PLZ The Football Show with Scott Allan / Lawrence Shankland will stay at Hearts

Scottish Football

Lawrence Shankland has been linked with both Celtic and Rangers as a summer transfer target, but Tam McManus believes Shankland will stay at Hearts.  Also on The Football Show LIVE:  Robin Propper on the brink of signing for Rangers; Latest Lawrence Shankland transfer news and rumours; Ibrox closed with Rangers playing home matches at Hampden Park; Will Philippe Clement be given time as Rangers manager?; Ryan Jack interview about leaving Rangers; Ryan Jack Kilmarnock FC transfer rumour; Latest Adam Idah transfer news; St Mirren v Valur preview; Cercle Brugge v Kilmarnock preview; And much more!  The Football Show Live Highlights:  00:00 Intro - The Football Show Live 05:10 Robin Propper Rangers FC transfer 07:08 Lawrence Shankland Hearts FC transfer news 10:55 Ibrox Stadium closed 14:11 Philippe Clement Rangers  17:53 Ryan Jack interview and possible Kilmarnock FC move 22:30 Lawrence Shankland Celtic transfer rumour 24:52 Rangers fans reaction to Lawrence Shankland rumours 27:40 Celtic FC summer transfers 31:04 Scottish football clubs in UCL and UEL 32:25 Scottish football news headlines 35:43 Adam Idah transfer news 37:44 Cercle Brugge v Kilmarnock 45:33 St Mirren v Valur 49:02 Motherwell complete Apostolos Stamatelopoulos signing 51:06 Hibs FC Black Knight Football Club 53:41 Scottish football fans  56:02 Jimmy Thelin Aberdeen FC

Transcript

00:00:00Z Soccer's YouTube channel if you want to join the football family don't forget

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00:00:08breaking news at your fingertips and of course all that news is also on our

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00:00:17of the border across Europe and globally then don't forget on our social media

00:00:21you can follow us and keep right up to date. I'm delighted on the football show

00:00:25as we get ever closer to the start of the season to introduce one of our new

00:00:29signings. You have to just freshen the team up and I just thought maybe I was

00:00:34getting a wee bit slower so we'd add a wee bit of quality to the midfield time.

00:00:38You're a bit younger than Ruffy as well. I was just about to say, it's like a hippies get-together here.

00:00:43Scott Allan, welcome along to the football show. Really looking forward to

00:00:48your input and of course had a wee look at your clubs. You've had a few, not quite

00:00:53as many as him, but Kelty Hearts. Kelty Hearts, yeah. I think I met Michael Tidzer on my B licence again.

00:01:03Played against him when I was young and we kind of hit it off. We've got the same kind of ideas

00:01:07with football and it gives me an opportunity to still play first and

00:01:10foremost and a step into the coaching world as well. Yeah, was the coaching

00:01:14thing the important thing that maybe swayed you more? Yeah and

00:01:19obviously knowing someone and obviously the style of football we're wanting to

00:01:22bring there, so with people with the same kind of trainer thought and a

00:01:27chance for me to gain experience on the training part in terms of the

00:01:30coaching side of things. Yeah, it made you feel old, Tam, when I can remember Michael

00:01:35as a youngster at Morton. That's right. I played against Michael when he was

00:01:38younger, obviously watching Scott as well, obviously coming to the tail end of

00:01:43their career, but that'll be a great experience for Scott to go to Kelty Hearts,

00:01:46you know, first team football, going and coaching people. It'll be an eye-opener,

00:01:51part-time, people coming for their work, coming to train as well, so a great

00:01:55grounding for Scott and a great experience for him. Yeah, absolutely, and of course in a

00:02:00division there, I'm sure there'll be a few people who want to close you down that

00:02:04wee bit quicker and want to have a wee test of your nerve. Yeah, I

00:02:08think that just goes with the territory to be fair, so we just need to move it a bit

00:02:12quicker. Maybe not as quick as I was maybe five, six years ago, but listen, I'm

00:02:16actually really looking forward to it. Yeah, there's a fair few managers though that

00:02:20you'll be able to take something from. I mean, the amount of people... I mean, you

00:02:24met Big Ek in Germany because you'd gone for a pint, but you met Big Ek in

00:02:32Germany. It's good to stay in touch with people over the years who can maybe give

00:02:36you that little bit of help and advice. Yeah, well I even think back to when I

00:02:40first signed for West Brom from Dundee United, it was actually Dan Ashworth who's

00:02:44now at Manchester United. He was the guy I went and met between him and Roy Hodgson.

00:02:49I remember at the time him showing me videos of some of the footage I'd never

00:02:54seen here at that time about how to receive the one foot and the type of

00:02:58passes I was playing. So that was at that stage meeting somebody like Dan

00:03:01Ashworth, who had done a really good job at West Brom. He kind of opened my

00:03:06eyes to the things that they were looking at down south. So between him and

00:03:10Roy Hodgson at a very young age, it was guys I still kind of keep in

00:03:14touch with. Maybe not Roy so much, but I have bumped into him at games over the

00:03:18years and a lot of welfare experience. And then guys like Neil Lennon, Brendan

00:03:23Rodgers, who I've got a really good relationship with. Jack Ross, there's a

00:03:27welfare experience here. Yeah, absolutely. I can't wait to see how you develop as a

00:03:32coach and whether you're going to try and play the football purist game

00:03:36or whether you're going to go through that huge learning curve with the

00:03:39players that you have at your disposal. Are you going to have to play a different way?

00:03:43Obviously that's the manager's job. I've just had my wee input obviously in

00:03:48terms of playing, because I'll still play the way that I play and try and help

00:03:52people round about. I think that's the one thing I'm really excited about.

00:03:56We've got a lot of young players, players who have maybe not made it at teams like

00:03:59Hearts and have stepped away and want to go and create an environment for

00:04:04themselves to push on again. I think that's the bit I'm really looking forward to. The

00:04:07younger players who you can maybe just give the wee bits of knowledge where it

00:04:12can maybe take them to the next level again. Yeah, we've been out there. We did a

00:04:16documentary on Barry when he was the manager. It's a great little

00:04:20park, great set up. So, you know, hopefully, fingers crossed, it all goes well for you.

00:04:26You've got lots to talk about in football. Of course, you know the top division very

00:04:30well as well and this is the period of time where clubs want to try and bring

00:04:35in players, say goodbye to a few legends along the way and then build for the

00:04:39future. We'll get Scott's The Great Thing About You coming on on a Wednesday.

00:04:43Everybody who joins the team has to give their predictions 1 to 12 and then as

00:04:48the season progresses, you get battered for it. That's very early right now because it's

00:04:53obviously still about four weeks to go in the transfer window so it could all

00:04:56change in terms of people coming in but you've got to kind of go with it and stick

00:04:59with it at the start, don't you? Yeah, absolutely. We'll look at the fixture shortly. We'll look at

00:05:02individual teams. Give us your thoughts on your favourite team, your favourite

00:05:06players and how you think things are looking ahead of the start of the season.

00:05:11Rangers look as if they're set to announce the signing of centre-half

00:05:15Robin Proper from 20 Enschede. We had a chat with Michael Statham. He's a football

00:05:21journalist who works for Oranja and we got his assessment of the man who could

00:05:27be coming in as a centre-half at Rangers. Robin Proper is a centre-back that I find

00:05:33solid, unspectacular but I think that's what Rangers are looking for, an experienced

00:05:38leader that can defend really well. He's a leader in the sense that he's not a quiet

00:05:45leader. He will talk or he will speak up if he doesn't believe something's right. He's

00:05:51played in the Netherlands his whole career. He's obviously looking for a move now at

00:05:55the age of 30 where he can go abroad, make some money of course at a different club,

00:05:59play in Europe.

00:06:01Yes, interesting. Conor Golsan out the door. I mean, Philippe Clermont was obviously going

00:06:06to have to look and say, right, he's gone, now we have to look for something else.

00:06:11Yes, Rangers obviously need to replace that experience. I think Conor Golsan hardly missed

00:06:16a game last year up until the tail end of the season. But like the reporter said, he's

00:06:21never left the Netherlands. It's a big ask to come straight into the environment that

00:06:26Glasgow has with Rangers and Celtic to hit the ground running. So it'll be a real test

00:06:30of him very early on at Rangers.

