Voice of Scottish football, Jim White, gives his considered Verdict on the clubs and players to look out for in 2000/01.
ABERDEEN
Prediction 9th
Prospects
Despite two cup finals it was an utterly shambolic season. Who is to say that there will be no action replay next season?
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
That said, he took the club to two finals . If Milne can provide some money Skovdahl can do a better job. If not, the Dane has a ready–made excuse.
The most important player?
CELTIC
Prediction 2nd
Prospects Chris Sutton’s move is very interesting. Too many knowledgeable people in the game reckon Sutton has what it takes, so people shouldn’t be judgmental. Sutton has something to prove and Celtic could benefit from that.
The most significant transfer?
Joos Valgaeren comes with good credentials. He is quite like Bert Konterman, the new Rangers signing. He appeared an accomplished player in Euro 2000 for Belgium, and can only improve the notorious Bhoys defence.
Eyal Berkovic is another player for whom this is a crucial season. Too often a spectator, remember he did have a brilliant spell in the first Old Firm game last term. Celtic fans will demand an output from him.
The manager?
The most important player?
Defensively, Alan Stubbs is still at Parkhead after so many predicted his exit. He is one of the best players in Scotland and if he can gel with Valgaeren then things will be looking much better for Celtic.
DUNDEE
Prediction 6th
Prospects
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
DUNDEE UNITED
Prediction 5th
Prospects
Dundee United have been quietly active in the transfer market in most areas of the pitch. They will rely on Alex Mathie for goals, and his input will be crucial for the Tannadice faithful.
The most significant transfer?
United will miss the departed Jan Telesnikov, the Israeli showed promise but was only a partial success.
The manager?
The most important player?
DUNFERMLINE Prediction 10th
Prospects
Expectations are at the right level, and I wish them good luck.
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
If new signing Youssef Rossi has half the impact of the Moroccans at Coventry, then he will make a telling difference to their season.
HEARTS
Prediction 3rd
Prospects
That means they must beat the Old Firm, and Rangers in particular, both home and away. Last season they did so against Celtic, and must have them in their sights this term. There is a good mix of youth and experience at Tynecastle.
There is money to spend and the club is in a healthy state. They can continue to see off the rest, now the Old Firm must be matched. Third place this time would be a disappointment.
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
I fully expect Cameron, and Hearts, to have a big season.
HIBERNIAN
Prediction 7th
Prospects
The loss of the slope will mean that Hibs are playing on a level-playing field (groan – ED) again at Easter Road.
The club will miss John Hughes’ spirit after he left to go to Ayr, but he had gone as far as he could. Yogi has been a smashing pro.
The most significant transfer?
I expect Alex McLeish to be busy this season in the market. He has brought in a number of players, for whom the jury is out on the French forward Hakim Sar-Temsoury and Danish defender Ulrik Laursen.
John O’Neil is a good signing from St Johnstone, as over the years there have been many admirers of his.
The manager?
The most important player?
McManus is a skilful winger in the traditional Scottish style, and he may have a real impact.
KILMARNOCK
Prediction 8th
Prospects
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
Lauchlan’s commitment will not be in question, and as he will be playing for a move may benefit Bobby Williamson on the pitch.
Christophe Cocard should be mentioned, as his silky skills can win games. That must happen more often though.
MOTHERWELL
Prediction 4th
Prospects
They have lost a key man in Simo Valakari, an accomplished midfielder who will be missed. But if Kevin Twaddle can maintain his improvement on the wing where he can become a shock international outsider, then the attacking flair will still be in place.
Then there is Andy Goram in goal, and he is simply loving life at Fir Park. So many strikers are outpsyched by his presence, and he is still one of the best in the country.
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
Lee McCulloch will be important too, as any top scorer is. It is a season where he will look to advance. ‘Well have done just that to hold on to him, and it will do him good to stay another year and be prolific this season. He will go onwards in the game.
RANGERS
Prediction Champions
Prospects
Bert Konterman is a strong defender and Feyenoord were unhappy with losing their Dutch international. He was originally a replacement for Lorenzo Amoruso but the Italian has stayed at Ibrox and will be captain when selected.
The most significant transfer? Kenny Miller and Fernando Ricksen.
I have heard a great deal about Ricksen. He is a flying machine and will complement Arthur Numan on the other flank.
