How Rank Are Scotland And Spl Clubs In Europe

[southside1874]

What is your point, caller?

 

It looks like you are fishing.

 

My point is purely that the BBC should be able to afford proper Saturday night SPL highlights as they are supposed to be regionalised. The money spent on EPL Highlights + Championship Highlights & Live games + English International live games is unfair compared to the pishy token late Monday night SPL highlights package.

 

Do you disagree with this? If so, at least try and post some constructive arguments.

I would imagine its the league thats telling them when they can play the highlights.................do kids still watch TV much if they're not interested in the programme?

[dirtyharry]

you are 1 bitter individual i sense you make reference to me having a support for millwall so every millwall fan has a hooligan nature about them do they?it is you who comes across odious in your bitterness agaisnt anyone who dares to speak out agaisnt scotland or scottish clubs..and yes i am anti- spl clubs apart from my beloved hearts fc.lets face it you seem like a front/spokesman for the racist bigoted tartan army in your views on a working class raw proper team like millwall..remember the tartan army were no angels in the 70s and 80s and the man ures and chelsea and spurs etc all have hooligan issues as bad as millwall,but the bullie always like to pick on the little people eh..lets face it scottish clubs in europe are sinking like the national team and in a year or 2 i reckon the champions will have to go through 2 qualifying rounds to qualify and 1 or 2 clubs will have to go through 3 qualifying rounds if they are to make it and that is correct..

1. I was talking about the SPL teams getting equal shares of the TV cash, and since Elgin aren't in the SPL they don't qualify.

2. I'm not on the wind-up, just pointing out that the BBC is doing a disgraceful job of Scottish sport. My argument is that all the money is being spent on English football at our expense. The fact they are better than us is irrelevant, as the BBC still has a duty to do its job and Scottish football should come first in BBC Scotland.

[davemclaren]

What is your point, caller?

 

It looks like you are fishing.

 

My point is purely that the BBC should be able to afford proper Saturday night SPL highlights as they are supposed to be regionalised. The money spent on EPL Highlights + Championship Highlights & Live games + English International live games is unfair compared to the pishy token late Monday night SPL highlights package.

 

Do you disagree with this? If so, at least try and post some constructive arguments.

 

 

I'm a fisher of men.

 

Just trying to understand how you think the BBC should spend it's cash on TV rights in Scotland and in England. You don't know it's unfair, or how unfair it is, as you don't know how much is spent.

[davemclaren]

I'm a fisher of men.

 

Just trying to understand how you think the BBC should spend it's cash on TV rights in Scotland and in England. You don't know it's unfair, or how unfair it is, as you don't know how much is spent.

 

 

Also, have you considered that the BBC package may be all that the SPL can sell to them due to the terms of their contract with Sky/ESPN?

[shaun.lawson]

"It's the BBC's fault!"

 

"It's the Old Firm's fault!" Well, getting closer - but still doesn't cut it I'm afraid.

 

Why is Scottish football in so much trouble? Answer: Scottish football, whose administrators and coaches are endemically conservative and absolutely terrified of change, and whose fans spend 90 minutes yelling at the players to hoof the baw into the box.

 

This is a total system failure, folks; and to be fixed, requires complete revolution, based on skills, technique, patience (from coaches, players and fans) and expansion. I think most of us on here know what's required; but for various reasons (namely: money and fear), administrators and clubs aren't willing to agree to them.

 

How many Scottish coaches get their reputation by making teams "hard tae beat"? How many get theirs via developing exciting, positive, footballing sides? Jim Jefferies is one of a handful of the latter group; but in Scotland right now, there aren't many like him. Why? Why this obsession with caution and negativity? What's the point of playing football if not to express yourself?

[jamboinglasgow]

"It's the BBC's fault!"

 

"It's the Old Firm's fault!" Well, getting closer - but still doesn't cut it I'm afraid.

 

Why is Scottish football in so much trouble? Answer: Scottish football, whose administrators and coaches are endemically conservative and absolutely terrified of change, and whose fans spend 90 minutes yelling at the players to hoof the baw into the box.

 

This is a total system failure, folks; and to be fixed, requires complete revolution, based on skills, technique, patience (from coaches, players and fans) and expansion. I think most of us on here know what's required; but for various reasons (namely: money and fear), administrators and clubs aren't willing to agree to them.

