GLASGOW Warriors are currently preparing to defend the Guinness Pro12 League title which they won last season. But, with 22 players away with Scotland's extended squad, preparing for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup, and a handful of other players also away, preparing for the same event with other nations, roughly half their squad is missing.
In spite of this, Warriors will kick-off their league defence in September on-time. Warriors have earned a high European ranking - higher (albeit in a less-crowded field) than Celtic, but, this does not earn them any deference in their league.
The Pro12 kicks-off on the first weekend in September and, World Cup preparations or no World Cup preparations, Warriors will be there.
To cover their squad shortages, Gregor Townsend and his coaches have temporarily recruited some players from our leading BT Premiership clubs on short-term contracts. Now, I appreciate rugby's registration process differs from football's and some of the guys called-up are aligned to Warriors - training with the club during the week, but turning-out for the likes of Ayr and Glasgow Hawks on a Saturday, but, couldn't football have a similar system.
I refer to Warriors' situation here, because I noted some talk about reinstating the old group stage format to the League Cup, perhaps as early as next season. However, it is being suggested that Scotland's European representatives be exempt from this stage of the tournament.
I say, forget this. If Scotland's most-successful professional sports team can carry-on minus half its squad, why cannot our football clubs, whose European record this past decade has hardly been brilliant.
The League Cup is, I admit, something of a problem child in Scottish football. For a start, winning it means little, since success does not carry the kudos of a European place. Thus, the SPFL, who run the thing, could afford to experiment a little.
Old fart that I am, I would love to see the group stage return, but, why not take a leaf from Scottish cricket for instance and declare it to be a development tournament, no non-Scottish players allowed, and make the clubs field squads in which every player was Scotland-qualified.
That way the fans, particularly of the Premiership teams, would be able to see what home-grown talent we had coming through. It might level the playing field and the League Cup could, as it did in its early days, produce one or two shock winners.
I WAS delighted to see this week, my former protege Ian King, lately Head of Sport at the Scottish Sun, has a new job, as Chief Executive of Airdrieonians. I don't think wee Jim Traynor will be too-happy about that.
I mean, Level Five is all right, but, Kingie is now surely at Level Seven or Eight at Hampden, you know, where the Corridors of Football Power are; as he represents the Diamonds at football meetings.
As I wish Kingie well in his new role, one wee question - who takes over as Right Worthy Master of the Lap-Top Loyal?
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