Kenny Miller has the potential to come through as the no 1 striker here this season. His exuberance will put pressure on the likes of Michael Mols, Rod Wallace and Billy Dodds. If he does as well as I expect then he will be a Scotland international, and Craig Brown won’t be able to avoid him this season. Then there is Peter Lovenkrands, who is highly recommended by Michael Laudrup. Allan Johnston can play and supply goals. But it is Miller and Ricksen that excites me the most.
The manager?
The most important player?
ST JOHNSTONE
Prediction 11th
Prospects
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
Graeme Jones will also be a vital player. It is a big season for Jones, who did okay when he moved from Wigan last season. He is a target man, not unlike Sandy Clark in his playing days, and must show he was worth his £100,000 fee last year.
ST MIRREN Prediction 12th
Prospects
They always had decent players, especially when they won the Cup with Ian Ferguson in 1987. Now they have a crop of youngsters that have a great chance to make names for themselves in the SPL. Barry McLaughlin, Sergei Baltacha, Steven McGarry and Hugh Murray are exciting talents that I look forward to seeing at this level.
To avoid being whipping boys they will have to be at their best. It is important that they get off to a good start to garner some confidence. It is new territory for most of the squad, but expect these guys to be entertainers. High scoring games will be the norm, I assure you.
The most significant transfer?
The manager?
The most important player?
Jim White was talking to Dean Gripton
1. Rangers
2. Celtic
3. Hearts
4. Motherwell
5. Dundee United
6. Dundee
7. Hibernian
8. Kilmarnock
9. Aberdeen
10. Dunfermline
11. St Johnstone
12. St Mirren
Stuart Milne said that last season Aberdeen were desperate as they finished bottom. He is honest, so I wonder what he think as the Dons go into the season with absolutely NO new signings at all. Nothing has happened in the close season to lead Aberdeen fans to envisage anything but more struggle?
None. Genuine feeling would have been rebuilt with the cup finals, but that they have made no buys – not just one, I mean six or seven – will not keep the goodwill. The board must be wary of Aberdeen making a similarly dreadful start as they did last season. At least they have kept their better players.
Ebbe Skovdahl. He will have to try to recover form the pressure of last season. He couldn’t have imagined what he got into when coming to Pittodrie. At times he looked like a man coming back from an illness.
Eoin Jess. Again, Jess has to show that he can deliver consistently. He has been seen at his best only sporadically, despite showing form on the big occasion at times. He is no longer a youngster, and if he can have a good season it will spark Aberdeen towards a revival. Let’s see it this season Eoin!
Surgery is still required on the team, and O’Neill seems to be acting at repairing all crucial organs; goal, defence, midfield and attack. It will be unfair to judge O’Neill on early results.
Mark Viduka. Though they have bought big to replace him, Viduka’s leaving is a big blow. No doubt he was driven by his agent Bernie Mandic to leave. The loss of the Celtic fans’ hero, who always delivered, is crucial. One man does not make a team, and Martin O’Neill is extremely aware that it is down to him to get the ball rolling soon without last season’s player of the year.
Martin O’Neill. It is a dream all around for O’Neill to be at Celtic. One thing that shines through is his passion for the game, and he will show that ingredient to his game for sure. He is also very knowledgeable. Celtic fans are delighted to get him and it is indicative of his popularity that Guus Hiddink was quickly forgotten. It is significant to me that when O’Neill left Leicester nobody had a word of complaint against him when he left. Leicester’s loss is a real gain for Celtic.
Henrik Larsson. The club simply cannot afford to miss him all season as they did last term. Having him back fit for the start of the season is like a new £10million buy. He knows the score, is the guy that is so pivotal to Celtic’s success. I expect him to carry on where he left off, in the goals.
Dundee is a club with potential. If they can get some consistency, especially at home, then they will not be struggling. They need a goalscorer, but the top six in not out of their grasp. Their away form was excellent last season, which indicates an ability to soak up pressure and break. They must adapt their style to create more chances at home, where they find goals difficult to find.
Giorgi Nemsadze. If he is half as good as international team-mates Giorgi Kinkladze and Temuri Ketsbaia, then Dundee will have a star. He seems a strong player, and Dundee have an early benefit from Bonetti’s contact lists.
Ivano Bonetti. Everybody said ‘Who?’ when he was appointed. But if he has played in Serie A for the time that he did then he must be a good player. That would give him pulling power too. I was sorry for previous boss Jocky Scott, who did very well on limited resources, which have given Bonetti a base to work with. But times change and the Italian certainly offers a different angle in the SPL.
