Barry Ferguson Was FORCED to Manage Players NOT FIT to Wear Rangers Jersey | The Football Show LIVE - video Dailymotion

Scottish Football

We fiercely debate if Barry Ferguson was forced to manage players not fit to wear the Rangers jersey. We also preview all of this weekend's matches including Celtic vs St Mirren and Rangers vs Hibs.  Martin O Neill & Gordon Strachan LIVE  - Get your tickets HERE ➡️https://bit.ly/ONEILLSTRACHAN Support our channel and get exclusive members-only content - click here to join PLZ Premium:    / @plzsoccer   SUBSCRIBE NOW:    / @plzsoccer    It’s the final weekend of the Scottish Premiership season – and everything is on the line!  Peter Martin is joined by Alan Rough and Alison McConnell to preview the huge final-day fixtures across the top and bottom of the table. Can Dundee escape relegation? Will Ross County survive the playoffs? And what’s next for Derek McInnes after stepping aside at Kilmarnock ahead of his move to Hearts?  We also react to:  Brendan Rodgers confirming Rio Hatate will miss the Scottish Cup final Barry Ferguson’s emotional farewell as interim Rangers boss Livingston vs Partick Thistle in the Championship playoff decider Hibs’ European hopes and transfer plans Whether St Mirren can stun Celtic and clinch a European spot Aberdeen’s inconsistency under Jimmy Thelin and their summer rebuild SWPL title drama: Rangers or Hibs – who wins it?  Plus, get the latest on PLZ Premium content, upcoming live events with Martin O’Neill & Gordon Strachan, and our end-of-season coverage!  📌 Subscribe now and join the conversation in the comments. 🎟️ Want to come to our next live event? Click the link below. 🖼️ Support us on PLZ Premium and receive your exclusive legends poster.  The Football Show Highlights:  00:00:00 – Final Scottish Premiership fixtures 00:02:58 – Brendan Rodgers confirms Rio Hatate will miss the Scottish Cup final 00:04:49 – Discussion on Rio Hatate’s importance and Celtic’s squad depth 00:05:56 – Davide Ancelotti not in running for Rangers job 00:07:00 – Derek McInnes steps aside for Kilmarnock’s final game amid Hearts FC move 00:09:46 – Was McInnes a success at Kilmarnock? 00:11:15 – Livingston vs Partick Thistle playoff second leg preview 00:13:02 – Live from Livingston FC 00:14:37 – Will Livingston be too strong for any playoff opponent? 00:16:12 – Partick Thistle vs Livingston Reaction 00:17:31 – Brian Graham’s form and future as player-manager 00:19:56 – Hibs vs Rangers preview and Europea League qualification 00:21:16 – Next season for Hibernian 00:22:24 – Barry Ferguson’s emotional farewell as interim Rangers manager 00:25:16 – Assessment of Barry Ferguson’s interim spell at Rangers 00:28:00 – Discussion on Rangers investment and expectations 00:30:12 – Celtic vs St Mirren preview 00:33:22 – Aberdeen vs Celtic Scottish Cup Final 00:35:04 – Peter’s bet: wear Aberdeen kit if they win the Scottish Cup final 00:36:00 – James Forrest’s incredible medal haul and contribution for Celtic 00:39:44 – Jimmy Thelin on Aberdeen’s direction 00:42:04 – Dundee United vs Aberdeen preview

Transcript

00:00:00Welcome to the football show on PLZ Soccer's YouTube channel. I'm Peter Martin, Alan Ruff

00:00:10and Alison McConnell join me on the show today to look ahead to those final fixtures in the

00:00:15Scottish Premiership where everything will be determined at the bottom end of the table

00:00:21and possibly some permutations to contemplate in the playoffs up at the top end for European

00:00:28football. So over the weekend some teams will be hoping that they can get a win and suddenly

00:00:35not have to play as many qualifiers. We'll discuss that with Alison and with Ruffy as

00:00:40well but of course if you want to look at the weekend Saturday and Sunday top and bottom

00:00:45here are the fixtures for you to look forward to and it's packed full of 12.30 kick-offs

00:00:52on the Saturday Celtic against St Mirren, Dundee United Aberdeen and Hibbs against Rangers

00:00:58and then suddenly on the Sunday Kilmarnock against Hearts. It's Ross County Munnell and

00:01:04St Johnstone against Dundee and that is the live situation quite simply Alison because

00:01:09at the bottom end Dundee and Ross County find themselves in a battle to avoid that play-off.

00:01:16Yeah absolutely I think high pressure games, high stake having to deal with the nerves

00:01:21and the tension, I think they must be horrible games to play in. I think it must be really

00:01:27difficult just to focus on the game and not think and be distracted about the ramifications

00:01:33and consequences of what's unfolding around you but I think it's just a question of going

00:01:40out and trying to get the results. I have to say I think Dundee will get the win.

00:01:45You've gone early on that, I'm going to get Ruffy a wee bit later on to see if he's going

00:01:48to be as forthright as you on this. So that's what we're going to talk about, give us your

00:01:52thoughts on it, we'll read out as many of your opinions as possible. So here's a look

00:01:57at the menu to see what we're going to be talking about elsewhere.

00:02:01Brendan Rodgers reveals Rio Hatate will miss the Scottish Cup final.

00:02:07Conor Barron insists any managerial change at Rangers won't affect his progress.

00:02:14Steven Robertson challenges St Mirren to end the season unbeaten in the top six.

00:02:21And Jimmy Filleen reminds fans Aberdeen are just one season into a three-year project.

00:02:29So there you have it, that's the discussion over the course of the hour. Give us your

00:02:35thoughts on your favourite team, how they've performed over the season. We'll also discuss

00:02:39with Alison and Ruffy the Scottish Football Writers Association dinner on Sunday night.

00:02:44They'll be handing out awards. Some we don't know, some we already know who has won the

00:02:50award. So we'll discuss that. But first and foremost, some of the news coming out. Of

00:02:54course Brendan Rodgers, this is what he had to say on Rio Hatate because that's the big

00:03:00blow for them ahead of the Cup final. Hatate, he'll miss the last two games sadly for him

00:03:04and for us. He's had a fantastic season, that's 55 games he's been involved in. It's

00:03:09a shame for him that he misses these last games. He'll be okay for the beginning of

00:03:14pre-season. I said at the time that it was a needless challenge. Everyone knew it was

00:03:18a free kick. For that to happen in those circumstances, it is not nice. It's a big blow for Celtic.

00:03:25I think so. I think he's been pivotal this season to the way that Celtic have played.

00:03:30He's been a mainstay in the heart of that midfield and certainly I think with him out,

00:03:35with Jota out, it's a slight headache for Celtic just looking ahead to next weekend's

00:03:44Scottish Cup final. I do think they have enough. I think they've got a decent depth of squad

00:03:48to be able to cope with it. But I think it'll just be frustrating that when they are looking

00:03:52to come back after the summer, that's assuming there are no bids for Hatate and he is one

00:03:56of those that I think has been attracting interest from elsewhere. But should everyone

00:04:00go back for pre-season in July, it will be frustrating for Rodgers that you're not going

00:04:05into that with a fully fit squad. You're still nursing injuries and people are playing catch-up

00:04:11in terms of when they're coming back. All the more so when you have consideration to

00:04:15give to the fact that there's a Champions League qualifier. But he's one of those guys

00:04:18that many people thought would be leaving in the summer. Yeah, definitely. I think he's

00:04:23been at Celtic perhaps longer than you would have anticipated. I think part of the marketing

00:04:30of Celtic to prospective players is to say, come, allow us to give you a stage and a stepping

00:04:35stone and then you go and make the next move to your career. You've seen it across the

00:04:40last decade or so with people then moving on and I think real Hatate will harbour ambitions

00:04:45to go and possibly play at a higher level. So it'll be interesting to see just how that

00:04:49this injury affects that. Of the other news before we talk about the games, Ruffy, suddenly

00:04:55from a position of it's Davide Ancelotti who is the preferred choice, suddenly it's not

00:05:00Davide Ancelotti. He's going with his dad to Brazil and he won't be the next Rangers

