GLF63:Gavin talked to John Philliben about his old manager Alex McLeish and the Scotland job.
Philliben on McLeish
John Philliben believes Alex Mcleish could encourage Scotland to play a more attacking game at Hampden just as he " took the shackles " off Motherwell.McLeish joined 'Well as player-boss in 1994 after the Lanarkshire side's best league season for 60 years when they finished third,four points behind champions Rangers.Manager Tommy McLean left after a disagreement with the board and McLeish then led Motherwell to a second-placed finish.McLeish now faces a similar challenge of trying to improve a winning team with Scotland in their most promising position for years.
Walter Smith returned to Rangers earlier this month with the Scots leading their Euro 2008 qualifying group ahead of World Cup finalists Italy and France.He took Scotland on a seven-match unbeaten run on foreign soil but some members of the Tartan Army questioned Smith's cautious tactics at home.
Philliben said: `` When Alex first took over at Motherwell he took over a really good side.We knew we were a good side too.Tommy McLean was a wee bit defensive. Alex came in and said he knew we were a good side and told us to go out and show it.He took the shackles off the team.We actually lost the first game of the season at Ibrox but from then up to just before Christmas we went unbeaten in the league.He encouraged the players to play to their strengths.He always encouraged us to try and play football and build from the back.''
Philliben, a member of the Scotland Under-18 side that became European champions in 1982,believes McLeish will play a similar style of football at Hampden. ``I think the home games he will go and try and win, when they go away he will still look to sit in and try to nick a point,''he said.McLeish's reign at Fir Park did not continue as it began with 'Well battling relegation for much of his subsequent two and a half years. But Philliben is not surprised to see him as Scotland manager.
The former Stirling boss said: `` The team he took on broke up a year too early maybe.The boys that came in took time to settle. "
``International football may suit him as he will be able to pick the Scottish boys he wants and try to mould them into a side.He had every ambition as a manager as he did as a player - to go as high as he could.So I'm not surprised.
``I was a bit surprised he went to Rangers as quickly as he did. He had good experience with Motherwell and Hibibernian but I thought he would maybe fancy his chances of going down south first.But you can't argue with his record at Rangers & the amount he won there.''
Gavin McCafferty
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