The Scottish Football News Scorecard

Category: scottish-premiership

  • Hibernian 25/26 Season Preview

    Hibernian 25/26 Season Preview

    Hibernian have recovered well from a atrocious start to the 24/25 season to record an impressive 3rd place finish but how will they fair next season?

    Hibs were unlucky to lose out on guaranteed European group stage football, as Aberdeen unexpectedly claimed the Europa League playoffs through their victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final, which would have otherwise been awarded to Hibs. The Hibees now have to settle for the 2nd round of Europa League qualifiers, which will prove to be a considerable challenge as they face European football regulars FC Midtjylland. The Danish team will pose a significant challenge and may prove too much for the Edinburgh club to handle. It is likely Hibs will be forced to drop into the Conference League, where they have a good chance of qualifying for the league stage.

    Hibernian have so far made two statement signings. Firstly, they have acquired 28-year-old Jamie McGrath on a free following the conclusion of his Aberdeen contract. McGrath will prove to be an excellent signing for Hibs if they can keep the Irish international fit, with him amassing 10 goal involvements (4 goals and 6 assists) in just 21 starts last season. The versatile playmaker can play on either wing as well as the 10 position, and has been unlucky to miss a large part of last season with a shoulder injury. It’s a slight gamble, but if McGrath can continue his league form and remain injury-free, then Hibs may have got themselves a bargain.

    Hibs’ second significant acquisition has been the signing of 29-year-old Austrian goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger. The Austrian shot stopper impressed last season for Austrian Bundesliga side Hartberg and will almost certainly be a considerable improvement between the sticks, as the position was a critical weakness the previous season, especially during the early stages. If the Austrian can adapt to the Scottish League, then Hibs have repaired an evident weakness in their side.

    Overall, Hibs have so far utilised the transfer market effectively, making key acquisitions in strategic areas while retaining many of their core players. I believe that if they can retain all these players while finding a suitable Triantis replacement and have a decent number 9 who remains fit throughout the season, then Hibs could definitely hold onto their third-place position.

    Predicted Position: 3rd

    Player of the Season: McGrath

    Surprise Performer: Rudi Molotnikov

  • Aussie Scots Secure World Cup Football

    Aussie Scots Secure World Cup Football

    Many players from the Scottish Premiership featured for their national sides over the last week or so, but it was the Australians that have something to celebrate as they secured qualification through a double header against the other two favourites to grasp qualification.

    Australia secured qualification for the 2026 North America World Cup this week with vital wins against both Saudi Arabia and Japan. Hibernian duo Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller played key roles in the fixtures, with the pair starting both fixtures.

    It was a quiet game for both against Japan, with Australia narrowly securing a 1-0 win with a 90th-minute goal. Miller was strong defensively but struggled to create much going forward before being replaced in the 68th minute. Likewise, Boyle struggled throughout the game and was also subbed off at halftime.

    Both players performed considerably better in the game against Saudi Arabia, playing crucial roles in securing a 2-1 win. Miller played on the right of a back three and was played more as an out-and-out defender. This seemed to suit him well, as he was able to win a majority of his duels while also showing good recovery pace. Boyle proved to be a substantial threat going forward, with the 32-year-old grabbing an assist when he set up Martin Duke with a cross.

    Many Australians have played in the Scottish leagues over the years; however, this window has already seen an influx, with Dundee United announcing the signing of Australian sharpshooter Zac Sapsford from Western Sydney Wanderers, along with Aberdeen completing the deals of Australians Nick Suman, Nicolas Milanovic, and Kusini Yengi.

    Hopefully, clubs continue to utilise the Australian market as they usually bring passion and flair to the league, all while coming in for an affordable price.

  • Liechtenstein vs Scotland Player Ratings

    Liechtenstein vs Scotland Player Ratings

    Scotland breezed past Liechtenstein to secure a 4-0 much-needed international win. Here, we will highlight the key players who contributed to our victory as well as those who could have provided more.

    Ross Doohan – 7

    Doohan was able to keep a clean sheet on his international debut; however, Liechtenstein never tested him, and other than collecting a few over-hit balls, he had nothing to do for most of the game.

    Anthony Ralston – 6

    Ralston was solid defensively, making no mistakes all game; however, he was somewhat lacking in an attacking sense, with him being anonymous in the final third.

    Jack Hendry -7

    Hendry made his first appearance since Scotland’s lacklustre Euros campaign. He was once again sure at the back, dealing easily with any challenge from Liechtenstein.

    Scott McKenna – 7

    McKenna did everything that was asked of him with no fuss and looked calm and composed on the ball. He could be staking a significant claim to start in the World Cup qualifiers.

    Andy Robertson – 6

    Robertson, like the others, was solid defensively and dealt with the opposition easily. Picked up the ball in some attacking areas but was pretty ineffective on the whole. Seemed fatigued after a long season.

    John McGinn – 6

    McGinn, like Robertson, looked tired after a long Premier League campaign and offered very little going forward. Was able to hold the ball well but his performance lacked energy.

