Stephen Robinson Exclusive | VAR Chaos, Celtic's Power, Aberdeen's Final Push & Why He Wants a 14-Team League. PLUS Scottish Cup Fallout: Celtic vs St Johnstone – Total Domination and Crtichley UNDER PRESSURE.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: / @plzsoccer
In this must-watch PLZ Soccer episode, Stephen Robinson joins Peter Martin, Alan Rough, and Tam McManus for a wide-ranging, insightful, and at times fiery discussion on the state of Scottish football. From Celtic’s thrashing of St Johnstone to the chaos of VAR, and Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup final run.
🍀 Celtic vs St Johnstone – Total Domination
Alan Rough and the panel break down Celtic’s semi-final masterclass, praising Callum McGregor and discussing the tactical impact of Brendan Rodgers.
The Football Show Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:07 Stephen Robinson on St Mirren Top Six Success
Stephen Robinson reflects on achieving top six three years in a row, the club’s progress, and why the team celebrated.
00:04:10 Unexpected Setbacks at St Mirren
Discussion of dealing with incidents involving players like Shaun Rooney, Kevin van Veen, and Jaden Brown—how the club managed crisis.
00:07:11 Celtic vs St Johnstone Semi-Final Reaction
Alan Rough and the panel analyse Celtic’s dominance, Valakari’s setup, and tactical breakdown post first goal.
00:09:04 Callum McGregor Celtic Influence
Praise for McGregor’s intelligence, tempo control, and the difficulty of nullifying his role as Celtic’s heartbeat. Robinson and Tam discuss whether it’s realistic to man-mark McGregor and what it opens up.
00:12:32 Simo Valakari on St Johnstone Relegation
Valakari’s belief in his players despite relegation pressure, and praise for his implementation of style.
00:16:00 Transfer Budget Constraints at St Mirren
Stephen Robinson outlines St Mirren’s prudent approach, limited squad size, and how top six doesn't drastically change the budget.
00:18:00 St Mirren Recruitment Strategy & Analytics
St Mirren’s use of one full-time scout (Martin Foyle), data tools, and heavy reliance on character vetting over analytics.
00:21:00 Social Media & Football Player Behaviour
Humorous stories about players being photographed jokingly holding “Robbo Out” signs, and how off-field conduct is monitored.
00:23:00 Adam Idah Drunk & Player Freedom
Robinson backs Rodgers’ stance on letting players enjoy social lives—as long as they deliver on the pitch.
00:24:04 Aberdeen vs Hearts VAR Controversy
Panel debate Neil Critchley’s frustration with referee John Beaton and key decisions in the game. Robinson reveals St Mirren are top of the VAR error league table and have received three official apologies for second yellows.
00:27:55 Full-Time Scottish Referees
Strong argument from Robinson on why full-time referees are essential to improving VAR decisions in Scotland.
00:30:29 Impact of VAR on St Mirren’s Season
Robinson admits frustration at points dropped due to bad calls, but credits the team for focusing on what they can control.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: / @plzsoccer
In this must-watch PLZ Soccer episode, Stephen Robinson joins Peter Martin, Alan Rough, and Tam McManus for a wide-ranging, insightful, and at times fiery discussion on the state of Scottish football. From Celtic’s thrashing of St Johnstone to the chaos of VAR, and Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup final run.
🍀 Celtic vs St Johnstone – Total Domination
Alan Rough and the panel break down Celtic’s semi-final masterclass, praising Callum McGregor and discussing the tactical impact of Brendan Rodgers.
The Football Show Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:07 Stephen Robinson on St Mirren Top Six Success
Stephen Robinson reflects on achieving top six three years in a row, the club’s progress, and why the team celebrated.
00:04:10 Unexpected Setbacks at St Mirren
Discussion of dealing with incidents involving players like Shaun Rooney, Kevin van Veen, and Jaden Brown—how the club managed crisis.
00:07:11 Celtic vs St Johnstone Semi-Final Reaction
Alan Rough and the panel analyse Celtic’s dominance, Valakari’s setup, and tactical breakdown post first goal.
00:09:04 Callum McGregor Celtic Influence
Praise for McGregor’s intelligence, tempo control, and the difficulty of nullifying his role as Celtic’s heartbeat. Robinson and Tam discuss whether it’s realistic to man-mark McGregor and what it opens up.
00:12:32 Simo Valakari on St Johnstone Relegation
Valakari’s belief in his players despite relegation pressure, and praise for his implementation of style.
00:16:00 Transfer Budget Constraints at St Mirren
Stephen Robinson outlines St Mirren’s prudent approach, limited squad size, and how top six doesn't drastically change the budget.
00:18:00 St Mirren Recruitment Strategy & Analytics
St Mirren’s use of one full-time scout (Martin Foyle), data tools, and heavy reliance on character vetting over analytics.
00:21:00 Social Media & Football Player Behaviour
Humorous stories about players being photographed jokingly holding “Robbo Out” signs, and how off-field conduct is monitored.
00:23:00 Adam Idah Drunk & Player Freedom
Robinson backs Rodgers’ stance on letting players enjoy social lives—as long as they deliver on the pitch.
00:24:04 Aberdeen vs Hearts VAR Controversy
Panel debate Neil Critchley’s frustration with referee John Beaton and key decisions in the game. Robinson reveals St Mirren are top of the VAR error league table and have received three official apologies for second yellows.
00:27:55 Full-Time Scottish Referees
Strong argument from Robinson on why full-time referees are essential to improving VAR decisions in Scotland.
00:30:29 Impact of VAR on St Mirren’s Season
Robinson admits frustration at points dropped due to bad calls, but credits the team for focusing on what they can control.
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00:00Welcome to the football show on PLZ Soccer's YouTube and our special guest St Mowen, Boston.
00:00:20I'm excited to have your panel and give us all the support over the course of the season. Here's what's coming up.
00:00:50The things we'll be talking about, great to have Stephen with us and great for you to be able to walk around Paisley as if you're kingpin because you're in the top six.
00:01:13I actually walk around Kilmornock and get hammered, so that's a problem. No, it's been a good week. It's been an enjoyable week.
00:01:20Yeah, punching well above your weight, and I know you'll play it down, but to get it three years in the trot is some going.
00:01:27Yeah, I think when, I'm not sure who told me, it was us, Rangers and Celtic that have been the only consistent top six sides.
00:01:34That probably puts it into perspective a little bit more. I know we took a little bit of stick for Celebrate, but we got a lot of stick for it.
00:01:41But success is all relative, and for St Mowen to do that three years in a row after not being in it for 40 years,
00:01:48I think it's a special achievement from the group of players and all the staff involved, the backroom staff that don't get credit,
00:01:54you know, the groundsmen, everybody working long, long hours to make the club go forward.
00:01:58I was going to pick you up on that point because Callum Davison always, we discussed it when Queen's Park defeated Rangers,
00:02:06and Callum Davison said, no, celebrate. You know, this is once 25 years, once in 100 years.
00:02:13Rangers, you've knocked him out of the cup. Yes, we are going to celebrate.
00:02:16And I think, you know, you know what it's like nowadays. Everybody looks for that little negative angle on it.
00:02:22Your boys should have celebrated.
00:02:23Yeah, definitely. You know, and I think it's been well-documented now over the last week about the problems that we face throughout the season.
00:02:29And that was the reason I described it as my biggest achievement, because it was things you don't learn in any course.
00:02:35There's no management course that teaches you how to deal with the situations that we had.
00:02:38We don't have a magic wand of money to fix it.
00:02:40So you're battling through and just concentrating on the group of players that are available and doing their very best.
00:02:45And to see them week in, week out, and we had bad runs during the season, we had good runs during the season.
00:02:52And to see them have that character, even at 2-all, to still find a way to win the game, I was delighted for them.
00:02:57And people think, I don't do that there normally.
00:03:02Every game we celebrate, and every game we celebrate like that in the dressing room.
00:03:05And they've not actually shown actually the footage afterwards.
00:03:08The boys were going crazy.
00:03:09But they do it after every win, because you don't know when it's your last game.
00:03:12You don't know when you're going to get injured.
00:03:14And I've got a story about Teossi Olasanya as well.
00:03:16I can tell you later on about a perfect example of it.
00:03:19But enjoy the moment, enjoy the moment, because you don't know when it's going to come back round again.
00:03:23Yeah, absolutely. I think you're 100% correct.
00:03:26Celebrate those moments, especially when you're going over the course of the season.
00:03:30We've had Stephen in before, talking about those runs when it's going against you, and everybody's on your case.
00:03:35Yeah, I think particularly now, managers seem to be three or four games from a crisis, under pressure.
00:03:40And you've seen it all season.
00:03:41There's not really been clubs where they're real consistent on a form.
00:03:44Aberdeen at the start, then they hit a bad run.
00:03:45Hibs had a bad run at the start.
00:03:47So did Hearts.
00:03:48I think St Myrna have obviously had a pretty poor start, but then had that consistency once they were out of Europe and got some players back.
00:03:55But yeah, absolutely.
00:03:56I think for St Myrna, they've been the top six.
00:03:58I've played against St Myrna a couple of times in the Championship.
00:04:00You know, and for the top six, three seasons in a row is fantastic for the club.
00:04:05Yeah, you talk about runs, Stephen, where you suddenly, you're the one manager who treats the success of a run and the bad runs with the same disdain.
00:04:15You know, you don't get caught up in the moment of it.
00:04:18How do you deal with the situation?
00:04:19I mean, I'm looking, you're talking about games.
00:04:22I'm looking at Sean Rooney, Kevin Van Veen, Jadon Brown.
00:04:25Those are things that come out of left field that you don't expect.
00:04:28But are those the things that you still stick in your mind and say, look, I might have things like that to deal with that can derail us?
00:04:36I didn't think I'd have three of them to deal with, I have to say.
00:04:39And three of them within, I think it was a three-week period.
00:04:42So usually probably in your management career, you get one situation like that.
00:04:45And it was a really tough situation for everybody, for the board to make decisions.
00:04:49For Keith, it was Keith's first, I think, first year as chief executive as well.
00:04:55So, you know, you've got to make all those decisions.
00:04:57And for the players as well, you know, there's a personal element to that as well.
00:05:01Everyone makes mistakes in life.
00:05:03And we've had to deal with it.
00:05:04And I think everyone's looking at you, the leader, and you walk in in the morning,
00:05:08and the players are looking to see your reaction to it and your take on it.
00:05:11And you just have to, as you say, try and treat everything the same.
00:05:14As much as in the background, it might be crazy, you've got to remain calm
00:05:18and try and deal with the situation as best you can.
00:05:20And the only way to do that is focus on what you can control.
00:05:23And we did, the only thing we can control is the football pitch, team selection, fitness.
00:05:28You know, our standards on the pitch.
00:05:30So I tried to solely focus on that.
00:05:32And I have to say the board were very good with me on that.
00:05:34You know, and Keith Gillespie, Gillespie, Keith Gillespie, Keith Lasley.
00:05:39Keith Lasley wishes he was Keith Gillespie, actually,
00:05:41because he never had Keith Gillespie's pace.
00:05:44And Jim Gillespie as well, obviously, for leading the board and making them decisions.
00:05:49And they took it out of my hands.
00:05:50I was told, concentrate on football.
00:05:51And I was able to do that and deal with the players in front of me.
00:05:54Did you feel a little personal responsibility, though?
00:05:56Because I would totally and utterly get why you bring certain players in.
00:06:00Because you think sometimes the train stops with a bit of opportunity
00:06:04at a player that might be a standard above what you can attract normally.
00:06:07Yeah, and I think all three players were.
00:06:10You know, we, I believe, if you've been at a football club for three years,
00:06:14something has to change.
00:06:15So whether the manager changes, which is the usual aspect of football,
00:06:18or you reinvent the squad and you reinvent your style,
00:06:21which I've done at Motherwell a couple of times.
00:06:22And we brought Kevin in because we thought we didn't think we knew
00:06:26what a goal scorer he was if we could get him right.
00:06:28You know, Jaden gave us more of a winger-type situation as wing-back
00:06:31instead of being quite rigid with her 3-5-2.
00:06:35And Sean, you know, was a proven SBFL player.
00:06:38He could get up and down, added lots of goals from that area of the pitch.
00:06:40So that was our freshness.
00:06:42Our freshness all of a sudden was gone.
00:06:44And you feel a personal thing to the players as well.
