24/07/2011 Sportscene

It may feel like some holiday time, the SPL season is off and running

and Scottish football is back on the BBC. Remember the final they

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It is exit Walters Smith and enter Alleyne McCoist as Rangers manager.

Their title defence kicked off yesterday at home to Hearts. We

have one of their ex strikers with us for the next 45 minutes.

This is how the new Premier League season got under way. 69 days at

the Rangers landed their third title on the trot. The flag was

unfurled by the new Rangers owner, Craig Whyte. The defending

Craig Whyte. The defending champions were minus the suspended

Templeton. He is alive while. Hearts have started the game very

spectacularly since he arrived here a year ago. 355 goals Ally McCoist

scored for Rangers. A different proposition for him now. His first

game competitively as manager. goal in over a year. It is a

priceless one, 16 minutes in. Hearts lead the champions. Much to

the delight of the gaffer. Beer the gaffer is not happy. Craig Levein

corner came in. Hartson we three new players in their starting line-

the goalkeeper. David Templeton has had a good first half. The

the free kick, but they did not get it either. Hearts could be a couple

of goals off before stop it was a be, Naysmith was pulling the

trigger. Rangers have been better great season last year For start he

has started well today when he has far. That was Naysmith. A couple of

chances now. Steven Naismith had That will come as a massive relief

to Naysmith, who has missed a couple of good chances. He son it

well but wasn't under any kind of seen it time and time again from

Allan McGregor. This is another Hart's tongue around with the Old

Firm last season, could you go any better? We just want to try to do

better than last year. Tried to push on a little bit more in

Belleek to try to hang onto their coat-tails. We have brought in some

players over the summer which will better the squad to. Ryan MacGowan

was a revelation yesterday. Did you expect that performance from him?

did, I had six Mans with him on did, I had six Mans with him on

loan and I knew exactly what he is all about. He did that the six

months at Somerset playing right- back. He was waiting for his chance.

He has worked hard pre-season and I am pleased to see it come together

for him yesterday. He is not a kick is he, he is 21 and has been at the

club for four years. Now is the time if he is going to make it or

not? It was pointed out to him that he was not a kick any more and he

has to believe in himself. He did that, and one man of the match.

Fantastic first half performance. The disappointment was that you did

not score again? At half-time, we were looking at maybe two. To be 3-

0 up at Ibrox at half-time is not going to happen very often. We were

disappointed we did not get an extra goal. But the performance was

very good. The Rangers response at the start of the second half was

inevitable? The manager stressed that to us at half-time, they were

going to come out. They wouldn't just lie down and let us come back

out and play that way we played in the first half. The came at us and

we stood strong. It was a soft goal to give away. In the 90 minutes, we

were happy with what we did. When Steven Naismith Mrs a couple, you

can be pretty sure he will nail the next one? He does not let his head

go down. And he had two chances before the goal. On another day he

would make the score them. Any other player might put their head

down and think it is not their day. But he kept going. Disappointing

for Defence lost him? We will be disappointed looking back on it. We

disappointed looking back on it. We maybe could have dealt with that a

bit better. We had a bit of luck on the first cross. Another day that

could have been out for a throw-in. We will be disappointed obviously

losing a goal like that. It's was a great day. You have been 18 months

with Hearts and you have had some great moments, is the importance of

this Derby goal at Easter Road make this the first goal for you? It was

special, to put us 1-0 up in the special, to put us 1-0 up in the

Derby at Easter Road. This one again St Johnstone. The next one

was something special as well because it was the win against

Rangers in January? Yes, we were holding on to the fact we were

pushing Rangers and Celtic at that stage. By all accounts we were not

at our best that day and Rangers played very well. But for me to

score the winner was very special. You are disappointed not to be

starting yesterday. Competition for places seems to be massive. It is

as if Jim Jefferies has accumulated two players for each position on

the Park? It is healthy to have competition. I am disappointed

personally for not playing. Every player wants to play every week.

There is good players in front of me and I need to work hard in

training and try and get back in the team. And when I get my chance,

take it. Hot plate in the European qualifiers in Hungary on Thursday

night. What is the feeling in the dressing room? -- Hearts play.

are not going to take everything for granted. We watched Dundee

United. Most people in Scotland won't know who they are, they will

be good teams. The manager has stressed that to us. He has been to

see them. We will be ready to go over there for Thursday and look to

put on a good performance and hopefully come back with something

to build on for Tynecastle a week home game against Inverness.

youngster. Such PACE Conor Murphy has got. He almost used it to

Randolf good touch? Am not sure. -- Dyche Randolph get a touch? I am

Hammell scores his first goal in Aldred, what is he doing? He backs

cracking effort by Greg Tansey, who has just joined from Stockport.

