Is It Michael O'Neill Or Ethan Hawke We Need?

APPARENTLY, Michael O'Neill is the Chosen One, he will get first dibs on the poisoned chalice which is the Scottish National Team Manager's job. Good luck Michael – you will need it, should you choose to apply your inner Ethan Hawke and accept this Impossible Mission.

Michael O'Neill - the Chosen One

As I posted last time, O'Neill for Ibrox was never really on – the Neanderthals in the Rangers following would never have stood for the appointment, going to Hampden is a better fit for the Northern Irishman who has been over here so long, he qualifies via residency.

But, as I have said ad nauseum, it's not a new manager we need, it's someone from Assassin's Creed, to infiltrate Hampden and rid us of the suits. Mind you, like the Borg, they would probably assimilate their successors into the same aye beenism mindset which has held us back for years.

FOR ME, THE big news of this week was sort-of tucked-away down the page in the various reports of the Celtic AGM. Love him or loath him, Peter Lawwell has managed to work his way into a position of influence in European football.

 Peter Lawwell

We Scots do not currently have anyone at the top table in FIFA, it's not our turn to provide the Home Nations' automatic vice-president of FIFA, so wee Peter is, as far as we are concerned, Da Man in football's real corridors of power.

He sits on the European Clubs Association's executive, a body, which, in years to come, will I feel become more-influential as the club game gradually overtakes international football.

So, when he says the Europa League offers genuine opportunities to advance Scottish football, we would do well to listen. I do not know Mr Lawwell, I have no idea about what has been, or will be discussed at future meetings of the ECA executive, but, I have a gut feeling, the changes at international level, which kick-in after net summer's World Cup and which will see Scotland playing regularly in the Europa Nations League, might well be tweaked into the club game.

Thus, we might see Scottish clubs playing in the second or third division of an expanded Europa League, but, pitted against clubs whose leagues are of a similar standard. Thus, if our clubs can get their act together in Europe, we might, in time, see Scottish clubs advancing to the top division of this expanded Europa League.

As I say, I have no evidence to support this, other than a gut feeling. But, if it happens, it does indeed, offer us a chance to be competitive and a major force in Europe again. Let's wait and see what transpires.

CELTIC (and Rangers') annual meetings are seldom without their moment of head-shaking bewilderment; you know, you hear what was said and you immediately think: “Did that clown really say that?”

 A Parks of Hamilton coach - they're the best in Scotland, why settle for less

At the Celtic meeting, that moment came when a shareholder questioned, in all seriousness, the club's continued use of Parks of Hamilton as supplier of their team coach. Considering they are the premier purveyors of such vehicles, have the best, most-up-to-date fleet, and clearly know what they are doing – why would Celtic wish to go elsewhere?

These super coaches represent a major investment for any firm, and, not every coach-hire company in Scotland could afford to buy and run such a fleet. The fact that the Park family are investors in Rangers, and, in fact are represented on the board might be seen by some of the Celtic family as a no-no, but, their firm is still the best one for the job.

No, the questioner was surely taking Old Firm “Whitabootery” to a new level, and proves, in spite of all the claims to the contrary from within the Celtic family, all the shouts of “You're deid – your club died in 2012”, they still see Rangers today as a continuation of the hated enemy, and, they still feat the day when, as they surely will, Rangers rise again.

'Twas ever thus, those Rangers fans who laughed at the old easily-beaten Celtic of the Four Families days, gradually stopped laughing once the wee man in the bunnet and his successors turned things around and made Celtic the dominant force in Scottish football.

YOUNGEST daughter and her son – the Big Yin – both work at Lochside House Hotel, the local four-star hotel and spa. On Tuesday night, some of the staff took-over one of the lodges on the site for a staff party, at which I dumped Mother and Son, before going back to collect them on the wrong side of midnight for an Auld Yin like me.

I had to give Grandson's pal and his girl friend a lift home, and this boy, one of the leading lights of the legendary Glenafton Party Army, insisted I write a scathing piece about Livingston FC.

Almondvale Stadium - £20 to watch a junior team?

James, for that is his name, is not a happy bunny, at the prospect of having to pay £20 to get into whatever Almondvale is called this season, to witness the Livingston v Glenafton Scottish Cup tie on Saturday.

“Daylight fucking robbery, to watch a shite Championship team facing the mighty Glen” was the basis of his tirade. Given it costs £6 to get into Loch Park to see the Glen take on the likes of Talbot or Pollok, I suppose you can understand his sense of shock. But, you know, maybe we are over-pricing Scottish football.

For me, £20 is a bit much, even for Livingston v St Mirren or Dundee United in the league, but, it is definitely way too-much to charge to see the Lions playing a Junior side, albeit a very good one.