• 2 months ago
Are Celtic Better Without Matt O' Riley? 21-year-old Arne Engles was brought to Celtic for Champions League football and against Slovan Bratislava put in a complete midfield display, including a goal, an assist, and four shots.

SUBSCRIBE NOW: ‪@PLZSoccer‬

We’ve got everything you need to know ahead of an exciting weekend of Scottish football! From Celtic’s big 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava to Borussia Dortmund v Celtic in the Champions League—can the Hoops get a result against the Bundesliga giants?

Here’s what you can expect:
00:00 - Scottish Premiership Fixtures Breakdown
00:34 - Celtic’s 5-1 Victory: What it Means for Their Momentum
08:06 - Celtic v Borussia Dortmund: Key Players, Tactics & Predictions
10:17 - Celtic v Falkirk Preview: Can the Bhoys keep up their winning form?
14:42 - Rangers v Dundee: A crucial match for Rangers!
18:25 - Motherwell v Dundee United Preview
23:12 - Aberdeen v Spartans FC: Can Aberdeen bounce back? ⚔️
26:30 - St Mirren v Hearts: Is it a must-win for Steven Naismith? ❤️
30:53 - Tony Bloom's £10 Million Investment in Hearts: What’s next for the Jambos?
32:33 - Stephen Robinson Press Conference Highlights ️
34:29 - Ross County v St Johnstone Preview
37:16 - Latest Scottish Football News
38:49 - New Champions League Format Explained - What’s changing?
41:39 - Atalanta BC 0-0 Arsenal: Key takeaways from a thrilling draw ⚔️
45:25 - Hibernian Matchday Experience: What fans can expect this season!

Hit the play button and get ready for in-depth analysis, previews, and everything you need to know! Don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to stay updated on the latest Scottish football action! ⚽

Category

🥇
Sports
Transcript
00:00Welcome to the Football Show here on PLZ Soccer's YouTube channel. I'm Kerry Pollock, Tam McManus,
00:07Alan Ruff and Alison McConnell join me here on this Friday. Lots to look forward to, some
00:11league action, cup competition returns and of course the Champions League to look back
00:15to. Let's look to see what's coming up at the weekend.
00:19We've got Motherwell against Dundee United tonight, Dross County take on St Johnstone
00:23in the league, St Mirren and Harts return to league game and Aberdeen's St Barton's
00:27in the cup, Rangers against Dundee later on tomorrow night and Celtic take on Falkirk
00:31on Sunday. Celtic, let's start with Celtic then Tam. Champions League 5, one emphatic
00:37win against Slavia and Bratislava. What impressed you most about the performance?
00:40Well, I mean, I don't know where to start. I think from start to finish Celtic were outstanding.
00:45I thought they got their tactics spot on. They pressed high. I mean, they've got so
00:50much energy and pace in the forward areas. It's perfect to play that style of play, you
00:54know, going and pressing teams. I thought Bratislava just couldn't get out at times,
00:57you know, suffocated them. Should have been 4 or 5 up at half-time, really. I think the
01:01chances that Celtic missed, I thought could have come back and haunted them. I thought
01:05they, obviously the big one with Weiss going through, should have hit it first time, he's
01:08right foot. Took a touch 1-0 at half-time, you're thinking next goal is important. Celtic
01:12got it right away and ran out comfortable winners. I think in terms of a start to a
01:16Champions League campaign, I think they couldn't have asked for any more from Celtic.
01:19Raphae, as Tam's saying there, that flair, the confidence they had, it could have been
01:24a lot more.
01:24Yeah, it certainly could have. The pace of the game, you know, and the sharpness. Maida
01:30obviously is electric. I thought everybody on the team played their part. I don't know
01:37how good this side are, time will tell, but you can't take it away. Five goals in Europe
01:42is a fantastic scoreline. Next two games they'll be testing. If they can prove to everybody
01:48that they can go away from home and pick up something, it'll help them along the road.
01:52As you mentioned there, Dyson Maida, Brendan Rodgers commented on him as well. He said,
01:58I would doubt there is anyone in the world in football better than Dyson Maida in that
02:02context. It's the will and desire to do what most players won't have. It's unbelievable
02:07pressing but it's mentality, Alison. I would love to see his GPS stats at the end of the
02:11game.
02:11Yeah, it's incredible. Even in the latter stages of games, you see him pressing and
02:16getting back, helping out Greg Taylor a lot on that flank. We see it domestically, week
02:22in, week out. What you saw on Wednesday night was just a replication of that. I think his
02:29energy and his work rate is phenomenal. I think had he had his shooting boots on, he
02:35would have claimed another couple of goals on Wednesday. Him and Kiyoko could have had
02:39another few but I think he epitomises a certain kind of work rate about him. I think the high
02:44press and everyone, the collective of the team, which I think will be necessary if they
02:50are to do anything across the course of this campaign. But certainly, what you would see
02:55from Wednesday night is that they've given themselves the foundation. They've set a platform
03:00now to go on. That was the game they had to win. You look at it and it's arguably the
03:05weakest team they've got to face. They had to take something from it. The next two games
03:09particularly challenging. I think if they could even take one point, it would put them
03:14in a fairly decent position. Another thing they've added to their game is retrieving
03:19the ball. We watched Barcelona once with Celtic and Peter says, when Barcelona lose the ball,
03:25look how quick they get it back. They go in packs and they get it back. Celtic have added
03:30that to their game. If you've seen it the other night, any time they lost the ball,
03:34they were all focusing on getting position back again. It was a joy to watch. Do you
03:39think that win on Wednesday night had an expectation from fans that they had to get that win under
03:43their belt? I think Celtic fans would have been happy winning the game. They won nothing.
03:47The convincing way they won it sends you higher than what you usually are. The expectation
03:53they need to calm down because the next game in particular is a team that were in the cup
03:58final last year. Anything, any positive result at all in any of their games would be fantastic.
04:04Tam, another man that seems to be taking all the headlines. Arnie Ingoes seems to be the
04:07new penalty taker. Brendan Rodgers described him as a dead ball expert. If you're Hitati,
04:11are you a bit miffed that you're no longer on penalties etc? Possibly. I think that obviously
04:18he comes in as a record signing, £11 million. He's only on the door and he's on the penalties
04:21and the free kicks and the throw-ins and the corners and the by-kicks and everything. To
04:25be honest, he looked as if he was taking everything for Celtic the other night. I think when he
04:30came in and he's obviously showed in training that he's probably due to set pieces Celtic.