Great technique. You don't get much This time a fantastic one handed

Murphy, it can be so lethal. He will be happy with what he has seen

has one-touch, one thought on his mind, straight as a dice. That is

the icing on the cake, a fine He has never been renowned as the

perfect goalscorer, Lasley, but he tends to chip in with a few. He is

a very important player for Motherwell and think that is one

that this season he will be happy. You liked his first touch? He is

looking to -- he knows straighter re what he wants to do. This is the

goal of a completely different type from Murphy. It shows what he is

all about. He passes the sin. a great finish. It shows what a

full team is about. Even at the highest level it is a great goal.

The movement of the ball, a great finish. It was form an orderly

queue time for the Scouts in the directors' box, having a look at

Jamie Murphy, who is 21, may be ripe for remove. I think Stuart

McCall would like to think he can persuade him to continue his

development with Motherwell, but it might become increasingly difficult.

If he keeps playing like that, it will be. Stuart McCall will want to

hold on to his best players and saying if he stays another season

he can only get better, but he will know that the scouts are looking at

him and if he keeps playing like that, bigger clubs will come

just points spilled by Hibs, Kilmarnock saved by the Bell. And a

The Aberdeen and St Johnstone fans have this weekend been making an

early judgment on new signings. The two new look teams went head-to-

of the new season. That is a foul. position and -- Peter Enckelman was

Peter Enckelman. All very inviting didn't care for. Handbags, the

basic ball into the box caused consternation in the Aberdeen

defence. In the end saved by the legs of Peter Enckelman. Mackie

will surely be feeling he should have done better here. It has been

a match of few chances. That was real problems for Peter Enckelman.

The wind has a serious factor inside Pittodrie. Look addicted to

that delivery. -- look what it did to that delivery. The Saints keeper

safety. He has taken a knock in the off the bar and came back off the

inside of the post. You don't get much closer than this. Agonising

for the teenager, who thought this the studs were rapt. It is not a

difficult decision for the referee. The teenager is sent off. It was a

wide. A great effort by the substitute but could not find the

finish. This match stays cool us. - I said it was an easy decision for

the referee, was it a straight red think it is. He is leading with his

foot, his momentum took him straight through. The referee was

left with no choice but to send him off. He has overrun it and he is

trying to get it back? There is no malice in it. He is disappointed he

over ran it and he is trying to make amends on it. He stuck his

foot out but his momentum taken us -- to come straight through Murray

Davidson. It is exciting to see youngsters in action and see what

they might become. Fraser Fyvie, he had a cruciate injury last season

from which she came back late on, he looks to have beefed himself up

at the gym. He has got a fair bit about his game. Have you seen much

of him? Not much. He came on at Ginsters late last year before he

got injured but he has been working hard on his rehab. He looks very

strong. I think he is a very good player, a very good young player.

In the same boat as Jamie Murphy, if he plays consistently well,

week-in, week-out, big clubs will look at him. Aberdeen need to

produce good players through their system, they don't have much money.

Yes, it is a good sign for Scotland, the young players are coming

through. Aberdeen is a big club and for young boy to be going there,

doing that The Wrekin, week out, it is good for Scottish football.

game to come in the SPL, the firm against St Mirren. The Pars in the

big time after four years away. Can they survive, that will be their

first target. They can look back at what invested last season. It was

not just survival, it was more than that. Yes, any league for a third

or 4th spot, it is about going on the run. We went on an amazing run

last year and it pulls away from Dundee United and Motherwell and it

is the same at the bottom, if Dunfermline can get a good start

and go on a good run, am sure they can pull away and stay in the

league as well. I was pleasantly surprised by Sigma in's summer

signing of Steven Thompson, the former Rangers striker, who scored

goals like this and his time and more recently has been playing with

Cardiff and Burnley. He could be a top quality a position, couldn't

it? -- acquisition. Yes, some people are looking and thinking it

is a strange signing, him going there, but it is a great signing

and he will help them. Other attacking options, Paul McGavin is

a permanent fixture. He is capable of this. Yes, on and his day he can

work a bit of magic. Hasselbaink is the same, he can do the same. They

have two or three players, they can step in and help them out and the

goal front. It will be an interesting night for Paul

Gallacher, who has gone from one to the other, leaving St Mirren and

signing for Dunfermline. He is a top keeper, he made these two save

from you! World class, playing at a very high level. It is a great

signing for Dunfermline, that is key to them staying in the league

as well, having a good goalkeeper. It should be a good atmosphere

tomorrow, they have been waiting a few years to get the big games

back? Yes, they have. Dunfermline is a big club and the fans will be

watching to get the season under way with the game starting

yesterday and today, obviously another couple of games, and

tomorrow night, getting into the SPL season. I look forward to it

myself. It is live on BBC Radio both satisfaction and frustration.

