As Scotland vainly attempt to qualify for next years Euros and perchance a chance to play some of the games at not only Wembley but Hampden we Scots are about to leave Europe politically.
I was wandering Ayr High Street the other day when I came across a wee table with none other than the Brexit Party. Led by that forager of a man Nigel Farage. See Channel 4 for an explanation of this immoral charlatan and his access to funds that have not been declared to his employer and paymaster THE EU.
A normally placid man I approached the table. I was unable to fully nor partially explain my complete disdain and extreme dislike for this ‘party’. I ended up shouting ‘shamefull’, loudly and often.
My main, but not sole reason for being a European and by default a remainder lies in Europe. In many parts and countries of Europe the EU is important. Town and village council halls fly the EU flag as the flag , symbol of peace in a Europe that has been at war and in conflict continually and almost perpetually. We in the U.K. have had conflict, only recently resolved.
I do not wish to be a citizen of an insular nation, we are about to implode into ‘Brexit means exit’ insignificance. Well maybe we in Scotland don’t have to.
Anyway, politics enters my football Blog, normally it is only down to the fitba team to exit Europe. Here’s hoping sense prevails and we qualify for Europe next year and we don’t need non EU passports in a non EU airport queue.
Hamish
Friday, 17 May 2019
Thursday, 16 May 2019
New Manager
The day dawns on a new era, a new manager for our national team. What hope for the hopeless? The task has defeated the best. Jock Stein did the job twice, Mat Busby but once. Bertie Vogts managed the Euro 96 German team to victory and he inherited players who were astounded to be asked politely to play out of slightly out of position. I personally think I was born to Brazilian parents but taken home by a Scots couple by accident. I insist on following Scotland despite my true heritage and continue to watch tripe when for a few hundred pounds I could emigrate to Rio and watch football royalty.
The interview process will have posed the question , (surely); how to get the best from rubbish? The best from guys who can't pass, who can't score and who can't play football.
And by the way a country where we score 2 goals in the last minute at home to England, 2-1 up and with a breakaway, 2 on 1. we decide to pass to an English player who passes to Harry Kane.
2-2.
Good luck.
Hamish
Clueless punter
In 1928 Scotland beat England 5-1 and forever in Scottish football folklore became The Wembley Wizards. 1928 was before I was born. The goalie played for Queens Park.Alan Morton was the winger.
I often despair at the current BBC radio Scotland fitba discussion. The casual and lazy use of 'you know' peppers each and almost ever sentence. Here's a thought; if the expert asks us to ' you know' then I must 'know' and the punter can be disregarded.
Amongst the current 'experts' the self assured raconteur is one 'Stephen Thompson' best described in a Scotsman's poll of best Scottish punters as 'easily the best dressed of the punters on the list'. A former Scottish international I witnessed his goal in Dortmund's Westphallen Stadion in our 2003, 2-1 defeat. A brilliant stadium.
Bland might be his method of summarising Scottish fitba, criticism of current managers and players is rare.
He may one day care to explain his constant use of the word 'brilliant'. 'Brilliant' is an adjective last earned in Scotland possibly by Henrik Larsson, or to balance the books Brian Laudrup. One could conjour synonyms for brilliant; beaming, bedazzling, candescent, lucid, radiant. However Scottish fitba, brilliant, surely not. We now have access to top flight football 24 hours a day worldwide.
Pittodrie with a 30 yard shot that narrowly misses? Brilliant. Really? Fir Park?
Whenever I venture south I am continually asked by English friends and colleagues; what ever happened to good Scottish footballers?
The context of the well intentioned question is easy; up until 30 odd years ago Scottish players populated England's top clubs in vast numbers. We had players who dominated the wonderful Leeds United teams of the 60s and 70s. Manchester United had Law. The Liverpool who dominated Europe had a backbone of Scots, Dalglish and Souness for goodness sake.
Our almost constant qualification for the World Cup 1974-1998 was in hindsight our golden international era.
History, ours , most of it was before I was born.
Last week I was aghast at Thompson's admission that the pre-Argentina Hampden send off was 'before I was born'.
The SFA sent their 1954 World Cup squad of 14 players to Switzerland with their own training gear and a set of extra thick woolen jerseys in the expectation of chilly weather. We ,they were trounced 7-0 by Uraguay in 90 degree heat. Before I was born.
