Even Without Him On The Line Scottish Fitba Is DRoss

I gave up on the Aberdeen v Hibernian League Cup Semi-Final very-early-on; the opening exchanges having convinced me, this was going to be a dire game, perhaps decided by one moment of competence. From what I have read since, I believe I chose wisely.

I watched the Rangers v Heart of Midlothian game in its entirety, it wasn't very-entertaining or encouraging stuff – the better team won, however, I saw nothing to change my view that at least half, if not more of the current Rangers staff are Not Rangers Class. I reckon one or two would be nane the waur of being kicked up and down Auchenhowie for a week by the likes of John Greig, John Brown and Kenny Black – to name but a trio of ex-Rangers; then they might realise what wearing that jersey demanded.

As for Hearts, I got into football during Hearts' Golden Era: when manager Tommy Walker had talent such as Dave Mackay, John Cummings, the fading but still effective Terrible Trio, Alex Young and, for a season, Gordon Smith; these true stars backed-up by some team mates who, if not Scotland class were top-class 'journeymen.'

These days are sadly passed, and it showed. Early on in the game, Hearts' Captain Lawrence Shankland broke down the left, surging past three or four Rangers players, then, sensing he had no team mates up in support, he stopped, turned around and played the ball some 30 yards back into his own half, whereupon a team mate surrendered possession.

There you have it, 21^st century Scottish football in a nutshell. Back in the day, supposing Willie Bauld had picked-up the ball where Shankland did, he would have kept going forward, secure in the knowledge, Conn, Wardhaugh and his two wingers would have been bursting a gut to get up alongside him and keep the attack going.

Shankland is no Bauld or John Robertson, but, he is in the wider Scotland squad and one hears rumours of Rangers' interest. Well, I certainly believe, in this currently flawed Ibrox squad, he could flourish and add the goal threat their expensively-recruited foreign mercenaries rarely provide.

Football folklore tells us, a goals per game average of 0.5 is the benchmark for an international-class striker. This is a statistic that not many players achieve today, Shankland's career gpg figure is 0.49, so, he is, in modern terms, a quality striker. It is a further condemnation of what passes for tactics in our top league today, that a class striker has to be back, 15 to 20 yards inside his own half, picking-up possession.

The likes of the first (and some say the better) Ronaldo, after he kicked off and moved into the opposition's half, never ventured back into his own half – it was up to his lesser team mates to get the ball up to him, somewhere where he could do damage. Any striker adopting that approach in Scottish football today would be written-off as: “Lazy, not a team player – doesn't track back.”

The Brazilian Ronaldo scored 425 goals in 631 first-class games; that's 0.67 goals per game. With that scoring rate, I'd want him in the opposition's penalty area, wreaking havoc, not back in his own half getting in the way.

I have long held it to be true, if the other Scottish clubs really wanted things to change, they could force revolution and out-vote the Old Firm, who, as things stand, don't want change, as this might hit their hegemony.

We've got too-many “Senior” clubs, playing in too-many divisions. However, I accept, the “turkeys” will never vote for Christmas and the tail will continue to wag the dog. We will need the sort of mass club bankruptcies which recently afflicted English Rugby to stand any hope of change.

But, here's a suggestion, one I have made before, but make no apology for making again:

Why don't we make further alterations to the League Cup? After all in its 77 year history, this competition has had more formations than Frank and Peggy Spencer. We already see the clubs which have qualified for Europe not being required to compete in the opening group games, while they embarrass themselves on the continent. So, why not, since winning the League Cup is not rewarded by European qualification the following season, instigate Chick Young's “eight diddies” rule in that competition, by insisting that each team has eight Scotland-qualified players on the park at all times.

Given the bigger clubs' dietary needs demand they over-indulge on buying and playing mercenaries, this would level the playing field and might make for a more-interesting and rewarding competition. I reckon it's worth a try.

I FIND myself somewhat ambivalent when it comes to Craig Levein returning to management at St Johnstone. The former Scotland boss will forever be tainted by that 4-6-0 formation debacle; that's one instance where I struggle to blame him. He tried something, but, his players, on the night, couldn't perform as expected. Shite happens.

However, he has made his mistakes, including that one – if indeed it was a mistake. St Johnstone, having gone down the route of appointing a young manager and been burned, have now opted for the tried and trusted, not forgetting experienced, old hand. It might pay off. I also like Craig and wish him well.

SATURDAY is Armistice Day, the 105^th anniversary of the end of “the war to end wars” - except, of course it didn't. Am I being old-fashioned in asking if whoever did the West of Scotland League, PDM Huws Gray Premier Division fixtures for Saturday isn't a history buff.

Asking Auchinleck Talbot to make the short hike to Townhead Park to face Cumnock on this of all days, sort of goes against the concept of the guns falling silent.

I see, however, both clubs are now starting to pull away from the relegation zone in which they were sitting not that long ago. Irvine Meadow and Glenafton Athletic, however, are finding it a wee bit harder to get back to where history expects them to be.