a different vibe to it because you don't have the calculator out to work out

00:08:55well what can happen there and basically if you've got a home and away tie the permutations of that

00:09:02so it is something different a bit like what you're seeing in the Champions League this season

00:09:06too and I think it just offers just a it's a more refreshing way to go about it. Yeah and

00:09:12at home Lyon which you know with that full capacity suddenly Rangers don't have to worry

00:09:19about Hamden in that sterile atmosphere. I think it's huge I think it's absolutely huge I think

00:09:26there were so many issues around it so much noise around it at the start of the season I think it

00:09:31fed into just the the open a difficult opening weeks of the campaign and I think getting back

00:09:37to Ibrox is significant I think it just I think it takes away the complexities of

00:09:43playing at Hamden and the grumbles of discontent around it I think people getting back into their

00:09:49normal seats sitting next to people that they've probably been next to for years that they're at

00:09:54games at and I think just Ibrox and Hamden in terms of atmosphere are very very different

00:09:59just because of the construction of both stadiums. Yeah absolutely and Kenny poses a very interesting

00:10:04question he says I wonder if Rangers will challenge the Dons for second now you know

00:10:08because everything's looking good. I love the Aberdeen fans. Kenny will be hiding in the first of November

00:10:17that's my prediction. Ah yeah we have warned many a Dons fan on what's coming in October but listen

00:10:25if the Dons Ruffy come out of October with you know some big scalps they will be going

00:10:32absolutely crazy in that city. I said that a couple of weeks ago. What did you say? I said if Aberdeen

00:10:37continue the way they're going winning games obviously and I would expect Rangers to be

00:10:42winning games as well if that Aberdeen Rangers game came at Pataudrie whenever it is you know

00:10:48and if Aberdeen to win that Aberdeen supporters will believe that this could be the year they

00:10:53split the offer. Yeah nice comment from William Smith he says afternoon Peter, Ruffy, Tam and our

00:11:00lovely Alisson which is great just three mediocre guys and the lovely Alisson it's always

00:11:06it's always good to read. A wee comment for Alisson as well there. Yeah lovely green top Alisson says

00:11:12Jeff fantastic. Fan club Alisson, quite a fan club. Absolutely. Kissing me a fortune. Exactly Jeff knows

00:11:19a lot of us. The housewife's favourite. Yeah that's a new tag. It's much better than the old tag I have to tell you Ali.

00:11:30There are some people who just don't like you. That's huge.

00:11:35But yeah it was because you're sitting next to the housewife's favourite.

00:11:39Honestly you two should do your own show just recipes and things like that it'd be great.

00:11:43Two people that are well liked now. In contrast to you and I who are despised regularly.

00:11:51We'd just been a dart board just throwing knives at it. How you can run like a spit.

00:11:56Yeah absolutely how often can we get barred. Okay so suddenly from the highs of European football

00:12:05it's it's it's your mob it's Hibbs it's our Ibrox 932 fans finally we'll get the tickets.

00:12:13I just hope they're not leaving early. That's one of the ones I've been moaning. I've had a

00:12:17moan as well this week about the uncertainty of Hibbs getting the tickets and they've got

00:12:22their full allocation they've got 900 in the corner and listen it's up to the team to go and

00:12:26put a performance in. Their record against Rangers I was having a look last night is

00:12:30shocking. Over the last 10 or 11 games I think they've got a couple of draws and the rest have

00:12:35been humped and they've took some real serious tankings in that as well so listen Hibbs will

00:12:40be rested they've had a couple of weeks off international break Rangers traveling back last

00:12:43night. I always say the first 20-25 minutes whenever you go to Celtic Park and Ibrox you

00:12:49need to keep it keep the home team quiet for the first 20-25 minutes. If you can do that you can

00:12:55grow into the game you start you can feel the uncertainty in the stadium. If Rangers score an

00:12:59early goal it'll just be probably just be the same again and so they've got to keep it tight

00:13:03and try and score the first goal. If you score the first goal you're always in the game at Celtic

00:13:07Park and Ibrox but if they can see Dele then it could be another long long afternoon but I'm glad

00:13:11the fans are in let's hope they give the team some support and they're there for the full 90 minutes

00:13:15and they're not leaving three or four and done with 20 minutes to go. Why did you make such a

00:13:20song and dance about it 932 fans? No because I think there's a lot of Hibbs supporters who go

00:13:26every game they want to go every away game they want to get into Lions Den they want to be there

00:13:30when Hibbs get a result. It might be this weekend it might be a year's time you never know but they

00:13:36want to be there when it happens and no there's a lot of Hibbs supporters die hard who want to get

00:13:41into that environment and support the team. Yeah I must admit Robbie if I was a fan and I think about

00:13:47you know when I was younger I would not wait to get into that corner as an away fan

00:13:55I just I just it wouldn't be great you know

00:14:04I wouldn't go in the corner I wouldn't go in there. No I think the I think the police have got it well

00:14:09under control now you can see there's a really there's a gap from either side that there shouldn't

00:14:14be anything you know happening yeah but as Tam said if you're a supporter they're the big games

00:14:19you want to go and see you want to be there and witness what's happening. Okay yeah and by the way

00:14:26I'm going to read this out because of course sometimes and I always like to read out the odd

00:14:31noise up you know Tam because as ever we always say to people come on and give us pelters we can

00:14:37take it we're big enough and man enough some people obviously you know they come on because

00:14:44they've got an agenda and I would go as far as to say Stephen has got an agenda. Peter's happy to

00:14:50applaud John McGlynn for his approach against Celtic yet he was critical of Celtic's approach

00:14:54against Real Madrid. How do you explain that Peter? Stephen I think you're possibly...

00:15:01Great point. Yeah great point. I think you're possibly missing the point to be perfectly honest with you

00:15:07and I'll go back to it again is there a case and I say it quite openly is there a case that

00:15:14maybe Hibbs should take a leaf out of John McGlynn's book if if John McGlynn's Falkirk side

00:15:19can go and take the game to Celtic. Now realistically we would all sit in this couch before John

00:15:24McGlynn's side went to Celtic but did anybody think seriously they were going to come out with anything

00:15:29other than a pasting? Is that fair? So you park the bus you get criticised. I thought they

00:15:37went out and played positive football just on the point that Stephen's making which is completely

00:15:42and utterly nonsense. Celtic played 60 minutes of good football against Real Madrid. Good football

00:15:5060 minutes but there's no 60 minutes cup. I thought they had a great attitude to it but

00:15:55they just got outdone by a fantastic Real Madrid side. May I say also that Liverpool

00:16:01you know had a fantastic period where there were two nothing up against Real Madrid

00:16:06and Real Madrid came back and spanked them just to satisfy Stephen's point. I'm all for

00:16:11teams having a go and playing good football. I'd rather see that than parking the bus would you not?

