In gusty or strong winds, the increments to the final approach speed, plus some pilots' mis-conception of them, and the difficulty of bleeding speed accurately close to the threshold whilst keeping the fan speed up, often make it very difficult to put the aircraft down for a variety of specific reasons, one of which is that the aircraft is flying in an awkward shallow part of the drag curve.
That's why bumpy approaches often precede very soft touchdowns, often quite deep into the runway. ABZ is relatively short for a 737, so your bumpy/soft/heavy braking experience is typical.
Soft landings precisely on target require a ruthless attitude to closing the thrust levers and a very high standard of handling and judgement to make one compressed flare at just the right time. Easy to do with ten knots down the runway at LHR, but not so simple with twenty across at ABZ. (If you want a 'top tip', it's to carry out this brief but very accurate flare, followed by a reduction of about a degree in pitch attitude just as the main wheels will touch).
Remember, though, that the important thing about landings should be to put the thing down positively in the right place at the right speed. Any other technique may put a smile on your face, but it's not strictly what you're paid for...
Regarding foreign pilots, I have no problem, so long as they can cope with the vagaries of the Boeing manuals and QRH at a time of stress. I enjoy a very good command of English, my mother tongue, and still find parts of the QRH awkward and indistinct...