Lee Wilkie and Gavin Rae. These two players are not only part of the future of Dundee FC, but of Scottish football. Scotland needs them to come through , and have gained in experience last season. Both a crucial in key areas of the pitch for Dundee.
The players must deliver for Paul Sturrock, but I cannot see them breaking into the top four. The younger talent at the club needs to break through and shine this season. Players such as Jim Paterson, Steven Thompson and Stephen McConalogue face a crucial season in their development.
Danny Griffin. The introduction of this St Johnstone defender, who manager Paul Sturrock had at McDiarmid Park, will strengthen an uncertain Tangerines defence. Sturrock recognises Griffin’s potential and that he has signed for Dundee United is a coup. English clubs, such as Derby, had been interested. I believe £600,000 is a steal for a player who is proven at this level.
Paul Sturrock. There was talk last season that he was cheesed off enough to consider leaving. The behind-the-scenes discontent and turmoil did not help the side after the sale of Billy Dodds. The discussion must be around why a great motivator such as Sturrock could not urge his side on to consistent efforts.
Craig Easton. The Scottish Under-21 international must start to deliver. It is time that potential was realised. Easton should score more goals from midfield, and has the game that ought to dominate more matches. The time is now for him to deliver.
Dunfermline have great support in Fife, and it could be a good season for them. The club has a good history. Under Jimmy Calderwood they have dropped their tag as the ‘Wimbledon’ of the SPL. They play good football, and it is hoped that Dunfermline will be able to play fear-free football.
Junior Mendes. He caught the eye at St Mirren and it is a mini-coup for Dunfermline that he has switched. Attacking flair will be the difference between draws and wins, so a fully-fit and firing Mendes will be crucial. Also the sale of Ian Westwater is important. He was a great servant to the club. No ordinary ‘keeper, I liked him as a player and Hibernian have an earnest pro on their books now.
Jimmy Calderwood. I wondered who he was when he was appointed last season. Now the whole of Scottish football knows that he not only has a good pedigree and track record, but he is not frightened to be his own man. He has only known success at East End Park, and is hell bent on taking his opportunity.
Ian Ferguson. He brings experience to the Pars. If anyone is needed to help grind out a result it is Ferguson. He scores his share of the goals, and will typify the Dunfermline spirit this season.
It is a very big season for Hearts. For so long they have spoken of being the no 3 in Scotland. The millstone of the 1997/8 season, when they were close to beating Rangers and Celtic, has hung around the club ever since. Hearts must now achieve – they must shake the tag of being a ‘nearly’ club.
It is a surprise that nobody has been brought to the club. Jim Jefferies would argue that he has a strong squad, and the addition of the previously injured Gary Locke strengthens the cause. The arrival of a new face would bolster confidence, and is surely not too far away.
Jim Jefferies. He has done very well and is a super coach. In my mind there is no doubt that he is amongst the top ten managers in Great Britain. He is never short of motivational skills and if the players respond then it will be a big season for the Gorgie Boys.
Colin Cameron. The Scottish international signed a new contract last season, so any worry on that front has gone, unlike for Paul Ritchie last season. Cameron is a pivotal figure, and if he plays then so do Hearts. He brings goals to the side, and having made his full international debut will be a confident player this season.
Consistency and away form and two of the key elements of the season for Hibernian. The pressure is always on them to string results together at home due to their poor away form.
Kenny Miller. Of course this is a massive loss. Alex McLeish was forced into business, knowing it was impossible to hold on to the striker in the face of such a bid. The fans will have wished that he went to England, because it will be hard to bear seeing him turn out at Easter Road for Rangers. Let’s hope the traditional spectacle of seeing a player return to his old ground to be vilified roundly for joining the Old Firm is abandoned.
Alex McLeish. He is a super coach, with strong opinions on the game. If he is at the helm then Hibs will never be amongst the strugglers. His hands have been tied in the transfer market so far, and the fans expect to see some money splashed. He is the type to spend it wisely.
Russell Latapy. Of course, the Trinidadian international will be missing for too many World Cup qualifiers. In his absence Hibs will look towards the youngsters to provide some spark, and Tom McManus, who impressed at the end of last season, may be a name to follow.
It is hard to see many positives for Kilmarnock just a season after they tasted European football. They took several steps back last term, losing too many home games and having an awful winless run between September and February.
