Steve Clark resigns as Scotland manager

This is the Guardian Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football We week, a pound for everyone who says England got the job done. Nothing says we're going to win the World Cup like labouring to a two mil victory over Panama. It was a turgid first hour, patients started to wear thin, but then Bellingham got on the end of a corner and Harry Kaine headed one home and they topped the group. and that means a last thirty two game against Dar Congo who came from behind to beat Uzbekistan for their first ever World Cup win. We'll do the other games from those two groups as well. Croatias win over Ghana And a really enjoyable goldess draw between Colombia and Portugal. We'll look back on that wild last few minutes between Iran and Egypt and Belgium's comprehensive win over New Zealand. The knockouts begin tomorrow with South Africa, Canada and we willll reflect on Steve Clark's resignation. All that pllus the Lang and vegetable count, your questions and that's today's Guardian Football Wekly an today with me in the studio in LA. Barry Glening Hello Hi Max. from the racing post, Mark Langdon, Hy Mark, Hi Max. and joining us in the depths of California somewhere. Asasu Oba youwana. Hey, lovely to have you on, Asasu. Hi Max. Hi Barry. good to see you. Yeah, thanks for coming on. Let's start then with England's twoal win over Panama, Dude Bellingham's goal in the sixty second minute Harricane in the sixty seventh Just to give you an idea of how enting we found this game A around forty minute markark, I was talking about a German man on Instagram who tries to cut the perfect slice of bread every day. I missed the Dude Bellingham goal because I was watching reactions to Mrs. Rushton's reviews of Mld miracle. and I think it's mold in the bathroom, not the kids, but you know, I'll find out when I get back. But what did you make of that game, Mark U ye, you go Yeah the first half was poor, you can't get away from that always felt that Panama were probably slightly better than people giving them credit, particularly you know the difference from when we last played them to now I think is clear for everyone to see, you know it was a more awkward game than it was in the last World Cup meeting. secondecond half was okay. like this is international football really, you know, it is It's not always brilliant and it is just, you know playing moments and when you've got Kane and you've got Bellingham, England have got players that can produce in moments. We were doing like correct score predictions in the apartment before the game and without naming names, there' wildly high correct score predictions. that have been chucked around. it's a routine two no win. I can't get angry about it. I'm sorry, I can't. I'm not asking you. Dt to get angry about it. How you What's your emotion, Barry? Almost total indifference. they did enough against team that were okay. they first half was another sort of embarrassment right for England. I suppose was their third consecutive half without being able to break down a well organized team. They just weren't playing as low a block as Ghana, to be fair to them Panama have given games a goal in this tournament. but yeah, they they got the job done the second half Comfortable two nil win in the end, Panama were may be a little bit unlucky not to score that fractional offside. that was very, very tight. But yeah, I mean we're obliged to talk at length about this game. There's not really much to say. It's one of those games that be completely forgotten about by the time the next one starts. But my only concern would be for England is that the next one is probably going to be more of the same Dor Congo another low block and England struggled to play teams who set up in a low block. I suspect once England if England get to play one of the tournaments's elite teams, they will actually probably play a lot better. It's tournament football, it's the group stages, don't expect to have champagne football at this moment because all the coaches care about is getting out of the group stages. So If they have to play low block football, if the football has to be ugly They don't care because it's about you know, the results and For Africa, you know, having ten teams qualify for this tournament and having nine of them going into the round of thirty two We are quite happy with that and we don't care how they have done it. Yeah. We'll get to the Dial Congo result in a little bit. On On the England performance then, Mark And as Barry says, we' obliged to talk about. you know, most of our listeners in the UK are probably England fans. I thought Ellie Anderson was excellent in there. I mean, he was alone He was very lonely presence there because of playing two tenens, I guess or two more advanced midfielders, but they did play well in. Yeah, there was a void in midfield with Dlan Rice rested. He was on the yellow card. I think that made sense not to play him another yellow card and you're out of the last thirty two game and he directed play reasonably well Cer right back didn't work. even defensively I still feel like England are not looking totally secure and Like we've seen Panua had their moments definitely Ghana, despite playing in that lad block, has already been mentioned, could have had you know a big shout for a penalty and also a potentially even a red card on Pickford. So they didn't go forward much and still create chances. Croatia scored twice against them. So Even though they' kept a clean sheet in that game, the defense