00:05:04manager and again, as ever, with these things, there's all sorts of speculation. Sometimes

00:05:11stories are fed out there just to keep everybody excited. But at the end of the day, the Rangers

00:05:16fans will be looking and thinking, I got a feeling from some of them that they weren't

00:05:20too enamoured with Davide Ancelotti with no experience in the first place. No, you're

00:05:24right. I know he's been about with his dad for a wee while at various clubs but I think

00:05:30the fans are looking for an established manager, somebody who's done something. We don't know

00:05:34who that'll be but there'll be another name that'll come up and it's the speculation that

00:05:40the Rangers fans don't want. They want a definite. They know they have to do something very,

00:05:44very quickly, something in the pre-season to get players out, players in. The European

00:05:49game is coming up so speculation is doing nobody any favours. Always worry about these

00:05:55attractions to names in particular. George Weah was a great player, his brother, not

00:06:01a great player. No, no, yeah. CVs now is what you've got at the end of your CV. He's got

00:06:09a good coaching CV but never managed a team of any sort and the Rangers are a very big

00:06:16club. Thanks for that, Ruffey. Just in case anybody wasn't aware of the stature in Scottish

00:06:20football, he's just reminded us. So, with that in mind, also the other big news that

00:06:26was coming out which was Derek McInnes. It turned into a little bit of a circus to be

00:06:31honest with you. I think Derek should have just probably got the head down into a darkened

00:06:36room and just started packing his stuff and leave without maybe leaving himself open to

00:06:42a fair bit of criticism. Now he's not going to be in a dugout against Hearts and that's

00:06:46the right move I think. I think so too. I think he's been unfortunate with just the

00:06:51timing of that last game, the fact it's against Hearts. But I think in terms of just a common

00:06:56sense approach to it, I think it was always going to be very difficult for him to be in

00:06:59the Kilmarnock dugout when news had been confirmed that he's going to be taking over Hearts.

00:07:05I think it leaves you open to accusations that you're compromised in the position and

00:07:09I think the fact that he got the result that kept him up last weekend. He'd done what he

00:07:16was supposed to do. He's kept him in the top flight. I think it was probably the right

00:07:19time to go and I think we knew. I think last Saturday afternoon when it's post-match and

00:07:24a manager comes in and says, I'll take one question on the topic that I know everyone's

00:07:28talking about. I think you have a really solid indication of which way the direction of traffic

00:07:34is going. So I don't think it was a huge surprise when it was confirmed that he'll be the new

00:07:39Hearts manager. Equally, I don't think it's any great surprise that Kilmarnock have said,

00:07:43right, okay, it's time to maybe take a step back now.

00:07:47If I'd been in that press conference, I'd have said, look Derek, this is quite a long

00:07:49first question. I want you to pay attention in particular to it and see if you can answer

00:07:56it in stages for me. One A is, but this is what of course Kilmarnock released as a statement

00:08:04with regards to his future. It's been agreed between our Board of Directors, Derek McInnes

00:08:08and his staff that the best approach would be if they were not in charge for the final

00:08:13match of the season. Paul Sheeran and Alan Archibald will also not be involved. First

00:08:17team on matchday duties will be undertaken by Chris Burke and Craig Clarke. We look forward

00:08:22to seeing the Blue and White Army out in force as we give the players the send-off they deserve.

00:08:27And I tell you, at the end of the day, they've been in a no-win situation, clapped by the

00:08:31opposition, fans booed by the home supporters. Yeah, it's just an unfortunate fixture for

00:08:36him. He was already on record saying, look, I'm going to be here, having a great time

00:08:40at Kilmarnock. I've had great European experiences. The last four or five results have been pretty

00:08:46good. I would think the majority of the fans would have liked to have said cheerio to him,

00:08:51but unfortunately the fixture and a certain element obviously aired their views on what

00:08:57had happened, but it's a shame because I'm sure he would have went out onto the park

00:09:02and applauded the majority of the fans and said thanks a lot. To be fair, I think he'd

00:09:06done that. Last Saturday he went onto the pitch. Now obviously it was something to celebrate,

00:09:11the fact that he'd kept him up, but he did go on. He made a real point last Saturday

00:09:16of going and applauding. Did he do the big and wave? Yeah, we weren't quite at the and

00:09:21wave and we weren't quite at Ronnie Dyla punching or fists or anything like that, but there

00:09:27was very much an acknowledgement of the fans and what appeared to be a farewell salute

00:09:34from my perspective. Perhaps we put two and two together sometimes, but I did think he

00:09:38went on to... Didn't throw his jacket into the crowd? No, nothing like that. Just out

00:09:43of curiosity, Ruffey, has he been a successor at Kilmarnock? Yeah, I think so with the resources

00:09:48that are available to him. He's not got the same budget as the ones at the top six. I

00:09:53think Billy Bowie has done his best. I think they're a good relationship together. I just

00:10:00think injuries killed him this year. Injuries in all the wrong places, up front, in the

00:10:04middle, at the back, the goalkeeper. He's struggled on and to his credit, I think he's

00:10:11got about it the right way. He's head down and fought back and I think the results at

00:10:16the end of the season justified that. I think he's a solid choice for Harps. What about

00:10:19you? Yeah, I agree. I think he did do well at Kilmarnock. I think he should be seen as

00:10:24a success. He delivered European football to the club. I think he has been hindered

00:10:30throughout this campaign with injuries to key players at various times. I think Kyle

00:10:34Vassell was a huge loss at points of the season, but I think he is a manager who can create

00:10:42a team that are better than the sum of their parts and I think that's what Harps need just

00:10:46now. They need a level of organisation and structure. I think he knows obviously the

00:10:52landscape of Scottish football inside out, the environment of it and I think he knows

00:10:57where Harps should be in terms of the hierarchy of Scottish football. Where they are at the

00:11:02minute is not becoming a team of Harps budget and stature. I think he'll go in with big

00:11:10ambitions to get them back into that third spot.

00:11:12Okay, we're going to talk about Aberdeen, one of the new signings that they've got.

00:11:16We'll discuss that. We'll look at Celtic and Rangers. Lots to talk about about the weekend

00:11:20games. Down at the bottom end as well, we'll give you our thoughts on who we think is going

00:11:24to be in that play-off place and over and above that, we've got the small matter of

00:11:30the final play-off between the Championship sides with, right now, Livingstone in the

00:11:36box seat, 2-0 ahead against Partick Thistle. It's a big match tonight. It's one of those

00:11:40ones, do you think to yourself, do I go out in the sun for a walk or do I sit in and watch

00:11:46the return leg? Ruffey, it's a big dilemma for yourself because, by the looks of things,

00:11:51you've been out in the sun for most of the day now that you've got this life of nothingness.

00:11:56I think we're all surprised with the weather, aren't we? I don't think we thought we were

00:11:59going to get this kind of weather. It's not turning into Michael Fish. Are you going to

00:12:04watch it or are you going to go for it? I'll be watching it. Obviously, it's going to be

00:12:08a hard task. I think Brian will be cursing his soul with that miss just at the end of

00:12:13the game, which would have given them a wee bit of a lifeline. The worrying thing was

00:12:17a few players going off with injuries. Big Ashcroft went off with a hamstring. They're

00:12:21going to be stretched. Livingstone won't be. I saw their substitute bench, they looked

00:12:27pretty strong. So, it's going to be a hard one. Our man in West Lothian is there right

00:12:33now, which is incredible. Who goes to a game almost three and a half hours before it? That's

00:12:37the commitment of Blair Malloy. He's out there in the sun at the moment. As ever, football

00:12:44is a game that you want to enjoy. Let's see if Blair's got his serious face on or if he's

00:12:49looking forward to, in the sunshine, a miracle from Partick Thistle. What's the odds of that

00:12:55happening, Blair? Good afternoon, Peter. Welcome to the Costa del Livingstone. What an afternoon

00:13:01we've got for football here. You're talking about whether to go outside and enjoy the

00:13:05sun, stay inside and watch this Premiership playoff, come down here and, like me, experience

00:13:10the best of both worlds. A little bit of sunshine and some hopefully entertaining football on

00:13:16show as well. Like you said, it's a massive task for Partick Thistle this evening. They're

00:13:21coming into this one 2-0 down from the first leg at Fir Hill. Goals from Scott Pittman

00:13:27and Danny Wilson giving Livingstone that advantage going into this one. But David Martindale,

00:13:32who incidentally just drove past me about 30 seconds ago, gave me a little wave on the

00:13:37way past. He said, and he made a point to say, that this tie is definitely not over.

