Levein and Fletcher

In the past few months Craig Levein has seemingly done as little as he can to endear himself to the increasingly exasperated Scotland fans. Yesterday, however, suggested a change of heart as Levein recalled Steven Fletcher to the national team set-up - prompted no doubt by a lacklustre double-header at Hampden in September and the seismic pressure placed upon him from nearly every football fan in the country. Can Levein’s struggling bond with the Tartan Army be reconciled with the same apparent ease as his personal relationship with Fletcher? I can’t see it.

In light of the surprising squad list, the Scotland boss deserves no shortage of credit for swallowing his pride and making the long overdue call to Scotland’s most expensive export. As recently as May, he was quoted saying, with regards to a recall, “There’s no going back on this. That’s it, finished. Done.”. It certainly wouldn’t have been an easy U-turn to make.

 Much of Levein’s criticism has been centred on his stubborn nature and his ignorance of the most prolific Scottish striker of his generation (Not to mention the infamous 4-6-0 formation in Prague). Levein has realised, and quite rightly so, that his own bruised ego is a small price to pay to have, arguably, our best attacking player back in the squad. The team has been put before himself, for the first time in the last 12 months – something which should have been the case since day one of his thus far ill-fated tenure. Fletcher is not without blame, of course, despite the media’s recent portrayal of him as our long awaited saviour.

 A murmuring of a poor relationship with Kris Commons adds extra focus to Levein’s man management skills and stubbornness depriving Scotland of key players. Commons is debatably the in-form player in Scottish football and, for my money, more than worthy of a squad place, at the bare minimum. His creativity, vision and dexterity from set pieces seem impossible to leave out, solely for footballing reasons.

My fear for Levein is that yesterday may be a case of too little, too late. The time spent without Fletcher has cemented the opinion that he is not the correct man for the job in the minds of the bulk of the fan base.  The forthcoming period, with Fletcher, will prove troublesome regardless of results.

Fletcher is in a win/win situation, similar to a goalkeeper at a penalty shootout. If he plays and Scotland win, all success will be attributed to him. On the other hand, a less successful international break will find Levein’s head in the noose and Fletcher and Scotland’s underperformance a result of Levein’s dithering approach to returning the Sunderland striker to the national setup.

There is more pressure than ever on Levein to select Fletcher to spearhead an attack minded side against Wales and Belgium - which may not be the most salubrious decision in the second of the two fixtures, in Brussels against a formidable Belgian opposition.  The added scrutiny is not something which will aid Levein’s quest for job security in the slightest.

The next few months will most definitely be the most turbulent of Levein’s managerial career. It may not even last so long if, Heaven forbid, Scotland fail to beat a substandard Wales side. The familiar issue of disharmony and egos within the squad could once again rear its ugly head. Levein is going to have to rely on a significant amount of good fortune and patience in equal measures to get through this with an ameliorated reputation.

The long awaited return has put unprecedented levels of expectation on Steven Fletcher’s broad shoulders. Fletcher is a very good footballer but he is not  Messi nor is he a Messiah.  The added pressure on a Fletcher inspired rescue will, again, place culpability on Levein for allowing the feud to become so prolonged.

Someone who will be glad of the diverted media focus will be his namesake, Darren Fletcher, who’s return to the national side is perhaps more significant to our qualification hopes. With the form of Rhodes, the strike force looks refreshingly potent. Steven Fletcher will of course increase this tenfold and provide a mouth-watering list of striking options but, judging from the our qualification campaign to date, the midfield is sorely in need of enhancement. The Manchester United midfielder has been sorely missed and the timing of his return is immaculate, given the underperformance of Charlie Adam and James Morrison.

It is not premature to say that the next two fixtures will make or break our campaign; anything less than 3 points out of 6 leaving Scotland with an almost insurmountable task to qualify for Brazil in 2014 and end our international exile at 18 years. With Levein and his Welsh counterpart, Chris Coleman, fighting for their managerial lives and Fletcher’s current position in the Scottish media not too dissimilar to Cristo Redentor in the World Cup host nation’s most famous city, there will be no shortage of drama next Friday evening in Cardiff.

