The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Rab Douglas on Big Sam’s departure
There’s nothing that really shocks me in football anymore. With the money in the game, especially down south, you’re always going to see people get greedy.
That’s what looks to have done for Sam Allardyce – greed. That and incredible naivety to get himself into the situation where he was exposed.
You do wonder how much money people need.
What was his contract with the FA? Something like three million, we’re told.
Add on top of that all the money he has already earned from years in the Premier League and there really was no need to go chasing an extra £400,000.
Anyway, he’s gone, and as far as the Scottish national team is concerned, it can only be a good thing in my eyes.
Some people will say that players are experienced enough – especially at international level – to be able to block out off the field stuff. And there’s some truth in that. But this will definitely have an impact on the dressing room.
When the England boys get together next week it will be their third manager in about four months. That can’t be a good thing.
It’s especially true when you’re playing for your country.
You only have a couple of days to get up to speed with what your manager is looking for, so getting a bit of consistency is important.
Sam Allardyce has a very defined way of playing, and he’ll have done his best to get the players’ heads round that in his first international week.
Gareth Southgate’s ideas will probably be totally different.
And, the fact that he’s just a caretaker also has an effect.
Football players don’t like uncertainty.
Gordon Strachan has built up continuity and the Scotland boys seem to like playing for him and know their jobs.
These next two games are absolutely crucial.
If we can take four points from the double header against Lithuania and Slovakia – or maybe even six – we would be in a good position going to Wembley in November.
Then, we could try and take advantage of uncertainty in the England camp. Dens ‘friendly’
It will come as no surprise that I’ll be at Dens Park on Saturday.
Dundee and Celtic are the clubs where I spent the longest periods of my career at. I’ve got a lot of friends at both.
From a Dundee point of view, if they can replicate the performance they produced in the second half against Rangers then they’ll be in with a chance.
And playing Celtic the weekend after a Champions League match isn’t the worst time to get them.
Dundee haven’t won since the first weekend of the league season but Paul Hartley has definitely earned the right to get things back on track.
I keep coming back to it, but losing Greg Stewart and Kane Hemmings was so significant. He wouldn’t have wanted to sell them but his hand will have been forced.
You can be sure Paul’s working hard to unearth another gem for that forward line.
He’s turned Dundee into an established Premiership side these days and there’s certainly no need to panic.
When the England boys get together next week it will be their third manager in about four months. That can’t be a good thing