Stephen Robinson Exclusive | VAR Chaos, Celtic's Power, Aberdeen's Final Push & Why He Wants a 14-Team League. PLUS Scottish Cup Fallout: Celtic vs St Johnstone – Total Domination and Crtichley UNDER PRESSURE.
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In this must-watch PLZ Soccer episode, Stephen Robinson joins Peter Martin, Alan Rough, and Tam McManus for a wide-ranging, insightful, and at times fiery discussion on the state of Scottish football. From Celtic’s thrashing of St Johnstone to the chaos of VAR, and Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup final run.
🍀 Celtic vs St Johnstone – Total Domination
Alan Rough and the panel break down Celtic’s semi-final masterclass, praising Callum McGregor and discussing the tactical impact of Brendan Rodgers.
The Football Show Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:07 Stephen Robinson on St Mirren Top Six Success
Stephen Robinson reflects on achieving top six three years in a row, the club’s progress, and why the team celebrated.
00:04:10 Unexpected Setbacks at St Mirren
Discussion of dealing with incidents involving players like Shaun Rooney, Kevin van Veen, and Jaden Brown—how the club managed crisis.
00:07:11 Celtic vs St Johnstone Semi-Final Reaction
Alan Rough and the panel analyse Celtic’s dominance, Valakari’s setup, and tactical breakdown post first goal.
00:09:04 Callum McGregor Celtic Influence
Praise for McGregor’s intelligence, tempo control, and the difficulty of nullifying his role as Celtic’s heartbeat. Robinson and Tam discuss whether it’s realistic to man-mark McGregor and what it opens up.
00:12:32 Simo Valakari on St Johnstone Relegation
Valakari’s belief in his players despite relegation pressure, and praise for his implementation of style.
00:16:00 Transfer Budget Constraints at St Mirren
Stephen Robinson outlines St Mirren’s prudent approach, limited squad size, and how top six doesn't drastically change the budget.
00:18:00 St Mirren Recruitment Strategy & Analytics
St Mirren’s use of one full-time scout (Martin Foyle), data tools, and heavy reliance on character vetting over analytics.
00:21:00 Social Media & Football Player Behaviour
Humorous stories about players being photographed jokingly holding “Robbo Out” signs, and how off-field conduct is monitored.
00:23:00 Adam Idah Drunk & Player Freedom
Robinson backs Rodgers’ stance on letting players enjoy social lives—as long as they deliver on the pitch.
00:24:04 Aberdeen vs Hearts VAR Controversy
Panel debate Neil Critchley’s frustration with referee John Beaton and key decisions in the game. Robinson reveals St Mirren are top of the VAR error league table and have received three official apologies for second yellows.
00:27:55 Full-Time Scottish Referees
Strong argument from Robinson on why full-time referees are essential to improving VAR decisions in Scotland.
00:30:29 Impact of VAR on St Mirren’s Season
Robinson admits frustration at points dropped due to bad calls, but credits the team for focusing on what they can control.
