Michael O'Halloran

[RandomGuy]

He shouldnt be in the Scotland squad, yet anyway, five good games shouldnt be enough for that. I do agree, however, he should be ahead of Forrest in the pecking order though

[208saint]

Struggling to believe this thread but not some of the comments from the usual national team haters!

Go and read over some of the comments on other threads by Saints fans where they moan about Mikey's lack of a final product and ask yourself if we as his supposed supporters criticise him for it why the manager of an international team would take a chance on him.

So many of you moan about Strachan's selection policy but the only example given so far is Shinnie at left back and we would play him at left back in front of Robertson, Whittaker or even Charlie Mulgrew or Lee Wallace at a push for what particular reason? Scott Bain at Dundee recently got called into the squad due to injuries but would you seriously have him in the squad ahead of either of the three established keepers just yet for anything other than a friendly? Callum Paterson and Mark Reynolds have been called into recent squads without having to prove their worth at Celtic or Championship level. Who else from the SPFL would you have in the squad just now and who would they replace?

Forrest may well be overrated and, in my opinion, should definitely be behind Ritchie for a start but O'Halloran isn't any better than either of them yet so why would we take three right wingers in a squad or are you suggesting that we take out Maloney or Anya from the other side? Snodgrass and Naismith can also play the wide positions but were missing from the squad and what about Chris Burke is Mikey better than him on the right or Johnny Russell on the other side?

Over the years, I can think of about five genuine grievances we would have for players not being included when they played for us. Alan Main was far better than Rab Douglas but had apparently fallen out with the goalkeeping coach if I recall correctly, Paul Wright at one time was the top Scottish goal scorer in Scotland and didn't get a sniff of a squad and Callum Davidson, Paul Hartley and John O'Neil all got called into squads immediately after leaving Saints and having played less than a dozen games for their new clubs so their elevation was hard to work out.

Other than that I am struggling to think of any other real contenders we may have had and think we all need to take off our saints tinted specs from time to time and face reality. Players are at Saints for a reason and that is that clubs at a higher level do not think they are good enough to play at that level, if they're not good enough at a higher club level then why would they be good enough to play at international teams?

[Honest Saints Fan]

O'Halloran for Scotland? lulz

[RandomGuy]

O'Halloran for Scotland? lulz

Did you get messaged that by one of the players?

[Honest Saints Fan]

Yeah m8. It's ****ing hilarious.

[RandomGuy]

Yeah m8. It's ****ing hilarious.

Was only joking anyway. If anyone in our team deserves a Scotland call up its the free scoring Steven MacLean

[Kyle]

I'm going to start the Lappin for Scotland campaign.

[RandomGuy]

12 months ago we probably were genuinely singing "Scobbie for Scotland" btw

[andrew]

It isn't possible for me to be less interested in Scotland/international football.

Does that make me a hater?

No. Only uninterested.

[byebyedundee]

It isn't possible for me to be less interested in Scotland/international football.

Does that make me a hater?

No. Only uninterested.

Couldn't agree with you more.....

 

It's become a team of Mothers, mother was in Scotland for a vacation so he's elegible...and if you play for st Johnstone no chance so I will give scotland the same respect they give my beloved st johnstone None whats so ever...

[PauloPerth]

Struggling to believe this thread but not some of the comments from the usual national team haters!

Go and read over some of the comments on other threads by Saints fans where they moan about Mikey's lack of a final product and ask yourself if we as his supposed supporters criticise him for it why the manager of an international team would take a chance on him.

So many of you moan about Strachan's selection policy but the only example given so far is Shinnie at left back and we would play him at left back in front of Robertson, Whittaker or even Charlie Mulgrew or Lee Wallace at a push for what particular reason? 

nobody said Shinnie ahead of Robertson.  I would have Robertson as starting LB, but Strachan dropped him and picked Mulgrew there ahead of several others.  I think Charlie Mulgrew is a decent holding midfielder, but to play him at LB where his lack of pace is exposed isn't a good replacement.  I think Shinnie should be in contention for a place in the squad as cover for Robertson.

Forrest may well be overrated and, in my opinion, should definitely be behind Ritchie for a start but O'Halloran isn't any better than either of them yet so why would we take three right wingers in a squad or are you suggesting that we take out Maloney or Anya from the other side? Snodgrass and Naismith can also play the wide positions but were missing from the squad and what about Chris Burke is Mikey better than him on the right or Johnny Russell on the other side?