04:34He's shown that he can work great. He's corner for the Scales header. The corner before that
04:40too. Was it Maida? You should have scored two tremendous corners. Whipped in with pace.
04:47Difficult to defend against. You can see him. Two really hard shots in the game as well.
04:52Straight at the goalkeeper unfortunately for him. I think he looks the part. I think he's
04:57delivering to the box. He's superb. Hitati was obviously the previous penalty taker and
05:02free kick taker. He probably will be a little bit miffed but I think when you sign a guy
05:06for £11 million and he comes in, he's going to be your main man for all that sort of stuff.
05:10I think it'll be interesting. I think it could well be a battle between Hitati and
05:14Engels for the third place in the middle. I think you know that Callum McGregor is going
05:21to play and I think it's just where Engels and Hitati might battle it out for that other
05:28position in the middle. I thought he just orchestrated everything for Celtic the other
05:33night. He looked like a player who'd been there for months. It just looks like a very
05:38seamless addition to that team. He's barely in the door and you think, come January, you
05:44wouldn't be surprised if all of a sudden you're talking about people coming in and sniffing
05:48about him, which sounds ridiculous for somebody who's just in but such is the nature of football
05:52and playing on this league. 21 years of age as well. He doesn't seem to be shy. Like you
05:56said, he was getting involved. He was winning the ball back the other night. He was on score
06:00sheet as well. He looks very athletic. He adds a physicality to Celtic too. Very confident,
06:06assured, loads of energy but creative. You look at Matt O'Reilly and what he brought
06:15to Celtic and you felt as though there would be a void when he left. I think what you'd
06:19see about Engels is that all of a sudden Celtic aren't missing Matt O'Reilly. You don't sense
06:25the ghost of O'Reilly. He's just slotted seamlessly on there.
06:28Just to go back to the penalties then, Ruffey. During Hart's game, Lauren Shankland and others
06:33were giving him a bit of stick from the spot trying to put him off. As a goalkeeper, did
06:36you ever shout from the line at anybody taking a penalty at you?
06:39No, more concentrating. Which wrong side did I take? No, I think things have moved on now.
06:48The technical side of it. You know who's taking the penalties. Someday they'll have done some
06:52kind of research. You know where he puts them. They'd obviously looked at last week's game.
06:57He put it identically in that corner. If you're that near the post, you're never going to
07:01get it even though you guessed right.
07:04At the atmosphere time at Celtic Park, it's known on Champions League nights, especially
07:08the roar that comes when the Champions League song rings around the stadium. Do players
07:11get intimidated now? Young players are getting lots of experience these days. Is it the same?
07:15I thought that some of the Slovan Bratislava players looked terrified when that noise came
07:19up. I know the moment you're talking about when I think 60,000 people just started screaming
07:24at the top of their lungs. It was incredible. Some of the Slovan players were smiling, thinking
07:29this is amazing. Some of them were terrified. I've obviously not played there on a Champions
07:34League night. I've played there in a league game, Celtic Park, when it's rocking. It is
07:39intimidating. I think a Champions League night is just another level. I think it just depends
07:44on what sort of person you are. You can get revitalised and really you can go the other
07:51way and bottle it a wee bit. I don't think they bottled it. I just think that the Champions
07:56League nights at Celtic Park, it's such a big boost for the Celtic players to have that
08:01atmosphere and those fans behind you. It's all cliche, it's like the 12th man.
08:06They've cranked it up at Celtic Park. The next challenge is, of course, can they do
08:09it away from home? The next one is formidable. Can you go to Dortmund and get a result? You
08:18would have to say on the evidence of what you've seen from Celtic historically in recent
08:23seasons, it will be an incredibly tough ask to go and take something. But what they do
08:27have now is a bit of confidence. I think they've started the league campaign particularly well.
08:32Domestically, there's been a fluency about them. I think just not only winning on Wednesday
08:38night and winning that first game, but winning in a particular kind of style will give them
08:42an optimism. However, I think you would have to temper it by saying you're maybe playing
08:47two extremes in the league now when you look at the quality of opposition on Wednesday
08:51night and then the quality that they'll face in the next game. Not this coming week, I
08:55think, but it's the following week. You don't have to question where Dortmund are. And then
09:03I think it's Atalanta that comes after that before Leipzig at home. So that's three really
09:08tough games which frames that first game. You can see then when you look at it across
09:13the opening four games how important that first one was in terms of getting points on
09:16board. I think if you look at the next two away games, Celtic would probably be happy
09:21to take a point from even both games. Can you imagine, Ruffey, if they do get a point
09:25from one of those games, four points, and they've still got those home games to play
09:29at Celtic Park? Reaction from fans? Yeah, I think the away games are the ones that are
09:32going to be the hardest. Every away game. I think they've been fortunate with the home
09:36games. The teams have got a home. On that performance, you would look that they should
09:42be good enough to take three points in the home games. Somebody's already out there looking
09:48at percentages, what you need for points and all that already. They're looking at nine,
09:52ten points to get you in the upper half of the league. So the home games are going to
09:56be really important. But I think Celtic just have to prove that they can defend when under
10:01pressure. I think midfield to front, everybody knows what they're like. But when, like Dortmund,
10:07I would expect their backs to the wall. If they can prove to everybody defensively, yeah,
10:11they can come through games like that. That's better than a win. Because I know in the other
10:16games coming up, they'll be as good. Well, the next challenge, Tam, is of course Falkirk
10:20in the Cup. A different type of challenge. Do you think Brendan Rodgers will make a few
10:22changes to his side? Yeah, I think they'll make half a dozen changes, maybe more. I think
10:27that you look at the strength and depth that Brendan's got. His bench the other night was
10:32the strongest Celtic bench I can remember in a long time. I think Adam Ida will come
10:35in. He'll play. I think Trustee will come in. I think he'll come in. I think the young
10:40left-back from Barcelona will come in. And I just think there'll be changes. They might
10:45play Sinasalo, the reserve goalkeeper. They might rest Kasper Schmeichel. Anthony Ralfsson
10:52could play. I mean, there's a whole raft of changes that Celtic could make and they'll
10:55still put a strong team out. I don't think he'll make 11. I think he'll maybe keep Karl
10:59McGregor. He usually plays every game. I don't think it's going to be a walkover for Celtic.