    Billy Gilmour- 6

    Gilmour adopted more of a holding role and passed the ball with ease, but maybe didn’t have the amount of influence on the game that you would’ve expected or wanted from the league winner.

    Lennon Miller – 8

    An excellent performance from the youngster. He was fast and precise while other players seemed to walk through the game. He took his opportunity well and got a deserved assist for his efforts.

    Lewis Ferguson – 6

    Ferguson had a quiet game, not really making the opportunities you would’ve hoped he would against such poor opposition.

    George Hirst – 7

    Hirst managed to secure his first international goal and made some good attacking runs, but was unfortunate to be caught offside a couple of times.

    Che Adams – 9

    Adams had his best game in a Scotland shirt. He secured a perfect hat-trick and got the first Scotland hat-trick since John McGinn in 2019. He was also instrumental in getting the flick on to provide for Hirst’s goal.

    Josh Doig – 6

    Will be glad to make his international debut. He came on in the 59th minute for Andy Robertson and was solid defensively, while also creating a few moments in attack, but he was largely anonymous.

    Andy Irving – 6

    Will also be glad to have secured his first international appearance after replacing John McGinn. Similar to most midfielders, he struggled to create any real opportunities but retained the ball well and rarely lost it.

    Nathan Patterson – 6

    Replaced Anthony Ralston in the 71st minute. Came on to make his return to the national team after a long spell out through injury. Struggled to meet the pace of the game and lost a couple of duels, but reacted well.

    Tommy Conway – 7

    Came on for Lewis Ferguson in the 71st minute and proved to be a willing runner, making many runs, and was able to grab an assist with a cross ball into the box to give Che Adams his hat-trick in the 92nd minute.

    Overall, a solid win against Liechtenstein, but it was more a case of Liechtenstein playing poorly, rather than Scotland playing well, despite having a lot of creative players who failed to have the desired effect on the pitch.

  • Transfer Takes

    Transfer Takes

    Aberdeen announced the signing of 20-year-old left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi for an undisclosed fee from Bundesliga 2 side Schalke. Aberdeen FC stated that Gyamfi “brings pace, technical ability and a keen eye for goal.” The German youth international joins the Scottish Cup holders on a four-year contract following a loan move to Dutch second division side VVV Venlo last season. While Gyamfi’s stats aren’t breathtaking, he does seem to bring much-needed pace to the left-back position and is a strong attacking presence, which will put pressure on Graeme Shinnie’s place in the starting lineup. He is, however, able to play a number of positions, including left wing and the right fullback position, exhibiting excellent versatility and making him an essential utility player, at the very least. 

    Aberdeen have also announced their fourth signing of the season in the form of 26-year-old striker Kusini Yengi. This signing marks the 3rd Australian to sign for the Dons this window. Kusini, the older brother of Livingston striker Tete Yengi, joins on a free following the conclusion of his contract at Portsmouth after a disappointing injury-laden season. The out-of-form striker joins after a season of 0 goal involvements in 14 appearances, but has previously managed 13 goals in 31 appearances in the 2023/2024 season and currently sits at 6 goals in just 8 national team appearances. The striker position is a must fill following the loss of Kevin Nisbet, who has returned to his parent club. The performances of Peter Ambrose have been unconvincing, while Ester Sokler has suffered several injuries and struggles to stay fit. Yengi will look to rediscover his earlier form and cement himself as a first-team regular; however, I would not be surprised to see Aberdeen bring in another more consistent striker.

    Hibs’ second signing of the season comes in the form of 29-year-old Raphael Sallinger. The Austrian shot stopper joins from Austrian Bundesliga side TSV Hartberg for an undisclosed fee following a significant contribution to the club’s 12 clean sheets in his 38 appearances this season. This signing is vital for Hibs’ ambitions of retaining 3rd place and applying pressure next season. In the earlier stages of the previous campaign, between the sticks appeared to be a key weakness that cost them significantly, however, since Josef Bursik was dropped in exchange for Jordan Smith, their fortunes changed. Sallinger does seem to have been brought in as the number 1 choice, but Smith will continue to apply pressure for the spot as he did successfully on Bursik.

    Falkirk have announced the signing of seasoned professional Scott Bain on a one-year deal. The 33-year-old is Falkirk’s first signing of the season as they prepare for their first Premiership season since 2010. Scott Bain previously spent seven years at Celtic, winning seven league titles, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cups, as well as making 108 appearances for Dundee over four years. Bain will most likely replace Nicky Hogarth in the starting team. The addition of Bain shows excellent intent from the newly promoted side as they aim to at least retain their premiership status; however, the side definitely requires more recruitment. With Bain only committing to a one-year contract, it is likely that in the event of a Falkirk relegation, he will not be sticking around.

    22-year-old Rangers academy product Ross McCausland has been the target of interest from three clubs, including Basel, OH Leuven, and FC Cincinnati. All clubs would prefer a permanent move for the youngster with just two years remaining on his Rangers contract. If he were to leave this window, Rangers should demand a minimum of £5 million and should be in no rush to sell the young talent, as his value may continue to rise if he establishes himself in the Rangers starting team.