00:06:47You know, as you said, I brought them in.
00:06:49You couldn't write a book that would tell you
00:06:52these three things would all happen in one situation.
00:06:55But it's out of your control.
00:06:57You know, these things happen in life.
00:06:58They're young men.
00:06:59They make decisions.
00:07:00They make mistakes, right?
00:07:01Rightly or wrongly.
00:07:02And people have to make the decisions above me.
00:07:04And they did.
00:07:05And they were decisive with the decisions.
00:07:06And we handled it.
00:07:08Yeah, absolutely.
00:07:09It's going to be Celtic Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final.
00:07:12Ruffy, we looked at the two semi-finals.
00:07:15I don't think too many people fancied St. Johnson to get out of it
00:07:18without a spanking.
00:07:20He picked five.
00:07:21I picked four.
00:07:21How many did you go for?
00:07:22I was three, I think.
00:07:23Yeah.
00:07:24I mean, it was a tough call.
00:07:26He was talking about dreams.
00:07:28He was talking about miracles.
00:07:29Seymour Valakari prior to the game.
00:07:32In the end, they were dismantled in a very short space of time.
00:07:35Yeah, I think they dug in for a wee while.
00:07:37You know, I think it was 30-odd minutes or something like that.
00:07:39But you could see, I mean, Stephen, they're no better than us.
00:07:43The possession they have in the game with the ball.
00:07:45There was one stage, the two centre-halves, I think, were 30 yards for the St. Johnson goal.
00:07:51That's how much they had pressed up.
00:07:52They'd pressed the whole game into their bit.
00:07:55But as soon as the first goal went in, I think the writing was on the wall.
00:07:58But they dug in in the second half.
00:08:00So I think they'll have to take something out of the game with the games that are coming up.
00:08:03Yeah, Brendan Rodgers happy enough, obviously, to bounce back from that earlier defeat against
00:08:08St. Johnson in the league.
00:08:09We needed to respond from the St. Johnson game, which two weeks ago wasn't acceptable for our club.
00:08:16But the response of the players now, they've had two games done by half-time,
00:08:21but still showed the ambition to keep going.
00:08:24You know, it's a time of the season where the trophies are there.
00:08:28The supporters want it, we want it.
00:08:31But then it's about, you've got to perform.
00:08:33So, yeah, so we're into another final.
00:08:35That was the big ambition from today.
00:08:39And give us that opportunity against Aberdeen in a month or so's time.
00:08:42But now we go into a little sort of mini-league where we want to be the best in that little league.
00:08:50And that next game is done to United too and get the result to draw line onto the league.
00:08:57Yeah, Brendan Rodgers fairly happy with it.
00:08:59You will probably absolutely empathise and sympathise with Seymour Valakari
00:09:04because there is always a game plan in your mind as a manager of how you're going to come up against Celtic
00:09:09and how you try and thwart this constant possession they play.
00:09:13Yeah, what they do is they bore you down.
00:09:15You know, they're such a good side.
00:09:17They continually move the ball.
00:09:18And you can be set up very well defensively.
00:09:21But it is a matter of time before they break you down unless you have some sort of control in the game.
00:09:25And if you don't get that control or you don't get a break, so to speak, in possession of it,
00:09:30eventually there will be a mistake.
00:09:31Somebody will switch off.
00:09:32And that's what they're very good at.
00:09:33Their patience is incredible.
00:09:34And I think, you know, Callum McGregor just makes him tick.
00:09:37Everything that happens comes through him.
00:09:39He changes the tempo like that in the final third.
00:09:42And, you know, they've got players that are comfortable to be left 2v2.
00:09:44And when we've had any joy, it's been when we've hit them on the counter-attack
00:09:48or been able to buy passes and get a small bit of possession, which relieves the pressure.
00:09:52But eventually, and, you know, Seymour obviously had a game plan that worked for a period of time.
00:09:59But as you say, once they get the first goal, you've got to do something.
00:10:02You've got to try and come out, and once you come out, you leave yourself overexposed.
00:10:06With that in mind, I mean, you mentioned Callum McGregor there.
00:10:09How highly do you rate him?
00:10:11And how difficult is it for you to tell your players,
00:10:14here's a role that you've got to stop him dictating the pace of the game?
00:10:19It is difficult because subconsciously your players, you want them to press.
00:10:23We're a team that presses, and we press aggressively and high.
00:10:26But they, well, on occasions they've pressed where they don't believe they're going to win the ball.
00:10:30So you're running towards the ball without actually thinking you're going to win it,
00:10:33because there's too much respect.
00:10:35Rightly so because of the level, but you have to believe that you can take something out of it.
00:10:39We have taken Celtic very close on occasions, and it's been the last 15, 20 minutes,
00:10:44where they make subs and they bring four and five players on when you're tired.
00:10:47And they continue to be patient, continue to get the ball in behind you and break you down.
00:10:51So it is difficult. Convincing the players is the hardest bit,
00:10:55that they can actually affect the game and win the game.
00:10:59Sorry, I think it's difficult to ask, if you play too up front,
00:11:01a striker to drop into Callum McGregor and nullify him.
00:11:04I remember doing that with Barry Ferguson or a tetter at Rangers.
00:11:08You don't have a chase name about the whole game,
00:11:09and it's difficult for a player to have a discipline to go and do that as a striker.
00:11:13And that's probably what you've got to do with Callum McGregor.
00:11:14You've got to push one of your midfield players up and just sit on him,
00:11:16or you've got to drop one of your forwards in on him.
00:11:18So I think it's difficult to try and get someone who's got the discipline to go and do that in a game.
00:11:23I think Callum's clever enough as well.
00:11:25When you do actually go and mark him, he just takes you out of the game.
00:11:27So it's another man out of the game, a man less up front,
00:11:30or if it's a midfielder that you release,
00:11:32it's a man less where they expose you with their high eights as well.
00:11:35So they're a very good side, very technical side.
00:11:39They keep moving the ball until you tire.
00:11:42Simply, they move the ball until you tire, and it's difficult to play against.
00:11:45Yeah, and the captain himself has paid tribute to the manager, Brendan Rodgers,
00:11:49for his contribution to him as a player.
00:11:52Obviously, we made a chat before he came back,
00:11:55and that's what we were talking about,
00:11:57is trying to win as many trophies as we can.
00:11:59Be as dominant as we can, keep pushing the club.
00:12:02So we'd already had that conversation before he came back in,
00:12:05and absolutely, he's a manager that's done so much for my career
00:12:09and put so much trust and faith in me.
00:12:11So every time I go on the pitch, I try and repay that for him,
00:12:14and the best way to do that is by winning trophies.
00:12:17Is he the best midfielder you've seen in the country?
00:12:20Certainly since I've been here, yeah.
00:12:22Certainly, I don't think he's in any, for consistency as well, every game.
00:12:25And when he comes out of the Celtic team,
00:12:27as much as they have loads of talent to come in,
00:12:30they're not quite the same.
00:12:31They're not quite the same without him.
00:12:32Now, you are better placed than most for this bottom six situation,
00:12:38because St Johnstone obviously had that welcome respite of thinking about the cup,
00:12:43and as they keep getting past the stages to the semi-final,
00:12:47great credit to them.
00:12:48But suddenly, they're just adrift.
00:12:51But I don't think Simo Valakari has read the script on it.
00:12:53Have you been surprised by him,
00:12:55the way he's changed the way they set up,
00:12:57and the way they've actually managed to get a few results,
00:13:00and that nobody thought they would?
00:13:01Yeah, Simo's got a style,
00:13:03and he's gone in and tried to implement that,
00:13:05and that takes time.
00:13:06It takes a few windows to do that as well,
00:13:09and he's a really good guy.
00:13:11I think he's a character, a real positive character as well.
00:13:13So, you know, he'll believe it's a horrible situation down there.
00:13:17You know, our celebrations were relief as well,
00:13:19I can tell you,
00:13:20because you go on a bad run at this stage,
00:13:23and you lose two games,
00:13:24you're all playing each other.
00:13:25Anybody could get dragged into that.
00:13:27So, you know, Simo will still have hope with the players he has.
00:13:29You know, he's got players in the forward areas
00:13:31that I think are a real threat.
00:13:32I think the boys Sidibe,
00:13:34very like Olusanya in our team,
00:13:36where he can expose you in behind.
00:13:37So, they won't think they're out of it yet,
00:13:39and I'm certain the other teams above them won't ever.
00:13:42Yeah.
00:13:42Were you at that point,
00:13:44were you,
00:13:45obviously the relief you mentioned about getting into the top six,
00:13:48was there that element of thinking to yourself,
00:13:50if we don't get in there,
00:13:51you know, that whole six are automatically thinking,
00:13:54one's thinking,
00:13:55okay, St. Johnson are adrift,
00:13:56but the rest of them are looking and thinking,
00:13:58could we get dragged into that playoff?
00:14:02It's funny,
00:14:02like a point is a brilliant season,
00:14:06compared to what could be a disastrous season.
00:14:08You know,
00:14:08so football's a very,
00:14:10very strange game,
00:14:11and sometimes the narrative is so up and down,
00:14:14you know,
00:14:14from being under pressure now relegation-wise,
00:14:17it's an unbelievable three seasons in a row.
00:14:19So,
00:14:20I feel everybody's peeing in the bottom six,
00:14:23because everyone's going to be involved in it,
00:14:25there's going to be surprises,
00:14:27there's going to be surprise results,
00:14:28because the pressure is,
00:14:29that's real pressure,
00:14:30playing there for your livelihood,
00:14:32and the club's livelihood,
00:14:33is proper pressure,
00:14:35and I said that to our players,
00:14:36you know,
00:14:36playing Celtic,
00:14:37can re-injure his head,
00:14:37it's hard,
00:14:38it's Aberdeen,
00:14:38whatever it may be,
00:14:39that's not pressure.
00:14:40Pressure is when you're fighting for your life,
00:14:42in terms of keeping people in jobs.
00:14:44Yeah.
00:14:44I know you've gone on a number of shows,
00:14:47and you'll have been talking to journalists up and down the country,
00:14:50so I'm not going to be too faced about it,
00:14:52Stephen,
00:14:53I might as well tell you I went to Firth Park,
00:14:55thinking Hearts are going to do it,
00:14:57because,
00:14:57I mean,
00:14:59I watched them against United,
00:15:00they were poor,
00:15:02and then I watched them against Hearts,
00:15:03they have Shanklin on the bench,
00:15:05and I'm thinking,
00:15:07this game is dire,
00:15:08and then all of a sudden the whole thing switches towards you,
00:15:12were you aware of that,
00:15:13what was going on?
00:15:14I mean,
00:15:14your game was a belter.
00:15:15Yeah,
00:15:16no,
00:15:16I wasn't,
00:15:16I actually,
00:15:17our doc likes to be on the phone telling us everything that's going on,
00:15:19so I banned them,
00:15:20I said,
00:15:20no phones,
00:15:21I don't want to know anything,
00:15:22I said,
00:15:23win the game,
00:15:23for two reasons,
00:15:24the reasons we just spoke about,
00:15:25win the game,
00:15:26and we were practically safe.
00:15:27You know,
00:15:28with 41 points,
00:15:29it's unlikely that you're going to lose the next five games,
00:15:32and get relegated,
00:15:33so that was first and foremost,
00:15:34get the three points,
00:15:35you can relax and enjoy the rest of the season,
00:15:37so only when it went 3-2,
00:15:40did I turn around to Brian Carr and go,
00:15:42what's the score in the other game?
00:15:43And he was like,
00:15:44no,
00:15:44no,
00:15:45couple of minutes to go,
00:15:46so I think he said to me,
00:15:47five,
00:15:48and I thought,
00:15:48what hurts are winning five?
00:15:49He went,
00:15:49no,
00:15:50five minutes to go.
00:15:52Yeah,
00:15:52it was once that we knew we were winning,
00:15:55and it was still nil-nil,
00:15:56and their game finished,
00:15:57I believe,
00:15:57before ours,
00:15:58so it was just a matter of seeing the last two minutes out.
00:16:00Yeah,
00:16:00Simo Valakari still thinks St Johnson can avoid relegation.
00:16:04I see what my players can do with,
00:16:06but if we use this game,
00:16:08example,
00:16:09it's still there,
00:16:10what it affects us,
00:16:12we can do a lot of good things,
00:16:14but then our bad things are tracking us down,
00:16:17and they have been a long time there,
00:16:19and that's the thing what we need to fix it.
