FIFTY years ago, just as the great sea change saw Jock Stein return to Celtic Park to rebalance Scottish football, as what would become the Lisbon Lions squad snatched primacy from the hitherto dominant Rangers squad, 'Gers boss Scot Symon made a comment which has been largely forgotten.
He revealed, his intention was to have Rangers in the position of having effectively two squads - one for Europe and one for the Scottish League. Symon saw this as essential in combating player fatigue and the demands of a season which,at that time, with 34 Scottish League games, 5 Scottish Cup ties and 10 League Cup ties, committed a team, as the Old Firm were, intent on winning all three domestic trophies, to a minimum of 49 games per season - before European games, and the then still-important Glasgow Cup ties were factored in.
Symon realised, to mount an effective campaign across all these fronts, you needed a large squad - he wanted two players vying for each position. He also realised squad rotation, although that term was never used, was vital.
Of course, in big games, barring injuries, that Rangers team picked itself: Billy Ritchie in goal, Bobby Shearer and Eric Caldow at full back, with John Greig and Ronnie McKinnon in central defence.
Jim Baxter was the midfield king-pin, but, with age catching-up with Ian McMillan and that maverick George McLean never quite fulfilling his St Mirren potential, a second central midfielder to help the imperious Baxter was Rangers' big deficiency.
Willie Henderson and Davie Wilson patrolled the wings, with the young Willie Johnston breaking through, while the goal-scoring was left to the tried and trusted Brand and Millar combination, with the young Jim Forrest there to bang them in as well.
Norrie Martin was a reasonably reliable back-up to Ritchie; Davie Provan was the third full-back, but further forward, few reserves really pushed themselves forward to pressurise the regulars.
Wilson Wood, for a short while, was a barely adequate stand-in for Baxter, after the great man's leg-break. Alex Willoughby had his moments but never nailed-down a starting slot. Kenny Watson filled-in for Henderson when his bunion bother struck, without coming close to carrying the same threat, but, in the end, Rangers were forced to, to greater and lesser success, get out the cheque book to try to counteract the tornado which hit them from the other side of the city.
Symon, before he was so-crudely and needlessly sacked, never did get to his goal of having two men contesting every jersey. He had a good 17-man squad, but, it simply wasn't as good as Celtic's similar-sized one.
Stein was probably better at squad rotation than any other Scottish manager. He knew instantly in which game to introduce the Quality Street Gang. He knew even better, when to leave them out and trust to the experienced guys.
He had strength-in-depth, but, even if the Lions didn't always play, when a match had to be won - Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill and Clark, Johnstone, Auld and Lennox were in the team. But, like Symon before him, Stein was never in the situation of having two men vying for every position. Who could, for instance, be a one-for-one straight swap for McNeill, Johnstone or Auld or Murdoch?
What has this history lesson got to do with fitba in 2015? I hear you ask. Well, on Saturday, at Tannadice, Ronnie Deila left out several first picks, and Celtic still won comfortably.
This was a terrific result for the Hoops. Their Norwegian manager is I think now in a better place than Symon, or Stein, or even the other Scottish managerial giants - Maley, Struth, Waddell, Ferguson or McLean, were.
(For me, by the way, Walter Smith was never a great manager. Without SDM's cheque book, he'd have struggled.)
Deila showed on Saturday, he could rest the bulk of his squad and rotate them with players equally competent, at least in a domestic context.
This fact, merely underlines the strength of John Collins's recent argument and is why, notwithstanding the excellent start to the season made by Aberdeen and Hearts, I cannot see the title going anywhere other than Celtic Park come next May.
WEE Gordon Strachan has now named his squad for the upcoming Euro-qualifiers against Georgia and Germany.
The Scotland squad is:
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Celtic), David Marshall (Cardiff City), Allan McGregor (Hull City).
Defenders: Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town), Craig Forsyth (Derby County), Gordon Greer (Brighton & Hove Albion), Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers), Alan Hutton (Aston Villa), Russell Martin (Norwich City), Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), Andrew Robertson (Hull City), Steven Whittaker (Norwich City).
Midfielders: Ikechi Anya (Watford), Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Scott Brown (Celtic), Darren Fletcher (West Bromwich Albion), James Forrest (Celtic), Shaun Maloney (Chicago Fire), James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion), James McArthur (Crystal Palace), Matt Ritchie (AFC Bournemouth), Johnny Russell (Derby County).
Strikers: Steven Fletcher (Sunderland), Leigh Griffiths (Celtic), Chris Martin (Derby County), Steven Naismith (Everton).
Given WGS has of late achieved that rarity in Scottish international history, consistency of selection, there are no shocks, either major or minor - other than, I am concerned that Allan McGregor has become a wee bit accident prone during 2015. However, he is now our Number Three goalkeeper, so, maybe a few days away with Scotland will help him - he has worked a lot with Scotland goalkeeping coach Jim Stewart, so, maybe Big Jim can sort out his problems.
I would like to see Leigh Griffiths getting a run from the start against the Georgians. For me, he's ahead of Steven Fletcher and I like the notion of a Griffiths/Naismith front pairing.
Well done too Stuart Armstrong, for getting his first inclusion. He has been playing well with Celtic and deserves his chance.
If I have a criticism of the pool, it is in the continuing absence of Lee Wallace. I know he is playing in the Championship, but, he remains a class act and I don't think any of the possible alternatives at left-back are as good players in the position as the RTA captain is.
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