 

How many Scottish coaches get their reputation by making teams "hard tae beat"? How many get theirs via developing exciting, positive, footballing sides? Jim Jefferies is one of a handful of the latter group; but in Scotland right now, there aren't many like him. Why? Why this obsession with caution and negativity? What's the point of playing football if not to express yourself?

 

I know this sounds like a daft and idiology rather then a solution but bare with me.

 

However Scotland needs to look to the past for the future. I am not talking about looking at what we did in 70s, 60s or 50s or earlier. I am talking about looking at the Scottish Enlightenment. Sounds odd doesn't it, but the core message of the Scottish Enlightenment is question everything, if it stands up to scrutny and if it does use it, if it does not then change it. Thats what Scottish football needs to adopt. Do we really need a 12 team league? Is 4-4-2 the best formation? Is fitness the most important thing at an early age or is getting as many touches and working on skills important? Are competitions at a young age wise? There must be no sacred cows that remain unquestioned. Everything can only move forward when we figure out what is worth keeping and what is worth changing.

 

As part of this, just as universites were vital for the Scottish Enlightenment, so must there be football centres around the country where new things can be tried and tested, where coaches and figures can be allowed to try things.

 

I have read some things in the press since the cup exit and it strikes me as the usual arguments being said without the people saying it having any clue what actually is needed to be done. For me the Summer football argument is this. While there are some positive benefits to the summer football, there are also some negative and requires a full debate about it. But the papers simple label it a solution, "Scottish teams cant get through Europe....we need Summer football." We need a proper debate and having the ability to fully challenge everything in Scottish football so we can come up with the right way to fix it.

 

And Shaun you make some great points there.

[southside1874]

I know this sounds like a daft and idiology rather then a solution but bare with me.

 

However Scotland needs to look to the past for the future. I am not talking about looking at what we did in 70s, 60s or 50s or earlier. I am talking about looking at the Scottish Enlightenment. Sounds odd doesn't it, but the core message of the Scottish Enlightenment is question everything, if it stands up to scrutny and if it does use it, if it does not then change it. Thats what Scottish football needs to adopt. Do we really need a 12 team league? Is 4-4-2 the best formation? Is fitness the most important thing at an early age or is getting as many touches and working on skills important? Are competitions at a young age wise? There must be no sacred cows that remain unquestioned. Everything can only move forward when we figure out what is worth keeping and what is worth changing.

 

As part of this, just as universites were vital for the Scottish Enlightenment, so must there be football centres around the country where new things can be tried and tested, where coaches and figures can be allowed to try things.

 

I have read some things in the press since the cup exit and it strikes me as the usual arguments being said without the people saying it having any clue what actually is needed to be done. For me the Summer football argument is this. While there are some positive benefits to the summer football, there are also some negative and requires a full debate about it. But the papers simple label it a solution, "Scottish teams cant get through Europe....we need Summer football." We need a proper debate and having the ability to fully challenge everything in Scottish football so we can come up with the right way to fix it.

 

And Shaun you make some great points there.

 

Football centres around the country is surely the teams. I agree that the whole system needs to be challengedto find the proper solutions. Its rarely one thing that makes something fail but a combination of several things failing at once.

[Randle P McMurphy]

The main problem I see is competitive football at too young an age. When I grew up in the late 60s/ early 70s there were very few facilities or youth teams. The guys that made it into the youth teams were the equivalent of the initiative players nowadays. Nowadays there are teams running at 3rd and 4th division level on a competitive basis. The decline in scottish football can be linked to the increasing competitive nature of the youth game. No longer is it about guys kicking it about in a park or indeed street and developing skills in an unconscious manner, it has become more important to win the mickey mouse cup or league they are entered in. Also there were no restrictions on players playing for their schools/ churches/scouts/BBs etc. Once the player finished training or playing for their club team, the club had no idea what they were up to. That frustrates the hell out of me to see boys unable to play for their school because they are signed up with a league team

 

What we need to do is get back to football where guys develop at their own pace and are not burdened with 'just clear your lines' or 'keep it simple'. They should be trying outrageous tricks and skills without the pressure of being knocked out of a cup in the 3rd division Edinburgh south.