Ultimately, we could have a £20m strike force carrying the hopes of a nation, or Kenny Miller playing up top on his own. Over to you, Mr. Levein. No pressure…

Darren Dalrymple

Twitter: @DarrenDalrymple 

England at the Euros: a view from North of the border

As domestic and continental club football all over Europe comes to an almost unwatchable climax throughout the month of May, the European Championships seem to have approached with unerring haste. In just under 4 weeks’ time attention will be firmly on national sides as co-hosts Poland will face Greece to kick of the 2012 European Championships. The third biggest sporting tournament on the planet, lower in popularity to only the football World Cup and the Olympic Games, Euro 2012 will undoubtedly be the locus for male dialogue this summer.

In Britain, the media will predictably be saturated with coverage of the England team – and rightly so. In reality, the English are the only British nation ever likely to win a major international tournament for the foreseeable future. It’s only natural to offer support and optimism towards your country at such a time. It’s not the quantity of coverage that vexes myself, and many fellow Scottish fans, rather it is the quality.

The English media has long been synonymous with delusions of grandeur. A World Cup win on home soil some 46 years ago seems to give the English a God given passage to glory - at least in the eyes of many of the tabloids. The popinjays in the press come out their nests to plangently chirp about England’s ‘destiny’ and their ominous success at upcoming tournaments.

Optimism is a salubrious trait, so long as it’s combined with realism. Scotland itself is not immune to severe bouts of romanticism towards our own football team. In 1978 the majority of the nation believed it was inevitable for Scotland to return from Argentina as champions of the world. Lessons have been learnt since then however. Perhaps our own, often pessimistic approach to our national team is inimical to our performance, though?

Regardless, the English media is transfixed by the Premier League, maintaining a steadfast belief that it is the strongest in the world by quite some way. The Serie A is oft branded as ‘boring’, the Spanish Liga – ultimately a better league – is dismissed as ‘Scotland in the sun’, given the predictable nature of a two horsed raced for the championship between Real Madrid and Barcelona. This insular, myopic view often leads to English fans and media being bewildered at a lack of accomplishment at the Euros and World Cup. When England exit at the stage their ability merits, people are stunned, the whole team is villainized and responsibility is wrongly placed on the shoulders of the manager. Better international sides are belittled because they don’t receive the same media focus as the English squad. Poor research and depth of knowledge, leaves pundits stupefied when a team full of players with names they struggle to pronounce resist expected English ascendancy. (See Martin Keown’s verdict on Denmark’s fate this summer)

I feel for Hodgson. With a frankly unmerited weight of expectation on his shoulders, anything less than a medal will probably be considered as another failure. In reality, a semi-final place would mean England have overachieved this summer.

England are a good side but they are far from good enough to justify home grown confidence. The squad contains some genuine world class players: Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Ashley Cole could swagger into any dressing room in Poland or Ukraine this summer and command a place in the team. However the Lions have grown older, and weaker. Previously imposing figures at the heart of the defence, Terry and Ferdinand are past it. Their own respective club seasons, for various reasons, will not be causing many restless nights for Europe’s top marksmen this summer. In fact, even inclusion in the squad is debatable for that reason. The side is littered with weaknesses that top teams will no doubt take advantage of. Rooney missing the group stages could well be the coup de grâce for England.

I’d love to be proven wrong, though. Despite the overtly biased and sorely predictable TV coverage we will be inflicted to in Scotland, I will be firmly behind England’s quest for glory, albeit with more than a hint of realism. 

Darren Dalrymple


Twitter: @DarrenDalrymple

Catholics v Protestants? Old Firm complexities

The internet and rapid growth in social media networks in recent years has provided an ever increasing platform and audience for pretty much anyone to publicly express their opinions. Strict actions have been taken in the past 12 months or so to clamp down on offensive ‘tweets’ and Facebook posts. In Scotland, the whole Old Firm, sectarian and religious imbroglio is especially poignant of late. Social media has made the whole, previously faceless issue, significantly more transparent and identifiable. As an avid user of a Twitter, Facebook and Blogspot – in no particular order – it hasn’t gone unnoticed that there is a growing trend for overtly bigoted, provocative and biased posts – especially around Old Firm games, or whenever either half of the old firm is subject to intense media scrutiny.