00:06:32Yes, absolutely. If you want to see more from Michael Statham, he was talking to Patrick

00:06:36Mullin. It's on our YouTube channel. It gives you an insight into not only the potential

00:06:44signing of Robin Proper but Sam Lammers as well who's looking as if he is going back

00:06:50to Dutch football. Utrecht were the club that he was out and loaned to. So you can get a

00:06:55little insight into him as well and that move away from Rangers. But that's nine players

00:07:01either coming back from or staying on from a loan deal that Rangers have signed. One

00:07:08of them that I don't think will be joining them unless they stump up a fair bit of money

00:07:13is Lauren Shanklin. It's a name that never goes away, Tam. And it's also, I mean, I don't

00:07:19buy into the story that he's been linked with Celtic. I think that's just a nonsense story

00:07:25that I read this morning. There are some stories where you usually just flick the papers or

00:07:30flick your screen on the computer and go rubbish, rubbish, nonsense. And Shanklin for me is

00:07:35one of those guys that hearts want to cash in on. I mean, I just can't see anybody in

00:07:42Scotland stumping up the sort of money they're looking for.

00:07:44No, listen, I don't think that Philip Clement fancies him as a player. I think that if he

00:07:50was to go to Rangers, I think it would be a board decision, Peter. I think that he doesn't

00:07:55fit the profile that Clement's wanting. He wants athletic players, quick players in that

00:08:00forward area. You look at most of the players he's signed, they're athletic, they're quick.

00:08:05The outlay for a guy at 29 years old as well, I don't think that Rangers are going to pay

00:08:09three million for him. They can possibly get him for nothing, they can get him for nothing

00:08:14at the end of the season, but they can get him in a pre-contract in January. So I don't

00:08:17think that's a known start. I don't think Hearts would take a million pound from him

00:08:20or a million and a half. If he scores goals this season, if they win a couple of games

00:08:25in the Conference League, possibly the Europa League, I think they've got a play-off game.

00:08:29That's a million pound. So I think Laurence Shanklin will stay at Hearts. I think he'll

00:08:33stay at Hearts this season. I don't think anyone will buy him this window on January

00:08:37and I think that Laurence will take his chances as a free agent at the end of the season.

00:08:41I think if he scores another 20, 25 goals for Hearts, coming the end of the season,

00:08:45he is in a very, very strong position to go and take his pick where he wants to go

00:08:48and get his one big move that he's probably earned.

00:08:51To be fair to Hearts though, Scott, they've really pushed the board out with his weekly

00:08:56wage, his bonuses and everything that they're trying to do to lure him into a two or three-year deal.

00:09:02Yeah, I think when you get a goal scorer like that, they aren't easy to find and you can

00:09:07see that throughout the league, I think. Hibs are still searching for that, they've paid

00:09:10money here, there and everywhere from players from different nationalities but Laurence

00:09:15Shanklin, he is guaranteeing you goals in the SPFL last year, outstanding. Some of the

00:09:21finishes, I agree with him. I don't think Phil Clement wants him, I don't think he has

00:09:28probably a profile of player but I think if you ask a lot of the Rangers fans, taking

00:09:32a goal scorer in, sometimes it's worth paying that money but when it's the manager's decision,

00:09:36you're up against it.

00:09:38Yeah, and no disrespect to Laurence who I think his record stands up with the best of

00:09:43them in Scottish football but having looked at him, it's almost like a Chris Boyd for

00:09:49me. Chris, when he was playing in Scotland, could score goals for fun but Walter Smith

00:09:55never picked him in Champions League games because that level up again, that movement

00:10:01that you need as a player to score at that level, he didn't quite have it and I don't

00:10:06think Laurence would offer that movement that they require at that level. I think comparing

00:10:13to Chris Boyd, under Walter, Rangers and that team were not a possession-based side in Europe.

00:10:19They played behind the ball when they needed pace. You're loving Cranzes who could maybe

00:10:23get you up the pitch at that time. I think he's a lot more mobile than people think he

00:10:29is. I think at heart he's asked to be that target man. Does the ball stick when it goes

00:10:34into him? When you play with a player like that, especially myself and you know you can

00:10:38play, you can dink it, you can hold guys off. He can do all that and bring guys into the

00:10:42box but the way Rangers have played for the last five seasons, it's been crosses into

00:10:46box deliveries and Laurence Shackland, that's where he's most deadly. In the box, getting

00:10:50on end of day crosses and Rangers haven't converted them have they?

00:10:53Yeah, it's going to be an interesting one Tam. I don't think they're going to stump

00:10:57up the cash and here is why. Rangers have got a situation where, and this is the evidence

00:11:05coming from the chairman, not from anywhere else, John Bennett has tried to be transparent

00:11:10with the Rangers fans and just basically came out and said look, here's the predicament.

00:11:17Whether you like it or not, it's a difficult situation with the Copeland Road stand. It

00:11:21has to get fixed, it has to be in working order and safe and obviously the steal, whether

00:11:29it's delayed or it's on one ship or the other, they're going to have to move to Hampden.

00:11:33So there's your first situation. He's explained the money that they've had to pay out in loans

00:11:39and of course in transfer fees that they owe clubs. So it's tight. There's not a lot of

00:11:46money there for Rangers and he's got to use his money wisely.

00:11:49Yeah, he has and they're not going to pay £3 million for a player they can get for

00:11:54nothing at the end of the season. That's just a no-brainer. They're not going to do that

00:11:58and the Hearts are not going to accept £1 million, £1.5 million. So that's your predicament

00:12:02Peter. He's not going to leave Hearts for me, Lawrence. And Rangers, as John Bennett

00:12:07said in his interview on Rangers TV, they're still due a lot of money out in outstanding

00:12:11fees to players that are at the club from last season, from the season before. They've

00:12:15still got money to pay, they're paying out money obviously for Hampden as well. So you're

00:12:18right, there's not a lot of money swilling about. That was why winning the league last

00:12:23season was huge for Rangers, to get that guaranteed. That money, they didn't get that and now they're

00:12:32behind Eightball in terms of Celtic as well, chasing them financially. So I think Lawrence

00:12:36Shankland will stay at Hearts for the whole season and I don't think Hearts will accept

00:12:41any derisory bids from him.

00:12:43Yeah, as far as Rangers are concerned, when you read into what the chairman had to say,

00:12:48apart from obviously that inconvenience and a real blow to them having to move to Hampden

00:12:54and all the costs that they incur there, you have a chairman trying to convince the support

00:13:01of the need to change to a longer term strategy. Now whether that is in backing the manager,

00:13:08but also changing the structure and the strategy of signing players, Scott, because this whole

00:13:14try and sign them to win the league because you've got to try and wrestle the title of

00:13:19Celtic. The strategy has to be almost copying what Celtic are doing, which is you've got

00:13:25to sign players, some of them you're taking a chance on, but they're long term to be sold

00:13:29on.

00:13:30Yeah, but I think the difference in both clubs is the ones that sell have been better players.

00:13:36They've handled the pressure better than the projects as such that Rangers have brought

00:13:41on. I think if I was to ask both of you just now, do you think Rangers coming to this league

00:13:47opener at the weekend have a stronger squad than they finished the season? I don't think

00:13:51you could say they are. A lot of it is the unknown. We don't know what these players

00:13:56are going to be like. There's players who have been signed who are going to be part

00:13:59of the B team. So for me, looking at the squad, I don't think Rangers are in a stronger position

00:14:04than they were squad-wise and depth-wise and options off the bench than they were at the

00:14:08end of last season.

00:14:09Yeah, it's going to be a real test as well, because as you guys know, the biggest problem

00:14:14we have, and it's a change that we've witnessed in this show over 10, 11 years, is quite simply

00:14:21you get a manager, he's going to get time. Suddenly we've changed in the last two or

00:14:26three years to, oh he's in four games, he should be out!

