Blethering about football, from Scotland and across the world
During a recent Footballblether trip, sitting over a few birre in a Milanese bar, we discussed our current "Fantasy XI" based on the players who we feel would or could make up the best team in current world football. This discussion got me thinking about the best players I have ever seen (in the flesh)... Continue Reading →
A common theme in recent times has been for commentators, players and football fans to look back with nostalgia, through rose tinted glasses, to the days when we were all young, playing football with our friends on the street, round the park or on a proper football pitch - both informally and formally. Many lament... Continue Reading →
The Scottish Cup 4th Round, a date in the calendar which signifies both the return from the winter break for the top sides, as well as their introduction into the fabled old cup competition - the oldest running such competition in the world. The draw on this occasion had matched League One's bottom side Stenhousemuir... Continue Reading →
Many domestic cup competitions have lost their appeal over the years, with most big clubs only really becoming interested if or when they find themselves in the latter stages of the competition. The same can be said of the Scottish Cup. Top sides will play, try to win, but if knocked out will spin out... Continue Reading →
If you look up "Luca Toni, Numero Uno" on YouTube one of the first things that pops up is a brilliantly catchy pop song which sings about Italy's former striker. In hearing this tune and subsequently humming it throughout the following days, I thought it appropriate to pay homage to one of Italy's best goalscorers... Continue Reading →
Following Scotland's victory over Israel in the Nations League, subsequently winning the group and qualifying for Euro 2020 playoffs, there seems to be a nationwide sense of optimism and a shared basking in the glory of the win - even if that basking is being done amid drizzly November rain and dropping winter temperatures. It's... Continue Reading →
With Scotland preparing for a crunch tie qualification with Albania in the Nations League - a phrase that coveys senses of both hope in that Scotland can still achieve something, but also dismay that this achievement would be in the third rung of European football – the squad has been decimated by a large number... Continue Reading →
Saturday 10th November and we embarked on a trip to the seaside town of Arbroath on Scotland's North Sea coast for a match up between the home side, unbeaten this season, and their local rivals Montrose in a tasty Angus derby. Arbroath is located north of Dundee travelling up the east coast, it is well... Continue Reading →
Scotland whimpered to a 2-1 defeat away to Israel. A disappointing performance on a number of levels. There's the disappointment in losing of course, within the Nations League set up and after a positive win over Albania, progress in the competition suddenly looks more challenging while the threat of relegation also now appears an option... Continue Reading →
A number 9. If nothing else, that otherwise simple number is personified by generations of goalscorers, strikers, poachers. There have been quite a few articles, recent discussions and opinions offered concerning the modern day absence of this type of player within top level football. There are examples around, Lewandowski of Bayern and Poland for example or... Continue Reading →
Located approximately 40 miles north east of the city of Aberdeen, just off the A96 road linking Aberdeen to Inverness is the town of Huntly. Tucked into a picture postcard landscape characterised by rolling uplands and hills with farmsteads and wind farms pepper potted around the surroundings. Christie Park is home to Huntly FC, who were at home... Continue Reading →
Scotland 0-4 Belgium. A bit of a doing for our boys in blue. There will be much written about Scotland's heaviest home defeat since the 1970's. Some will label and describe an "embarrassing" or "shambolic" performance where an incoherent Scotland side gave away possession and goals needlessly and were rightly punished by a top ranked... Continue Reading →
There have been a number of articles and publications over the past few years outlining the success and progression of British football coaches working in far flung corners of the globe, out of the spotlight of the UK Media but still managing to make some progression in the coaching world. Higher profile cases include Graham... Continue Reading →
When one thinks of the Scottish Highland League, images of big, robust footballers come to mind. Rough and ready, "agricultural" style football. I travelled to watch Cove Rangers play Buckie Thistle in Cove's new Balmoral Stadium on the edge of Aberdeen to find out how accurate the above stereotypes are. The Scottish Highland League is... Continue Reading →
