Gordon v Zander idea.

[kingantti1874]

Hear me out.  We’ve established that Zander won’t be dropped and for now is the defacto #1 and I’m not challenging that 

 

however we have a unique set of circumstances here, Zander is in the hot seat as a result of a horrendous injury.   Were it not for that injury, Craig would without doubt still be the man.

 

Now given third is basically in the bag, and both want to go to the euros (Craig has never been to a tournament which he absolutely deserves ) I think we should split the remaining fixtures for the remainder of this season only.  
 

This could see BOTH keepers go to the Euros. This would be fair to both Craig and Zander. With the semi final they would have 10 game (5 games each) and if we make the final we’d have an extra one 

 

all of this on the understanding that Zander falls back into the hotseat in the league next season.

 

thoughts 

Edited March 14 by kingantti1874

[spirt of 98]

To be honest jersey belongs to Zander. CG has the cup matches. I think this is fair. 
 

I see Zander as our future what message does it send him when we don’t back him when he’s not put a foot wrong. 
 

As sad as it is Craig’s the number 2. 

[Luckies1874]

I fully expect Craig to get more game time post split (when 3rd will already have been secured), as well as the Semi and of course hopefully the Final. This will ensure they both go to Germany. So I'm on board with your plan 👍

 

I also believe that this will be communicated in the proper manner to both Zander and Craig and they will be fully on board with it. 

Edited March 14 by Luckies1874

[kingantti1874]

2 minutes ago, spirt of 98 said:

To be honest jersey belongs to Zander. CG has the cup matches. I think this is fair. 
 

I see Zander as our future what message does it send him when we don’t back him when he’s not put a foot wrong. 
 

As sad as it is Craig’s the number 2. 

We should be helping Craig achieve his ambition of a major tourney, it won’t hurt Zander at all imo.

 

i think we owe it to him. 

[McNelly15]

I'm pretty sure once third is tied up we would see CG play a couple games more. Hopefully he's got two cup games and a few league games to play in 👌🏽

[kingantti1874]

Just now, McNelly15 said:

I'm pretty sure once third is tied up we would see CG play a couple games more. Hopefully he's got two cup games and a few league games to play in 👌🏽

hope so. 

[spirt of 98]

Just now, McNelly15 said:

I'm pretty sure once third is tied up we would see CG play a couple games more. Hopefully he's got two cup games and a few league games to play in 👌🏽

Why when the third is tied up? Do we not trust him? 

[Drylaw Hearts]

They’ll be rotated once 3rd is secured imo and both will go to the Euros.

[McNelly15]

2 minutes ago, spirt of 98 said:

Why when the third is tied up? Do we not trust him? 

Because Zander hasn't done anything wrong to warrant being dropped in the league. Just my opinion like 👍🏽

Edited March 14 by McNelly15
.

[Wee Mikey]

They are both going?

 

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/trio-make-scotland-squad

 

[Bazzas right boot]

We can play both.

Win another couple of  games and stick one in at cd and they can swap at ht.

If hibs make top 6, stick craigy up top.

 

In fact, v County rest Shankland and stick Craig up top and swap at ht.

If county gain 3 points on Aberdeen,  it would be such a shame. 

 

Edited March 14 by Bazzas right boot

[Bull's-eye]

Nobody deserves anything in professional sport. Zander is our current number 1 and had earned everything coming his way. CG waits his chance.

Edited March 14 by Bull's-eye

[Regular John]

It doesnt make any sense to keep Gordon as an exclusive cup keeper when our only real meaningful game left now is Rangers in the semi.

 

We need to start using him in the league now so he is ready.

 

To keep Clark in at this point is a nonsense really.

Edited March 14 by Regular John

[kingantti1874]

5 minutes ago, Wee Mikey said:

They are both going?

 

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/trio-make-scotland-squad

 

to the friendlies they won’t take 4 keepers to the euros 

[kingantti1874]

6 minutes ago, Drylaw Hearts said:

They’ll be rotated once 3rd is secured imo and both will go to the Euros.

that’s the hope.  

[Wee Mikey]

Just now, kingantti1874 said:

to the friendlies they won’t take 4 keepers to the euros 

 

Aha, OK ... but it's a good sign.

