Ian McCall & Tam McManus reject claims about poor Scottish coaching

McCall has previously managed at Clydebank, Morton, Airdrieonians, Falkirk, Dundee United, Queen of the South and Partick Thistle

Ayr United boss Ian McCall and former Hibernian striker Tam McManus have dismissed comments made by Ziggy Gordon that coaching in Scotland has "a long way to go" to match Polish standards.

Gordon, 24, feels he is "a totally different player" at Jagiellonia Bialystok, having helped the club to the summit of Poland's top league since joining them from Hamilton in January.

"Most of his points, for me, didn't ring true whatsoever," said McCall.

"Football is a simple game."

Defender Gordon claims that the detail is far greater in Polish coaching than he experienced at Hamilton and Partick Thistle.

He told BBC Scotland: "I don't want to talk down Scottish football, but we have so much to learn in terms of technical ability, structure of play, all these things you see at international level.

"The whole structure and how they make the game so easy - once you work hard and understand the way they want to play, it makes the game so much easier."

Gordon claims that, such is the level of preparation at his new club, "nothing is left for players to make decisions in games".

Ziggy Gordon slides in on Rangers left-back Lee Wallace while playing for the Jags in October last year

But when asked if there was a problem with Scottish coaching, McCall, in charge of his eighth senior club at Championship bottom side Ayr, told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound: "No, not at all.

"I learned many years ago that coaching and management are two very different things. I worked under Iain Munro many, many years ago. He wasn't a good manager but in terms of coaching, he was absolutely outstanding. He had you working on all sorts of things.

"You have to embrace modern ways but you have to always retain that football is a simple game and not overcomplicate it.

"Brian Clough and Jock Stein, I can feel them turning in their graves listening to those (Gordon's) comments.

"There's a simplicity to what (Celtic manager) Brendan Rodgers does. That's why people enjoy watching it. It's done at pace, it's high pressure, but there's a simplicity to it.

"I hope Ziggy is enjoying his football but for me it doesn't ring true."

Tam McManus, described Gordon's analysis as "a bit of nonsense".

"I think we've got a good coaching network," said McManus, 36, who played for Hibernian and several other Scottish clubs, and also in the United States.

"Players improve themselves. If you have something within you to go and improve you go and work on your weaknesses. That comes from within you.

"He's having a little pop, I think. Ziggy has gone over there and done well, he's playing at a good level, but I don't think the league is any better than our league."