00:13:43And I think that is definitely in reference to their opponents tonight. Alison, who's

00:13:47sitting on the couch today, she'll know more than anyone down at Somerset Park last week.

00:13:52I don't think most people gave Partick Thistle a prayer against Air United and they pulled

00:13:57off the comeback of all comebacks. That incredible 88th-minute goal from Brian Gilliam to send

00:14:03Partick Thistle through to this stage. But as Ruffey pointed out, their injuries could

00:14:08take their toll on this Partick Thistle team tonight. I think Lee Ashcroft in particular,

00:14:13he could be the one that is a big, big miss for Partick Thistle at the back. So it'll

00:14:18be very interesting to see how it goes this evening. Livingstone, of course, trying to

00:14:23get back into the Premier League at the first attempt after losing a relegation last season.

00:14:29Ten points adrift at the Premier League. But they'll be certainly hoping to make a better

00:14:33fist of it and go back up to that top tier.

00:14:36Brilliant stuff there from Blair. Certainly a fantastic game in prospect. And it looks

00:14:42as if he could be in the middle of Spain, Ruffey. Look at the backdrop. The backdrop,

00:14:46blue skies. He's got to be the only man wearing a black polo shirt on a night like this.

00:14:51Everyone's a critic.

00:14:52You've got to have the t-shirt, haven't you?

00:14:54Everyone's a critic.

00:14:55Yeah, absolutely. He's there to be leathered, to be perfectly honest with you. But he does

00:15:00a great job. And of course, he says, while Alisson's sitting on the couch, he's been

00:15:05out on that many reports. He doesn't know that we've borrowed this desk from Loose

00:15:09Women, Ruffey, which hopefully will give you a chance to give us a wee bit of gossip later

00:15:13on. We're getting the couch stretch. You like it, don't you?

00:15:16We were saying, Alisson, it's nice. You feel sort of comfortable. I don't know what they

00:15:20mean. I feel quite assured.

00:15:22Is that right? Give us a couch back any day. Anyway, thanks to so many people who are saying,

00:15:29what the hell's happening with the set? But we're getting the couch fixed, to be perfectly

00:15:34honest with you, Ruffey. And we thought we'd just add the news desk into the equation.

00:15:37It's quite good, isn't it?

00:15:38Yeah, I like it. I liked it in the olden days. I found it was very good.

00:15:41Yeah, absolutely. This is how we started out, Ali.

00:15:43I was at the...

00:15:45Had we signed you by then?

00:15:46Yes.

00:15:47Well, there you are. And, of course, Ruffey, you're well aware that the sell-on clause

00:15:51for Ali is in place, much like Jeremy Frimpong. I think we'll get a fair few quid when she goes.

00:15:56Yeah, I thought it was a roll-on, Jeremy.

00:15:58Yeah, absolutely.

00:15:59I don't think there's much interest.

00:16:01No, don't rule it out. Anyway, thanks to Blair Malloy. Give us your thoughts. Who's going

00:16:06to win it? Livingston or Partick Thistle? In the ascendancy, 2-0 up, certainly in the

00:16:12box seat. And I'll tell you one thing, I don't think too many teams are speaking to the Dundee

00:16:16fans in midweek. I don't think too many of them are looking with any great confidence

00:16:23if they are in that play-off against Livy.

00:16:25I think Livingston would give teams a gate. I think when you look at who might be either

00:16:31Dundee or St. John's, I think Livingston would give them a game. I thought they looked impressive

00:16:36on Tuesday night at Firhill. I thought they looked refreshed. You could see that Partick

00:16:40Thistle were on their last legs, obviously going into it in the back of a different kind

00:16:45of run of fixtures. You can see they're down to the bare bones in terms of players injured.

00:16:51I thought Livingston looked fit. They looked ready. They've known that these play-offs

00:16:57are coming up. I thought they could have won by a bigger margin on Tuesday night. I think

00:17:01they had a couple of really good chances too. It could have been more emphatic. I think

00:17:06if Brian Graham scored that goal at the death, I think the complexion of the tie is very

00:17:10different. But I would anticipate that Livingston go through. And yeah, I don't know that anyone

00:17:14would really play them to fight for their lives. I thought McGowan and Wilson were impressive

00:17:21at the back. Yeah, they've got a lot of experience. They looked pretty solid. Absolutely. And

00:17:26of course, with Alison mentioning Brian Graham's crucial miss, everyone's a critic, aren't

00:17:32they? Yeah, he's a critic. He got them there in the first place, didn't he? The amount

00:17:39of goals he scored this year at crucial times. Without Brian, they wouldn't be where they

00:17:45are. There's no doubt about that. It must be a difficult job getting thrown in there

00:17:49as a player manager and having to deal with everything off the park and on the park. You

00:17:54can see it's maybe taking its toll a wee bit. Yeah, from the papers this morning, a lot

00:17:57of speculation that obviously from his point of view, he's going to view and review his

00:18:03whole workload, what he's going to do. Yeah, well I know he's going to step down from the

00:18:08women's team. Obviously the campaign finishes on Sunday and that will be his last involvement

00:18:13with Partick Thistle's women's team. What comes next for him, I think is interesting.

00:18:17I think he's got another year left in his contract with the club but I think there's

00:18:21been a bit of frustration that they've been left in limbo to this point in the season.

00:18:25They still don't know what's happening. So it'll be interesting to see just what happens.

00:18:30I think he's fairly open-minded too about where his future may lie in terms of a coaching

00:18:35sense. I think he's open to coaching in both the men's and the women's game. I think when

00:18:39he first started out, it was very much a view that the women's coaching experience might

00:18:44facilitate a move into the men's. I think actually he's enjoyed it and I think he's

00:18:48fairly open-minded about what might come next. But certainly it's interesting to see just

00:18:53how that plays out over the next couple of weeks. Yeah, okay. Yeah, we mentioned there

00:18:58are over three games on the Saturday of course. There's still the small matter of fourth

00:19:04and fifth. There's still something alive here for St Mirren as well as Dundee United

00:19:10and Aberdeen. Rangers have got their part to play in all of this because it's

00:19:17Hibbs Rangers. I'll be through there at Easter Road looking forward to seeing this match.

00:19:21Hibbs have secured third place. Everybody was smiling. There was a great celebration

00:19:28from the Hibbs camp and rightly so. I think now David Gray, knowing that they're going

00:19:32to finish third, will be looking and just wondering, okay, let's see what kind of player

00:19:38we can attract because we've got European football. We don't know how many qualifiers

00:19:41we've got as yet but we've got European football and there is the safety net. If you don't

00:19:45get passed into the Europa League, you'll drop into the conference. But you'll be looking

00:19:50at players, one of them Nectar Triantis, to see if we can get him on board as well as

00:19:54targets that he'll have for the summer. Yeah, absolutely. But I think this is a game where

00:19:58there's no pressure whatsoever on it. They could have gone into this one needing to get

00:20:02something, they don't. You saw the celebrations on Wednesday night after they got what they

00:20:07needed through in Paisley. I think now he will be focused on where are the weaknesses

00:20:16within that team. Where is it that he needs reinforcements and he also needs to have conversations

00:20:20with people who are all out of contract and deciding, are you sticking with us? Here's

00:20:25what I've got to offer. It's quite a significant carrot, I think, when you can say we can give

00:20:29you European football. I think it definitely would encourage not only attracting players

00:20:35to the club but retaining the talent that you have too. But yeah, I think there's no

00:20:39question that now he will already be thinking about next season and the plans for later

00:20:43on in the summer and getting through qualifiers. I wonder if he's got a really strong hand,