As John McGinn completed his move from Hibs to Aston Villa towards the end of the summer 2018 transfer window, fans and media alike were full of praise for a player who had quickly become a favourite and one of the top Scottish Premiership performers and indeed an emerging important presence in the National Team.... Continue Reading →
With the dust from the football fest that was the 2018 World Cup just settling, after France were crowned champions for the second time, we are moving full steam ahead into the new season - the fun doesn't stop. Now, admittedly a lot of the big boy leagues are not yet due to start -... Continue Reading →
While Scotland may not be heading to the World Cup in Russia this summer, they are playing their part in the preparations of both Peru and Mexico with a post season jaunt over to play in a couple of warm up games for both these successful qualifiers. In the early hours (GMT) of Wednesday morning... Continue Reading →
As the Scottish 2017/18 season draws to a crescendo, with Celtic looking for a second consecutive treble winning season, most fans with no allegiance to the Champions are beginning to focus on the race for second, European spots or to avoid relegation. Both "alternative" aspects are tightly contested, with at least 2, if not 3... Continue Reading →
Over the past year, I have travelled and paid to watch football at a variety of different levels. These include Scottish Championship, Scottish Premiership, Scotland International (and England International), English Premiership, Czech First league and the Second Tier of Czech Football. I have previously written about my Dilemma in terms of swapping regular attendance at... Continue Reading →
On the face of things and despite mass unrest, there appears to be no smoking gun, no hangman's noose. Stewart Regan, now former SFA Chief Executive is out of a job after walking, apparently, of his own volition. Whatever way you look at it, he has departed and many would say that the writing has... Continue Reading →
A story foretold. Of a young Scottish footballer who signs for a reputable European club only to make a handful of appearances from the bench before disappearing from the public eye and then, many months later, surfacing at some English lower division team or middling Scottish Premiership side some time later. Allan Johnston at Rennes,... Continue Reading →
Since roughly 2001, as a fresh/acne faced teenager I have been making the trip to Hampden Park for Scotland home games. Initially with a large group of friends, taking the train through, blagging our way into Vicky Wine for a few cheeky pre-match cans and revelling in being part of the "Tartan Army" with all... Continue Reading →
At the time of writing, it is almost 3 months since Gordon Strachan left his post as Scotland Manager after another failed attempt to qualify for a Major Tournament in October 2017. Since that point a small number of names and candidates have been mentioned with regard to potentially filling the vacant post, without very... Continue Reading →
The Scottish Football Association have recently announced their plans to review their current lease on Hampden Park, due to expire in 2020. The review has come amidst outcry from owners Queens Park FC, fan opinion and of course the background of a “business” decision with regard to what is best, financially, for the organisation. At... Continue Reading →
The Scottish Premiership is not a league without its detractors. Whether this be due to the one sided (two sided before Rangers' implosion) nature leading to an overly predictable end result; or the number of meaningless games for clubs safe from relegation at an early stage but without the staying power and/or stamina to challenge... Continue Reading →
For a number of years now, encompassing World Cup and European Championship qualifying campaigns where Scotland have failed to qualify, much focus or source of worry for fans has been the lack of any top quality, reliable centre backs within the Scotland team and even the Scotland squad. In the most recent qualifying campaign, Scotland's... Continue Reading →
A lot has happened since May 2015. We have had two full football seasons, an international tournament at Euro2016 and Scotland have (again) failed to qualify for major international tournaments in the aforementioned Euro2016 and the upcoming Russia2018 World Cup. May 2015 did however offer a clear illustration of how football and indeed other cultures... Continue Reading →
Football fans need rivalries. Whether watching teams at the lower end of the league system such as Linlithgow Rose v Bo'Ness United or games at the very top such as Barcelona v Real Madrid; rivalries add to the fan's experience, add interest, add passion and add a point of reference as well. Scotland have England.... Continue Reading →
There is a distinct irregularity to my attendance at football matches. There is no routine to speak of, no club football season ticket offering the same surroundings every second week, the same weekly or fortnightly pre match ritual or the same religious focus on a single team throughout each season. This is due to a... Continue Reading →
