Westa Motivating speaker

The West of Scotland Tartan Army invited Scotland Women’s Team Manager to our Burns Supper, she announced she was thrilled to come. She was brilliant, in perfect Dutch English her speech went down a treat. The highlight was when she was heckled. She announced she had 50 odd caps, a shout from the audience ‘ had she ever beaten England?’

Yes ‘5-0’. The cheer was the loudest of the evening, she had achieved the highest Westa acholade. ‘Conqueror of the English’. We to this day await another.

When Scotland qualified for the Euros 2 years ago we invited manager Anna Signeul to a meeting. She was great, she loved the Tartan Army, our passion. In honour of their feat I offered to speak to the team, offer accepted I indeed made my first ever motivation speech.

I wrote a piece, and on the night with the Scotland team facing me I changed the talk. In the  end outlined the experience of a Scots fan watching Scotland in the finals. How despite the best laid plans of mice , managers and logic there was and would be a tragic Scottish curse that could not be broken.

The players were so bright and optimistic, I probably was the same as an 8 year old watching Scotland for the first time, we lost 4-3 to England. My first two Wembley games a total score of England 9 Scotland 2. You get my drift.

I tried to warn them, to no avail.

I was in Utrecht when a startled Scotland team lost 6-0, including a corner converted in the 5th minute of injury time. 

We lost to Portugal when we should have won then beat Spain, a higher ranked team missing a sitter in the last minute thus not going through to the next round.

Glorious defeat, just like the men, tragic. I warned them. However we have qualified for the World Cup.

This time Olympic champ. Katherine Grainger, five times Olympic medalist was the motivation speaker. A step up in class. 

We played well in the first game, the realisation that we have a lot to offer seemed to have dawned on the team after England had a third chalked off. We played them off the park, scored but it was not quite enough.

Japan tomorrow, 

Then I am off to Paris for the game that may (will) see us into the next round, the first time we have done it.

Hamish

Westa supporting Scotland women’s team

There are those kids who have no first hand evidence of Scotland participating in the World Cup. 21 years, a long long time since we were there and even then we scored 2 goals and won not one game. None, mind you we drew with mighty Norway. We did lose 2-1 to then world champs Brazil despite scoring 2. A rare talent that.
Our women’s team are there, in France and were in Holland 2 years ago for the Euros. I was there. Scotland is in the World Cup, finally. I repeat we are in the World Cup.
A squad of highly talented footballers, thrilling to watch with Technique, yes I will repeat the not often used adjective to describe a Scots footballer. Technique.
Many years ago, in the dark ages of the early 2000’s West of Scotland Tartan Army (Westa) had a major issue with their player of the year. Which hapless, nay hopeless Scot should we pick? We had our annual award ceremony in the Iron Horse coming up and the with the nomination deadline approaching we had none.
Some of us had been watching the women’s team and had witnessed Scotland winning. Yes , winning. We decided to nominate, thus choosing a women’s player as oor POTY. Democracy be damned we chose a player. Mhairi. It can finally be revealed that she was chosen as we found out she worked at nearby Greaves Sports. I popped down to break the news to her in person.
Unwise it seems. She looked shocked and possibly slightly worried. She was polite and walked backwards to the fire escape as I explained the great honour she was to receive.
The next day I got a phone call from the SFA telling me off. A right good telling off by the way. ‘How dare I’. Any approach should be made officially. Official approach was made.
Vera Pauw, the Dutch Scotland manager made contact and both she and the still startled Mhairi attended our POTY.
I imagine our trophy proudly sits on Mhairi’s sideboard to this day. Unless that is she presented it to Scotland’s Football museum. I will check the next time I am there.

Hamish

Ask a Belgian

Having been to Belgium 3 times I found it prudent not to waste my time repeating the mistake. I still have to ask a Belgian how come a wee nation is so good? Why in the last 40years have they continued to produce really good players.
I do however remember the last time we were in Brussels and lost 2-0, it could have been more. A Belgian looking at the thousands of Scots in the stadium asked me ‘ Why are you all here?’
A good question indeed. In the face of undeniable evidence that we are not very good, why do so many travel?
I didn’t.

Hamish

A new start

The nation rejoiced, we found and got the man we wanted. A man who could work with limited ability, and we are very limited, very. A narrow 2-1 win over Cyprus including a late equaliser and a very late winner. We looked organised, sat deep against a team limited in talent possibly in preparation for the visit to Brussels.
Getting the Belgium game into perspective we went there with absolutely no hope of a victory, our last win was at Hampden in 1987, a game I missed as I was unforgivabley in Corfu.
Yesterday we faced the best team in the world, ranked number one and not for no reason.
I did not travel, I have witnessed 3 drubbings in Brussels, 3 x 2-0 scores each one a thumping. I wish to travel in hope and not just for a party, I have saved my trip for a wee visit to Paris to see a real Scotland team, one with skill and one with faces of sheer delight to be representing Scotland in the World Cup.
We, the men are paying the price for neglect. The waste of our talented kids, wasted by the clubs in their pursuit of.......?
 I stop to consider the question of ‘pursuit’. Just what have the clubs done for the fan?
In the way of skill and technique? The joy of enjoying football, of caressing a ball. Game awareness.
We don’t have the answer to our ills, I have been asked many many times where are all the Scots, the one who dominated English teams of the past.
Maybe we should ask a Belgian.

Hamish