Scottish football's got more than an image problem

So Neil Lennon thinks that Celtic's failure to sign a big name player this summer is due to English perceptions of our game.

As always, it's a neat way of deflecting attention away from other issues, such as Celtic's failure to get into the Champions League. By falling at the first hurdle once again, the club has denied itself a huge chunk of income, and the glamour of competing with the biggest names in Europe.

Scottish football is in a woeful state at the moment, and yet hopes are receding that anything fundamental might be done about it.

Henry McLeish's 1st report into the game - launched earlier this year - has been hardly mentioned since, derided by the media and "football" people for recommending that money be spent on facilities and infrastucture to improve the game at the grassroots.

C'mon Henry! Asking for money? In these straightened times?!

It was a clear a case of shooting the messenger as you'll see - the McLeish recommendations may not have been spot on, but at least let's have a debate about them, rather than brush the issue under the carpet.

Lennon himself dismissed the need for more facilities for kids, saying that when he was a bairn he simply got a ball and played with his mates in the street.

Yes, and that's exactly the point, isn't it? For many reasons that we can argue about forever -paedo paranoia, traffic, video games - kids aren't just playing in the street anymore... and because so many playing fields have been sold off and community sports facilities are lacking, that means they aren't playing full stop.

Instead, having been frustrated with their first choices, Celtic have spent a fair bit of money anyhow, and Lennon claims he'll have all of the £9.5m windfall from Aiden McGeady's transfer to play with too.

Is this really the best thing to do?

Celtic are caught in a death match with Rangers, breaking the bank in order to win a title that no one really cares about, managed by a man who is surely going to come unstuck sooner rather than later.

Here's a thought... why doesn't Celtic sponsor sports facilities in Scotland instead?

Every week, towns across Scotland are populated by locals wearing replica OF jerseys rather than that of their home town team. This isn't a trend likely to go away anytime soon.

So why doesn't Celtic put something back and sponsor sports facilities in these supporter towns? It would help the club cement relationships with these fans... and maybe help counter some animosity towards them as well.

In other words - it would still be commercially driven and entirely in Celtic's interest... but it would also help put something back into the community as well, and perhaps start to turn this country's footballing fortunes around.

We're back!

After an interminable wait, Scottish football is back!

The fans are warming up the vuvuzelas as the new season fast approaches. Fair enough, Motherwell have already started, with victory over Breidablik in the previous qualifying round of the Europa League, but frankly it’s best to treat these ties as pre-season games anyhow, given Scottish club’s miserable record in these games in recent seasons.

And hasn’t Neil Lennon started the new season well? With a mere 3-0 defeat to Braga in his first competitive game in charge as “permanent” manager, he’s proving himself to be much better than Gordon Strachan, who got thumped 5 zip by Artmedia in his first game.

Aiden McGeady didn’t play, but purely because he was injured, and anyhow – as Lenny said – the referee was at fault for the defeat.

A season of glory awaits!

Good bye Neil Lennon

Well, the man who wants the Celtic job has ensured that the club won't win a trophy this season, after being beaten 2-0 by Ross County in the Scottish Cup semi final.

Apart from saying how much he wanted to stay in post, Neil Lennon also found time in the build-up to the game to say that he was asking Robbie Keane to consider extending his stay past the end of the season. Which perhaps gives an explanation as to why Celtic weren't firing on all cylinders at Hampden - insufficient focus on the game in hand.

Still, Hibs' John Hughes must feel vindicated, as Ross County have proved that they aren't a bad side at all. Well, he would do, if Hibs hadn't been gubbed 4-1 by Hamilton at the weekend, which makes you wonder - can anyone get the Hibees to turn into a consistent team?

Incidentally, Celtic's last league match was at Easter Road, and though records show that Robbie Keane won the game with the only goal, he was in fact pretty useless all match (the goal was a penalty, by the way).

Just a thought, but perhaps Celtic would be better off ignoring the "box office", and employing a squad of lower-profile grafters who are committed to the club?

Little more than a year ago, Celtic looked unassailable, with Rangers in meltdown and a decent if unspectacular team. Two managers on, they are a mess - and management failings at the very top should take the blame.

Walter Smith, cruising to his second SPL title in a row and now not having to worry about the neighbours having a grand day out at Hampden in May, must be chuckling into his boots.