Of course, this rivalry has always been there. I do not suggest that social media has strengthened the loathing each sets of fans have for one and other, but it certainly has made it more observable. Through history, Scotland, and Glasgow, has been embroiled in religious divide. It is hardly clandestine that Celtic is a club steeped Irish and Catholic tradition and Rangers, and the majority of their fans, are undeniably associated with Protestantism. The rivalry, despite being especially fierce in a sporting sense, is intensified by the infusion of religion, Northern Irish politics and the Irish diaspora associated with Celtic FC. The issue that has struck me of late is the juxtaposition of Catholics versus Protestants. Of course, this is a general view but it is a theme I have witnessed on countless occasions in disputes between either sets of fans.

The issue I have with this division, for the sake of this article, is not concerned with moral issues or who’s right and who’s wrong, it is with regards to the contemporary relevance that the religious divide has in today’s society. I would argue that the rivalry has been confused over time. Scottish society, in general, has seen a dramatic decrease in religious significance in people’s lives. Far fewer people attend churches or strictly belong to a religion than they have done previously, yet the emphasis for the rivalry continues to be of religious derivation.

The terms used by either sets of fans to describe their rivals in an abusive fashion are, more often than not, aimed at the religious beliefs of the opposition. There are certain words that have been identified to be the most offensive that are repeatedly heard in songs, stadiums and most recently, seen on social media. The Scottish government is feverously endeavouring to outlaw ‘sectarianism’ and bigotry, which such discourse is labelled.

How relevant are these words, though? How many Rangers fans, for example, who claim to be Protestant, fully comprehend the term? If a questionnaire on the reformation to be handed round Ibrox, would the results indicate an enlightened fan base? And history seems to have been misconstrued, too. The majority of Rangers fans are aware of the existence of William, Prince Of Orange, but would they be equally aware of John Calvin, Martin Luther or John Knox; men to which their protestant beliefs are mostly owed. At the same time, how many Celtic fans are in mass every weekend? Are the tricolour waving supporters of Irish origin and is the crucifix around their necks a symbol of their catholic faith or a deliberately selected symbol to given them instantaneous association with Celtic FC.

Doubtless, a lot of the beliefs and hatred for their rivals is ingrained in them from an early age. Beliefs are often passed down from father to son, strengthened by a social circle and then reaffirmed by selecting to be an active member of either supporters club. I just feel the whole thing has a 'Chinese Whispers' like effect. People know, roughly, what they are meant to believe in and meant to be against but it’s been muddled through time. How can you be offended by something you don’t understand? Or offend someone you don’t fully comprehend?

Effectively, it’s all part of a need for belonging: to be given a sense of identity. Subscribing to ‘sectarianism’ helps to strengthen your belonging to a club. Fans of either club who support the team but not necessarily the tradition that goes with it are often ostracized or trivialised; their support is less significant.

The rivalry was, and continually will be, regarded as a religious one. However, it is becoming more outdated and mythical with every new generation that carries it on.

Darren Dalrymple

https://twitter.com/#!/DarrenDalrymple

El Clasico: Mes Que Un 'Match'

With the ultimate ‘El Clasico’ of the 2011-12 La Liga season about to take place on Saturday; tension, excitement and nervous fervour are, as usual, about to reach boiling point. On the pitch, this is arguably the biggest game of the domestic campaign for both these footballing giants. Barcelona, trailing Real Madrid by 4 points, must emerge victorious to remain in contention for Spanish Football’s most coveted prize. A win for Madrid, however, would all but guarantee a 32^nd La Liga trophy for Los Merengues – made all the more satisfying were it to take place in Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.

As a Briton, the significance of the rivalry has been somewhat lost on me. In the United Kingdom, footballing rivalries are, more often than not, a result of geographical intimacy. Liverpool V Everton, Man Utd V City, Arsenal V Spurs are especially heated in The English Premier League. In Scotland, the Dundee derby could hardly be more neighbourly and the Old Firm, despite obvious religious origins, is the battle of Glasgow. Naturally, hailing from such a footballing education, The Real Madrid V Barcelona derby was pale in comparison: I assumed the 500km between the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabeu diluted the rivalry and that, despite being obviously appealing to the spectator, the rivalry was engendered through the success of the respective clubs and the consequences the results would have on the outcome of the season. I viewed it as a Goliath V Goliath type of showdown; similar to a heavyweight boxing match. I could not have been more wrong.