Over the years, I can think of about five genuine grievances we would have for players not being included when they played for us. Alan Main was far better than Rab Douglas but had apparently fallen out with the goalkeeping coach if I recall correctly, Paul Wright at one time was the top Scottish goal scorer in Scotland and didn't get a sniff of a squad and Callum Davidson, Paul Hartley and John O'Neil all got called into squads immediately after leaving Saints and having played less than a dozen games for their new clubs so their elevation was hard to work out.

Stevie May got a call up 3 months after leaving Saints

Other than that I am struggling to think of any other real contenders we may have had and think we all need to take off our saints tinted specs from time to time and face reality. Players are at Saints for a reason and that is that clubs at a higher level do not think they are good enough to play at that level, if they're not good enough at a higher club level then why would they be good enough to play at international teams?

so O'Halloran and the likes of Shinnie should be nowhere near the squad because they don't play at a high enough level...fair enough. But celtic players, who play in the same league but don't play against the strongest opponents, are at a high enough level??  None of them have played actual champions league matches for 2 seasons now if that is the justification.

And lee Wallace, who has spent the last 3 years playing against Albion Rovers, East Fife, Dumbarton, Cowdenbeath and Alloa, would be a realistic contender ?!!!

 

 

Edited September 10, 2015 by PauloPerth

[andy rhodes fancy watch]

I don't understand Scottish people who love football but are uninterested in the Scottish national team. Very very odd.

It's like folk who don't like football, they're not to be trusted, weirdos. 

[Widge]

I don't understand Scottish people who love football but are uninterested in the Scottish national team. Very very odd.

It's like folk who don't like football, they're not to be trusted, weirdos. 

That's pretty much me. I used to really care about international football, but nowadays I don't mind the results. Sure I'll watch the matches and have an interest, but if Scotland lose I don't care at all. 

[dave mc]

I don't understand Scottish people who love football but are uninterested in the Scottish national team. Very very odd.

It's like folk who don't like football, they're not to be trusted, weirdos. 

Same here, seen the best players on the planet against Scotland, Best, Moore, Charlton,Maradonna and the Brazil Ronaldo to name a few,the only players of note that I've seen against Saints are Laudrup, Gazza, Larsson and Dalglish, in the league, and Simone, Barthez and Trezegeut in Europe, missed the Hamburg game unfortunately

[208saint]

nobody said Shinnie ahead of Robertson.  I would have Robertson as starting LB, but Strachan dropped him and picked Mulgrew there ahead of several others.  I think Charlie Mulgrew is a decent holding midfielder, but to play him at LB where his lack of pace is exposed isn't a good replacement.  I think Shinnie should be in contention for a place in the squad as cover for Robertson.

Stevie May got a call up 3 months after leaving Saints

so O'Halloran and the likes of Shinnie should be nowhere near the squad because they don't play at a high enough level...fair enough. But celtic players, who play in the same league but don't play against the strongest opponents, are at a high enough level??  None of them have played actual champions league matches for 2 seasons now if that is the justification.

And lee Wallace, who has spent the last 3 years playing against Albion Rovers, East Fife, Dumbarton, Cowdenbeath and Alloa, would be a realistic contender ?!!!

 

 

Who said he isn't and how do you know that he isn't in contention for a place in the squad? I would be surprised if he wasn't but the point is surely numbers? There are only so many places in the squad and why would you not take a versatile player like Mulgrew that can cover at least three positions before a Shinnie who is more or less a straight replacement for Robertson only.

I thought he played Mulgrew for his defensive capabilities and his tendency to not get forward as much whereas Robertson is sometimes just too eager to get forward particularly against a team like the Germans which could have left us much more exposed than Mulgrews lack of pace.

Apologies for my omission on May, however I posted without checking my facts and seemed to recall that he was called into a squad whilst still our player or had at least been mentioned in dispatches about being monitored whereas none of the other five even got that much.

Do you honestly believe that just because you play in the same league as a team means that you are playing at the same level? Surely there has to be an acceptance that if you play for Celtic then you have to play at a higher standard against teams because they are playing harder against you and you go into each game with an expectation that you will win each game so there is greater pressure on you? Are the Aberdeen players more concerned about playing Celtic at Pittodrie or Saints at Pittodrie, will they raise their game more to play against   they're Scott Brown or ours? Living and playing with pressure of playing for a bigger club with better players and more competition for places surely means that you are playing at a higher level. Celtic players may not have had many Champions League games over the last few years but they've played more games in Europe that Mikey or Shinnie or any other player in Scottish football.