00:16:21If we can do that,
00:16:23I believe our level is good enough to compete,
00:16:26and to stay in this league.
00:16:28Of all of the teams,
00:16:29tough call.
00:16:30St Johnson will battle away.
00:16:32It's hard to pick the other five.
00:16:34Who's going to be in that play-off?
00:16:36You're not asking me that,
00:16:37are you?
00:16:39Genuinely,
00:16:39I couldn't give you an answer,
00:16:41because it could be anybody.
00:16:43You go on a little run,
00:16:45as I said,
00:16:45if you lose a couple of games now,
00:16:47panic sets in,
00:16:48fans' expectation,
00:16:49you know,
00:16:50Kilmarnock and Dundee
00:16:51were top six sides last year,
00:16:53you know,
00:16:53Hearts were a European side last year,
00:16:55so all of a sudden,
00:16:56fans get restless,
00:16:58and it puts a heck of a lot of pressure on the players.
00:17:01I've picked Ross County.
00:17:02Who did you pick, Ruffie?
00:17:03I picked Ross County as well.
00:17:05Sam?
00:17:05Yeah, I think Ross County as well.
00:17:07I think Dundee have got goals in them.
00:17:08I think they'll just,
00:17:09they'll scrape it.
00:17:09Come on up.
00:17:10Could be the other one,
00:17:11you're right.
00:17:11You know,
00:17:12a great season last season,
00:17:13and been disappointing this season,
00:17:14so,
00:17:15a bit interesting to see how Hearts approach it.
00:17:16Obviously,
00:17:17they'll be disappointed
00:17:17by getting power of the cup,
00:17:18and they've got Dundee,
00:17:19I believe,
00:17:19at home in the first game.
00:17:20I think if they win that,
00:17:21it'll be practically safe,
00:17:22but if they lose it,
00:17:23as Stephen says,
00:17:24they keep it dragging.
00:17:24Is it a big,
00:17:25big advantage when you come to the split,
00:17:26when they do that fixture list,
00:17:29three at home,
00:17:29two away,
00:17:30for the last five games?
00:17:32Yeah,
00:17:32I think so.
00:17:33We've got three at home as well.
00:17:36I mean,
00:17:37teams will obviously fancy themselves
00:17:38with their home crowd.
00:17:39Gives you a little bit more momentum as well,
00:17:41but also it gives more expectation.
00:17:42You know,
00:17:43if you're not,
00:17:44at certain clubs,
00:17:44you're not winning 2-0,
00:17:46but after half hour,
00:17:47then,
00:17:48you know,
00:17:48the expectation rises,
00:17:49and players are human beings,
00:17:50they feel the pressure,
00:17:52and certainly,
00:17:53I didn't want to be in it,
00:17:54and that's why we celebrated,
00:17:56as I said,
00:17:56and that's our whole narrative,
00:17:57was that the players,
00:17:58forget the top six,
00:17:59if we get the top six,
00:18:00it's a huge bonus for this football club,
00:18:02let's make sure we're in the division,
00:18:03which is our ultimate goal,
00:18:05when we start out at the start of the season.
00:18:06Would you budget for 10th,
00:18:07Stephen,
00:18:07at the start of the season,
00:18:09would the club budget for 10th?
00:18:10To be frank,
00:18:10I've said this to numerous people,
00:18:11because the club's run very prudently,
00:18:14you know,
00:18:14we only have,
00:18:15I think it's 1,300,
00:18:161,400 fans in the Smizer group,
00:18:18that owns the majority,
00:18:19so our budget's similar,
00:18:21it'll be one or two players,
00:18:23maybe,
00:18:23where you're able to,
00:18:24if you're top six,
00:18:25you might get one more player,
00:18:26you're able to pay two grand for,
00:18:28or,
00:18:28you know,
00:18:29if you're in the bottom six,
00:18:30you might not get that player,
00:18:31so it's not really,
00:18:32you can go and get another five players,
00:18:34four and five grand a week,
00:18:35so we knew roundabouts,
00:18:37what we had,
00:18:37which allowed us to speak to people,
00:18:39long before we knew what situation we were in.
00:18:40Here's a question for you then,
00:18:42everybody's obsessed by saying,
00:18:45oh,
00:18:45Hearts are going to be a really good force,
00:18:46because of Jamestown analytics,
00:18:49what are the analytics for St Mirren,
00:18:51is it manager goes to see player,
00:18:53is it Stephen Robinson goes to see player,
00:18:56and thinks he can control it,
00:18:57he's quite quick,
00:18:58I'll take him.
00:18:58No,
00:18:58I'll tell you what our analytics are,
00:19:00we've got one scout,
00:19:01one scout in the whole world,
00:19:02Martin Foyle,
00:19:03who is incredible,
00:19:04an incredible man,
00:19:05he does absolutely everything for me,
00:19:07and he produces players year on year,
00:19:11and upon the players we're fishing in,
00:19:12which is so,
00:19:13so small,
00:19:14you know,
00:19:14A,
00:19:14that want to come to Scotland,
00:19:16B,
00:19:16that nobody else wants most of the times,
00:19:18and we see small attributes in them,
00:19:19that we think we can make them better,
00:19:21so that's,
00:19:22we've got a couple of guys,
00:19:24who do it for free,
00:19:25in London,
00:19:26that we ask them to look,
00:19:27because London's like a whole,
00:19:28different area they get to,
00:19:29it takes three hours,
00:19:30they get everywhere,
00:19:31so that's about the extent of it,
00:19:33we've got some data stuff,
00:19:36in terms of Wisecout,
00:19:37and Huddle,
00:19:38but very,
00:19:39very limited of what we have,
00:19:40very limited.
00:19:41If Martin says to you,
00:19:42by the way,
00:19:43I know the type of player you like,
00:19:45this guy is it,
00:19:46you then take his word for it?
00:19:48No,
00:19:48I then go and watch.
00:19:49You go and watch him.
00:19:50I then go,
00:19:50and in every occasion,
00:19:52probably bar Keanu Bacchus,
00:19:54I couldn't get,
00:19:55obviously to Australia to see him,
00:19:56but I'd watch enough to see,
00:19:59you can't hide if somebody can run,
00:20:00you can't hide their enthusiasm,
00:20:02their quality on the ball,
00:20:03whatever it may be,
00:20:04so we took a little bit of a gamble,
00:20:06we Keanu after speaking to numerous people,
00:20:08so the way it would be,
00:20:09is one of my staff will go and watch first,
00:20:11and then I'll try and go and watch,
00:20:12somebody from the staff will have,
00:20:14will have seen them live,
00:20:15we'll use what data we can,
00:20:17we'll ask loads of different people in the game,
00:20:19their opinion and character,
00:20:20I think character is a big,
00:20:22big thing,
00:20:22that's a,
00:20:23I mean I'd love to have,
00:20:24I'd love to have Jamestown Analytics with us,
00:20:26to help us,
00:20:27but the bigger thing for me is,
00:20:29that's a filtering tool,
00:20:30so you can,
00:20:31you can identify players,
00:20:32that you've maybe never come across at all,
00:20:34the things that you probably can't see,
00:20:36or character,
00:20:37you know you can't see their character,
00:20:38you can't see what type of guy they are,
00:20:39and it's important to do,
00:20:40I believe combine both,
00:20:41if we had the opportunity to combine them both,
00:20:43it would certainly help our chances anyway.
00:20:45Yeah,
00:20:46see would they put it off your player,
00:20:47if you,
00:20:47if you watch a player and you thought,
00:20:48I really like him,
00:20:49and you phoned somebody,
00:20:50and they gave you a bad,
00:20:51review about him,
00:20:52to say he wasn't a great character,
00:20:53would that?
00:20:53Not necessarily just one,
00:20:56it depended,
00:20:57but it was somebody that I really trusted,
00:20:59and knew what I wanted,
00:21:00I would try and phone numerous people,
00:21:02because in football you fall out with people,
00:21:04you know,
00:21:04everybody takes everything in life personal now,
00:21:06and sometimes you've got to make decisions,
00:21:08so I'm sure there's plenty of people say,
00:21:09Stephen Robinson's not a nice guy,
00:21:11or whatever it is,
00:21:12and sometimes there's reasons behind it,
00:21:13so I think it's important,
00:21:14that you view it as a whole,
00:21:16and find as much information out,
00:21:18as you possibly,
00:21:19stupid things,
00:21:20you know,
00:21:21Martin will troll social media,
00:21:22and make sure,
00:21:24you know,
00:21:24what are they doing,
00:21:25what are they doing off the pitch,
00:21:26and things,
00:21:26you know,
00:21:27and are they married,
00:21:28and you know,
00:21:28have they got kids,
00:21:29are they settled,
00:21:30are they out in the Wonder Bar up in Glasgow,
00:21:33every night of the week,
00:21:33you have to do that research,
00:21:35because it does affect,
00:21:36you know,
00:21:37we can only run with a small squad,
00:21:39so every sign in,
00:21:40and you're going to get sign in wrong,
00:21:42whatever way you do it,
00:21:43people are spending millions,
00:21:44and getting sign in wrong,
00:21:45you know,
00:21:45we contrary to some reports,
00:21:47and newspapers,
00:21:48we don't pay six figures for players,
00:21:50and we didn't pay six figures,
00:21:51for Owen Asini,
00:21:53it's you know,
00:21:54small small fees,
00:21:55that you believe,
00:21:55you can chip away with,
00:21:56and make that potential,
00:21:57into a very good player,
00:21:59it's difficult,
00:22:00obviously because of the difference in time,
00:22:02and you don't have a DeLorean car,
00:22:03to go back the way,
00:22:04but I wonder,
00:22:05you know,
00:22:05when you look,
00:22:06and you see a great shot stopper,
00:22:07he's young,
00:22:09he's got blonde hair,
00:22:10looks good,
00:22:11but hangs about with Miss Worlds,
00:22:13and goes to parties,
00:22:15I wonder,
00:22:16would you have signed Robbie?
00:22:17I want 100%,
00:22:18I want 100%,
00:22:19Martin Foyle would have highly recommended him,
00:22:22I'm in trouble,
00:22:24what chances are you?
00:22:27Just as soon as you said it there,
00:22:30I thought,
00:22:30I wonder if he'd sign Robbie,
00:22:31I've had plenty of players,
00:22:34that enjoy themselves,
00:22:34but there's times and places,
00:22:36if you,
00:22:36you know,
00:22:37we all make mistakes as well,
00:22:38but if they turn up on a,
00:22:39a Monday morning,
00:22:40and they're ultra professional,
00:22:41then sometimes,
00:22:42you've got to turn a blind eye,
00:22:43and I've done that plenty of times,
00:22:45since I've been St. Murrow manager,
00:22:46believe me,
00:22:46things haven't made the press,
00:22:48or the newspapers,
00:22:49to protect people,
00:22:50but ultimately,
00:22:51they were doing it on the pitch for me,
00:22:52so they're doing it on the pitch for you,
00:22:53I'll look the other way,
00:22:54and pretend I never heard it.
00:22:55Well,
00:22:55that's why I thought Brendan Rodgers handled it well,
00:22:57and Callum McGregor after the match,
00:22:59I mean,
00:22:59if Adam Eder goes out on a night out,
00:23:01I mean,
00:23:02you are aware that people film everything these days,
00:23:04but if he does the business on the pitch,
00:23:05then,
00:23:06all well and good.
00:23:07Yeah,
00:23:07you'd prefer it not to happen,
00:23:09but if they do,
00:23:10of course,
00:23:12ultimately,
00:23:12that's what they're paid for,
00:23:13to produce on the football pitch,
00:23:15so,
00:23:15they're young men,
00:23:16they're allowed to go out,
00:23:17you know,
00:23:17you don't control them 24 hours a day,
00:23:19it's not a,
00:23:20you know,
00:23:20it's not a regime where you,
00:23:22you have to be in bed by 10 o'clock,
00:23:23you have to trust people,
00:23:24and you have to treat them as adults.
00:23:25Yeah,
00:23:25Aberdeen eventually,
00:23:27after extra time,
00:23:29snatched a late,
00:23:30late goal to win it against Hearts,
00:23:32and Hearts are well and truly miffed,
00:23:35with the referee,
00:23:36John Beaton,
00:23:37they've released a 480 more word document,
00:23:41showing their displeasure,
00:23:44at the way he handled the game,
00:23:46Neil Critchley,
00:23:46after the match,
00:23:47was highly critical,
00:23:49of the match official.
