![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/1-300x107.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGreetings! It\u2019s the summer of 2003 and in a time long before Andy Murray was making Scotland proud, Scottish sports fans are still clinging to the fact that this bunch of idiots were World Cup runners up in 2002. However, we\u2019re now passing 12 months since that happened and our form has started to deteriorate. Our qualification for Euro 2004 is definitely in the balance, and with a huge game away in Northern Ireland to prepare for, I should stop wasting time with this intro and get back into training. Here\u2019s the table as we reach August 2003<\/p>\n
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I know you\u2019re dying to know, has anything of note happened since we defeated Poland back in June? Well, we\u2019re only going to bloody host Euro 2008 (with Wales). That\u2019ll kill this blog as there\u2019ll be no qualifying, but that\u2019s a story for another day.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/2-300x46.jpg\")
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In much less exciting news, World Cup holders Italy won the Confederations Cup. They are an unstoppable force so far. On a more relevant point, Kiegan Parker got a big move to Celtic, which can only help his development, whilst Stephen McPhee has handed in a transfer request at Port Vale. Mark Kerr has recovered from injury but is yet to play for Roma this season, though it is mid-August when the squad is named and the Italian season hasn\u2019t had chance to get underway. Only one new cap inclusion, and that\u2019s this fellow<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/3-300x233.jpg\")
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If he\u2019s good enough to be in Celtic\u2019s team, I should probably take a look at him. Maybe not in Northern Ireland but hopefully the Malta game will be a more relaxing affair.
\nHere\u2019s the side I\u2019m putting out in Belfast. It has to be considered my strongest team really, it\u2019s been my go to 11 for a while.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/4-300x184.jpg\")
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Northern Ireland, who really need a win to keep any hopes alive, have gone with the following:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/5-300x182.jpg\")
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It\u2019s a big game because if we win this, I\u2019m fairly sure we\u2019ll beat Malta and it will set up the final Hampden showdown with Spain.<\/p>\n
I needn\u2019t have worried<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/6-300x254.jpg\")
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Good ref name. Kerr calmed us down after some early nerves, Parker showed why he got his move to Celtic and Nicholas smashed in a volley to settle us down after Kirk threatened to ruin the day. The ratings reflect our dominance<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/7-300x211.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
It was on the verge of being the perfect day, but Spain steal a 90th minute winner in Poland to stay top.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/8-300x97.jpg\")
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We\u2019re guaranteed a playoff place, which is wonderful news. There\u2019s 6 players one yellow card away from a ban so they\u2019ll all sit out the Malta game. That means no Kerr, Ferguson, Anderson or McGuire but I think we\u2019ll have enough. I\u2019ll have Kerr and Ferguson on the bench just in case.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/9-300x181.jpg\")
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Malta stick with 442<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/10-300x182.jpg\")
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It\u2019s a typically one sided game but our finishing lets us down a bit. We get the win but it\u2019s not as emphatic as I\u2019d hoped<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/11-300x209.jpg\")
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Mind you, I know its Scotland but 5 degrees in September is freezing. Still, the job is a good one and we\u2019re taking it to the final round of fixtures. I do like that one of Malta\u2019s subs is called Digger though, I can get on board with that.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/12-300x213.jpg\")
\nMalta\u2019s keeper was pretty good<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/13-300x214.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Raul\u2019s first half hat trick helped Spain to a 4-1 win over Northern Ireland so they are in the driving seat, a draw will do them at Hampden.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/14-300x108.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
We seem to have found ourselves top of the 2nd placed teams table, which I guess means a draw could see us through top of that. Who knows!?<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thehighertempopress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/15-300x136.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
So that\u2019s it for another update, a remarkable two games, with 6 points and 6 goals. If only Spain hadn\u2019t scored that late winner in Krakow\u2026<\/p>\n
Join me next time as we go head to head with Spain at Hampden Park for a spot at Euro 2004. Now that’s a big game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Greetings! It\u2019s the summer of 2003 and in a time long before Andy Murray was making Scotland proud, Scottish sports fans are still clinging to the fact that this bunch of idiots were World Cup runners up in 2002. However, we\u2019re now passing 12 months since that happened and our form has started to deteriorate. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":16053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n