Why is Berti Vogts the Scotland Manager?
9:17 pm on the 22nd of February, 2003I’m going to just come out and say it before I chicken out : Berti Vogts shouldn’t be the manager of the Scottish National Football Team.
And before anyone has a go at me for saying this let me explain.
I am sure he is a capable manager. of a german club team. He isn’t the right man for us. I know he has a real job on his hands and he has to make the best of what he has, but is fighting with everyone in Scottish football the best way to do it?
BBC SPORT | Football Internationals | Scotland | Vogts blasts O’Neill
BBC SPORT | Football Internationals | Scotland | Vogts blames defence
NEWS.scotsman.com – Vogts angry with McCall after snub to Gallacher
Looking at his history with Germany it initially looks good – reached the quarter finals in the 94 World Cup, a win at Euro96, again reaching the quarters in France98; but looking closer you see that in USA94, they went out to a poor Bulgaria side having won the tournament 4 years earlier, in England they scraped wins with penalties, and in France they went out with their biggest defeat for 30 years.
BBC SPORT | Football | Berti the Braveheart
Scotland, since he took over, have shown no passion or desire to win during matches and his team selection has often been strange to say the least. Why for example was Kenny Miller not given a run out against Ireland? Why did Steven Thompson given a game when he will be suspended for the next competitive game? Why on earth was Neil Sullivan picked, was it just because of Vogts’ spat with Ian McCall? We need someone who is going to pick the best available players and get them to play as a team with spirit. We still have a qualifying campaign to fight. I know he wants to get the youngsters used to playing at international level and I can see why in some ways but what use are the ‘future’ matches when he puts out a team and gets gubbed then critisise the players, that is surely doing more damage than good. The timing is bad as well. he can complain to the SPL as much as he wants but this fixture was always going to clash with the UEFA Cup (was he just expecting Celtic to go out?) and Champions League. He’s not in Germany now, with their namby-pamby 12 game season with 2 month winter break, has nobody told him that we play more games here or is he just stupid?
BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | Vogts rages at SPL
I know I started out saying that I was sure he was a capable manager and I am beginning to doubt that the more I write, but here goes,
Vogts does know how to adapt his tactics during games
He is a very good man-manager
nope, I can’t do it, I can’t find any obvious good points about his managerial style.
We need to get rid of Berti before he does too much damage. What Scotland need is someone to shout at them at half time and before kickoff to rile them in to some action. A manager to embarrass and anger them during training camps in a way to make them gel and play as a team to show him ’see, we can do it!’ and then realise that was what he’d intended to happen. A manager who makes playing for Scotland a pleasure rather than the chore it has seemingly become.
What we need is Graeme Souness or Gordan Strachan.
Or how about this for an idea – Peter Reid? He would certainly inject a bit of fire into the job, he would understand the players, he isn’t tactcly inept like Berti is, his teams don’t get stale like Craig Brown’s. But would he want it?
Update: I’ve just found these stories :
Vogts brands Scots Players ’second class’
Reid interested in Republic?
Is it time to start the Reid for Scotland campaign?
February 25th, 2003 at 9:41 am on the 25th of February, 2003
Well there you are. Its an interesting shout.
I personally think he’s done okay so far. You’re right though, in the friendlies they show no passion at all. But I think he knows what he’s doing, and I personally am glad he’s standing up to the Old Firm. I also think that some of his ideas are going to improve things in the long term. For instance the Scotland Future team, I think is definitely a good thing. Fair enough its not the same as a full international, but the problem under Craig Brown was that there was always far too long a gap between the under 21s and the full cap, and by the time it came along, often the players lacked any confidence.
He does need to put moire fire into them though. I don’t think this would be as much of an issue if hje had a firey right hand man, then they could do the good cop bad cop thing. Somebody could rip it out of them in the dressing room then he could calm things down and make tactical decisions.
I think its too early for him to go. Whether he’s a good football manager or not, he’s certainly, I think, a better technical director, as he is changing the way the international scene works in Scotland, changes that are overdue. We’re not going to qualify for Euro 2004, I don’t htink, but at leats by the 2006 qualifiers we’ll be able to draw on a more experienced crop of players. And that is down to Berti Vogts.
February 25th, 2003 at 10:53 am on the 25th of February, 2003
I can see the point of the future matches if he does use players over 21 but not yet in the full squad but so far he seems to just use them as U21 matches against senior oppostition. And that’s what I don’t get.