00:23:51I've never seen a referee,
00:23:52get a red card out quicker,
00:23:54in my entire life,
00:23:56to be honest with you,
00:23:57it's a long way from goal,
00:23:59and we've got recovering defenders,
00:24:01and,
00:24:02yeah,
00:24:03he couldn't wait to send him off,
00:24:04when you try to say things,
00:24:06in a respectful way,
00:24:07you hope you get respect back,
00:24:08and,
00:24:09I like to think,
00:24:10I give everyone respect,
00:24:12in the way that I conduct myself,
00:24:13and the way I speak to you guys,
00:24:14and everyone,
00:24:15and you'd expect that return,
00:24:16and,
00:24:16I don't think I've got that.
00:24:17Was he half done by?
00:24:21No,
00:24:21I don't think he was Peter,
00:24:22I thought he was clean in,
00:24:23I thought,
00:24:23I think they're unlucky,
00:24:24that it was Keskin,
00:24:25and it wasn't Andrew,
00:24:26it wasn't Shinny,
00:24:27because I don't think Shinny,
00:24:28would have ran away,
00:24:28for the last man,
00:24:29but it's Keskin,
00:24:30who's a flying machine,
00:24:30he took the touch by the last man,
00:24:32and he pulled him down,
00:24:33I don't think the other boy,
00:24:33was going to cross Forrester,
00:24:35so I thought,
00:24:35I thought he got that call right,
00:24:36I didn't think he got the second one right,
00:24:38I didn't think that was the second yellow card Devlin,
00:24:39I don't think it touched him,
00:24:41I think that's the one he's talking about,
00:24:42Is that the one he's talking about?
00:24:43He's talking about Devlin,
00:24:44and he feels like he was itching to send him off.
00:24:46Yeah,
00:24:46that was poor Peter,
00:24:47that was not a second yellow card for me,
00:24:49and that just gave Aberdeen,
00:24:50that little bit of impetus,
00:24:50with three or four minutes,
00:24:51to go and get the winner,
00:24:52I thought the hearts were holding him out,
00:24:54to that point,
00:24:54but the first one,
00:24:55I don't think anyone had any complaints about.
00:24:57Yeah,
00:24:58Ruffy,
00:24:59the first one is,
00:25:01I still think he's got a wee bit to travel,
00:25:05and there's a player coming in from another side.
00:25:06I can see where the manager thinks,
00:25:08he made the decision,
00:25:09very quick,
00:25:10he did make it really quick,
00:25:12but again,
00:25:12the referee's got to make that decision,
00:25:14there and then,
00:25:14you know,
00:25:15like Tam,
00:25:17I thought the two players,
00:25:18that were to the right of him,
00:25:20weren't they going to catch him,
00:25:21I think one was too wide,
00:25:22I think if he pushed the ball wide,
00:25:25you know,
00:25:25it might have been worth a look at,
00:25:27but he was going straight in,
00:25:29and unfortunately,
00:25:30I think it just spoiled the game.
00:25:32Yeah,
00:25:32it put them right behind the eight ball,
00:25:35once you get down to nine men,
00:25:37now,
00:25:37they've released a document,
00:25:38obviously,
00:25:40a statement,
00:25:41which is,
00:25:42clearly,
00:25:43they want to speak to the SFA,
00:25:45and they've said,
00:25:46of all the decisions this season,
00:25:48you know,
00:25:48there's maybe one that's gone in their favour,
00:25:50my God,
00:25:51you must have had a right smile,
00:25:52thinking to yourself,
00:25:53hang fire,
00:25:54hearts,
00:25:54you're not even in the top five,
00:25:56in this game.
00:25:56Three in one game,
00:25:57against Undie United.
00:25:57Yeah,
00:25:58we don't have enough people,
00:25:59our staff,
00:26:00to write 484 words,
00:26:01so,
00:26:02it's,
00:26:02I was going to say,
00:26:04we're talking about Varna,
00:26:05you know,
00:26:05we always talk in the studio,
00:26:07but managers looking at fixtures,
00:26:08that are coming up,
00:26:09do you ever sit in the office,
00:26:10with the guys,
00:26:11and look at all the VARs,
00:26:13that went against you,
00:26:14and went,
00:26:14there's a point there,
00:26:15there's two points there.
00:26:16I wish you do,
00:26:17yeah.
00:26:18If you count them all,
00:26:19it's a lot of points.
00:26:21We're,
00:26:22the only league table,
00:26:23we're top off this year,
00:26:25is Varna's decisions against us,
00:26:26and we've had numerous apologies,
00:26:29of course,
00:26:29and every manager's frustrated with it,
00:26:31because Varna was there,
00:26:33to rectify human error,
00:26:34and we're not rectifying human error,
00:26:37and the,
00:26:37I'm writing St. Cummys,
00:26:38was the second yellow card,
00:26:39aren't they?
00:26:39Yes,
00:26:40I mean,
00:26:40we've had three now,
00:26:41three apologies for second yellow cards,
00:26:43that,
00:26:44that's what Varna should be there for,
00:26:45if it's actually leading to a red card,
00:26:48that affects the game,
00:26:48and then affects the week after,
00:26:50because you missed that game as well.
00:26:51You can't appeal to the second yellow card.
00:26:52You can't appeal it,
00:26:52so you can't appeal it,
00:26:53you get your apology,
00:26:54and I believe the refereeing department,
00:26:56are looking at that,
00:26:56and that has to change,
00:26:57because it is,
00:26:58it's affecting the immediate game,
00:26:59which it did on Sunday,
00:27:01Saturday,
00:27:02sorry,
00:27:03and it's affecting the week after,
00:27:04because they then suspended the week after,
00:27:06which we've had three of them,
00:27:07three second yellow,
00:27:08so they're not included in the Var mistake list,
00:27:10but for me,
00:27:11that's what Var is there for,
00:27:12for blatant errors,
00:27:13you know,
00:27:13stand up and see those decisions,
00:27:15but Var's not seeing them at the minute,
00:27:17as often as it should be,
00:27:18it's improving of course,
00:27:20it's not going away,
00:27:21that's the problem,
00:27:22so we have to try and work with that,
00:27:24I do believe,
00:27:25Willie and the refereeing staff,
00:27:26they are trying,
00:27:27they're limited to what they can do,
00:27:30referees aren't full time,
00:27:31which is the first and foremost,
00:27:32you know,
00:27:32we've got a full time league,
00:27:34that millions and millions of pounds depend on,
00:27:37yet,
00:27:38part time referees are making those decisions,
00:27:40after maybe a day at work,
00:27:41so it's in the same people are doing Var,
00:27:43so it's very,
00:27:44very harsh to criticise them individually,
00:27:46I've tried not to,
00:27:47I might have done privately,
00:27:48but,
00:27:49I've tried not to do it in public,
00:27:50because,
00:27:51they need all the help they can,
00:27:52and they're not getting that,
00:27:53the SFA have to find a way,
00:27:54to put referees full time.
00:27:56Now with that,
00:27:57there's a two-fold question,
00:27:58which obviously we'll get to Aberdeen,
00:27:59and they took full advantage of,
00:28:01their two-man advantage,
00:28:03but with that point that you're making,
00:28:06Var,
00:28:08speaking to millions of referees,
00:28:10you know,
00:28:11who are looking at this,
00:28:12right across the world,
00:28:13but,
00:28:13I focused on referees,
00:28:15when it first came in,
00:28:17and the ethos of this was,
00:28:20to get a greater percentage,
00:28:22of the decisions right,
00:28:24not,
00:28:24it won't eliminate,
00:28:26completely human error,
00:28:27because there's still a human,
00:28:28looking at the VAR,
00:28:29and interpreting it as well,
00:28:31so,
00:28:32do you believe that maybe,
00:28:33that human error,
00:28:35has not allowed them to get,
00:28:36the greater percentage right?
00:28:38Yeah,
00:28:38it's,
00:28:39and again those people that are doing that,
00:28:40are part time,
00:28:41it's not a full time job,
00:28:42so you know,
00:28:43any part time player,
00:28:45the law of average is to say,
00:28:46if you're a full time player,
00:28:46you'll be technically better,
00:28:47you'll be quicker,
00:28:48you'll be stronger,
00:28:48you'll be fitter,
00:28:49it's the same in refereeing,
00:28:50so,
00:28:51it's easy to criticise everything in life,
00:28:52we live in a world,
00:28:53where everybody criticises,
00:28:54and I feel every manager's pain,
00:28:56you know,
00:28:57I feel Neil's pain with it as well,
00:28:59you know,
00:29:00he feels a big effect on the game,
00:29:01but we have to try and help them as well,
00:29:03we have to try and give them the tools,
00:29:04to be better,
00:29:05and train them,
00:29:05put them in loads of training courses,
00:29:07and Martin Atkinson's come up as well,
00:29:09from England,
00:29:09and I know Martin,
00:29:10and they are trying,
00:29:12the referees are decent people,
00:29:14that want to do well,
00:29:15and the errors they're making,
00:29:16and as you say,
00:29:16are just human errors,
00:29:17it's not,
00:29:18you know,
00:29:18there's no conspiracy theories,
00:29:20as likes to go around in Scotland sometimes,
00:29:22they just need more help with it,
00:29:24and as you say,
00:29:25to try and lessen the amount of mistakes.
00:29:27Now on that point,
00:29:29the flip side of that is,
00:29:31because,
00:29:32and I do feel your pain,
00:29:34and I do think you've got a legitimate case to say,
00:29:36we are top of the league of decisions,
00:29:38that have gone against you,
00:29:40because throughout the season,
00:29:41I'm thinking to myself,
00:29:43there's another one,
00:29:44he's got a case for that one,
00:29:45I definitely understand why he's moaning about that one,
00:29:49but that could have been the difference between you making top six and not,
00:29:52it could have been far smoother.
00:29:53Yeah,
00:29:54no,
00:29:54definitely,
00:29:55I'm sure every club will find five and six games,
00:29:57where,
00:29:57you know,
00:29:58the errors could have cost them in certain situations,
00:30:00but,
00:30:01you know,
00:30:01it's a cool nation of them,
00:30:03and you're like,
00:30:03oh no,
00:30:04is this going to come back to bite us in the end,
00:30:06and,
00:30:06look,
00:30:07it didn't,
00:30:07you know,
00:30:07we,
00:30:08and we didn't use it as excuses,
00:30:09as I say,
00:30:10we just,
00:30:11every game,
00:30:12and every Monday morning,
00:30:12I went in looking,
00:30:13the boys are,
00:30:14you know,
00:30:14what they're like,
00:30:14they get together,
00:30:15that should have been a penalty,
00:30:16or the decision should have went away,
00:30:17but,
00:30:18we can't affect that,
00:30:19and I've learned,
00:30:20in football over time now,
00:30:22you have to move that away quickly,
00:30:23and only worry about the things you can affect,
00:30:24not worry about the outside noise,
00:30:26worry about what's in front of you,
00:30:27and what you can control.
00:30:28Yeah,
00:30:29Aberdeen,
00:30:30take the place in the cup final,
00:30:31eventually,
00:30:32it's difficult to say,
00:30:33they've been taken to extra time,
00:30:35Ruffy,
00:30:35but they got the job done in the end.
00:30:37Yeah,
00:30:37they did,
00:30:38you know,
00:30:38obviously,
00:30:39the sending off,
00:30:40they put them on the ascendancy,
00:30:41they were pressing,
00:30:42they were the team,
00:30:43that looked as if they were going to get a goal,
00:30:45if a goal was coming,
00:30:46but you have to give your heart's credit,
00:30:48I thought they dug in,
00:30:49they got organised very quickly,
00:30:51and made it very hard for Aberdeen.
00:30:53Yeah,
00:30:54I have to say,
00:30:55the agony of it all is,
00:30:57before he goes off,
00:30:58and it's down to 10 men,
00:31:00the heart's players are automatically thinking,
00:31:02Tam,
00:31:03let's go to penalties,
00:31:04we've got Craig Gordon in the goal.