still concerns me when they're about to go up in levels on the positive side, I think Bellingham's playing well. He was criticized a couple of years ago for not producing in the tournament. He came into this tournament with his position being debated, was it going to be him? Was it going to be Rogers? Thomas Tuall has been quite tough with him in part, scored the goal. He's created another for Harry Kane like I think he could be the player really if Englands go deep, they do need you know, Bellingham. I know you mentioned Anderson there, but I think Bellingham's the one kind of gets England further into this competition. if he plays well, you know in England have got a better chance. right in a Repeat of your ice cold take, Max. Did I hear you calling for the replacement of Bellingham? I think it was around the time Jaro Kwana got injured and just before he scored a goal and set another one up? It wasn't quite as I think on the freez a single word answer would do. Your Honor. Freezing cold take was a tweet something alongs the lines of it's not a crime to substitute Cane and Bellingham and then scoring straight away. This was more an open chat of what changes could we probably make. but you may have hit upon something where I thought maybe taking him off all Rogers. I wasn't sure which one, but yeah I plead guilty But a suspended sentence, if possible. What did you make of Rashword's performance down the left? I thought because he came in for Gordon and he had more space to get in behind against Panama than and against Ghana. So perhaps there was a more opportunity to be better, but I was more impressed with him than I had been with Anthony Gordon so far. I think for England and for fans of England There has to be an understanding that game of England, the way they play will change with the type of match they have to play, the stage at which the match is to be played. and as Barry pointed out, earlier, the quality of the opponent that they have to play So I just think The bestest is yet to be seen of England. And I know that everyone expects England to play high quality football from the beginning of a tournament to the end, but that's not just the way it works I think what people should be concerned about has England achieved the task of getting out of the group stages, they have Now they're in the knockout phases. It's now a do or die game next time. So let's see what they do. Let's see how Thomas Toull reshapes the team based on the opponent they have to play becausecause even the teams that have to play low block They know that you have to win when you're in the knockout round. So how are you going to use the low block to win against opponents that have a better attack than you do? If you do it, you'll be killed So let's not put so much of a dampener on how England have played. I'm very sure that as the tournament goes on, they are going to improve. And I know some people may not like Thomas tookool, but I think he's a very tactically sound manager, good manager. He's proved that he's a good manager So let him just manage Okay I mean, that affects the phon in on the radio stations, doesn't it? But I just where are you on theerrometer, Barry I know her. I haven't switched it on yet. Oh really? I mean, England are in the round of thirty two. did anyone think that wasn't going to happen? But sure you have a little, you don't, you know, you'd rather we weren't Oh, absolutely. ye. So I'm always afraid. Yeah. as long as they're in the tournament I'm afraid. Okay so it's always on. Yeah I just haven't switched it on You ha't turned the d. They haven't done anything to surprise me yet No. Apart from failure to score against Ghana Not scared But you have to again again against Ghana. Carlos Kuroz deployed his low block tack. I thought he wouldn't be able to sustain it for ninety minutes. That was I was at the game man, but he did And one of the reasons why they were able to sustain it was because the center backacks of Ghana were so good So that made things extremely difficult for English. So let's give Ghana some credit as well Yeah, no, I totally agree on that. For a bit more reirection England I spoke to Jacob Steinberg after the game. I didn't thinkin Eking them were great. I kind of got concerns that I'm not sure they make it past this week. This defeence dean because It it's just not looked very convincing in any of the games Poratia game obviously considered to the penalty moment against against Ghana and then tonight even against the Panama team that were expected to sort of set up with this horrible low block, be like Carlos Kirz all over again and Apparently providing them with a back seven, inststead they kind of went for them in the first half And it's one of those moments where There's often this clamour for England to play you know, this extra attacking player as the fix whenever they struggle to break a team down. It happened tonight and what we saw was that Elliot Anderson was totally swamped and I think it just again, emphasize that the importance of Tch from Rice. arrested this evening. He's got the the booking hanging over him and this hamstring issue that's been bugging him since the start of this tournament. But I think what you see this evening, the way that Panama passed around England got him behind This team stability wise just doesn't work when rice doesn't playade No, I totally agree. What did you make of the sort of rest of the The changes then changes. I thought Rashford was impressive and Saka did okay and Canra not You know, he was fine, I guess