Out of interest what do you think a player means when he leaves Celtic joins Saints for example and says something along the lines of taking a step down/ backwards to go forwards again?

But hey what do I know, maybe players really do only move to bigger clubs for the money, maybe it's not about improving as a player by playing under more pressure with better players

[crieffsaintandy]

I don't understand Scottish people who love football but are uninterested in the Scottish national team. Very very odd.

It's like folk who don't like football, they're not to be trusted, weirdos. 

Totally agree, I enjoy the internationals  and follow Scotland as a change from Saints for a couple of weeks, but seem to be a new generation of supporters that are around that just like club football, suppose everyone to their own, maybe the Sky generation, bit like down south the greatest league in the world is being taking over by tourists making up quite a large proportion of the crowds thus diluting the atmosphere and filling the ground with happy clappers who are not really attached to the team as the local support.

[Pat McGroin]

Same here, seen the best players on the planet against Scotland, Best, Moore, Charlton,Maradonna and the Brazil Ronaldo to name a few,the only players of note that I've seen against Saints are Laudrup, Gazza, Larsson and Dalglish, in the league, and Simone, Barthez and Trezegeut in Europe, missed the Hamburg game unfortunately

Rangers had a raft of top players when Murray was cooking the books. Gattuso, the De Boer's, Numan, Van Bronckhorst etc. Thought the boy Mols was a player too before he done his knee. 

 

[dave mc]

Rangers had a raft of top players when Murray was cooking the books. Gattuso, the De Boer's, Numan, Van Bronckhorst etc. Thought the boy Mols was a player too before he done his knee. 

 

None of them world class imo, but decent players,for them I'll give you Zidane, Henry and Denilson, Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Cannavaro,Del Piero

Edited September 10, 2015 by dave mc

[PauloPerth]

Who said he isn't and how do you know that he isn't in contention for a place in the squad? I would be surprised if he wasn't but the point is surely numbers? There are only so many places in the squad and why would you not take a versatile player like Mulgrew that can cover at least three positions before a Shinnie who is more or less a straight replacement for Robertson only.

I thought he played Mulgrew for his defensive capabilities and his tendency to not get forward as much whereas Robertson is sometimes just too eager to get forward particularly against a team like the Germans which could have left us much more exposed than Mulgrews lack of pace.

i think that would have been the managers thinking, but I think Mulgrew lacks pace and out wide is not his best position.  I think Shinnie is more a balance between the two- decent pace but possibly better defensively than Robertson.  Yes agree Mulgrew is versatile, but in a 23 man squad you can take 2 players for every position.  I'm not saying Shinnie should be a starter,  just that he should be a contender for a squad place.  I am led to believe Strachan has stated that he only wants to pick players playing down south or at celtic.. I think it's a flawed selection policy, though I accept the vast majority of players will come from those leagues/ celtic.

for example, just a few months after leaving utd are GMS or Armstrong suddenly much improved players?  Same for Stevie May just a few months after heading down south?

Apologies for my omission on May, however I posted without checking my facts and seemed to recall that he was called into a squad whilst still our player or had at least been mentioned in dispatches about being monitored whereas none of the other five even got that much.

Do you honestly believe that just because you play in the same league as a team means that you are playing at the same level? Surely there has to be an acceptance that if you play for Celtic then you have to play at a higher standard against teams because they are playing harder against you and you go into each game with an expectation that you will win each game so there is greater pressure on you? Are the Aberdeen players more concerned about playing Celtic at Pittodrie or Saints at Pittodrie, will they raise their game more to play against   they're Scott Brown or ours? Living and playing with pressure of playing for a bigger club with better players and more competition for places surely means that you are playing at a higher level. Celtic players may not have had many Champions League games over the last few years but they've played more games in Europe that Mikey or Shinnie or any other player in Scottish football.

That's an interesting point but I'm not sure I would agree.  You're implying teams play harder against celtic than they would the likes of us?  It is possible the opposite applies surely: celtic have a team full of better players overall so individually they can coast that wee bit more and aren't pushed.  Also I think a lot of teams have lost games against celtic before they kick off and play them with damage limitation in mind.  It's a hard one to prove either way though.