Craig Dargo is a decent acquisition, but I question whether they have bought in enough good players after last season’s poor return. Kilmarnock fans will have looked for more.
At least they have kept Gary Holt, I am surprised that no bigger clubs have come in for this midfielder with one of the best engines in the game. Charlie Nicholas is always astounded by this fella’s workrate. It is a big season for him personally as he edges towards the Scotland squad.
Andy McLaren. At Dundee United this winger showed real promise. He was one of the few who could beat his defender. Scottish football cries out for players of his ilk, and we love to see wide men create damage. He is taylor-made for the SPL and it is good to see him back in the game after his personal problems after Tommy Burns took him to Reading.
Bobby Williamson. He is one of the most popular managers on the circuit. Brutally honest, he takes a defeat very seriously. The players owe him a return. I felt for him last season when things were going badly. This manager is good for Kilmarnock.
Kevin McGowne. This excellent defender missed a huge chunk of last season and his absence made a crucial difference to Killie’s season. His influence is so important in the heart of defence, and alongside the out-to-impress Jim Lauchlan – who still hasn’t found a club – that part of the team at Rugby Park is vital.
There are cups to be won, and Motherwell could be an outside bet for some such silverware. They are an all-or-nothing side, very attack-minded, and good to support if you are a fan. On and off the pitch, they are a progressive outfit. Chairman John Boyle has everyone pulling in the right way forward.
Greg Strong. He is a big lad, capable in the back line and possessing good feet. He is a good acquisition at £150,000 from Bolton. The other signing was Stuart Elliott, who I understand to be a winger. If Pat Nevin has signed him, then that is a sign that he can be very exciting.
Billy Davies. There was a lot of criticism when he was appointed. Now he has proved himself and Motherwell had some good results last season, including two wins over Celtic.
Ged Brannan. Motherwell’s dead-ball specialist is one of the most influential players in Scotland. It was great business when Pat Nevin brought him to Fir Park two years ago, and he is a good professional who knows what it is all about.
This is the season where Rangers know that they must make a step forward in Europe. Manager Dick Advocaat will concentrate on European success, but the SPL will be a close second priority.
It is difficult to criticise Dick Advocaat for anything. He is absolutely right that progress in the Champions League is crucial, but that it will be gradual. A massive jump is still required at that top level. He will not settle for second place in the league, that is for sure.
Giovanni van Bronkhorst. He just wins the vote ahead of compatriots Arthur Numan and Michael Mols. Advocaat is shrewd enough to rest van Bronkhorst, but rest assured that Gio will be in the side when it matters. It will also be crucial that Barry Ferguson does not suffer any burn-out this season.
I do worry about the likes of St Johnstone next season. I hoped that they would have strengthened the team more spectacularly. They blew very hot and cold last season, and I do feel that they have it all to do to get anything out of the season. If they get into trouble it is hard to see them getting out of it, and it will be a tough season.
Danny Griffin. They spent £350,000 but that will not be enough to improve Saints position. I fear that defensively they will be hard-pressed, so would say that the loss of Griffin has been the most important transfer at McDiarmid Park. His influence will be missed. None of the signings really catch the eye, though youngster Keigan Parker looked like a lad with a bright future at the end of last season.
It is a big job ahead for Sandy Clark. He is a smashing guy, a good coach but can only do so much. I fear that they will struggle. With respect, I believe that his squad lacks quality.
Alan Main will be the key man. He will certainly be one of the busiest goalkeepers in the SPL. He is very important to them, but there is only so much he can do in goal.
St Mirren did very well to get promotion by winning the First Division last season. Back in the big time after eight years, I really hope that the Renfrewshire public come out on support of their team instead of the Old Firm after such a wonderful effort last season.
Jose Quitongo. The ‘Little Entertainer’ has stated his desire to make the most of his ‘last chance’ in Scottish football. A lot will depend on his goalmaking skills. He will have to make up for the departure of Junior Mendes, who left to join Dunfermline, a move that annoyed Tom Hendrie.
Tom Hendrie. He deserves great credit, as does the St Mirren board. Hendrie left Alloa, where he was a part-time manager and full-time teacher, to go to Paisley and that decision looks excellent. His success proves that there are managerial gems in the lower leagues, which is an important message.
Ludovic Roy. Rated one of the best goalkeepers in Scotland, the Frenchman will be very busy this season. Expect his reputation to flourish,
PREDICTED FINAL TABLE VERDICT