Latest news with #Premiership
The Courier
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Courier
JIM SPENCE: Does anyone know what Gordon Strachan Dundee 'philosophy' comments mean?
It sounds like big things are expected of Dundee's next manager, but is anyone clear as to what they are? Technical director Gordon Strachan says there'll be a new philosophy at Dens, but what that means is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Having shipped goals like a sieve last season, does it mean the team will be much less cavalier in attack and much more defensively astute? And if keeping the team in the Premiership, albeit narrowly, wasn't sufficient to save Tony Docherty's job, what targets have been set for his replacement (the Dark Blues' third boss in four years)? If Doc's results fell short of the standard expected, as the club said, just what standards are acceptable? Presumably, the expectations will be clearly outlined to the new manager, and the extent of them may have a bearing on which candidates fancy the job. It's one thing setting ambitious and exacting standards; it's another to provide the resources to allow a manager to meet them.
Daily Record
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Willie Collum responds to Rangers 'ghost goal' as ref chief emphatic on VAR but makes key admission over incident
Rangers were apoplectic over the incident but Collum has offered a rebuttal from the governing body Insistent Willie Collum reckons VAR were right to deny raging Rangers their 'ghost goal' against Hibs on the final day of the Premiership season. Nico Raskin was left aghast after his apparent opener at Easter Road wasn't given by referee Nick Walsh and his assistant referee then the on-field decision was held up by his VAR officials seconds before Hibs duly scored. The Ibrox side released an angry statement in which they claimed they would back Rangers TV commentator John Brown to the hilt if a charge followed after he described the call made by the match officials as "corrupt". And now Collum has waded into the furore. The former grade one admits the ball may well have crossed the line, however, he has robustly defended the SFA process by citing two flashpoints from earlier in the season which led to public condemnation of the governing body. Host Gordon Duncan was also on hand to deliver the follow-up Collum as he offered the case for no goal. Speaking on The VAR Review, Collum said: "Let's go back to two incidents this season first - Hibs vs Celtic, possible ball over the line, and Dundee United vs Hibs, possible handball before it goes into the goal. "We were criticised for both of those decisions, and rightly so, because ultimately, there was no conclusive evidence. "I know people who would look at this decision and say 'that camera angle, for me, is conclusive.' "But the reality is, that camera angle is at an angle looking in the way, there's nothing directly in line there. "I've quoted before, in a World Cup match, there was a similar angle shown in a Japan game [against Spain in 2022] where, if you'd used that angle, you would say the ball was over the line. "Then when you line it up directly in line, it only needs a slight part of the ball to be touching that line. "Can the VAR and the AVAR there categorically, 100 per cent, say the ball was over the line? Not for us. "Do I think it crossed the line? I think there's a good chance it did. "But can I be absolutely certain of that? No. "What doesn't help in this scenario is that the ball isn't on the ground. "I think you could make a call here if the ball was on the ground, well over, there was loads of grass between it. "In terms of that camera angle, in terms of the ball being mid-air, can we be 100%? We don't think we can be. "We've been criticised previously, we've now moved to say we'll only give a decision like that if we've got 100% conclusive evidence, so the VAR and AVAR are correct to say there that they don't have that evidence." Host Duncan jumped in: "I think a lot of people will say 'if that's not conclusive, then will you ever truly get conclusive evidence?' "I feel like everyone thinks that's over the line. "So if that isn't conclusive then I'm looking for something that's very unlikely to ever be there." Collum admitted: "If you have a goal-line camera, you've got a very good chance of catching it. "I think we could have come to a decision clearly if it's looking right down the barrel of the goal-line. "One thing that would make this clear is goal-line technology, it takes the human element away because the watch reacts or doesn't react and then it's absolutely categorical." Duncan, following on, asked: "On goal-line technology, I assume it goes without saying that you would welcome that if clubs were willing to pay and make your life easier?" Collum said: "No question, because what would happen is it would remove any doubt. "It would be categorical, but where it won't help you is for a ball in and out of play on the goal-line. "We discussed it, and I think the clubs and everybody in Scottish football would welcome it, it is in play in the semi-finals and the final of the League Cup and Scottish Cup as we use it at the national stadium. "I don't think anybody wouldn't welcome it, but it's a cost implication, you balance the cost with how many times in a competition in a season do you need it. "Maybe even just one decision could be crucial in deciding which way the championship goes, who gets into a European place, who's relegated, who ends up in a play-off. "So maybe even for the cost implication, when the stakes are so high, it would be better to have it than not to have it. "We would definitely welcome it, and we would certainly welcome it if it was possible in each match to have goal-line cameras."