 

There are loads of examples in other countries with comparable populations where they are doing it better than us. They really need to start learning from Holland, the Scandanavian countries etc If you go back to the 50s/60s Holland were the equivalent of Liechtenstein nowadays. They had the foresight to actually re-invent their football to the extent that all of the major leagues in Europe now contain a number of Dutchmen.

 

 

[southside1874]

The main problem I see is competitive football at too young an age. When I grew up in the late 60s/ early 70s there were very few facilities or youth teams. The guys that made it into the youth teams were the equivalent of the initiative players nowadays. Nowadays there are teams running at 3rd and 4th division level on a competitive basis. The decline in scottish football can be linked to the increasing competitive nature of the youth game. No longer is it about guys kicking it about in a park or indeed street and developing skills in an unconscious manner, it has become more important to win the mickey mouse cup or league they are entered in. Also there were no restrictions on players playing for their schools/ churches/scouts/BBs etc. Once the player finished training or playing for their club team, the club had no idea what they were up to. That frustrates the hell out of me to see boys unable to play for their school because they are signed up with a league team

 

What we need to do is get back to football where guys develop at their own pace and are not burdened with 'just clear your lines' or 'keep it simple'. They should be trying outrageous tricks and skills without the pressure of being knocked out of a cup in the 3rd division Edinburgh south.

 

There are loads of examples in other countries with comparable populations where they are doing it better than us. They really need to start learning from Holland, the Scandanavian countries etc If you go back to the 50s/60s Holland were the equivalent of Liechtenstein nowadays. They had the foresight to actually re-invent their football to the extent that all of the major leagues in Europe now contain a number of Dutchmen.

 

We are competitive by nature as a nation. We should use that rather than go the opposite way.

[shaun.lawson]

I know this sounds like a daft and idiology rather then a solution but bare with me.

 

However Scotland needs to look to the past for the future. I am not talking about looking at what we did in 70s, 60s or 50s or earlier. I am talking about looking at the Scottish Enlightenment. Sounds odd doesn't it, but the core message of the Scottish Enlightenment is question everything, if it stands up to scrutny and if it does use it, if it does not then change it. Thats what Scottish football needs to adopt. Do we really need a 12 team league? Is 4-4-2 the best formation? Is fitness the most important thing at an early age or is getting as many touches and working on skills important? Are competitions at a young age wise? There must be no sacred cows that remain unquestioned. Everything can only move forward when we figure out what is worth keeping and what is worth changing.

 

As part of this, just as universites were vital for the Scottish Enlightenment, so must there be football centres around the country where new things can be tried and tested, where coaches and figures can be allowed to try things.

 

I have read some things in the press since the cup exit and it strikes me as the usual arguments being said without the people saying it having any clue what actually is needed to be done. For me the Summer football argument is this. While there are some positive benefits to the summer football, there are also some negative and requires a full debate about it. But the papers simple label it a solution, "Scottish teams cant get through Europe....we need Summer football." We need a proper debate and having the ability to fully challenge everything in Scottish football so we can come up with the right way to fix it.

 

And Shaun you make some great points there.

 

 

The main problem I see is competitive football at too young an age. When I grew up in the late 60s/ early 70s there were very few facilities or youth teams. The guys that made it into the youth teams were the equivalent of the initiative players nowadays. Nowadays there are teams running at 3rd and 4th division level on a competitive basis. The decline in scottish football can be linked to the increasing competitive nature of the youth game. No longer is it about guys kicking it about in a park or indeed street and developing skills in an unconscious manner, it has become more important to win the mickey mouse cup or league they are entered in. Also there were no restrictions on players playing for their schools/ churches/scouts/BBs etc. Once the player finished training or playing for their club team, the club had no idea what they were up to. That frustrates the hell out of me to see boys unable to play for their school because they are signed up with a league team

 

What we need to do is get back to football where guys develop at their own pace and are not burdened with 'just clear your lines' or 'keep it simple'. They should be trying outrageous tricks and skills without the pressure of being knocked out of a cup in the 3rd division Edinburgh south.