00:16:16No absolutely but there's you know I think you've got to have a system of defending as well. You

00:16:22can't just go right we're going to go and play three up front or four up front and just go for

00:16:25it. You'll get you've got annihilated. I think there's you've got. Falkirk went 2-1 up. They did

00:16:30they did Peter but then the end of the end of the day they still get beat 5-2. I mean you're talking

00:16:33about 60 minutes. Falkirk played well for 60 minutes as well. You've got to do it for the

00:16:38full 90 minutes and I applaud John McGlynn. You've got to be brave as a coach to go to Celtic Park

00:16:42as a championship team and play the way you've played that you've always played. That's why I

00:16:46like Ansh Postakoglu because it doesn't change whether he's playing Falkirk at home or Real

00:16:51Madrid away. You go and play the same system play the same way. Can I ask you something just on that

00:16:55point? I know we're just slightly digressing. I sat down last night and watched Tottenham against

00:17:01Carabao and at one point I was sitting on the couch and I went oh for fuck. Defend! Defend!

00:17:08They had two guys at the back and if the big guy Janinho had his shooting boots on they could

00:17:14have been battered. That's the way that's the way Spurs play and I watched the game as well. Peter

00:17:17got a man sent off after five minutes and they still played attacking football. That's why I

00:17:21like Ansh Postakoglu because no matter what he's going to play the way he's going to play. He's

00:17:25either going to win or he's going to lose and he's going to get down on his own sword. He's not going

00:17:28to go and sit in the day and play a wee bit more defensive. Even with 10 men they went and attacked

00:17:33and they won the game 3-0. That's why I like it. Managers like that. John McGlynn's another one.

00:17:38He's getting great results from it Peter so why would you change? I know he's going to Celtic

00:17:42Park as a big step up in class but they're unbeaten in nearly 40 league games. Why would

00:17:46you go and change something that's been working for you? And it's not as if he has better. Does

00:17:51he have better players at Falkirk at his disposal than Hibbs? No, not at all. I just think he's been

00:17:58there for a while. They know exactly what they're doing. They've got legs and team energy, pace.

00:18:02Will Hibbs go and play like that against Rangers? I'm not so sure with David Gray. I think he's more

00:18:05pragmatic. I think he'll go in and try and frustrate. At the end of the day it doesn't

00:18:10matter how you play. You've just got to get a result and Hibbs have got to go and play really

00:18:14really well to get a result because Rangers, as I said bar that Celtic game, have been pretty

00:18:19decent recently. A lot of angry people on the feed today and this one says why is it called

00:18:25PLZ Soccer? We're Scottish, not American. Sort it out.

00:18:34Thanks for that. I think we've set the tone for the day, Roffy.

00:18:38Okay, Rangers against Hibbs. Give us your thoughts, Roffy. Well, I hope. Hibbs do go

00:18:45in possession of the ball. They cause Rangers problems. I think Rangers will have a lot of

00:18:50possession. We all talk about them coming back for Europe but I think Rangers have now got players

00:18:55they can throw in there if they want to leave a couple out. For me it's all about Hibbs. I've

00:19:00not been convinced about Hibbs at all this year. They've had wee results here and there so this is

00:19:05a great game to show some kind of statement that they are on the right road. But I don't like the

00:19:11ball. It's just that. I think Rangers will win quite easy, 2-0. An easy 2-0? Yeah, easy.

00:19:20The same. I think it'll be a comfortable 2-0 for Rangers. I've not seen anything

00:19:24from Hibbs this season that would encourage any evidence that they would be capable of going and

00:19:28getting a result at Ibrox. Okay, I'm going to go 3-0 Rangers. I'll go 2-1. 2-1 to Rangers. I just

00:19:35don't think Hibbs agree with the guys defensively at the minute or convincing enough. I think they'll

00:19:40score. I think Hibbs have got a goal in them, maybe two but I just don't think they're great at the

00:19:46back. I'll go for 2-1 to Rangers sadly. Okay, St Johnson v Celtic is 17-45 on the Saturday. I

00:19:54think Premier Sports have this one and of course this is what Brendan had to say about the game

00:20:01coming up. I think there's problems over some players. Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss

00:20:07tomorrow. He's got a bit of a pain on his big toe and the joint there as well. So we just have to

00:20:13look at that before each game. It's difficult to tell if he will be fit for Dortmund. We just have

00:20:17to concentrate on the St Johnson game at the moment. Strangely enough, who was it? Which one

00:20:22of you mentioned? It was Hugh and I. Yeah, he looked as if he was not his usual self in that

00:20:31first Champions League match. Yeah, I thought so. I thought he looked a bit immobile at points,

00:20:37especially as the game went on. Yeah, interesting but it's a game by game with him. I don't think

00:20:43there'll be any great worry as they face St Johnson. Although interestingly enough, we talked

00:20:49about Scott Brown getting a new extended deal at United. One of the things that I was reading on

00:20:55the discussions that he had with him, I don't think he was too enamoured with whatever the

00:21:01Americans had suggested was the game plan for the way forward. You have to go and be interviewed,

00:21:09obviously try and relay your thoughts on how you want to play and how you see the future.

00:21:13The Americans clearly will have, in Scott Brown's case, a different idea of how they want to play

00:21:19things going forward. Yeah, I don't think Scott's in any rush really to leave United. I think they're

00:21:24sitting in a great spot at the minute, as Ruffey says earlier. David Smith, the CEO, he loves them,

00:21:31the owner. I think he's very, very highly rated down there. Him and Steven Whittaker, they've

00:21:35just got a new contract out of it. I think Scott will feel no disrespect to St Johnson but he's

00:21:40probably got a bigger club in him in terms of his next job. I think with United, I would think

00:21:45between them and Falkirk, I think one of those two teams will go up. If United go up, I don't

00:21:50know the last time United were in the Premier League, it must be 30, 40 years ago,

00:21:54he'd be an absolute legend down there. With that in his back pocket, I think they'd see

00:22:00bigger clubs come in from St Johnson. I obviously had the courtesy of going and speaking to them

00:22:05but he thought it wasn't for him and he's went back to United. He was linked with A Throvers as

00:22:10well. When you're doing a good job, you're linked with teams but I don't think that Scott Brown

00:22:16will be in any rush to move from United. As I said, they've just built a new stand down there

00:22:21as well. They're ambitious. I think he's got a decent budget for the Championship. He's enjoying

00:22:25it and as I said, I don't think he'd be in any rush to leave the club. Which bigger job do you

00:22:32think he's got in him? I think he's got a Hibs in him. I think he's got something like that. I think

00:22:38he's went down to his first job with Fleetwood which was a difficult job for your first job.

00:22:44I'd done my coaching badges with him. He wasn't really that experienced in terms of coaching and

00:22:50in terms of time on the grass. He was down to Fleetwood, initially done really well, then lost

00:22:54his job and then he's come up with United and done well. As I said, I think if anything happened at

00:22:59Hibs, I think he'd be the favourite for the Hibs job the way he's going now. Eventually, probably

00:23:03maybe even Celtic. That's maybe his ultimate aim is to go back to Celtic to be a manager.

00:23:09I don't think St Johnson was the right move for him anyway so I'm not surprised that he didn't

00:23:13fancy it. Ruffy, that was such a great question posed by Tam there. When was the last time

00:23:20Air United were in the Scottish Premiership? Do you want to have a wee guess? I would say

00:23:27around about the 70s. Yeah, Ali?

