St.Mirren V St.Johnstone - Scottish Cup Semi Final May 9th

[Broggy Man]

Ok livi don’t have a youth team but I don’t know about the midden but that is a requirement 

[TheYellowBox]

As much as it could benefit saints, it would be terrible if St Mirren were to be refused European entry. When you see the set up of some clubs around europe if our SFA were to prevent a club due to something like an insufficient youth set up it would be a farce. 

Could a feeling of being unfairly treated spur St Mirren on? I really hope not.

 

 

 

[HOODLUM65]

If Saints benefit by playing by the rules and St. Mirren and Livingston miss out by failing to meet the criteria, so be it.

C.o.y.s.

[california_saintee]

9 hours ago, byebyedundee said:

Will the International Saintees be able to watch it on Saints TV ?

If not, it's definitely on ESPN+ in the States.

 

[Melbourne Saint]

4 hours ago, HOODLUM65 said:

If Saints benefit by playing by the rules and St. Mirren and Livingston miss out by failing to meet the criteria, so be it.

C.o.y.s.

I'm actually surprised Midden don't. Agree abt the rules. Youth teams are expensive and a long term investment. We went through a pretty barren spell (around a decade?) and I recall GB bemoaning the expense. It's only in the last 5-7 years it's paid off for us. It's good for the game, even though the ugly sisters take the cream- but look at the players Rangers have loaned out this season. Hendry to Aberdeen I still can't quite understand.

[Pat McGroin]

St Mirren missed the boat on this one - 

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11712/10262801/leicesters-riyad-mahrez-once-fled-a-trial-at-st-mirren-because-of-the-cold

[Johnny B]

St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson insists St Mirren trying to sign Michael O'Halloran won't even enter his thinking this weekend as the sides meet in a Scottish Cup semi-final. (Scottish Sun)

Is that because he was never in the semi final team?

[Cagey]

4 minutes ago, Johnny B said:

St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson insists St Mirren trying to sign Michael O'Halloran won't even enter his thinking this weekend as the sides meet in a Scottish Cup semi-final. (Scottish Sun)

Is that because he was never in the semi final team?

Not sure if he will be in team but will definitely be in the squad and will come on at some point.

[blueheaven]

I wouldn't be all that surprised if MOH has played his way into a start in the semi. I think we'll play a front three and he's got to be pretty high up the list of candidates to play on the right hand side of that.

Not sure what to make of the Livi and St Mirren European license stuff. Livi said a few weeks back that they were confident they'd still be allowed to play in Europe if they qualified, and I'd guess St Mirren will feel the same.

If St Mirren were to beat us and play Hibs in the final, and St Mirren and Livi aren't allowed to take up European places, that would presumably mean Saints qualifying for Europe regardless of who wins the Cup.

[Johnny B]

9 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I wouldn't be all that surprised if MOH has played his way into a start in the semi. I think we'll play a front three and he's got to be pretty high up the list of candidates to play on the right hand side of that.

Do you think Rooney and MOH can play on the right. I have seen the problem of Rooney and MOH wanting the space on the wing. When MOH plays inside right he drifts out of the game. It was no surprise he won our mom against Clyde and Hibs when Brown was wing back as Brown did not venture forward as often as Rooney. Big dilemma as you cannot leave Rooney out of the team  do you still play MOH and hope for the best? As I have said the formation does not suit a winger and an overlapping full back.

[SaintJet]

32 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I wouldn't be all that surprised if MOH has played his way into a start in the semi. I think we'll play a front three and he's got to be pretty high up the list of candidates to play on the right hand side of that.

Not sure what to make of the Livi and St Mirren European license stuff. Livi said a few weeks back that they were confident they'd still be allowed to play in Europe if they qualified, and I'd guess St Mirren will feel the same.

If St Mirren were to beat us and play Hibs in the final, and St Mirren and Livi aren't allowed to take up European places, that would presumably mean Saints qualifying for Europe regardless of who wins the Cup.

I certainly don't want that. If we win a European place on merit that's brilliant but I wouldn't want a place at the expense of another team because of regulations; I wouldn't have this opinion if it was the old frim or one of the other "pop star" teams in Scotland of course.

[Ginger Bakers rebel army]

47 minutes ago, SaintJet said:

I certainly don't want that. If we win a European place on merit that's brilliant but I wouldn't want a place at the expense of another team because of regulations; I wouldn't have this opinion if it was the old frim or one of the other "pop star" teams in Scotland of course.

Any idea how much they have not spent on complying?

Any savings can be spent on the first team creating a bigger budget to increase their points tally.

I don’t think the SFA will allow them to benefit from not complying with SFA rules .

 

 

 

[blueheaven]

1 hour ago, Johnny B said:

Do you think Rooney and MOH can play on the right. I have seen the problem of Rooney and MOH wanting the space on the wing. When MOH plays inside right he drifts out of the game. It was no surprise he won our mom against Clyde and Hibs when Brown was wing back as Brown did not venture forward as often as Rooney. Big dilemma as you cannot leave Rooney out of the team  do you still play MOH and hope for the best? As I have said the formation does not suit a winger and an overlapping full back.