Daily Record
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jack MacKenzie breaks silence on atrocious flying seat injury as Aberdeen Scottish Cup hero confesses 'I got lucky'
The defender was badly hurt and needed stitches and carried off the pitch after the shocking incident after the whistle Scottish Cup hero Jack MacKenzie has urged Scottish football to learn its lessons and make sure the ugly injury he suffered at Tannadice never happens again. The defender was badly hurt after he was hit from a flying seat that was allegedly thrown from the Aberdeen support, after their final day Premiership defeat at Dundee United. MacKenzie needed stitches and had to be carried off the pitch after the horror incident and hopes the authorities can stamp out such flashpoints in the future. The left-back, speaking in an exclusive interview with Record Sport, stated: 'That incident we all want to forget about it and to move on, but we need to look at the serious side of things, where it needs to be taken out of football. 'It is something that needs to be looked at. 'You don't want to see an incident like that again.' The 25-year-old might have been struck but he claimed he was lucky. He also knows it could have been far worse if it had hit one of the young Dundee United fans who were beside him. The incident happened after some of the United fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate their win and European qualification. MacKenzie, who is set to join Plymouth on freedom of contract, admitted: 'There were little Dundee United supporting kids beside me, who were maybe 10 or 11 years old. 'If it had hit them on the head then we could have been looking at something completely horrendous. 'I was unlucky that it hit me but I also got lucky that it didn't cause me even more damage.' The defender admitted the aftermath of the incident was the hardest of his career, from the incident to the fear that it would cost him his Hampden farewell in the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic. Luckily, he was fit and managed to help Aberdeen lift the cup. He explained: 'The week before was probably one of the hardest he had had in football. It was tough. 'I just feared that could be the note I was leaving the club on and I just didn't want that. I wasn't nice for my family, my teammates or myself. 'There was a concern. I didn't train much at the start of the week because the stitches hadn't closed up as much as we hoped they would. 'I was also lucky I didn't get a concussion. An inch lower and it could have hit my eye and it could have been worse but all I ever wanted to do was be involved in the final. When I got the green light to play it was a relief. 'I wouldn't say it has been forgotten about but winning the Scottish Cup definitely outshines that.'
The Courier
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Courier
St Johnstone to kick off 2025/26 season away from home as Premier Sports Cup fixtures revealed
St Johnstone will kick off their 2025/26 campaign with a trip to face SPFL new boys East Kilbride. Saints' primary aim for the new season is to secure promotion back to the Premiership, having fallen out of the top flight for the first time in 16 years. However, before their tilt at the Championship can begin, they will warm up with four Premier Sports Cup group stage games. And the dates and times for each of Saints' 'Group F' clashes have now been confirmed. The Perth side will begin their cup run with with a trip to face SPFL newcomers East Kilbride, who are preparing for their maiden season in League Two, having defeated Bonnyrigg Rose in last season's pyramid play-off. Another away match follows, with Inverness Caley Thistle hosting Simo Valakari's side, before a home double-header against Championship rivals Raith Rovers – from whom Saints have snapped up striker Jamie Gullan – and Elgin City. East Kilbride (A) Sat, July 12, 3pm Inverness CT (A) Sat, July 19, 3pm Raith Rovers (H) Tue, July 22, 7:45pm Elgin City (H) Sat, July 26, 3pm
The Herald Scotland
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Neil Lennon vows to entertain Dunfermline fans and targets Premiership
The Northern Irishman, who brought in former Parkhead centre-half Victor Wanyama and oversaw wins over Livingston and Queen's Park during his brief spell in charge, has now signed a two year deal. He acknowledged that, with both Ross County and St Johnstone both dropping down a division, that going up will be challenging. However, he remains determined to lead Dunfermline back into the top flight for the first since 2012 next term. Read more: 'I more or less agreed things with the owner towards the end of the season,' he said. 'Obviously, there was negotiations going on with the contract and that, but he was true to his word and I've been true to my word. We've got a good relationship, which is really important. 'The same is true of the people around the club, David [chairman and chief executive Cook] is obviously important in that aspect as is John [advisor Colquhoun]. We know there's a lot of work that needs to be done. That's a real challenge for me and one that I'm looking forward to. 'I don't like making predictions. But I would like us to be challenging around the top. That's going to take a lot when you consider that two Premiership teams have come down into the division. 'Allied to that, you've got Ayr United and Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers finished the season really strongly, Morton are consistent. So it's an attritional nutritional league. But we have to find the players that will give us the edge in games. If not, they will then be difficult to beat, but also consistent. We need more consistency in our performances.' (Image: Promotional) Lennon, who will retain Iain Brunskill, Kevin McDonald and Andy Collier on his backroom team, has been attempting to strengthen the Dunfermline squad since last season ended and is keen to bring in players who can give his team far more of a cutting edge in attack. 'We came in at a difficult time and some of the performances were good, solid,' he said. 'But we weren't spectacular by any means, so I want to change that. We only scored 28 goals in 36 games. That's something that has to be changed overall. 'The players were good, their attitude was good. We liked it, we enjoyed it. We enjoyed the challenge, but now this is a different challenge. We want to start looking up the table rather than over our shoulders. There's rebuilding work that needs to be done, but we want to do that incrementally.' Lennon added, 'We've been working away in the background on a number of players, it's a slow process. There are already players who have signed new contracts from last season. 'There are players who have obviously left the club and their own players have come back to their parent clubs. We've got a small platform to build from in terms of the squad of players so far. 'Recruitment is going to be important. Getting the right players in the right positions and obviously with the right mindset as well. There were things that didn't please me over the six or seven weeks I was there. We just want to change a little bit of the culture around the place as well. 'I want more attacking players. That's always been my way. The bottom line is football is an entertainment business and you want to entertain. I think sometimes it gets lost in all the analytics and the coaching side of things. 'We have good support here. They rock up. They love the club and they want to see a team perform. Yes, full of commitment, that's non-negotiable, but with quality as well.' Read more: Cook commented, "This is an important moment for Dunfermline. Confirming the appointment of Neil is a clear statement of our intent to build something meaningful and competitive. 'His leadership during the latter part of last season was outstanding, and he brings a wealth of experience, professionalism, and presence that has already made a significant impact around the club. 'None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of James and Evan[co-owners Bord and Sofer]. It would be remiss of me not to highlight their passion for moving the club forward. 'We know the past few seasons have been challenging on and off the pitch. Entertainment has been in short supply, but our supporters have stuck with us through some difficult times. We aim to repay their loyal backing by competing at the right end of the Championship, giving them a team to be proud of.'
