Explore every episode of the podcast Improving Scottish Football

Kieran is joined by Keith Lasley, Chief Operating Officer at St Mirren. They discuss:

- What are the key signs of a modern, progressive club?

- How important is a club strategy - and should the SPFL have one too?

- How is St Mirren bringing the academy closer to the first team?

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/company/improving-scottish-football

Scotland, St Mirren, Falkirk, Championship, raith rovers, ayr united, Hamilton, Dunfermline athletic, Livingston, Partick thistle, Greenock Morton, Queen’s Park, Airdrie, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England

Kieran is joined by Uefa A License holder Blair Munn, who's worked with some of Scotland's top talent, including Lennon Miller and Gabe Forsyth. They discuss:

-       Are we entering a golden generation for young Scottish footballers?

-       What does it take to make it to the top?

-       Why is there still a lack of young Scots playing in the Premiership?

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Falkirk, Championship, raith rovers, ayr united, Hamilton, Dunfermline athletic, Livingston, Partick thistle, Greenock Morton, Queen’s Park, Airdrie, lennon miller

Kieran is joined by Falkirk CEO Jamie Swinney and coach and analyst John Walker to delve into the Scottish Championship. They discuss:

-       How has Falkirk gone from a mid-table League 1 side to Premiership contenders?

-       Do the promotion play-offs need to be restructured?

-       Were Premiership clubs right to ban artificial pitches?

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Falkirk, Championship, raith rovers, ayr united, Hamilton, Dunfermline athletic, Livingston, Partick thistle, Greenock Morton, Queen’s Park, Airdrie, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England

Ben Doak, Lennon Miller, Max Johnston, James Wilson, Gabe Forsyth… the list goes on. There are many fantastic young Scottish players breaking through in the SPFL and abroad. But which players make our top 10 ? And who will be number one?  

Kieran is joined by football scout Kai Watson and coach and analyst John Walker for a positive New Year podcast that spotlights some of our best talent. 

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Robertson, ryan one, david watson, robbie ure, liam morrison, bobby wales

Kieran is joined by financial expert James Dailey and coach and analyst John Walker, for a deep dive on data and analytics.

- Could Hearts + Jamestown catch Rangers (and maybe even Celtic?)

- How has ‘Moneyball’ evolved in American sports, and what can we learn?

- How do Brentford use analytics to make better decisions on the pitch? 

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Robertson, tampa, tampa bay rays, Philadelphia, NFL, NBA, basketball, baseball, Jamestown analytics. 

Kieran is joined by Joel Sked from the Hearts Standard and A View From The Terrace. They discuss:

- What’s the difference between Critchley and Naismith?  

- What’s happening with Tony Bloom?  

- How good is Jamestown Analytics?  

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Robertson, football club

Kieran is joined by Michael Grant (Scottish Football Correspondent for The Times) and John Walker (coach and analyst). They discuss: 

- How good is Jimmy Thelin? 

- What can we expect from Aberdeen this season? 

- Is the player-trading model bringing success? 

Get in touch: ⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠ ⁠

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland, Euros, 2024, world cup, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England,

Kieran is joined by Henry McLeish (Former First Minister of Scotland) for this special episode. They discuss:

-       Do we lack ambition as a footballing nation?

-       Is the current youth setup fit for purpose?

-       Are the SFA and SPFL transparent enough?

Get in touch: 

⁠improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com⁠

⁠https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Euros, 2024, european championships, world cup, analysis, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Robertson, Germany, doncaster, SFA,

Kieran is joined by coach and analyst John Walker for this Euros Special episode. They discuss:

-       Why did we play so negatively?

-       Did we learn the lessons from Euro 2020?

-       What are the solutions?

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Euros, 2024, european championships, Scotland football, national, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, England, Robertson, Germany

Kieran is joined by journalist Callum McFadden. They discuss:

-       Does Scottish football need more investment?

-       Can we learn from leagues with less resources?

-       Would you pay for an SPFL season pass?

Northern Ireland’s 5-year strategy:

https://www.nifootballleague.com/media/13555/nifl-strategy-web-version-2023.pdf

Away allocations by Scotland’s coefficient:

https://twitter.com/scotlandscoeff1/status/1719502282062991771

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, ireland, northern ireland

Kieran is joined by Graeme McGarry from The Herald. They discuss:

-       Should we bin VAR, like they did in Sweden? 

-       How is the media landscape changing in Scotland?

-       Why are there so many click-bait articles? 

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Paul Goodwin from the Scottish Football Supporters Association. They discuss:

-       Do the SPFL and SFA value input from supporters? 

-       Is it fair to say that football governance is ‘robust’?

-       Does the SFA distribute money fairly? 

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Greg McEwan (Former Commercial Director at Hibs).

They discuss:

- How many Scottish clubs have mission statements/strategies?

- Should there be better communication and transparency with fans?

- What innovative methods can clubs use to promote themselves?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Gavin from Scotland's Coefficent. They discuss:

- What happens if we drop down the rankings?

- How do the new European club competitions work next season?

- Are smaller nations at risk from the Superleague?

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by a host of great guests in this special highlights episode. They discuss:

- Do we need incentives for homegrown players?

- Do we need to scrap the 11-1 voting system?

- Should there be a 20-plenty rule for away supporters?

Get in touch:

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Iain McMenemy (Chairman of Stenhousemuir).

They discuss:

- Are SPFL and SFA working groups effective? 

- Should ticketing and marketing be centralised?  