 Barcelona V Madrid is the biggest match in the world. It is the rivalry par excellence. It’s impossible to comprehend the phenomenon of FC Barcelona outside the context of Catalonia’s relationship with the rest of Spain. Through history, Catalonia has had its aspirations for regional power and autonomy curbed by a Madrid based Spanish Government.  The ‘nation within a state’ that is Catalonia has a history punctuated by frustration and humiliation. ‘Barca’ was formed at the beginning of the 20^th century with the responsibility of galvanising local and ‘national’ pride within the region. The success of the club, both domestically and continentally, was seen as a sign of defiance to the rest of Spain, especially Madrid, and a symbol of Catalonian self-efficacy and strength.

 The club grew in troubled times, nourished by oppression. The more the club grew, the more a collective identity and confidence of Catalonians grew with it. Barca offered protection whenever Madrid tried to impose itself, the Camp Nou provided a sanctuary for Catalonians. Whilst a fascist Madrid based government strained to strangle the Catalonian identity from the region, even outlawing the native language, the Camp Nou offered a platform for socios to celebrate success, express identity and defy oppression.

 Barca’s identity has been forged by persecution, the competitive edge and hunger for success has spawned from proving itself to be superior to Madrid on the playing field, or doing whatever it takes to prevent Madrid from winning. If not the superior club, then the perennial thorn in the side of the government, and latterly Franco, leaning Real Madrid. ‘Mes que un club’ significantly in Catalonian, is pivotal to understanding the complexity of FC Barcelona. It is the reason fans become members or socios. To identify with Barca was to be seen to be a statement of dissidence against a persecutive government, against Franco and, importantly, against Real Madrid who represented everything Barca detested. Madrid was, and arguably still is, with regards to habitus, seen as the embodiment of oppression; a sporting branch of hegemonic centralised fascism.

 Not that the off field rivalry needed it; two figues adding fuel to the fire were Josep Sunyol and Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano. The Former was the first martyr that Barca had. Sunyol was Barcelona club president when he was executed by Franco’s troops early in the Spanish civil war. Latterly, Di Stefano was all but a Barcelona player, who had found him in South America and taken him to Spain, before the deal was hi-jacked by a Governmental led Real Madrid. The rest, as they say, is history, with Di Stefano going on to become a central figure in Madrid’s domestic and international dominance of the era.

 
Defining exactly what the rivalry is, post Franco, is more complex. However, Using Luis Figo’s transfer from Catalonia to the Capital, it is apparent that time has not diluted the rivalry at all. For Catalonians Barca is a way of life. It’s something they are born into. The players are idolised, not necessarily for their abilities, grand as they are, but due to the fact they are symbols of Barca. Every time they pull on the blue and red stripes, they are representing a ‘nation’, sticking the proverbial two fingers up to the rest of Spain (especially Madrid) and to all extents and purposes, anyone else who cares to take offence. The history and rivalry is continually reinvented and has been given a mythical identity. The players are actors in the continuation of history, worshipped and deified by each set of fans for what they represent; creating a legacy based on success, passion and loyalty towards their respective clubs.

Given the history, the consequence the result has on who will be crowned as champions of Spain in 2012 and the fact that this Derby is, repeatedly, the only derby in world football that has a guaranteed audience of over 100,000 fans whenever it is in the Camp Nou - and not to mention hundreds of millions, like me, watching on TV, I could not be more excited to watch history unfold before my eyes on Saturday night.

Unless my mother decides to watch Britain’s Got Talent…

Darren Dalrymple

Trying to find a needle in a haystack: The sub-standard scouting system at Rangers Football Club.

The current financial catastrophe at Glasgow Rangers football club has left the club in one of the most dire situations in it's long and successful history. It really is a travesty to see a club with the history, tradition and heritage of Rangers in such a state of uncertainty, in terms of jobs for current employees and, more gravely, survival. The very thought of Glasgow Rangers ceasing to exist is one that is almost incomprehensible to, not only the Scottish football fan, but to sports fans all over the world.