The 1974 pre-West Germany rowing boat incident. I was 16. A necessary requirement for Scottish fitba misdemeanors.
Then there was the Argentina send off. Demanded by the police for safety reasons and authorised by the SFA, not wanted by Aly Mcleod. A prelude to the impending disaster that was our World Cup 1978. Before Stephen was born.
History. Does it matter?
Our fitba history is littered with great players. Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. Tales of stramash.
John Greig’s last minute winner, Italy 1965.
To understand why many still care for Scottish fitba it requires an understanding of the past, when we were often good, sometimes terrible and more often than not Scottish, much of it before any of us alive today were born.
Hamish
I often despair at the current BBC radio Scotland fitba discussion. The casual and lazy use of 'you know' peppers each and almost ever sentence. Here's a thought; if the expert asks us to ' you know' then I must 'know' and the punter can be disregarded.
Amongst the current 'experts' the self assured raconteur is one 'Stephen Thompson' best described in a Scotsman's poll of best Scottish punters as 'easily the best dressed of the punters on the list'. A former Scottish international I witnessed his goal in Dortmund's Westphallen Stadion in our 2003, 2-1 defeat. A brilliant stadium.
Bland might be his method of summarising Scottish fitba, criticism of current managers and players is rare.
He may one day care to explain his constant use of the word 'brilliant'. 'Brilliant' is an adjective last earned in Scotland possibly by Henrik Larsson, or to balance the books Brian Laudrup. One could conjour synonyms for brilliant; beaming, bedazzling, candescent, lucid, radiant. However Scottish fitba, brilliant, surely not. We now have access to top flight football 24 hours a day worldwide.
Pittodrie with a 30 yard shot that narrowly misses? Brilliant. Really? Fir Park?
Whenever I venture south I am continually asked by English friends and colleagues; what ever happened to good Scottish footballers?
The context of the well intentioned question is easy; up until 30 odd years ago Scottish players populated England's top clubs in vast numbers. We had players who dominated the wonderful Leeds United teams of the 60s and 70s. Manchester United had Law. The Liverpool who dominated Europe had a backbone of Scots, Dalglish and Souness for goodness sake.
Our almost constant qualification for the World Cup 1974-1998 was in hindsight our golden international era.
History, ours , most of it was before I was born.
Last week I was aghast at Thompson's admission that the pre-Argentina Hampden send off was 'before I was born'.
The SFA sent their 1954 World Cup squad of 14 players to Switzerland with their own training gear and a set of extra thick woolen jerseys in the expectation of chilly weather. We ,they were trounced 7-0 by Uraguay in 90 degree heat. Before I was born.
The 1974 pre-West Germany rowing boat incident. I was 16. A necessary requirement for Scottish fitba misdemeanors.
Then there was the Argentina send off. Demanded by the police for safety reasons and authorised by the SFA, not wanted by Aly Mcleod. A prelude to the impending disaster that was our World Cup 1978. Before Stephen was born.
History. Does it matter?
Our fitba history is littered with great players. Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. Tales of stramash.
John Greig’s last minute winner, Italy 1965.
To understand why many still care for Scottish fitba it requires an understanding of the past, when we were often good, sometimes terrible and more often than not Scottish, much of it before any of us alive today were born.
Hamish
Thursday, 29 March 2018
Walking football
It was my first game for Ayr United, Walking Football 2nd team. Tournament, East Ayrshire Walking Football. Venue Stewarton.
The excitement is not in the selection, no it is donning an official Ayr United, The Honest Men's strip.
The draw saw us in a 4 team group, winner to play in the Final, no semi, winner takes all.
A warm up on a cold Ayrshire afternoon was a jog around the astro turf arena. 3 pitches, stretching across, bloody enormous. There had been a discussion on the 3 touch rule as the pitches were 'bloody enormous', however Walking fitba rules clearly state '3 touches'. So be it.
The Hearts from Edinburgh fielded 3 teams, they were and are serious players in Scottish Walking Fitba.
I stopped to watch one game. Serious, you bet. Shouting and swearing, of course. Jostling, you bet.
One guy demonstrates to the ref, ' You better do something about him ref '. Not a question but a plea. The ref turns away and the complainant gets a boot on his leg, mind you he doesn't bat an eyelid.