00:20:46Rafi, to say, listen, if you're the Black Knights here, any chance of giving us a wee

00:20:50bit of extra cash? Well, that's the first thing he's got to be saying when he gets in

00:20:53there. Hearts across the road have got a big investment. They're going to come and spend

00:20:58it. What are we going to do to match that? There are people there at Hibs who have got

00:21:03money. You would like to think that they'd be very aware that in the capital it's good

00:21:08to be first. So you would like to think, just as you've said there, that there's some money

00:21:13there. Go and see what you can do. Yeah, and they've come up against the Rangers. It was

00:21:17quite emotional last week for Barry to say goodbye to the Rangers fans at Ivorox. If

00:21:22indeed it is his last hurrah this weekend as the interim Rangers manager. He did say

00:21:29he's loved every minute of it. I know there's a lot of people who are highly critical of

00:21:36my stance on Barry just because of our friendship over a long period of time. But if you are

00:21:43being criticised for having somebody who you admired as a player and liked as a person,

00:21:48if you're getting it in the neck for that then, what's the phrase I'm looking for? I

00:21:53really don't give a flying hoot. That's the best way to look at it because that's what

00:21:57life's about. It's about making friendships, understanding people and understanding that

00:22:02Barry Ferguson would love to have been the Rangers manager long term. If it's going to

00:22:06be a small section of his life where he gets an interim chance at being the Rangers manager

00:22:11then so be it. But I do think, I can't for the life of me think that he's going to go

00:22:17back as an ambassador. I know he'll want to do that but I think there's somewhere else

00:22:22where somebody would have had a look at him and said you must have something to offer

00:22:25with a bit of cash and not in the same predicament, no disrespect, but as an Aloha, as a Clyde

00:22:32to a lesser extent. I think it'll just depend whether or not he wants it. I think he spoke

00:22:38and said a few weeks ago if I'm not managing at Rangers I don't know if I want to be managing

00:22:43anywhere else. Is that a sign of a lack of ambition? I don't think so. I think there

00:22:50are obviously difficulties and pressures that come with managing day to day. I don't know

00:22:56that he wants to do it or he wants that kind of intensity in his life. I think it's very

00:23:02different when you're doing it at a club that you've had a long association with, not just

00:23:07professionally as a player but privately too growing up. There's no secret that Barry

00:23:13Ferguson was a huge Rangers fan, came from a family of Rangers fans. I think it's a very

00:23:17different job when you're then asked to go in and manage and coach but I think it'll

00:23:22come down to whether or not this experience across the last few months has just whet his

00:23:26appetite for going out on the training ground every day, working with players, going into

00:23:31games. Has he enjoyed it sufficiently enough that he wants to go and do it elsewhere or

00:23:36do you feel as though that scrutiny, intensity, actually it's come at a point in your life

00:23:42where you don't want it and you don't need it and he might just enjoy the ambassador

00:23:45role, he might enjoy still being in and around the club or he may find that very difficult

00:23:50now if there's a new manager coming in. By the way, a lot of people make very pertinent

00:23:56points. John says admiring someone as a player or a person is fine. Don't let that affect

00:24:01your assessment of his managerial abilities though Peter. Well, John, it is a very good

00:24:07point. I'm not Barry Ferguson's lawyer but when you look at someone's career and when

00:24:13you look at what he's got, he inherited most of these underachievers. He's trying to get

00:24:18something out of a group of players who just didn't have it. They were clueless at the

00:24:22back, they couldn't beat teams that were on a far lesser budget than them and he was

00:24:27trying to get a trick out of players who just are not fit to wear the Rangers jersey.

00:24:31It doesn't matter what way you look at it. He tried his best to get something out of

00:24:36a team of, I'd hate to say even underachievers. That suggests that some of them have got something

00:24:42else in the tank, just not good enough. No, I think whoever identified Barry come in won

00:24:49a watch with that decision. I don't think there's many people who could have come in

00:24:52at that particular time and it's okay talking about the players on the park but one thing

00:24:57he did was unite the majority of the fans because they were in a mess. They didn't know

00:25:02where their club was going but Barry came in and gave them what I would like to think

00:25:06every Rangers supporter believes in. Everything he said is from the heart. He wants them to

00:25:11do well and I think he's done particularly well. I know a lot of results never went the

00:25:17way but I don't think you can blame him tactically or anything like that or substitutions

00:25:21are in. He's went about his job and he's not frightened to leave big stars out. He's

00:25:26proved that. He's given some young ones a shout. I think on the whole, as Alison said,

00:25:32it's his decision and it is consuming. We all know it's 24-7. If you ask any manager

00:25:38at Rangers or Celtic, they tell you it's your whole life. At this stage he might want his

00:25:44family life, he might not. He might have got a buzz at it but anywhere he goes in Scotland

00:25:49there's no going to be a light managing ranger. By the way, as we know, in the city of Glasgow,

00:25:54second is nowhere. You don't win any titles if you don't win silverware. But since Ali

00:25:59McCoyst, this is the Rangers people who have been there, albeit some of them on an interim

00:26:04basis. Kenny McDowell and Stuart McCall, just an interim, short term until he found a manager.

00:26:11Mark Warburton, failed, sacked. Graeme Murty came in on more than a few occasions. Pedro

00:26:17Coscina, failed, sacked. Then Jimmy Nicol comes in short term. Stephen Gerrard comes

00:26:23in. Stephen Gerrard wins the title. And regardless of the circumstances of Celtic's complete

00:26:30and utter implosion, he still won the title. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst got them to European

00:26:35final. And then Michael Beale, what I call the great con, failed, sacked. And then you've

00:26:44got Philippe Clement, another man, another foreign manager who comes in. Hopeless. That's

00:26:51it in a nutshell. I'm looking at it and I'm saying to myself, whoever they come up with,

00:26:56I'm curious to see who it is they're going to come up with who can hit the ground running.

00:27:01Because the remit is quite simple. In year one, win the league. It's always a remit.

00:27:06It always has to be the remit, whether or not that's a plausible ambition is a different

00:27:11question. But it's always the expectation at Celtic and at Rangers that you go and challenge

00:27:17to be the best team in the league. I think you could make an argument to say across the

00:27:23last 25 years maybe Rangers shouldn't be expecting to do that every season. But it's there. That

00:27:28demand and that pressure exists and is there. And especially this summer I think when there

00:27:33has been investment that will allow them to make up some kind of ground on a Celtic side

00:27:39who have been very well managed off the pitch. They've had that financial stability to constantly

00:27:45recycle players within the first team squad. This investment when it comes across the summer

00:27:51should give them a platform to go and try and make up some of that ground, bring in

00:27:56some players. But I think the very least that you should expect is a Rangers side to be

00:28:00challenging for the title. To find themselves so far off the pace at this point in the season

00:28:06going into a dead rubber at Easter Road in the final game of the season I think is probably

00:28:11an affront to many Rangers supporters just where they are. At least if you're not winning

00:28:16the league you should be fighting until the death to make sure that there isn't a huge

00:28:21chasm between the teams. The reason why there's a huge need for change and Barry won't get

00:28:28the job, they'll give it to someone else. You only have to look at the crowd last week.

