I was disappointed for St Johnstone at their exit from the Europa League last night but not for Scottish football, or our coefficient points. Saints are a provincial club in a very rural part of Scotland. You only have to travel through the hills to Perth to realise that pocket of Scotland, with its tractors, knitwear and wellie boot shops, has no God given right to beat a team from any municipality anywhere.
They have done very well for the last couple of seasons, from a tiny catchment area, but managed to reach Europe by pipping Dundee United, who ironically were good enough to have key players poached midseason.
St Johnstone don’t have potential superstars, they are also the oldest team in the league, which gets you through a long campaign but they are never going to sparkle. Or earn Scottish football a hatful of coefficient points.
Dundee United were decimated by the loss of those two players midseason, and were done no favours with the shadow of uncertainty which enveloped backroom and boardroom for months, but they, Aberdeen and Celtic are the only Scottish clubs capable of getting their act together to the extent required to reach European group stages. For everyone else, Europe is strictly a July pursuit, so don’t stress about it, and Tommy Wright is well within his rights to talk up his own club.
If Scottish football wants to get all introspective about last night, we should concern ourselves with concentrating resources on clubs who are independently financially viable: Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts, Celtic, Hibs and maybe Dundee. If more of our sponsorship and TV money went to Aberdeen and United and less to the thirty-or-so hangers on, they would be better placed to consolidate their development work and compete in Europe.
Celtic are five days away from their opening competitive game of the season, so I would think tonight’s friendly against Davie Moyes’ Real Sociedad will be the last strenuous exercise the players go through after what will have been a taxing first few weeks of preseason. After this workout it should all be about recovery before the visit of Stjarnan on Wednesday. The usual caveats apply to Nadir Ciftci, if he looks like he couldn’t run upstairs, he’s about where I’d expect him to be right now.
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VVD FK just over
BT I don’t think Madden is even that good!! H H Hebcelt
Muguruza???
is he not playing in the Wimbledon Ladies final ramorra?
Izzy sets off SA. Corner
the spirit of arthur lee
21:24 on 10 July, 2015
Billy Ocean now on
_______
When did he sign!
Mike
Agreed as the final prep game it’s a bit more relevant but I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it . Did we not have broken crests in the newspaper some years back over losing a friendly
Ron Bacardi
20:50 on
10 July, 2015
Tontine Tim, I played for St Eunans in the boys guild league. Great times, going as far afield as Helensburgh and Balloch
*played on an ash park near the Clyde, might have been youse or OHR. Helensburgh St Josephs was a treat on the park at Kirkmichael.
2 added minutes
nice link up between izzy and SA …. but the latter needs to show more ….
Thunder Road
In pubs, you can see people`s reactions. CQN doesn`t show nods of agreement after reading a post! Most of us , I suspect, enjoy reading most posts but it is not possible to comment on all of them.You can be sure yours are read and responded to at least internally.
JJ
sipsini
Suddenly
Ft. 1-0
Thunder road
For the record I always ignore your posts
Good work out.
The Iceland team will not be as good as Sociedad but they will not tire like Sociedad did either.
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
21:31 on
10 July, 2015
Thunder Road
In pubs, you can see people`s reactions. CQN doesn`t show nods of agreement after reading a post! Most of us , I suspect, enjoy reading most posts but it is not possible to comment on all of them.You can be sure yours are read and responded to at least internally.
JJ
Exactly
the best I can do is usually a wee smiley :-))
HH
Good victory and some good football, especially from Bitton.
Yahoo one nil
Ronny ronny ronny we love you
Good work out, clean sheet and a win.
Nice to see Davie Moyes without Alex Ferguson staring into the back of his head.
Onwards to a thumping win, to take to Iceland .
Hail Hail
Tontine
ron bacardi only played on grass parks with his silver spoon in his mouth
ash parks where for the pleb poor
I enjoyed that and I especially enjoyed the commentary
Night night timdom
Ronny should be pleased with the second half performance.
The Norse men will be worried when they look at the last 60 minutes of the game.
I’m sure we will put them in their, hem, plaice.
Good game.
Some positive signs.
Brown Biton GMS all looked great
Special mention to Fisher and Ciftci as subs
Give Fisher right back spot and use Lustig in centre with Jainko as back up
Yes! 1-0. Job done. Only a meaningless friendly but better to win them! Can’t wait to next week. Goodnight CQN, the best blog on T’tinterweb. Back to the family.
hail! Hail!
WITS …
I feel a bit better after the second half … but cannot agree with you entirely as I would be kicked out of the mineshafter’s union. :)
Have to admit better than I was expecting ………..
so happy with that……….:-))
HH
1-0..Before the real thing starts..Suits me..On And On..
1-0 win for the Boys in Green . So much better in the 2nd half – a result and debuts for 2 of our new signings.
Excellent workout before Wednesday – play like we did in the second half and we should get a good result to take to Iceland.
Passing was much more incisive, pressing was better and all round workrate was at a much higher tempo.
A bit worried after the first half – quite relaxed now after the second half. Fisher came on and excelled, Bitton was commanding, Broony was ‘tenacious’. GMS on the score sheet again and Ciftci was Shifty !
Roll on CP on Wednesday night – COYBIG
Mike in Toronto
Then join me in a ronny out roar
WITS
I am like that with your posts. I have NEVER read one and will never respond to your comments and I don“t think you love Ronny.
JJ
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Brilliant!!!!!!! Great result against a very strong Real Sociedad!!!!!!! Thanks for all the posts guys!!!!!!! In Leuven on the E314!!!!!!! Life rocks!!!!!!!
HH
WEE BGFC
Second half was better but they made changes at half time which weakened them.
We look much better when pressing tho.
Still disappointed at out passing when compared to Dukla or Sociedad.
I know not everyone agrees, but I thought big George added some really good, insightful commentary tonight …. I, for one, hope he does more of the games this year.
Jungle Jim
I like it. That’s the spirit
Right that’s enough positivity thank you very much
:-)
HH
WITS
I didn`t read that comment either so I don`t care if you like it or not.
JJ
To time Tim, the ash park was OHRs, known as Clyde Street. I scored a hat trick there! Can remember a header in particular.
WITS ….. how about a compromise? I could do a ‘Scott Brown out’ roar …. :)
(I have to be consistent)
Our CL opponents next week are currently at 1-1 against Valur
Liked the look of the team tonight it;s starting to take shape I think we will be far to strong for the Icelanders next week. Good to see our players looking fit so early which augurs well in our preparations for the start of the season