00:14:30Well that's what I say every week about the Hibs manager, that's why I'm banned from

00:14:33Easter Road. No, but you're right, managers don't get time, particularly the old firm

00:14:38Michael Beale was only in the door, he finished the previous season strongly. They got a bad

00:14:43start to the season, he was out the door. So in terms of Celtic and Rangers, you don't

00:14:47get time. You don't get time anywhere now, really. You're not getting, Lee Johnson kept

00:14:53going on about four or five windows time, we'll be where we want us to be. You're not

00:14:59going to be there, Lee, unless you, this window you produce some players. So, nah, for me

00:15:04there's not a lot, you don't get a lot of time as a manager. Philip Clemence, I think

00:15:08his honeymoon period's over. I think from last season, this season, I think he's, I

00:15:13totally agree with Scott. The players that they've got out the door, I think they're

00:15:18better players than the players they're bringing in. I think they're goalson's, I wouldn't

00:15:21be able to have him if I was Rangers. I think he's a terrific player. He produces goals,

00:15:26assists every season. He's irreplaceable right back for me and Rangers fans, some of them

00:15:30wanting him out the door as well. So, I'm mostly sure that the guys that they're bringing

00:15:34in are going to be any better than the ones that went out.

00:15:36Yeah, I took it on the neck last season for backing Tavernier because I've yet to see

00:15:41any right back who scores 130 goals.

00:15:45I think the Tavernier thing, in the big games against Celtic, he has been at fault for a

00:15:52lot of goals. There's no getting away from that. And for Rangers fans, they're the biggest

00:15:57games and a lot of the games have been, especially last year, what was going to decide the title

00:16:02and who was going to get the momentum to go on and win the title. So, yes, his goalscoring,

00:16:07his assists, it's incredible. But the wee nuggets in the big games, they do stick in

00:16:12people's heads.

00:16:13Yeah, are you a fan of Clement?

00:16:16I was when he first came in and then I think after the Ross County game away, the boy Jan

00:16:23Dander, who ended up at Hearts, who was excellent that day. I was looking at the Rangers team

00:16:28that day, Cantwell, that was the one game where I went Cantwell was the guy that had

00:16:32to take the game by the scruff of the neck and it just wasn't up to it that day. And

00:16:36after that, it kind of went downhill. So, we can only see what's going on in the pitch,

00:16:42you don't know the ins and outs behind the scenes, which does have an impact on managers,

00:16:47but it's not an easy league opener for Rangers, that's for sure.

00:16:51I'm talking about players that come and go. Of course, quite a number of Rangers players

00:16:55have been paying tribute to Connor Goulson, it was quite heartfelt from him, his farewell.

00:17:01Again, I think he did it with dignity. I just said it was a wrench, you know, leaving six

00:17:07years is a long time, lots of highs and lows along the way.

00:17:11I think it was a great signing for Rangers, Peter. Connor Goulson, he's a guy who, particularly

00:17:15in the Covid season when they won the league, I thought he was outstanding. He played every

00:17:19game, every minute of every game, he was never present. I think maybe the last six

00:17:23months I've noticed a little, maybe a lack of pace, maybe he lost a yard. The way Rangers

00:17:28play with the two full-backs bombing forward, when he first came in he could get across

00:17:32no problem. He could leave 2v2 or 2v1 at the back and Connor Goulson could get across and

00:17:36fill in. I noticed in the last six months he was just struggling to get there, maybe

00:17:40getting caught out a little bit and that's maybe what Clermont's seen and thought, we

00:17:43need to get somebody in, maybe a little bit more mobile with more pace. But I think he

00:17:47was a great servant for Rangers for the money they paid. I think he's a terrific servant

00:17:52for Rangers.

00:17:53One of the other players who has decided to look to pastures new, 32 years of age, Ryan

00:17:59Jack. I caught up with him yesterday, he's going through a pre-season fitness campaign

00:18:03at the Sports Complex in Dubai, making sure that he's fit and ready for any manager that

00:18:09wants him. Of course, he did tell us in that extensive interview, you can see it on our

00:18:15YouTube channel, that there's more than a few offers north and south of the border and

00:18:19if there's a manager or chairman, chief executive or sporting director looking, this is what

00:18:24Ryan Jack had to say about his fitness.

00:18:27Look, I'm fit and ready Peter. I've had a great camp, obviously it's not finished yet.

00:18:33I'm flying back on Sunday and that will take me to two weeks of camp out here. I've came

00:18:39out by myself, training every morning in the heat, gym every afternoon. I've treated

00:18:46this as my own pre-season, double sessions every day. I'm fit and ready and if I get

00:18:54something that excites me then I'll be all in to go and achieve something special with

00:18:58that club.

00:18:59It's unusual sometimes, you'll note yourself Scott, certainly Tam knows it from the 23

00:19:04clubs that let him go. You have to look and you get that moment where you think, where

00:19:12am I going? And to go out there and just make sure you go to a sports complex where not

00:19:18a lot of people would have that opportunity before. But to go out there with a mindset

00:19:23like, I've got to get myself fit, he's had injuries, to try and convince somebody, I'm

00:19:28ready to hit the ground running if you sign me.

00:19:30I think Ryan Jack is valuable to any squad, obviously North and South. He's been so unfortunate

00:19:36with injuries. For me when Ryan Jack was fit for Rangers, Rangers were a far better team

00:19:43when he was in that middle of the park. I think it's a big help the fact he went to

00:19:48the Euros as well and Steve Clarke had that trust in him. Now it's just about getting

00:19:52the right club for him and getting someone to take a chance because it is hard when people

00:19:58are looking at your injury history. But he seems to be good, he's out doing the right

00:20:01thing, so it just takes the right club and the right medical staff which is an important

00:20:05thing as well. You keep your writing, that's when we know there's a player there.

00:20:08Yeah, there's an extended interview but also quite a number of clubs that he mentioned

00:20:14that he's been talking to, he's quite excited by it. I said to him, look I'm sticking a

00:20:18tenner on you with Derek at Kilmarnock. But if I was a Kilmarnock, if I was a Harts or

00:20:24a Hibbs, if you had them, I don't know what sort of money he'd be looking for, certainly

00:20:29not the money he was getting at Rangers, but if he was wanting to stay in Scotland, 32

00:20:36what he's got to offer, I think he'd be a good signing.

00:20:39Yeah, I don't think he's struggling for a club, I think he's just waiting for the right

00:20:42one. You used to get that when you were out of contract, why have you not got a club yet?

00:20:46It's because it's not the right one that's come up. I'm sure Ryan Jack could walk into

00:20:49a club tomorrow if he wanted. I'm sure there's plenty of teams that are wanting him. But

00:20:53you're right, Kilmarnock, Dundee United, a team like that, Dundee, I would think they

00:20:58would all take him, it all depends on what sort of money Ryan's looking for.

00:21:01I think that's the most likely thing. He'll be on a really good wage that he was earning

00:21:06at Rangers.

00:21:07How far is he prepared to drop?

00:21:08That will be the difference coming, what type of club you're wanting to sign for. It wouldn't

00:21:12surprise me if there's teams abroad, teams like in the Polish league, there's lots of

00:21:16teams there who would be looking at somebody with high experience, especially with a lot

00:21:20of games in Europe for Rangers and played really well in Europe. So I think that's probably

00:21:25the main catalyst in terms of who he's going to go to.

00:21:27Yeah, some fans actually...

00:21:28Polish team, is that what you mean?

00:21:30Well, every now and then, well eventually as you know, after we get five or six weeks

00:21:36out of our new signing, eventually he has to step up to the plate. It took yourself, Tam,

00:21:41nine months, but eventually he did deliver something before he signed his column for

00:21:48the Daily Record. Anyway, apart from that, just on that point, a lot of fans, and here's

00:21:54the point we're talking about with Shanklin, Keith says he has more worth to hearts if

00:21:58he stays and we get five to six million for getting into Europe again next year. Let's

00:22:03see if Rangers would still want him at 30. Time for the media to stop the usual nonsense.

00:22:09Well...

00:22:10It seems to be the media that's driving it, Peter.

00:22:12Sorry?

00:22:13It seems to be the media that's driving it.

00:22:14Well, not all of them.

00:22:16Certain people seem to be driving the Shanklin to Rangers thing and I've never thought at

00:22:20any point that Rangers would cough the money up for him and Hearts would let him go.

00:22:23Yeah, same here. I mean, you certainly didn't get it on this channel that he was one of

00:22:29those players, and I don't know where the Celtic story came from, I just think it's

00:22:34ridiculous. No disrespect to Lorne Shanklin, I think there's certain players that fit certain

00:22:40clubs along the way and I don't see Celtic in any capacity looking at him, but he's got

00:22:45a brilliant situation and this is where Ryan Jack will probably be looking at. What a lot

00:22:50of people don't understand, Scott, and you fit into this category, is you want to get

00:22:56the right deal financially, but it's not just about that, it's the right club, do you think

00:23:01you can settle in the city, are you taking your family with you? All those things come

00:23:06into the equation.

