Gaun Yersel Hen

MY mind has been on other things this past week; with Scotland's future as a nation being on the line, it seemed wrong to waste time on the waste of time which is present-day Scottish fitba.

 

Mind you, that said, the performance of our lassies in their World Cup qualifying campaign has been a breath of fresh air. As someone who has spent most of the past 40-years in a house dominated by women: one red-haired Scots-Canadian wife, her four fiesty daughters and now a grand-daughter who is 16 going on 36, I weel ken the power of the Scots woman.

 

The Scottish Women's FA is barely-tolerated, largely-patronised and more or less shoved into a corner and ignored by the half-wits in the SFA blazers. Our mainstream press give Scottish women's football fewer column centimetres than baseball and American Football - mind you, if they are not covering the Scotland's men's team, the Bigot Brothers and English football, well many of our so-called "top football writers" are simply not there.

 

Yet, here they are, into the World Cup Final qualifying play-offs. A superb achievement. And, let's not forget, the magnificent and under-appreciated Glasgow City ladies have a lot more Champions League experience than Glasgow Celtic in recent seasons.

 

You see, the thing is, when those brave pioneers who started the SWFA began, they did so from more or less a clean sheet. They didn't have gnarled veterans telling them: "Naw Hen, ye canny dae that, it's aye been din this wey".

 

So, they could come up with a summer season. They saw Scottish football as a skills-based game, not a substitute for Clan Warfare. There are rivalries, of course, but, women's football is free of the sectarianism and bigotry which ahs, for so long, despoiled the men's game.

 

Also, there seems to be a bit more willingness from the clubs, to put Scotland first - something which has not always been obvious from their male counterparts.

 

I sincerely hope they can build on their group achievements and qualify for the World Cup in Canada next year. What a showing-up that will be for our over-paid male stars. Of course, if they do, their problems will only just be starting, I am sure some of our gallant lads in the media will be delighted to put their own particular brand of spin on events in Canada - in which case, God help the women.

 

Can you imagine that unrepentant mysoginist Chick Young covering Women's Football?

 

Shudder!!

 

 

 

MEANWHILE back at the ranch, Celtic emerged from a testing away day to Salzburg with a draw, which, under the circumstances, was a good result.

 

I watched the game on BT Television and, Craig Gordon should get a share of any  bonus paid to his outfield team mates. The big man showed, again, that while form and fitness may be temporary, class is permanent, with a massive display.

 

This is not (yet) a good, far less a great Celtic team. It remains, and probably will for this season and maybe into next - a work in progress. However, in their Norwegian/Scots management team, they have the makings of something very good. As always, with the Bigot Brothers, however, I wish there was a heavier Scottish representation.

 

I also wish, somebody, could plant some sense in Scott Brown's head. He picked up yet another stupid European booking last night. For a captain of Celtic and Scotland, this sort of indiscipline is unacceptable.

 

 

 

NOW, I turn to Rangers. Naw, the activities around the Tribute Act are simply no longer worth commenting on.