This moron doesn't understand, but the World Cup - despite the endless encroachment of the club game - is still the greatest football tournament on Earth.
And the great thing about being Scottish is that we can now enjoy the party whole-heartedly, without having to worry about how our own team will do. Yup, it's a genuine holiday. We get to watch great football, and the result doesn't matter.
So wish England well if you want to. Support ABE if you don't. Have a wee flutter (Mexico for the semis?). And, most of all, enjoy it.
Scottish football will resume normal service soon enough.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Time to put our feet up and watch the rest of world play football
The World Cup starts next weekend, and once again Scotland is obligingly sitting this one out so that another country can take our place instead.
We'll be spared footage of members of the Tartan Army throwing themselves into the sea or throwing themselves into crime-ridden townships, and instead can enjoy the World Cup as (mostly) impartial observers... other than wishing England ill (if that's your thing), or keeping an eye out for the ten SPL players who'll be taking part.
Yes, ten, although if you discount Landry Nguemo and Edson Braafheid, who are no longer on loan at Celtic, and DaMarcus Beasley, who's out of contract, that paltry list gets even shorter. Clearly, the SPL does not attract the cream of global footballing talent these days.
Meanwhile, back home, Scotland's clubs can get on with the messy business of planning for next season. Rangers know that Walter will be in place for another year, before handing over to Ally McCoist. So the pressure is on to keep winning next year... except that Kris Boyd and a few others are off, and the club hasn't got any money to replace them.
The search for a new buyer is ongoing, but the only candidate in the frame at the moment is Andrew Ellis and he - like Ally McCoist - is yet to prove he's got what it takes.
Celtic still haven't appointed a new manager (Neil Lennon's still wagging his tail, but hasn't been thrown the bone yet) but apparently Jimmy Bullard has signed up for a season in Glasgow.
Nothing wrong with that, in itself, but are ageing Premiership stars the plan now, or is there a more cohesive strategy at Parkhead?
Kilmarnock and St. Mirren also need to appoint managers, before getting on with the messy business of putting a squad together.
And Hearts held their AGM this week, where they pulled off the usual smoke and mirrors show to general approval from the assembled shareholders. Ex-chairman and Romanov critic George Foulkes seemed very content with things.
Quite why the Hearts supporters are so happy is difficult to fathom - they were rubbish last season and there are still huge question marks about the club's future. Yet the return of Jim Jefferies as manager, and the more conciliatory style of Sergejus Fedotovas seems to have cheered them up no end - despite the £35m debt and the abandoned stadium redevelopment (the much-vaunted plans for a new main stand have been ditched, with vague promises that new, cheaper proposals will be revealed later this year).
No, all Hearts want is a few new players - same as everyone else.
Meanwhile, Henry McLeish will spend the summer writing part two of his manifesto to revamp Scottish football, and the SPL will keep thinking about how to change the league format to improve the product.
We'll be hoping for the best.
We'll be spared footage of members of the Tartan Army throwing themselves into the sea or throwing themselves into crime-ridden townships, and instead can enjoy the World Cup as (mostly) impartial observers... other than wishing England ill (if that's your thing), or keeping an eye out for the ten SPL players who'll be taking part.
Yes, ten, although if you discount Landry Nguemo and Edson Braafheid, who are no longer on loan at Celtic, and DaMarcus Beasley, who's out of contract, that paltry list gets even shorter. Clearly, the SPL does not attract the cream of global footballing talent these days.
Meanwhile, back home, Scotland's clubs can get on with the messy business of planning for next season. Rangers know that Walter will be in place for another year, before handing over to Ally McCoist. So the pressure is on to keep winning next year... except that Kris Boyd and a few others are off, and the club hasn't got any money to replace them.
The search for a new buyer is ongoing, but the only candidate in the frame at the moment is Andrew Ellis and he - like Ally McCoist - is yet to prove he's got what it takes.
Celtic still haven't appointed a new manager (Neil Lennon's still wagging his tail, but hasn't been thrown the bone yet) but apparently Jimmy Bullard has signed up for a season in Glasgow.
Nothing wrong with that, in itself, but are ageing Premiership stars the plan now, or is there a more cohesive strategy at Parkhead?
Kilmarnock and St. Mirren also need to appoint managers, before getting on with the messy business of putting a squad together.
And Hearts held their AGM this week, where they pulled off the usual smoke and mirrors show to general approval from the assembled shareholders. Ex-chairman and Romanov critic George Foulkes seemed very content with things.
Quite why the Hearts supporters are so happy is difficult to fathom - they were rubbish last season and there are still huge question marks about the club's future. Yet the return of Jim Jefferies as manager, and the more conciliatory style of Sergejus Fedotovas seems to have cheered them up no end - despite the £35m debt and the abandoned stadium redevelopment (the much-vaunted plans for a new main stand have been ditched, with vague promises that new, cheaper proposals will be revealed later this year).
No, all Hearts want is a few new players - same as everyone else.
Meanwhile, Henry McLeish will spend the summer writing part two of his manifesto to revamp Scottish football, and the SPL will keep thinking about how to change the league format to improve the product.
We'll be hoping for the best.
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