00:23:07Yeah, of course they do, I think. The thing about the Scottish club, if you've got a Hearts,

00:23:12Hibs or a Rangers and Celtic, both cities are really welcome if you do well. If you

00:23:17don't, it can be a tough environment. When you think of Lorne Shanklin, I know the media

00:23:24is driving it, but I do think in the SPFL, certainly if he's playing as a No. 94 and

00:23:30he does score you goals, I know he's been driven, and I think that's probably what the

00:23:35fans are looking at, the goals, because he does score all types of goals, it's not just

00:23:39one sort of finish, the one in the Edinburgh derby, all these headers, all sorts of goals

00:23:45at Celtic Park, so yeah, it'll be interesting. I think if you look at it from a Hearts point

00:23:51of view, they don't want to lose him there. The price they'd probably put on his head

00:23:55is because they know that Rangers won't pay that money, because it ain't easy to replace

00:24:00a No. 9.

00:24:01When you think of Lorne Shanklin, will you sit there and think, oh just wait, what a

00:24:04great deal I can say in a year from now. Set you up for life.

00:24:08Yeah, I was in the same sort of situation, I didn't wait long enough, I left that window

00:24:15of a different situation, those Hibs were in the Championship, and I think when you're

00:24:21a football player, you want to play at the highest level you can possibly get to, I think

00:24:24that's, no matter what, I think Tam would agree, you want to test yourself against the

00:24:29best. If you ask Lorne Shanklin, would he think he'd be good enough to go and play in

00:24:33the Rangers team, domestically and in Europe, he would turn around and say, absolutely.

00:24:39So, I don't know, it is a tough one, I think, will he be sitting there going, see what happens

00:24:45at the end of the year, injuries can happen, bad form can happen, and then you know how

00:24:49decisions in football can change very, very quickly.

00:24:52I just get the feeling that maybe, Rangers fans are looking at the signings that are

00:24:56coming in, and maybe the board are thinking, let's see if we can give them something to

00:25:01get them excited.

00:25:02I think Shanklin is the one for the fans, I speak to a lot of Rangers fans, a lot of

00:25:06my pals are Rangers fans, and they'll think to themselves, if we get Shanklin, it changes

00:25:10everything in terms of, domestically, I'm not talking about Europe, domestically, because

00:25:14I think if Rangers were to sign Shanklin in January, I think they'll win the league, Peter.

00:25:18I think it was very tight, until those games, Ross County, Dundee, Motherwell, the three

00:25:22games that Rangers slipped up, and then the old firm game, it was neck and neck, Rangers

00:25:27were in front at one point, and they just couldn't put teams away, 0-0 at Dundee, you

00:25:31know, Shanklin maybe wins you that game.

00:25:33There was probably about 30-odd crosses in those games.

00:25:36Yep.

00:25:37Nobody to put the ball in the net.

00:25:39The other big role of the dice, which I think everybody is aware of, Celtic are in the group

00:25:44stages, Rangers have qualifiers, they've got Dynamo Kiev, which is not going to be easy,

00:25:49you know, by any manner of means, it's a big role of the dice to a £60m jackpot.

00:25:56Is it a role of the dice though, because he's not got a sexy surname, that's the role of

00:26:02the dice, as we've all seen him play, he scores all different types of goals.

00:26:05No, but I'm talking overall strategy for Rangers is quite simply, take Shanklin out of the

00:26:11equation, because of the situation, they've made, there's nine players new faces come

00:26:17in, maybe not that gold star or sprinkling of stardust that Rangers fans are wanting,

00:26:22but right now, with the squad Philippe Clement has at his disposal, it's a big role of the

00:26:28dice right now because it's huge to get into those group stages, that's a huge drop between

00:26:33there and maybe playing group stage Europa League.

00:26:36Yeah, it's obviously a huge drop, but that's, we go back to what a player wants, players

00:26:41want to play in their games, that's the motivation for all the Rangers players, surely the players

00:26:46that they're trying to attract to the club, the motivation will be we're trying to get

00:26:50into Champions League group stages, that is what Rangers will be saying to these players,

00:26:53but there's not many coming through the door where you're really going to fancy him yet,

00:26:58so it's a lot of mystery so far, so the Dynamo Kiev game, we all know it's not going to be

00:27:05easy, so I don't know, the Rangers one's very strange, you watch Celtic, you can see the

00:27:11players that they've got, they look as if they've stepped up another gear, they look

00:27:14like they're thinking about Europe and they haven't even added to the squad yet, that's

00:27:18a scary thing.

00:27:19Yeah, Brendan Rodgers, again, Philippe Clameau has to try and not only get a good squad together,

00:27:25but he's got to overcome the title winning side which is Brendan Rodgers Celtic, if anything

00:27:31he has a squad that played some really good football and have impressive results in the

00:27:37pre-season friendlies, Tam, but I think if you were to talk to, as we've discussed with

00:27:43talking to Rangers fans and now talking to Celtic fans, boy they're waiting and thinking

00:27:48what's the manager doing here, a couple of goalkeepers, no signings, it's a familiar

00:27:54story for Celtic.

00:27:55Yeah, I don't think it's the manager they're looking at, I think it's the board, I think

00:27:58that Brendan has obviously met with the board at the start of the season and said this is

00:28:01what I want, I want this, this, this and this, go and get them for me, and then I work with

00:28:05the players that I've got just now, they've added a very, very good goalkeeper for me,

00:28:10Kasper Schmeichel, very good goalkeeper, and the number two, Gary Caldwell, had him at

00:28:14Exeter, spoke to Gary and Gary said he's excellent as well, needs to work a wee bit on his footwork

00:28:18but tremendous young goalkeeper as well, so they're signing two good goalkeepers, I think

00:28:23Bernardo will come in, I think that's dragging on, I think Ida will probably come in as well,

00:28:26I think he's trying to force it now with Norwich to get out the door, but the closer it gets

00:28:33to the Hockey's to 31st, the more tetchy, not only the fans, but I think Brendan will

00:28:37be, because Brendan will be thinking we need four or five in on top of that.

00:28:41You'd be very surprised though if they go into the Champions League.

00:28:43They can't go in with the same squad they've got.

00:28:45The same players they need to rely on to play defensive, one guy gets injured, the same

00:28:50players, I know Liam Scales actually broke into the Celtic team last season through his

00:28:54performances in Europe, but they need somebody really strong to come in at the back alongside

00:28:59Karl Vickers for me.

00:29:00They have done it though, they have done that before, the only thing I'm going to say to

00:29:03you, which I think, and I'm kind of reluctant to get my shin pads and the studs on early

00:29:10with the whole of Scottish football, I'm trying to keep a balance on this, Celtic have got

00:29:16easily, within the next couple of months, could have £150m to £200m in the kitty.

00:29:23They're guaranteed £60m already, they've already got £72m in the bank, so you're now

00:29:29at £130m, they'll get an add on if Frimpong goes, and if Matt O'Reilly goes at £20 odd

00:29:35million, you're now heading up to £150m, £170m, and then you've got the season tickets

00:29:41and then you've got the merchandise deal, and the fans buy the maddest gear you could

00:29:47ever think of, so suddenly you're looking at a club with a huge amount of money, granted

00:29:54Barrafield is there and they've built it and it's looking impressive, but that money,

00:29:58Brendan Rodgers will be looking and saying, listen, we're guaranteed group stage, is there

00:30:02any chance of getting them in so that I can see them and gel them in to the team?

00:30:07But the longer it goes nearer to the end of August, Celtic fans just get miffed because

00:30:12they think, seen this before.

00:30:14Yeah, but it's not always down to the club, maybe the players that they've identified,

00:30:20they have agents who maybe play it out a wee bit longer than Celtic.

00:30:23All of them?

00:30:25A lot of them!