How is it possible for a club of such magnitude to potentially become extinct? Years of over-spending (particularly on the wrong players), unpaid taxes and, controversially - in my opinion - becoming stale due to outgrowing the Scottish league and having no where to go. Both Celtic and Rangers had achieved all they could in Scotland and to progress further, in terms of European success, needed to remove themselves from a 'glass-ceiling' effect the SPL provided. But most of all, as a result of poor ownership. The most recent of whom, Craig Whyte, seems to have endured the heaviest criticism from the media and Ibrox faithful -and rightly so.

My issue with Mr. Whyte is how he managed to dupe the media, fans and Rangers hierarchy into believing that he had the credentials (or more poignantly, the finances) to do the job. It seems that Rangers are guilty of a certain gullabilty in their approach to the appointment.

This gullabilty unfortunately does not stop with the appointment of Whyte. It seems that, in the past few years, there have been players brought in who, like Whyte, have been costly mistakes. Granted the appointment of Whyte was hastened by desperation and a strong desire from David Murray to sell as quickly as possible. The player signings, however, did not and should not have been so rushed nor should mistakes have been made so frequently.

The past few seasons at Rangers seem to have been the calm before the storm. 3 consecutive league titles under the guidance of Walter Smith, as impressive as it is, helps to mask the deep rooted problems at the club. I believe the long term health of the club and future success was sacrificed for immediate silverware. The quickest and most profitable way to see an increase in revenue and finances at a football club is to sell players. With the raised market profile of modern day professionals and transfer fees been subjected to hyper inflation in my life time, it's almost standard practice for clubs to make tens of millions from the sale of one player.

This being the case, the financial figureheads at Ibrox, having identified the imminent economic problems, should have been forced into wiser transfer signings. Firstly identifying young and talented players who would be relatively inexpensive, with regards to transfer fees and wages - and secondly, developing the talent and potential. In Murray Park, Rangers boast one of the premier training facilities in Europe. So there is no excuse not to utilise this through the development and progress of talented individuals. Players who will go on to enhance the first team and also be developed as a financial assets - providing the club with the option to sell on for a profit if - or when - the time is right.

This most definitely has not happened, though. Bringing in players like James Beattie, David Healy, Jerome Rothen and El Hadji Diouf is, for me, down to lazy scouting. James Beattie, for example, was a horrendous bit of business; paying what is believed to be around £1.25 for an out of form, out of shape and frankly washed up striker. It seems as though the coaching staff and scouting system have been overwhelmingly lethargic here. "The lad Beattie was decent in the England a few years ago, therefore he will work for us". Perhaps a bit of a harsh assumption but it seems a gross (and costly) misjudgement of a player. Realistically, even if it had worked out well and he had scored a few goals and seen out his fairly lucrative 2 year contract, what would be the end result? Beattie would most definitely have left on a free, or sold for a pittance. That money, under the guidance of well informed scouts could have (and should have) been invested in the future. Beattie seen Rangers as a paycheck, a place to wind down his career and escape back down the road to England with a wallet full of Scottish bank notes. A younger player would have seen Rangers as an opportunity; playing with hunger, motivation and desire. That's exactly the player I want at Glasgow Rangers.

Granted, it does take thorough investigation and strenuous work to identify the correct player to bring in - and for a feasible price. Not to mention a gamble, no matter how much homework has been done. The aforementioned transfer fee inflation means that, in a lot of cases, a club has to look further afield to acquire a gem. That means that more emphasis should have been placed on unearthing raw talent, and the net should be cast further from shore, so to speak. The past few seasons have been littered with costly mistakes; bringing in over-the-hill veterans and, despite attempting to discover new talent, signing players who are simply not good enough to pull on the light blue jersey. Bedoya, Matt McKay, Ortiz and Sebo to name but a few who have turned out at Ibrox, despite acutely lacking the dexterity to be afforded such a privilege.

For me, and a lot of Rangers fans, the most frustrating case of letting a player slip through the net, or failing to identify talent is Charlie Adam; who is now one of the most respected midfielders in the Premier League. Yet at Rangers, he was unappreciated, loaned out or played out of position. A glaring error. It seems somewhat unforgivable to fail to recognise a player of such potential star quality. It does not inspire a lot of faith in the talent spotting network if they fail to identify talent in a player who had been under their own noses for 9 years. The old saying 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' seems quite poignant here.