Yeah, I mean, Rashford was probably more positive than Gordon was. There was more incent, I think, to run at his man. I think that what you get with Rashford is a lot of promise and u I think that he was really dialed in tonight, which is good because I'm not sure that sometimes hes can be quite inconsistent when he starts for England. It's just that you want the moment in the final third and he should have scored tonight. probably should have produced some better final passes in the final third. and that's not quite there this evening, but you probably keep him in the side for the last thirty two because He does look like he's going to do something. And I think when you've got Rashford in that mood looking like you will do it, you're kind of have to just into that and hope that something does come because we know that we know the potential I think soccer He gets the assist but I'm not sure if physically he looked right. Hopefully he's built up some fitness and minutes to go into that game I wouldn't though be surprised if Madacke were to come back in because I think he's a better physical place than in soccer U I don't think it really worked for Rogers in the number ten this evening. Bellingham is the number eight going back there. I think he worked really hard. I don't think you could accuse him of not sort thinking about his defensive duties, but just his natural inclination is to go forward. And I think it just left Anderson with too much to do once I think it's Sugal said it's a classic ankle forory, so maybe he'll be okay, but I think that He started very shakily. the Panama number seven Rodriguez I thought was really good. and and obviously could have scored. So it's still those those issues at rightite back, which which are hanging over now now, who plays there on on on Wednesday. I know, it sort of it again throws up this issue of what exactly is going on with with Jon Stones? Is he Is he fits to play? if England needs to do this, could they move as concert So wr right back if points are is out and obviously rest straams is out. Would they feel confident after that first game playing Jonstones there Davave N And that's what's needed. Why is he in the squad?' that kind of question that's hanging over tokiff. Has he picked too many guys for the vibes and not enough differe makers in this squad Yeah. you mentioned the vibes. didid you sense and it's hard behind the glass, obviously, that the vibes were calm on the touchline? C with the players, come with the fans I missed this but I'm told that too Cold absolutely lost it with in the first minute or whatever when Kay's first move was was to pun the ball out of play across field. I think there was an interesting moment at the end the Panama disallowed goal. There's an argument between some of the players as well U I don't know if that's necessarily sign of a team sort of falling out with each other or a team looking for high standards, you can interpret it either way. I mean, all the messages so far has obviously been that England are the mood in the camp is really good. So I don't think that's that's so much of an issue. I do think that they have There's been this reaction to the last euros where Southgate obviously He dropped a lot of those senior players and then left himself with some players which you know hadn't experienced this hour before and I don't think he really knew once to with them. So think I don't think that's so much of an issue. I think it's more I just think the defense looks like it's there to be goss uped I agree. Thanks Seah. H have a good evening Thank you. Jacob there, Mark, any final thoughts on England I would say the last thirty two game is a nice one. I think playing Di Congo is better than playing Senegal and then it would be Mexico if they get through, Mexico or Ecuador at altitude. But again, I think their matches to England will expect to win. you look around at some of the other potential last sixteen games Germany and France are on teision calls, maybe Portugal and Spain as well. So you know England can have no complaints about the kind of path that they've got and I do think that they'll the squad that Thomas Tuka has picked is one with the bigger matches in mind. I think that he's already thinking about how tactically they're going to play in those games correct And he just felt that you know get the wins and the points would come easily enough in this group Croatia two Ghara one, then both are through. Ghana will play Colombia, Croatia will play Portugal. What did you make of this game, assassin? I was quite upset with the fact that Croatia were scoring goals that really expose the Ghanian defence today you know, long range shots shots that come into the ' eighteen and they're able to get ahead on it. You don't see the Ghanian defence putting them under any pressure they have to realize that in the round of z thirty two, they cannot afford to play Like that U Carlos Kiros is a low block specialist. He is one that likes to set up his teams from behind. He was like that with Iraq. He was like that with Egypt. So no surprise that he is doing it with Ghana. He is just the lowest of the lowest blocks that I've ever been in football, I think Again, I mean, you see, one of the problems that Gana has is that when you don't have your talisman Mohammed Kudus at the World Cup, it makes things really, really difficult. becausecause he would have totally changed the guuardian team in terms of their attacking capability and invention from the middle of the field. I mean Anto Semenu is doing