 

There are loads of examples in other countries with comparable populations where they are doing it better than us. They really need to start learning from Holland, the Scandanavian countries etc If you go back to the 50s/60s Holland were the equivalent of Liechtenstein nowadays. They had the foresight to actually re-invent their football to the extent that all of the major leagues in Europe now contain a number of Dutchmen.

 

Both of these. And under pressure to win these pointless tournaments, what do youth coaches do? Pick the big, strong boys; ignore the smaller kids with better technique.

[Randle P McMurphy]

The main problem I see is competitive football at too young an age. When I grew up in the late 60s/ early 70s there were very few facilities or youth teams. The guys that made it into the youth teams were the equivalent of the initiative players nowadays. Nowadays there are teams running at 3rd and 4th division level on a competitive basis. The decline in scottish football can be linked to the increasing competitive nature of the youth game. No longer is it about guys kicking it about in a park or indeed street and developing skills in an unconscious manner, it has become more important to win the mickey mouse cup or league they are entered in. Also there were no restrictions on players playing for their schools/ churches/scouts/BBs etc. Once the player finished training or playing for their club team, the club had no idea what they were up to. That frustrates the hell out of me to see boys unable to play for their school because they are signed up with a league team

 

What we need to do is get back to football where guys develop at their own pace and are not burdened with 'just clear your lines' or 'keep it simple'. They should be trying outrageous tricks and skills without the pressure of being knocked out of a cup in the 3rd division Edinburgh south.

 

There are loads of examples in other countries with comparable populations where they are doing it better than us. They really need to start learning from Holland, the Scandanavian countries etc If you go back to the 50s/60s Holland were the equivalent of Liechtenstein nowadays. They had the foresight to actually re-invent their football to the extent that all of the major leagues in Europe now contain a number of Dutchmen.

 

 

 

 

We are competitive by nature as a nation. We should use that rather than go the opposite way.

 

so we should continue in the cycle of mediocrity? the problem is not in being competitive it is in the making meaningless games worth something. christ we played 20 a side on sundays that were as competitive as you could find however there were no coaches telling us to hoof it up the park and clear our lines as we were in the last 10 minutes of the borthwick the butchers 3rd division consolation cup.

 

 

 

[Randle P McMurphy]

Both of these. And under pressure to win these pointless tournaments, what do youth coaches do? Pick the big, strong boys; ignore the smaller kids with better technique.

 

i don't think this is necessarily the problem. they pick good players irrespective of size. it is the tactics that are the problem. 'lay it off' 'don't take any risks' 'clear your lines' 'cut out the fancy stuff'. they should be encouraged to bring their skills into the game not stifle them without the pressure of winning trophies.

[southside1874]

so we should continue in the cycle of mediocrity? the problem is not in being competitive it is in the making meaningless games worth something. christ we played 20 a side on sundays that were as competitive as you could find however there were no coaches telling us to hoof it up the park and clear our lines as we were in the last 10 minutes of the borthwick the butchers 3rd division consolation cup.

 

Being competitive doesn't mean you hoof it up the park and clear your lines. Thats fear of losing. Theirs nothing stopping a kid working on any aspect of his game if he puts in the time and effort. Do you want a player in your team who plays to win or someone who just enjoys taking part?

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Both of these. And under pressure to win these pointless tournaments, what do youth coaches do? Pick the big, strong boys; ignore the smaller kids with better technique.

 

It's always been like that though.

 

Problem in my eyes is kids have all sorts of options on what to do with their time. Think when most of us were growing up, you played football all the time - in the street or in the park. Times change though.

 

Mu auld man grew up in Saughton and tells me that the park was jam packet in the summer when kids were on their holidays - hardly a soul these days though.

 

The generations of kids who played 24/7 have gone - we need to try and get kids back in to football.

 

I recently bumped in to a guy who I played for football for - even the Saturday amatu leagues are struggling for teams.

[shaun.lawson]

It's always been like that though.

 

Problem in my eyes is kids have all sorts of options on what to do with their time. Think when most of us were growing up, you played football all the time - in the street or in the park. Times change though.

 

Mu auld man grew up in Saughton and tells me that the park was jam packet in the summer when kids were on their holidays - hardly a soul these days though.

 

The generations of kids who played 24/7 have gone - we need to try and get kids back in to football.