- Do lower league cubs deserve a bigger slice of the pie?  

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, championship, league 1, league 2

Kieran is joined by coach and writer Jamie Hamilton. They discuss:

- What is Scotland’s tactical identity? 

- What does 'total football' and 'positional play' actually mean? 

- Can Scottish culture help influence our football?  

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership, relationism, guardiola, postecoglou, conte

Kieran is joined by author and academic Graeme McDowall. They discuss:

- Do our clubs know how to create pathways for young players? 

- Are Performance Schools working? 

- Do we need rules for homegrown players? 

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Stephen McGowan, Chief Football Writer at the Scottish Daily Mail. They discuss:

- What do the SPFL and SFA do, and how to they operate?

- Do the bigger clubs have too much power?

- What is stopping us getting a better TV deal?

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and Cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by data analyst and financial expert James Dailey. They discuss:

- How can we overcome the lack of money in Scottish football?

- What are RB Salzburg and AZ Alkmarr doing with analytics and advanced technology? 

- Would it be best for Celtic and Rangers to leave the Scottish leagues? 

Get in touch: 

improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

This podcast was produced by Edinburgh Documentary films, a film & media company co-founded by host Kieran Hennigan. We make documentaries for TV and cinemas, but we also work with brands to help tell their stories in impactful and meaningful ways. You can find out more at EdinburghDocs.co.uk and please contact me if you’d like to talk about any potential projects.

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Chris Higgins from PFA Scotland (formerly Motherwell, Clyde, Queen of the South, Ayr United and East Fife). They discuss:

- How do you prepare for a life after football?

- Do too many kids want to be footballers?

- Are there too many one-year contracts?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com 

https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot⁠

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by commentator Rory Hamilton (Viaplay, TNT Sports and Sky Sports). They discuss:

- What should we expect from the national side at Euro 2024?

- Why is it important for Scottish football to be more innovative?

- Do the clubs have too much power?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com 

⁠https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

Scotland, football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Erin Grieve (Aberdeen fan and qualified referee). They discuss:

- Why should Scottish clubs tap into emerging markets?

- Do our clubs hire too many Scottish managers?

- How prevalent is misogyny within football?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com ⁠https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Ian Coll - Celtic's former Head of Sports Science, now working in Croatia and Bulgaria. They discuss:

- How do they develop world-class players?

- Are players and coaches in Croatia more tactically aware?

- Are their kids more competitive and driven?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership

Kieran is joined by David Weatherston (ex-professional Scottish footballer). They discuss:

- How are small Norwegian clubs able to do so well in Europe?

- How do they produce the likes of Haaland and Odegaard?

- Why is it important to have a good player-trading model?

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Improving_Scot

Scotland football, Scottish football, podcast, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Hibernian, Dundee, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Ross County, Falkirk, Inverness, Partick Thistle, United, Highlights, Review, BBC, SPL, SPFL, Premiership.

Kieran is joined by Rachael Boyle (Hibs and Scotland). They discuss:

- How do we grow the women's game in Scotland?

- How is the current Scotland squad shaping up?

- Can women's football ever become as popular as men's football?

Kieran is joined by Barry Anderson (Edinburgh Evening News). They discuss:

- Why have so many clubs struggled to qualify for group-stage European football?

- Have we been hindered by poor coaching and tactics?

- Are there grounds for optimism?

Kieran is joined by data analyst Graeme Taylor, They discuss:

- How many teams should be in each division?

- Do we keep the split?

- Which European leagues have got 14 or 16 teams - and how do they make it work?

Join our FPL league via code: M1dkeq

Kieran is joined by David MacDonald (Pie & Bovril). They discuss:

- What makes Scottish football unique?

- How many teams should be in the Premiership?

- Does Hampden need redeveloped?

Join our FPL League via code: M1dkeq

Find us also on the Fantasy Football Scotland league page.

Kieran is joined by Chris Samson (Digital Marketing Manager at Southampton F.C). They discuss:

- How can we grow our audience?

- Should clubs be working together more? 

- Should we be creating centralised content? 

Kieran is joined by media blogger Alex Marr (SPFL Mediawatch on Twitter). They discuss:

- Is the current TV deal any good?

- What's different in the new deal that starts in 2024?

- How can we make PPV better?

Kieran is joined by marketing expert Michael Bochel. They discuss:

- Should alcohol be allowed back into Scottish football? 

- Does our league need re-structured?

- Can the playoffs be made even better? 

Kieran is joined by Owen Brown from The Young Team. They discuss:

- What are the best nations doing in terms of youth development?

- How are Scotland doing compared to them?

- Which youth players in Scotland should we be most excited about?

Kieran is joined by John Walker from the Scots Abroad Podcast. They discuss:

- How do we keep the best young talent within Scotland?

- Are the new generation of managers in Scotland helping us break away from long-ball football?

- How important is identity and philosophy to the long-term success of a football club?

IMPROVING SCOTTISH FOOTBALL is a new podcast for fans who believe in change.

Are you fed up of the SPFL being called a ‘pub league?’ Do you want to see more of our clubs competing in Europe? Do you want to see our national teams playing regularly in the World Cup?

If so, this podcast is for you. IMPROVING SCOTTISH FOOTBALL will be a home for discussion on how we can implement modern, progressive ideas. Topics will include league re-structuring, style of play, women’s football, plastic pitches, B Teams, statistics and analytics, the TV broadcast deal, fan experience, and players’ health & welfare.

Get in touch: improvingscottishfootball@gmail.com