Some things in football defy satisfactory explanation. Top of that list is Alex McLeish’s Rangers winning a treble against Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in 2002-03. I know they were financially doped, as Michel Platini would put it, and I know we had the whole Seville thing going on that season, but Celtic were clearly the stronger side.
A gulf between the sides opened the following season, wider-still than the enormous talent of The Swede, but we were left to ponder what went wrong in the final weeks of season 2004-05 as Celtic an unfit looking Celtic were pipped, again, by McLeish.
During that period, he won everything he got close to.
Subsequent years have not been kind to the reputation of either McLeish or O’Neill. But whereas Martin got Ireland to Euro 2016, McLeish bumped around from one Birmingham failure to another. He had to go to Egypt to get a job, but was sacked after two months of dismal failure. Surely a gig in the amateur game would follow?
Exactly! Where else is more amateur than the SFA. What was not good enough for Zamalek SC was perfect for the Scotland national team. We all knew McLeish was a busted flush, but the sheer level of amateurism at the SFA led to Michael O’Neill being courted, then publicly rebuffing the SFA due to their (cough) amateurism.
The problem with all of this is when people at the top stop caring, the apathy percolates down to you and me. We are no longer engaged with international football as fans. That ship has sailed and may never return. I love the World Cup and the Euros, but I don’t support anyone. I plan things to do during the autumn and spring international breaks, they are a welcome space in the calendar.
None of this is Alex McLeish’ fault. He’s just a coach caught miles out of his depth, who built a career on figuring out that playing three up against Celtic’s tanker-ship back three was the way to go.
I would shutter the SFA and Hampden in a minute. They played an important role for a century but neither is fit for the purposes of the game in Scotland. The SFA only came into being because of geography. Rail travel was not good enough for Queens Park to fulfil fixtures. If the transport routes between Glasgow and the East Midlands were better, Queens would never have taken the initiative to form a local association.
Football is now a pan-national sport and business. If you were to re-imagine appropriate structures from scratch, they would not look anything like the SFA. We have jets and the M74. Admit we have moved on and join the FA.
181 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17584314.celtic-and-hearts-given-5050-ticket-split-for-scottish-cup-final/
Wonder who’ll get the lions share of posh neutral seats for the Cup Final?
AnybodyButCeltic CSC
BSR…he’s got the weak chin…but not the porno moustache…to pull it off…ooer missus ;-))
TRADITIONALIST88
“I don’t know if I agree with that.”
No problem with that, this would be some place if we all agreed with each other!
They looked at Michael O’Neil and for that they get pass marks! Not in my book they don’t, they ham fisted the approach for him (lives in Edinburgh!) and then zero analysis of what options were open to them, just another blunder by going out and hiring the first guy available – -big Eck. I’ve had it with them until such times as they are run by a neutral professional competent body, check out their history – its one of consistent incompetence, they even hired Gordon Smith as their chief executive!
But no problem at all with you having a different opinion,
Hail Hail
Photie on the Boys Brigade Corporation site of a dejected Scotland player, a WBA player on loan tae a Scottish club.
competent body
Tontine…not everything is an ABC conspiracy…but on the BBC…yer probably right…on the balance of probabilities;-))
BSR…I take it you’re following the bountiful Christina’s career…so you’ll have been watching Tin Star…is it any good?
Ryan Christie to miss the Scottish Cup Final sad ? HH
Electrical Short Circuit…probable cause of Notra Dame fire…must be splinter group of ISIL ;-))
Scott Brown hearing moved to the 26 April 3 game ban coming up me thinks HH
FrannyB67…sad for him, worse for us…although an extra incentive…as though the players need one…to go out and lift the Scottish Cup..we’ll be there…’cept those boycotting FTSFA tourneys
FrannyB67…Scot Browns hearing is a nothing charge…will be very surprised if anything comes of it…even if he is only censured, I would hope that the club would back an appeal
The Lurkin Tim – Tin Star – its another one of those American thrillers where they stretch the story line out to breaking point – if it were not for Christine I would not have watched the first series, but not the worst thing on Sky right now, maybe 7 out of 10.
ROck Tree Bhoy thanx…don’t have Sky…got Showbox…7/10 is above average so will check it out…thanx for the zero spoilers ;-))
The lurkintim
Hope they go in all guns blazing ?HH
I dismissed this due to the title,thing is will the EFA welcome clubs from another country?
Sadly the answer will be NO.
UEFA having stated exactly that a few years ago,saying that they’re aware of the Welsh clubs playing in English leagues,they can stay there.However,they then said that there’ll be NO MORE of tha going to be permitted.