00:31:06Yeah,
00:31:06I just think that decision,
00:31:07that's why he's probably really annoyed at it,
00:31:09because I think they've seen it out here,
00:31:11with 10,
00:31:12I think with nine men,
00:31:13it's just,
00:31:14there's still three or four minutes to go,
00:31:15and there's a big difference between nine and 10,
00:31:17and they just got that little break,
00:31:18Aberdeen,
00:31:19and they got the goal,
00:31:19but,
00:31:20I thought the heart's started the better team,
00:31:21I thought they started well,
00:31:22on the front foot,
00:31:23the changing off obviously,
00:31:24affects the game,
00:31:25but,
00:31:26I think the heart's support,
00:31:27those will see a team that gave everything,
00:31:28and you're right,
00:31:29I think they were just trying to get to penalties,
00:31:31with Craig Gordon,
00:31:32and I think they've probably been favourites under him.
00:31:34Yeah,
00:31:34just on a little footnote of that,
00:31:36they didn't win it,
00:31:37you said he'd be under pressure.
00:31:40Yeah,
00:31:40I think he is,
00:31:41I think he is Peter,
00:31:41because,
00:31:42you know,
00:31:43it's another big game that the hearts have not won,
00:31:45and that's been the accusation from the supporters,
00:31:47that I speak to,
00:31:48is,
00:31:48I've not won a big game yet,
00:31:49you know,
00:31:50semi-finals,
00:31:51beating Motherwell in the last game,
00:31:52they lost twice against the Hibs,
00:31:54so that's the game that he's got to win,
00:31:56as a hearts manager,
00:31:56so I think he will be,
00:31:58particularly if they don't beat Dundee at the weekend.
00:32:00Yeah,
00:32:00I've spoken to a number of hearts fans in Edinburgh,
00:32:03over the last week,
00:32:06and they're,
00:32:07I just feel as if the whole axis of buying people time,
00:32:12has changed dramatically,
00:32:13Stephen,
00:32:14you mentioned,
00:32:15we were talking to you the last time on this programme,
00:32:16and you said to us,
00:32:17listen,
00:32:17it's all great,
00:32:18everybody's saying,
00:32:19play young players,
00:32:20three games I lose,
00:32:21they want me sacked.
00:32:23Neil Critchley said,
00:32:24one transfer window,
00:32:25and suddenly,
00:32:26they're all rounding on him,
00:32:28and,
00:32:28and there are a lot of hearts fans I'm speaking to saying,
00:32:30no,
00:32:30we're not having him.
00:32:31That's the type of pressure you guys are under now.
00:32:33It's,
00:32:34I think it's just modern football now,
00:32:35it's,
00:32:36it's crazy,
00:32:37there's absolutely no patience,
00:32:38and Neil's been in,
00:32:39is it nine months,
00:32:40nine months Neil's been in the job,
00:32:41so.
00:32:41And they were second bottom of the league at the time.
00:32:43Yeah,
00:32:43and,
00:32:44you need time to build,
00:32:45you do,
00:32:46and if you look throughout football,
00:32:48the managers that have been given time,
00:32:50have been relatively successful,
00:32:51but,
00:32:52you know,
00:32:52fans dictate a lot of things now,
00:32:54and social media dictates a lot of things,
00:32:56and,
00:32:57unfortunately,
00:32:57people that make decisions read it.
00:32:59They,
00:32:59they do,
00:32:59they read it,
00:33:00and they can get influenced,
00:33:01which I find incredible,
00:33:02because you have no idea,
00:33:03it could be,
00:33:04you know,
00:33:04it could be my 20 year old son,
00:33:06who is clueless,
00:33:07but probably had four or five pints,
00:33:08while he's writing it.
00:33:09So,
00:33:10it amazes me that football is run like that,
00:33:13you know,
00:33:13in any other business,
00:33:14you have a bad month,
00:33:15and you speak,
00:33:16and you say,
00:33:17right,
00:33:17okay,
00:33:17these are our aims,
00:33:18this is where we go to,
00:33:19we've done our due diligence to bring you into our company,
00:33:21but in football,
00:33:22you have a bad month,
00:33:23and everybody wants you sacked.
00:33:24I use Jim Goodwin as the example,
00:33:25you know,
00:33:25Jim had a bad four or five weeks at Aberdeen,
00:33:28and he signed a lot of the players that,
00:33:29that eventually got into Europe,
00:33:32but within those four or five weeks,
00:33:34you know,
00:33:34it was dictated that he's not a good manager,
00:33:37and Jim obviously was,
00:33:37and he's going to prove that again at Dundee United.
00:33:40So,
00:33:40it's,
00:33:40it's a world we live in,
00:33:41unfortunately,
00:33:42and the boards that have,
00:33:44you know,
00:33:44a strong backbone,
00:33:45and a real belief in their recruitment of their manager,
00:33:48are the ones that are probably seeing the fruits of that.
00:33:50Yeah,
00:33:51with that in mind,
00:33:52I remember,
00:33:53when I was at Radio Clydon's Super Scoreboard,
00:33:56Ruffy,
00:33:57you know,
00:33:57Gordon Strachan used to,
00:33:59he used to fill at me,
00:34:00and he said,
00:34:01by the way,
00:34:01if two,
00:34:02and I'm paraphrasing here and changing the words,
00:34:04but he said,
00:34:05if two people phone in and say Gordon Strachan's an idiot,
00:34:08are they speaking for the majority?
00:34:10It goes back to what Stephen's saying about his son.
00:34:13Yeah,
00:34:13but I think that's,
00:34:14Stephen,
00:34:15when you've got your bosses,
00:34:16they've got to be strong,
00:34:17haven't they?
00:34:17You've got to have a relationship with the people who are running the company.
00:34:21You hope that they don't,
00:34:22they're not the ones that are getting affected by that small minority that's giving you the stick,
00:34:28you know,
00:34:28and they're the one to move you on and all that.
00:34:30But just when you say they're your son there,
00:34:32my favourite story is Ian McCall.
00:34:34When I was on the board at Thistle,
00:34:36and a certain element of fans wanted Ian out,
00:34:40and there was a big banner that said,
00:34:42McCall must go.
00:34:43And after the game,
00:34:46you know,
00:34:46we all dispersed and we were getting away in here.
00:34:49That element of fans went down to our pub and they're taking photographs of the social media.
00:34:54So Ian McCall phones me up.
00:34:55Have you seen that photograph of that banner?
00:34:58McCall must go.
00:34:59He said,
00:34:59aye.
00:35:00He said,
00:35:00that's my son that's holding it up.
00:35:03Well,
00:35:04you say that.
00:35:05So the darts,
00:35:06so Zach Hemming went to the darts with my son.
00:35:09And my son's wrote on,
00:35:10Robbo out.
00:35:11And Zach's holding it up as they go to the darts in Glasgow.
00:35:14And then the next thing,
00:35:15there's a headline in the paper.
00:35:17Robinson what players want Robinson out?
00:35:19Like,
00:35:20no,
00:35:20no,
00:35:20no,
00:35:20no,
00:35:21no,
00:35:21that's,
00:35:21and Zach's wife was going to kill him and things,
00:35:24you know,
00:35:24so like they make stories out of that there.
00:35:27And it's,
00:35:27it's a little bit of joking.
00:35:28And I just,
00:35:29I've been very lucky that I've had a board that are not emotional.
00:35:32I think when you're,
00:35:33you're attached to the football club or you're a fan,
00:35:36it's,
00:35:36it's difficult because you think emotionally.
00:35:38And as I say,
00:35:39in most businesses,
00:35:40you don't,
00:35:40you think with a longer term approach and longer term view.
00:35:43And unfortunately we're in an industry that just has less and less of it.
00:35:46Yeah,
00:35:47absolutely.
00:35:47And Dave Cormack,
00:35:48obviously,
00:35:49you know,
00:35:50there are times when maybe he's pulled the trigger quicker than most,
00:35:53but now with Jimmy Tulleen,
00:35:55he's looked at the manager,
00:35:57they've stuck by him,
00:35:58great run at the start.
00:35:59Then a really dodgy situation where they were on a consecutive run of defeats.
00:36:05And now suddenly they're in a cup final.
00:36:07And Dave Cormack himself said that 30 years ago,
00:36:11you wouldn't have been talking about a manager getting the sack.
00:36:13You know,
00:36:14I mean,
00:36:1420,
00:36:1430 years ago,
00:36:15you,
00:36:15we would have given managers more,
00:36:17been more patient and more time.
00:36:19But in today's world,
00:36:20especially with social media,
00:36:22it's a real challenge.
00:36:23I mean,
00:36:24one way or the other,
00:36:25hearts,
00:36:26hips and Aberdeen,
00:36:27if they go through a hard time,
00:36:29you know,
00:36:29it's either hearts,
00:36:30hips,
00:36:30or Aberdeen,
00:36:31and then it's rinse and repeat,
00:36:33you know,
00:36:33so hopefully,
00:36:34you know,
00:36:35we can get a bit of stability in the next two or three years.
00:36:39Yeah.
00:36:40Well,
00:36:41that tells you he's sticking by the manager,
00:36:43he's got a plan for him,
00:36:44and he's going to see what Jimmy Tallinn can do at Aberdeen.
00:36:48And I think the crucial thing that you mentioned,
00:36:50and we talk about it,
00:36:52and Ruff,
00:36:52he's well aware of it from his time on the party thistleboard,
00:36:55because he had Gerry Britton as a chief executive.
00:36:58You know,
00:36:58you've got the likes of Tony Fitzpatrick and Keith Lasley also to kind of a,
00:37:04not so much educate,
00:37:06but give fans a greater understanding of,
00:37:09a club,
00:37:10a manager,
00:37:11players,
00:37:11results,
00:37:12the bigger context of the season.
00:37:14Yeah,
00:37:14I'm lucky with Keith because he's obviously been part of my staff as well,
00:37:18so he understands how I work and when to leave me alone and when to approach me,
00:37:23but also there's a realism.
00:37:24He understands the pitfalls and the pressures,
00:37:27and he understands the problems we have at St. Murr,
00:37:30you know,
00:37:30and everybody at their club wants to believe,
00:37:32you know,
00:37:32there is no problems,
00:37:33everything's perfect.
00:37:34You know,
00:37:34you're speaking about Dave there,
00:37:36you know,
00:37:36they're just about to build a new indoor training centre.
00:37:39which Dave's invested millions into the club again,
00:37:41which is fantastic.
00:37:43You know,
00:37:43we're spending 40 grand on a training pitch and expecting it to be,
00:37:46you know,
00:37:46be incredible.
00:37:48And Keith's got a realism to that.
00:37:49He understands what we can spend,
00:37:50it's all we can spend,
00:37:51but it's more than ever has been spent.
00:37:53And he wants to drive the club forward,
00:37:55but he knows it can only be done at a certain pace.
00:37:57So I'm lucky.
00:37:58Jim Gillespie's another one to mention,
00:38:00you know,
00:38:00he's the vice chairman and he's probably my goal between,
00:38:03between the board as well.
00:38:04And,
00:38:04you know,
00:38:04he's a realism and a drive as well.
00:38:08You know,
00:38:08he drives everything that we can to be a top six side,
00:38:12along with Keith and I have terrific support.
00:38:14And Tony that you mentioned as well,
00:38:16they're,
00:38:16they're big,
00:38:17big supporters.
00:38:17When things are going wrong,
00:38:18that's when you know who's,
00:38:20who's got your back.
00:38:20You know,
00:38:21all of a sudden as a manager,
00:38:22people start whispering and they walk past you in the corridor and don't speak to you anymore.
00:38:25That's not the case here.
00:38:26You know,
00:38:27they're,
00:38:27they're believing what we're trying to do and they believe in the longer term sort of good of the football club and everyone's trying to work towards that.
00:38:33So I'm very privileged.
00:38:34I'm very lucky.
00:38:35Yeah,
00:38:36absolutely.
00:38:36Jimmy Chalene himself now knows that they've got Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.
00:38:42And it's a huge opportunity to deliver silverware to Pataudry.
00:38:45Now we arrived to the final.
00:38:46We tried to win it,
00:38:47of course,
00:38:48but it's,
00:38:49you can,
00:38:49you can hear after the game now with all the supporters and the players and all the staff.
00:38:54We are so connected and we wanted this so much.
00:38:57And so for me,
00:38:59it means a lot.
00:38:59And of course,
00:39:00and now we are there,
00:39:01we have to try to do the best to win it.