Our first game; we win 1-0 and I come on as a sub. five minutes later and I am attempting to replace my arm in it's socket, the pain not helped by the freezing wind. We win 1-0 and the next game is against a Hearts team.
They do indeed take it serious, one guy especially. At this point can I point out that the lower age limit is 60. This one particular guy is well over 60 and as a physical specimen he is less than fit, more beer belly than 6 pack belly. Moan and shout at the ref, he then scores and politely accepts the applause of the 20,000 Jam Tarts he believes in his mind are watching from the terracing.
The Hearts win 1-0 deservedly, they do take Walking Fitba seriously and they eventually reach the final, we win the next game 2-0 but need the other Ayr United team to win 2-0 against the Hearts when they haven't even scored a single goal.
Anyway, it turns out the moaning Jam Tart is on an official last warning from no less a person than the saintly Anne Budge, Hearts owner who has had him in for a good telling off, in perso.
I was a reluctant conscript to Walking Fitba, now I love it. Next tournament, bring on the Hearts.
Monday, 11 December 2017
Rangers part 2
There was a time when Rangers were world class, big time. A history that included trophies, cups, championships, a stadium with a truly great main stand, however.
There are blips in their past, a tradition that excluded a section of society, more than occasional fan violence and the eventual and sadly inevitable decline into bankruptcy. These things do happen to football clubs all over the world, that old lady of Italy Juventus was relegated due to dodgy irregularities.
So this week The Rangers face the rejection of one of their own, a cut that goes the deepest. According to today's Herald the anointed manager had gone as far as picking Saturday's team to face Ross County. McInnes, a Rangers fan had turned down the job of his childhood dreams at the 11th hour, perhaps into injury time.
The chance to join the greats. Bill Struth, Scott Symon, Waddell, Souness and Walter Smith was scorned, and The Rangers are furious, they issued a nonsensical press statement so petty that the best it produced was a brilliant Aberdeen fan banner and the embarrassment of their own fans.
Surely McInnes turned down the job because The Rangers took so long to make him the number one choice and because they are no longer the number one club in Scotland nor even the number two, and because they no longer have class.
The past few years have seen millions squandered, a queue has formed to asset strip both the club and the fans. A clueless football strategy, a set of directors with little or no football knowledge, nor class.
Aberdeen were a well run club and they themselves paid the price for a forlorn attempt to match the Old Firm in the 90's, a task so onerous they could not afford a new toaster. They are again a model of financial propriety and as it stands guilty of a rickety old stadium and no proper training facilities, yet a club that is a more attractive proposition than The Rangers.
Where does it leave McInnes? Sunderland were quite rightly declined, there will come another approach, probably from England. There will a financial gain and whichever club comes a calling they will make a speedy and genuine offer and Derek will be gone, with the best wishes of most fans.
Hamish
There are blips in their past, a tradition that excluded a section of society, more than occasional fan violence and the eventual and sadly inevitable decline into bankruptcy. These things do happen to football clubs all over the world, that old lady of Italy Juventus was relegated due to dodgy irregularities.
So this week The Rangers face the rejection of one of their own, a cut that goes the deepest. According to today's Herald the anointed manager had gone as far as picking Saturday's team to face Ross County. McInnes, a Rangers fan had turned down the job of his childhood dreams at the 11th hour, perhaps into injury time.
The chance to join the greats. Bill Struth, Scott Symon, Waddell, Souness and Walter Smith was scorned, and The Rangers are furious, they issued a nonsensical press statement so petty that the best it produced was a brilliant Aberdeen fan banner and the embarrassment of their own fans.
Surely McInnes turned down the job because The Rangers took so long to make him the number one choice and because they are no longer the number one club in Scotland nor even the number two, and because they no longer have class.
The past few years have seen millions squandered, a queue has formed to asset strip both the club and the fans. A clueless football strategy, a set of directors with little or no football knowledge, nor class.
Aberdeen were a well run club and they themselves paid the price for a forlorn attempt to match the Old Firm in the 90's, a task so onerous they could not afford a new toaster. They are again a model of financial propriety and as it stands guilty of a rickety old stadium and no proper training facilities, yet a club that is a more attractive proposition than The Rangers.
Where does it leave McInnes? Sunderland were quite rightly declined, there will come another approach, probably from England. There will a financial gain and whichever club comes a calling they will make a speedy and genuine offer and Derek will be gone, with the best wishes of most fans.
