Don't Kick The Messenger - Kick The Guys Causing The Problem

I YESTERDAY received the printed equivalent of a Tam Forsyth tackle, from an esteemed member of the Lap Top Loyal. This Real Rainjurrz Man, who is incidentally a bloody-good journalist, took umbrage at my latest sally against the “churnalists and stenographers” of the msm.

The Tam Forsyth tackle, but, like Mic Channon, I'm still standing

We will not irredeemably fall-out over the matter, but, I still feel - there is no way Rangers, in their current financial condition, could turn-down a £7 million bid for any player. The whole story stunk.

That's the trouble with covering Rangers at the moment, sure, “the Donegal Blogger” and the other forces of the Celtic apologists have an agenda, but, that does not mean old Phil, who has been more-often right than wrong, was wrong in this one. Also, for as long as the Chairman at Ibrox is: “A glib and shameless liar”, every public pronouncement from that club will be questioned.

The GASL has enough problems of his own right now, having all but booked a season ticket at the Court of Session for the rest of this season, and, I fear, until he is ousted, Rangers will continue to be a tainted brand.

You know, it would all have been so-much simpler if old Chuck Green had just had a bit of vision about him. I suggested back at the time he took over, Portsmouth were up for sale, cheaply, if he had bought them as well as Rangers, and created a new team: playing out of Ibrox in the English League, Rangers might by now be a Premiership club.

And don't think it could not have been done. Restraint of trade legislation would have seen them through and clear. I am sure of that.

Let Walter enjoy his retirement in peach

And, I do wish the msm would drop this Walter Smith for Scotland nonsense. Sure, being an international team manager is really an old man's job. You need lots of experience to do it, but, Wattie will be 70 later this month, and, take it from this already 70-year-old, sure, you still miss the daily cut and thrust; of course, you still think you could do the old day job; but, it's nice to wake-up some mornings and think: “Ach! I'll just lie here a wee bit longer.” It's great to not be tied to someone else's agenda.

Walter has done his time on the grass, let him enjoy his retirement and give the job to someone younger. In any case, going back rarely works as well as first time around.

The other thing wrong with the msm's obsession with filling the manager's job first is good management of any business tends to depend on the right guy at the top. OK, I accept, the SFA is not a normal business, but, get the CEO in-situ first, then have the new guy involved in getting the new manager.

As I have said before the system in Scotland is so wrong, it would not matter who we got as national manager, we would still be hovering around the 40% wins mark and be also-rans in Europe. Scotland has NEVER, since the 1920s and 1930s been as good as we thought we were. If we ever get to where we think we should be, it will be a long haul.

At the moment Scotland is ranked 32^nd in the FIFA International Rankings, which is 20^th in Europe. So, equating world terms to the Scottish League – we are Albion Rovers. In European terms – we are Falkirk. Either way, it's a good comparison.

If we look on ourselves as Albion Rovers – we are in the shadow of more-successful neighbours, our infrastructure is a bit run-down, we've been around for a while, but, have never won much, but, we keep plugging away.

The story is much the same if we look at the Falkirk comparison. We have a flashy stadium, which we struggle to fill. We have a long history of finding good youngsters, and selling them on to our richer neighbours, and, while we can cause the occasional upset, we've been fairly mediocre for years.

Great expectations - or delusions of adequacy

Now, since we all know neither Albion Rovers nor Falkirk is going to win the Scottish League or Scottish Cup, far less make an impact in the Champions League or the Europa League any time soon – why should we have great expectations about Scotland?

Further more, we are dominated by two clubs (or maybe at the moment one and a bit), who, if given a free choice, would move to the next-door league; our national team is something of an after-thought and we have too-many “senior professional” clubs whose whole outlook and manner of working is amateurish.

But it has aye been this way, and if football has its way, probably aye will be. Slowly, the word is getting through, in the wider political arena, Scotland being tied to England is past its sell-by date – well, Scottish Football as it is presently run, is longer past its sell-by date.

The current situation, whereby the SFA needs a new CEO and a new national team manager would appear to be the ideal opportunity to stop, think, and try a new tack. But, this is Scottish football, the chances of that happening are virtually nil.

I say again, what I have said before – often: Scottish Football – we are all doomed, doomed Ah tell ye.