00:30:27So there's lots of factors into it, I know the Celtic fans sometimes have a lot to say

00:30:34about Peter Lawwell, but in terms of some of the business he has done over the last

00:30:38several seasons, it's incredible what they've spent and some of the players they've brought

00:30:42in and what they'll go for and what they have went for, so I think, yeah, it's dragging

00:30:47on, but there's still time there and it seems to me they're trying to find the perfect player

00:30:52this time instead, that may be taking a gamble.

00:30:54Yeah, Errol says, as much as I love Rangers being skint in Scotland, well, as much as

00:31:01I love Rangers being skint, he says, Scotland needs both Celtic and Rangers in the Champions

00:31:06League because of the coefficient, if they don't do well with changes it might take five

00:31:10or six years to qualify again.

00:31:12It's not a bad point you make Errol, although in my mind I tend to look at the bigger picture

00:31:18I really want, I want a Hearts in there, I want a Kilmarnock in there, I want a St Mirren

00:31:24in a group stage, just because I just feel as if three, five, seven, nine million pounds

00:31:31changes the whole outlook for those clubs for the next two or three years.

00:31:35Yeah it does Peter, and particularly for Kilmarnock and St Mirren, if they get into a group stage

00:31:39four or five million pounds to them is astronomical money.

00:31:42It's for Hearts as well, Aberdeen, Hibs, but they're richer clubs with bigger supports

00:31:46so I think that obviously Kilmarnock, we'll maybe speak about their game and St Mirren's

00:31:50game, I think they both get tough games, I think St Mirren you would probably fancy more

00:31:54than Kilmarnock, but you're right, and what that does is that, if they get that four or

00:31:59five million they can bring in better quality and they can start bridging the gap between

00:32:02them and the top two, because it is, it's boring at times watching Scottish football,

00:32:06we've been part of it for years and Celtic and Rangers, miles ahead, 30 points clear

00:32:11of third, and the rest of the team's in a mini-league, you want somebody eventually

00:32:17at Hearts or at Aberdeen or at Hibs to just go and try and put it up to Celtic and Rangers again.

00:32:20Yeah, absolutely, lots to talk about European football as Tam alluded to next on the agenda

00:32:26after our news headlines.

00:32:28Welcome to your daily news update brought to you by Arnold Clarke, I'm Patrick and here's

00:32:33your top stories on the 31st of July. Rangers look set to replace Connor Goldson with Robin

00:32:39Proper, the 30-year-old is having a medical ahead of a move from FC20 and former Rangers

00:32:44star Ryan Jack spoke exclusively to PLZ Soccer saying numerous clubs have been in touch over

00:32:50a potential deal.

00:32:51There's been a few Peter, there's also been a few abroad, but as you know yourself in

00:32:57football when nothing's in writing and nothing's concrete then it's hard to tell, but there

00:33:03has been a few things out there.

00:33:04And Kimonik have arrived in Belgium ahead of their second-leg fixture in the Europa

00:33:09League qualifying, they'll take on Cirque du Bruges tomorrow night and for Manchester

00:33:13United it's an early blow for them where their brand new centre-back Lenny Urel has already

00:33:18been seen leaving the stadium in crutches and a protective boot. That's all of your

00:33:23updates brought to you live by Arnold Clarke.

00:33:26Yeah, absolutely. Let me just give you a little insight which happened last season, Scott

00:33:33you probably wouldn't have been aware of it, but sometimes if there's a commercial break

00:33:37and then you come out of it and you're chatting, if you're saying something really, really

00:33:43interesting you have to then tell everybody.

00:33:45No, I can't.

00:33:46No, no, I don't want you to tell that, but the reason I'm saying that is because Dunder

00:33:52he dared in that last season and had to blatantly go out on the show.

00:33:56I was talking about Iain Murray and Rafe Rovers, I said that wee Lewis and Paul Hamlin

00:34:01are big nerds, they're going to sign him for Rafe Rovers and it was live on the show, it

00:34:05went all out all over the place and Iain Murray phoned me that night and went,

00:34:07Is that?

00:34:08No, you're alright.

00:34:09Oh no, you're okay.

00:34:10Iain Murray phoned me and went, you big mouth.

00:34:12Yeah, absolutely.

00:34:13He wasn't happy.

00:34:14He just thought I'd tell you.

00:34:15You need to be careful.

00:34:16Yeah, be careful what you're doing.

00:34:17Keith says, why don't the media target Mioski instead of always picking Hartz and Shanklin

00:34:22and scored plenty in a poor Aberdeenside?

00:34:25Listen, you're absolutely right Keith, because quite simply, you know there's lots of players

00:34:31that...

00:34:32Would you have Mioski or Ida for six million?

00:34:34Well, you know, I think you've got it.

00:34:37I think, I mean Ida's a really good player.

00:34:42The big dilemma last season was people were talking about, well, if somebody, they were

00:34:47sniffing Celtic and Rangers linked with Shanklin or Mioski and I just compared the two of them

00:34:52and I thought Mioski had better movement.

00:34:54I thought Mioski was a better, a better, more mobile player, scored a lot of goals in what

00:35:00I thought was a woeful Aberdeenside.

00:35:03Yeah, I know that but I think if you look at Ida, Ida has showed in the pressure moments

00:35:09that's what you're judged on at clubs.

00:35:11I think a penalty in the last minute to Hibs on his...

00:35:13He's scored two actually.

00:35:14Yeah, two.

00:35:15Have you ever thought about saying to yourself, the players are away on the plane, I'm not

00:35:18going to bother getting on it?

00:35:20That takes a bit of metal doesn't it?

00:35:22Yeah, but I think he's obviously experienced what it's like to be a club obviously the

00:35:26size of Celtic and obviously a fan base wanting you so he's doing what he's probably been

00:35:32told to do from his agent I'd imagine.

00:35:36I love agents, don't go on the plane, just let us try and force us.

00:35:40A bit ballsy that, just not turning up for the plane.

00:35:43Well I was going to say that because Brendan Rodgers obviously has been talking about players

00:35:47that are, some that have been on loan and some that potentially could be signing, Bernardo

00:35:52with a medical, Ida, he's saying he's still a Norwich player but when you actually get

00:35:57to a situation where it's the stand-off and the Norwich camp are not happy with his move

00:36:02and I think he's been told to go over there to their camp and just sit on the sidelines.

00:36:08Yeah, he might be training with the kids and all that, they'll try and, I don't know,

00:36:12they'll try and sicken him but they'll try and make him stay at Norwich.

00:36:16But listen it's up to Celtic to pony up the money, you know Celtic, we've seen this many

00:36:19times before, great case with John McGinn where you swither about paying the money and

00:36:23then somebody else swoops in at the last minute, somebody might do that with Ida Peter, it's

00:36:26not guaranteed he's going to sign with Celtic.

00:36:28I'm sure there's clubs in England who have seen him last season at Celtic and thought

00:36:3121, 22-year-old, big mobile unit, left-sided, quick, powerful, £6 million's a bit of a snip.

00:36:38So Celtic need to be careful, I know he's heavily linked to Celtic but if Celtic don't

00:36:43pony the money up whatever Norwich are looking for, somebody else might do it in the Championship.

00:36:47Yeah, okay, Scott Allan here with us on the show every Wednesday of course, Tam McManus

00:36:53for the first time possibly in a long time on a personal high because you played a wee

00:36:58bit of golf this afternoon and you were breaking all sorts of records Tam, that's why you're

00:37:02on the high.

00:37:03I did, I was 200 after 10 holes and I'm a 12 handicapper so 200 after 12 holes is unthinkable

00:37:09for me and then I bottled at the last 7 holes, I was 9 over the last 8 and I finished with

00:37:14a net 65 so best round of golf I've ever played but it could have been better, I did get nervous

00:37:19the last 4 or 5 holes.

00:37:21Yep, absolutely, perhaps a real indication of Tam's football career as well, just so

00:37:26much potential and then eventually when it came to the bit he just crashed and burned,

00:37:31which is hello, to be fair, no wind, no rain, unbelievably sunny.

00:37:36It's good conditions.

00:37:37Oh for God's sake, it doesn't get any better.

00:37:39Now listen, I don't know what the weather conditions will be like for the European games

00:37:44but boy I hope Kilmarnock and St Mirren can steer their way into the next round of European

00:37:50football.

00:37:51Yeah, I think obviously, well obviously it's been about the Rangers and Celtic previously

00:37:55but the clubs outside, the old firm you want to see them do well.