his best, but I think they are just missing something. U I would imagine that now that they are in the knockout phase, he's going to sit down And have a look at the team and know that Low block is not going to work if they want to to win. they just have to attack and they have to show some more invention in the middle of the field and up frront Of course, you still need to have the discipline at the back You can't play your game and just be thinking about Defending for ninety minutes. That's not just going to work Eespecially against Columbia we'll get on to their game in a bit as well as worth mentioning moderich which we talked about the other day Mark, he was great in this game He was Yeah, this was this was his best performance, you know, of the World Cup so far. It's at two hundred and one caps now and it's he's a dart score almost And the way that he defends as well. So we know he's great in possession, but late on in the game, he is the one that's kind of flying around into tackles protecting the back for. just a remarkable player and you know remarkable energy to still be going now. and just on Carner. I mean, had six shots and only one on target that they're difficult what. That'll for part one partart two, We'll begin with Diial Congo' that first ever winner at W worldld Cup Welcome to part two of the Guardian Fotb week So, Group K looks like this Colombia seven points Portugal five, DR Congo four. they will go through Uzbekistan lost all their games and And they lost to DR Congo. They took the leader with an absolutely beautiful goal But Do Congo turned it around and what the scenes at the end and actually the scenes when Yah how weis have scored that in the ninety first minute. It's brilliant goal that they could celebrate because they just knew they'd won and knew they were through was brilliant. Last time D Ar Congo were at the tournament was in nineteen seventy four That was the first time that a team from Africa South of the Hassahara played at a World Cup. And it didn't go very, very well. I remember after they finished in Germany, it was not exactly a pleasant reception. they got back in King Chassa after that tournament And from nineteen seventy four until now, they were totally in the World Cup wilderness Be Nigerian myself and preferring Nigeria to have won the playoff I wasn't too happy that they qualified for this tournament. But I have to say that so far, they have done well and it is good that they've been able to banish those memories of nineteen seventy four, which were not a good advertisement for African football at the time. I wh a Mark like Brilliant in this game again Yeah, I mean, particularly the second goal, great finish. tremendous energy, the way that he presses from the front, Chasees lost causes scoring goals I think Newcastle fans will be going whereere was this play for the entirety of the season A langer, another one actually disappointed in the Premier League and has come alive at the World Cup. So maybe Eddie How you know can get more out of them next season. but he's the biggest threat to England. looking at it from an English point of view in the last thirty two just keeps making runs in beind. will never stop doing that And so England have struggled at times to deal with that even against the opponents that they've played so far. So It's not going to be a complete gimmy of a game and Do Congo did hold Portugal as well in their opening match I would expect England to beaten though. Yeah. I mean, cily there'd been brillant scenes in Ccaso after the Portugal draw and you know, those Dial Congo fans who were in the Portugal fan park in Lisbon like all Tnis are jumping around was so good. What do you think they will think coming up against England? But obviously they know that they are up against it and it's going to be an extremely difficult match Um Sebastian Des Sab the coach knows that he has his work cut out for him. U He has a lot of work to do to ensure that they are able to play an offensive type of football without being defensively disorganized because if they are defensively disorganized, if they give England lots of space England will be able to play the type of football that will bring out the best in them. So How he's able to create this balance that's the work he has to do in the coming days. The other game in this group, Columbia, Portugal You were making a bologese and washing it up, Barry. So't I was. I was on Gally d. you were. So I didn't see any of the Congol Uzbekistan game. I did see enough of Colombia Portugal, to know that Paraguay, Nil, Australia, Nil, this was not. No it was a great in terms of entertainment. This was right at the apex of a good Nil Niller Uh, and Both teams were going for each other like drunk swinging in haymakers in a pub car park and I'm not sure why really because it wasn't that important the outcome. but I think We know team football weekly, we were all watching it together as we had watched the England game and the loudest cheer of both games was for Christian or Ronaldo Miss. How dare you suggest that we are nothing but perfectly objective on this podcast. A law effort that fiz just narrowly wide the the uprights. So yeah, it was a very entertaining Nil Nild draw and perfectly compleimmented by my excellent getet her ab the knes. and salad, sure I've had worse I've had worse in the last ten days Okay, well we can open that up to the floor if you want. But anyway I'd certainly left the hob slightly cleaner. When this cameame up, I thought Columbia were great. Colombia did not