Admittedly there have been a few success stories, with regards to brining in relatively unknown players for an affordable transfer fee. Papac, Cuellar, Bougherra and Jelavic have all proven to be examples of astute business. The latter, despite being good business still cost over £4 million. When you compare Rangers' scouting network to that of the other half of the Old Firm, it is obvious who has been more effective. Celtic seem to have a conveyor belt of overseas talent coming through the doors at Parkhead. Economical purchases who have made a major impact on the side. Hooper, Kayal, Ki, Izaguirre and Wanyama in the space of a year or two have all came in for around £2million or less and immediately been outstanding in the SPL. Not only that, their market stock will have increased dramatically too - leaving Celtic in a very strong position, both on the pitch and in the boardroom.

A stubborn Gers fan might argue that, despite all this, Rangers have still prevailed as champions for the last few seasons. I would say that this is a myopic view. I believe that the tide has been due to change for a while, now. Rangers and Celtic do not have the allure to attract the same calibre of players as they previously did. Celtic seem to have realised that far sooner than Rangers and made significant changes as a result. It seems a little too late for Rangers now as administration and the threat of liquidation looms menacingly over Ibrox. If Rangers do emerge from the current financial crisis, then drastic changes need to be made. Mistakes need to be learned from and scouting needs to become a priority.

Arsène: The fire has been extinguished. How Wenger and Arsenal must part company in order to rise from the ashes.

The longer Wenger remains at Arsenal, subscribing to his steadfast philosophy of youth over experience and focusing on his own interpretation of total football, the lower his own and his club's stock will inevitably drop. Arsene Wenger is, without doubt, one of the most intelligent and respected managers of his generation. His cause is noble and his philosophy is one that engenders vast amounts of respect - especially in a country where the slide tackle was once more celebrated than the slide rule pass. However, his stubbornness and reluctance to adapt his philosophy is the main reason Arsenal have suffered such a barren spell that few would have predicted during the incredible league winning campaign of 2003/04, in which they remained unbeaten in all of their 38 fixtures. A decade ago, Wenger predicted that his side was good enough to go unbeaten for an entire season, and did so in due course. 10 years on; a similar prediction would be absurd.

Wenger's philosophy of building for the future and "creating stars rather than buying them" is one that I have the utmost respect for and one that has worked remarkably well in the past for Arsenal. Wenger's promises of building for the future may have been received with high levels of anticipation and excitement from the supporters a few years ago but when the anticipated success fails to manifest itself in the form of silverware, the empty promises must start to wear thin - even for the most loyal of the Wenger faithful.

Comparing the current Arsenal squad to the 'invincibles' of 2004 must be depressing viewing for the red half of North London. The last 6 trophy-less seasons have come as a result of replacing experienced, star quality, international players with youth. The unbeaten team of 03/04 was full of players who were not only experienced in the game, but experienced at winning trophies and, more importantly, winning ugly. (In no way related to Martin Keown's aesthetic appeal, of course).

The current Arsenal squad contains a plethora of talented youngsters, I firmly believe that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere could, not only fit into, but improve the history making squad of 8 years ago. So why then have Arsenal suffered such a drastic fall from grace in the last decade? The problem seems, to me at least, painstakingly obvious. The experienced spine of the team has been replaced with youth. From back to front, the team was filled with exceptional quality, but not only that, it was filled with experience. Lehmann tending goal, Sol Campbell and his undeniably quality and experience to guide a young Kolo Toure in defence, Vieira, the colossus dominating the midfield and Henry and Bergkamp in the forward positions. Not to mention Pires, Kanu, Wilthord and Gilberto Silva - players with some of the most sought after medals in their personal trophy cabinets. It was a team of winners, of experience, a team which had the brawn to match the brains. The dressing room was full of home-grown Premier League experience in the twilight of their careers to guide the supremely talented youth. And provide the steel to allow the flair to flourish with such devastating effects. Not only winning, but playing some of the most aesthetically pleasing football ever seen on these shores.

