Scotland must get with the times
- 10Comments
04 Jan 2012 | 00:00-Vitor Sobral
One of the great advantages of living in London is that you can watch football from Europe’s top leagues in primetime.
With so much on offer, it’s difficult to keep up with everything.
However, the winter break in Spain, Germany and Italy meant that I had
the chance to watch the Edinburgh derby.
Fantastic atmosphere assured, however there was one vital ingredient missing, a true spectacle on the pitch.
Sure,
there were some exciting moments when either side got the ball into the
final third, but by and large the game was a battle where the ball was
more akin to a hot potato.
I realise that derbies like this are built on passion, but that doesn’t mean teams should forget about possession.
I don’t think I saw one goal kick played short. In fact, both
goalkeepers would take an eternity to place the ball in the perfect
spot, just so they could hoof it as far as possible.
The words of Football Federation technical director Han Berger were ringing in my ear: “This is not football.”
One of those coaches happens to be Portuguese, but that doesn’t excuse
what was on show and it’s time Scottish football realised that it’s
lagging far behind the rest of Europe.
There’s no point in hiding behind the 'English Premier League has more
money' line, Scotland's Premier League is 18th in the UEFA coefficients,
behind the leagues of Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and bafflingly,
Cyprus and Israel.
With no teams left in European competition, the SPL could fall as low as
21st by season’s end, a situation that would mean only the champion
will go through to the Champions League qualifying stages.
I remember Celtic coach Neil Lennon saying that he thinks Scottish clubs
are competing at about the right level in Europe. I'm sure Jock Stein
and Alex Ferguson would beg to differ.
Football has evolved since these two led Celtic and Aberdeen
respectively to European titles, but that’s the point. Scottish football
hasn’t evolved.
I cringe when I’m listening to Five Live and the commentator says,
“that’s good old fashioned British football” when a hopeful long ball is
flicked on to nobody in particular.
That’s because I don’t believe it is. Passing football wasn’t invented by some continental sipping coffee in Vienna. It was pioneered by amateur Glascow club Queen’s Park.
It was the Barcelona of its day, as thrilling crowds with a type of football that changed the game forever.
The term “good old fashioned” is a contradictiont because in football if
it’s old fashioned, chances are it’s no longer going to work.
That doesn’t mean Scotland shouldn’t adhere to the hard working, never-say-die mentality that exists in its football culture.
Spain scoured the world for football knowledge and adapted that to its
culture, so there’s no reason Scotland can’t do the same.
A
quick, precise passing-type of football with high, compact, pressing and
high intensity would suit the Scottish game perfectly and would no
doubt bring great results on the European stage.
But if Scottish football doesn’t adapt, the future looks as bleak as Glasgow winter’s day.
“that’s good old fashioned British football”
amazing, im going to use that line from now on
go fuck yourself in the ass britain and your kirk broadfoots and jaime carraghers and hoofball