00:37:59I think St Mirren probably sitting with the favourite to go through just now out of the

00:38:04Scottish teams but I wouldn't count on Derek McInnes putting something together and going

00:38:09away and producing something.

00:38:10Yeah, we had him in here in the studio last year and I always feel as if when you get

00:38:15that longer period where you can get to sit with him, I really rate him highly as a manager

00:38:20and I've known him such a long time.

00:38:23He gives you a great insight into how the manager has to deal with putting a side together

00:38:30and his, it was a great insight into him because when he said he was a killie boss when he

00:38:35got the job, it was just trying to keep killie, trying to keep them in the division and there

00:38:41was a real fear that they would go back down again and now, last season he said, I was

00:38:49able to get players in that could play entertaining football and suddenly you're starting to look

00:38:55higher up the league and look for a European finish.

00:38:58Yeah, well when you get the players in that he did last year along with guys who had been

00:39:02at the club for a long time and been very consistent for him and then on top of that

00:39:06you've got a manager with a wealthy experience, we all know the job he done with Aberdeen,

00:39:10he's really, he's went to killie.

00:39:12I don't think anybody would have thought they'd have killie in Europe maybe so quickly but

00:39:16listen that's what I mean, I think he could go up, he is, if you're asking one guy to

00:39:20take a side away, be resolute and nick a goal and then defend well it'd be a Derek McInnes

00:39:26team, I've played against his teams for a long time, always difficult games, no inch

00:39:32can I give him so, listen fingers crossed both teams go through.

00:39:35Yeah absolutely, I'm a big fan of, just only because they're old style centre forwards,

00:39:41I like Vassell because if you're a midfielder and you want somebody who you think, he talks

00:39:47about it all the time, if you want a target man who can hold it in and then bring everybody

00:39:52else into play, puts himself about, can score a goal, he's one of that old, he's an old

00:39:57style centre forward.

00:39:58Yeah and I think he was carrying an injury last season, I heard a couple of things during

00:40:02pre-season, he wasn't 100% fit last year and he's got a good pre-season under his belt,

00:40:06he caused him all sorts of problems in the first leg, I'm not saying come on, they're

00:40:11a long ball team but they're direct, particularly at home, they get the ball in the box and

00:40:14make teams defend and he's a handful, he can score goals, he can run in behind, I think

00:40:19he's been an excellent signing, he's now their captain I think as well so, he's the one,

00:40:23he's the talisman, he's the one you maybe think that can get the goal away from home

00:40:26but I thought that they had some talented players up front, I don't think the surface

00:40:30suited him, it was a wee bit of an ice rink, there was heavy rain on that pitch and as

00:40:34I said the other day, that surface is older than Ruffey's Skechers, so I think on a big

00:40:39grass park, I think it's a different game, I hope Command won't go through but I would

00:40:43quite fancy Bruges to maybe finish the job at home.

00:40:45Yeah, well we caught up with Killie Legend, of course former Chief Executive Davy McKinnon

00:40:51earlier today, just to get his thoughts on what the game plan might be from Derek McKinnon,

00:40:57of course when you're talking about Circle Bruges, they're not FC Bruges but Circle Bruges

00:41:02have one of their players, Kazi Maligby, who's been basically talking up their chances

00:41:07saying if we play to the best of our abilities we'll knock Killie out and I think Davy McKinnon

00:41:12like so many players reckons that Derek McKinnis will be putting that little piece of paper

00:41:19with a quote up in the dressing room.

00:41:21A wee bit over confident because I see in the media he's gone out and said it's just

00:41:26a formality tomorrow night for his side to beat Kilmarnock, so Derek McKinnis no doubt

00:41:32will be putting that out and putting it up in the notice boards in the dressing room

00:41:38because that's a huge, believe me, when your opposition players say that sort of thing

00:41:43it's a huge incentive for you to go out and beat them.

00:41:50You like all that psychological stuff as well, Tums.

00:41:53I mean did Big Ek ever turn around and say to you, by the way that centre-half reckons

00:41:56he's got you in his pocket?

00:41:58You go and show Bobo Balder what it's all about.

00:42:02I think he's right Davy, Scot will experience this as well.

00:42:06Managers love all that psychological stuff.

00:42:08Derek McKinnis.

00:42:09Have you?

00:42:10Yeah.

00:42:11Go tell us the story.

00:42:12It was that season, I think it was Lenny's first season back in the SPFL with Hibbs

00:42:18and we were looking up there and it was the post-split fixtures and somebody asked me

00:42:22in an interview, what do you think, blah blah blah, and I think we're the better football

00:42:26team and we're going there thinking we can win and we walk into Petaudry and Lenny was

00:42:32a gaffer at the time, walks in first, it's up and then he starts going mental, he's done

00:42:37this, he's done that and he was putting it back up and they were like, well that's what

00:42:40they think he is, he's trying to get in our games.

00:42:42Lenny hated that stuff.

00:42:44That's just funny that the guy says that because Derek McKinnis had it pinned up on our changing

00:42:49room door when we were walking in so it must have been in there.

00:42:53Lenny was foaming at the mouth for 30 minutes over it.

00:42:56Yeah.

00:42:57But we drew one each.

00:42:58Did you ever get, do you get, if you make a comment like that, did you get what we call

00:43:04the classic cricket sledging, did you get pelters in the park when you were playing?

00:43:08No because the comment hadn't said it in that way, I just felt that maybe at the time,

00:43:13because our head to head I think with Aberdeen that season was better and we kind of had

00:43:17our number a wee bit, but it was Lenny who was probably sledding more than anybody else.

00:43:25It was as if Derek McKinnis had wound up Neil Lennon more than he had wound up the players,

00:43:29he just did not like that.

00:43:31Just out of curiosity, he's been able to regale to us on more than a few occasions players

00:43:38that he's had a noise up with.

00:43:40In the middle of the park, are there any particular players that you've played against that you

00:43:45just thought, you know, they're in your ear, they're noising you up?

00:43:49Stephen Naismith.

00:43:50Yeah?

00:43:51Stephen Naismith, probably the most notable, constantly aye.

00:43:54The only person that I proper maybe took a bite to as well, to be honest.

00:43:58I used to just laugh, you know what I mean, proper took a bite to Stephen Naismith.

00:44:02A very good player you know, but I think that was just…

00:44:06At Derby games?

00:44:07At Derby games aye.

00:44:08No surprise actually that you're saying that because I think it was not just in his,

00:44:14probably his last season for Hearts, Aberdeen came to Tyne Castle and the game kicked off

00:44:21and I'm not kidding you, he refereed the game.

00:44:24He absolutely just went up to the referee and was saying, look at him, he's bang out of order.

00:44:29He should be getting a yellow card and then he eventually galvanised his own team

00:44:35and picked fights with every Aberdeen player he could and Hearts won 2-1

00:44:40but it was down to him, he refereed it and he actually bossed the game for them.

00:44:45I think he's always been that type of player.

00:44:47He's always been that type of player that probably fans hate.

00:44:49Aye.

00:44:50In terms of a Scott Brown, a Barry Ferguson, guys like that who opposition supporters hated

00:44:55and I think that's a respect thing.

00:44:57They realise that he's a threat, he's a good player and he's causing their team's problems

00:45:02but it's no surprise that Nasey's the one that Scott used to try and wind him up.

00:45:07Yeah, Kelly, we hope they can do it.

00:45:09I'm thinking it's, unless I'm going to be optimistic, I'm going to stay in a good mood

00:45:15and I'm going to say Kelly to nick it 1-0.

00:45:17I hope so, I hope Kelly win it but I thought they looked at spells,

00:45:21that they've got some quality players in the forward area so I'll go 2-1 to Broodge.

00:45:25We'll go 1-1 each and you just sneak out.

00:45:29Right, okay, on a kind of a penalty shootout then, yeah.

00:45:32Right, St Mirren against Valour, when we had Stephen Robinson in here,

00:45:37boy I enjoyed that programme because he was, like Derek McInnes,

00:45:41absolutely top drawer because we try and put across this football purists,

00:45:47we want to see football played the right way but boy he gave us the custard pie, didn't he?

00:45:54Because he said, absolutely, because he said, yeah, we all want to play football the right way

00:45:58but three games of three defeats at St Mirren and people want me psyched.