Hamish
Thursday, 7 December 2017
Rangers
With a proud tradition of supplying Scottish football internationals, managers, the venue for games the recent history has been shambolic at best. The decline and bankruptcy of the club should have led to the development of a modern Scottish Rangers, building from scratch, developing youngsters both local and from afar. Proper coaching, a Rangers style, a modern style.
Thus instead of a Scottish 'Ajax' a mini 'Barca' we, both Rangers and Scotland fans have had a new era of asset stripping, easy money to be made or grabbed, from the fans.
And to top it all the non pursuit of a manager or managers leaving ridicule and for many hilarious laughter.
Who next? What next? Where next?
I would contact Kris Boyd as he seems to know, or does he? If I were him I would stick to playing for Kilmarnock, a current player has no business being a media pundit as he either compromises himself or other fellow professionals. Shame on him.
Anyway, as a Scotland fan I desperately await a decent new Scotland player from Ibrox, there have been countless, from George Young to John Grieg to Alan Morton to David Meikeljohn.
Here's hoping.
Hamish
Thus instead of a Scottish 'Ajax' a mini 'Barca' we, both Rangers and Scotland fans have had a new era of asset stripping, easy money to be made or grabbed, from the fans.
And to top it all the non pursuit of a manager or managers leaving ridicule and for many hilarious laughter.
Who next? What next? Where next?
I would contact Kris Boyd as he seems to know, or does he? If I were him I would stick to playing for Kilmarnock, a current player has no business being a media pundit as he either compromises himself or other fellow professionals. Shame on him.
Anyway, as a Scotland fan I desperately await a decent new Scotland player from Ibrox, there have been countless, from George Young to John Grieg to Alan Morton to David Meikeljohn.
Here's hoping.
Hamish
Monday, 4 December 2017
He put the English out (out out out)
There is a regular T-Shirt designed and sold by a Tartan Army with Scotland's Player of the Year, a list of scorers who just happen to have put the English out , (out out out). Add in a few of England's penalty misses and the score is settled.
Edward Hammer of the Scots will be turning in his grave at the mention of the 1970 West Germany World Cup Quarter Final 3-2 victory courtesy of Franz Beckenbauer, Uwe Seeler and Gerd Muller. Special mention should be made of goalie Peter Bonetti and the substitution of Bobby Charlton by Sir Alf Ramsey.
The USA 1950 World Cup victory perchance?
Chris Waddle 1990 World Cup semi-final penalty miss?
Gareth Southgate Euro '96 semi-final penalty miss , another Scottish hero, and of course there are more, and there will be many more unfortunates.
To top it all, the ultimate hero , the world's greatest fitba drug taker, step forward Diego Maradona, he of the hand of god. 'He put the English out, out,out,out'.
What do they all have in common? The English exit was long after we were sent home to think again.
Spare me the feeling of shadenfreude, the gleefull expectation that our neighbours will lose next year in a tournament that we have not qualified for, have not visited for 19 years and, worse of all the realisation that we the Tartan Army are not missed'
' No Scotland, we still can have a party', the world sings.
Let's concentrate on finding a set of players that will qualify and a manager, from any part of the world that can lead us to the finals.
Please.
Edward Hammer of the Scots will be turning in his grave at the mention of the 1970 West Germany World Cup Quarter Final 3-2 victory courtesy of Franz Beckenbauer, Uwe Seeler and Gerd Muller. Special mention should be made of goalie Peter Bonetti and the substitution of Bobby Charlton by Sir Alf Ramsey.
The USA 1950 World Cup victory perchance?
Chris Waddle 1990 World Cup semi-final penalty miss?
Gareth Southgate Euro '96 semi-final penalty miss , another Scottish hero, and of course there are more, and there will be many more unfortunates.
To top it all, the ultimate hero , the world's greatest fitba drug taker, step forward Diego Maradona, he of the hand of god. 'He put the English out, out,out,out'.
What do they all have in common? The English exit was long after we were sent home to think again.
Spare me the feeling of shadenfreude, the gleefull expectation that our neighbours will lose next year in a tournament that we have not qualified for, have not visited for 19 years and, worse of all the realisation that we the Tartan Army are not missed'
' No Scotland, we still can have a party', the world sings.
Let's concentrate on finding a set of players that will qualify and a manager, from any part of the world that can lead us to the finals.
Please.
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