IT must be incredibly frustrating to be Derek McInnes, or Stuart McCall or Jackie McNamara, the three current "top" managers of the diddy teams in Scotland.
Take McInnes, the current flavour of the month as the manager most-likely to put a spoke in the wheels of the Celtic juggernaut, currently cruising towards yet another Scottish title.
It is brilliant that the Dons have, in the first few weeks of 2014, not only killed-off Celtic's hopes of a league and cup double, but have now become the first team to beat Neil Lennon's Champions-Elect in the league this season.
However, McInnes's delight at that must be tempered somewhat by the realisation that, while his men have gone to Celtic Park and won, then beaten the Hoops at Pittodrie, in between they became the first team this season to exit Firhill without at least a point to show for their visit. That simply isn't good enough for a team with genuine aspirations to not merely be First Loser, which is what second place is, but to offer a genuine challenge to the assumption that Celtic are guaranteed not only this season's title, but perhaps the next seven or eight.
I have long argued that, for so-long as the men running our clubs, and I don't mean the managers here, are happy to treat their staff and fans with contempt by not insisting on ever-higher standards, then Scottish football will continue to stagnate.
Yes, we have a problem in Scotland in, that ever since we first showed the Saxons how to play this simple game, back in the 1870s, our brightest and best - and in many cases a few off the second shelf as well, have gazed upon Dr Johnson's "Finest vista" and taken that High Road to England. Given the huge financial chasm which now exists between ever Celtic and the over-paying tribute act down Edmiston Drive and even the middle of the road clubs in the top two tiers in England, keeping our brightest and best at home and building squads capable of challenging the status quo is only going to get harder.
Squareing that circle will be difficult, managers such as McInnes have to demand more of their players, keep encouraging them, but, at the same time, reminding them that, for all the riches darn sarf, they might be more-fulfilled staying up here and becoming winners.
Tuesday night's Aberdeen result was also a wake-up call for Neil Lennon and his men. Yes, they are going to win the Scottish title, but, dumped out of the League Cup by Morton, out of the Scottish by Aberdeen and now unable to complete an unbeaten season - the Emperors' clothing is suddenly looking threadbare at the least.
If they cannot go through the domestic season unbeaten, it doesn't say much for their chances of being where the Celtic Family think they ought to be in Europe next season.
BY the way - I am now coming to the conclusion, somebody really should put Rangers out of their misery. The events of the past few years, leading-up to liquidation and rebirth have not got through the the guys running the club, or to the vast majority of their massive fan base.
The men inside Ibrox seem to have learned nothing. They continue to over-spend, ignore such basics as having a budget and sticking to it and they continue to insist: We Arra Peepul.
Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are only fated to repeat them - I predict liquidation two too now.
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