[BackOfTheNet]

43 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

(Craig has never been to a tournament which he absolutely deserves ) 

He has though, he was a sub at Euro 2020 (in 2021). Clarke picked Marshall ahead of him despite Marshall being sub for Derby towards the end of the season. His loyalty to the Serbia penalty save backfired in that opening game as we know.

[kingantti1874]

23 minutes ago, Wee Mikey said:

 

Aha, OK ... but it's a good sign.

 

 

1 minute ago, BackOfTheNet said:

He has though, he was a sub at Euro 2020 (in 2021). Clarke picked Marshall ahead of him despite Marshall being sub for Derby towards the end of the season. His loyalty to the Serbia penalty save backfired in that opening game as we know.

must have misheard .  Must have been that he hasn’t played.

how laughable that Marshall was ever picked ahead of Craig 

[M3 JAMBO]

For me the better keeper should be the No1.  Accepting Zander hasn't done much wrong, CG makes saves that ZC can't IMO. If Zander was as good as CG he would be Scotland's No 1, he isn't. It wouldn't surprise me if Steve Clarke picks Craig ahead of Zander. Put it another way, if the roles were reversed and Zander was only playing the cup games, would he be in the Scotland squad?

[stirlo]

6 minutes ago, M3 JAMBO said:

For me the better keeper should be the No1.  Accepting Zander hasn't done much wrong, CG makes saves that ZC can't IMO. If Zander was as good as CG he would be Scotland's No 1, he isn't. It wouldn't surprise me if Steve Clarke picks Craig ahead of Zander. Put it another way, if the roles were reversed and Zander was only playing the cup games, would he be in the Scotland squad?

 

Neither of them are Scotland's number 1 in Clarke's view as far as I'm aware. Not saying I agree with that by the way, just that I think Gunn is still number 1 as far as Clarke is concerned. 

[Section Q]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

Hear me out.  We’ve established that Zander won’t be dropped and for now is the defacto #1 and I’m not challenging that 

 

however we have a unique set of circumstances here, Zander is in the hot seat as a result of a horrendous injury.   Were it not for that injury, Craig would without doubt still be the man.

 

Now given third is basically in the bag, and both want to go to the euros (Craig has never been to a tournament which he absolutely deserves ) I think we should split the remaining fixtures for the remainder of this season only.  
 

This could see BOTH keepers go to the Euros. This would be fair to both Craig and Zander. With the semi final they would have 10 game (5 games each) and if we make the final we’d have an extra one 

 

all of this on the understanding that Zander falls back into the hotseat in the league next season.

 

thoughts 

And if we get to the cup final..........?

[M3 JAMBO]

1 hour ago, stirlo said:

 

Neither of them are Scotland's number 1 in Clarke's view as far as I'm aware. Not saying I agree with that by the way, just that I think Gunn is still number 1 as far as Clarke is concerned. 

You are correct Gunn is Scotlands No1, I meant if Zander had been as good as Gordon he would have taken the mantle, not Gunn.

[1971fozzy]

2 hours ago, McNelly15 said:

I'm pretty sure once third is tied up we would see CG play a couple games more. Hopefully he's got two cup games and a few league games to play in 👌🏽

This

[1971fozzy]

1 hour ago, Section Q said:

And if we get to the cup final..........?

Craig plays (if he plays every round). 

[Benny Klack]

Sounds like a plan. I’d hope that now Craig has been called up, once 3rd place is secured we at least give him every other game, including (hopefully) 2 more cup games.

 

I was very pleasantly surprised that Steve Clark has called him into the squad and suspect that now he is in the squad, he’ll be one of the three going to Germany. I can’t see why SC would call him up now with no intention to take him.

 

Kelly is decent but by his own standards having a poor season so I suspect he’ll be the one to make way. Still think that Gunn will probably be SC’s first choice but both Clark and Gordon should now be on the plane. Great news for us as a club and hats off to Gordon for the way he’s handled the situation. 

[tian447]

Zander has 13 clean sheets this season, which is a little under 50% of games. That includes a clean sheet home and away against Celtic. 

 

Sorry, but he has nailed the 1st choice goalie spot down until something goes horrifically wrong. 

 

Why are there always so many posts about punting him back to the bench? Keeping him in the team is not "a nonsense" ffs. 

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 minute ago, tian447 said:

Zander has 13 clean sheets this season, which is a little under 50% of games. That includes a clean sheet home and away against Celtic. 