00:39:03But it's,
00:39:04we know also if you manage your player,
00:39:07you don't have so many chances in your career either to arrive to big finals and so,
00:39:13or fighting in the top of the league.
00:39:14So you have to also enjoy it,
00:39:17but also keep fighting for it.
00:39:20Yeah,
00:39:20they're going to have to pull off something special.
00:39:22Of course,
00:39:22the last time they get to the real team on that bad run,
00:39:25it was off the back of a 6-0 mauling at the hands of Celtic.
00:39:28And I always think Hampden Park,
00:39:30the way Brendan Rodgerside plays,
00:39:33you know,
00:39:33plays right into his style of football.
00:39:35Yeah,
00:39:35listen,
00:39:35it's a big pitch and Celtic's got so much pace and power on the wide areas as well
00:39:39and through the middle.
00:39:39And it's difficult when the five substitutions as well,
00:39:42as Stephen said,
00:39:43we can change four or five in our play and bring on quality.
00:39:46You've seen the players they brought on yesterday,
00:39:48you know,
00:39:48Jota,
00:39:49Coon,
00:39:49you know,
00:39:49great players to bring on.
00:39:51So,
00:39:51yeah,
00:39:51and Celtic don't lose many finals,
00:39:53don't lose many games at Hampden full stop.
00:39:55So,
00:39:56yeah,
00:39:56I think that'll still be in the back of Aberdeen's minds.
00:39:58That's 6-0 in the semi-finary League Cup after going to Parkhead and getting a really good draw.
00:40:02So,
00:40:03listen,
00:40:03Celtic will need to have an off day and Aberdeen will need to play out their skin,
00:40:05but you never know in a one-off game in a cup final.
00:40:08Yeah,
00:40:08and of course,
00:40:09the other thing that's amazing about it all,
00:40:11and you're looking at the stats on it,
00:40:13if James Forrest is part of that team and then the league as well,
00:40:16he becomes the most decorated Celtic player ever.
00:40:20I was looking at James Forrest and thinking to myself,
00:40:22God,
00:40:23he's one of those guys that managers will be thinking,
00:40:25if they release him,
00:40:27he's an absolute belter to get off.
00:40:29Top six now,
00:40:30really.
00:40:31I was going to say,
00:40:32yeah,
00:40:32well,
00:40:32yeah.
00:40:33Your mate Martin's on the phone going,
00:40:34bye mate,
00:40:35he's still got legs.
00:40:36Oh,
00:40:37you have to do it,
00:40:37100%,
00:40:38I take him in a heartbeat.
00:40:39He's been fantastic for Celtic,
00:40:41you know,
00:40:41a really grounded boy as well,
00:40:42and he's,
00:40:43he's still playing ever so well.
00:40:45So,
00:40:46Brendan's got a lot of good decisions to make in terms of who he picks.
00:40:49So,
00:40:49we,
00:40:49we played him the week before the cup final.
00:40:51So,
00:40:51hopefully everyone's rested him.
00:40:55And their,
00:40:55their,
00:40:55their second string,
00:40:56string team play,
00:40:57which I can't imagine being much easier,
00:40:59to be honest.
00:41:00Yeah.
00:41:00I mean,
00:41:00James Forrest.
00:41:01I mean,
00:41:02I don't think,
00:41:02I can't even think of,
00:41:04I've even,
00:41:04he doesn't even make page five of a tabloid newspaper.
00:41:07He's just,
00:41:08he's the most,
00:41:09he's like McGregor.
00:41:10There's nothing that you ever see in the papers about him.
00:41:12It's that character that.
00:41:13Well,
00:41:13that's what Stephen's talking about.
00:41:14That's the kind of guy you want.
00:41:16You want that,
00:41:16he just comes in,
00:41:17does his training and turns up every Saturday and influences the game.
00:41:23And that's what he's done for the time that he's been in early bells,
00:41:26even in the European games against the Milans and the Barcelonas.
00:41:30He was always a standard in the position that he played and just a credit to the club and himself.
00:41:35Yeah.
00:41:36Do you want an extended premiership?
00:41:38Yes.
00:41:40I think for every reason,
00:41:41I've spoken about it before.
00:41:43You look at the relegation now,
00:41:45you look at the bottom six and you can see why young players don't get given opportunities.
00:41:50And everyone wants them.
00:41:51And it's crazy because fans cry for young players to have opportunities.
00:41:54They've never seen them play.
00:41:55You know,
00:41:55they've never been in an under 18 game to watch Evan Mooney play,
00:41:58to be honest.
00:41:58But yeah,
00:41:59the people want Evan to play and so he should.
00:42:01He's a very,
00:42:02very good footballer.
00:42:02I'm just using that as an example.
00:42:04But you will get sacked quicker if you make mistakes.
00:42:08And younger players make more mistakes,
00:42:10naturally,
00:42:10because they're still learning the game.
00:42:12So number one,
00:42:13you won't be in a relegation scrap with every single kick of the ball.
00:42:16So you can,
00:42:17you know,
00:42:17maybe six games to go,
00:42:18people start getting opportunities.
00:42:20All of a sudden,
00:42:20they become a live option for next year.
00:42:22Plus the competition itself.
00:42:24You know,
00:42:24there's,
00:42:25you're playing teams less times.
00:42:26I do believe they still want to keep the split,
00:42:29you know,
00:42:29with the excitement of the split.
00:42:30You know,
00:42:30can it be a 14 team league with a six and an eight split?
00:42:35There's options.
00:42:36There's certainly options,
00:42:37but the league for me is too small.
00:42:39It's too predictable.
00:42:41And it doesn't lead,
00:42:42in my opinion,
00:42:43it doesn't lead to better football.
00:42:45It leads to percentage football a lot more.
00:42:48What do you want though?
00:42:48What do you want?
00:42:4914,
00:42:4916,
00:42:5018,
00:42:50what do you want?
00:42:52I think our club want,
00:42:54or I've suggested maybe,
00:42:55a 14 league would work with the split still in place.
00:43:00There's definitely clubs that can come into the premiership
00:43:04and enhance the premiership in terms of attendances and stadiums.
00:43:07You know,
00:43:08there's a lot of big clubs outside that as well,
00:43:10and teams that are growing.
00:43:12And I think for fans as well,
00:43:13you know,
00:43:13you get different places to go.
00:43:15It's not the same places three and four times a year.
00:43:18But the biggest thing for me is the style of football
00:43:20and the development of younger players.
00:43:22You know,
00:43:22you'll develop more young Scottish players,
00:43:24so the national game will benefit as well.
00:43:26But at the minute,
00:43:27it's so cutthroat,
00:43:28you know,
00:43:28there won't be too many people in that bottom six,
00:43:31giving young players their debut in the last five games.
00:43:33Would you be more likely to give Stephen Robertson of the situation
00:43:36where you say,
00:43:37OK,
00:43:37if it goes to 14,
00:43:38I'm more likely to throw in a talented youngster?
00:43:41Oh,
00:43:41100% of course,
00:43:42because I'd say every club now in that bottom six
00:43:45are looking over the shoulder.
00:43:46Fear factor.
00:43:46Yeah,
00:43:47and that fear factor of,
00:43:48I can't afford him to make a mistake.
00:43:50You know,
00:43:50so we've got Peter Aminski,
00:43:52Evan Mooney,
00:43:53we can play them all now.
00:43:54Evan's not fit,
00:43:54unfortunately,
00:43:55but we can put people in if we feel it's right
00:43:57and dip them in with the first team and players
00:44:00so they're in an environment that they can excel.
00:44:02It creates more profile for themselves.
00:44:04It might create more money for the football club
00:44:05because you sell them for a lot of money.
00:44:07But at the minute,
00:44:08I can see why there's a limited amount of young players
00:44:11being exposed to first team football.
00:44:12And can the managers of the football clubs
00:44:14influence the owners for the change?
00:44:16Or is that up to the owners thinking about the money side
00:44:19rather than the football side of it?
00:44:22I mean,
00:44:22at my club,
00:44:23as I say,
00:44:24I'm very lucky.
00:44:24I've got a very good relationship with the people above me.
00:44:27I'm not sure in other clubs,
00:44:29you know,
00:44:29obviously people have got their own reasons
00:44:31for wanting smaller leagues
00:44:33or wanting bigger leagues.
00:44:34As a general,
00:44:35and for the,
00:44:36you know,
00:44:37the enhancement of Scottish football
00:44:38and the development of Scottish football,
00:44:39I think it's a no-brainer.
00:44:40It's an absolute no-brainer
00:44:41to have a bigger league.
00:44:42Yeah,
00:44:43absolutely.
00:44:43We're with you on that.
00:44:45And on the other point of it,
00:44:46which,
00:44:47the predictability of it,
00:44:48I think,
00:44:49you know,
00:44:50and I often mention years and years ago,
00:44:52Paul McStay used to say to me,
00:44:54the players know exactly which way I'm going to jink.
00:44:57You know,
00:44:57they know the trick.
00:44:58They know a step over.
00:44:59They can see which way you're playing
00:45:00and it's this relentless,
00:45:02I mean,
00:45:02it's become,
00:45:03and I'm not criticising Celtic on this,
00:45:05by the way,
00:45:06they are head and shoulders above everybody.
00:45:09So,
00:45:09you're automatically looking,
00:45:1013 of the last 14,
00:45:12they've won it.
00:45:12That's not their fault.
00:45:14When Rangers were winning nine in a row
00:45:15and they had much more money than anybody else,
00:45:17fine and dandy,
00:45:18but you'd like to see something to get two or three teams out with Celtic and Rangers
00:45:24that could maybe take a scalp every now and then.
00:45:26Yeah,
00:45:27I mean,
00:45:27obviously Celtic are the dominant force,
00:45:28Peter.
00:45:29It's very difficult
00:45:29and it's up to the other teams to get closer to those levels
00:45:32rather than Celtic coming back to the rest of the teams.
00:45:34They drive themselves.
00:45:35They want to go and do well in the Champions League
00:45:37and dominate domestically here,
00:45:39but I think it's bone for the players as well.
00:45:41You know,
00:45:41when I was a player
00:45:42and it was 10 team or 12 teams,
00:45:45sometimes you were playing them five,
00:45:46six times a season.
00:45:47You know,
00:45:47you'd maybe get them in a cup,
00:45:48a couple of cups.
00:45:49You're playing the same team five or six times,
00:45:51bone for fans.
00:45:52So,
00:45:53I think definitely 14,
00:45:54maybe even 16,
00:45:55but listen,
00:45:56that's up to the owners of the clubs and SPFL
00:45:58that we can round the table and get that done,
00:45:59but I think it would encourage more young players definitely as well.
00:46:02Yeah,
00:46:03and a team that would be a welcome addition to the Scottish Premiership,
00:46:08I must be a Jonah,
00:46:09by the way,
00:46:09for these games
00:46:10because I thought,
00:46:10I'm heading to Falkirk.
00:46:12We're doing a documentary on them.
00:46:14This will be a win against Wraith Rovers.
00:46:17Lo and behold,
00:46:17they've got a man sent off
00:46:18and then within 10 minutes,
00:46:20the game collapses.
00:46:21Wraith Rovers win it.
00:46:22Look at Ruffy with his smile on his face.
00:46:24I warned him.
00:46:24I warned him on Friday.
00:46:26Because Falkirk's going to party.
00:46:27Please don't come and watch us anytime.
00:46:29You think we're going to do well.
00:46:30Honestly,
00:46:30I'm looking at John McLennan.
00:46:32I'm thinking to myself,
00:46:33my God almighty,
00:46:34you know,
00:46:35and in contrast to that,
00:46:36Wraith Rovers,
00:46:37fair play to them.
00:46:37They took full advantage of the man advantage.
00:46:39But at the end of it,
00:46:41John McLennan had one view on the game,
00:46:44Barry Robson another.
00:46:46Really comfortable in the game.
00:46:48We've got this knack of making things
00:46:51much harder than they need to be.
00:46:53And that's what we've done.
00:46:55It goes to the Paddy Thistle game
00:46:57on Friday night.
00:46:59So,
00:46:59we dust ourselves down.
00:47:01We get back in on Monday
00:47:02and we get it going again.
00:47:04We've got to stick together.
00:47:05You know,
00:47:05it's a sore one for us all.
00:47:06We've taken a little,
00:47:08you know,
00:47:08three sore ones now.