Great new players and the Scottish Cup win. But there as plc's and

started at Easter Road today against Hibernian Bostock mixed

emotions for Neil Lennon, losers in the league and winning the Scottish

Cup. And facing a him steam still last time around. Trying to make

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A great finish. That it will go down as a blunder from a Hibernian

keeper. He ended up in no man's land. Anthony Stokes took full

his drink. A new pair of trousers needed a for the Hibernian boss. --

the area. Nothing doing. There are just not get it under control.

Sung-Yeung. He scored a terrific goal in his last competitive outing

in the Scottish Cup against Motherwell. He has got another one

here on the opening day of the SPL campaign. Fantastic goal from the

South Koreans. The Celtic supporters enjoying third day in

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goalkeeper keeps Hibernian in it. Slightly Evertonian that the

mistake that led to the Anthony Stokes goal in the first half. Neil

Lennon is disappointed, but his play of the Celtic is Ki Sung-Yeung.

Celtic won the title back from Rangers, will this be their season?

It is still early days obviously. Celtic have a very strong squad.

Rangers are looking a bit thin just now, but they will be looking to

bring a couple of players in. The Celtic squad is very good just now.

He had then you have a long and unhappy history of goalkeeping

mistakes in big games, and maybe this one goes along with them? It

was a great finish from Anthony Stokes, but it was handed on a

plate? He will look back on it and think he may be should have punched

it. You cannot take anything away from Anthony Stokes, it is a great

touch and a good finish with so many bodies in the way and on the

line. Be it Rangers or Celtic you want them to work for the goals?

That is the thing about it. If you give them an easy goal, it makes

your job harder. You want to make them struggle to get a goal. To

give them a goal is criminal. Sung-Yeung turned in a great

performance the Celtic. He is only 22, do you like him? Every time we

have played against him he has been man of the match. He finds space,

passes the ball well and very rarely gives it away. He is very

good with both feet and he can score goals as well. Maybe

Hibernian's stood off him a little bit and gave him too much room. If

you do he is able to dictate isn't he? His passing range, you have to

get somebody close to him to not let him get his head up and find

the pass. Pick you give him time he can find it. It is what he did

today. And scoring a goal Virk, reminiscent of the Cup final?

yards out, shows how strong he is on both feet. A good have been a

bigger win for Celtic, they have a penalty which Gary Cooper could not

converse. He has obviously gone in a bit too fast. The momentum has

just taken him through and it is a penalty. The goalkeeper atoned with

a great save. A great double save. Getting back up as quick as he did

and touching it away. He will be disappointed with the first goal.

Hibernian were not able to summon a shot at goal during the whole game,

but they felt as though they should have had a penalty. Although I'm

not so sure anybody else thought it was. What did you think? I don't

think it was a penalty. You would feel hard done by if that was

against us. You would feel hard done by, Wilson has just got a

cross and there was a hand on the shoulder but I don't think it was a

penalty. They are your big rivals in the cup, Colin Calderwood is in

a state of confusion about where his career is going. He has had

offers to be number two down south with Forest and Birmingham. Is it a

difficult situation for the players? It is, the manager being

called for two jobs in England, things are not going well for them

on the pitch. It is a hard time for them and they will want things

sorted out as soon as possible. They want to try to get playing

well regularly and try to push back up the league. They are a big club

and that is where they should be. The Dundee United, like without

certain players began. This is what happened when they got together at

from six yards out. So often these go in for him, but not this time.

They header blocked. Another chance, but back came off his own man. A

double opportunity for Harkins in could have been an own goal. They

ended up being a spectacular save. Kenny Shields looking for his first

teenager strikes on his debut. A terrific hit. Exploding past the

goalkeeper. Rory McEwen will long remember his first competitive

set piece. And Kilmarnock not too minutes from time. That was

thunderous from Swanson. The challenge. Running out of time

looking for the winner. What a saved! Should he have pulled the

trigger earlier? It looked like it, but this is great goalkeeping.

He had all Baszczynski a chance to get all three points. Great goals,

Danny Swanson and this one from the 18-year-old. Knock banned on your

debut? Great strike. The fans will be looking forward to see him next

week. But unstoppable shot. At the second attempt from Swanson?

Swanson will be taking a bit of stick off his team-mates for the

first strike. But the second one was a great goal. That is your

opposition next Sunday at Tynecastle. Gomez, Conway had gone.

But there is a lot of talent still there? Still some very good players.

They have a good manager. It is going to be a tough game next

Sunday. It is worth pointing out the only place you'll see football

action from the season from all Scottish football's major

competitions, the SPL, the Scottish Cup and the League Cup, plus

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Scotland international is on BBC The Dunfermline game will be

rearranged. We are back next Sunday night at the earlier time of