GORDON STRACHAN: IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT SIZE

Gordon Strachan is always good for a quote. 

One that has reached almost legend status is his comment on Eric Cantona's trawler and seagulls quote - 'If a Frenchman goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines, he’s called a philosopher. I’d just be called a short Scottish bum talking crap.' However sports' reporters out there, beware because if you ask him a silly question you are liable to get a quote you hadn't anticipated....her's a few from Gordon:

Reporter: 'Bang, there goes your unbeaten run. Can you take it?'

Strachan: 'No. I'm just going to crumble like a wreck. I'll go home, become an alcoholic and maybe jump off a bridge. Um, I think I can take it, yeah.'

*****
Reporter: 'So, Gordon, in what areas do you think Middlesbrough were better than you today?'
Strachan: 'What areas? Mainly that big green one out there!'
*****
Reporter: 'This might sound like a daft question, but you'll be happy to get your first win under your belt, won't you?'
Strachan: 'You're right. It is a daft question. I'm not even going to bother answering that one. It is a daft question, you're spot on there.'
*****
Reporter: 'Gordon, you must be delighted with that result?'
Strachan: 'You're spot on. You can read me like a book!'
*****
Reporter: 'Any changes?'
Strachan: 'Naw, still five foot six, ginger hair and a big nose'
*****
Reporter:' Gordon, do you think James Beattie deserves to be in the England squad?'
Strachan: 'I don't care, I'm Scottish.'
*****
Reporter: 'You don't take losing lightly, do you Gordon?'
Strachan: 'I don't take stupid comments lightly either.'
*****
Reporter: 'Welcome to Southampton Football Club. Do you think you are the right man to turn things around?'
Strachan: 'No. I was asked if I thought I was the right man for the job and I said 'No, I think they should have got George Graham because I'm useless.'
*****
Reporter: 'Gordon, can we have a quick word please?'
Strachan: 'Velocity' and he walks away!

Gordon David Strachan OBE: born 9 February 1957 @ 5'6" was competitive: (64 years old) is a Scottish football coach and former player. He played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester Utd, Leeds Utd and Coventry City (635 games:138 goals) as well as Scotland (1980-92: 50 caps 5 goals). He managed Southampton, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland between 1996 and 2017. Presently consulting at Dundee and Celtic.

Strachan retired from playing in 1997 at age 40 years, setting a Premier League record for an outfield player at the time. Renowned for his deadpan humour in media interviews, quotes attributed to Strachan have become part of popular football culture as you will have read.

https://www.colossusbets.com/blog/oldest-players-in-the-premier-league/

The trouble with making bold statements is they can sometimes come back to bite you. Gordon Strachan in the immediate aftermath of another botched World and European Cup campaigns claimed genetics were to blame for Scotland's ’s failure to reach World Cups and European Championships. He said our country has too many small players, insisting the lack of height (average 1.8 m) and strength is a hindrance. This despite the fact the national team manager had previously and repeatedly claimed that height should not be a disadvantage, often citing the examples of Lionel Messi and Andreas Iniesta as proof of his once-held theory. Here are some Euro national "heights", countries known for being tall on average!!

1. Netherlands - 1.838m (failed to qualify) Montenegro - 1.832m (failed to qualify)
2. Denmark - 1.826m (in the playoffs) Norway - 1.824m (failed to qualify)
3. Serbia - 1.82m (still up in the air) Germany - 1.81m (have qualified as group winners)
4. Croatia - 1.805m (can still make the playoffs) Czech Republic - 1.8031m (failed to qualify)
5. Slovenia - 1.803m (failed to qualify) Luxembourg - 1.799m (failed to qualify)
6. 
   
7. The outfield players of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup winning side, arguably the greatest in history, had an average height of just 1.75m, around 5ft 9in. The Argentina team of 1986 had an average of 1.78m, 5ft 10in, while the Dutch team of 1974 had an average of 1.8m.

and finally, here is Daniel Barrios, an Argentine of  Quereteros (Mexico) heighting in 

at 1.54 m: 5ft 0.63". Regarded as the shortest player in "senior football" 2022. A devil to mark.

1.