00:28:32Lots of empty seats and now you're going to a game of Hibs Rangers and you're actually

00:28:36saying to yourself, that's too close to call, isn't it? It was pretty alarming last week

00:28:42and I only saw the highlights. We had 20 minutes to go, the stadium was nearly empty and Rangers

00:28:46were winning. So there is an awful lot of fans out there that need to buy into what

00:28:52is happening. So far it's all hearsay, it's all yes this is what's going to happen. It

00:28:57sounds good but nobody has put a figure on it. What sounds good? Other than a potential

00:29:04investment? Yes but nobody knows what that investment is. How much does it cost them

00:29:08to get in? How much have you got to spend after that? What is your strategy? Nobody

00:29:15knows what the strategy is. Is it just let us come in for a year and get our feet under

00:29:19the ground? As Barry has already said, this shouldn't be a project. This needs to hit

00:29:24the ground running. We can't afford to be so far behind next year again. Hibs against

00:29:30Rangers, give us your call. Hibs 2-1. I'm going to go for a draw. I thought you were

00:29:38going to go, I'm going to go for a draw, five each. It has happened before. It's got the

00:29:43makings of it. I'm going to say two each. Two each? Did you go one each there seconds

00:29:49ago and now you've upped it? I was going to say two each. I'll go three each. I'm going

00:29:53for a six goal fest. A six goal fest but no aeroplane moves by David Gray to the extent

00:30:02of what Neil Lennon. I think David is a wee bit more subdued in the dugout. But it should

00:30:08be an interesting one. Give us your prediction on Hibs against Rangers and what we've had

00:30:12to say about it. Celtic against St Mirren, interestingly enough. Stephen Robinson, we

00:30:19thoroughly enjoyed his chat in the studio and of course it's still there for them. It's

00:30:25still a chance to get Europe. It's a big hope for them. It's a big ask. But as ever, Stephen

00:30:32Robinson there to sing the praises of the achievements of his side. So this year we

00:30:38need to go and get a result. But what we say to the players, we've taken the whole

00:30:42European pressure off and said let's remain unbeaten in the top six. For St Mirren to

00:30:47be unbeaten in the top six would be what an incredible achievement. We can't affect the

00:30:51other game. We can't affect what happens at Dundee United and Aberdeen. So can we remain

00:30:56unbeaten in the top six? That is our first and foremost goal. And if we do that it might

00:31:00be enough but concentrate solely on that one aim and see where it takes us. I'm a huge

00:31:05fan of Stephen Robinson. I'll probably get pelters from people who don't like Stephen

00:31:09Robinson now. I should start a campaign, Ruffy. Who I like and then I get battered for it.

00:31:16But I think he's a good manager and again, if they could get a result and suddenly Dundee

00:31:25United lose. It would be absolutely incredible. They would deliver European football again.

00:31:31Would you put it as a wooden statue or would you make it a bronze one? I think it would

00:31:35have to be a bronze one. This is fantastic. I think it would be exceptional. I have to

00:31:40say I don't think it will happen. I don't know that they'll have enough to get a result

00:31:46against a Celtic side who are at home and who are probably keen to put on a show in

00:31:51front of their own support and who are also auditioning for places in the Scottish Cup

00:31:57starting 11 next weekend but certainly I think even to be in this position I think is extraordinary.

00:32:03Yeah, absolutely. And Kenny Merchant finally, finally in Los Angeles. He's just swayed towards

00:32:14my criticism of the Aberdeen manager because Kenny has just said, can we swap Robinson

00:32:23and there the walls have come tumbling down Ruffey because a man who could have been 12

00:32:28points clear of Rangers at one point because of their... Peter, did you not suggest Steven

00:32:33Robinson for that Aberdeen job? Honestly, I mean if it wasn't Steven Robinson and Malky

00:32:39Mackay and Martyn O'Neill and Neil Lennon which got me all sorts of grief and Kenny

00:32:46says he's home. He's come home obviously to see if Jimmy Tallinn can land the Scottish

00:32:50Cup which is absolutely fantastic. So he's back in Great Britain and of course good luck

00:32:57getting back over to America as well Kenny. There's a two hour detention and then maybe

00:33:03journey to El Salvador. I hope he gets back into the country but nevertheless he's going

00:33:09to go to Hampden with great hope. Listen, we praised him when he was on a great run.

00:33:16Then he had a terrible run and then it's been a bit iffy to say the least with Aberdeen.

00:33:21I've not been convinced by them and I don't care whether it's a Neil Lennon or a Malky

00:33:28Mackay or whatever. You just look at the manager and what he's been able to do and I'm not

00:33:35convinced yet Ruffey. No, I think and we keep carping away about the fantastic start they

00:33:42had but some of the teams we were beating, Championship teams, second division teams,

00:33:48okay it's a good run, you can't take that away from anybody. And then the slump, I mean

00:33:53the slump was amazing. If it had been any other manager that hadn't had the start, he'd

00:33:57probably get sacked. Ruffey you're right, if that had been a home manager they would

00:34:01have been calling for his head. Yeah and okay there's a wee bit of revival but now they're

00:34:06in the top six and they're playing against the best teams in the top six and they're

00:34:10getting turned over. So I don't know what kind of season, the final is the carrot isn't

00:34:17it of taking you to a final and a lot of the fans will buy into that. Yeah, I wouldn't

00:34:22be buying into it on the performance last week. No, that's what I'm saying, it's a worry

00:34:26if you're travelling down for that game next week in the light of what's happened the last

00:34:30time and then mid-week there, you can't be coming down with confidence. Yeah, I have

00:34:37I don't want to put my neck too much in the line Ali, but if Aberdeen go to Hampden Park

00:34:43and defeat Celtic on the next programme on… Steady, steady, steady. No, no I'm going

00:34:48for it, I'm going for it. Come on, have a bit of spying will you, have a bit of gumption,

00:34:54surely. See, this is what he's like, he just doesn't have that backbone to fight for it.

00:35:02If Aberdeen beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final I'm wearing the full Aberdeen strip

00:35:06here on the programme and I think honestly you should be, surely you should wear the

00:35:11Aberdeen top as well, we should all be in Aberdeen tops. I've got one that's your size

00:35:15as well by the way Ali. I was bought there, that wouldn't bother me, that wouldn't bother

00:35:21me at all. Yeah, you happy with that? Yeah, I'm happy with that. Ali, you happy with that?

00:35:24Aberdeen to beat Celtic in the Cup final Ali, for God's sake if they do it, get your top

00:35:28and get Michael Grant in. Yes, by the way that's what we should do, we'll all wear Aberdeen

00:35:33tops and we'll get Michael Grant in the studio so that he can wallow in it. So, there you

00:35:38are, I think I can confidently say we won't be seeing Michael Grant until next season

00:35:42but you can give us your thoughts on it. Another one here Ruffy which I'm going to read out

00:35:48which I think is bang out of order, SPB says new Rangers competing with Celtic, obviously

00:35:55he's having a go at the whole history, I don't want to get into that argument. Rangers competing

00:36:00with Celtic is like Peter and Ruffy competing with George Clooney and Brad Pitt, he wants

00:36:05to have a long hard look at himself Ruffy. They've seen us in a night out. Yeah, absolutely

00:36:09and George Clooney and Brad Pitt can't sing Elton John numbers, but we can Ruffy. No,

00:36:15and we can stagger better than them. Absolutely we can. I'm not going to you on that point

00:36:20Ali because you're just going to custard pie both of us, I'm not going to give you the

00:36:23opportunity. I have seen you both in a night out. Yeah, absolutely. But, with that in mind

00:36:29then, Celtic St Mirren, can St Mirren go undefeated or is this juggernaut that Celtic just going

00:36:34to keep on rolling? Yeah, I think so. As Ali touched on it there, there'll be a wee sort

00:36:39of fringe players wanting to take part in this cup final next week, whether it's not

00:36:44on the park or on the bench. They'll want to be involved and I think the flag and everything

00:36:50and I think everybody's wanting James Forrest to score, so I think it's going to be one

00:36:55of those days when everyone's just going to tick the boxes. Yeah, people diving in the

00:36:59penalty box trying to get him a penalty. Yeah, yeah. What are you going for? I'm going to

00:37:03go 3-0 Celtic. I'm going to go 4-0 Celtic. 3-0 Celtic, I think it'll be comfortable.

00:37:09I think it's very difficult for any team going in a situation like this where people are

00:37:16turning up to expect to be entertained, expect to enjoy an afternoon in the sunshine when

00:37:21the trophy's delivered and I think St Mirren will be desperate to be party poopers but

00:37:26I think when you look at the quality that Celtic have and the fact that they still have

00:37:31a cup final to prepare for, that they're still very much on it, I think it's very difficult

00:37:35for them. Yeah, James Forrest, just on that point, if he does a documentary to take people

00:37:42around his trophy room, it's a long, long walk, isn't it? I mean, you could actually

00:37:46open a museum on the amount of medals and story of James Forrest, couldn't you? Yeah,

00:37:50I saw a stat that said, I think he's got a medal for every 20 games that he's played

00:37:55for Celtic. It's just extraordinary. That's good rubbish, unbelievable. Absolutely extraordinary.