00:47:10The late goal at Ayr
00:47:11and the late goal against Livingston.
00:47:12It could all have been
00:47:13done and dusted by now
00:47:14if we had managed to have
00:47:16to defend well
00:47:17and no lose of discipline today.
00:47:19We could have been
00:47:20all over.
00:47:22Look where we are now
00:47:23compared to where we were
00:47:24three months ago.
00:47:25This is down to the hard work
00:47:26for the players.
00:47:27Having a good structure,
00:47:28having the fans behind us.
00:47:30And when you're on
00:47:32a wee run like this,
00:47:34it brings that confidence
00:47:35with you as well.
00:47:36So,
00:47:37it's something we need
00:47:38to take care of next week.
00:47:40Isn't it amazing
00:47:40when you look at
00:47:41Barry Robson again,
00:47:42one of those managers
00:47:43sacked
00:47:44and then reinventing himself
00:47:47again,
00:47:47giving a platform
00:47:48at Raythrovers
00:47:49and they're on a great
00:47:50unbeaten run as well.
00:47:52I mean,
00:47:52both those clubs
00:47:53and I look at
00:47:54maybe Den Firmland,
00:47:55they might throw a bit
00:47:56of money in it
00:47:57next season
00:47:57if they're in that division
00:47:58which they undoubtedly
00:47:59look as if they will be.
00:48:01All good teams
00:48:02that could be in the Premiership.
00:48:03Yeah, no, I agree.
00:48:04And that's what I was
00:48:05alluding to when I said
00:48:06there's a lot of teams.
00:48:07You know,
00:48:07Erie United now
00:48:07is a big investment
00:48:08going into as well.
00:48:09Bardic.
00:48:10You know,
00:48:11there's good clubs.
00:48:12Levy have already
00:48:12been a Premiership club.
00:48:13There's definitely teams
00:48:14and fan bases
00:48:15that can enhance
00:48:16the Premiership
00:48:16and two very good
00:48:17examples there.
00:48:18Barry's done a great job now.
00:48:20And he's reacted
00:48:23to losing his job
00:48:24at Aberdeen
00:48:25and he's come back stronger
00:48:27and I think sometimes
00:48:27it does make you stronger
00:48:28and you learn from
00:48:29your mistakes
00:48:30and things become
00:48:32a little bit clearer
00:48:34in what you want
00:48:34to try and do
00:48:35and maybe what you've
00:48:36done wrong.
00:48:37So sometimes
00:48:37the second time round
00:48:38is a little bit better
00:48:39if you're lucky enough
00:48:40to get that chance.
00:48:41Yeah, absolutely.
00:48:42John McGlynnan,
00:48:43I mean,
00:48:44no disrespect to any
00:48:45of the teams
00:48:46in the Premiership
00:48:47but there was a
00:48:47early on in the season
00:48:49Falkirk went to Celtic Park
00:48:50for 70 minutes
00:48:51and absolutely
00:48:52played them
00:48:53at their own game
00:48:54and I've watched them
00:48:56on more than a few
00:48:57occasions in that
00:48:58championship
00:48:59and they play
00:49:00a really good
00:49:01attacking brand
00:49:02of football
00:49:03equally so
00:49:04without in any way
00:49:05trying to dismiss it.
00:49:06I see your side
00:49:08at times
00:49:09playing that same
00:49:10type of,
00:49:10you know,
00:49:11attacking,
00:49:11get the ball
00:49:12into the box.
00:49:13I mean,
00:49:13football as you know
00:49:14is not exactly
00:49:15rocket science.
00:49:16It hasn't suddenly
00:49:16overdeveloped.
00:49:18I mean,
00:49:18fast players,
00:49:18get ball in box,
00:49:20striker scores goals.
00:49:21Yeah,
00:49:21I think that's what
00:49:22fans want to say.
00:49:23It's exciting.
00:49:24You know,
00:49:24and credit to John
00:49:25and his team.
00:49:26They do,
00:49:26you've referred to
00:49:27the Celtic game.
00:49:28It was a great game.
00:49:29It was,
00:49:29you know,
00:49:29you weren't sure
00:49:30who was the
00:49:30Premiership side
00:49:31which is the biggest
00:49:31compliment I can give them
00:49:32when they're playing
00:49:33against Celtic.
00:49:34And it's now got down
00:49:36to the last couple of games.
00:49:37It may go down
00:49:37to the last game
00:49:38depending on results
00:49:39on Friday night as well.
00:49:40So,
00:49:41you know,
00:49:41they're both managers
00:49:42that are very successful
00:49:44and there's now maybe
00:49:45two or three teams
00:49:45in the running for it as well.
00:49:47A couple of things
00:49:48I want to talk to you about
00:49:48before you go.
00:49:49We're delighted
00:49:49that you come in here
00:49:50to spend some time
00:49:52with us, Stephen.
00:49:53Premiership team of the year.
00:49:54I'm going to read it out.
00:49:56I did ask,
00:49:57is there any St. Merlin player
00:49:58in it before you come in here?
00:50:00But of course,
00:50:01I think the players
00:50:02all vote for it,
00:50:03not anybody in a committee.
00:50:05Schmeichel and Goal,
00:50:06Alistair Johnson,
00:50:07Cameron Carter-Vickers,
00:50:09John Souter,
00:50:10James Penrice,
00:50:12Nicholas Raskin,
00:50:13Callum McGregor,
00:50:14Rio Hattati,
00:50:14Nicholas Kuhn,
00:50:15Sam Dalby
00:50:16and Dyson Maida.
00:50:18Would there be a player
00:50:20on your side
00:50:21you think,
00:50:21oh come on,
00:50:22he could have been a sub
00:50:23in that team
00:50:25or he was close
00:50:25to running it?
00:50:27We've had a couple
00:50:28but I'm not sure
00:50:30that we'd be in that team
00:50:31if we're being honest.
00:50:32Killian Phillips
00:50:33has been superb
00:50:33for me this season.
00:50:35Marcus Fraser
00:50:36has been superb for me.
00:50:38There's Toi,
00:50:39Toi Ossi Alassane
00:50:39has been a revelation
00:50:41for us
00:50:41but when you're actually
00:50:43competing against Maida
00:50:44it's levels at times as well
00:50:46so there's a lot
00:50:47of top players
00:50:48in that league
00:50:48around that team.
00:50:49I'd love to see
00:50:50his fit back with you.
00:50:52I'd love to have him
00:50:53through the thought.
00:50:54When he's next to me
00:50:55during the game
00:50:55I'm like,
00:50:55you must be tired.
00:50:56Come on,
00:50:56it's time to come off.
00:50:58But then they bring Kuhn on
00:50:59instead and I'm like,
00:50:59oh no,
00:51:00here we go.
00:51:00But no,
00:51:01he must be
00:51:02an absolute dream.
00:51:02I spoke to a couple
00:51:03of Celtic players
00:51:04who had done a morning
00:51:05session with him
00:51:06and they said
00:51:07he just keeps running.
00:51:08He doesn't breathe,
00:51:09he doesn't say a lot,
00:51:09he just smiles.
00:51:10I think he's just
00:51:11your dream player.
00:51:12Tell us the Olasanya story.
00:51:15So he's just about
00:51:16enjoying the moment.
00:51:17Toi,
00:51:18before,
00:51:19he was struggling
00:51:19to get in and out
00:51:20of the team
00:51:20a couple of years ago
00:51:21and we made him train.
00:51:23It was about 10 players
00:51:24trained on the Monday
00:51:25the rest of the boys
00:51:25were doing a recovery
00:51:26and he was moaning about it,
00:51:28wasn't happy at all
00:51:28and he broke his toe.
00:51:30So he didn't play for
00:51:30I think,
00:51:31maybe four months
00:51:32and I said to him
00:51:33that's why you can
00:51:35never take for granted
00:51:36and never have the hump
00:51:37because you're not playing
00:51:37because playing's a privilege,
00:51:38training's a privilege.
00:51:39You don't know
00:51:40when it's going to be
00:51:40your last time
00:51:41and something,
00:51:42the penny dropped
00:51:43and he came in every day
00:51:44with a smile on his face.
00:51:45He worked his socks off.
00:51:47He's got an incredible move
00:51:48and he's one of the nicest boys
00:51:50I've ever worked with as well.
00:51:51So he's a brilliant example
00:51:52but I use it all the time
00:51:53to say to players
00:51:54like enjoy the moment,
00:51:55enjoy now,
00:51:56enjoy training
00:51:57because it's never as bad
00:51:58as you think.
00:51:59These are good times.
00:52:00Yeah, and MLS?
00:52:01Fantastic.
00:52:02Yeah, I'm Houston Dynamo
00:52:04so I'm not sure
00:52:05if it's been officially announced yet.
00:52:07He is in America.
00:52:08I'd imagine doing medical.
00:52:09So hopefully all being well
00:52:11with that,
00:52:11it's a terrific move for him
00:52:13and the club have done
00:52:14well out of it as well.
00:52:15We've got a six-figure fee
00:52:17with a matter of weeks left
00:52:18to the end of the season
00:52:20so fans will be like,
00:52:21why have you let him go?
00:52:22I mean,
00:52:23there's only five games left.
00:52:24The club have done terrific
00:52:25out of it.
00:52:27Teosi's done terrific
00:52:27out of it as well
00:52:28and hopefully goes on
00:52:29to bigger and better things.
00:52:31Yeah, absolutely.
00:52:31I hope he likes the heat
00:52:32in Houston.
00:52:33Well, that's the other thing about it.
00:52:34Only really good players
00:52:35can go there
00:52:35and stay for a long period of time.
00:52:37Some get released pretty quickly
00:52:39when they're found out.
00:52:42Colorado was out of it.
00:52:44Couldn't breathe early.
00:52:45That's my excuse.
00:52:46Ruffy, you enjoyed it.
00:52:48By the way,
00:52:48I hate to say this to you
00:52:49because we were going to ask you
00:52:50about the,
00:52:51eventually I'll be
00:52:52the Northern Ireland boss.
00:52:53Ruffy went to Orlando
00:52:55to play in the MLS
00:52:57in the early years
00:52:58and he went there
00:52:59and the guy
00:53:00he used to hang about with,
00:53:02George Best.
00:53:03I mean,
00:53:04can you believe it?
00:53:05That was a quiet couple of...
00:53:06That was the first game we played.
00:53:08No,
00:53:08the first game we played
00:53:09we got beat 3-0
00:53:10and we're all sitting
00:53:11in the dressing room
00:53:12going,
00:53:12let's get ready
00:53:13for the parties
00:53:14after this.
00:53:14Now on,
00:53:15party?
00:53:16Just beat 3-0.
00:53:17Oh no,
00:53:17we always have a party
00:53:18and I'm going,
00:53:19I've waited 25 years
00:53:20for this.
00:53:21Perfect.
00:53:25By the way,
00:53:25Can I ask Stephen
00:53:26before we go,
00:53:27we all sit here
00:53:28and let's get to the stage,
00:53:29you've read out
00:53:29the team of the year,
00:53:30manager of the year,
00:53:32you all vote,
00:53:32don't you?
00:53:33Yeah.
00:53:34Can you tell us
00:53:34your criteria?
00:53:37You'd have to name
00:53:38who it is,
00:53:39just what's the criteria?
00:53:40I'll tell you
00:53:41who I voted for,
00:53:41I don't mind
00:53:42saying that there.
00:53:44Maybe I won't.
00:53:45What's the criteria?
00:53:48Just,
00:53:48I try to be honest
00:53:49on who's done
00:53:49a really good job.
00:53:51There's lots of people
00:53:52in the premiership,
00:53:53you mentioned
00:53:54John McGlynn as well
00:53:54in the championships
00:53:55done a really good job,
00:53:56but Brendan obviously
00:53:58could potentially
00:53:59win a treble.
00:54:00David Gray's
00:54:01had an incredible run
00:54:02in his first job
00:54:04and Jim Goodwin as well.
00:54:07You know,
00:54:07I think for me
00:54:07and John
00:54:08are the four people
00:54:10in the running.
00:54:11You have to vote,
00:54:11you have to give two votes
00:54:12so I voted for
00:54:13three out of those four.
00:54:15You have to give two votes?
00:54:16You give your first
00:54:17and second
00:54:17in case there's a tie.
