Central def, Dempster, don’t mention the EBT

I could make the case that Kilmarnock were better against Celtic on Sunday than Hearts were, when the latter won 4-0 at Tynecastle last year. At Rugby Park, Celtic failed to retain possession to anything like an adequate level. The nuances of the pitch were known in advance, I don’t buy it as an excuse.

Players seemed over-anxious to get rid of the ball, most often by sending it forward to players who didn’t have the space necessary to retain possession. A large part of our conventional system relies on passing and movement from central defence. The early loss of Boyata, then Ajer, did Celtic more damage than the pitch.

You know that ominous feeling you get when media and many in the game are uniting behind a candidate for a top job, before the job is even advertised? Leeann Dempster might be the best administrator in Hibs’ and Motherwell’s recent history, but that is modest claim to fame. The job of CEO at the SFA should go through a conventional recruitment process.

As for BBC news this morning that the SFA are considering Walter Smith* as national team manager, a man who walked out on his contract halfway through a qualifying campaign for a club job! This tells you all you need to know about football in Scotland.

*and I didn’t even mention his EBT, because no one ever mentions “Walter’s” EBT, that would just embarrass the man.  It must be like a sketch of Monty Python whenever he walks into a room of journalists.  Would love to know what it was for……

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