00:37:59When you won your League Cup medal in 71, you thought it was just going to be just every

00:38:04year medals all the way and look at James, he thought that and he's right.

00:38:10He's been exemplary, he's been a lovely lad and not a problem. You never hear of anything

00:38:19negative. I mean, we like people who've got an opinion but he's not that type of boy,

00:38:25he just goes about his business, does his talking on the pitch and at times, Ruffey,

00:38:29when he's come back after long injuries, people have actually, I think some Celtic fans have

00:38:34needed to be convinced at times about him but boy, he's proved his worth. Absolutely,

00:38:38I think particularly last season, I think Waterley, last season when he came on, he

00:38:43really dragged Celtic over the line and then again in that Scottish Cup final last season,

00:38:48I thought he was excellent. I think he's gone under the radar, I think he was at points

00:38:53in his Celtic career underappreciated. I think he's a fantastic talent, I think he's scored

00:38:59some huge goals for the club at key moments, particularly European games, Champions League

00:39:04qualifiers, games where there's been real pressure on. I think he's been a fairly safe

00:39:10bet to give you some creative outlet. I thought he could have been used more at the Euros

00:39:15last year, I think given the way he'd finished the season for Celtic, I thought it was odd

00:39:20that he didn't get game time under Steve Clarke in Germany but I think he's a really unassuming

00:39:26boy considering the haul of medals that he's got, where he now stands in Celtic's history

00:39:32and the medal collection and I think he will get a show of appreciation tomorrow afternoon.

00:39:39Dundee rated against Aberdeen, Jimmy Tolleen says that this is not for the short term,

00:39:44this is a long term project.

00:39:46Sometimes you just need to lift a little bit the eye and see where we are. It's the first

00:39:52year of a three year project and we try to progress our work all the time to be better

00:39:58in the future and now we have reached the goal to go to Europe but we want the fourth

00:40:04position and it's going to be a really interesting game tomorrow and a really exciting game and

00:40:08a lot to play for.

00:40:10Yeah, there's something at stake. So it's year one of a three year project, he's already

00:40:15recruited Nikolas Milanovic on a three year deal from Western Sydney Wanderers. Again,

00:40:21the proof is in the pudding, you don't let your eyes deceive you but he seems to have

00:40:25a good pedigree, Milanovic.

00:40:28Yeah, he does and I think that obviously augurs well, the fact that preparations are underway

00:40:34for the new campaign. However, I always think once you hear people talking about long term

00:40:39projects that you start to think, there is no football club where you are having any

00:40:46length of time that lets you implement a long term project if the immediate results are

00:40:51not in keeping with what fans and the club expect.

00:40:54Yeah, it's called LGS, that's the problem with it Ali, it's called Lee-Johnson Syndrome

00:41:00and you need five transfer windows. Lee, calm your jets, you're out of heads, you've got

00:41:05till about three weeks on Monday.

00:41:07Yeah, I remember the boy came in to look after the Scottish youth, wasn't it, he wanted what,

00:41:12six years?

00:41:13Mark Votter.

00:41:14Yeah, six years.

00:41:15Yeah.

00:41:16Didn't it happen?

00:41:17No, absolutely, but I have to tell you, you got it right good, didn't it? But nevertheless,

00:41:22Dundee United Aberdeen has got somebody to play for and I just wonder, I'd love to see

00:41:27Dundee United get Sam Dalby on a deal, he's now going to leave Wrexham, I wonder if they

00:41:33might be priced out of him, but certainly if he stayed in the game, we need players

00:41:36of his calibre.

00:41:37Yeah, but again, he is going off the boil a wee bit, you know, he's not scoring the goals

00:41:41that he was earlier on, but that could be the way, the style of play and the players

00:41:45are not providing him with the goods, but certainly he's a big bustling centre forward

00:41:49and he would give anybody a handful, so yeah, I think Wrexham now up in another league,

00:41:54we'll be looking at better players, so it'll be interesting to see what they do, won't

00:41:58it for him?

00:41:59Yeah, absolutely. Okay, I was just checking how off the boil he was, Robbie, you know.

00:42:03Oh, I know he scored a couple of goals, but he was scoring on every game.

00:42:08One and eight, you're right, stand by your prediction, you said that a couple of weeks

00:42:12ago about a player and he'd only scored the week before and I thought, wow, this guy's

00:42:16a hard, hard pundit. Okay, give us your thoughts on Dundee United against Aberdeen, it means

00:42:22something to both clubs.

00:42:23One each.

00:42:24Yeah, I think I'm going to go for a draw too. I think Dundee United have been poor since

00:42:30this split, I think they'll be disappointed with the way it's petered out, Aberdeen too,

00:42:37I think when you look at where Aberdeen were and the fact that they allowed third to elude

00:42:43them, I think there'll be an element of frustration, I think a draw on Dundee.

00:42:48Yeah, okay, I'm going to go for the Dandy Dons after slaughtering them, Ruffy. I'm going

00:42:53to give it 2-1.

00:42:54He's invited you, hasn't he, since he's earlier?

00:42:56Who, Kenny?

00:42:57Aye.

00:42:58No, no, no, he genuinely hasn't, but I'll tell you, just out of curiosity, do you want

00:43:04the yellow and black top or do you want the Gothenburg white or red?

00:43:09Gothenburg.

00:43:10Yeah, yeah, Ruffy, what would you say?

00:43:11The traditional one.

00:43:12The traditional one, yeah? Is that the one where Joe Harper scored past you on a regular

00:43:18basis?

00:43:19Yes, yes, yes, I got out my Argentina.

00:43:21Yeah, or did you?

00:43:22Yes, scored six goals before me, just for selection.

00:43:27Yeah, absolutely, and Paul says, by the way, how much did you get for the couch, Peter,

00:43:33or is it a future competition? Paul, don't rule it out, it's a fantastic couch. We've

00:43:38had it here. I didn't realise, Ruffy, do you know how long we've had that couch?

00:43:42The couch in here?

00:43:44The couch in here.

00:43:45Five years.

00:43:46Eight.

00:43:47Eight?

00:43:48Eight years, I couldn't believe it, and the only problem with it…

00:43:50Have you paid it off yet?

00:43:51Eh?

00:43:52Have you paid it off yet?

00:43:53I have, actually. I have to tell you, by the way, and this is a godsend, so I'm going

00:43:55to give him a plug because I think it's worthy of it. Alec Comrie and Fanaticool Furnishings.

00:44:02Alec is a great lad, he does a lot of great leather bespoke furniture, and he puts the

00:44:08logos on and everything, and he does a lot of great stuff, and he had the couch for our

00:44:15Kennedy Leach Room, he's got a two for the one-to-one, and he made the couch in here.

00:44:19The only problem with the one in here, Ruffy, is we all wear quality clothing, and Tam wears

00:44:27black jeans that run, and there's only in one corner just a black mark right down the

00:44:33middle of it, and the back of it was starting to give way, so I thought, well, we've got

00:44:39to get it fixed, and the only time Alec was really busy with Fanaticool Furnishings, the

00:44:45only time he could take it was last week, and I thought, well, get it out, let's get

00:44:48the loose women thing in here and start talking.

00:44:51Beg your pardon?

00:44:53Let's get the set in, Alec.

00:44:56Thanks for that.

00:44:57He suddenly turned into Barbara Windsor for the first time on the show.

00:45:01Let's get the set of Loose Women in and start talking nonsense, and you've lived up to that,

00:45:06Ruffy.

00:45:08It's a cheap show to get a reduction in that couch, isn't it?

00:45:12Yeah, absolutely.