00:46:03I know, yeah, listen, we all sit and watch these games at the weekend

00:46:08in the Premiership, the Champions League and you're probably sitting there as a coach sometimes

00:46:13going, let's go into training and we'll start doing that and then you quickly realise

00:46:16we don't have the players that can do that, we need to get the best out of them

00:46:19and we see that a lot, especially within Scottish football

00:46:24but listen, whatever the recipe for St Mirren and Kilmarnock in terms of domestically,

00:46:29are they a bit more pragmatic than maybe say a Hibs would want to be

00:46:33and what a Hibs fan base would want? Yes, they would be, but if it gets results

00:46:36and it gets you into Europe but then gets the club more money then you've got to do what you've got to do

00:46:40and it keeps managers in jobs because it's winning football.

00:46:43Well, I don't think I'm pushing the ball out to say that I think St Mirren can win tonight.

00:46:4837 years the Saints fans have waited for a home European tie.

00:46:53They were over there in Iceland in great numbers just celebrating the fact

00:46:58not only that they were playing in Europe but hopefully getting a positive result.

00:47:02It's finally balanced at 0-0 and for 37 years even the manager Stephen Robinson

00:47:07accepts it's been a long time coming.

00:47:09There's no point in downplaying that, it's been nearly 40 years in the making

00:47:13so we want to go and embrace it, we want to go and enjoy it, not fear it.

00:47:18As I say, the players have earned the right for this, they've earned the right to be in the tie

00:47:22and that was the important bit from the first leg.

00:47:24As I say, we're going to go and play our game, we're going to get the crowd behind us

00:47:28and take the game to Villa.

00:47:30Well, I think they can win. You?

00:47:32Yes, I've seen the highlights of the first leg and they should have scored 3 or 4 Peter.

00:47:36I think they were the better team. I thought they looked quite handy in the break at times as well

00:47:40but I think Sigurdsson's missing for them which is a huge blow.

00:47:43I think he's their best player and their talisman.

00:47:45I think a packed St Mirren Park, the excitement in that first game in 37 years,

00:47:50the atmosphere, I think that will drive on St Mirren to win the game.

00:47:53Fingers crossed. That or I'm not dismissing Icelandic football

00:47:56because they have taken a few scalps along the way.

00:48:00I fancy St Mirren. I think, similar to what Tam says there, that will be packed.

00:48:05The pitch is brilliant at St Mirren Park.

00:48:07There's a real positivity about St Mirren just now and that is the game

00:48:12the fans have been waiting on.

00:48:13So yes, I'm going to go St Mirren quite comfortably to be fair.

00:48:16Yes, okay. I'm with you in that camp. St Mirren to win that one.

00:48:19Give us your thoughts on not only Kilmarnock but St Mirren.

00:48:23What's your thoughts on their European adventure?

00:48:25Can they get to the next stage?

00:48:27It would be great if they could get to the group stages.

00:48:29That would be absolutely magnificent.

00:48:31Certainly want that to happen to Hearts as well.

00:48:35Rangers with a huge game coming up.

00:48:37We'll be covering Rangers against Dynamo Kiev and giving you the latest reaction.

00:48:42Of course, previewing it away from home.

00:48:45And of course, we'll have our reporter there at Ibrox as well for the home game.

00:48:51A couple of things obviously that I want to draw to your attention

00:48:54before we get the lads' thoughts on the big kick-off.

00:48:57Because Scott, obviously you and the Wednesday will get your thoughts

00:48:59on the runners and riders in the Scottish Premiership.

00:49:03Motherwell have signed a player. £260,000 the fee.

00:49:07What's his name?

00:49:08His name is Apostolos Stamatolopoulos.

00:49:12By the way, that's not a bad shout on it.

00:49:15That is exactly his name.

00:49:17So they've signed him.

00:49:19He's a player who obviously is a three-year deal

00:49:22and they're certainly looking forward to him scoring goals.

00:49:27Yes, he's got big boots to replace in Theo Baer.

00:49:31Motherwell parted Thistle on Sunday

00:49:34and I did feel they lacked a bit of cutting edge.

00:49:37They didn't really look much of a goal threat.

00:49:39I know Sam Nicholson's been out injured

00:49:41and he is going to be probably their creative player this year.

00:49:44But you're hoping this guy can come in and replicate what they've had

00:49:47with quite a few strikers over the years.

00:49:49Van Veen, go back to him as well,

00:49:51who kept him in the league that season.

00:49:53So it's big shoes to fill.

00:49:55Motherwell have always found a striker, Peter.

00:49:57You mentioned Van Veen there.

00:49:58Michael Higdon, Scott MacDonald, Louis Moat.

00:50:02They've always pulled a striker out from somewhere.

00:50:04Even John Sutton scored a lot of goals for them.

00:50:07He's coming from the other side of the world, Australia.

00:50:09It's a totally different style of play.

00:50:11If you've ever watched an Australian A-league game,

00:50:12it's a lot slower pace.

00:50:14They've paid a fee for him.

00:50:15He's an Australian international.

00:50:17So he's coming in with a decent pedigree.

00:50:19As I said, big shoes to fill.

00:50:21I just wonder about Motherwell, like Hibernian,

00:50:24how they're going to handle this kind of unrest in the background.

00:50:27There's been that possibility of a huge investor in Motherwell,

00:50:32and then eventually he stepped out of the melting pot

00:50:36because there seemed to be a fair bit of consternation

00:50:39from the Motherwell supporters group.

00:50:41Yeah, I think the offer, the money he was talking was nowhere near

00:50:45a club of Motherwell's size.

00:50:47I think they're a fan-run club.

00:50:49I think if Motherwell want to go to the next level

00:50:51in terms of challenging for third place and fourth place,

00:50:53they need investment.

00:50:54They need somebody like that to come in and put money in.

00:50:56But in terms of the percentage he was wanting for the club,

00:51:00it was nowhere near enough money.

00:51:01So I'm not surprised that the Motherwell board kind of chased him.

00:51:04Yeah, I worry about Hibs at the moment.

00:51:09Scott, your old club is in a situation where you've got a new manager,

00:51:14inexperienced, but I've got a lot of time for David.

00:51:17But suddenly you've got Malcom McKay there as the sporting director.

00:51:21Then you've got the head of the Knights

00:51:25who've got 25 per cent stake.

00:51:27The Black Knights saying,

00:51:28I wouldn't have been picking that manager or that sporting director.

00:51:34I know, but I think it's hard for, especially the investors off the bat,

00:51:39to understand the landscape of Scottish football.

00:51:41It is a lot different from what it is down south,

00:51:44no matter what anybody says.

00:51:45I've been both sides, I've seen it.

00:51:46I think, yes, David Gray's inexperienced in terms of leading the team,

00:51:51but he's not inexperienced in terms of what the going-ons have been

00:51:54at Hibs for the last four or five seasons.

00:51:57He's seen things that have worked, things that haven't worked.

00:51:59He's seen players who have come in and done well.

00:52:01He's seen players play well in certain positions.

00:52:03So, yes, inexperienced as a manager,

00:52:06but a lot of experience in terms of the goings-on at the club

00:52:09and the players that are at the club.

00:52:11Yeah, I'd like to see a few more in though.

00:52:13Yeah, and I think he's openly said they're looking to get a few in,

00:52:16but there's a lot of players there probably taking good wages

00:52:20who aren't even part of the matchday squad.

00:52:22So until they get them out, it's going to be hard,

00:52:24but there's still some time to go.

00:52:26Yeah, absolutely.

00:52:27Thanks very much to everyone for showing your support

00:52:29over the course of last season.

00:52:31Over 100 million views, 240 million impressions

00:52:36for all of our content.

00:52:38So your support has been absolutely magnificent.

00:52:41This is the first week we're back.

00:52:43There's lots more content.

00:52:44There'll be documentaries.

00:52:46There'll be so many programmes that you can choose to watch

00:52:49over the course of the season.

00:52:51We are live four o'clock, Monday, Wednesday, Friday

00:52:54with a football show.

00:52:56The Journals goes out at four o'clock on a Thursday.

00:52:59The Women's Football Show will return.

00:53:01We'll have one-to-ones where I'll be interviewing celebrities,

00:53:06politicians, legends of football past and present

00:53:10on Straight Talk as well.

