Stephen Frail has warned Saulius Mikoliunas he must be more careful after the Lithuanian was sent off for Hearts reserves.
Mikoliunas, who was condemned in Scotland and banned by UEFA for diving to win his country a penalty at Hampden last month, saw red in the second-string match against Falkirk.
Hearts assistant boss Frail watched on as winger Mikoliunas was booked twice for reacting to heavy tackles – the first on himself, the second on team-mate Andrius Velicka – during a 3-0 win for the Edinburgh side.
Given the reaction to his antics during the Euro 2008 qualifier against Scotland, Frail admits 23-year-old Mikoliunas needs to keep his cool.
Frail told www.heartsfc.co.uk: 'He will need to learn because there will be a lot worse when he plays in the first team. You can understand that I am a bit cynical about the attention he is getting.'
24 October 2007
Alex McLeish has praised the SPL for postponing the matches involving Rangers and Celtic prior to Scotland's Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy.
The SPL agreed to a request from the Scottish Football Association, instigated by McLeish, to rearrange Celtic's home match against Falkirk on November 10 and Rangers' trip to St Mirren the following day.
New dates for both games will be announced in "due course", the SPL have confirmed, and Scotland manager McLeish is delighted a large number of his players will have a free weekend ahead of the national team's crucial fixture.
"It's great news. We really pushed for it," McLeish told the Daily Mail.
"The managers were behind us all the way. It frees up about 10 players and, while I was never worried about match sharpness, it makes sure these players don't get injured. It is a real boost, a fantastic bonus, and we really appreciate it."
However the SPL are upset with the SFA who declined to meet the cost of postponing the two matches.
SFA chief executive Gordon Smith approached the SPL to seek the postponements after McLeish suggested it would benefit the national team for the Old Firm stars to be allowed a break.
But SPL executive chairman Lex Gold has been unhappy with the SFA's attitude towards finding a solution to suit all parties, and said: "It is a matter of considerable disappointment that the SFA has refused to help defray the costs which will be incurred by our clubs."
McLeish draws a significant number of his Scotland squad and first-choice line-up from Glasgow's biggest two teams, players such as captain Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, David Weir, Paul Hartley, Alan Hutton, Kris Boyd and Stephen McManus.
24 October 2007
Dundee United's Barry Robson fears it is only a matter of time before a big club moves in for Tangerines boss Craig Levein.
Levein will mark 12 months in his job at Tannadice next week and has already dragged the team he inherited sitting bottom of the SPL table to fourth in the league, having recorded their best start to a season since 1993.
United, who host Rangers on Sunday, have battled with relegation more often than not over the last decade but look almost certain to finally break into the top six - if not the top four - this season.
The Tangerines' remarkable turnaround has ensured Levein's stock has steadily risen, so the former Hearts and Leicester manager, who led the Jambos to third place in 2003, is likely to be shortlisted for future vacancies around the country.
He was considered for the Scotland position following Walter Smith's departure to Rangers but, even though he missed out on that occasion, Robson is worried bigger clubs will start circling.
He said: "The manager has been here for nearly a year now and we've improved steadily all the time. I knew the minute he walked in the door that he was excellent and he has proved it over the last 12 months. He is very shrewd tactically, has got us organised and has improved every player. He commands respect because he has done it all in the game as a player. It's going to be difficult to keep him at Tannadice because I wouldn't be surprised if a bigger club tried to take him away. Hopefully that won't happen because we love working with him but the fact he has done so well won't be going unnoticed. He was linked with the Scotland job and that wasn't a surprise because of how good he is. We want to hang onto him but it wouldn't be a shock if someone big came calling."
Levein is renowned for pushing his players hard and will not allow standards to slip.
Robson was on the receiving end of a blast during the recent game with Falkirk but insists his manager's will to win is one of his biggest strengths.
He added: "We had a bit of a fall-out during one of the games but it was nothing. It doesn't matter who you are, what you are or where you are with the manager - if he has got something to say he will just say it. I think he would even go through the chairman! I've got great respect for him and get on great for him. He's a winner and so am I and so are the rest of the lads so we all work well together. He works on little things and in the end it adds up to a lot. He has improved me because he is so thorough, we watch videos of how we play and after it he goes over what I could have done better and also what I did well. It's all very positive and he does that for every player so I think all the lads would agree that they have improved."
Robson added: "He has got a really good eye for a player and has made some great signings for basically nothing, guys like Morgaro Gomis and Prince (Buaben) as well as the Irish boys so everything is going really well at the club."
Goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska has learned that his metatarsal injury is almost healed and will begin to increase his workload over the next few weeks.
11 October 2007
Highly-regarded Sligo Rovers defender Seamus Coleman has been drafted into the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for Friday evening's friendly international against Sweden.
Manager Don Givens called up three players after goalkeeper Shane Supple, defender Darren Dennehy, midfielder Keith Keane and forward Keith Treacy were all ruled out.
And Coleman is a welcome addition having turned in some stellar performances for Sligo in the eircom League of Ireland this season.