11:04I don't think they can afford to make 11 changes. I think that Falkirk come in the
11:09crest of the wave. They're on the league campaign. They've done beaten in a season
11:13and a bit in the league. They've obviously had a good cup run as well. So I think they'll
11:17come and test Celtic. But I think Celtic will ultimately be too strong. But I think they
11:22will make six or seven changes. Falkirk have a bit of a boost after that win over Hearts.
11:29Yeah, I think Falkirk will feel one. An absolutely incredible season last year. Started very well.
11:36This term already claimed a scalp. I think John McGlynn is a very impressive coach. I think
11:43they'll be well set up. They'll be organised on Sunday. They'll look to frustrate Celtic.
11:48They'll look to take something on the break. I think, you know, it's a phrase that I'm
11:54reticent to use, but it's almost they've got nothing to lose, really. They won't want to
11:59go and leave themselves open and then be picked off by Celtic. But I think it's so they'll go,
12:04they'll feel as though they can go and give a decent account of themselves. It's quite
12:09a high for Celtic to go from the high of Wednesday night to then go into the routine
12:15nature of a league cup tie. I think Falkirk will look to capitalise on that too. I'm not sure that
12:21it'll be a sellout crowd at Celtic Park for the game. People maybe just picking and choosing what
12:27games they're spending their money on, given just the volume of matches now. But I think
12:35you'd have to say you'd expect Celtic to be far too strong for them. But I think Falkirk could go
12:40and look to make it as awkward as possible. Falkirk just one defeat and seven roughy.
12:44They'll feel they can cause Celtic some problems because they have been on that
12:48last season, that unbeaten run. It's not going to be a walkover for Celtic.
12:50Yeah, they have. But I mean, this is different from what they've been playing last year. I mean,
12:55I do think Falkirk are a very well organised club. I think they should be in the Premier.
13:00And if they were in the Premier, they would be bottom six. You know, and if Celtic come up
13:05against the bottom six team at home, it could be four or five. But I think they'll go there,
13:10they'll enjoy it. I don't know, Tam's worrying about how many play. I don't know if he'll do
13:16too much. Last year he did it, was it at St Mirren? He dropped about seven or eight or nine,
13:21and I think they lost the game. It was one of his games last year, I can't remember.
13:26There'll be changes, there's no doubt about that. But I still think,
13:32it depends on the way Falkirk look at the game. Do they want to go and play an open game? Do they
13:36want to go and entertain everybody? Do they want the players to go and show the form that they've
13:42got? Or do they want to sit in and minimise what usually happens in these games? So,
13:48I hope they don't. I hope they commit, because they have got some good players on their side.
13:52If they get beat four, five or six or something, that's not a be-all and end-all,
13:55it's experiencing the whole day. That's what you've got at Celtic just now. It's a
14:00formidable competition for places, where you've got people desperate to get into the starting
14:06line-up. And if there are changes and you're given an opportunity, there'll be guys there
14:10thinking, I've got to take it. I've got to go and show what I've got. This is where the season
14:15cranks up now, across the next couple of months, where you've got massive amounts of games. Celtic
14:20competing in the Champions League, coming back and then playing domestically. A lot of fixtures
14:25coming up. They will use the squad to get through them. You'll have players thinking, I want to go
14:31and show what I have to offer and try and get into that starting XI.
14:35What are you going for?
14:36I think 3-0 Celtic.
14:38Ruffey?
14:38We'll go 3-0.
14:40I think Falkirk can score. I'll go 3-1.
14:43Rangers take on Dundee later on tomorrow night. Back at Ibrox, they'll welcome Dundee.
14:48Tony Stocker has said play to their best and they've got threats in all areas.
14:51They can cause Rangers some problems.
14:54Yeah, I think they can. I think they showed last season. That was a dense
14:58pattern. I think they took a point off of Rangers in the run-in. Luke McCown is obviously a huge
15:04blow losing him. I think last week, the result against Ross County. First time in a wee while
15:10they've not scored a goal as well. So, they were looking to bounce back. I think if Dundee come and
15:14play to their potential and play really well, then they've got a chance. I just think Rangers
15:18coming back to Ibrox, I just think the buzz, the fans will be delighted to get back in their old
15:24seats. They're sitting behind maybe a goal at Hampden and can't see the game. I just think
15:29that they'll just have too much for Dundee. It's a big game for Rangers, a big game for the fans.
15:35I think the atmosphere will be good. I don't think they'll batter Dundee,
15:41but I think they'll narrowly win it, maybe 2-1.
15:43Well, Pauline Molloy was out there speaking to Philippe Clement this afternoon.
15:47Rangers will play their first match at Ibrox since May this weekend and manager Philippe
15:51Clement has described the excitement around the place as his side gets set to return home.
15:57To be honest, it's a buzz. You feel it in the building. I was there yesterday because there
16:04was something for the commercial there to do. You get a special feeling coming back there.
16:14I know it's the same with all the players. I feel it already this week in the training.
16:19It gives something extra and I think it will be with all the fans also. It's like coming home
16:24after a really long time. It felt like we haven't been there for 10 years or something. It's not
16:29that long, but we have that feeling, so we're really happy that we can be back there.
16:34Dundee were the last side to take on Rangers at Ibrox, with the Light Blues running out 5-2
16:38winners in an end-of-season league game. The boss today has described what he expects to face
16:43against Tony Daugherty's side this weekend.
16:46Of course, the most important thing stays what you do on the pitch.
16:51So that stays the most important, what the players show from the first second of the game
16:56in that game. And we know it's a tough game always against a team of Tony, who play good
17:03physical football. They adapt to the opponent and they're strong in the transitions. With Murray,
17:09they brought a really good player in that style of play also. He showed that in Ross County last
17:14season. So it's really important to come back to Ibrox and have a good atmosphere, yes,
17:20but the most important stays what we show on the pitch then.
17:24Rangers look to continue their defence of the Premier Sports Cup in familiar surroundings
17:28as they take on Dundee at Ibrox this Saturday at 5.30.