00:53:12And let's not forget, if you want the news at your fingertips,

00:53:15if you download the app, you'll have all our journalists

00:53:18out there covering the stories, the interviews, the press

00:53:21and one-to-ones to look forward to.

00:53:24So there's so much to get your teeth into as far

00:53:27as the Scottish Premiership is concerned.

00:53:30And let's not forget as well, as Scott was alluding to,

00:53:34down south when the English Premier League starts,

00:53:37we always like to look at the multi-millionaires on offer

00:53:41in the English Premier League and marvel at their football

00:53:45and then try and stay as positive as we possibly can

00:53:48about our own division.

00:53:50Because although the football was not great last season

00:53:53across the division, Tam, boy do the fans come out

00:53:56in great numbers to support it.

00:53:58Yeah, Scotland's football is daft, it's our national sport.

00:54:01And it doesn't matter if it's a good game or a bad game,

00:54:04the supporters will come out every week.

00:54:06And that was the notable thing for me last season

00:54:09was that their attendance seemed to be up as well.

00:54:12A lot of supporters, I've seen Kim Arnott the other night,

00:54:15brilliant, full house, St Mirren will be a full house tonight.

00:54:18Sold out.

00:54:19So if teams are doing well and they're in Europe and all that,

00:54:22your Kim Arnott's, your St Mirren's, the fans will turn out

00:54:25and that'll be the same as Hibs.

00:54:27The attendance has dropped at Hibs over the last season

00:54:30is because they've been poor.

00:54:32But if Hibs get on a run again and put four or five wins together

00:54:35and get into that top two or top three,

00:54:37then the supporters will come back.

00:54:39Yeah, fingers crossed.

00:54:40I think that's the great thing about the programme.

00:54:42On a regular basis, with all the pundits we have

00:54:44and our journalists and broadcasters,

00:54:47we try not to let our eyes deceive us.

00:54:50The football on offer last season wasn't great.

00:54:53I can remember being up on a cold Wednesday night

00:54:56at Pataudry for Aberdeen versus Livingston.

00:54:59And I looked across and there was easily

00:55:02a 65-year-old Willie Miller there.

00:55:04And I thought, if you go on now,

00:55:06you could actually win Man of the Match

00:55:08because it was dire.

00:55:10Yeah, I understand what you're saying.

00:55:13The pitches, obviously, at times, don't help.

00:55:16I think there's a lot more, I would say, athletic players.

00:55:20There maybe isn't as many technical players

00:55:22playing in the top league now as we'd probably want to.

00:55:25Same with our own home-grown players

00:55:28in terms of young Scottish players as well.

00:55:30What we want to see, apart from maybe

00:55:32Connor Barringer, Lennon Millers,

00:55:34who off their own bat have been really exciting players.

00:55:37It's the same as you could turn on an English Premiership game

00:55:40on a Tuesday, Wednesday night as well sometimes.

00:55:42It's not always worth watching.

00:55:45It's part of it.

00:55:46We get our good games, we get our bad games.

00:55:48But this year, hopefully, if I have stronger hibs,

00:55:50stronger Aberdeen, then that'll maybe add to

00:55:52a lot more better viewing.

00:55:54I'd like to see a stronger Aberdeen.

00:55:56He wants to play a high press, Jimmy Kagan.

00:55:58The Gagan press.

00:56:00Yes, absolutely.

00:56:01I cannot wait to see Aberdeen.

00:56:04If anything, I hope Dave Cormack

00:56:06shows a bit of steel

00:56:08in backing of that manager to let him

00:56:10have a run at it.

00:56:11Yes, well I think when someone's coming

00:56:13from Scandinavia to then

00:56:15implement the style, he's going to need time.

00:56:17He's going to need to assess the type of players he's got.

00:56:19But it's been really positive for Aberdeen, I think.

00:56:21Last year was as bad as it's been in a long time.

00:56:24I know you've got

00:56:26some of the players,

00:56:28Junior Hoylett was obviously not signed.

00:56:30He actually turned out to be

00:56:32a very decent signer.

00:56:35Exciting, done really well

00:56:37in the semi-final at Hampden as well.

00:56:39I think it's...

00:56:41I'm looking at Hibbs, I'm looking at Aberdeen.

00:56:43I've played against Hibbs

00:56:45and I've seen a lot of their games during pre-season.

00:56:47I think they will be stronger this year.

00:56:49I think Aberdeen, no doubt, will be stronger this year.

00:56:51I think the fans have got a bit of expectation,

00:56:53but they need to be patient

00:56:55because, yes, like we spoke about with Dave Gray,

00:56:57the first time in the

00:56:59hot seat at Easter Road,

00:57:01which it won't be easy, it comes with pressures

00:57:03in the semi.

00:57:05The Aberdeen manager has come in, so there needs to be

00:57:07patience as well.

00:57:09We're going to go easy on you.

00:57:11Give me your

00:57:13top three.

00:57:15Top three?

00:57:17In order? Celtic

00:57:19Rangers.

00:57:23Celtic Rangers, I'll go with...

00:57:25I'll look at Hearts.

00:57:27I know they've not had a great pre-season, but I like

00:57:29the signing of Jan Dander.

00:57:31He's so popular, he's someone I'd have liked to have seen

00:57:33Hibbs maybe try to sign.

00:57:35I think he's got that wee bit of something different, which

00:57:37especially with

00:57:39Tyne Castle behind you, he might just

00:57:41have his shoulders out and want to take the ball

00:57:43in these sort of big games.

00:57:45I've seen him do it against Rangers as well,

00:57:47so that'll be my top three.

00:57:49Who's getting relegated?

00:57:51I'm going to go very early to say it.

00:57:53We know that.

00:57:55You can do what Ruffey does.

00:57:57When he sits in that chair...

00:57:59I'd say a bottom three, but in no particular order.

00:58:01I would say

00:58:03Ross County, St Johnstone and Mullow.

00:58:05Right, there you are.

00:58:07Top three for me will be Celtic

00:58:09when the League Rangers runners up.

00:58:11I can't see by Hearts either.

00:58:13At this current time, Peter, I know Hibbs

00:58:15might go and sign four or five players

00:58:17between now and the end of the window, but

00:58:19I just think that you mentioned Dander, the wee boy

00:58:21Penrice as well.

00:58:23Blair Spittle.

00:58:25They've signed three very good players for the Scottish

00:58:27Premier League. Their squad's strong

00:58:29and I think they'll keep Shankland as well.

00:58:31So I think Hearts will be very hard to budge for third.

00:58:33Relegated for me, St Johnstone

00:58:35or Dundee United.

00:58:37That's an interesting one.

00:58:39We will get

00:58:41everybody's opinion.

00:58:43We'll get you to do 1-12

00:58:45before we hit the

00:58:47start of the season as well.

00:58:49Nevertheless, it's all about opinions.

00:58:51You'll get them on the programme. You'll get a bit of fun,

00:58:53hopefully entertainment, and if you

00:58:55read the word and hit the subscribe button,

00:58:57you'll be part of an ever-growing

00:58:59audience on PLZ Soccer's

00:59:01YouTube channel. So many people

00:59:03enjoying our content

00:59:05and if you download the app, you'll have it at your fingertips

00:59:07if you want. You can do

00:59:09catch-up on our football shows,

00:59:11on our one-to-one interviews.

00:59:13There isn't a broadcaster

00:59:15putting out any more

00:59:17hours than we are on

00:59:19PLZ Soccer. I can ask you

00:59:21to take a look at them all. We are following

00:59:23Scottish football and we're also bringing you

00:59:25English football, European,

00:59:27and of course, all the global

00:59:29stuff too. It's all to look forward to

00:59:31this season. Hopefully, you'll join us for the

00:59:33ride. Thanks to Scott Allan on a

00:59:35Wednesday, live, 4 o'clock. Keep it

00:59:37in mind, you'll have something to

00:59:39delve into at 4 o'clock every day

00:59:41of the week. And thanks to Tam McManus

00:59:43and from myself, Peter Martin.

00:59:45Don't forget, the Journos is out tomorrow

00:59:47and on Friday, Ruffy will be here

00:59:49in the studio with me, Tam,

00:59:51and yet another new signing

00:59:53who won't be wearing a number 10, but

00:59:55who is he? Thanks for watching and listening.

00:59:57Good day, mate.

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