Alan Hansen famously (and somewhat incorrectly) said "you can't win anything with kids" in reference to the championship and FA cup winning Manchester United side of 1995/96. It doesn't happen very often, but I would agree with Hansen here; so long as I could alter the quote to read "you can't win anything with kids alone". That famous Manchester United side, despite being littered with promising young stars, was also full of experience and guile. Like everything else in life, the youth need leaders. Young players need to be surrounded by experience to learn and develop and to perform on a match day. Arsenal have been chronically lacking this of late.

Naturally, the team of 2003/04 began to change. Players were sold, retired or injured. But Wenger refused to replace experience with experience, to replace toughness (both mental and physical) with players of a similar calibre. He was and still is preoccupied with youth, and his own version of total football. Again, this is a respectable and refreshing philosophy in the financially lead modern game. However, Arsenal have not won a trophy since the FA cup in 2005. A shocking statistic for a club of such magnitude. The epitome of this youthful revolution was in 2008, when Cesc Fabregas was named club captain, at the tender age of 21. There is no argument, in terms of talent, for Fabregas being given the armband, but a club seeking domestic and continental success needs a leader who has been there before. A leader who knows how to react when they are 0-2 down away to Bolton. A leader with experience. A leader who can roll up his sleeves and inspire a team.

It would be incredibly harsh to label the current Arsenal side as a team of invertebrates, but the metaphorical backbone and core is significantly weaker than before. I would argue that the current Arsenal side lacks the toughness and ruthlessness to ever make an impact in the Premier League. Often, tough away trips to typically English grounds in undesirable conditions and against a fierce-some home support has been Arsenal's biggest stumbling block. I would like to confirm that I am anything other than xenophobic, but the style and culture in the premier league, despite having changed recently is still extremely different - and in many cases, more physically and mentally demanding than that in the continent. Even the most talented team of foreign stars must be anchored by some English or players who have adapted to the English game, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Wenger's reluctance and unchanging transfer policy has ultimately led to his own demise. The current Arsenal team is severely lacking in mental toughness, an attribute that all great sports persons will confirm is essential for success. The 4-4 draw with Newcastle last year highlighted that. I would staunchly argue that losing a 4 goal advantage due to a combination of poor mental strength and inexperience.  

Miracles aside, Arsenal are unlikely to win a trophy this campaign, making it 7 trophy-less seasons for the once revered Frenchman. There is only so long a reputation, even one as grand as his, can last. Fans are already becoming impatient. This has to be Wenger's last season in charge at Arsenal. It's comparable to a tired, old relationship. Either something has to change, or they need to part company; for the benefit of both parties. Wenger has proven that he is unwilling to change, his stubbornness is admirable but ultimately frustrating. Arsenal need an upheaval. They have gone stale. I have no doubt that Wenger can move on and reconfirm his reputation of one of the greatest managers of the modern game and that Arsenal can once again become a force in the Premier League. But Arsenal need a new philosophy, or at least a renovation to the current one. Wenger needs to leave Arsenal, while he is still considered (and quite rightly so) a great of the modern game. He needs to leave now.

Winter football in Scotland: the catalyst for our summer shortcomings

Today is Saturday the 10^th of December, the date for the Scottish Junior Cup replay between Armadale Thistle and Kilsyth Rangers – or at least it was before the snow reared its ugly, yet oh so familiar head. The match postponed for the second week in a row and the commencement of a frustrating routine which will doubtless be the case for the majority of Saturdays from now until at least early spring. One does not have to possess uncanny powers of prediction to anticipate this trend; experience tells us that this will be the case. Identifying problems and then providing a solution is one thing that we humans do best – when we were cold, we invented fire. It may be unfair to draw comparisons between primitive man and the Scottish football hierarchy - but only a little. It remains a mystery, to me at least, why this obvious problem hasn’t been subject to change.

Adverse weather conditions are a problem which affects our nation’s football from grassroots level through to the SPL. Games and training sessions being cancelled on a regular basis is the most obvious hindrance to lower level and youth football. With poorer pitches being less adept at coping with the winter weather, matches are called off frequently in the winter months. Even if pitches are deemed playable they are often of a standard that is better suited to a bovine than Beckham. These rutted, waterlogged and uneven playing surfaces mean the game that is on show bears no resemblance to a sport once described by Pele as “the beautiful game”. Terrible surfaces and detrimental conditions engender a brand of anti-football that we should not accept. Despite coaches diligent efforts to ingrain the correct practices in players, in reality is becomes impossible to put this into match situations.

