BEING involved in a little local disagreement, at Rugby Park last night; I only caught a few moments of "highlights" from the Celtic v Maribor game. This was whilst I was still somewhat put-out to discover my delayed trip from the press seats to the Media Centre at Rugby Park meant, I missed-out on what was clearly a miserly selection of Killie Pies.
It was half-time at Celtic Park and Sky were allowing Messrs Dalglish and Strachan to assess the first 45 minutes.
In the snippets I caught, it was quite clear that, the visitors were the more-accomplished team and I immediately thought: "If Celtic don't improve dramatically - they're going out"; it was that-obvious, they weren't fit for purpose.
Of course, it would be easy to heap the blame on the new management team. After all, the Old Firm (yes sadly, we have to still include the blue tribute act in this partnership), are only ever two defeats away from the crisis headlines and that torn crest artwork on the Record's back page; and, losing twice in the Champions League qualifiers must rank as sheer carelessness.
However, it would be wrong to blame the new men in-charge. Like many, I thought Neil Lennon baled-out at the right time. I applaud the Celtic board's left-field move in appointing Ronny Deila, but, as one or two of my colleagues in the mainstream media have pointed-out, he could well be Celtic's Paul Le Guen.
When is it going to hit home to the men who run Scottish football - not the hired hands, the managers, the paper-shufflers at Hampden - the real men with power, the club directors, the SFA councillors and board members, that, the game in Scotland was a busted flush.
You have promoted and espouced mediocrity for years, now, you are reaping the whirlwind. The domestic set-up, whereby clubs which are "Junior" in all but name, continue to hold "Senior" status - simply because that has Aye Been, who perform no function other than to provide part-time football and a wee salary boost to butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers who are not good enough to make an honest full-time living from the small amount of football skill they were blessed with, continue to operate - it's a joke.
We have too-many clubs, too-little competition. We still have so-called "professionals" who could not trap a bag of cement as it fell at their feet; whose second touch is a sliding tackle to try to re-gather the ball which had bounced away from their first touch. We still have too-many players who live-up to that damning condemnation of Davie MacPherson, some 25-years ago: "He's a two-footed player alright, he can mis-kick off either shin" (this, by they way was a dreadful slander on big Davie - there are players in the Rangers team today who are not fit to lace his drinks").
Any way, I will go on making the point from the sidelines - unless we alter things radically, we are awe doomed. Meanwhile, the Hampden Blazers will continue to bury their heads in the sand and we will continue to decline.
LAST night's Ayrshrie Derby at Rugby Park was a typical Scottish game - masses of invective and hatred from the terraces, 100% commitment from the fans, but, as entertainment, it fell flat.
Killie made their higher status count, but, it was stodgy stuff. I felt too-many Killie players were content to play a decent pass, then, rather than rushing to get into position for a return ball, they stood and admired, or maybe were awestruck, at their skill in being able to find a team-mate over 10-15-yards away.
It wasn't so-much pass and move as pass and pose.
The single goal was a cracker, however, rather wasted on a game, which was over as a contest as soon as that goal was scored - but, should have been put to bed a lot sooner.
A couple of Killie's non-Scots had me thinking: "If you want a jersey-filler who contributes little to the team, surely there are Scottish boys who could fill that role more-cheaply".
Not that the Killie fans will be too-bothered. They will simply be enjoying bragging rights at work and on social media today.
At least, United put up a better show that Alistair Darling did the night before.
I AM delighted to see big Craig Gordon back in the Scotland squad, thus proving, class is permanent, form and health are transient issues.
I wonder what Jimmy Greaves is thinking, however. There is Scotland with, in Messrs Gordon, McGregor and Marshall, three top-flight keepers, whereas England doesn't have one as-good. Givent he choice, and, I write as a fully-paid-up member of Alan Rough Lodge Number One of the freemasonry of goalkeepers: I'd pick any of our first three before I would pick Joe Hart or Fraser Forster.
Good goalkeepers are like buses - you wait long enough and three come along. Now, from where did I nick that aphorism?
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