Let's Be Honest - Do We Really Want To Associate With These People?

THERE is something to be said for Scotland's continued failure to qualify for major tournaments – at least, there is no risk of the Tartan Army getting caught-up in incidents involving the ultra wing of other nations.

We have enough bother here in Scotland with our own football followers, who seem to believe, once you start following a football team, the normal laws of good behaviour and public decency do not apply to you. We accept, two clubs in particular have a large minority of followers who believe – to quote the war cry of one side's lunatic fringe: “We arra peepul”, but, while a lot of folk, particularly if they are inside the sixth floor corridor magic circle at Hampden, refuse to believe their fans are anything but sober, sensible church-going paragons, the fact is, EVERY club has its lunatic fringe.

I welcome UEFA's warning to the English and the Russians, I still somehow feel, even if the English fans decide, somewhere further down the Euro 2016 track, to hold another riot, UEFA will sweep it under the carpet. The English hooligans seldom, unlike their Russian counterparts, riot INSIDE the stadium – by doing that they risk UEFA's strict liability sanctions – no, they will misbehave elsewhere.

The English press is now, predictably, seeking to blame everyone but the English hooligans – the Russians, the French police, UEFA, that too is entirely to be expected.

Russian Ultras - a handy diversion for Fleet Street

The Tartan Army will be under the microscope on 11 November, when we travel to Wembley to face England. Can we be sure our Tartan tourists will behave themselves? Hopefully yes, but, we do know, there will be English hooligans in London, eagerly awaiting their chance to have a bit of sport with the“Sweaties”, and, we must reluctantly acknowledge, a chance that some of our lads are up for a wee bit of “fun” in return.

We can be equally certain, given past form, they will come to Hampden in numbers, in less than a year's time, for the return World Cup Qualifier. There have been unsavoury incidents the last twice or three times the English have ventured north. We can be sure, particularly if the result of the EU referendum triggers Indyref2, that there will be flashpoints. No amount of forward planning will prevent this. We can only hope Police Scotland will, as their predecessors, Strathclyde Police managed in the past, nip the trouble in the bud.

I still feel, football can and should do more to prevent trouble. But, the will is simply not there.

AS TO the football. No shocks yet for me. Now they have got their first game out of the way, I trust Northern Ireland can play better. I await with interest, the Republic's first game, and, I have a feeling, Wales can get a draw against England. That English defence, well, you have to be as poor going forward as Scotland not to score a goal against them. I still fancy the Germans to ratchet-up the pressure as the tournament unfolds and be there at the finish.

Bastian Schweinstiger

Big Bastian Schweinstiger, something like 22 minutes of football in three months, comes off the bench and gets into position to score that German winner – that's class.

BY THE WAY – Joey Barton, difficult though it will be for you to pull this one off – a period of silence on your part might prove beneficial.

A very rare picture of Joey Barton - the photographer had just 12 minutes in which to take it