Andy Crawford

A life built around football - proud @Pompey supporter, also do a little bit of pensions between games!

[BlockBet @BlockBetGG]

Thought all this “Argentina paid off the refs” stuff was bullshit.

But now Switzerland’s whole starting XI looks injured?

Weird.

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Justice done for #Egypt there - was ridiculous that VAR went back so far to disallow the earlier goal!

Same situation happened in the England-France QF in 2022 but France’s goal was allowed to stand - VAR clearly always punishes the wee teams! 😉

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

@BradSaundersPfc @TicketsPompey Pompey just lands differently! Hope you’re having a blast mate, but that’s plenty now… 😂

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

A few cowards in that Aussie squad - baffling that an 18-year-old centre back took a pen, don’t think I’ve ever seen a player look less confident stepping up!

Bringing Ryan on was a waste of time as well, was halfway down when the Egyptians were still five yards from the ball!

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Part 2 of the story of Bob the cat might even have been better than part 1! 😂 #bbcfootball

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Loved him when he was at Livi, looking forward to more of the same at #Pompey!

[Portsmouth FC @Pompey]

💙 Our first summer signing.

✍️ Odin Bailey pens a three-year #Pompey deal!

[Scotland National Team @ScotlandNT]

The most-capped Scotland Men’s National Team Head Coach.
The first Head Coach to lead Scotland to three major tournaments.
Led our return to the World Cup after 28 years.

Thank you, Steve 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

@raymondgray63 He was too safe against Morocco but probably not safe enough against Brazil! I’d have taken a proper Brexit-ball performance against Brazil (much like Cape Verde v Spain) if it had got us a point!

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Surprised, and (probably in a minority here) a little bit gutted - the problems go way beyond Clarke!

Maybe not the worst timing though, with qualifying for the Euros almost assured as a host it gives the new manager a bit of freedom to take some risks with blooding new faces!

[Scotland National Team @ScotlandNT]

The most-capped Scotland Men’s National Team Head Coach.
The first Head Coach to lead Scotland to three major tournaments.
Led our return to the World Cup after 28 years.

Thank you, Steve 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Think this sums up my feelings pretty well - the squad needs a refresh and the Nations League is a good time to do it!

We’re not going home cos we lost 3-0 to Brazil (would have been nice if we hadn’t been so helpful, mind!) - only getting one goal v Haiti was what fucked it!

[Hazel Stewart @HazelStewart09]

I’ve followed Scotland since I was 15 years old. I’ve travelled to all three games here in America and, like thousands of other members of the Tartan Army, I’ve lived every kick of the ball. The Tartan Army have put in the performances, brought the creativity and backed the team relentlessly. That’s why this isn’t about two defeats. It’s about recognising a pattern we’ve now seen for far too long.

The biggest question isn’t whether Scotland have reached the knockout stages. It’s whether we actually deserve to.

Against Haiti, yes, we won, but a deflected John McGinn goal was all we had to show for it. This was our chance to announce ourselves back on the World Cup stage. Instead, we laboured, created very little and never really put Haiti under sustained pressure. Winning matters, but performances matter too.

Against Morocco, we once again paid the price for poor defending. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and although Morocco looked vulnerable in the second half, Scotland never adapted. We remained disjointed, failed to take advantage when the game was there to be rescued and ultimately paid the price.

Then came Brazil.

Nobody expected Scotland to dominate Brazil. But there is a difference between respecting the opposition and fearing them. Scotland looked like a team waiting for something to happen rather than trying to make something happen.

The biggest frustration for me was the lack of adventure. Why wasn’t Ben Gannon-Doak starting? Against the world’s best teams, pace and unpredictability are exactly what you need. Instead, we reverted to caution.

It also felt like our biggest players disappeared. Scott McTominay and John McGinn have carried Scotland for years, but they struggled to influence the biggest games when we needed them most.

And that’s what concerns me.

This feels remarkably similar to Euro 2024. Two years later we’re having exactly the same conversation. The same tactical approach. The same lack of creativity. The same inability to turn possession into genuine chances.

People will point to qualification and say, “We got here.”

They’re right.

But qualification papered over cracks that were already visible.

Even during qualifying there were warning signs. The performances weren’t consistently convincing. We relied on moments rather than sustained quality. Yes, there were outstanding performances, particularly against Denmark, but too often results masked deeper issues.

At major tournaments that simply isn’t enough.

There’s another uncomfortable conversation we have to have.

This is an ageing Scotland squad. We’ve remained heavily reliant on the same core of players for years. These players deserve enormous respect for ending Scotland’s long wait for tournaments, but international football moves quickly.

Every player has an expiry date at the highest level. Some of our core players now look a yard slower against elite opposition, and that matters.

Steve Clarke deserves huge credit for transforming Scotland’s fortunes and leading us back to major tournaments.

But with a new four-year contract comes a new challenge.

Can he evolve?

Can he trust younger players sooner?

Can he refresh a squad that now looks in need of fresh energy?

Because if we continue with the same personnel and the same tactical approach, we’ll be having this exact conversation again after the next tournament.

The Nations League in September gives Scotland an opportunity to reset.

To introduce younger players.

To challenge established names.

To build a team that isn’t simply grateful to be there, but genuinely believes it belongs there.

Scotland has made enormous progress.

But qualification cannot be the destination.

It has to be the starting point.

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

As Neville Chamberlain (probably) said on 1 September 1939, fuck off Germany! 😒

If we weren’t oot already, we are now! #FIFAWorldCup

[BBC Sport @BBCSport]

Ecuador's victory over Germany has dealt a big blow to Scotland's chances of reaching the Round of 32.

[Scib @Scib_]

A few hours ago we said goodbye to our Scottish guests at our Boston Airbnb. Absolutely fabulous people, & we learned a lot about Scottish culture, however our cleaner has just found this in the downstairs toilet & has been retching for over an hour. The dirty bastards.

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

@Scib_

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

The irony of Kilmarnock using Auchinleck’s ground for their League Cup games when Auchinleck were told it couldn’t host the Celtic game! 😂

[SPFL @spfl]

Confirmation of Premier Sports Cup group stage venue changes due to ongoing pitch works

ℹ️ https://t.co/YvLRylIzdx

[Yankee Stadium @yankeestadium]

No Scotland, no party 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The Tartan Army showed up in the Bronx 🗣️

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

No that’s not me in the background, since even my own mother needed that confirmed… 😂 #FIFAWC

[SNS Group @snsgroup]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣... 📸

#FIFAWC | #ScotlandNT

[Andy Crawford @ACrawford1987]

Ooft, that fair tugged at the heartstrings… 😢

[FIFA World Cup @FIFAWorldCup]

"A dream that the two of you nurtured side by side." 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✉️

Andy Robertson won't be walking alone at the #FIFAWorldCup 2026. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🫶🇵🇹

[Scotland National Team @ScotlandNT]

We're off to the @FIFAWorldCup 🛫

#FIFAWorldCup

[EFL Communications @EFL_Comms]

An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs after the Club admitted to multiple breaches of EFL Regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other Clubs’ training.

In addition, the Club has received a four-point deduction that will be applied to the 2026/27 Championship table.

The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 Play-Offs and will proceed to the Play-Off Final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.

📘 https://t.co/kGIhl4GksL

[Simpsons SPFL 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @SimpsonsSPFL]

McInnes: "Honey, you should've seen us against Celtic today, I-...no, but we came so close!"