 

Sorry, but he has nailed the 1st choice goalie spot down until something goes horrifically wrong. 

 

Why are there always so many posts about punting him back to the bench? Keeping him in the team is not "a nonsense" ffs. 

ZC is an average keeper, CG is on a different level.  It’s that simple really.  CG will be number 1 again at the start of next season, he makes saves that Zander can only dream of.  The nonsense is not playing your best player because the understudy has been doing a decent job but nowhere near the level of the guy he is standing in for.  

[stevie1874]

Play your best players, goalie should be no different. 

[Jim_Duncan]

Cage fight. 

[scott herbertson]

Revive the penalty shoot out at half time with the kids from the local primary schools - 11 kids with penalties at each - most saves the winner for the league games spot

 

 

Only kidding.

 

I suspect its already been agreed its zander in the league games at least until 3rd is mathematically certain

[Hearts_fan]

Difficult one. 

[Fozzyonthefence]

8 minutes ago, scott herbertson said:

Revive the penalty shoot out at half time with the kids from the local primary schools - 11 kids with penalties at each - most saves the winner for the league games spot

 

 

Only kidding.

 

I suspect its already been agreed its zander in the league games at least until 3rd is mathematically certain

Why would that matter?  Laughable that anyone thinks playing Gordon would weaken the team and reduce our chances of getting 3rd.  It’s not some rookie 18 year we’d be throwing in.  3rd is a formality anyway. 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

4 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

Hear me out.  We’ve established that Zander won’t be dropped and for now is the defacto #1 and I’m not challenging that 

 

however we have a unique set of circumstances here, Zander is in the hot seat as a result of a horrendous injury.   Were it not for that injury, Craig would without doubt still be the man.

 

Now given third is basically in the bag, and both want to go to the euros (Craig has never been to a tournament which he absolutely deserves ) I think we should split the remaining fixtures for the remainder of this season only.  
 

This could see BOTH keepers go to the Euros. This would be fair to both Craig and Zander. With the semi final they would have 10 game (5 games each) and if we make the final we’d have an extra one 

 

all of this on the understanding that Zander falls back into the hotseat in the league next season.

 

thoughts 

 

I think Craig should get more game time, ASAP, then be in goals for the EUROs

 

Then he can coach Zander and help him become our #1 when he retires and he can see if he can oust Gunn after that

 

Being Coached by Craig is his only chance of becoming Scotland's #1 in future

 

It would be an absolute ******* travesty if Craig Gordon doesn't get a major Tournament to play in after donkey marshall by Clarke last EUROs

 

I'll never let up about it if he snubs Craig again

 

Gunn and Zander have lots of time

 

-

Edited March 15 by Ricardo Quaresma

[B.S.]

The only fair way to settle it…

A game of long bangers.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Zander is our long term number one. He’ll be our title winning goalkeeper next season.

[gorgierulesapply88]

Nice sentiment, but you play your best keeper. And that is evidently Craig Gordon.

[Bull's-eye]

48 minutes ago, gorgierulesapply88 said:

Nice sentiment, but you play your best keeper. And that is evidently Craig Gordon.

 

Naismith in his mind is picking his best keeper & that's really all that matters. 

 

Call it a hunch, but I reckon he's probably in a better position to judge who's better for the team.

 

Never ceases to amaze me the amount of goalkeeping experts we have on JKB, the last pick in the whole of Scotland must be Hearts supporters. 

Edited March 15 by Bull's-eye

[JFK-1]

If 3rd were mathematically secured some tinkering of the managers first choice might be appropriate for a variety of reasons but I would say not until it's mathematically secured. 

[tiger Rudi]

9 hours ago, M3 JAMBO said:

For me the better keeper should be the No1.  Accepting Zander hasn't done much wrong, CG makes saves that ZC can't IMO. If Zander was as good as CG he would be Scotland's No 1, he isn't. It wouldn't surprise me if Steve Clarke picks Craig ahead of Zander. Put it another way, if the roles were reversed and Zander was only playing the cup games, would he be in the Scotland squad?

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head. CG is clearly the better keeper and is trusted internationally more than Clark. Unfortunately he is not playing enough games. If that doesn't change, he will go to the Euros as officially our 3rd keeper, although I have a sneaky feeling if Gunn gets injured, and Clarke has to make a choice, CG will be handed the gloves. 