Yeah, fair point. In general I think that's been an issue with the 3-4-3 formation at various points this season, particularly in the first half of the season. I do think the players seem to know their roles a lot better than they did back then, though. I think settling into the system in that way has definitely played a big part in our improving results.

[Melbourne Saint]

12 minutes ago, Ginger Bakers rebel army said:

Any idea how much they have not spent on complying?

Any savings can be spent on the first team creating a bigger budget to increase their points tally.

I don’t think the SFA will allow them to benefit from not complying with SFA rules .

 

 

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. It's natural they'll lodge an appeal, probably citing Covid and promising to make changes to qualify. When this rule was ratified is important. Some may say they don't want Saints to qualify (should we not qualify on merit), but it's there. Should any appeal be successful, Saints are well within their rights to seek to overturn it. There's too much money at stake, and why should clubs that aren't compliant benefit? 

Of course this could all be irrelevant as hopefully Saints will get there on merit

[blueheaven]

1 hour ago, SaintJet said:

I certainly don't want that. If we win a European place on merit that's brilliant but I wouldn't want a place at the expense of another team because of regulations; I wouldn't have this opinion if it was the old frim or one of the other "pop star" teams in Scotland of course.

I'm afraid I don't share your sympathy for St Mirren. The clubs all have the same regulations put in front of them - it's a level playing field. If St Mirren or Livi haven't played by the rules, then as far as I'm concerned it's completely fair that a European spot would skip them and come to the next best side that has met the requirements. St Mirren seem to have improved their squad quite a bit over the past year or so, hence their improved showings in both the league and the cup. If they've achieved that by investing resources in players instead of meeting the requirements that Saints and other clubs have managed to meet, then this is entirely their own fault.

Of course, hopefully we'll finish 5th and win the Cup, so it won't matter anyway. 

[TheYellowBox]

1 hour ago, SaintJet said:

I certainly don't want that. If we win a European place on merit that's brilliant but I wouldn't want a place at the expense of another team because of regulations; I wouldn't have this opinion if it was the old frim or one of the other "pop star" teams in Scotland of course.

Exactly this. If it was us that missed out, then we would all rightfully be raging.

I can understand why some clubs might bot invest heavily in their youth set up. The rewards can be difficult to achieve and for some clubs, the 2 big glasgow clubs hoover up most of the talent and even when you do get a prospect, you get pittance or the players overlooked at national set up level.

 

[TheYellowBox]

4 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

I'm afraid I don't share your sympathy for St Mirren. The clubs all have the same regulations put in front of them - it's a level playing field. If St Mirren or Livi haven't played by the rules, then as far as I'm concerned it's completely fair that a European spot would skip them and come to the next best side that has met the requirements. St Mirren seem to have improved their squad quite a bit over the past year or so, hence their improved showings in both the league and the cup. If they've achieved that by investing resources in players instead of meeting the requirements that Saints and other clubs have managed to meet, then this is entirely their own fault.

Of course, hopefully we'll finish 5th and win the Cup, so it won't matter anyway. 

I think though that St Mirren have the same scores as us in terms of youth set up etc.

Livi, well, I think we all k ow that behind the scenes, there is some shenanigans going on. 

[blueheaven]

48 minutes ago, TheYellowBox said:

Exactly this. If it was us that missed out, then we would all rightfully be raging.

Who would you be raging at? 

[Broggy Man]

Now I’m even more confused fake saints got a silver for there youth set up same as us and over all gold but license refused so I assume this has something to do with accounts I would have thought the media would have worked it out but all silent

[RandomGuy]

St Mirren will be eligible to play in Europe if they qualify, it'll be something minor, so I wouldn't overthink it.

Think we'll start with a front two. Not sure he'd have rested Melamed last week if he wasn't starting him this week.

[garydavidson]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy said:

Think we'll start with a front two. Not sure he'd have rested Melamed last week if he wasn't starting him this week.

"That wasn't about resting players, it more about making sure they've all had 90 minutes over the last few weeks, so I know they are match sharp," Davidson explained."

Melamed didn't quite get to 90 minutes in his two appearances v Rangers. Can't read much into it as he is holding the cards very tight to his chest

[TheYellowBox]

7 hours ago, blueheaven said:

Who would you be raging at? 

Everyone! LAUGH OUT LOUD

No, I'd be raging at the SFA as as others have said, we have the same ranking as them for the youth set up. If it is over accounts, then how the hell did Rangers get a license or going back further, Gr£tna or Dundee.

The governance in Scotland is amateurish. If that had been either side of the Glasgow two, then a) the papers would be all over it and b) the decision not to award would have been explained.

It's all moot anyway as we will be winning the cup 

[garydavidson]

 

 

[HOODLUM65]

Anyone thinking of having a day out in Glasgow on Sunday to greet their heroes before and after the game?

C.o.y.s.

[Bev Callard]

8 hours ago, HOODLUM65 said:

Anyone thinking of having a day out in Glasgow on Sunday to greet their heroes before and after the game?

C.o.y.s.

Our bus is booked into the same bowling club as for the league Cup final. Cracking day.