00:23:37Yeah, I think probably the 70s. Yeah, I think it could have been, do you remember? I think it was

00:23:42round about the time when, do you remember the guy Walker McCall? Do you remember the big guy?

00:23:46Walker McCall, I mean David Wells was there. He used to play up front for Aberdeen but he also

00:23:51played for Air United. Walker McCall, he was a big tall blonde haired boy. The only Air United

00:23:56striker I remember was Dixie Ingram. Is that right? Well, 77-78, they finished 9th and obviously

00:24:06were relegated to the Championship because it was a 10 team Scottish Premier League. That was a long

00:24:11time ago. It is a long time ago, so if he got them up he would be in legendary status there.

00:24:17Well done, Ali. Yeah, well done. Absolutely St Johnston against Celtic. I think Andy Kirk

00:24:26will be more than happy just to stay in there and take the reins, Ali, until such times as

00:24:32they do get their man. Yeah, absolutely. I think Scott Lynch, Aeternan Lynch I think

00:24:39was the one that Scott Allan had continually said would be the man that they might be looking to.

00:24:45I think the next appointment is so important for them. I think they've been in

00:24:53precarious situations across recent seasons. I think they want to go in and have someone

00:24:57to steady it. We've spoken before just about if you do drop down into the Championship,

00:25:03one, there's no guarantee of coming straight back up, but also financially it can be crippling

00:25:08for a club when you lose out on the resources that you get from playing in the top flight,

00:25:13which is why chairmen and boards get nervous when you've got teams sitting at the wrong end

00:25:18of the top flight table. So I think getting the appointment right is key. I think with

00:25:24the budget St Johnston have got, with the players they've got, they should be a Premier League team.

00:25:29Yeah, I'm looking roughly at the way Celtic are playing at the moment.

00:25:35Falkirk, Slovan Bratislava, they're banging in goals, they're playing a good brand of football.

00:25:40Celtic fans are certainly happy with them. They will have, I think, a big test coming up with

00:25:46Borussia Dortmund away. We're going to get a real sense of levels when they go to the Westfalen,

00:25:52but they've got St Johnston, they've got Ross County away, and then they've got Aberdeen at

00:25:57home in October, and then Atalanta, and then Motherwell before the last game of October

00:26:03against Dundee. I can't see them losing anything domestically.

00:26:11These kind of strange results happen for me. I think all of us are now looking and saying,

00:26:16OK, that's a huge lift for Rangers. I personally have been bumping my gums over the last couple

00:26:23of weeks to say, if your chairman comes out, whether he's now stepped down or not, and says

00:26:27long-term view, if your manager comes out and says that, we have said that results kill you,

00:26:33but if he's getting that momentum and you have to look at the evidence in front of your eyes,

00:26:38and he starts to get a regular nine or ten players, it would be great if we had Celtic,

00:26:44Rangers, Aberdeen in there, and maybe the other four, five and six teams showing a bit of form

00:26:52that they could take the odd scalp as well along the way, but three good teams in the run would be

00:26:57brilliant because, let's be honest about it, right across Europe, you don't get usually four or five

00:27:04teams in the mix. You usually get either two dominant, maybe three at a push, four if you're

00:27:11very, very lucky. Yeah, I think ideally, you're looking at it as a neutral. You're wanting teams

00:27:17to go and take points off the Celtic, Rangers. You want it to be more competitive. Celtic fans

00:27:21will be wanting Celtic to go and beat in this season and win the league by 20 points, I get that,

00:27:25but in terms of other people, other supporters, you want Celtic to go away to Hibs and you think

00:27:30Hibs are flying, Hibs might take a point off of them, or go away to Aberdeen, and you think

00:27:35Aberdeen are right in the mix, that'd be a tough game. Now you can just see Celtic going to places

00:27:39and just winning. They'll just win, no win, no win. Rangers, I don't think on that level yet,

00:27:44but they could get to that level again where Celtic, Rangers are just going away against us and

00:27:48just win. So no, I totally agree, I think it'd be good if Aberdeen stay in the mix.

00:27:54Obviously the Christmas period is vital, there's a lot of games in December,

00:27:57there'll be seven, eight games maybe in December. If you can get through that period into January,

00:28:01still in there, then you've got a chance. But you've seen it in the past, teams have started

00:28:06well. I was in a Hibs team that started really, really well. I think we were splitting Celtic and

00:28:10Rangers at Christmas. At Christmas? At Christmas we were second, above Rangers. What year was that?

00:28:15That would have been 2000, 2001. We were second during about Christmas time. Who was top? Celtic,

00:28:23Martyn O'Neill's team and Dick Advocate's team was third. We fell away, we ended up finishing

00:28:28I think 10th, I can't remember how many points behind Rangers. We beat Rangers early in the

00:28:32season to go ahead of them and I remember coming up with a 19-1. Then after that was squad depth,

00:28:38Peter, we only had 12, 13, first team players, a couple of young boys coming through and we fell

00:28:42away. But that Christmas period, we were in the mix and we fell away. But if Aberdeen can be in

00:28:48that mix for December, January, then you never know. I just still don't see Aberdeen splitting

00:28:54the Old Firm, I don't see anybody doing it at the minute. I'm sure lots of Aberdeen fans

00:29:01and Kaiser has just said it. You know what I love about Aberdeen fans who follow us on the

00:29:07programme, Ruffey, is when they are messaging us, they actually type exactly the way they say it

00:29:16in Aberdeen, which is fantastic. I love that because we have a reporter who we're going to

00:29:23hear from very shortly, that I love, our journalist up in Aberdeen, Kobe.

00:29:29And I said, you know, we were talking about accents, I said, don't lose your accent,

00:29:33you should be absolutely proud to sound like an Aberdonian. I want you to be a reporter up there,

00:29:39I want you to be impartial, but go up there, use your accent. And Kaiser says,

00:29:47don't worry Peter, Aberdeen are here to take points. I'm happy with that.

00:29:52We'll soon see Peter, we'll soon see. They've got two big games coming up against them,

00:29:57one in October, one in November in the semi-finals. So as I said, I think it'd be great for Scottish

00:30:01football to see Sunday coming through and really putting it up to Celtic Rangers.

00:30:04We should go up, Ruffey, because you like flags, you've just mentioned that.

00:30:07When everybody else is talking about the strengths of Aberdeen as a team,

00:30:10you go, yes, and they've got flags.

00:30:12No, I'm just saying that the fans have all bought into it. I've never seen that

00:30:18at Aberdeen for a long, long time. The three quarters of the stadium,

00:30:21we're all buying into it and they're all organised. The American seems to have kicked in,

00:30:26you know, they're bringing a lot of things to Aberdeen and they're winning games,

00:30:30that's the most important thing and the stadiums are full.

00:30:32Yeah, absolutely. Kaiser just finished it off by saying,

00:30:35I don't see us splitting the Old Firm either, we'll be first.

00:30:40That's what I like, I like it. I love that confidence.

00:30:43Long may it continue, to be honest with you. Now, give us your predictions then.

00:30:49Rangers-Hibs?

00:30:502-0 Rangers.

00:30:52Okay. Have we done this one?

00:30:54Yes.