need to win this And they was kept on going and like Rodri Hammz was brilliant in this game, I thought. Yeah. I mean, to be throwing five six flers forward in the last few minutes when a point was good enough to win the group discged to show the way they want to play the stadium. might as well have been a home game for Colombia. and I think they wanted It's a kind of play entertaining football for their fans as much as anything else thirty seven shots in this game. I think it might be the game of the tournament. There's been a lot, so apologies if I've sort of forgotten one. but In terms of the standard of play, I enjoyed it as much as anything else that we've seen so far. Colombia are a Very good side D in a nice part of the draw now. I don't know if I can change Dark horssees having gone for Turkey right at the start. But yeah, I would say that you know it's going to take a really good one to beat them that's for sure. And then from Portugal's point of view It's the don't say it. don't say it. It's the it's It's not that it's not that he started Ronaldo. It's just that he At no stage did Roberto Martinez attempt to change it when they were being overrun at times. Colombia with a better team. And even just putting somebody else up front with him maybe, you know, but he hold his hand the chaperon. But he just kind of just lets it just you know just play out as it was. But it was a really entertaining game. Colombia were the better side Portug had the chances as well, really enjoyed it. Yeah. I mean, cially the Portugal side've got this wonderful midfield. They did replace a young Nz with an older Nez today, but they're not clicking. I don't know if it's just Ronaldo sort of not stretching the play. I don't know what you think The thing with Portugal in general is that Ronaldo is the boss of the national team U it's amazing that u the manager will have a problem if he has to take Ronaldo off in a game because it's like it it's a cardinal sin to do it. an international accident. And that's not helpful when talismanic player is not performing well. evenven if he's a talismanic player, you've got to take him off if he is not doing well Uh It's I mean, if you compare, you know how well Messi is playing and how well Ronaldo is playing, you can see that it's not exactly the same. Messi still has that drive, that hunger. And before the tournament, I said that Messi might still just have one more World Cup in him. I don't think Ronalarddo has a World Cup in him at all Inluding us including this one Yes, including this one. Yeah. I think including this one. Yeah. we've talked about it before, Barry, but it's annoying for them Yeah, well I don't know how the Portuguese fans feel about him or how his teammates feel about him, they're obviously obliged to saying nice things bott them up in public, but Um if I was part of that Portuguese collective. I would really prefer if he was not in it because It would be so much better without him. And that's obvious to everyone apartnt from is fan boys who are delusional at this stage On Tmorr's probably we'll cover the late games tonight so Algeria, Austria, that weird game that Austria might want to lose to avoid Spain and Jordan Argentina and we'll cover the first knockup game Canada, South Africa. And look ahead to the round of thirty two, but since we've got you Sassso and you are an African football expert, it's worth just Asking what you've made generally because you know, is the ten African sides in the tournament is a first and they as you say, nine are through, which which is brillant African football Brilliant, yes, but I am of the school that I don't want to have this Oh, the African teams have tried mentality. I believe in excellence. I want to see them go as far as possible When I start to see a good number of African teams in the last eight, mayaybe more than one in the last fall Then we can begin to talk of African football doing well. Right now, yes, they have simply gotten to a stage where they would have had to have started from had the World Cup not been expanded to forty eight teams So let's see how far they go after the knockout phase, the first round of knockouts. Right. Then we can begin to talk of, okay, is African football doing well or not doing so well. You're a hard task master. becausecause I look at games that we should have won and we lost or we didn't win Morocco should have be Brazil But they didn't. They had a brilliant first half and if they had two or three goals in they probably could have psychologically dislodged the Brazilians and they wouldn't have been able to come back. You look at the game between Cordvois and Germany, there was no reason to have lost that game. Absolutely no reason. They had the game in their hands. They should have put the Germans away. they didn't do it. So I want to see more excellence from them. I want to see them control games better and put opponents away when they are dominating. There's no point dominating a game and not winning it. because you know there is no applause in trying. You get applause for doing the job I mean, I've applauded England a lot of times for trying. I've got to say you're a hard task master, assassi. But I admire your dreams and that'll do for part two, partart three. We'll begin with that amazing last ten minutes between Egypt and Iran. Welcome to part three the Gardian football weekly. So last night's games group G, Egypt oneon Iran one NewZeand w one, Belgium five. So Belgium topped the group on five points. Egypt second on five, Iran on three. Mark, what