Who do you suggest as the “fiery right hand man” then, how about Alan Hanson?
February 25th, 2003 at 1:41 pm on the 25th of February, 2003
Big post, lots of points, i’ll try and cover a few.
Fiery right hand man – well that’s currently TB. And without being anti-Celtic, I have my doubts. His record as a manager since he left Killie in Division One (well done, getting a Premier club promotion from Div 2) basically stinks. Ask a Reading fan, and remember that only John Barnes was a less successful sellic manager. Vogts has several times (particularly in the early days) blamed lack of local knowledge on mistakes. ‘Dougie Freedman told me he could play right midfield’ came after France, for example, and local knowledge was what got TB his job.
Positive things about Vogts
1. His name isn’t Craig Brown, but that’s my personal feeling.
2. Not just the Scotland Futures, but reminding us that the whole thing needs integrated. Christian Dailly has a world record for U-21 caps, and got his full debut at 27. That stinks, and it hampered dailly as a player. How many others? Kevin Harper is another I keep thinking we missed out on. How good could he have been?
3. Ranier Bonhof. An unqualiied success in my eyes, and one we’d lose if Vogts went.
Sorry wee bro, for me it’s too early to judge. Lets give him more than two competitive matches before we build the scaffold. (But TB can go now)
And finally – Reid? A long ball merchant who kept his job at Sunderland primarily because of Philips and Quinn? Frightening.
February 27th, 2003 at 9:30 am on the 27th of February, 2003
That seems a little harsh. He did pretty well for 5 years, and that can’t only be because of Quinn and Phillips.
As for Tommy Burns, I think we’d all be in agreement that he’s not very good. Nice man maybe, but thats what kept Craigie Broon in his job.
I also agree about Rainer Bonhof. The under-21’s are going great guns.
I see both Steven Caldwell and Brian Kerr were playing for Newcastle last night. Caldwell looked pretty shaky, and Kerr started poorly but settled. It must have been a while since a Scot was in the second round of the Champions League.
I don’t know if you saw the under-21’s against Ireland, but Kerr was a standout, I thought.
February 27th, 2003 at 10:39 am on the 27th of February, 2003
Last scot in the second round of the Champions League – must have been Paul Lambert?
Or maybe Stephen Glass with Newcastle?
February 27th, 2003 at 10:39 am on the 27th of February, 2003
Actually, did Andy Goram not get a game with Man U?
February 27th, 2003 at 1:26 pm on the 27th of February, 2003
Goram no, Barthez was fit in time, I’m not even sure he sat on the bench. Glass – Newcastle have never got this far before. I almost suggested McAllister, but realised that was wrong.
However, Michael Stewart at Man U???
Good to see Scots breaking thru, but both Caldwells and Kerr face pretty tough jobs at Newcastle. Steven Caldwell doesn’t even have a contract for next season yet.
As for Reid, I was really referring to the last couple of seasons. Tho they did play long ball religously. And Reid got sacked shortly after Quinn’s back gave out, and so the flick-on’s to Philips dried up. Coincidence?
April 22nd, 2003 at 10:45 pm on the 22nd of April, 2003
i will like to have the email of scotland manager in other to give more advice on how to go.
It not easy to be a manager of that large team it matter of time and thinkng understanding gentleness.
Love to hear back from you thanks.
April 24th, 2003 at 8:38 am on the 24th of April, 2003
I don’t actually have Berti’s email address but if I seem him I’ll tell him you’re asking after him.
August 22nd, 2003 at 12:38 pm on the 22nd of August, 2003
Why doesn’t he play Steven Glass??? and 5 at the back is even stupider. But having said that the old firm managers always selling all thier homegrown players is nearly as bad. Berti Vogts should be a registered criminal (that last part was a joke).
August 24th, 2003 at 8:36 pm on the 24th of August, 2003
‘Why doesn’t he play Steven Glass??? and 5 at the back is even stupider’
Emm, i’m less of a Vogts apologist than before, but Stephen Glass? That part is a joke, isn’t it?
And he is now playing 4 at the back. To increasing success, defensively. Now if he’d just play wide players (McCann, Devlin, McFadden, Fletcher were all on th bench against Norway) and move Dailly out of the holding role hat should be Fergusaon’s, we’d get somewhere.
February 20th, 2004 at 12:45 pm on the 20th of February, 2004
carry on the discussion here if you will.
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