The Quicksands Are Sucking Us Down

REMEMBER the heart-rending tale of the Chinese immigrant cockle pickers who were caught in the quicksands and rushing inward tides of Morecambe Bay a few years ago. There deaths were both tragic and unnecessary.

I appreciate some might call me insensitive for likening that real human tragedy with a defeat in a football match, but I cannot help but think our Scottish clubs go into Europe each year with about the same state of readiness as those poor Chinese workers had as they walked onto those treacherous sands to their deaths.

Scottish clubs have been competing in Europe since 1955. Since that date we have been aware that our European mainland neighbours have better technique than us - but that knowledge hasn't narrowed the technique gap in any way. We have also been aware that the Europeans have a better diet, tend to be physically more-impressive and while, in the early years of European competition, a wee bit of Scottish "dig" and the knowledge that, in the immortal words of the battling butcher Corporal Jones: "They don't like it up em", helped offset the technique advantage the European sides enjoyed over the Scottish.

But, as the song says: "These days are past and in the past they must remain". Today's European player has added British stamina and competitiveness to continental technical ability and as a result, Scotland is sinking to the level of the semi-junior European Leagues.

Not that you will ever find the "blazers" within Hampden's corridors of power, whether that power arises from the SFA, SPL or SFL, admitting how rank we are. Scottish football needs to change, it must change; some of us have known that for years - but, the familiar Scottish refrain of: "But it's aye been done this way" has held us back.

Our background doesn't help us. The late Bill Shankly once said that the secret of winning in England was simple - you recruited enough Scots players to make a difference, but not too-many, in which case they would start fighting with each other.

We do love our "bonnie fechters"; we grow up with the need to debate and dispute and we love to get involved in battles. Too many of us have a hair-trigger temper and how many Scottish players talk themselves into the referee's wee black book? Far too many for my liking.

Look at Steven Whittaker last night. Rangers had been given a free kick - so he thinks it a good idea to throw the ball at his Malmo opponent - red card for Whittaker. How stupid was that?

Rangers are or should be the richest club in Scotland. They ought to have the pick of Scotland's young players - but, how many make the grade there? Of those who do make the grade (by having a first team squad number), how many actually get onto the park?

Rangers have, in the past ten years, spent an absolute fortune in recruiting foreign players who were either - over the hill (the de Boers); over-priced (Tore Andfre Flo) or over-rated (Jerome Rotten). Meanwhile they have seen young Scots players become Scotland Under-21 caps and never train on to be first team players (too many to name); or be jettisoned to go on to perform well in England's Championship or Premiership and to become internationalists (Charlie Adam, Ross McCormack, Stephen Dobbie).

They have signed players who if not unfit when they arrived, quickly became so - the latest being Daniel Goian last night. But, have heads rolled on their medical staff - no, thought not.

Don't get the impression, this is a rant against Rangers. For all their failings both on and off the field - they are still Scotland's top club; reigning champions, highest-ranked side in the UEFA co-efficients. But, in European terms, they are rank rotten, a big club in a small league and with small ambitions.

But, Rangers are the best we've got. What does that say about the rest?

Unless things change, radically and soon - we truly are all doomed.