does that mean in the brackets? They look on the edge, don it depends on the Algeria Yeah, it does. So obviously People will know they'll know by the time they listen to this It was a dramatic last ten minutes, as you say, me and Barry were watching in a pub that was full of Iranian supporters. Obviously, there is a big population of Iranians that live in Los Angeles, I think outside of Iran,' actually the biggest. It is. So it was a great experience to be there Um the last ten minutes. they were pushing for the goal. They did not want it to go as close as this with with the best third place. They hit the bar twice and also scored ninety third, ninety fourth minute. it felt like know one of the last attacks. and then it was ruled out for a very tight but correct offside decision. but mostost of the pub did not realized and I would say for what about thirty, forty, maybe even sort of a minute after thirty five, forty seconds easily. They were still celebrating and theere the gameess gone on. Yeah. so it was heartbreaking for them from that point of view because the celebrations were fantastic. One of the players put on some sunglasses as well to celebrate I think they Iiously say they deserve to win. I don't know if I'm just being you know, just that last ten minutes made me feel like that they deserve to win, but it was it was an entertaining game as far as Egypt go. like Sala came off pretty early in the second half had some ice around his leg and the hamstring area. So hopefully he'll be okay because you want to see the best players performing at the World Cup. Yeah, Marark and I went into this bar and we All the stools at the bar were taken, right. And there was two Iran fans, two women who were nursing one beer between them while occupying these two prime bots of real estate. so that was enough to have us rooting for Egypt. on. And then they ordered tap water. ye they really the outrage. Yeah, they ordered tap water. so I was secretly quite pleased when that goal was disallowed. I think the reason even today there are still people online saying that it should not have been ruled out because the goalkeeper was ahead because the goalkeeper was up the field I mean, he wasn't that far off the field, but he was ahead of play. He was ahead of play And yeah, some conspiracy theorists are putting it all down, this outrageous inadverted comments brackets completely correct decision down to the big conspiracy to have Iran knocked out of the tournament. I mean, they have suffered more than most teams, but This was Gul was correctly disallowed. On your level of excellence, So,ere Egypt at the moment? Well, it is that they' the seven time Champions of Africa And that they actually played in their First World Cup in nineteen thirty four U it's not very good that it has taken them this long to get to the second round at a World Cup. They should have done a lot lot better before now. That said, I have a lot of kudos for Hotam Posam The manager of Egypt, one of the legends of football in Africa who has been able to get the team this far. I know that there was a lot of criticism for him in Morocco after Egypt couldn't go all the way to the final he's been able to show that he's worthy of the position he's holding. and I hope that Egypt will be able to better themselves as the tournament goes along Belgium beat New Zealand five one. so I guess Mark they've arrived at the tour to have, yeah, and at one stage they were rushing to get the ball out of the net to improve their goal difference to make sure they they finish first because In theory, you got an easier draw if you won the group but they've ended up with Senegal in the last thirty two. So not an easy game for them. This was their best performance and you can argue about the level of opposition, but the forward players Nouaku in the starting eleven that was definitely the right decision and they came on scored, but he was so bad against Iran that he couldn't play him again This feels like you know, D Bruiner having a lot of shots. he scored his goal eventually. Docu's back as well. He went home briefly, you know to be at the the birth of his child.grace see the birth Yeah' quite a stir. So see if you've got if you've got Docu You can just kind of give him the ball and just let him run. and De Guelire is a clever player. He is and yeah, Trorosard is somebody that very influential in moments for Arsenal. he doesn't always play well, but he does pop up with sort of you know important goals and he did again in this match. So they have got bits of a team go well in this competition, but it doesn't doesn't always work together and I'd be surprised if they're in a sort of the area of the draw that you'd want to be in, but I'm not sure they're good enough to take advantage. Tomorrow we'll do a big Here's the round of thirty two and look at all once, we know exactly what all the fixtures are. Steve Clarks resigned as Scotland headad cooach following their exit from the World Cup. So he's been waiting with this. He's got his two letters. hasasn't it? just waiting on the coefficient whatever it is. The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players without whom we wouldn't have had any of the memories that we've accumulated from twenty nineteen until now He said in a letter to supporters, they deserve all the praise and adulation that they receive and it was truly an honour to be called their Gaffer. Thanks for having me. goodood luck to my successor. Look He he's up to a point done incredibly well, Steve Clark has got