00:30:55Yeah, we have. Sorry, I think I had three. Sorry about that, Ali,

00:30:58you just looked at me as if I was a complete dimwit and I agree with you. St Johnston,

00:31:01it was. St Johnston, Celtic. I'm going to go 4-0 Celtic.

00:31:062-0 Celtic.

00:31:092-0 Celtic.

00:31:103-0.

00:31:113-0, okay, so I'm just over the top on that. It's because I get sidelined by, you know,

00:31:16the Aberdeen fans.

00:31:17Aberdeenshire.

00:31:18Aberdeenshire, it just took me off at a tangent there. Anyway, I'll tell you what's going to

00:31:22take us off at a tangent coming up. Ali's going to give us an insight into Celtic women making

00:31:27the Champions League. We're also going to be talking about the Dandy Dons there at Dens

00:31:33Park after we hear the headlines.

00:31:35Hello, I'm Cara and here are your daily news headlines on Friday 27th of September,

00:31:40sponsored by Arnold Clarke.

00:31:42Rangers got their Europa League campaign off to the perfect start last night as they beat Malmo

00:31:472-0 in Sweden. Philippe Clement said that the performance was the best so far this season.

00:31:52Stephen Robinson has spoken out on the club's suspension of Sean Rennie and said it was a

00:31:56decision made at board level.

00:31:58The club are investigating that incident so I'm not really involved in that decision making.

00:32:03It's a board level decision and I've got to concentrate on the football side of things.

00:32:08Hart's interim manager Liam Fox has said he has spoken to Stephen Naismith and he has been very

00:32:12supportive.

00:32:14I have, yes. I have. Very supportive. Again, probably a testament of how he is as a human

00:32:19being. Very supportive. But that's between me and Stephen. I can't do nothing but support for him.

00:32:27Celtic women have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League after a 2-0 win last night.

00:32:31They have been drawn in a group with Chelsea, Real Madrid and FC Twente.

00:32:35Those were your daily news headlines on Friday 27th of September, sponsored by Arnold Clarke.

00:32:40For more exclusive content please be sure to download the app and subscribe to our YouTube

00:32:44channel.

00:32:46Yeah, that's great news there from Cara Henderson.

00:32:51Ruffy, I have to say Cara has a great interview coming out tomorrow on our YouTube channel.

00:32:58It's her first big interview with Courtney Stewart, the young girl who collapsed on the

00:33:04park and it took three hours for an ambulance to get to her.

00:33:08I think there was sterling work by the Rangers medical staff and other medical staff that

00:33:13were there present at Broadwood. But it was a long wait and she's had difficult times

00:33:22with her health, playing at Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and obviously trying to kick start

00:33:27her career at Partick Thistle. It's a brilliant interview that Cara has conducted because

00:33:32Cara, as you know, not only works for PLZ as a journalist, she's a striker for Partick

00:33:37Thistle Women. So it's out tomorrow, Ruffy.

00:33:40It'll be great. You don't like to see anybody getting injured on the park. We all remember

00:33:44Ericsson and all that. For that length of time, for somebody to do something about that,

00:33:49you know, it must have been horrendous. Not just for the person it's happened to, for

00:33:53the players on both teams. We'd be obviously anxious of how bad it was. But no, Cara would

00:33:58be very good at presenting. I think she'd rather do that than take penalties at this

00:34:03moment in time.

00:34:05Well, you're really doing it.

00:34:08It's coming on.

00:34:08Honestly, you're doing it.

00:34:09That's poor Ruffy.

00:34:10It really is. It's bad. I mean, that's just going back to the weekend. Because Cara, the

00:34:16great thing about her since joining PLZ, there's no chance of her getting above her station

00:34:20at this company because as a striker, if you miss a penalty and then you're allowed to

00:34:26retake it because the keeper moved and then you put it over the bar, these two guys are

00:34:31I think it hit the crossbar. I think she put it over the bar and it hit the crossbar.

00:34:35Wow. What did they do? Not with these two guys, they've just slaughtered her.

00:34:41Yeah, I'm sure Cara has a thick skin.

00:34:43Yeah, absolutely. I can't believe you said that.

00:34:46And Brian's put her off the penalties as well. Ruthless. Brian Graham, ruthless.

00:34:50Yeah, absolutely. She's doing well and it's a brilliant interview with Courtney Stewart.

00:34:55An exclusive interview and I think great credit to Cara for doing that interview at

00:35:02Firhill and really well worth it tomorrow. Tam, if you've got a spare 10 minutes,

00:35:06I know your attention rate is usually 90 seconds, but if you can, that would be absolutely fantastic.

00:35:12We're talking about the Dandy Dons. They're at Dens Park.

00:35:16Tony Docherty's side unbeaten at Dens and the Dons 11 straight wins.

00:35:23I think this will be a cracker. I really do. I like the look of this game, Peter. I think

00:35:27Dundee at home, score a lot of goals, they go and attack. They've got plenty of goals in them.

00:35:32Aberdeen, 11 straight wins, go in, big support will be down for Aberdeen as per usual, that

00:35:37stand in the far end. I think there'll be loads of goals in this game. I don't see it being

00:35:44a 0-0, but I think the Aberdeen run will come to an end here. I don't think Aberdeen will beat

00:35:48Dundee. I think Dundee are more than capable of getting a draw. I'm going to go for two each in

00:35:54this game. Wow, that's a big call there. I mentioned to you that our reporter,

00:35:59Coby Henderson, is up there. We'll start to see more and more of Coby. He does the match reports

00:36:05and covers the press conferences for us. He was there to listen to the words of Jimmy Tilleen.

00:36:10I'm here at Cormark Park as Jimmy Tilleen spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow's game against

00:36:15Dundee, a game that the Aberdeen manager is expecting to be a physical battle.

00:36:19They are quite direct. They are challenging for everything. They are strong in the second balls.

00:36:30I think it's a unified team. They have a clear identity. Again, the coach is good.

00:36:38We have to be ready. Let's see. Aberdeen coach Peter Leven has been linked with a

00:36:43recent vacancy at St Johnstone. Jimmy Tilleen spoke on if Peter could be leaving.

00:36:49He gets permission to talk with them. He's a good coach. It's good that our good staff get

00:37:03their eyes on them. Then it's up to him and, of course, Peter. So far, so good. He's focusing here

00:37:10and preparing for the game tomorrow. That's all I can say about that.

00:37:15Aberdeen take on Dundee at Dance Park tomorrow. Kick-off is at three o'clock.

00:37:20I mean, we've got to give him a coffee. I mean, a wee bit of… I mean,

00:37:22McManus loved that. I bet he had that up his sleeve.

00:37:27That was magnificent. That was brilliant for Kobe. That was tremendous. Yes, yes.

00:37:31Peter Leven. You've got to hand it to the boy, you know. We sent him a message,

00:37:35Ali, because it was first class from him. We did, indeed.

00:37:39I mean, absolutely brilliant from him up there at Aberdeen.

00:37:42It's good to have a reporter with a wee bit of banter and some jokes. There's not many in this

00:37:47company. By the way, it's not too much to ask most of the reporters in here to give you an absolute

00:37:55kick in. Kerry's good fun. Cara, good patter as well. Patrick, my United fan. Absolutely.

