Ziggy & Ali - Worth a Scotland Cap?

[glenthedog]

With Scotland failing once again to qualify for a major championship, and the squad beginning to age, do you think it's time for Strachan to undertake a rebuild process in certain areas? I'm assuming Strachan will organise a few friendly games, and based on age (and in some cases performance) I'd say the following are the guys that may be up for replacement over the next three years in the lead up to the 2018 World Cup:

Alan Hutton
Darren Fletcher
Shaun Maloney
James Morrison
Scott Brown

I went to some of the qualifying games and our biggest failure was a lack of quality in defence that stopped us from seeing out games. Although Alan Hutton brings a lot in attack, he can't defend (neither can Robertson). Would Ziggy be worth a shot in a friendly game to see if he can hack it at international level? As for Ali, possibly worth a try in the Morrison role?

In reality Strachan will never pick them whilst they play for Accies, but out of the two I'd say Ziggy could replace Hutton and do a good job (and would bring a lot more defensive quality).

[Whiskeytown]

It's maybe now time to do what John Toshack did in his last spell as Wales manager, as detailed by Dean Saunders on Goals on Sunday recently. After continuous failure, he decided they couldn't go on making the same mistakes over and over so decided to blood a lot of young players, let them make their mistakes and if it meant sacrificing two or three campaigns, so be it. They are now reaping the benefits of that policy. Helps to have a Bale and a Ramsay of course but we have some very promising youngsters coming through like Gauld and Christie. An older manager could get away with trying this but I doubt a young one would fancy doing it. We have an older manager but I'll be amazed if it even dawns on him. For me, I'd have at least four players under 22 in each squad and aim to play at least one from the start. Andy Robertson was a start but as you say, he has a lot to learn defensively. Hopefully Strachan will persevere with him. Rather him than Mulgrew who is never a left back or Whittaker who is struggling every week at Norwich.

As for Ali and Ziggy, I said last season Ali was worth a call up. We have a habit of overly talking up the abilities of the anglos and talking down the abilities of the home grown players. Is Ali not worth a call up ahead of Barry Bannen, admittedly absent recently, who can never seem to nail down a place with any side? We don't have many midfielders who can score great goals with either foot. Ziggy I'm not so sure about. Still a decent player but finding the Premiership a bit harder than the First. Should have had U21 caps though like Devlin but overlooked for Celtic reserves like Findlay.

[accies1874]

Ziggy's been way off the boil since his injury. Before that (during our brilliant run) I reckon him and Devlin were full value for a call-up as maybe Crawford too. Now neither deserve one, in my opinion. How Ziggy and Devlin were overlooked at under 21 level is beyond me.

[glenthedog]

Thanks guys, good posts, and probably agree about Ziggy - just can't think of any decent young Scottish right backs at the moment kicking about at SPFL or EPL/Championship level (perhaps only Callum Paterson @ Hearts at a push). We have a serious dearth of talent at centre half as well, as although Martin and Hanley are decent players and still relatively young for centre halves, they simply can't cut it against the better teams. I would have thought Grant Hanley might have had some interest shown in him from EPL level, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

I'm not sure about Mulgrew and some of the Celtic fans at work reckon his lack of pace makes him a poor choice at centre half. In an ideal world Danny Wilson would have made a decent option if he'd made it at Liverpool, but I'm not sure about him now but it's still possible he could fulfil his potential. I agree about Devlin pre-injury, some of his form was excellent and he would have deserved a cap. Not heard much about Gauld recently, heard that Sporting might want to punt him on loan, and he doesn't seem to be making any progress to the A squad over there.

Perhaps by 2020 we might be looking at the following:

Bain

Paterson Findlay Wilson Robertson

Telfer Christie Crawford Souttar

Gauld

Griffiths

Striker is a tricky one, lots of promising midfielders but few strikers or defenders.

[Whiskeytown]

It is concerning that we don't seem to bringing through many keepers, defenders and strikers of a high standard. Even at Accies, it's been mainly midfielders with a few defenders like Ziggy and Devlin. Perhaps the common Scottish physique plays a part, boys of a smaller build would tend to naturally become midfielders and the giants become rugby players!

Not sure about that 2020 team glen. Had to have a think who Telfer was, take it you mean Charlie Telfer but he can't even get into the United team and they are dire. I haven't really seen much of Findlay, except in the 10-2 game when he was as dire as the rest of them, but he has been in and out of the Killie team so far. Devlin is two years older and I don't see why he can't get a chance if he can get back into the team, not a given just now. I like Jamie Walker of Hearts and Ryan Fraser of Bournemouth on loan just now, and injured, at Ipswich. Liam Henderson of Celtic, getting game time now at Hibs is said to be different class in the Championship and has already experienced football abroad on loan in Norway. I have high hopes for him.

[glenthedog]

I guess Armstrong and McKay-Steven might also make the list for 2020, and I wouldn't rule out Jack Harper at Brighton just yet either. But few defenders, especially centre halves.

[AlanHutcheson]

Ali is a class act. He took longer to educate himself than the 2 James', and would lose possession in some horrendous places, but ( honest) I always said that he was a player.

[Hooper]

Ali I fear will have to move to a more 'fashionable' club before he gets a shot but I also feel ziggy has fallen away a little but as someone has already said there is a lack of good fullbacks about now also as already said can't believe they haven't played with u21 etc but surely should have been involved there at somepoint

[H9crx]

The SFA would never have a accies player in the team or many non old firm players from the spfl. But why not look at McGovern and the Kilmarnock boy doing the business.

I think it is time that the SFA try's some SPFL players, you never know they may be able to go to daddy teams and win un like the EPL superstars who can't get motivated for a game in .............. Add in any daddy team who have taken points from us since 1998.

[Max MacDonald]

No

[Happy Clapper]

Could the ADMIN please put this nonsense into the time wasters bit. Ziggy is Polish ffs and Ali is shite. Do these folk go to games?