Clark will keep the jersey at Hearts, I just hope CG gets more game time between now and the end of the season. 

[Dazo]

7 hours ago, tian447 said:

Zander has 13 clean sheets this season, which is a little under 50% of games. That includes a clean sheet home and away against Celtic. 

 

Sorry, but he has nailed the 1st choice goalie spot down until something goes horrifically wrong. 

 

Why are there always so many posts about punting him back to the bench? Keeping him in the team is not "a nonsense" ffs. 

Exactly. To explain your last point, It’s a lack of football knowledge generally. 

[WDJ87]

Must be the unluckiest GK for injuries? Maybe not by number but severity and the impact they have had on his career.

[Bungalow Bill]

Once 3rd is secure I think CG will get the remaining games. Makes sense if we get to the SCF too. 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

There has to be a vector for putting Craig in for League games ATM; right now, there's not

 

A few games ago, there was, but after the performance against celtic at home just there, there's not

 

Next window for it is the assumption we can't be caught for 3rd, or it's confirmed that we're 3rd

 

The performance above was the Zander we saw when he took over, the Zander that made the double save in the 3-0 Derby last January

[kingantti1874]

18 minutes ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

There has to be a vector for putting Craig in for League games ATM; right now, there's not

 

A few games ago, there was, but after the performance against celtic at home just there, there's not

 

Next window for it is the assumption we can't be caught for 3rd, or it's confirmed that we're 3rd

 

The performance above was the Zander we saw when he took over, the Zander that made the double save in the 3-0 Derby last January

if we win at Ross county there is no chance of being caught. I mean of course there’s a chance but it’s vanishingly small

Edited March 15 by kingantti1874

[briever]

I've never understood why goalkeeper seems to be the sole position in a club that never gets rotated if you have players of equal calibre.  

[Bazzas right boot]

Just now, briever said:

I've never understood why goalkeeper seems to be the sole position in a club that never gets rotated if you have players of equal calibre.  

 

Same reason you hardly rotate defenders.

[Fozzyonthefence]

53 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Exactly. To explain your last point, It’s a lack of football knowledge generally. 

Pish

[Robbo-Jambo]

11 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

Hear me out.  We’ve established that Zander won’t be dropped and for now is the defacto #1 and I’m not challenging that 

 

however we have a unique set of circumstances here, Zander is in the hot seat as a result of a horrendous injury.   Were it not for that injury, Craig would without doubt still be the man.

 

Now given third is basically in the bag, and both want to go to the euros (Craig has never been to a tournament which he absolutely deserves ) I think we should split the remaining fixtures for the remainder of this season only.  
 

This could see BOTH keepers go to the Euros. This would be fair to both Craig and Zander. With the semi final they would have 10 game (5 games each) and if we make the final we’d have an extra one 

 

all of this on the understanding that Zander falls back into the hotseat in the league next season.

 

thoughts 

Yeah would agree with that scenario but think at the start of next season the No 1 spot should be up for grabs between the 2 of them.

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 hour ago, tiger Rudi said:

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head. CG is clearly the better keeper and is trusted internationally more than Clark. Unfortunately he is not playing enough games. If that doesn't change, he will go to the Euros as officially our 3rd keeper, although I have a sneaky feeling if Gunn gets injured, and Clarke has to make a choice, CG will be handed the gloves. 

Clark will keep the jersey at Hearts, I just hope CG gets more game time between now and the end of the season. 

I have no doubt that Clarke will trust Gordon more than Zander and more likely to be no2 to Gunn.  The question is how many games does Clarke feel that Gordon needs under his belt before he is comfortable playing him again?  Is he already on the plane or does he need more games so that Kelly is the one to miss out on the squad?  
 

I suppose if it was Andy Robertson out for a year then he would still make the squad after only being back for 3 games so why any different for your best keeper?  

[scott herbertson]

7 hours ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

Why would that matter?  Laughable that anyone thinks playing Gordon would weaken the team and reduce our chances of getting 3rd.  It’s not some rookie 18 year we’d be throwing in.  3rd is a formality anyway. 

 

 

Doesn't matter now but if that is what was agreed already they'll probably stick with it. Remember Clark is also trying to get selected for the Euros as well - if we drop him that will not help him either.