00:38:04Good banter. I don't know where he's coming from. I only go to our employees.

00:38:08Yeah, absolutely. And Ali. Ali is on as well. Yeah, listen, the Dons, you've gone to too,

00:38:17Raffy? I'm going to go to the Dons too. I think this is a wee tester for them. I don't think

00:38:21they've had one, but this is a wee tester for them. I think they've come through it 2-1.

00:38:262-1 to the Dundees? Yes.

00:38:27Yeah. Ali? No, I think this is where they maybe

00:38:30drop points. I think this will be quite a tough proposition for them. And I think Dundee will

00:38:36take something I'm going to say to each. To each? You two are sticking together

00:38:40on this. A wee bit of caution. Well, Raffy, I have to say to you, I'm going to go 2-1 to

00:38:48Aberdeen. I think Aberdeen will win and go 12 wins. 12 consecutive wins. And by the way,

00:38:55the other thing I was going to say to you, Raffy, is probably the last message I'm going to read

00:38:59out from Stephen today because he's... I'm just reading them out because I'm in a noise up mode.

00:39:06Stephen is just saying, disgusting, Raffy. Saying everyone wants an Old Firm final.

00:39:12There are more than two clubs in Scotland, Raffy. Stop playing to the gallery.

00:39:16When did I say that? Oh, Dave. I think Stephen's on catch-up.

00:39:22Stephen's watching the 2022 episodes and just hammering Raffy. Keep going, Stephen.

00:39:29You said that the other day. I thought I'd been sleeping through the programme.

00:39:33I think I don't remember that. You said it the other day.

00:39:35A week ago. I can't remember yesterday. You said it Monday.

00:39:38He's changed his mind since then. You said it Monday.

00:39:40He's changed his mind since then. No, no, I haven't.

00:39:42I said it Monday. You said it Monday.

00:39:44I think the majority... You insinuated it.

00:39:46A Rangers Celtic. You insinuated it.

00:39:48Yeah. I'm not taking it back anyway.

00:39:52The majority of Celtic and Rangers fans might want a Celtic and Rangers final to have a...

00:39:58The sponsors will. The sponsors definitely will.

00:40:01But the rest of them... I mean, and of all people, you, having lived in Edinburgh for 12 years,

00:40:08I know most of my Hebbie Pals and Hearts fans who can't stand Celtic or Rangers.

00:40:12They wouldn't want a Celtic or Rangers final.

00:40:16Everybody wants to see Motherwell give them what for and Aberdeen to give them.

00:40:20Who would want a Motherwell-Aberdeen final?

00:40:25Well, I... Is that something you really look forward to?

00:40:28Well, I would look... I don't care. I don't care.

00:40:29I mean, at the end of the day, if you get there in merit...

00:40:31If you get there in merit... I'll tell you one thing.

00:40:34If Aberdeen... Just use it at it.

00:40:36No, if Aberdeen get there... Oh, forget it.

00:40:38Obviously, if they get there, well done to them and well done to Motherwell.

00:40:41Yeah.

00:40:41But the bigger scale is, I think, sure, the majority...

00:40:44There's more than two teams in Scotland, Ruffey. I just want you to remember that.

00:40:47By the way... Do you want to give me the spades?

00:40:49To dig him out, yeah.

00:40:51The message here from Stephen, who's just an angry man, like Brian,

00:40:55who also sometimes sends messages to us, is just basically, you're playing.

00:41:00Kenny, who's a Dons fan, says, you said it last week.

00:41:04And so... And he says, I can't believe you guys are Dons haters.

00:41:09We've just predicted 2-1, for God's sake.

00:41:11Kenny has said, Peter, I'll be home for a couple of games.

00:41:14United, Rangers and the semi-final.

00:41:17Maybe a good idea for us to meet up with Kenny.

00:41:20It looks like he's got a bit of cash, Ruffey. We could get a lunch out of him.

00:41:23Yeah, I'm happy with that.

00:41:24Yeah, okay. Fantastic.

00:41:27So, I've gone for a win. Ruffey's gone for a win. You two are going draw.

00:41:31Now, as far as probably one of the most worrying stories of the week,

00:41:38the last thing you want to hear is one of your players getting in trouble.

00:41:41That's exactly what's happened with St Mirren and Sean Rooney.

00:41:45Motherwell against St Mirren is certainly one of those games where,

00:41:52I think, it's been sidetracked by the events of Sean Rooney.

00:41:57He's been charged with assault on a woman.

00:42:01And again, at this point, I think the board have acted quickly on this.

00:42:06Stephen Robinson has had his say on this.

00:42:10And it's certainly not, in his mind, a football decision.

00:42:17It's something the board had to intervene on, Ruffey.

00:42:20Yeah, I think they've seen it through the years.

00:42:22There are certain individuals.

00:42:24I mean, I don't know the circumstances that happened,

00:42:26but there are players out there, when they get involved away from football,

00:42:30some players can walk away from it.

00:42:31Some players can't.

00:42:32Some players get involved and some things like this happen.

00:42:36But I think we have to wait until the powers that be judge exactly what happened,

00:42:41because they'll know the circumstances more than us.

00:42:43He probably had a positive start to his career.

00:42:45This one is a tough one for, I think, the club to deal with.

00:42:51Certainly the board will want to follow a fine line here, Alisson,

00:42:55because between right and wrong and a fan base who will clearly be monitoring it

00:43:02to see the club's stance if indeed there are final charges.

00:43:06Yeah, obviously there are legalities, various legalities around,

00:43:10one, the deporting of the alleged assault

00:43:13and also contractual issues around his deal with the club,

00:43:18they will need to look at.

00:43:20I think it's a huge headache for Stephen Robinson.

00:43:23I think first and foremost, it takes him out of his team

00:43:25and gives him a problem that didn't exist until a night out.

00:43:30It's clearly gone awry.

00:43:32But yeah, I think it has the potential to be quite complex in how it is dealt with.

00:43:39Yeah, absolutely.

00:43:40At the Motherwell camp today, Kerry Pollock got the thoughts of Stuart Kettlewell.

00:43:46Motherwell return to league duties this weekend

00:43:48as they host St Mirren here at Fir Park on Saturday afternoon.

00:43:51And Stuart Kettlewell knows all about the physical presence

00:43:53that St Mirren have been playing with this season

00:43:55that has brought them a certain amount of success so far.

00:43:58I've watched them a few times this season.

00:44:00They're a big old physical unit.

00:44:02Yeah, I think they're athletic.

00:44:04I think they're dynamic.

00:44:05I think they carry real good quality on their side as well.

00:44:08Pace in behind.

00:44:10All of Sanya start the season well.

00:44:12He's goal scoring, he's paced to get in behind.

00:44:14The Scottish Premiership lost another manager this past week.

00:44:16That being, of course, Hearts boss Stephen Naismith.

00:44:19And Stuart Kettlewell reminds us just how quickly football can change.

00:44:23Always found him a touch of class.

00:44:25Always found him as a really approachable guy.

00:44:28Obviously at the front end of his managerial coaching career.