 

I recently bumped in to a guy who I played for football for - even the Saturday amatu leagues are struggling for teams.

 

That's certainly all true. Remember too that in the past, there simply weren't as many countries proficient at the game as there are now; and that a succession of law changes over the last 20 years have penalised nations traditionally reliant on physical, direct play and helped those from hotter climates with better technique and an emphasis on keeping the ball.

 

Germany saw the direction in which the wind was blowing, so changed. England and Scotland stayed on our island with our grey lifestyle, our sagging waves and our 4-4-2... and did nothing.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

That's certainly all true. Remember too that in the past, there simply weren't as many countries proficient at the game as there are now; and that a succession of law changes over the last 20 years have penalised nations traditionally reliant on physical, direct play and helped those from hotter climates with better technique and an emphasis on keeping the ball.

 

Germany saw the direction in which the wind was blowing, so changed. England and Scotland stayed on our island with our grey lifestyle, our sagging waves and our 4-4-2... and did nothing.

 

Keeping the ball is the name of the game - an old manager I played under had a great saying, "Whoever has the ball in the master" - he was right.

 

I really don't know the answer. The obvious thing would be to go out to countries who have a similar population and see how they work things with their youths. Facilities are obviously important, and its good to see SPL clubs putting faith in its academies - that sounds to simple though? I suspect the problem is deeper though.

 

The generations of tanner ball players never had the greatest coaching the world - they learnt their trade under street lamps - that dont happen now though.

 

Also feel that at times that the natural talent and guile is coached out of players in the modern game.

 

Where are the Le Tissier's of this world? Probably playing in League One!

[Randle P McMurphy]

That's certainly all true. Remember too that in the past, there simply weren't as many countries proficient at the game as there are now; and that a succession of law changes over the last 20 years have penalised nations traditionally reliant on physical, direct play and helped those from hotter climates with better technique and an emphasis on keeping the ball.

 

Germany saw the direction in which the wind was blowing, so changed. England and Scotland stayed on our island with our grey lifestyle, our sagging waves and our 4-4-2... and did nothing.

 

 

Keeping the ball is the name of the game - an old manager I played under had a great saying, "Whoever has the ball in the master" - he was right.

 

I really don't know the answer. The obvious thing would be to go out to countries who have a similar population and see how they work things with their youths. Facilities are obviously important, and its good to see SPL clubs putting faith in its academies - that sounds to simple though? I suspect the problem is deeper though.

 

The generations of tanner ball players never had the greatest coaching the world - they learnt their trade under street lamps - that dont happen now though.

 

Also feel that at times that the natural talent and guile is coached out of players in the modern game.

 

Where are the Le Tissier's of this world? Probably playing in League One!

 

we are not alone in western europe in being relatively prosperous and having xboxes and ps3s available to our kids. this is often given as an excuse for our kids, 'too many other distractions'. the dutch should definitely be our benchmark. their kids are not playing on full sized pitches at 12 years old, they are working on their skills on small sized pitches.

 

this is a no brainer. look at the dutch players who would be able to play for scotland, virtually all of them. the other way, maybe darren fletcher and thats it.

[Debut 4]

we are not alone in western europe in being relatively prosperous and having xboxes and ps3s available to our kids. this is often given as an excuse for our kids, 'too many other distractions'. the dutch should definitely be our benchmark. their kids are not playing on full sized pitches at 12 years old, they are working on their skills on small sized pitches.

 

this is a no brainer. look at the dutch players who would be able to play for scotland, virtually all of them. the other way, maybe darren fletcher and thats it.

yip. I remember a while ago passing a playing field where wee lads around 9, 10 year old were having a match on a 11 aside park. They looked sickened and certainly not enjoying themselves.

 

This is were it comes back to the debate that maybe there shouldn`t be 11 aside leagues until early teens and kids should be left alone to play with their mates at the local parks or indeed, having alot more 6,7 aside leagues with coaching to at least make sure kids today are getting involved in football.

 

When i think back, not many(if any) of my mates and i were interested in playing 11 aside at 9, 10 years old. We just played in the parks together. I know its different today and that you`d have to keep kids interested in playing, so these 7 aside set ups would be good.

