A moment's stock-taking.
The Rangers debacle; the faltering form of Celtic; the early exits of other other teams yet again from European competition; the persistently poor performances of the national squad.
Surely we all have to be concerned about the miserable condition of football in our country. How did we get to this low point, where everything from the quality of the game to the running of the industry and its shaky finances is in such utter disarray? Who is responsible and how do we address a decline that looks irreversible? The saddest thing in my international travels is meeting a younger generation of football fan who knows nothing of either Rangers or Celtic (still less 'Scotland'). That would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. Yes, I'm a Celtic fan, but I take no satisfaction from the Rangers crisis and want to know how we do something about the sport we are all supposed to prize.
Scottish football
posted on 19/9/12
The problem is that it is always brawn over brains in this country. If a kid isnae 6ft tall by the time he's 14, he's really unlikely to break into a team.
Also, we only focus on stamina/strength training. It's always jogging then maybe a bounce game, before heading home. Very little skills training is done.
Plus nowadays, weans aren't even allowed to play on the street, which will also have a negative effect.
A radical overhaul is needed within this country, or there will be absolutely nothing to shout about.
posted on 19/9/12
Scottish football is on the turn/crossroads, it will be great for scottish to have the OF (if you can still call them that) in differant divisions for 3 years at least hopefully longer.
Football up here has been smothered by the OF for 2 long, and it seems as if the green shoots of recovery can be seen already, i can see the events of the next few years been seen as turning point. And even looked back on with awe. The doomsday pedallers should hold their heads in shame!!!!
Unless it all turns to sh@te and they were right enough
posted on 19/9/12
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posted on 19/9/12
bluenose, why dont you care about the national sqaud?? If they are doing well the whole country gets a lift, it filters down through all the clubs, but i would like to see more people i'm familiar with, instead of some cockney t@at whos grandad once had a bag of chips here getting the nod 1st. Like Russell, McCormack, Forrest and FFS lets get get Flecther back He's on fire the noo.
Don't much agree with Levein, but its still scotland.
posted on 19/9/12
Just became a chore to watch Rangers, so its hard to watch any team atm.
Plus there is a whole lack of national pride as well on my part.
posted on 19/9/12
Bluenose, with all due respect a lot of us spend years and years getting pumped out of cups by lower (or upper ) league teams and dodging relegation year in, year out. United were shocking before Levein stepped in. A few years of reality checks wont do you any harm.
P.s. .......sort yersel oot
posted on 19/9/12
I will
posted on 19/9/12
i will say one thing though, i have a lot of respect for Levein, what he done at united has totally transformed the club at a time when we were getting thrashed every week. For that i'm eternally grateful.......................... but i'm not sure this idea he has for Scotland is really working. Don't know the option, i just hope we'll come good.
posted on 19/9/12
I'd keep Levein behind the scenes because he is trying to set up youth academies etc around the country, so he is clearly talented at that side at the job. It's more the tactical side of things he, like a lot of Scottish coaches, seem to struggle.
Yet when he was at Dundee United, he could make changes, which could change a draw to a win, so he can do it.
posted on 19/9/12
Don't think that you can talk about the Celtic draw with one of the better teams in the world jn the same context as the Rangers debacle with QOS.
However, the Hearts payroll problem (not the first time) does cast a shadow over the reputation of Scottish football.