00:44:32But I'm always one for acknowledging achievements

00:44:35and a comfortable third place finish last season

00:44:38can never be forgotten about.

00:44:39I understand it's been a difficult task at the start of this season.

00:44:43I've never managed Hearts so difficult for me to comment on it.

00:44:45But I understand that it's one of the biggest clubs in this country

00:44:48and I realise there'll be a lot of pressure that comes with that.

00:44:51So disappointed, of course, that we've lost another manager

00:44:54and someone that's had some real good achievements in there.

00:44:57But yeah, I'm sure Stephen, like the rest of us,

00:45:00will take real positives from his work and his time at Hearts.

00:45:04The Steelmen will be hoping to continue their winning ways

00:45:06after the euphoria of Friday night

00:45:08as they advance to the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.

00:45:10Kick-off is at three o'clock.

00:45:13Yeah, looking forward to this one.

00:45:14I can only see a draw, Raffaele.

00:45:15I've got it down as a kind of a 1-1.

00:45:17I'm the same.

00:45:18You know, I think the two teams are pretty level.

00:45:22You know, we saw Sint Maarten digging in last week,

00:45:26I think you're right, coming from,

00:45:27you're looking at set pieces, free kicks, corners.

00:45:30I think both teams are very good at that.

00:45:32So yeah, I'm sitting on the fence on this one.

00:45:34One each.

00:45:34Ali?

00:45:35Yeah, the same.

00:45:36I think maybe a draw.

00:45:38Mullow to win 2-1.

00:45:40I think Mullow at home.

00:45:41Oh, there you are.

00:45:42Fancy Mullow 2-1.

00:45:43Today, you think Tam's quite decisive

00:45:46because he's obviously drinking some kind of controlled substance.

00:45:50Show everybody your new purchase from TikTok.

00:45:53There it is.

00:45:54Wow.

00:45:56It's a Stanley mug.

00:45:57Yeah.

00:45:58Just put your juice in there and just...

00:46:00Yeah, that's absolutely fantastic.

00:46:03Keeps your juice or alcohol very cold.

00:46:08Yeah, and the thing about it is, with each sip...

00:46:16That's why I love you, Raffaele.

00:46:19That's why we've been together 12 years.

00:46:22With each sip, he's getting more and more bevvied as the show goes on.

00:46:28And retested at the end.

00:46:30By the end of the show, he'll be like,

00:46:32Ali, I want you to take a pint.

00:46:35And he'll wait till the end.

00:46:36Yeah, exactly.

00:46:37Anyway, Hearts against Ross County.

00:46:39Patrick Mullin was in the capital.

00:46:45There's a new manager in town here at Hearts

00:46:47as Liam Fox has taken over on an interim basis.

00:46:50They will take on Ross County this weekend

00:46:52as they look to end that eight-game losing streak for him.

00:46:56While he hasn't had much time to implement his style of play,

00:46:59but is looking forward to what will be a proud day for him personally.

00:47:03I've been put into a position which I'm privileged and I'm honoured to be asked to do.

00:47:09And it's a really, really big week.

00:47:10So we can be nervous.

00:47:14I want us to be looking forward to it.

00:47:15It's a huge week for the football club.

00:47:17It's an exciting time.

00:47:18And if you're a player or a coach or an interim manager,

00:47:22it's a great opportunity to get us back going again.

00:47:26It's going to be very difficult starting off tomorrow.

00:47:28Don Kilby's bringing his team down here and they're well organised.

00:47:32They work extremely hard and they've got some real bits of quality as well.

00:47:34So it's going to be a, it's a massive week,

00:47:36but it's one that I'm hoping that we're looking forward to the challenges.

00:47:39The new manager also spoke about the quality of player he has here in the dressing room.

00:47:43And while he'd like to see a good performance for him,

00:47:45the most important thing is all three points.

00:47:48I want to win. Let's make that perfectly clear.

00:47:50We want to win. We're doing, we're going to do everything we can to win.

00:47:53But within that, I would like to see there's intelligent football players in there.

00:47:57So I'm hoping that we'll see one or two wee differences.

00:48:00And again, that's not being disrespectful to what was before,

00:48:02but that's just me trying to put my personal stamp on the players.

00:48:06It's Hearts versus Ross County at Tynecastle Park this weekend as Liam Fox gets underway.

00:48:11Once again, kickoff is at 3pm and PLZ Soccer will be there live, keeping you up to date.

00:48:16Yeah, looking forward to this one, unbeaten in two matches.

00:48:21Starting to show a wee bit of form, Ross County,

00:48:23although we all have Ross County and St Johnstone in the mix at the bottom end of it,

00:48:27but they've scored some good goals.

00:48:30Yeah, they have. I think the wee lad Hale, sorry,

00:48:34aye Hale out front has been excellent for them, scoring goals.

00:48:40Two late goals last week to Salvage,

00:48:41it looked as if they'd lost the game last week,

00:48:43the two great free kicks from Nicky Clark.

00:48:45Four points for the last six,

00:48:46come down with a wee bit of confidence Peter after a poor start to the season.

00:48:50Hearts, I don't know what you'll get with Hearts,

00:48:52they've been really poor this season.

00:48:54New face in the dugout, might get a boost, might get a lift.

00:48:57If you get an emphatic win from Hearts,

00:49:00is that a suggestion that the players are cheating their manager before?

00:49:04No, no Peter, I don't think they have been,

00:49:07but how many times have you seen somebody new coming in,

00:49:09whether that's an interim manager or a new manager,

00:49:12and you're getting a wee bounce for that.

00:49:13If Hearts get that, I think they'll win the game.

00:49:15I think they've got better players in Ross County,

00:49:19and Liam Fox steps in again,

00:49:20I think he stepped in a couple of times at different clubs to his interim manager.

00:49:24He's like the Scottish, who was the guy,

00:49:26Parks that was at Blackburn, used to step in every time Blackburn got...

00:49:29Yeah, yeah.

00:49:30Tony Parks, I can't remember the guy's name.

00:49:31I think it was Tony Parks.

00:49:32Tony Parks, he stepped in every time Blackburn binned a manager.

00:49:36No, I'd still fancy Hearts to win this game,

00:49:38I just think they've got too much quality down at the bottom,

00:49:42so I think they'll win 2-0.

00:49:43Rob says Hearts will win,

00:49:45and that will show up the players for what they are.

00:49:47These are the same ones that can't handle it

00:49:49until the cover of a manager is gone from above them.

00:49:54Well, that's the other thing about it,

00:49:55thankfully we haven't had we let the manager down rhetoric,

00:49:59because that does my head in, Ruffy.

00:50:02The manager pays the price,

00:50:03eight consecutive losses,

00:50:04and now Liam Fox has to try and get a trick out of them.

00:50:07Yeah, I think if you listen to the interview for Craig Gordon,

00:50:10he was pretty upset about what had happened.

00:50:13Actually, some players would take the blame,

00:50:17I don't mean him, but other players haven't performed at all.

00:50:20I thought there were signs against St Berne,

00:50:22if they'd get a wee break here or there,

00:50:24they might get something out of that game,

00:50:25so I think tomorrow's game,

00:50:27I think it'll be quite an easy win for Hearts,

00:50:29I really do at home,

00:50:30but they've got to win this game.

