When Scotland and Wales met in a World Cup qualifier back in October, and with Celtic pride and dressing room bragging right on the line, <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3826-Celtic-pride-and-bragging-rights-on-the-line-for-Whitecaps-coaches" target="_blank"><u>we spoke to both Paul Ritchie and Carl Robinson</u></a> to get the banter going between the Whitecaps assistant coaches. Scotland lost and Robbo was sent to Honduras!
Friday sees round two, so we've got them back, and even briefly involved the gaffer Martin Rennie this time around. Seconds out....
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It's been a dismal qualifying campaign for Scotland so far. Bottom of Group A after four games, eight points adrift of the top spot and with five teams ahead of them in the table. It's all looking a bit bleak and there's still six games to go.
Wales are just one point, and one place, better off and that only came about because Gareth Bale can't stay on his feet.
You could take the glass half full approach and say there's still 18 points available for both countries, or you can take the more realistic approach that both are now looking ahead to the campaign for Euro 2016 and the 'Road to <strike>Rio</strike> Paris'.
The poor start to the campaign did provide one positive for Scotland fans. It thankfully delivered the head of unpopular manager Craig Levein, and in what was a surprise to no-one, Gordon Strachan was named the new Scotland boss on January 15th this year.
<b>AFTN:</b> So Paul, what's your thoughts on Strachan as the new Scotland gaffer?
<b>Paul:</b> He's a quality coach. He's coached at the highest level. I think he's the fans choice, so I think when you have the fans backing it will go a long way because the Tartan Army have been starved of success recently.
Hopefully under a new manager we can aim to progress. It might take a number of years. There's a lot of good kids coming through. It might be too late this year to qualify for Brazil, but I think there's a chance for the future.
<b>AFTN:</b> Did you ever play alongside him?
<b>Paul:</b> No. I never played with Gordon. I played with a number of teams against him.</b>
<b>AFTN:</b> How do you think Strachan will do with Scotland Martin?
<b>Martin:</b> I think it's a good appointment. He's obviously got great experience and had a lot of success as a manager and I think he'll command the respect of the players and the media as well.
It's a tough job being the Scotland manager but he's one of the guys that you could see doing very well, hopefully like Walter Smith and Alex McLeish did.
<b>AFTN:</b> With the current campaign looking a bit bleak, Strachan is faced with a dilemma. Does he play his strongest team and experienced players in the remaining qualifiers, in the hope that some kind of footballing miracle can be pulled off, or does he blood the new breed of Scottish internationals and let the likes of Jordan Rhodes get valuable experience spearheading the attack, thinking ahead to that next qualifying campaign?
<b>Paul:</b> I think we've got to go for it as long as it's mathematically possible. Two games coming up and if we win both of these games it gives us a good chance. But you know what Scotland's like. We give ourselves a chance and then fall at the last hurdle.
But I think as long as we can succeed and as long as we have a chance to qualify, we must go for it, so we must pick the best players available at the time.
<b>AFTN:</b> And what about Wales' chances? Are they realistically still in with a shout or should they be blooding youngsters themselves?
<b>Carl:</b> I think both teams need to win and if you don't pick up a result there then obviously the qualification program is ended for both of them. Wales are going there I know to win the game. They have two difficult games coming up, so if they go there and get a result and get a win, which I firmly believe they can, then it will stand them in good stead.
<b>AFTN:</b>The man that changed the first group game between Scotland and Wales was Gareth Bale, albeit by taking a dive. He's currently one of the most in-form players in the world, so how do you stop a player like that?
<b>Carl:</b> It's very difficult, as I think you're seeing week in and week out. He's in a great, great vein of form and everything he touches is turning to gold. It'll be difficult, but it's not just about Gareth, it's about the team as well and I think if Wales apply themselves correctly, like they did in the first game, they should be ok.
<b>Paul:</b> Very difficult. I think we've got to worry about what we can do as a team. I don't think you can stop him. When you're talking about world class players you can do all the things physically possible but he's got that change of pace, he's got that quality. I think at times you've got to try to limit balls to him. If you can stop him getting the ball then that's probably the best you can hope for because once he's got the ball you don't know what could happen. He's proven that in the Premiership every week. He proved that against us last time.
If we can stop the balls to Gareth Bale I think that's probably the most important thing. But we're at home against Wales. We've got to look at our own performance and our own game tactics to actually go and take the game to them and hopefully Gareth Bale becomes null and void.
<b>AFTN:</b> When you were a central defender Paul, how would you have stopped him? A little foot left in there early on?
<b>Paul:</b> I would try. My record against Wales isn't great. I played against Earnshaw three of four times at club level one season and done exceptionally well, but if you catch a world class striker on his day, there's nothing you can physically do.
You look at what Gareth Bale's got. He's got every possible attribute that a professional footballer can have. Great pace, great technique and the quality of his dead balls are exceptional as well.
I'd try and kick him if I could catch him, but I don't know how long I would have lasted!
<b>AFTN:</b> Talking of Robert Earnshaw, the striker last featured for Wales nearly two years ago, but is enjoying a new lease of life in Toronto. Did you have a word with him about MLS before he headed over Carl?
<b>Carl:</b> I'm very close with Earnie. I played with Earnie at Norwich for two years. He's been wanting to come over for a number of years and he's finally joined Toronto a couple of weeks ago. He's excited and obviously started off very well.
<b>AFTN:</b> Now the last game there was an undisclosed wager between the two of you, but if Wales win again is Robbo getting sent back to Honduras?
<b>Carl:</b> (laughs) I'm not sure. I'll take it if it means Wales winning again. I don't mind going there. Hopefully it's a good game of football. It was last time. I think Scotland were unlucky because they were 1-0 up and had a goal disallowed at the time and then Gareth obviously pulled up trees. It's going to be a very tense game, but you know, those games are. The best team will come out in the end.
<b>Paul:</b> If Wales win again I need to take Robbo out for a slap up dinner. I'm due him a bet from the last game. I'm confident that we can beat Wales on our own ground. If we don't then that's fair play to Wales and they're the ones who have got a chance to go and qualify for the World Cup. But we have to win our home games and I'm confident that we will.
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