[Randle P McMurphy]

Being competitive doesn't mean you hoof it up the park and clear your lines. Thats fear of losing. Theirs nothing stopping a kid working on any aspect of his game if he puts in the time and effort. Do you want a player in your team who plays to win or someone who just enjoys taking part?

 

to be honest the player who want's to win. however the time for winning is far too early in scotland

[Al Bundy]

Ah Scotland...Bonnie Bonnie Scotland! Perhaps from 1000 miles away....

 

A weather that would drive any nationality to drink - A drink problem that helps us forget the weather - A nation where Gregs the Bakers tills ring all day as all kinds of pastrys & pasties are consumed in their millions - Rising Obesity - The continuing need to inject / snort to forget ones existence - Mental Health issues - A pretend political party - A pretend infrastructure..

 

Of course our football is ruined - As you can see, I find it difficult these days to get all "Braveheart" and misty-eyed about our country and it's certainly not you or I who benefit from our tourist industry and for the same reasons, I also refuse to search for sympathy for those who fail in Europe...or indeed go bust (or should go bust).

 

The number of clubs in our game is disgusting - that attendance at Hamilton was embarrasing - FFS, just close down and stop this survival game (I'm not just talking about Hamilton obviously)

 

The SFA/OF have offended the rest of us for at least the last 25 years with their refusal to deal with sectarianism properly - I mean PROPERLY! Not push the latest "campaign" and tout it on Reporting Scotland to take the pi** out of us.

 

Their signing policies have plundered every other club in the country to the point of being the classroom bully - Their aim has always been to weaken their opposition as much as strengthen themselves with Hibs suffering as much as us over the years. In fact, there's a separate thread right there - every player they have taken from other scottish clubs, thereby, weakening our game, over the last 25 years - it will be hundreds, I kid you not!

 

The national team has been full of OF over that same timeline(ish) as well as token scots plying their trade down south or elsewhere regardless if they were good enough.

 

So, where are we now in the national game - If Scotland had been rewarded access to the WC this year and allowed to hand-pick their three opponents to pit their wits against for potential progress to knock-out stages, we would have failed to get out of that table IMO.

 

That's no reflection on Levein - this is a symptom of the overall crapness of our game and the attitudes of youngsters, those looking to bring on the kids and failing and 100 other cultural / social ills that suck the life out of Scotland and therefore its national game.

 

Scottish football is a small fish in a bigger pond as much as Scotland has too much of a ticket on itself when compared with many many other european countries, let alone global.

 

And I'll not even start on journalism and the "everyone knows everyone" culture in our game that is also killing it.

 

Now..where's my G&T....

[Randle P McMurphy]

Ah Scotland...Bonnie Bonnie Scotland! Perhaps from 1000 miles away....

 

A weather that would drive any nationality to drink - A drink problem that helps us forget the weather - A nation where Gregs the Bakers tills ring all day as all kinds of pastrys & pasties are consumed in their millions - Rising Obesity - The continuing need to inject / snort to forget ones existence - Mental Health issues - A pretend political party - A pretend infrastructure..

 

Of course our football is ruined - As you can see, I find it difficult these days to get all "Braveheart" and misty-eyed about our country and it's certainly not you or I who benefit from our tourist industry and for the same reasons, I also refuse to search for sympathy for those who fail in Europe...or indeed go bust (or should go bust).

 

The number of clubs in our game is disgusting - that attendance at Hamilton was embarrasing - FFS, just close down and stop this survival game (I'm not just talking about Hamilton obviously)

 

The SFA/OF have offended the rest of us for at least the last 25 years with their refusal to deal with sectarianism properly - I mean PROPERLY! Not push the latest "campaign" and tout it on Reporting Scotland to take the pi** out of us.

 

Their signing policies have plundered every other club in the country to the point of being the classroom bully - Their aim has always been to weaken their opposition as much as strengthen themselves with Hibs suffering as much as us over the years. In fact, there's a separate thread right there - every player they have taken from other scottish clubs, thereby, weakening our game, over the last 25 years - it will be hundreds, I kid you not!

 

The national team has been full of OF over that same timeline(ish) as well as token scots plying their trade down south or elsewhere regardless if they were good enough.