00:50:33If they don't win it, then Liam Fox has to go.

00:50:40I'm really curious to see who they're going to pick.

00:50:43I think St Johnson have got an interesting selection process

00:50:49in the manager because of the American slant on it as well,

00:50:53about what their demands are of the manager

00:50:55who has to come in and work under clearly parameters

00:50:59that they are setting out there,

00:51:00that they have to buy into.

00:51:02As far as Hearts are concerned,

00:51:04I'm really curious to see who they are going to select.

00:51:07I've said my piece on who I think should be in the running,

00:51:11but it's a big call for them.

00:51:13Huge call for them.

00:51:14I think getting the appointment right is fundamental.

00:51:18I think this is a club that has access to European football,

00:51:23it finished a comfortable third last term

00:51:26and already that looks like almost an unattainable challenge.

00:51:31When you look at the points Aberdeen have banked

00:51:33in the opening six weeks of the campaign

00:51:36and where Hearts are now,

00:51:38the chasm already looks too significant to bridge.

00:51:41I think that will be a massive disappointment for the club

00:51:44that you're missing out on that third place finish.

00:51:47Obviously, there is ample time to do it,

00:51:49but I just think the magnitude of the gap

00:51:51between a team that would be challenging for them

00:51:54already just looks too wide.

00:51:57Of course, you want to have access to European football

00:52:00by finishing in those positions

00:52:02because it offers more finance to come into the club.

00:52:06I think the appointment is fundamental

00:52:08to achieving those aims.

00:52:09Score?

00:52:11I'm going to take them to one.

00:52:12I think they'll win 2-0.

00:52:142-0 Hearts.

00:52:153-0.

00:52:16Yeah, I'm going 2-1 Hearts in this one.

00:52:18Kilmarnock against Dundee United,

00:52:21big thing for Derek,

00:52:22just keep 11 players on the park.

00:52:25He's had four red cards already this season

00:52:27which can alter a manager's plans in a game.

00:52:30Yeah, 100% Peter.

00:52:32It's hard enough to win with 11 players.

00:52:34If you go a man down,

00:52:35as Kilmarnock have done several times this season,

00:52:37I think Joe Wright's been sent off twice.

00:52:40It's very, very difficult to win games in the Premier League.

00:52:42There's not a lot between the teams

00:52:43outside the Celtic and Rangers.

00:52:45There's not a lot in between the teams

00:52:47and you've got to keep 11 men apart.

00:52:48I'd fancy Kilmarnock strong in this game.

00:52:50That'd be my tip of the weekend.

00:52:51Actually, I think they'll start to climb the table now.

00:52:54They've been out of Europe.

00:52:55They've had a wee rest there.

00:52:57Dundee United,

00:52:59not convinced about them.

00:53:00Thought they were poor against Rangers

00:53:01and then lost to Motherwell away.

00:53:03I think the command will win this 2-0.

00:53:05Wow, interesting.

00:53:07I think from Derek McInnes's point of view,

00:53:10you've already said keeping 11 players on the park is one thing,

00:53:12but let's not forget, rather surprisingly,

00:53:15the manager has to talk about being bottom of the table.

00:53:19I think you're the one that's panicking, to be honest.

00:53:25We're good.

00:53:25We're all good.

00:53:26I mean, I manage the way I manage

00:53:27and my players work and they know what to expect from me.

00:53:29I think even just having that routine

00:53:33and familiarity of training day-to-day,

00:53:36as I say, I do think it was clear for people watching us

00:53:39that we looked as if we had a proper working week

00:53:41going into the St Mun game.

00:53:42Now we feel Hebs, St Mun,

00:53:45decent performances,

00:53:46more than decent performances in the two games.

00:53:48It's not been winning performances,

00:53:49but on another day they were.

00:53:51Yeah, it's hard to believe, Ali.

00:53:53I mean, you're almost looking in amazement

00:53:56at where Kilmarnock find themselves.

00:53:58You'll contrast it with the mood around Kilmarnock

00:54:01and the mood around Hearts

00:54:02when you think of the tough starts they've had to the campaign.

00:54:05I think both have been affected by juggling European demands.

00:54:10I think you saw the effect that had on Kilmarnock.

00:54:14They're not used to it.

00:54:15They maybe don't have the squad depth

00:54:17when you're flying back late on a Thursday night

00:54:20and then you're going straight into a game on a Sunday.

00:54:23I think you saw it quite clearly had an impact on performances.

00:54:27I think there's a calmness about it.

00:54:29I don't think anyone's panicking.

00:54:31If you've seen them,

00:54:32I think they've been unlucky at points in games.

00:54:35I think you would fancy them to settle down

00:54:37and start to move up the table a bit.

00:54:40Dundee United had a really good run.

00:54:43I think there was something like maybe six or seven games.

00:54:46In fact, they were unbeaten until they had their last couple of games.

00:54:48So the wheels have come off a wee bit.

00:54:51So give us your prediction, Roffy.

00:54:53I think it'll be pretty tight.

00:54:55There's nothing worse than getting into games

00:54:57and you're sitting second ball in the league.

00:54:59You start believing that you're not getting the breaks.

00:55:02Derek believes he's not getting the VAR shouts

00:55:05and these are the things that you try and hang on to.

00:55:07But they need to get a win soon.

00:55:08It's okay I'm saying I'm happy and everything's good

00:55:11but you've got to win games

00:55:12and a home game is where the fans are going to judge them.

00:55:15I've just got a funny feeling Dundee United

00:55:18may get a draw out of this.

00:55:19Yeah, you on a regular basis, Roffy,

00:55:22have had regular funny feelings.

00:55:24No real logic to them whatsoever.

00:55:27Alisson, do you have any funny feelings whatsoever?

00:55:28I think Comeron will win 2-1 Comeron.

00:55:312-1 Kelly?

00:55:32Can you imagine if Roffy had a Tony Bloom,

00:55:34like the opposite of that?

00:55:36Tony Bloom's analytic company.

00:55:38You know, you look at stats.

00:55:39Jamestown Analytics.

00:55:40Jamestown Analytics.

00:55:41Can you imagine if Roffy just had,

00:55:42I've just got a feeling, analytics.

00:55:45Yeah.

00:55:45And he just done that.

00:55:47I think it'd be interesting to do that.

00:55:48I think he'd be successful, Roffy.

00:55:49Can I just say something?

00:55:50It's a hunch.

00:55:50We used to do a Saturday football show

00:55:54with myself, Roffy, Gordon Smiths

00:55:57and Maka at times, which was an absolute riot.

00:56:02And Roffy came out one day on the Saturday football show

00:56:05and I asked him for his overall analysis of a game

00:56:10and he came out with about, easily Alisson,

00:56:13about 12 stats on the game,

00:56:16which set off the alarms in my head

00:56:20because that was never part of his makeup, right?

00:56:23You're copying someone's homework.

00:56:24No, well, he has from time to time

00:56:28actually looked at Gordon Smith's notes

00:56:30and he used to recite them,

00:56:32but he came out with this,

00:56:33just a raft of stats and everything,

00:56:36insight into it.

