PARDON
ME if I am not turning cartwheels at Celtic's tremendous win in
Brussels last night. I am naturally delighted at their 3-0 win, it
was a very good result, but, and I am sorry there has to be a but –
Belgian opponents are of a level we should expect our teams in
European competitions to beat fairly regularly.
Given
the relative size of the countries, and the numbers of players and
clubs, I have always felt, if a Scottish club beats a German, French,
Italian Spanish of English club in Europe – that's a good excuse
for prolonged celebrations and banner headlines. Wins over, Belgian,
Dutch, Swedish, or Austrian clubs – to pluck a few names out of
thin air, are to be, if not expected all the time, taken as gettable
on a regular basis. In fact, back when Scottish clubs were in truth
powers in Europe, being drawn against Anderlecht, Standard Liege or
FC Bruge – the traditional power-houses of Belgian football, was
seen as a “gimmee”.
Campbell Money - "We were pilloried for losing to the eventual winners".
For
example, St Mirren were roundly criticised for losing to KV Mechelen
in the 1987-88 UEFA Cup-Winners' Cup. The Buddies drew the first leg
0-0, but lost the second 2-0, which was seen as a terrible result.
Mechelen had already beaten Steau Bucharest, and would go on to
defeat Dinamo Minsk, Atalanta then Ajax 1-0 in the final, before
beating Dutch rivals PSV Eindhoven in the Super Cup Final. So,
clearly not a bad side – but, St Mirren losing to them in the
second round was unacceptable.
“We
were absolutely pilloried for losing to them, but, as they showed by
winning the whole thing – Mechelen were a bloody good side,” says
Saints' goalkeeper in the tie – Campbell Money.
Why
have we fallen so far, that beating a Belgian side in Europe is now a
cue for killing the fatted calf and having three days of feasting?
Carlo Ancelotti - hopefully Celtic can take advantage of his sacking
NEXT
up for Celtic are Bayern Munich, who sacked Head Coach Carlo
Ancelotti after their midweek defeat at the hands of PSG. OK, I said
right at the start, if a Scottish team beats a German one, it should
spark-off prolonged celebrations. Well, while it hasn't happened for
many a year, Bayern have lost to Scottish opposition in the past,
even in the days of Der Kaiser. So, now, when they are in disarray,
depressed and having to bed-in a new coach, why should not Celtic
build on their Anderlecht win?
I
HAVE been taken to task by one of my Rangers-supporting friends, for
defending as “wind-ups”, some of the things which Scott Brown and
Leigh Griffiths did at Ibrox on Saturday. As he said: “There are
wind-ups, and wind-ups,” before going on to criticise the two
Celtic players. My mate, to be fair, is an old-fashioned dignified
Rangers supporter; perhaps a dying breed on both halves of the
Glasgow divide, in, he will applaud good football from the hoops, and
be scathing in his criticism of his own team, when necessary. His
response perhaps demonstrates how far we have fallen in what we do
and do not consider acceptable behaviour these days.
Bud Johnston - carpeted for winding-up the Celtic team and fans
He
mentioned Willie “Bud” Johnston, being carpeted by Willie
Waddell, after he sat on the ball during an Old Firm game. That,
apparently was taking the piss too far for his manager. Changed days.
I sometimes think, a wee pre-match pep talk from the Police Match
Commander to the players, reminding them they are playing in a powder
keg match, and, perhaps, reminding them: the old “catch-all”
offence of - behaving in a manner likely to cause a Breach of the
Peace is still on the statute book.
A
couple of “show trials” and even the serial heid-cases and
wind-up merchants might learn; then, with the players and staff
sorted out, the force of law and order could turn their attentions on
the fans.
When
it comes to winding-up opponents, however, nothing ever has or ever
will come close to the old Jim Baxter standard: “Let's humiliate
them 1-0.” The Slim one was a great believer in this and practised
it religiously. I remember, my second Old Firm game – at Celtic
Park. Rangers had to put Jim Forrest into the team for Jimmy Millar,
and he was an instant hit, but, while Forrest grabbed the headlines,
the telling part of the match was the final five minutes, when Baxter
orchestrated a period of keep-ball, in which the Rangers defence
simply passed the ball around among themselves in their own half of
the field.
They
made no effort to go forward, they were not interested in forcing
home their advantage, and, with every pass and road of “Ole,” the
drain away from the ground of the Celtic fans seemed to grow in
intensity. Now, that is what you call a wind-up.
SINCE
I have known the wee bugger since he was a cheeky schoolboy – I
even kicked his erse a couple of times when he was over-cheeky – I
have a lot of time for wee Billy Dodds, who lost his job this week,
when he and boss Jim McIntyre were sacked by Ross County.
Billy Dodds - one of the good guys, who will not be out of the game for long
OK,
fitba is a results-driven business, and the results did not justify
the pair remaining in-charge in Dingwall. But, I sincerely hope wee
Doddsy is soon back in the game, either in a management role, or, in
his other role as a very good fitba talking head. But, I am certain,
he will not be on the outside, looking in, for long. Wee Billy has
worked his socks off for everything he has ever done in the game, as
he himself acknowledges – as a boy, playing on the Greenhead
playing field, across from his house, he was never the most-talented,
but, he was the hardest-working.
When
he got his break, taken to Chelsea as a 16-year-old, after both
Kilmarnock and Ayr United declined to take him on, his work ethic was
there for all to see. He went south, but, at the end of his first
season, every day he and Craig Burley could be seen training in New
Cumnock. Billy set fitness records in New Cumnock Games Hall which
will never be beaten – since they've pulled it down.
If
every Scottish footballer had worked as hard at his game as Doddsy
did – we just might have won as many World Cups as Brazil by now.
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