17:32Ruffey, right now at Rangers, there are some problems off the pitch,
17:36no chief exec, no director of football. Do those problems affect players on the pitch?
17:41I don't think so, but the bigger picture is they've got to win on the park because these
17:46things are happening behind the scenes and if you don't get the results on the park,
17:51these things come into the equation and it's up to the players to go out there. Like Tam,
17:57I think they'll go there. Been away for a while, supporters will be really up for it. I would think
18:01they'll try and make it as big a day as they've had. So I think Dundee have just a wee bit off
18:07the boil. I don't think they're as good as they were last year. So they'll go there and try and
18:12take something out of the game, try and frustrate Rangers, but I think at the end of the day,
18:15I think Rangers have got too many goal-scoring opportunities.
18:18What are you going for?
18:19I'm going to go 3-0 Rangers.
18:213-0 Rangers, Ali?
18:22Yeah, 2-0 Rangers.
18:232-0, Tam?
18:242-1 Rangers.
18:25Okay, and then Motherwell take on Dundee United tonight. Friday night football,
18:28Tam, are you a fan?
18:30Yes, I am. I think that I was over in Derry last Friday night, that was a Saturday night game at
18:365.45 and I just thought it was something different. I think a night game on a Friday night, you can
18:41finish your work on a Friday, maybe go for a few pints with your pals and then go to the game.
18:45I think they'll have a big support there. I don't know how many tickets they've sold,
18:48but they've obviously been out and about in the community and leafleting and trying to get fans
18:53into the stadium for part. Big game for both clubs. As I said, there's only two trophies
18:58that you can win as a team outside of the Celtic. Rangers is the cup and I think it'll be a good
19:05game. It'll be a tight game. I think both teams are evenly matched. Dundee United, I thought,
19:08were poor last week against Rangers. I was disappointed in them. Motherwell lost to
19:13Aberdeen in the second half. They looked as if they could have nicked a draw, so I think it'll
19:16be a close game. I just like a Friday night game and a Saturday night game. It's something
19:22different from the usual three o'clock on a Saturday. There's not much between them,
19:25Alison. As Tam mentioned, Motherwell, two wins in five. Dundee United, three wins in five. Is
19:29this maybe the hardest one to call this weekend? Yeah, I think so. I think the fact it's a cup
19:33game, it's slightly different. It's got a slightly different tone to it than league duty. I think
19:40both teams will fancy themselves. You get to this stage and you think all of a sudden
19:45possibilities start opening up and also there's a bit of money to be made if you can start
19:50progressing now. Yeah, I think it'll be very, very tight between the two of them. I'm not sure that
19:58it might be settled in the regulation time, but I think Motherwell might just edge it.
20:04Yeah, roughly the old-fashioned way, as Tam said there as well. Over 7,000 tickets sold
20:07already. They've been going round the doors in the local area, handing out leaflets,
20:10making TikToks, trying to get people along to the game.
20:13Yeah, it's good. I'm sure it's a Friday night. It's different. You want to go along and sample
20:19it. For me, the game's all about Tony Watt. I'm sure he'll be wanting to do something in that
20:28game. Last week he was unlucky with a header, so he'll want to establish, I don't know,
20:35what side of the fence he's on. I don't know how he left either of them. He's where the home team
20:42is now, so I'm expecting him to prove a point. It'll be interesting to Tam if he finishes work
20:48at Dundee. It's a safe journey to get there for that. For some teams, Tam, they've managed to
20:58avoid the top two Celtic Rangers on their way to Hamden. These two have. It just takes a little bit
21:03of luck sometimes in cup competitions. Yeah, it does. I think if you manage to avoid Celtic
21:08Rangers, you think to yourself, right, we can get to the final. You just want to avoid,
21:13particularly obviously, you want to avoid Celtic at the minute. But I think when you play against
21:17a team of a similar alt, I think Motherwell didn't need to. You think to yourself, a couple of games
21:21to win their trophy here. It's a real big game. It's a tight game. I think home advantage might
21:27just nick it for Motherwell tonight. Yeah, you're right. I think as a player myself, playing with
21:32Hibs or Dunfermline or anybody, you're just thinking, can you get to a final? If you can get
21:37a draw where you avoid Celtic Rangers, then you think to yourself, you've got an opportunity to
21:41maybe get to Hamden, play at Hamden. Absolutely. Ali, Andy Halliday was saying this week about
21:45Lennon Miller. They're lucky to have him at the club, but he's also lucky to have the club in
21:50his life. You were speaking to his dad a few weeks ago. I think they're just trying to be really
21:53careful with him and not throw him in the deep end too early. Yeah, I think, I take his point.
21:58I think Motherwell is a very good club just to try and offer a platform to first team players to
22:04produce academy graduates into their first team. I think he's been very well managed. Up until
22:11last season, he was still in the youth dressing room. He wasn't part of the first team dressing
22:15room, just trying to keep him fairly grounded. I think he comes across like quite a grounded boy.
22:21I think you can see that he's got his head screwed on. This season, I think he started the season
22:27very well. He missed a chunk last term because of injury. I think it was a knee injury. Kept him
22:31out for about three months. I actually think he feels as though he's gone up a different level
22:37already this season. I've been impressed with a couple of games that I've seen him. I think he's
22:42a very exciting prospect. I think it's fantastic for Motherwell to have him. Inevitably, he will
22:48move on and go somewhere. I think you just want to enjoy that talent and watch it develop at the
22:54minute because it's been a good home for him. What do you think of this one? Yeah, I think
23:00Motherwell might just edge it 2-1. 2-1 in extra time, did you think? Yes. Roughly? Yeah, I think
23:07Motherwell might sneak it again. 1-0 Motherwell. 1-0 Motherwell. Okay, Aberdeen take on Spartans
23:14Almighty Dandy Dawns. Tam, the founder leader, and Jimmy Tilleen. One step to go before Hamden
23:19again. Yeah, Aberdeen have again got lucky with the draw here. No disrespect to Spartans. They've
23:27had a great start to the season, they're winning games. They've had a favourable run of fixtures,
23:32let's just say. This one's no different for me. I think if it was at Spartans in Edinburgh,
23:37winning that wee Astro, it might have been a different story. Like Hearts when they played?
