Croatia

[deecom]

How can a small nation like Croatia , with a smaller population than Scotland, produce such good players ?

The Scotland team struggles at international level, it has to be down to our coaching and mentality.
I watch a lot of Academy games, and the emphasis seems to be on winning, and the physical side of the game,
rather than ball control first touch, dribbling skills etc.

watcing the World cup games, i am glad Scotland failed to qualify, think it would have been embarrassing.

[Returnofrros]

How can a small nation like Croatia , with a smaller population than Scotland, produce such good players ?

The Scotland team struggles at international level, it has to be down to our coaching and mentality.
I watch a lot of Academy games, and the emphasis seems to be on winning, and the physical side of the game,
rather than ball control first touch, dribbling skills etc.

watcing the World cup games, i am glad Scotland failed to qualify, think it would have been embarrassing.

Genetics.......wee Gordon.

Pride......having come thru what they have they believe they are actually representing their people.

Scotland .....a large minority aren't really interested in "national" or should that be "nationalist" team.

On a wee side note .......our see you Jimmy it's all about the party and orphanage building seems to be catching......a lot of countries fans it's about the fancy dress.

Some notable differences are Croatia, Argentina, Serbia and Germans where it still seems to be about the football.......even England now it's more about jingoistic nationalism ( and rammy/party/drink chucking after) rather than football.

But short answer pride in representing a small nation, Uruguay seem the same although they are sleekit *******s to be fair.

[Deeranged]

Back in the day Scottish youngsters honed their skills playing kicky aff the wa' and dribbling, shooting, keepy up etc etc in the backies with a tennis ball. Scottish players were amongst the best in the world, we had Baxter, Steel, Johnstone, Dalglish the list goes on.

For too long they taking young players that showed any promise (promise often being looking like they might get to six feet in height) at around the age of 9 / 10 and putting them into 'academies' where were taught how to pull jerseys, feign injury, dive, meet the ball with the head rather than control it and were taught to be hard and play the pass rather than take the ball in and own it. They bulked them out which often resulted in them losing the mobility that some of the Scottish greats had. There was a time when every side had plenty skilful and exciting players on the field at the same time, now we might see two or three per squad.

I now see some smaller and more skilful Scottish players start to come through but only really at clubs like ours and below. The bigger clubs (OF, Hearts, Aberdeen) still, generally, look abroad for skill and to Scottish players for height, toughness and workrate. Of course there are exceptions before a certain person responds.

With things like small sided games and restricted heading training being introduced maybe we will see future youngsters being encouraged more toward pace, mobility and control which might in turn get us toward the Croatia type side - maybe.

[Deeranged]

Genetics.......wee Gordon.

Pride......having come thru what they have they believe they are actually representing their people.

Scotland .....a large minority aren't really interested in "national" or should that be "nationalist" team.

On a wee side note .......our see you Jimmy it's all about the party and orphanage building seems to be catching......a lot of countries fans it's about the fancy dress.

Some notable differences are Croatia, Argentina, Serbia and Germans where it still seems to be about the football.......even England now it's more about jingoistic nationalism ( and rammy/party/drink chucking after) rather than football.

But short answer pride in representing a small nation, Uruguay seem the same although they are sleekit *******s to be fair.

Interesting few comments. I don't take much interest in the national side partly because it's depressing enough being a fan of a flawed club like Dundee without following another flawed side that's followed by people who don't represent what I see Scotland as.

Kilts and Jimmy hats, dancing pished in squares, singing One ManWent To Mow and pretending everyone loves me just aren't for me. I'm a total c u n t and proud to be one.

[Returnofrros]

Back in the day Scottish youngsters honed their skills playing kicky aff the wa' and dribbling, shooting, keepy up etc etc in the backies with a tennis ball. Scottish players were amongst the best in the world, we had Baxter, Steel, Johnstone, Dalglish the list goes on.

For too long they taking young players that showed any promise (promise often being looking like they might get to six feet in height) at around the age of 9 / 10 and putting them into 'academies' where were taught how to pull jerseys, feign injury, dive, meet the ball with the head rather than control it and were taught to be hard and play the pass rather than take the ball in and own it. They bulked them out which often resulted in them losing the mobility that some of the Scottish greats had. There was a time when every side had plenty skilful and exciting players on the field at the same time, now we might see two or three per squad.

