FOOTBALL, as played in the SPL and SFL in Scotland is supposed to be "professional". Matters concerning the two leagues are, at SFA level, administered by the "Professional Game Board".
Such a pity "amateurism" - in the sense of it doesn't really matter, rather than in the sense of playing the game for love - is so rife within what we sometimes laughingly refer to as "Scottish senior football".
Take poor, hard-done-by Ally McCoist's latest outburst, his scream of pain over the injury sustained by David Templeton, at Annan Athletic's Galabank ground on Saturday.
According to McCoist the injury was caused by the Annan club's 3G artificial pitch. One theory is that Templeton's studs caught in the surface and caused the ankle ligament injury which will keep him on the sidelines for a few weeks.
Rangers are the richest club in the SFL; they are the only full-time one in SFL Division Three. There is a proud tradition of excellence associated with the Rangers name, then there is the club motto of: "Aye Ready".
Well, it strikes me, they weren't ready to play on an artificial pitch, even though the club apparently has two 3G surfaces at Murray Park; however, McCoist does not allow his senior players to use these surfaces, since he doesn't like them.
Perhaps, had he taken his squad for a pre-Annan training game on their own 3G pitch, he would have realised that Templeton's studs were the wrong type for the surface. Anyone with a more than basic knowledge of pitch surfaces knows that there are special boots, specifically made for artificial surfaces such as 3G, and that, by wearing these, the likelihood of injuries such as that sustained by Templeton are greatly reduced.
It might be a poor workman who blames his tools - but, a good workman always has the correct tool for the job. And, it's a bad manager who sends out his workmen ill-prepared for the conditions in which they are expected to work.
CELTIC's defeat at Perth on Saturday is hardly surprising. I have felt for some time that Neil Lennon - a man who never gave less than 100 per cent in any match, has a cadre of self-dillusional "super stars" who can, at any time, under-mine Celtic's efforts.
Putting it simply, one or two at Celtic Park seem to think, because they play for Celtic, they have a right to win every game and are certainly not so-tough that, when the going gets tough - they get going. Sure, they have a higher skill level than most of the players they will face in SPL games - but, they seem to be having difficulty in taking on-board one of the facts of life of Scottish football.
To repeat something I have written before. Celtic (and Rangers) both face, every time they take the field in a domestic game, an opposition team which will contain, an uncertain number of fans of the other side - determined to do their best to beat the enemy - and a certain number of their own fans - equally, if not more determined to show that they are good enough to wear the hoops, or the blue shirts.
It takes the foreign mercenaries some time to become aware of this, indeed, some, on both sides, never did. This is why, the Old Firm do HAVE to have one or two fans on the park, otherwise, they are vulnerable.
I submit that the same scenario is in play as regards Rangers' indifferent away form in SFL3. However, unless the Celtic squad pull up their socks, quickly, the SPL will be anything but the cake walk it is supposed to be this season.
It is not often that I find myself agreeing with the view from someone as bigoted as your good self. However, both statements in print are very accurate. You have nailed the facts perfectly and with an honesty that has surprised me.
ReplyDeleteThe champions, Celtic, were awful at the weekend, lazy, poor and with their thoughts firmly stuck on the Benfica game. They failed to build upon their excellent start and were guilty of a lacklustre display that eventually brought the Saints a late winner, although they did appear to be denied a clear penalty. No argument at all, we were robbed, but no excuses are acceptable at this level.
If I had to pick one fault it would be your somewhat behind-the-times phrase "Old Firm".
Please note that Celtic have long made it known to the press that they do not want to be associated with any Oldco in Glasgow by way of that tag.