23:41Yeah, like Hearts in Ross County in the last round. I think being there, it would have been a
23:46different story. Aberdeen at home, they're just in a crest of wave at the minute. Everything's
23:49positive, they're winning games. I can just see a comfortable home win. I hope Spartans go up
23:54there under Dougie Samuel and put on a good performance and don't get embarrassed. But I
23:59think that Aberdeen will win that comfortably. Yeah, roughly the run that Tam's talking about,
24:03they've faced Queens Park, Dumbarton, Airdrie, East Kilbride and Queen of the South. But it
24:07could be argued that a team like Aberdeen aren't used to coming up against teams like that every
24:11week. No, no, you've still got to go out and beat them. Obviously, Spartans come into the category
24:16of the teams that you're playing. But I think, I don't know if Aberdeen have got a structure,
24:22big squad that they could start leaving people out. I think they'll want to win the game.
24:27Once you're winning the game comfortably, then you can throw on the sort of reserves,
24:32if you want to call them that. I think they'll be too strong as well.
24:35I don't think Gerald Butler's fit for this one.
24:40Ali, for us, Spartans are a full crook. You're going into this game quietly confident because
24:45the pressure isn't on you. You can go out there, you can play freely how you want,
24:49go for it a little bit more. Yeah, I think they'll want to go and just try and enjoy the day.
24:54I think you'll be up and thinking, can you cause an upset? What can you do? Can you
24:59nick something on a set piece? Can you just keep it really tight for as long as possible?
25:04I think the key is maybe just not losing an early goal. You want to frustrate the home team for as
25:09long as you possibly can. We saw Aberdeen get a couple of late goals recently to win things,
25:15win games. So I think the evidence would suggest it's a fairly straightforward afternoon
25:23for Aberdeen. But if you're in Spartan shoes, it's just what kind of questions are you capable
25:27of asking? Can you frustrate the home support? Can you frustrate the team,
25:31nick something and then see where it goes? It's a cup tie, you never know. But I think
25:36all of us would anticipate that the Aberdeen juggernaut continues for another weekend at least.
25:42Jim O'Toole gives his thoughts on being the favourites this weekend.
25:46I think that's why we need to be strong in our identity. It's always some way of pressure,
25:54but I think you also have to embrace it and see it as a positive way that people believe in you
26:01and push you. So I think that's why I find a good level. But we keep going and this extra
26:07energy from the fans help us and they push us in the right way. So
26:11I'm confident that one is going to be worth it.
26:14Tam, what are you going for?
26:17I'm going to go for a 4-0 to Aberdeen. I think that
26:21Spartans would need to put on a real colossal performance.
26:24Murphy?
26:25I'm going to go 3-0.
26:263-0, Ali?
26:273-0.
26:283-0, right then. Back to league duties, returns this weekend as well, St Mirren take on Hearts.
26:32We seem to be saying it every week, Tam, but must win for Stephen Leesmith?
26:36I think it's a must not get beat, to be honest. I think that when you look at the run Hearts have
26:39been on, right from pre-season, in the European games and the league, they've lost every game.
26:43They've not even got a draw. So I think if they can go and maybe get a draw, then I think it
26:47would be okay. But I think if they go and lose the game, I think a lot of the fans have turned
26:51on them already. And I know, obviously, Hibs is a similar-sized club. When the fans turn on the
26:57manager, there's usually not a way back for him. He needs to start winning games. This is a real
27:02tough ask. I think the last two Hearts managers have lost their job at St Mirren, their two
27:07managers. So it's a bit of a graveyard. Stephen Leesmith will not like that stat. But I fancy St
27:14Mirren. I just think that St Mirren at home, they're big, they're strong, they're physical.
27:19They put balls in the box. If Hearts don't defend properly, I think they could lose the game. And
27:23I'm going to go for 2-1 to St Mirren in this game. I just think there's just something not right for
27:28me at Hearts at the minute, just looking at the team. I know they've done pretty well last week
27:32against Celtic. They were competitive in the game, but there's something just not clicking for me at
27:36the minute. And Lauren Shanklin not scoring goals. If he doesn't score goals, I don't know who is
27:41for Hearts at the minute. Ali, what's not clicking, do you think? I think Tam touched on it. I think
27:45just when you take Lauren Shanklin's goals out of the equation, then it's just left them short. But
27:51I think what you can sense now is a palpable lack of confidence within the team. Maybe not quite so
27:57evident last weekend at Celtic Park. They lost the game, but I think they competed fairly well. I
28:03think they felt quite hard done by it. The penalty they didn't get, the penalty that Celtic did get,
28:07which obviously turned the game. I think they need to harness the positives from that performance and
28:12take it in to Paisley tomorrow. I think it'll be an awkward game for them. I think they'll get a
28:19draw. I think the points will be shared tomorrow afternoon, which might just buy a bit of time for
28:27Stephen Naismith. I think he inevitably finds himself under the cost just because of the start
28:32that they've had at the bottom of the table. I think he can't afford to lose the game tomorrow
28:39and I think they'll get something. Will a draw get the fans off his back? Yeah, I think so.
28:46As the guys are saying, it's a must-not-get-beat and it's a must-not-get-beat comfortably.
28:51I think a 3-0 or something like that would just maybe make a few people make decisions.
28:58Some of the fans have already made up their mind, but I don't know how the board are thinking
29:03behind the scenes. Sometimes when a large amount of fans turn on the manager, the board seem to
29:09fall into the same category. I hope that doesn't happen. I think Hearts had a tremendous year last
29:16year. I thought they were a breath of fresh air. We need a team like that challenging Rangers and
29:20Celtic. I think he did enough last year and getting them into Europe to hang on in there,
29:26but stranger things have happened in this game. Patrick Mullen was out hearing the thoughts of
29:30the Hearts boss this afternoon. Hearts are preparing to take on St Mirren this weekend
29:34as they look to avoid their eighth successive defeat in all competitions. Recent criticism
29:39about Steven Naismith's side has said they lack an identity in their play, but speaking today,
29:44Steven Naismith rejects those claims. Short-term, her and last season, her identity has been that
29:49we've won games. We've won games consistently. That got us a good run, it got us a good position
29:54in the league. Fundamentally, that needs to be the first thing that people identify to you,
29:59that you're hard to beat and you win games. You find a way to win. Beyond that, we're probably
30:03a team that has more possession than the opposition. I don't think our attack and play
30:09and style has, I can accept that one, that there's not been a clear way we do it. As I've just said
30:15before, that's an area we need to improve on. There's also been talk this week between Hearts
30:19and Tony Bloom's data company with a potential £10 million investment coming the way of the
30:24Gorgies side, but Steven Naismith hasn't sitted today. His only focus is on getting three points.