Out of interest what do you think a player means when he leaves Celtic joins Saints for example and says something along the lines of taking a step down/ backwards to go forwards again?

But hey what do I know, maybe players really do only move to bigger clubs for the money, maybe it's not about improving as a player by playing under more pressure with better players

[nips]

Paulo - GMS and Armstrong were both called into the squad by Strachan when they were at United so aren't the best examples to use.

[541ntees]

Who said he isn't and how do you know that he isn't in contention for a place in the squad? I would be surprised if he wasn't but the point is surely numbers? There are only so many places in the squad and why would you not take a versatile player like Mulgrew that can cover at least three positions before a Shinnie who is more or less a straight replacement for Robertson only.

I thought he played Mulgrew for his defensive capabilities and his tendency to not get forward as much whereas Robertson is sometimes just too eager to get forward particularly against a team like the Germans which could have left us much more exposed than Mulgrews lack of pace.

Apologies for my omission on May, however I posted without checking my facts and seemed to recall that he was called into a squad whilst still our player or had at least been mentioned in dispatches about being monitored whereas none of the other five even got that much.

Do you honestly believe that just because you play in the same league as a team means that you are playing at the same level? Surely there has to be an acceptance that if you play for Celtic then you have to play at a higher standard against teams because they are playing harder against you and you go into each game with an expectation that you will win each game so there is greater pressure on you? Are the Aberdeen players more concerned about playing Celtic at Pittodrie or Saints at Pittodrie, will they raise their game more to play against   they're Scott Brown or ours? Living and playing with pressure of playing for a bigger club with better players and more competition for places surely means that you are playing at a higher level. Celtic players may not have had many Champions League games over the last few years but they've played more games in Europe that Mikey or Shinnie or any other player in Scottish football.

Out of interest what do you think a player means when he leaves Celtic joins Saints for example and says something along the lines of taking a step down/ backwards to go forwards again?

But hey what do I know, maybe players really do only move to bigger clubs for the money, maybe it's not about improving as a player by playing under more pressure with better players

id like to think that every player gave 100% wether they were playing Madrid in the champions league final or East Stirling in the 4th rd of the Scottish Cup.

As for Mulgrew id hate to think Strachan takes him because of his versatility. He should be putting in his squad the 2 best options for each position. The problem with lb is he doesnt trust Robertson against better sides. Forsyth froze in the ireland game but has been immense for Derby. I reckon thats why those 2 got omitted an Mulgrew got used maybe even for his height if we got any set pieces. I dont think anyone knows his best position lb cb or holding mf. Shinnie will be next in line then Wallace. surprised celtic never snapped up shinnie before the Dons

[blueheaven]

Totally agree, I enjoy the internationals  and follow Scotland as a change from Saints for a couple of weeks, but seem to be a new generation of supporters that are around that just like club football, suppose everyone to their own, maybe the Sky generation, bit like down south the greatest league in the world is being taking over by tourists making up quite a large proportion of the crowds thus diluting the atmosphere and filling the ground with happy clappers who are not really attached to the team as the local support.

Not sure that's entirely fair. We're all St Johnstone fans on here so it's a bit of a stretch to imply that those of us who don't follow Scotland are Sky-binging glory-hunters who are only interested in the big times. If anything I think it's sometimes the other way round: the big international tournaments like World Cup and Euros attract the interest of a lot of people who otherwise have no interest in football. Down here in England they tend to be the people who expect England to win and then can't understand it when they don't. Personally I enjoy watching those tournaments, but when it comes to actually caring and being passionate about football, I consider the average Saints game to be infinitely more important. In a way, I sort of view the World Cup as football for people who aren't actually in to football.

I'd think it nice to see the Scotland team doing well but that's pretty much as far as it goes for me, personally. I don't consider myself a supporter and I very rarely bother to watch the matches (partly because I think there's way too much football on TV so I don't watch much of any of it these days). I did go to a few Scotland games when I was younger but, to be honest, after the novelty of the big crowds had worn off, I actually found it a bit boring. Possibly because I wasn't invested in it in the same way that I am in Saints games (which can be boring too obviously, but because they really mean something to me I don't mind so much).

It's just each to their own, really. I feel a sense of pride in Saints and feel that I have a duty as a football fan to support my local team, who I have that lifelong connection with. I don't feel that sense of pride or duty with Scotland, maybe because they play most of their games in a city I have no affiliation with, and tend to field players I have no interest in or support for.

