ONE of my favourite Tartan Army legends concerns the TA foot soldier who turned-up at the pub, to catch the bus to a European Championship qualifier in one of the colder countries in Eastern Europe, in November.
He was in the full Scotland kit - short-sleeved shirt, shorts, socks, trainers. He was clutching a Tesco bag, in which were his wash-bag, clean underwear and his change of clothing for the trip - the Scotland away kit: short-sleeved shirt, shorts, socks. He also had a large cairry-oot, and considered himself more than adquately equipped for the sub-zero temperatures he would encounter on the continent.
But, that's the Tartan Army for you, they travel hopefully, but have, in the past 16-years, seen the team they follow religiously fail to arrive in the promised land of qualifications for a major finals.
In September, the TA will again go out on manouevres, hoped-for destination the 2016 European Championship finals in France. They will, as ever, travel hopefully - but, will they arrive.
I actually think this week's results in far-off Brazil have actually helped ensure we will be there. Let's be honest, from the momenht we were drawn in the same group as Germany, we always knew, qualification for the Euros would have to be via the play-offs. We were never going to top a group which included the Germans.
I am not saying WGS will have written-off all six available points from our two clashes with Jogi Louw's squad; we will fancy ourselves, if we get it right and they have a wee bit of an off-night, to take at least a point from our home tie with the Germans.
So, our focus has to be on taking the maximum number of points from our other group opponents, that point from the Germans, if we can get it, will be a bonus.
Actually, I reckon we just might do better than that. Assuming the magic of Messi doesn't prevail in the Maracana on Sunday night - maybe the Germans should have held back a couple of those goals against Brazil for the final - when we go to Dortmund on 7 September, we just might be the newly-crowned World Champons' first opponents in their new role.
In which case, was ever a game set-up for an old-fashioned, rollicking: "Here's tae us - wha's like us" Scottish win? Ach, a man can dream.
I FELL asleep during last night's Argentine v Holland, World Cup semi-final. I nodded-off after 69 minutes, woke-up mid-way through the first half of extra time. I thought the South Americans might struggle without Di Maria, but, Sergio Aguera came back and did well, while, although he had a fairly fraught 120 minutes, the Wee Man stood tall to be counted when it came to penalties,
I still think Germany, the superior team, will carry the day on Sunday, but, the chance to stick it to the Brazilians, in their own temple of football, by lifting the World Cup, will be fantastic motivation for Senor Messi and his mates.
Holland disappointed me, they played too-much sideways and at too-pedestrian a pace; they didn't make enough angles, their passing lacked crispness. They could have won, but were too-safe and too-technical.
The failure of HMRC to make a good-enough case to have the verdict in the First Tier Tax Tribunal case of HMRC v Murray International Holdings' ECT Trusts has been seized upon by some Rangers fans as a "We wuz robbed" moment.
According to Ra Peepul, if the nasty tax man had not so-diligently pursued MIH and Rangers over the EBTs awarded to a slew of players - the club would never have fallen into the hands of Craig Whyte, liquidation would never have happened and it would be real Rangers in the SPFL Premiership and in Europe, rather than a tribute act in the SPFL Championship. Aye Right.
Nobody can argue, the long-drawn-out Big Tax Case was a factor in David Murray's decision to off-load Rangers for £1 and the subsequent truck crash. BUT, Murray was looking to get rid, long before we ever put the letters BTC together - and nobody would take the club, which had become a gaping hole in the financial well-being of his entire business conglomerate, off his hands.
He tried to raise cash through share issues, and had to buy most of the shares himself, thereby diluting his share-holding. He paid too-high wages to players who were not Rangers class; he allowed managers to spend, spen, spend to an extent the late Viv Nicholson could only ever have fantasised about.
The Murray management model for Murray International Metals Basketball Club was unsustainable and failed. He tried the same management model for Rangers Football Club and failed. Sure, the BTC was a factor in what happened, but, the greatest share of the blame for what happened to Rangers lies with one man - Sir David Murray.
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