30:30As I said, I've got more important things to be thinking about and that's going to result
30:36tomorrow. The rest will be what it will be, when it will be. It will come out and things will be
30:44said at the right time by the people at the club that should be having their conversations.
30:48It's St Mirren versus Hearts in the Premiership kick-off. It's at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
30:54Will the fans be on board with that, Tam, with Tony Bloom coming in and his investment and what
30:58that could potentially do? Yeah, I think they probably will be. I think that obviously they've
31:02got the largest stake in the club, the foundation of Hearts, and I think any money going into any
31:08club will be welcomed. I think when you look at the job that Tony and Star Lizard have done,
31:12not only at Brighton, but at USG in Belgium, I think that they've come from nowhere and were
31:19competing in Europe. The players that they've signed and sold on for massive money. Casino at
31:25the top of my head for Chelsea. They've had a real successful time with Tony Bloom and going down
31:31that route of being data-led in terms of signing players and the way they play. I think that the
31:38Hearts supporters would be excited by this, but it remains to be seen if it will happen,
31:43but I think £10 million into any club outside the Celtic Rangers is an enormous investment.
31:47It does seem really exciting, Ali, as Tam mentioned there. A few players, Moises Casedo,
31:51Alexis McAllister at Brighton, World Cup winner. Just what they can do and how they
31:54could change things at Tyne Castle. Yeah, I think so. I think any investment would be
32:00warmly welcomed by everyone, although you do wonder what it means when people come in
32:06and have a bigger say in terms of the running of the club. You have a look at Craig Levine
32:11this week at Hearts. You have a new investor, a new owner coming in. They're a bit more hard-nosed
32:17in terms of making decisions and looking to get results, but I think for Steven Naismith just now,
32:23I think he'll be having sleepless nights about the form on the pitch and it's really just a
32:28question now. He'll be thinking, I need to stabilise things very, very quickly and just get results.
32:33St Mirren won't be worrying about the repercussions, Ruffey. If they get a win,
32:36they've got their own agenda to take care of. Yeah, they certainly have and at home,
32:39they're a hard side to beat. You have to battle right to the end. I just got a feeling in Hearts'
32:46performance last week, it was good. There were bits of that game, but they might have taken
32:51something out of the game. I don't think they'll win the game. I think a result, a draw would be
32:58a good result and I'm going to go shackling to score and one each. Okay then, Ali, you were out
33:03speaking to Steven Robinson this afternoon. Let's see what he has to say. St Mirren manager
33:08Steven Robinson has insisted that it's ridiculous the pressure that Steven Naismith is under as he
33:13brings Hearts to Paisley for tomorrow afternoon's league game. The Hearts manager is without a win
33:20so far in the league with the Tynecastle side bottom of the table and while Steven Robinson
33:25is keen to add to his pressures, he says that Naismith essentially should have credit in the
33:30bank. It amazes me in football, you know, in any other business, you put a business plan together
33:35and you put maybe a three or four year business plan in place and within three weeks once you've
33:39done your due diligence on a manager and you know you want him to lead and then all of a sudden,
33:44well, a few dissenting voices and the manager loses his job. It wouldn't happen in any other
33:48industry. Charles Dunne is back in St Mirren colours and could make an appearance against
33:53Hearts tomorrow afternoon. However, it's unlikely that the return to Paisley is anything other than
33:59a short-term solution. Both parties, you know, accept that it is a short-term deal. Charles is
34:03looking for other things and when we have everybody fully fit then there might not be a necessity for
34:09it but who knows in football? I wouldn't have told you that I'd be signing him again so who knows?
34:15It's St Mirren versus Hearts at the Smyza Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It all kicks off at three
34:20o'clock. What do you think, Tam? I'm going to go for 2-1 to St Mirren. 2-1 St Mirren, Alison?
34:27I'm going to say 1-1. 1-1 as well. Right then, Ross County take on St Johnston. Ross County
34:32surprised most over last weekend. 2-0 against Dundee. Can that be a bit of a kickstart for them,
34:37Tam? Yeah, it's been a slow start for Ross County. Obviously, they're losing heavily to the Rangers
34:42as well in the last minute. Kicking the teeth against Aberdeen. I think a lot of people would
34:45have tipped Dundee to win that game, the way they've been playing, scoring goals. So, really,
34:49really big result for them. Great opportunity again to go back to back wins. No St Johnston
34:53at home, no manager. I think they probably will. St Johnston, for me, I've not been impressed
34:59with them at all this season. Lost their manager. A bit rudderless at the minute. Sometimes you can
35:04get a bounce with an interim manager coming in, like Alec Cleland. I think Ross County,
35:10with the boost they got last week, can go back to back and win again. I'll go for 2-1 to Ross County.
35:16Sometimes, Raffaele, when a team loses a manager, the following week, frustratingly for that manager,
35:21they seem to produce a result sometimes. Yeah, it's been done in the past. There's no guarantees
35:25going to happen all the time. I just think Ross County, they'll be in the dressing room.
35:31Good win last week. They'll be looking at the table. They'll be looking at who the teams are
35:36going to be down there at the end of the day with them. St Johnston's going to be one of them. So,
35:39if you can win this game, for me, that would be the incentive to get there and do it. I think
35:44they will. I think they're very good when everything goes well for them at home. So,
35:48I'm going to go for them to win 2-0. Ali, any names thrown in the hat for the St Johnston
35:52managerial position? Yeah, I think there'll be a few, but it's interesting. I think St Johnston
35:59will win. I just think the amount of times you see them lose a manager and in the next game
36:03go out and put in a performance and get a victory. I have a feeling that I think they'll go and
36:09get the win tomorrow afternoon. Who do you think, Tam? Who suits that position?