But I'd be delighted if Saints could start filling the ground with "happy clappers" - because it would mean we were actually filling the ground (and, even better, with people who are clapping rather than moaning).

 

 

Edited September 11, 2015 by blueheaven

[crieffsaintandy]

Not sure that's entirely fair. We're all St Johnstone fans on here so it's a bit of a stretch to imply that those of us who don't follow Scotland are Sky-binging glory-hunters who are only interested in the big times. If anything I think it's sometimes the other way round: the big international tournaments like World Cup and Euros attract the interest of a lot of people who otherwise have no interest in football. Down here in England they tend to be the people who expect England to win and then can't understand it when they don't. Personally I enjoy watching those tournaments, but when it comes to actually caring and being passionate about football, I consider the average Saints game to be infinitely more important. In a way, I sort of view the World Cup as football for people who aren't actually in to football.

I'd think it nice to see the Scotland team doing well but that's pretty much as far as it goes for me, personally. I don't consider myself a supporter and I very rarely bother to watch the matches (partly because I think there's way too much football on TV so I don't watch much of any of it these days). I did go to a few Scotland games when I was younger but, to be honest, after the novelty of the big crowds had worn off, I actually found it a bit boring. Possibly because I wasn't invested in it in the same way that I am in Saints games (which can be boring too obviously, but because they really mean something to me I don't mind so much).

It's just each to their own, really. I feel a sense of pride in Saints and feel that I have a duty as a football fan to support my local team, who I have that lifelong connection with. I don't feel that sense of pride or duty with Scotland, maybe because they play most of their games in a city I have no affiliation with, and tend to field players I have no interest in or support for.

But I'd be delighted if Saints could start filling the ground with "happy clappers" - because it would mean we were actually filling the ground (and, even better, with people who are clapping rather than moaning).

 

 

Was generalising the dynamics of supports nowadays and certainly know following Saints for many a year it's not for the glory and the same for the majority that go to our games, its a passion.

Regarding Scotland that's how you feel, others may feel more involved, but I enjoy the different kind of emotion personally between club football and international and following both teams is certainly no glory trip, but everyone to their own. as you say.

Would still hear the moaners in Perth even it was a full house!!

[Gordon Drummonds Perm]

Struggling to believe this thread but not some of the comments from the usual national team haters!

Go and read over some of the comments on other threads by Saints fans where they moan about Mikey's lack of a final product and ask yourself if we as his supposed supporters criticise him for it why the manager of an international team would take a chance on him.

So many of you moan about Strachan's selection policy but the only example given so far is Shinnie at left back and we would play him at left back in front of Robertson, Whittaker or even Charlie Mulgrew or Lee Wallace at a push for what particular reason? Scott Bain at Dundee recently got called into the squad due to injuries but would you seriously have him in the squad ahead of either of the three established keepers just yet for anything other than a friendly? Callum Paterson and Mark Reynolds have been called into recent squads without having to prove their worth at Celtic or Championship level. Who else from the SPFL would you have in the squad just now and who would they replace?

Forrest may well be overrated and, in my opinion, should definitely be behind Ritchie for a start but O'Halloran isn't any better than either of them yet so why would we take three right wingers in a squad or are you suggesting that we take out Maloney or Anya from the other side? Snodgrass and Naismith can also play the wide positions but were missing from the squad and what about Chris Burke is Mikey better than him on the right or Johnny Russell on the other side?

Over the years, I can think of about five genuine grievances we would have for players not being included when they played for us. Alan Main was far better than Rab Douglas but had apparently fallen out with the goalkeeping coach if I recall correctly, Paul Wright at one time was the top Scottish goal scorer in Scotland and didn't get a sniff of a squad and Callum Davidson, Paul Hartley and John O'Neil all got called into squads immediately after leaving Saints and having played less than a dozen games for their new clubs so their elevation was hard to work out.

Other than that I am struggling to think of any other real contenders we may have had and think we all need to take off our saints tinted specs from time to time and face reality. Players are at Saints for a reason and that is that clubs at a higher level do not think they are good enough to play at that level, if they're not good enough at a higher club level then why would they be good enough to play at international teams?

I think you're talking diarrhoea x

[208saint]

I think you're talking diarrhoea x

always nice when people come on with some informed comments to contribute to any debate, unfortunately you're just an erse