This an immediate problem in the sense that frustrated players and spectators have to find something else to fill their Saturday afternoons with when games are postponed, fans are less likely to come and watch, enjoyment is halved and standard plummets. However, the premier focus of my argument for the transition to summer football is the effect that these conditions are having on future generations of players. The top Scottish players of the future face an uphill struggle filled with many hurdles to fulfil their maximum potential, some of which hurdles can be removed as a result of a change in our approach to the game – especially the season in which we participate.


A combination of seasonal aspects hinders development of young players. Bad conditions, as mentioned before, lead to a lessened standard of play. Technical aspects of the game, which are fundamental to a player’s development, are limited whilst playing on a public park where you are more likely to be tackled by a divot than an opponent. Each game for a youth footballer should be viewed as part of a grand development process. Emphasis should be on learning rather than winning. From personal experience, learning is restricted when playing in such uncomplimentary conditions – unless you consider learning how to clear the ball into a corner for the biggest and fastest player to chase, learning. I personally do not. Assuming there are good coaches who are encouraging young players to play an attractive form of football in training and focus is on developing technical attributes such as passing, ball control and dribbling, players are often neglected of an arena to showcase and impart the skills they have learnt in training into competition situations to have the optimal learning experience.


Like matches, training is also sacrificed due to wintery conditions. I subscribe to the belief that optimum performance = optimum training + optimum recovery. Training is fundamental to development and maintenance of ability. This ratio of optimum performance and development is affected by cancellations, training moved to unspecific facilities (such as an indoor hall or, worse, the running track) or training being adapted to fit the conditions. It is not just training during the winter months that is affected, leading up to the end of the season there is often a backlog of fixtures due to numerous postponements from December – March . This results in 2 or even 3 matches being played per week. Training is often neglected in order to focus on matches. For a youth, this is far from ideal. Due to the numerous matches being played in a short space of time players are also at risk of burnout, exhaustion and learning less in games due to playing tired.

My concluding point in this labouring argument for the progression of youth football, as a result of a change in seasons, is enjoyment. In Scotland, we have a population of just over 5 million. In order to progress as a footballing nation (the yardstick being the qualification for major international tournaments) we need to maximise the amount of players playing the game. The more players that are playing means the more chance of developing a future world class player – simple. Youngsters would be far more enticed to play in summer weather and on good pitches. I believe that this would help decrease dropout numbers, increase the amount of players introduced to the game and improve standards due to a greater enjoyment of playing. The lure of playing 'Fifa' on a games console rather than stepping out for a kick about becomes far more enticing when the wind and rain are battering against your bedroom window, believe me.

For fear of neglecting the benefits summer football will bring to adult game, I will identify, the main problems that I have with the current situation. At the professional level, attendances are on the slide. Television is arguably the main reason. However, out with the diehard fan base, it is unlikely that the casual spectator is likely to come and watch a match between Peterhead and Montrose on a sub-zero Saturday in January. I believe that if this match was played on a sunny day in July attendance would dramatically increase. What’s more, the standard on show would be better and spectators would enjoy their experience more. Gate receipts would improve meaning more money for clubs at a time where every penny is a prisoner. This would give clubs more finances to put into the development of current facilities, youth systems and stadium comforts, further developing players, match standard, attendances and the reputation of Scottish football.


In no way am I writing the blog to place the blame for my own mediocrity on the soccer field due to having to clog it out in winter. I could have been raised in an eternal summer and still lack the ability hit the metaphorical “coo’s arse” from 12 yards.  This blog is merely to vent the frustrations of a man who is unlucky enough to be born into the most barren generation that Scottish football has had on the international arena and to put forward my own suggestions on how to end this rut. I believe that the principle alteration is the transition from winter to summer football seasons at all levels in Scotland.

As Confucius famously said “only the wisest and stupidest of men never change” given the evidence and our constant shortcomings of late it is painstakingly apparent that we are the latter.

Change should be imminent.