 

So, where are we now in the national game - If Scotland had been rewarded access to the WC this year and allowed to hand-pick their three opponents to pit their wits against for potential progress to knock-out stages, we would have failed to get out of that table IMO.

 

That's no reflection on Levein - this is a symptom of the overall crapness of our game and the attitudes of youngsters, those looking to bring on the kids and failing and 100 other cultural / social ills that suck the life out of Scotland and therefore its national game.

 

Scottish football is a small fish in a bigger pond as much as Scotland has too much of a ticket on itself when compared with many many other european countries, let alone global.

 

And I'll not even start on journalism and the "everyone knows everyone" culture in our game that is also killing it.

 

Now..where's my G&T....

 

 

thanks for all of the national stereotypes however where is the solution?

 

 

[frankblack]

you are 1 bitter individual i sense you make reference to me having a support for millwall so every millwall fan has a hooligan nature about them do they?it is you who comes across odious in your bitterness agaisnt anyone who dares to speak out agaisnt scotland or scottish clubs..and yes i am anti- spl clubs apart from my beloved hearts fc.lets face it you seem like a front/spokesman for the racist bigoted tartan army in your views on a working class raw proper team like millwall..remember the tartan army were no angels in the 70s and 80s and the man ures and chelsea and spurs etc all have hooligan issues as bad as millwall,but the bullie always like to pick on the little people eh..lets face it scottish clubs in europe are sinking like the national team and in a year or 2 i reckon the champions will have to go through 2 qualifying rounds to qualify and 1 or 2 clubs will have to go through 3 qualifying rounds if they are to make it and that is correct..

 

Oh dear.

 

I gave up trying to read this after the first "sentence". Let me know if you made any relevant points.

[Therapist]

What is your point, caller?

 

It looks like you are fishing.

 

Dave, you need to give yourself an infraction.

[frankblack]

I'm a fisher of men.

 

Just trying to understand how you think the BBC should spend it's cash on TV rights in Scotland and in England. You don't know it's unfair, or how unfair it is, as you don't know how much is spent.

 

TV rights is only one point out of many I've made, but it has a major impact on clubs finances.

 

This is the second contract in a row where we have ended up with a third-rate Monday night product on terrestrial TV. I can't believe the BBC were forced to accept this offer - I think they bid for the cheapest package they could get away with.

 

The biggest problem with our game is the league setup - it is organised out of pure self-interest, and gives the old firm the chance to beat shite teams 4 times out of 4 (or 3 out of 3 with the split) instead of 2 out of 2.

 

Only in Scotland would we sign a deal where the Old Firm get the majority share of TV money.

 

The Bosman didn't help our game either with signing of third-rate foreigners instead of bringing through youth or signing lower division players.

 

While I agree that efforts need to be made on youth coaching, I think the biggest problem is how they are developed once they have signed for a senior team.

 

Scotland does seem to do relatively well up to U-21 level, yet it all goes horribly wrong from there. As others have pointed out it is the senior team coaches who seem to focus on fitness and muscular tone instead of ball skills.

 

Look at Celtic - they have a fairly strong youth system but keep signing third-rate Irishmen or journeymen foreigners to placate their bigoted supporters.

 

Anyway, we need to scrap the split and change the league to a setup where we play each other twice only. Won't happen as long as teams like St. Mirren are in the division.

[frankblack]

Dave, you need to give yourself an infraction.

 

And this coming from Captain Birdseye himself.

[Therapist]

This is the second contract in a row where we have ended up with a third-rate Monday night product on terrestrial TV. I can't believe the BBC were forced to accept this offer - I think they bid for the cheapest package they could get away with.

 

 

What do you expect the BBC or any other broadcaster to do?

 

And remember, it was Hobson's Choice. The SPL "negotiators" (snigger) were astute enough to get themselves into a position where there was only one bidder.

[frankblack]

 

What do you expect the BBC or any other broadcaster to do?

 

And remember, it was Hobson's Choice. The SPL "negotiators" (snigger) were astute enough to get themselves into a position where there was only one bidder.

 

You are right about the SPL negotiators.

 

What we ended up with was an SPL that was desperate enough to accept anything and the BBC who didn't really want SPL football but needed some token offering for BBC Scotland, so settled for a really crap Monday night package again.