I now see some smaller and more skilful Scottish players start to come through but only really at clubs like ours and below. The bigger clubs (OF, Hearts, Aberdeen) still, generally, look abroad for skill and to Scottish players for height, toughness and workrate. Of course there are exceptions before a certain person responds.

With things like small sided games and restricted heading training being introduced maybe we will see future youngsters being encouraged more toward pace, mobility and control which might in turn get us toward the Croatia type side - maybe.

Imagine some of those players with the protection offered now by change in tackling rules.

Probably a cple of generations too early.

We may have struggled for cultured centre backs though.😆

[Returnofrros]

Interesting few comments. I don't take much interest in the national side partly because it's depressing enough being a fan of a flawed club like Dundee without following another flawed side that's followed by people who don't represent what I see Scotland as.

Kilts and Jimmy hats, dancing pished in squares, singing One ManWent To Mow and pretending everyone loves me just aren't for me. I'm a total c u n t and proud to be one.

Ages since I've been to a Scotland game, maybe 20 odd years........my judgement of the "tartan army" may be clouded by what I see on BBC and stv who seem to love all the nonsense........very rarely do you here a presenter asking about tactics, team selection etc more about " the fans seem to be enjoying themselves" occasionally ask for a score prediction which is usually 3 4 or 5 zip Scotland as beer does what beer does.

There maybe lots of travelling fans that are so interested in Scotland they are just desperate for a win........I compare it to the 600 or 700 hundred Dee's up at ICT all desperate for a win cause we are fans, stupidly probably, but still fans.

[davydook]

How can a small nation like Croatia , with a smaller population than Scotland, produce such good players ?

The Scotland team struggles at international level, it has to be down to our coaching and mentality.
I watch a lot of Academy games, and the emphasis seems to be on winning, and the physical side of the game,
rather than ball control first touch, dribbling skills etc.

watcing the World cup games, i am glad Scotland failed to qualify, think it would have been embarrassing.

The Largs Mafia, The "Glasgow" Scottish Football Association and the introduction 10 team "Premier League in the seventies those three factors in my opinion are the root cause of the problem.

[davydook]

Back in the day Scottish youngsters honed their skills playing kicky aff the wa' and dribbling, shooting, keepy up etc etc in the backies with a tennis ball. Scottish players were amongst the best in the world, we had Baxter, Steel, Johnstone, Dalglish the list goes on.

For too long they taking young players that showed any promise (promise often being looking like they might get to six feet in height) at around the age of 9 / 10 and putting them into 'academies' where were taught how to pull jerseys, feign injury, dive, meet the ball with the head rather than control it and were taught to be hard and play the pass rather than take the ball in and own it. They bulked them out which often resulted in them losing the mobility that some of the Scottish greats had. There was a time when every side had plenty skilful and exciting players on the field at the same time, now we might see two or three per squad.

I now see some smaller and more skilful Scottish players start to come through but only really at clubs like ours and below. The bigger clubs (OF, Hearts, Aberdeen) still, generally, look abroad for skill and to Scottish players for height, toughness and workrate. Of course there are exceptions before a certain person responds.

With things like small sided games and restricted heading training being introduced maybe we will see future youngsters being encouraged more toward pace, mobility and control which might in turn get us toward the Croatia type side - maybe.

Apparently Martin O'neil, when manager of Celtic, would not sign anyone under six foot

[thegen65]

Kilts and Jimmy hats, dancing pished in squares, singing One ManWent To Mow and pretending everyone loves me just aren't for me.

Exactly this. Oh and that doh a feckin deer song cringe cringe cringe.

[deecom]

when Scottish teams play in europe,the pundits always praise the opposition for being technically gifted,
but not many players are born technically gifted, it comes back to the type of coaching and being able to read the game.
look at LUKA MODRIC, 37 years of age,still controlling games at club and international levels, and small in stature, was outstanding against
Celtic recently.
Regarding players over six foot 13 inches,remember we played a friendly against WOLVES a few years ago,
Wolves played first half with all players over 6ft.
2nd half with an entirely different eleven, out of the 22 players, only one was under 6ft, think Mick Mcarthy was the manager.