00:56:36And I thought to myself,

00:56:38that is so unusual that he's done that, right?

00:56:41So we went to a commercial break

00:56:44and I checked every one of them.

00:56:45It was just a load of bologna.

00:56:47I don't know where he got it from.

00:56:49He just plucked it all out of there.

00:56:52It was just, everything was factually incorrect.

00:56:54We come back out, you know,

00:56:56not in any way, you know,

00:56:58flustered by the whole thing, you know.

00:57:00A really good one on air, we'll discover it.

00:57:02Remember the team that came to St Mirren?

00:57:05Yes, oh.

00:57:06The team came, there's a group of,

00:57:07now some teams have...

00:57:09Twin towns.

00:57:10There was a German team,

00:57:13supporters came to watch St Mirren

00:57:15but the game was postponed

00:57:17and Gordon had said,

00:57:18oh, it's a nightmare,

00:57:18it must be a fair travel.

00:57:19I wonder where they came from.

00:57:21And I said, they came from Uffenbloggen.

00:57:25Anything, anything.

00:57:26With a Gordon sale, didn't it?

00:57:27Oh, absolutely, anything.

00:57:29Does it make it up?

00:57:29It was Uffenbloggen

00:57:31and anything that sounded German

00:57:33just to try and fool Gordon Smith

00:57:35at every opportunity.

00:57:37He was just bananas, so he was.

00:57:40Anyway, just before we go,

00:57:41a couple of things I want to quickly get our thoughts on.

00:57:44Scott McTominay.

00:57:46What a start he's made.

00:57:48By the way, Billy Gilmore started in the game.

00:57:49Yeah, I think, fantastic for both of them.

00:57:52I think Scott McTominay's made an immediate

00:57:55impression.

00:57:56So, there's a bit of chat

00:57:58amongst some Italian journalists on social media.

00:58:00At the start of the week,

00:58:01they were chatting about Maradona comparisons.

00:58:03I think we may need to calm down a wee bit.

00:58:05But I think, no doubt,

00:58:06he's caught the imagination of the support.

00:58:10Yeah, absolutely.

00:58:11Long may it continue.

00:58:12I mean, they are really going crazy about him.

00:58:15He's played well as well.

00:58:16Well, obviously, the manager knows

00:58:18what the two of them can bring to the team.

00:58:19You know, obviously,

00:58:21playing in England,

00:58:22he's watched them a lot and internationally.

00:58:23I think the two of them have matured

00:58:25by playing European football as well.

00:58:27But he's certainly doing remarkably well there.

00:58:30Yeah, absolutely.

00:58:32Lots of people commenting on it.

00:58:33Les says,

00:58:34Ruffey has women's intuition.

00:58:38That's up for debate.

00:58:40And also,

00:58:41Ruffey does for stats what Trump does for truth,

00:58:44says Bob Brady.

00:58:45So, there you are.

00:58:47And Kenny, who's living out in America,

00:58:49says, please don't mention Trump again.

00:58:51Never thought we'd mention him on this.

00:58:53But nevertheless,

00:58:55and just a little footnote quickly, Tam.

00:58:57A game of the weekend for me

00:59:00in the English Premier League

00:59:02is Man United vs Spurs on Sunday.

00:59:04Yeah, I'll be a cracker.

00:59:05I think you've seen Spurs last night, Peter.

00:59:07The way they play.

00:59:08I think they'll go and they'll just attack Man United.

00:59:11It'll suit Man United as well.

00:59:12Most teams go to Old Trafford and sit in.

00:59:13So, I'll be a cracker.

00:59:15Seven each.

00:59:16Seven each, that's good.

00:59:18And as you can see,

00:59:19the 15th sip of that bottle

00:59:21has taken full effect now.

00:59:23And he's absolutely mortal.

00:59:25One game that I'll quote

00:59:27the old Tommy Docherty phrase roughly.

00:59:29If there was one game that I'm looking at

00:59:31and thinking I wouldn't draw the curtains for it,

00:59:32it's Bournemouth vs Southampton on the Monday.

00:59:34You know, there are some games

00:59:35that you just look at and you think,

00:59:36oh, I'm going to give it a miss.

00:59:37It's the South Coast Derby, isn't it?

00:59:38It's the Derby game.

00:59:39Yeah, I'd probably agree with you on that one.

00:59:41Yeah, Ali?

00:59:42There's some games where there's just

00:59:44a saturation point for you.

00:59:45Yeah, I think English football actually

00:59:47has quite a few more than them

00:59:48than you would think.

00:59:49Yeah, absolutely.

00:59:50You're very pro.

00:59:51Can I just get your thoughts?

00:59:52And I think it's a brilliant way to finish.

00:59:54Celtic women have made the Champions League

00:59:57group stages.

00:59:58The pictures of the girls celebrating

01:00:00was absolutely magnificent.

01:00:023-0 in aggregate.

01:00:03Yeah, I think it's a phenomenal achievement

01:00:06to get as far as they have.

01:00:07It's the first time in their history

01:00:09that they've ever been

01:00:10so deep into the tournament.

01:00:12It's the last 16.

01:00:13Now it goes to four groups of four.

01:00:15It's the first time that Scotland

01:00:17have had a representative in the group stages.

01:00:19Of course, Glasgow City made it

01:00:20to the quarterfinals.

01:00:22Twice before, however, the tournament

01:00:24has been reformatted and restructured.

01:00:26It's a more modern tournament now.

01:00:30More teams involved in the qualification process.

01:00:32So it is a very significant achievement

01:00:35and a fairly glamorous draw for them too.

01:00:37Real Madrid, which I think will be played

01:00:39at Celtic Park.

01:00:40Chelsea game I think will be played

01:00:41at Stamford Bridge.

01:00:42And they've got 22.

01:00:44They're in amongst the last 16.

01:00:46It is genuinely the elite level

01:00:48of European football

01:00:49and a phenomenal achievement to get there.

01:00:50Yeah, absolutely.

01:00:52And just for anybody who is up

01:00:54on their grammar, 20.

01:00:57And then they've got them as well,

01:00:59just in case they think 22 is a team.

01:01:02I don't know why I say that, Ali.

01:01:06On that note, I think I've taken

01:01:08too many sips of Tam's cup as well.

01:01:10I hope you've enjoyed the banter.

01:01:12I hope you can actually hit that

01:01:14subscription on our YouTube channel.

01:01:17We'd love you to join the football family.

01:01:18Look out tomorrow for Courtney Stewart

01:01:21in conversation with Cara Henderson.

01:01:24It's a great interview.

01:01:25A lovely insight into a girl

01:01:27who loves her football,

01:01:28wants to play on.

01:01:30But of course, these major health issues,

01:01:33life itself is far more important

01:01:35than any football game

01:01:37that you want to play in.

01:01:38And I think Courtney Stewart

01:01:40has got a big decision coming her way.

01:01:42And certainly Cara, her teammate,

01:01:44handles it brilliantly.

01:01:46Watch it if you can for us on YouTube.

01:01:48From Ruffey, from Alison

01:01:50and from Tam McManus

01:01:51and myself, Peter Martin,

01:01:53thank you for listening and watching.

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