36:14Scott Brown, me and Ian Murray, perhaps? Yeah, I think there'll be two names in the mix. I think
36:20Scott Brown's doing really well at Air United. I think it'll be hard to prise him away from there
36:24because I think he'll have aspirations of winning the league with Air United this season. Ian
36:29Murray, definitely. I think Ian was very unfortunate to lose his job at Raith Rovers. He had a great
36:35record there. I think he's bar a spell at St Mirren. Ian's done really well everywhere he's
36:39been. He didn't do particularly well at St Mirren. He's free. There's no compensation. I think that's
36:46a big plus for any owner. Going and getting something, you're not having to pay compensation.
36:51I think that Ian Murray will probably be the bookie's favourite to get at the minute.
36:56If I like Clarendon and Andy Curt go in there and do well, they could throw their hat in the ring
37:00as well. It's a winnable game for them. Tomorrow, Waitrose County, it's not as if they're going to
37:05Parkhead or Ibrox. It's a winnable game. If they can win some games, then they could maybe get the
37:10job. I think Ian Murray, for me, ticks a lot of boxes for St Johnson. Before we move on to the
37:14Champions League, let's have a look at the headlines. Hello, I'm Cara and these are your daily
37:19news headlines on Friday 20th September, sponsored by Arnold Clark. Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence
37:26has said the players cannot wait to return to Ibrox this Saturday. I feel like we've missed it.
37:32I think not playing there has realised how much we do miss it. So yeah, just looking forward to it now.
37:38Andy Halliday previews tonight's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final as his side take on Dundee
37:44United at Fir Park. You hear all this form goes out the window when it comes to these cup ties
37:49and because it's that welcome distraction something for people when it comes into play.
37:54But to be honest, we didn't have decent form, Dundee didn't have decent form, so I don't think it's any
37:59gauge are we going into the weekend. I think the shirt is going to turn up on the day. Additionally,
38:03ex-Rangers chairman Dave King believes that Rangers fans should have no confidence in the
38:08current board to be able to turn things around. He also said that the ex-Rangers manager Stephen
38:12Gerrard was kicked out of the Ibrox outfit. Finally, Mikel Arteta was full of praise for
38:18goalkeeper David Raya as he played an important part in his side's 0-0 draw with Atalanta last
38:24night in the Champions League. Second half we get a penalty away and I witnessed the best saves
38:30that probably I've seen in my career with David to save us from that moment. I don't know, I haven't
38:35seen all the goalkeepers but at the moment he's been exceptional for us that's for sure. Those
38:39were your daily news headlines on Friday the 20th of September sponsored by Arnold Clark.
38:44For all the news and breaking headlines please be sure to download the app and subscribe to our
38:48YouTube channel. Right Ali, the Champions League, it returns the new format. It took me a while to
38:54get my head around it but we got there eventually. Are you a fan? Yeah, I think it'll be interesting
38:58to see just how it plays out across the next few months. I think what has been very notable about
39:05it is just it almost seems like the very first step towards this European Super League. So you've
39:11had the Champions League take precedence Tuesday night, Wednesday night and Thursday night. All
39:16other UEFA competitions have all been put to the side of the Europa League next week. I think it
39:23was given top billing and I think it'll be interesting to see just how it plays out.
39:28What I did think was interesting was that you're not playing teams home and away. You're
39:33not thinking oh there's a return leg to play or there's an away tie to play and that's a weaker
39:38team in the group. So you can almost navigate groups quite early on after opening
39:46games but I think there is a danger when you see results like Bayern Munich on Tuesday night. You
39:51see that 9-2-1. You think you could have a real discrepancy between top and bottom which is almost
39:57what they had set out to avoid doing. You wanted to have more competitive games. So yeah, I think
40:02it'll be interesting just to see how it plays out. And it does give teams maybe in the more middle
40:07section of the table I feel like. A wee bit more of a chance, give them more competitive games
40:11against teams maybe equally matched to them. Yeah, I think it suits clubs like Celtic. I think
40:17when you go into the draw on your third seed or fourth seed you might run into Man City and PSG
40:23or Atletico and Real Madrid. You have no chance of finishing the top two effectively. So
40:27this is a better competition, a better avenue for clubs like Celtic to maybe get a knockout game
40:34and get in the knockout stages. They've obviously had a very favourable draw which we've all spoke
40:39about but I do think it's more refreshing than the same 16 teams in the last 16 every year.
40:47I think you might see some different teams maybe in the mix because of the way it's worked out
40:53and the way the new layout is. Yeah, roughly as I'm saying it's fresh, it's new. We don't have the
40:58groups because a few seasons ago Newcastle were lumped with Man City, Dortmund and AC Milan and
41:03you could already kind of guess how that was going to end. Yeah, it's changed now. It's fresh, it's
41:08something new. I watched the highlights, an hour and a half of highlights, I think it was a half
41:13ten. It was fantastic. Some of the games, the goals that were scored, the excitement, the
41:18full stadiums and everything, the big teams, the big names that you don't get a chance to see.
41:23I think it's good. I agree with Tam. I think it'll be the usual suspects will come through at the
41:28end of the day because they've got the best players. But I think the other teams that are
41:33in that middle bit will want to be up there. So I think we've got a lot of exciting games.
41:39What a goalless draw against Atalanta in Arsenal. A double David Raya save though,
41:43rough save, fantastic save. Ever pull one off like that in your career?
41:46No, a double. No, a double.
41:48If I ever caught one, I caught it. I never gave them another chance.
41:55Ali, Atalanta look to a tough outfit, Celtic need to face them of course in a couple of weeks
41:59where the competition just steps up another level.
42:01Yeah, absolutely. I think the next three games for Celtic will be particularly testing. I think
42:08the standard of opposition will go up significantly from what they faced on
42:12Wednesday. I think they know that. I think they'll be prepared for it.
42:15Interesting to see just how they compare and compete and what they can do in these next
42:21couple of games.
42:22Were you expecting a wee bit more from either side there, Tam, Atalanta-Arsenal?
42:25I think Arsenal are quite stodgy under Teta. You've seen the game against Tottenham,
42:31it was probably very similar. They scored by a set piece, they didn't really create anything.