YES ain’t makes sense,but when did that ever come into it?
It’s a NO GO.
Hopefully that’ll change,but I very much doubt it.
HH?
IT WAS CQN WOT WON IT!
Wow, We Did It. We have won The People’s (no, not thems peepul) Project on Border TV and have been awarded £40,594 to build our indoor enclosure to carry out our work throughout the year. A massive thanks to all who voted, to all who shared and to all who shared and voted. A special thanks to CRC – Marc, you are an inspiration and memories of Pink Street will never fade; to CORKCELT who knows what it feels like to have the backing of CQN and who rallied everyone to the cause; and, of course, to PAUL 67 for allowing us to inhabit, enjoy and share this fabulous site.
If anyone ever needs to hug a donkey, you know where we are and you’d be very, very welcome!
Once again, Many, Many Thanks
The embargo has just been lifted, we’ve just appeared on Border News, and if I can find a way to post the big reveal I shall! (Kleenex at the handy)
Scaniel
Well done, all the best
Scaniel…my bad…meant to ask last night how you got on…there’s the answer…****CQNGRATULATIONS*** …well deserved…now go and embezel it and you and yer long suffering partner go on a long holiday ;-)))
Scaniel
Great news
HH
Scaniel
many many congratulations for your wonderful project and hard work.
If you need a firm to carry out the construction. Get my details
SCANIEL
Congratulations & well done Lets hope your project
can go from success to success
Plus well done to all CQN’rs who voted it the winner
The new home jersey is horrendous btw
Sooner we get rid of New Balance the better
THELURKINTIM on 18TH APRIL 2019 5:40 PM
Electrical Short Circuit…probable cause of Notra Dame fire…must be splinter group of ISIL ;-))
——–
In 2018 alone, 875 churches were vandalised in France according to official police figures. A church in Paris was set ablaze in March.
Hmmmmmmmm.
Well done Scaniel and HH.
McLeish divides opinion. Some people didn’t like him. Others just thought he was completely scheidt.
Scaniel.
Congrats
You have the donkey sanctuary, right? Any truth in the rumour That Carlos Pena is staying with you?
SCANIEL
Brilliant news ! Mon the Donkeys ??
Scaniel
How did that happen :)
Well done.
Cmon the donkeys
HH
Congratulations Scaniel big hail hail to the donkey sanctuary …
TIMALOY29 , 3-11pm
Newcastle’s trophy haul is very poor compared to Villa’s , only thing bigger is their stadium
A report from a Newspaper to which I will not link
Is it all right to call a SPAD a SPAD in these PC times?
Or must I continue to refer to them as a nasty bunch of entitled bigots?
“A RANGERS fan group is to join protests against Glasgow City Council following claims that the council discriminates against Protestants.
The Vanguard Bears shared a post announcing their intention to join a planned demonstration on April 27 organised by the Scottish Protestants Against Discrimination (SPAD).
It comes after the council made the decision to reroute a planned parade involving the Apprentice Boys of Derry which had planned to pass St Alphonsus church, were parish priest Cannon Tom White was spat at during an Orange Walk last year.
Taking to Twitter to announce the move, the Vanguard Bears wrote: “Meet at 12.30pm on April 27 at George Square, Glasgow to protest against discrimination of our culture.
“Enough is enough.”
The statement from the SPAD said: “The decision taken yesterday by Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland is a clear attack on the Culture and Beliefs of the Protestant people of Scotland and in doing so have created a ‘No Go Area’ for Protestants.
“The right to assemble in a public place is a key civil and political right, and as such the state has a positive obligation to protect and facilitate and the exercise of that right.”
The protest will take place outside the city chambers.
A spokesman for GCC branded the claims a “fundamental misunderstanding”.
He said: “This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the legislation on public processions.
“There is no such thing as a no-go area for any organisation. In reality, a procession passed the site in question earlier this year.
“In the case of the event planned for Easter Sunday, our Public Processions Committee heard evidence from Police Scotland that there was a significant potential for serious disorder if the procession went ahead on its intended route.
“This was based on intelligence relating to protests and counter-protests on the day.”
I have started receiving messages on screen that “the website celticquicknews would like to access your current location” Allow or Don’t Allow
What’s this about Paul? Do you know about this and, if you do, why do you want to know where I am?
Anyone else getting this?
Opportunists.csc
S.F.T.B.
Got the same message
SCANIEL
Congratulations and very well done
Brilliant news
:-)
HH
If that is the new home strip , I have to say I don’t like hoops that don’t go all the way round (if that makes sense).
SCANIEL, congrats it was probably my vote from Cheshire that swung it for you,hh.?