a manager. And past that point, not done well. Is that fair? I don't think it's fair. OK, carry on. But your level of excellence is higher than minine is that we've established this Yeah, but we have to talk about the playing capacity of Scotland. Okay. they do they have the players to go far in competitions? Let's consider how I think the last time Scotland were at the World Cup was in ninety eight and I was there when in France when they were playing So if you're talking about the gap between the last World Cup and this one, it just tells you the status of Scotland within world football and what it takes for Scotland to qualify. If Scotland want to have better outcomes in football, then they have to find a way of increasing the quality of talent. The talent pool will have to increase. And that means that more work has to be done by the technicians within Scottish football to bring the quality of talent that will enable them to compete I mean, if Cape Vord with five hundred thousand people are able to produce a team that can hold two world champions in the group stages, in their debut at a World Cup. I don't see a reason why Scotland can't put up those kind of performances and also go far. but it's going to take a lot of hard work because they don't have the population of England, they don't have a population of Germany or France. The talent pool is a lot smaller. so you have to work a lot harder That's not the road I thought you were going to go down, I have to say I'm inclined to think and I made being unfair that Scotland qualified for this tournament in spite of Steve Clark rather than because of them and their a performance here. But Barry, if they hadn't qualified, you would have blamed him for it. So why won't you give him the credit when he actually gets them there? Because I think his tactics are so negative that He holds what could be a much better team back That's why and I think if it wasn't for an inexplicable lapse on Denmark's part against, I think it was Belarus Scotland wouldn't be here at all, wouldn't have been here at all and as they were here The performance against Haiti was Bang average at best and they were hopeless in their other two games. And I'm surprised these resigned But I presumed he would eventually be fired. Josh Whittakam was in touch yesterday and he said this to me. He said, So he just never eats vegetables, question mark I can't get my head around it This guy seems to actively eat worse than my children. Alice James got in touch. Mark Langden Vegetable Watch is the greatest feature in the history of broadcasting. I'm not joking. Izzy's back from filming and we just listen to Mark Langden Vegetable Watch as a family. I'm the only person in this house who likes football, but we all make an effort for Mark Langden Vegetable Watch. It's the funniest thing in podcasting. Here we go, since the last record, then Mark How have we got on? My wife's desperate for strictly tickets if Josh iss listening. Okay by. So today I look already said me and Barry had been to the bar last night and Yeahah, you had a pint of vodka. It's not a vegetable. Yeah, and then what's felt like a pint of rum after that. It's very, very long and it's hard drinking in the US with the paws that they do on the spirits. but So I woke up hungover actually Do that sets the vegetables back even further, does it? does. Yeah. I mean, you know, if Steve Bartlet can't concentrate if you're after a glass of wine then what am I going to be like? Iember to podcasting this hang over. So I did what I would always do in those situations and got a McDonald's for breakfast. Great start. Okay, so the honey Nutchurero is out the window first Yeah for sausage and egg mcMuffin. They don't do double over here, though sururprising Yeah disgrace as well. So that as a meal with hasash brrowns I struggled for lunch. I had no lunch in. And so the Panda Express that was erroneously delivered to the apartment yesterday, I ate about half of that. So there was Chelmaine with bits of greenery in. There were bits of greenery there. There were bits and some more orange chicken which will disgust Pilap who off course could not believe After recording, he was like, I couldn't go to bed. He was so st I was completelyill down Yeah. He was fuming at me. And then I had Barry's spaghetti bonnet, so he'll have to tell me exactly what was in it. And then last night we had tacos I think there was definitely coriander, I vegetable. I mean, I can. and then refried beans which we we've established I mean I can eat refried beans every day if I need to. There were chopped tomatoes. I sccoooot them out. Okay. Tomatoes, I find I can't eat tomatoes. And there was a big salad on the side, but I noticed you didn't touch that. Pumably there was an onion What in the was an onion? Two big red onions. Tw big red onions. There. It was a nice spaghetti one of these. I can't compare them Be I wast weren't here for the first I wasn't here for the first one, but that's fine. Barry sets a good standard of Bologise. Noted. Thanks everybody. That'll do for today. I think the only difference is mine had a half bottle of red wine in yours didn't. Yours was perfectly fine. I mean, I'd say there are other differences, but we don't need to get into this. Thank you for your time, asass. appreciate it. No, good to be with you guys. Always nice to chat. Thank you Barry. Thank you. Thank you M,. Thank you M. Fot Wekly is produced by R Simon and Matt Benanyy Viny our execive producer Joe Grove, and we'll be back tomorrow. This is the Guardian