Sturrock Not For Scotland!!!!

On Western Morning News' website Manager Paul Sturrock was quick to quash any link between himself and the Scotland manager vacancy

We can all sleep a little better now

Sturrock and Scotland???

With George Burley being sacked by the Scottish F.A, the search has begun for the next Scotland manager.

There have been quite a few big names already linked with the post such as Walter Smith, Dundee United manager Craig Levin,Graeme Souness has already rules himself out, former Scottish midfielder John Collins as well as fomer Pilgrim flop boss Bobby Williamson........and our very own Paul Sutrrock???

The bookies have placed him as 50/1 outsider to succeed Burley.

Crazy,unthinkable I hear you say. Well maybe not so....

For it was Sturrock who had a reasonably sucerssful stint in the Scottish side back in the 80's scoring three goals in 20 appearances and was in the 1982 and 1986 World Cup squads with Sturrock featuring in 2 group games of the later.

And he has been quoted in the past of wanting to coach a national side before he reitres, and no country would be more wanted by him than his homeland.

I personally dont think he will, but you never know......watch this space

The Best Players and Moments of the 2006/2007 season

An 11th place finish in the Championship, our highest league finish in 20 years, An F.A Cup run that went all the way to the Quarter-Finals, and a team filled with quality such as Ebanks-Blake, Hayes, Buzsaky, Nalis, Halmosi and a super loan spell from Chelsea's Scott Sinclair........GOOD TIMES!!!

Mariner Revolution Continues to Grow

It’s been three games since Ex-England striker Paul Mariner began to work his magic as head coach at Plymouth Argyle. A loss, a draw and a win; not bad for a man whose only just getting to grips with life in the Championship and not just that, working with a team that has been fighting with relegation since day one of the season.

And these games have not been easy ones either; it was always going to be tough going to Ashton Gate which has not seen an away team win in the league so far. 3-1 may have looked like a bad score but there were positives. Argyle had held Bristol at bay for 73 minutes before Danny Haynes struck the first goal.

And the Pilgrims did not let their heads drop either, within two minute Jamie Mackie had equalised showing signs of resilience and determination from Plymouth which fans had seen in the 2-1 win against Scunthorpe. Not to mention it was Mariner’s first game overseeing the team afterall.

Then onto the Ipswich Town game. In a tense game where both teams were trying to get some points to climb out of the relegation zone, neither wanting to lose, Plymouth took the lead with a fantastic strike from Carl Fletcher. Argyle almost took all three points at Home Park and were unlucky not to as concentration slipped, Gary Sawyer gifting Jon Stead the equaliser, the red card to Darcy Blake not helpful either.

The transformation was beginning to show, a team showing commitment, a desire to win and to get their floundering team out of the grips of League One, which is what they are paid to do. However the next game was to be the true test for Mariner and Sturrock: Middlesbrough. A name that has always been surrounded with top flight football, a team that has had such stars as Fabrizio Ravenelli and Juninho Paulista in the starting 11.

But it is a club in transition, with Gordon Strachan taking the helm only five days before the game against Argyle. So this was the best time as ever to go to the Riverside. A passionate team display resulted in a fantastic 0-1 victory with Sawyer, redeeming his error from the previous week, sending Mackie through the defenders with a long ball, who calmly slotted past Brad Jones getting Argyle to within a point of being free from the relegation places.

And it is not just the results that Mariner has been having an impact on. Paul Sturrock has noticed a significant change in the way he does things saying “it's been a while since I've got my teeth into things like I have over the last ten days, so I've really enjoyed it.

"Him and I have worked hand in hand as far as the training is concerned and I've enjoyed myself as well."

Being a former striker for such teams Ipswich Town, Arsenal and of course Argyle, Mariner was quick to get stuck in with Argyle’s front line, one of which was Ashley Barnes: "I know he's a legend at the club, and hopefully I can learn from him.

"He has already helped me. He told me a few things which I took into the game, and that was good."

This freshness to training has also seemed to have had an effect on the fringe players, with two being involved on Saturday, Yoann Folly and Alan Gow, both who produced excellent performances and will no doubt be in contention for next week’s game against Doncaster at Home Park.

So, bring on the next couple of months, for this will be the time where the Mariner Revolution will hopefully flourish and see Plymouth Argyle lifted to safer heights.