The other call-ups are for Bristol City goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, who has been a regular at under-19 level in the past, and Everton's Aidan Downes.
The squad arrived in Sweden on Wednesday night to prepare for Friday's friendly in Uppsala, while they will then return to Ireland for Tuesday night's European qualifier against England at Cork City's Turners Cross.
Republic of Ireland under-21 squad (v. Sweden, 12/10/2007):
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Shane Redmond (Nottingham Forest).
Defenders: Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Eddie Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Alan Sheehan (Leicester City), Michael Spillane (Norwich City), Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers).
Midfielders: Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Stephen Quinn (Sheffield United), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Alan Power (Nottingham Forest), Patrick Cregg (Falkirk), Aidan Downes (Everton).
Forwards: Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Jim O'Brien (Celtic).
06 October 2007
Hibernian sprung a surprise with a 1-0 win away at Rangers to leapfrog the Old Firm side and go top of the SPL table.
Hibs' victory came courtesy of David Murphy who struck on the hour mark to give his side all three points and a place at the top.
Dundee United were 1-0 victors over Motherwell – a result which moves them up to fourth in the table.
The two sides started the day equal on points but The Tangerines are now three better off after Darren Dods hit the net with just over ten minutes remaining.
Hearts were the day's biggest victors after they beat Falkirk 4-2 at Tynecastle.
Andrius Ksanavicius, Marius Zaliukas, Andrius Velicka and Christian Nade gave the hosts a four-goal advantage but Graham Barrett and Pedro Moutinho both got their names on the scoresheet in the last five minutes to give the scoreline a degree of respectability.
Abime Koudou scored in the first minute of the 2-2 draw between Kilmarnock at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
A Simon Ford own goal pulled Inverness level but Colin Nish looked to have given the hosts the win before Don Cowie struck to give Falkirk a share of the spoils.
01 October 2007
Furious Falkirk manager John Hughes has demanded a massive improvement from his players after watching the Bairns slump to a 4-2 defeat at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Hughes was particularly unhappy with his side's defending and has warned his players that they could be in for a long battle to avoid relegation unless there is a marked improvement in their performances.
"The first half was especially disappointing," he said. "There wasn't much we could take from it at half-time, although all credit to Inverness because they looked like they wanted it more than us. I tried to sort it out at half-time as I felt we could get back into the match and then Scott Arfield scores a wonder goal to get us back in it. However, the fourth goal killed us. The way we're conceding goals is disappointing and being a defender myself I'm unhappy about it, but it's something that we just need to work on. Make no mistake, however, we're in a relegation dogfight and I want my players to read this in the newspapers as hopefully it will mean they get back to doing what I know they are capable of."
01 October 2007
Sunderland striker Anthony Stokes has been restored to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for the European Championship qualifier against England at Turners Cross later this month.
Ireland will attempt to get their qualification campaign back on track against the English having gone down to a 2-0 defeat to Portugal in the opening game last month.
And Stokes returns to the squad having been frozen out following a row with boss Don Givens ahead of a friendly against Germany in August.
Darron Gibson, the Manchester United midfielder, is also included, dropping down from the senior squad despite making his debut against Slovakia three weeks ago.
Injured Wolves midfielder Stephen Gleeson and UCD striker Conor Sammon drop out of the squad.
Givens has also named a squad for a warm-up friendly against Sweden four days before the meeting with England, with 12 of the 18-man panel on duty for both games.
eircom League trio Shane McFaul, Darren Quigley and Conor Powell, as well as Huddersfield Town's Richard Keogh and Michael Collins and Adam Rooney of Chesterfield, have been excused for the friendly in Uppsala on Friday, October 12th.
In their stead comes four players who graduate from last season's under-19 side - midfielders Keith Keane and Alan Power, highly-rated Blackburn Rovers winger Keith Treacy and Norwich City's Michael Spillane.
Ipswich Town goalkeeper Shane Supple and Leicester City full back Alan Sheehan will also be on duty for the game in Sweden before dropping to a stand-by list for the qualifier against England four days later.
Republic of Ireland under-21 (v. England, 16/10/2007):
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Darren Quigley (UCD).
Defenders: Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Conor Powell (Bohemians), Darren Dennehy (Everton), Eddie Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Richard Keogh (Huddersfield Town – on loan from Bristol City), Darren O'Dea (Celtic).
Midfielders: Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Stephen Quinn (Sheffield United), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Shane McFaul (UCD), Michael Collins (Huddersfield Town), Patrick Cregg (Falkirk).
Forwards: Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Adam Rooney (Stoke City – on loan at Chesterfield), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Jim O'Brien (Celtic).
Republic of Ireland under-21 (friendly v. Sweden, 12/10/2007):
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Shane Supple (Ipswich Town).
Defenders: Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Darren Dennehy (Everton), Eddie Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Alan Sheehan (Leicester City), Michael Spillane (Norwich City).
Midfielders: Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Stephen Quinn (Sheffield United), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Alan Power (Nottingham Forest), Patrick Cregg (Falkirk), Keith Keane (Luton Town).
Forwards: Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Jim O'Brien (Celtic), Keith Treacy (Blackburn Rovers).