00:54:19So I won't tell you
00:54:20the two out of them
00:54:21four that I've put forward.
00:54:22No,
00:54:22I won't do it.
00:54:23Tell us one.
00:54:23I won't do it.
00:54:24No.
00:54:25So that's the criteria.
00:54:27Yeah,
00:54:27I just think
00:54:28people have done
00:54:29really well.
00:54:30I admire any manager
00:54:31that puts your neck
00:54:32in the line.
00:54:33You know,
00:54:33there's so many people
00:54:34who have got opinions
00:54:35and some of them
00:54:36extremely uneducated opinions
00:54:38and the majority of them
00:54:39you wouldn't cross
00:54:39the road to hear.
00:54:40But actually...
00:54:41Your son.
00:54:42Oh,
00:54:43don't listen to them.
00:54:44You're joking.
00:54:44No chance.
00:54:45I had my older son
00:54:46over today.
00:54:46That's why I was late.
00:54:47And he's telling me
00:54:48you need to pick him.
00:54:49You need to play him.
00:54:49And I'm like
00:54:50you've watched him
00:54:50in a five-a-side.
00:54:51Come on.
00:54:52Leave me alone.
00:54:53But no,
00:54:53I just try and be fair
00:54:54in who you admire
00:54:56and I admire every manager
00:54:57and I mean
00:54:58the four guys
00:54:58that I've mentioned
00:54:59have had terrific seasons.
00:55:00Yeah,
00:55:01absolutely.
00:55:01And with that in mind,
00:55:02I'm not just missing
00:55:04the story out of hand
00:55:05because I know
00:55:05we've talked about it before
00:55:06as well.
00:55:07You know,
00:55:08a Northern Ireland boy
00:55:09it would be a great honour
00:55:10to become the Northern
00:55:12Island manager
00:55:12but you are not
00:55:14one of those people
00:55:14that I think
00:55:15in the next 10 years
00:55:16is anywhere near
00:55:17the Northern Ireland job
00:55:19and it's not because
00:55:20of Michael O'Neill.
00:55:21It's just because
00:55:21I see you
00:55:22and I think
00:55:22he loves the buzz.
00:55:25He loves the every
00:55:26day-to-day
00:55:27of building a side
00:55:28of creating,
00:55:29enjoying the fun
00:55:30with the players
00:55:31and getting success.
00:55:34Yeah,
00:55:34I think
00:55:35Michael says
00:55:37that's what he misses.
00:55:38He misses the day-to-day.
00:55:39He misses the day-to-day
00:55:39interaction with players
00:55:41and the dressing room.
00:55:42You miss the dressing room
00:55:42anyway.
00:55:43You know,
00:55:43when I walk in now
00:55:44all the banter stops
00:55:45and nobody speaks.
00:55:46So,
00:55:46yeah,
00:55:47it's something
00:55:48in the future
00:55:49that would very much
00:55:50interest me.
00:55:51I joked about it
00:55:51earlier in the week.
00:55:52Michael's got a 20-year contract
00:55:53so I'm not sure
00:55:54what age he'll be
00:55:55when that finally
00:55:55comes about again.
00:55:57It's something,
00:55:58I think as you start out
00:55:59as a young manager
00:56:00you want to manage
00:56:00at the very highest level.
00:56:02You know,
00:56:02international football
00:56:03is that.
00:56:05You know,
00:56:05you come up against
00:56:06some of the top managers
00:56:06in the world
00:56:07but hopefully I've got
00:56:08a little bit more
00:56:09club stuff to do
00:56:10before that.
00:56:10Yeah,
00:56:11what does it say
00:56:12when you start to hear
00:56:13and I'm not talking
00:56:14about any specific club
00:56:15but we in here
00:56:17have got a standing joke
00:56:19with most of the people
00:56:20who are on our feed.
00:56:22You know,
00:56:22they're waiting
00:56:22and they're saying
00:56:23well wait,
00:56:23see how long it takes
00:56:24for Peter Martin
00:56:26to suggest Neil Lennon
00:56:27for a job
00:56:28or Stephen Robinson
00:56:29because quite simply
00:56:31you're linked
00:56:32with a lot of jobs
00:56:32and I'm not being
00:56:33dismissive of
00:56:34St Mirren
00:56:35but bigger jobs
00:56:35because of the job
00:56:36you're doing there.
00:56:37Yeah,
00:56:38I take it with a pinch
00:56:39of salt
00:56:39to be honest with you.
00:56:40I know people say
00:56:41oh they don't read stuff
00:56:42and they don't hear stuff.
00:56:43I don't.
00:56:44My boys do like to tell me
00:56:45when I'm getting hammered.
00:56:46I mean they can't wait
00:56:46to tell me
00:56:47oh this guy said that
00:56:48and hammered you.
00:56:48I don't want to know.
00:56:49I think it affects
00:56:50your decision making,
00:56:51it affects your mindset,
00:56:52it affects your mood
00:56:52so I try and not listen
00:56:54to too many opinions
00:56:55and social media especially
00:56:56as I said
00:56:57you wouldn't cross the road
00:56:58to listen to some of them
00:56:59so why let them
00:57:01into your life?
00:57:01So when you're linked
00:57:02with stuff
00:57:03I get asked about it
00:57:04in the press
00:57:04and I put it down
00:57:05to the players
00:57:06and their performances
00:57:07we're doing something right.
00:57:08If you're linked with jobs
00:57:09you're doing something right
00:57:10but until any of that
00:57:12materialises
00:57:12I think you need to
00:57:14concentrate fully
00:57:14on the job
00:57:15in front of you
00:57:15because football
00:57:16is a funny way
00:57:17of bringing you
00:57:17back down to earth
00:57:18very, very quickly.
00:57:19Yeah, two questions
00:57:20and then we're going
00:57:21to finish this show.
00:57:22We've thoroughly enjoyed
00:57:22your company.
00:57:24The St Mirren fans
00:57:25will look and say
00:57:26right, top six
00:57:26okay we're in there
00:57:27come on
00:57:28let's have a right go
00:57:29at it.
00:57:29I looked and I thought
00:57:30to myself man
00:57:31you need to win
00:57:31you need to get
00:57:3210 points out of 15
00:57:33to have a chance
00:57:34of Europe
00:57:34so I'm wondering
00:57:37you might play
00:57:38the odd young player
00:57:39but you're going
00:57:40to have a go at it
00:57:41aren't you?
00:57:41Oh 100%
00:57:42I got all the players
00:57:43together today
00:57:43and said listen
00:57:44anybody that's
00:57:45down in tools
00:57:45anybody that's
00:57:46signing pre-contracts
00:57:47anywhere
00:57:48I understand it
00:57:48I get that
00:57:49but we're 100%
00:57:50committed to trying
00:57:51to get into Europe
00:57:52and we'll do everything
00:57:53in our part to do that
00:57:54you don't play
00:57:55weak in teams
00:57:56you play younger players
00:57:58when they're ready
00:57:59to enhance the first
00:58:00team or be as good
00:58:01as what's in there
00:58:02and we may do that
00:58:03over the next five
00:58:04games with individuals
00:58:05but it won't be
00:58:06wholesale
00:58:06I want to get into
00:58:07Europe
00:58:08if you win the first
00:58:09two who knows
00:58:10you put pressure on
00:58:10people who knows
00:58:11I'm not going to go
00:58:12and see you in any
00:58:13of those
00:58:14no please don't
00:58:14please don't
00:58:17and the last point
00:58:18on this
00:58:18is all of Sanya
00:58:19goes
00:58:20do you start
00:58:21thinking now
00:58:22Martin
00:58:23get on the go
00:58:25or do you have to
00:58:25wait a specific
00:58:26month
00:58:27no we started
00:58:28in January
00:58:28maybe before that
00:58:30as soon as one
00:58:31window closes
00:58:31we're going
00:58:32right
00:58:32these are the
00:58:33problems
00:58:34we're going to
00:58:34lose Richard Taylor
00:58:35we're going to
00:58:36lose Toei
00:58:36we're going to
00:58:37lose
00:58:37maybe these
00:58:38five players
00:58:38so straight away
00:58:39we can't get into
00:58:40a race with people
00:58:41if we get into
00:58:41a race with
00:58:42Hartz or Hibbs
00:58:43or Dundee
00:58:44they blow us
00:58:45out of the water
00:58:45you know
00:58:46the players
00:58:46the teams I've
00:58:48mentioned there
00:58:48and below
00:58:49obviously the teams
00:58:50above us do as well
00:58:51but we have to
00:58:53have our due
00:58:54diligence in place
00:58:55we have to have
00:58:56maybe a list of
00:58:56ten
00:58:57because they go
00:58:57very quickly
00:58:58and it's the next
00:58:58list of ten
00:58:59so we're
00:59:00we've had lots of
00:59:01talks with people
00:59:01the English season
00:59:02is hopefully
00:59:04coming to a close
00:59:04and obviously the
00:59:05Easter games are big
00:59:06in terms of where
00:59:06teams are
00:59:07so hopefully things
00:59:08will start moving
00:59:09in the next few
00:59:10weeks
00:59:10so yeah we've
00:59:10got our eye on
00:59:11we always knew
00:59:11Toei was going to
00:59:12leave
00:59:12you know Toei was
00:59:13very honest and
00:59:13said he's not
00:59:14going to sign a
00:59:14contract
00:59:14and he's been
00:59:15terrific
00:59:15he's shown a
00:59:16great attitude
00:59:16and a real
00:59:17loyalty to St
00:59:18Mirren
00:59:18as Richard Taylor
00:59:19and the other
00:59:20boys we haven't
00:59:20signed
00:59:21so we know
00:59:22where we're going
00:59:23to lose players
00:59:24and where we
00:59:25can strengthen
00:59:25and we need to
00:59:26I think as I
00:59:27said every three
00:59:27years the manager
00:59:28has to change
00:59:29or a good number
00:59:30of players have to
00:59:31change
00:59:31they're freshening
00:59:32me up
00:59:32they're freshen
00:59:33everybody up
00:59:33maybe a different
00:59:34system a different
00:59:35style
00:59:35I get bored
00:59:36I really get
00:59:37bored with 3-5-2
00:59:38but it suited us
00:59:40to do that this
00:59:41season and we
00:59:42reinvented ourselves
00:59:43a little bit in
00:59:44the last 10 weeks
00:59:44with two wingers
00:59:45you know Ryan
00:59:46Alibusi's like a
00:59:46winger and Declan
00:59:47John's like a
00:59:48winger instead of
00:59:48full backs playing
00:59:49his wing backs
00:59:49so there's lots of
00:59:51things that are
00:59:52freshening everyone
00:59:52freshening the fans
00:59:53freshening the club
00:59:53and I wouldn't say
00:59:55we're well on our
00:59:56way to doing that
00:59:56because it's difficult
00:59:57to get people to
00:59:58sign for the money
00:59:59we're able to pay
01:00:00but we're certainly
01:00:01in talks with a lot
01:00:01of people
01:00:02I'm sure that
01:00:02will excite a
01:00:05number of St
01:00:05Mirren fans out
01:00:06there who think
01:00:07managers just do
01:00:08it reacting
01:00:09it's been proactive
01:00:10and it's been
01:00:11great getting a
01:00:12chance to chat
01:00:12with Stephen
01:00:13once again on
01:00:13the show
01:00:14more managers
01:00:15coming on our
01:00:16show to talk
01:00:17football
01:00:17thanks to Ruffy
01:00:19you weren't at
01:00:19your best today
01:00:20Ruffy
01:00:20I think you were
01:00:20just offered a
01:00:21wee bit
01:00:21rolling eggs
01:00:24down hills
01:00:25I'm just too
01:00:26old for that
01:00:26thanks to
01:00:29Tam
01:00:30thanks to
01:00:30Ruffy
01:00:30and a big
01:00:31thanks to
01:00:32Stephen Robinson
01:00:32for coming into
01:00:33the show
01:00:34hopefully you
01:00:34enjoyed his
01:00:35chat
01:00:35congratulations
01:00:35to Celtic
01:00:36and Aberdeen
01:00:36they're in the
01:00:37Scottish Cup
01:00:38final
01:00:38we will be
01:00:39covering that
01:00:40with a build-up
01:00:40and in the
01:00:41remaining games
01:00:42top six
01:00:43bottom six
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01:00:54here on the
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01:00:54thank you for
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01:00:56watching and
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