JT - Gone and Good Riddance

FOR my money, no single player better represented the over-priced, over-hyped nonsense of the English Premiership better than John Terry. I never subscribed to the Bobby Moore is God school of thought which is the default setting of the average English football fan or journalist. Yes, Mooro was a good defender, but, he was the luckiest chap ever to bestride the football field - had Munich not happened, and had he lived, Duncan Edwards rather than Moore would have been the face of 1966.

 

But, compared to Terry, one of his successors as England's number six and captain - Moore was indeed God. In fact, just off the top of my head: Billy Wright, Maurice Norman, Peter Swann, Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, Brian Labone, Terry Butcher, Nigel Walker, Emlyn Hughes, Rio Ferdinand, Tony Adams join Moore in a list of England central defenders I've seen, all of whom on a bad day were better than Terry on a good day.

 

We all know that the Glasgow "Lap Top Loyal" made "stars" out of run of the mill Rangers defenders who could kick opponents better and more frequently than they ever kicked a ball - John Brown "Rangers Class", mair like Nae Class. In Southern terms, "Fleet Street" made England stars out of few Cockney wide boys, few wider than the odious JT. Actually, his international retirement will, I warrant, prove to be a good move for England, he is, for me, more leg end than legend.

 

 

 

I SEE plans are afoot for regional European leagues as a replacement for the Europa League, as the European Clubs Association attempts, yet again, to find a means of extracting more money from the poor bloody fans.

 

European football worked, when it was a genuine coming together of the best. When only the genuine league champions from Europe's League's contested the European Cup - it was a genuine "Champions" League then - because you had to be a champion to enter.

 

Sure, it's nice to win a continental trophy, but, whether you are Auchinleck Talbot or Barcelona - nothing beats being cocks of your local walk.

 

That said, regional leagues might be a good thing, but, there are only so-many clubs well-enough structured to compete in Europe and in their domestic leagues in a single season and, at the end of the day, domestic success will always be more-important. I think we will be stuck with a Scottish League for a good while yet, although long term, that league will NOT be the SPL.

 

On the subject of regional European leagues - I always thought the Kings Cup - the Scandinavian regional competition - which has had something of a chequered existence, was always a competition which would have fitted-in well with the needs, aspirations and abilities of our top teams.

 

However, while teams such as Malmo, Rosenburg and FC Copenhagen have on the field in the past shown themselves to be worthy opponents for our top sides - they never have and probably never will fit into a Scottish football mindset which deludes us into thinking we should always be jousting with the really big boys of Europe - Barca, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Man U and the like. Aye Right.

 

 

 

THE SRU has this week announced that, in the run-up to the Autumn internationals, Wayne Smith, the attack guru behind the continuing success of the All Blacks as THE team in world rugby, will be coming to Scotland to take a series of coaching seminars.

 

He will be passing-on his wisdom to our top club coaches, as well as our leading coaches at grass roots youth level.

 

This will be a good move for Scottish rugby, the invited coaches will turn up, they will ask questions and will learn.

 

Sadly, I can never see an Ancelotti, or a Mourinho, or Yogi Loew or Vincente Del Bosque being invited to address Scotland's SPL managers. I appreciate Mourinho earned his coaching stripes at Largs, I tip my hat to the exploits of SAF or Davie Moyes in England, but, I cannot see the short-sighted Hampden blazers ever admitting, we could learn from the rest of the world. Oh no, we Scots "made" football what it is - nobody can teach us anything about OUR game. This is, of course, one of the reasons why we are so-feared across the globe today.

 

 

 

MY second daughter's partner is feeling a trifle smug these days. He is a member of that much-admired tribe, The Jags and consequently he is revelling in the great start Jackie McNamara's men have made to the First Division campaign.

 

I have to admit, I always found the press seats at the back of the Jackie Husband Stand one of the best places in Scotland from which to ply the sports-writing trade. The banter with the Jags fans in front of us was always good, clean fun; the Harry Wraggs, or the Maryhill Magyrs as the great Malky Munro dubbed his favourite side, have been too-long out of the top-flight in Scotland and I hope young Jackie and wee Simon Donnelly can keep their men going as they have started.

 

My oldest friend, in spite of nearly 50 years in England, 30 of them as a serving RAF officer, remains a Jags fanatic. He was up home last week and was positively revelling in his team's great form. It is for genuine fitba fans such as the two of Firhill's Finest, whom I mention, that I am hoping to see the Jags back in the SPL at the end of this season.