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Record Sport’s Saturday Jury panel has weighed in on the biggest talking points surrounding Scottish football following a difficult World Cup campaign for the national team.
Scotland’s exit from the tournament has sparked fresh debate about whether Steve Clarke should remain in charge as national team manager going forward.
Michael Gannon argued that Clarke has earned the right to decide his own future, noting that returning Scotland to major tournaments was a tremendous achievement after years of absence.
Fraser Wilson acknowledged Clarke’s contract situation but suggested the time may be right for a fresh voice and a new outlook following the tournament disappointment.
Craig Swan offered a more direct endorsement, stating that Clarke remains the best option if Scotland wants to keep qualifying for major tournaments consistently.
The panel also turned their attention to what Derek McInnes will need to succeed at Rangers, with Gannon stressing the importance of meaningful backing in the transfer market.
Wilson cut straight to the point, saying McInnes needs to win silverware and challenge for the title right from the start, calling it the biggest challenge of his managerial career.
Daizen Maeda’s performances at the World Cup dominated the transfer discussion, with the panel agreeing that Celtic should be targeting a significant fee for the Japanese forward this summer.
Gannon and Wilson both placed Maeda’s value at a minimum of £15 million, with Wilson pushing the figure toward £20 million given his strong end to the domestic season and his World Cup contributions.
Wilson added that with one year remaining on his contract, clubs are aware this is Celtic’s last real opportunity to pay a premium fee, noting that “£20m would be a good piece of business on a forward who can flit between the sublime and the sub standard.”
Swan took a slightly more conservative view, suggesting £10 million was achievable given the contract situation, while acknowledging the bittersweet nature of Maeda’s World Cup scoring for Celtic supporters.
The panel also discussed the appointment of Wouter Vrancken at Hearts, with all three writers broadly positive about the potential of the move for the Edinburgh club.
Gannon described landing Vrancken as a real coup for Hearts, pointing to his solid CV and noting that new players are arriving at a steady rate ahead of the new campaign.
Wilson noted that Hearts supporters are already excited, driven partly by the wider Jamestown model and a growing belief that the club can continue to challenge the Old Firm.
Swan agreed that Vrancken’s track record suggests he is capable of succeeding in Scotland, though cautioned that this remains his first managerial role outside his home country of Belgium.
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