IT REALLY is becoming more and more difficult to philosophise about Scottish football - themainstream media in Scottish football simply refuses to engage in meaningful opinion-forming pieces, which will lead to debate; and who can blame them - the self-appointed aritocracy of Scottish football, aka the Hampden Blazers, simply are incapable of addressing the issues which are facing the game, while the two warring "mafia" families, the currently dominant Murphia and the grumbling, festering Brownbrogia are more-concerned with petty points scoring and finger-pointing.
On which subject, well-done to Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, who has this week taken his eye off his obsession with all things Rangers and posted an excellent article, which is worthy of the attention of the entire Celtic family, and in which he makes several salient points.
At least there are signs of democracy breaking-out. Pars United has won the battle for control of Dunfermline Athletic and it to be hoped, by everyone with the good health of the game in Scotland at heart, that they can manage a renaissance of the game in one of its heartlands - Fife.
On this side of the country, in fact, in God's Own County of Ayrshire, there are hopes that the downtrodden Kilmarnock faithful might get their act together and take their club forward. Of course, like any wee, learned Marr College FP, beleagured Chairman Michael J will push for a huge price for his departure. However, it is to be hoped that brighter days are ahead for Killie.
I shudder to pontificate on what might happen at Hearts. I might jest about tartan-clad Capulets and Montagues, or Corleonis and Sopranos, glaring at each other across the Clyde, but those fans who seek to purchase Hearts and turn it around are, I fear, likely to have to negotiate with genuine gangsters of the Eastern European sort - and that might get messy.
The last time Scottish football was a virtual one-party state, during Celtic's basement days between 1945 and the return of Stein in 1965 (although, to be fair, that fallow period included one double, one or two other significant victories - 7-1 and the Coronation Cup anyone), the likes of the Hibs team of the Famous Five, Tommy Walker's golden Hearts teams of 1955-1965 and the Willie Waddell-Walter McCrae-led Kilmarnock teams of 1958-1965 offered genuine competition to an otherwise dominant Rangers.
This time round, we await the shoots of recovery amongst the down-trodden. The trouble is, this time around, unlike back then, the greater riches of the English game will always handicap the non-Glasgow sides. Back in the day, with the huge crowds and the low overheads which the stingy directors of the time had to allow for, it was easy to pay Scottish players as much as they could earn in an English League in which the maximum wage ruled.
Today, with footballers' wages comparatively lower in Scotland and rapacious agenst hell-bent on making money out of the game, it is well-nigh impossible for a Scottish club outwith the Big Two - and even they struggle now - to keep hold of their best talent.
New figures came out last week, showing the best-supported teams in the world. Celtic are, globally, the 16th best-supported team, with an average home attendance of 46,000-plus. Rangers are 19th-best, with an average home attendance of over 45,000. Yet, in global terms, the two clubs are small beer, skint, minnows.
Something has to be done, to allow the clubs to realise their potential, without unduly weakening the Scottish game, of which they are a crucial component. But, that's a big circle to square. Maybe we should go back to the original idea of William McGregor and the pioneers of what they called - because they thought in British rather than English terms: The Football League. Then, our two major clubs, yes the Celtic-minded among you might want to accept this, even that lot currently heading the third tier in Scotland, could flourish properly, while those left behind, could find their own level.
Such a plan might go against the current fashion for more Scottish self-determination, but, it could be the saving of Scottish football.
Quite a well written belter of a post sir. Your words may now have made you dephlogisticate in the world of old school journalism. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with that now documented, please correct the obvious stained-glass optimism of this rather incredulous statement if you are ever to retain credibility.
....God's Own County of Ayrshire
Cheffie - With due respect for your upbringing elsewhere, and for your belief that we are all a bunch of in-bred, brown brogues-wearing, bowler-hatted, sash and apron-wearing backward, bigotted Orange, Masonic bar stewards here in Ayrshire; I cannot accept your argument.
ReplyDeleteWe are the Stars o Rabbie Burns, in fact, a lot of us down here insist that: Wearrapeepul!!! However, I feel that since we have given Scotland - Robert Bruce, Robert Burns, William Wallace, Alexander Fleming, the McIlvanney brothers, Sammy Cox, Eric Caldow, Bobby Lennox, Roy Aitken, Julie Fleeting, Prestwick Airport, Nardini's, Nicola Bernedetti, Nicola Sturgeon, Killie Pies and Ayrshire coos - amongst several other blessings, surely we can be forgiven for believing ourselves blessed.
You had me at Nardini's, I hereby respectfully withdraw my earlier statement.
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