00:45:13Alec, hopefully I'm getting you for nothing now, the repairs alone, but on that basis,

00:45:19Ruffy, I've got to tell you, we've got lots of things happening throughout the course

00:45:24of the new season, lots of changes, upgrades to the studio, lots of things that we want

00:45:31to do, because obviously we've been 13 years at it, Ruffy, and we want to try and keep

00:45:37bringing on really good staff, quality staff like yourself, Ali, and all our good young

00:45:41journalists, and we are well aware, Ruffy, that a lot of people copy us, but we've got

00:45:46to try and stay ahead of the pack and give people a lot more content for Scottish football

00:45:52and beyond.

00:45:53Yeah, we keep repeating ourselves every time we're out there.

00:45:56I mean, the people who watch it and listen, that it's an avenue for them, whether it's

00:46:02here or abroad or whatever, that they're buying into all the shows that we're doing, and you're

00:46:07right, there's nobody else does the amount of shows that you do.

00:46:10Yeah, absolutely, and certainly I know we help a lot of people in the industry when

00:46:15they press record just about four o'clock, Ali, so that they can actually copy as much

00:46:19of it as possible.

00:46:20What we're really indebted to is the people who support us, which is you, so thank you

00:46:24for that.

00:46:25We're going to be bringing you the PLZ Premium as well.

00:46:28You'll get all the content that we've been giving you absolutely free, but we're going

00:46:32to offer you the chance for PLZ Premium too.

00:46:35Now, with that in mind, PLZ Premium will give you early access to some of our documentaries

00:46:41or one-to-ones, lots of things that you will get in that Premium package.

00:46:46One of them is, of course, discount in our store.

00:46:49We're going to send out posters of legends to the first 1,000 who subscribe to our PLZ

00:46:55Premium.

00:46:56I hope you can do that, and let's not forget there's events as well, and one of the events,

00:47:01Kerry Pollock is going to tell you about it because it's coming up next month, and we'd

00:47:05love you to come along and see us.

00:47:07Hi there, I'm Kerry Pollock.

00:47:09Join us for an evening with Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan.

00:47:13Together for the first time as a double act, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan talk football

00:47:17management, look back at their trophy-laden playing careers, the management they worked

00:47:21under, and share the laughs that they had in the dressing room at the peak of their

00:47:25powers.

00:47:26It's tales of Clough and Ferguson chasing domestic and European glory.

00:47:31Both former Celtic managers will tell their tales of title triumphs and European nights

00:47:35not to forget.

00:47:36It's a night not to miss on Saturday the 14th of June at the Alona Hotel in Strathclyde

00:47:40Park.

00:47:41Click on the link below to secure your table now.

00:47:44Looking forward to that, Ruffy.

00:47:45I don't think I've ever seen the two of them together.

00:47:47I invited them to the PFA, it was the first time they'd been in each other's company for

00:47:51a long period of time, and I'm sure they knocked lumps out of each other in the old English

00:47:56First Division, but their stories, Clough, Fergie, Aberdeen, let's not forget Celtic,

00:48:04Manchester United, and both of them have been international managers.

00:48:08Yeah, I mean I know Gordon more than I know Martin, and I know like Gordon is on the night

00:48:13out, he's very, very funny.

00:48:15It's that perception of people who see him as something different, and they're not.

00:48:19They're really funny and really engaging, and as you say, tons of stories, fantastic

00:48:25stories.

00:48:26Both very dry, but very, very funny.

00:48:29Yes, good patter from them.

00:48:31And of course, like so many people on our feed, both of them hated me at some point

00:48:36in their lives.

00:48:39In the sunlight?

00:48:40That's exactly it.

00:48:41You just, over a period of time, you will warm to me, I hope.

00:48:45Anyway, Andy, yes, you'll get a poster.

00:48:48Andy's one of our, actually subscribe to our premium, you will get a poster, Andy.

00:48:54We really value the people who are just quickly clicking on to PLZ Premium, and I can tell

00:49:00you, tonight we are dropping in PLZ Premium early access to Kerry Pollock's documentary

00:49:07on Falkirk.

00:49:08It's the road to that title, and boy was that bit harem scare, I thought it was going to

00:49:13be Falkirk, how we blew the title, but thankfully it all turned out well in the end.

00:49:18Yeah, they got there in the end, I think, but they made it interesting.

00:49:22Yeah, absolutely, and I would tell you right now, and I'm just saying this right now, if

00:49:26you can see, this is how live this show is.

00:49:28Yes, Andy, the poster is on the way.

00:49:31So, join us on PLZ Premium, and if you can, next month, come and listen to two people.

00:49:36You don't need to be a Celtic fan, you can quite simply be a lover of football, and you

00:49:42will certainly enjoy it.

00:49:43Comanic against Hearts then.

00:49:45It's going to be Chris Burke in the dugout against the Hearts side that the fans will

00:49:51be looking and saying to themselves, can you finish off with something for us to cheer

00:49:55about?

00:49:56Yeah, I think the Comanic players in particular will be disappointed with what's happened.

00:50:01I think they got on very well with the manager, they're now managerless.

00:50:05I think Hearts have got a duty to the fans that go and see them to try and win and have

00:50:11a good end to the season, so I'm going to go for Hearts to win this one.

00:50:14Yeah?

00:50:152-1.

00:50:162-1, okay, I'm going to go 1-1.

00:50:18Yeah, I think I draw.

00:50:19Yeah, okay.

00:50:20It's hear him, scare him time between the two games, Ross County against Motherwell

00:50:25up at Dingwall, St John's against Dundee.

00:50:27I watched Dundee in midweek, and they just can't seem to get the second goal at times.

00:50:34They always give away opportunities for the opposition, but this is not a night to be

00:50:40cautious.

00:50:41This is a night for Dundee, this is a day for Dundee on Sunday to just basically go

00:50:45and get the job done and rely on the likes of Simon Murray to get them over the line

00:50:50and keep them in the Scottish Premiership.

00:50:52I make no bones about it, disappointed to see St Johnson go.

00:50:56If Ross County are the team in the play-off, they'll still have a chance to stay in it,

00:51:00but I think we need a team of Dundee stature in the league.

00:51:03I love the Tayside derby.

00:51:05Yeah, I would agree with you, and certainly I think the marketing people would agree

00:51:08with you too, but I just wonder about the influence of guys like Joe Shaughnessy, about

00:51:14Simon Murray and the goals, if these are the guys that just help them get over the line,

00:51:19just get them the win on Saturday.

00:51:21I wonder where St Johnson's heads are after the way they found out on Wednesday night

00:51:26and the fact that you know your future's up in the air, you don't know what follows now.

00:51:31When there's a relegation, I think the ramifications all the way through the club are massive

00:51:37because of the finances involved, so I just wonder where they are mentally now.

00:51:43I know Seymour Valkyrie had said he wanted a reaction, he wanted it to begin at the weekend,

00:51:48I don't know how realistic that is when you're still absorbing the shock of what's happened.

00:51:52Not necessarily the shock, I think it's the voluptuousness of going down,

00:51:55but you're still absorbing the reality of it, particularly when you walked off the pitch

00:51:59at Tyne Castle thinking we're going to take it to the last day, and then you weren't.

00:52:03I think Dundee will win, I think they'll do enough to win,

00:52:07and I think it'll be Ross County who go down into the play-off.

00:52:11And do you fancy Ross County to take out Livingston if it's Livingston?

00:52:15I don't know, I think Livingston would be a hard graft for anyone coming up against them.

00:52:20They're an awkward team to play against Livingston and they've got a good spine of experience in them.

00:52:25And they play some good football as well, it's not the Livingston of a couple of years ago,

00:52:30this is a team that can mix it.

00:52:32No they have, they've brought some players in, they play a lot of good football,

00:52:37they know that they play on a different surface than most of the others.

00:52:40It was interesting seeing Damien Martindale saying that it's a bonus going back to his surface

00:52:45than the condition of the park at Firhill, whether that was a bit psychological I don't know.

00:52:50Livingston's park and Kilmarnock's park are the worst two parks in the country.

00:52:54I would agree with that.

00:52:55Did I read that Kilmarnock's not going to change now?

00:52:59No they will change.

00:53:00They are changing next season.

00:53:01After this next season.

00:53:03I think St Johnson might go into this with no care in the world.