42:35They're very hard to break down. It's like the Arsenal of old under George Graham,
42:38winning games 1-0 or keeping clean sheets. They're not really free-flowing, but a decent
42:43result for Arsenal. Atalanta obviously won the Europa League last season, very, very strong side.
42:50There wasn't many 0-0s, you're going to speak about that one in a minute,
42:52but she was only two involved in the English teams. I think a draw was probably a fair result.
42:58Another goalless draw was Tam Mendy this week on various shows, but he's talking about...
43:02I think it does catch up. I think there is an argument to say that there's probably...
43:12...say, oh, come on, you're getting paid...
43:16...amounts that people could only dream about, but I think it does have a physical effect.
43:22A mental effect. I think you see a better quality of game when you've got players who are
43:28well-rested and have had an opportunity to recuperate, I do think. I think the Euros
43:32was a classic example of it. I think there were a lot of players that maybe were just a bit under
43:37par, just going into it in the back of a fairly long season. But I don't see a solution coming
43:41any time soon because what you'll see is the calendar actually ramping up a bit. You're
43:48going to have the Club World Cup next year, too, to add into it. I think it's going to become the
43:54standard that you're almost looking at 50 games, possibly 60 games a season. I think the problem,
44:00the big players think if they play too many games, they pick up injuries,
44:04and if they pick up injuries, they're out for two or three months.
44:09At the end of the day, if you pick up an injury...
44:13I do think it's quite notable. If you have a World Cup or a European Championships,
44:17and players don't get a proper break, I think sometimes you see it maybe hit November,
44:22December, January, that you see players out injured and picking up small
44:26knocks. It's just maybe the fact that you've then been going for almost 18 months
44:30that you start to see the wear and tear. Is Rodri's argument, maybe Tam's as well,
44:34that playing for a club like Man City, the demand of the standard needs to be
44:38at 100% all the time? How can you do that if you're playing 60 odds?
44:43I mean, he's obviously playing with European champions for club and country, really.
44:50He's a top player for them. He's expected to play every game and expected to win every game,
44:54Man City, Spain. So, yeah, I get it in terms of wear and tear and tiredness sets in, but
45:02I just think if you're a football player, I would rather have just played games. A lot of these
45:06players will just be coming in, recovering, recovery session, massage, out and playing again.
45:11So, there will not be a lot of training getting done in terms of physical training.
45:15So, for me, just get on with it, Rodri. He's already moaned about Scotland anyway,
45:19so I'm not having these moans again. I'm a top player, right enough.
45:23Right, just get on with it then, that's your advice.
45:25Right, OK, before we finish up, in this day and age, football just isn't about the 90 minutes
45:29for fans. Clubs provide hospitality before and after games. Blake and I were out at
45:33Hibernian Football Club to see what they had to offer behind the scenes.
45:42Here at Hibernian Football Club today, we're here ahead of Hibs against Johnstone in the Scottish
45:46Premiership and we're going to capture what the club has to offer in providing fans with that
45:50perfect matchday experience. When you're dealing with somebody who's paid £250 for a season to
45:59£25,000 and everything in between, there are challenges here, but it's all in the planning.
46:06Oh yeah, it's first class. Really, it's first class. Everywhere you go, the stadium has
46:10changed completely. I remember it was a fire above all on a cold winter's day, standing on
46:18the terraces. But this, the club's moved on. We're really thankful that our fans have bought
46:24into it. I really enjoy the matchday experience and hopefully, it will mean that we can get some
46:29results on the pitch.
46:37We put money in for this hospitality and we know that the money that we put in was invested in the
46:43playing staff as well. So, it's a win-win.
46:46Changed days now, Ruffey. As Pat Stanton was saying, there was a pint of Bovril in his day.
46:50Yes, there certainly was a pint of Bovril when I was there as well. The stadium is magnificent.
46:55We've all been in it. It's just a breath of fresh air. It's modern. I was telling Ali there that the
47:02directors and the owner have a special VIP room that you can go in and have a chat with the
47:07directors and the owner. It's just nothing that will happen at many clubs. So, they're opening
47:13the American ideas. They're opening themselves up to the fans. Obviously, if they get beat after
47:18the game, they'll go get in. How many glasses of that red wine that you've had before you go in.
47:26They've changed behind the goal as well. They've turned it into a sort of a hospitality bar
47:31area. So, everything's geared. It's like America. It's just the American way. The fans come in.
47:38It's a day. It's not just the 90 minutes during the game. It's before the game. It's after the
47:43game. I think that's what we want to see. In terms of all the different levels of time that
47:46they can provide to fans. You've got your top end. You can go to the bar. It's great to help
47:50the fans with that. No, it is. As I said, they've done a fantastic job. They've spent a lot of money
47:54on the hospitality. Obviously, when I was there, it was just concourses. It was like, as you said,
48:00a pie and a bovver or a slice of pizza. You can still get that if you want. You can still get
48:04that if you just want to go to the game and pick up a pie and a bovver. But, if you want to have
48:09a full sit-down meal experience, then you can go into one of the suites. There's top quality food,
48:14top quality chefs. As I said, everything off the park at Hibbs is great. The main thing for me is
48:20sorting it on the park. If they do that, then you're going to have a club doing well off the
48:25park and on the park. You're going to have a real strong club. That was an interesting point,
48:29sorry, Ruffy, that a lot of the fans had made. They're quite happy for the club to invest in
48:32this side of things because it brings in revenue and then, of course, they can put it onto the
48:36pitch. Yes, as long as they see it getting put onto the pitch. As long as they see a better
48:39quality of player coming in and it's their money that's helping that. But, I think you're still
48:43going to have... Fans like to see young players coming through and Tam keeps raving about all
48:48these young players and they're not getting a game. But, fans buy into that as well. If one
48:54player comes out of the academy and he manages to get into the team, it's all a collective thing
48:59that they're enjoying what they're seeing. I don't know if you get upstairs to see the
49:04big lounge upstairs. The Emerald Suite we did, yes. You just get in there if you're a Hall of
49:08Famer. As long as there's so many players. Lovely, Tam, you should.
49:14That one hits our socials at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Blair and I get in to see all stages of
49:19hospitality that Hibs have to offer. That brings us to the end of the show. Thanks to Ruffy,
49:23thanks to Tam and Ali. For myself, Kerry Pollock, thanks for watching.

Recommended