00:53:07Dundee the pressure's all on, you're looking at Moray, you're looking at big players.

00:53:12We've got Tiffany coming up with the goods, I think it's going to be a really nervous 90 minutes.

00:53:16I don't think Dundee, and see if it's a VAR in the last minute and it goes against Dundee.

00:53:21Somebody's going to explode.

00:53:24It's one of those games Ali, they sent in Stuart Taylor the other night and I just looked at him and I went,

00:53:29why are you here?

00:53:30Quite simply, you want to see the manager but I think Tony Docherty was just absolutely going.

00:53:35He doesn't want to talk himself into trouble.

00:53:37He was annoyed enough at Rugby Park on Saturday after the come and look at VAR and actually

00:53:43there's no pictures to show of what might have been a penalty.

00:53:47He was annoyed at that and then obviously there was a controversy against Motherwell the week before.

00:53:52I think a third heart attack.

00:53:54I think he was probably thinking, if I go out I'm going to be fined.

00:53:58Yeah, absolutely.

00:53:59So Ali has mentioned that Dundee can win, Ross County up in the playoff.

00:54:04Where are you?

00:54:05First of all, St John's and Dundee.

00:54:06I'm going one each.

00:54:07St John's and Dundee.

00:54:08And Ross County are going to win that game against Motherwell.

00:54:10Because I think Motherwell have got nothing to play for.

00:54:13So Dundee in the playoff?

00:54:14Yeah.

00:54:15Wow.

00:54:16Let me see your condescending face for Monday if it all comes through.

00:54:21Okay, I'm going to go Dundee to win 2-1.

00:54:25And Ali, at Ross County I think I'm going to go 1-1.

00:54:32I'm exactly the same.

00:54:33I think Dundee will win.

00:54:35I think it will be tight.

00:54:37I think it will be 1-0, 2-1.

00:54:39I think it will be nervy and I think one each between Ross County and Motherwell.

00:54:43Okay, I noticed a post on LinkedIn the other day there.

00:54:46Congratulations to Tam McManus, six years at PLZ Soccer.

00:54:49But when you take the Friday off and the final weekend of the season, it's curtains.

00:54:54I think it's only now we've got to look at his contract, Ali.

00:54:57It's a disgrace.

00:54:59You can't do it.

00:55:00Five holidays a year, rough year.

00:55:03I have to say I cut that back to four.

00:55:05Have you cut it?

00:55:06Well, we're really, really lucky.

00:55:07There are questions over the professionalism of some of us.

00:55:09There are indeed major questions.

00:55:11Are you going on holidays this year at all?

00:55:13Not until the season ends.

00:55:15Well done, Ali.

00:55:16She's taking them in the Venga bus.

00:55:18Have you seen Ali's car?

00:55:19Yes, I have.

00:55:20Ali's from Italian descent, which is just basically crash into somebody

00:55:24and don't worry about the insurance, just drive on.

00:55:27Her car is an absolute battle bus, to say the least.

00:55:32But Ali, the biggest shock for us is Scottish football writers at the weekend.

00:55:36Because normally we expect to go to a really good table with someone who picks up the tab.

00:55:42We all get absolutely bladdered and we have a right good laugh.

00:55:46And we also get the chance, Raffaele, as you know, because we're gobby,

00:55:49we get the chance to go round people and tell them what we think of them.

00:55:52But that's not the case this season because you're not taking a table.

00:55:54I'm working, I'm afraid.

00:55:56Two events.

00:55:58My daughter turned 18 earlier this month and was in the middle of exams.

00:56:03So now that she's free, we've got some stuff over the weekend.

00:56:06And also, Sunday is the final game of the women's season

00:56:10and I know that it could be fairly fraught.

00:56:13So it was just the logistics of making it on Sunday night were just too much.

00:56:17So I do apologise.

00:56:18So it's all about you.

00:56:20Yeah, I see that.

00:56:21I love it.

00:56:22And your inconsiderate daughter, it's just unbelievable.

00:56:25Who's winning the women's title?

00:56:27I'm going to say Rangers.

00:56:29Hibs need only a point.

00:56:31If Rangers win, they'll win it in goal difference.

00:56:34I think Rangers will probably have the momentum.

00:56:37They're playing at Ibrox.

00:56:40They also beat Hibs comprehensively just a couple of months back

00:56:44at Firth Park in the League Cup final.

00:56:46I just wonder about the effects of that on a Hibs team

00:56:50when they were on a big platform, a big stage,

00:56:52and Rangers were able to just stroll through the game now.

00:56:55I'll caveat that by saying Hibs didn't beat Rangers

00:56:58through at Meadowbank fairly comfortably a couple of weeks later.

00:57:01But I just wonder about the pressure that's around this game.

00:57:05Hibs have got a few experienced players, but there's a couple of young players.

00:57:08They're very good young strikers.

00:57:10But I think Rangers might just fancy them.

00:57:13Do the women have straight into European football with the league?

00:57:17The champions go through a champions pathway.

00:57:20So you play a mini tournament, then you go into a knockout game.

00:57:23Then you go through the non-champions route.

00:57:25It's very arduous. It's the same.

00:57:27It can be very, very difficult.

00:57:29They're still a battle for second

00:57:31because Glasgow City are effectively only on goal difference.

00:57:36They're also three points behind Hibs.

00:57:38But Rangers' goal difference is so substantial

00:57:40that if they win the game, they'll win the league.

00:57:45However, if Rangers beat Hibs, then Glasgow City could take the second.

00:57:49You wouldn't get that in any other show over the weekend?

00:57:52No, it's extensive.

00:57:54And the good news is the women's football show will be back next season as well.

00:57:58And Straight Talk, the journals, which has been very well received,

00:58:02and the football show.

00:58:04There's good news coming up on the football show

00:58:06as well as other programming that we're going to bring you.

00:58:09All free.

00:58:11The additional stuff we're going to offer you is on PLZ Premium.

00:58:15If you get a chance, hit the link

00:58:17and give us the backing to take it to another level.

00:58:19We really do appreciate your support.

00:58:21The amount of people have given us great feedback, Rafi.

00:58:23It's been unbelievable listening to the podcast

00:58:26and giving us their thoughts on some of our pundits,

00:58:29some of the people we brought on the show,

00:58:32the documentaries.

00:58:33PLZ Premium this weekend will have an early access to the Falkirk documentary.

00:58:38The Bairns finally landing that championship title

00:58:42and heading back to the Premiership in Scotland next season.

00:58:45And we welcome John McGlynn and his brand of football at Falkirk.

00:58:48So you'll see that.

00:58:50And then, of course, going into next week,

00:58:52you'll get a chance to see that Falkirk documentary

00:58:54on our YouTube channel as well.

00:58:56So lots to look forward to.

00:58:58Lots of links there for you to click on

00:59:00and see Gordon Strachan and Martin O'Neill.

00:59:02Or, indeed, you'll want to help us out in the PLZ Premium.

00:59:05Thank you very much to Alison and to Rafi.

00:59:08Just out of curiosity, Rafi, I'm absolutely battered at Alison

00:59:11for not going to the Football Writers,

00:59:13but I think it's a legitimate excuse.

00:59:15You're a previous winner. Are you going?

00:59:17Unfortunately, no.

00:59:19And the reason for that is, Rafi?

00:59:21I might have to pay sometime in the night.

00:59:24Yes, and that basically sums it up, by the way,

00:59:28because even at our end-of-season party,

00:59:31Rafi found it very difficult to put his hand in his pocket.

00:59:34That's what you're dealing with with a 1970s-style footballer.

00:59:37There's a lot to be said for the modern-day footballer

00:59:40who does put his hand in his pocket.

00:59:42From Rafi, from Alison, from myself, Peter Martin,

00:59:44have a lovely weekend.

00:59:46Enjoy the summer weather. Stay out of trouble.

00:59:48Go and support your team.

00:59:50And remember, it's only football.

00:59:52But thank you for listening and watching.

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Barry Ferguson Was FORCED to Manage Players NOT FIT to Wear Rangers Jersey | The Football Show LIVE

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