Right, I’ll be honest – this was meant to be a rant in the style of Edward Norton in 25th Hour. I had more people in my line of sight than Frederick Zoller. Everyone was getting it in the neck, from SFL Chief Exec David Longmuir all the way to Aggie the tea lady at McDairmid Park.
However, after much consideration, I’ve decided to tone it down a tad.
The SPL’s chronic. We all know this. For too long the dinosaurs in charge at Hampden stuck with a twelve team league which had grown far too stale. One team relegated from the SPL was farcical and grossly unfair on clubs finishing second in the first division in Scotland. Hibs got off lightly after their pathetic showing in the league last season, when they should have been facing a play off at the end of the campaign against the league below’s runners up. Four games a season against five clubs is also, in my opinion, terribly tiresome. I am aware many people may not share this notion though.
I’ve always wanted to see the SPL adopt a structure similar to the Portuguese Premier League. 16 teams, playing each other twice, with two relegated at the end in a 30 game campaign. However, this would possibly be financially problematic and therefore the top beaks at Mount Florida didn’t share my vision and opted for the more brain taxing 12-12-18 Reconstruction plan.
In all honesty, earlier on this week I was so sick of hearing about Scottish Football that Longmuir and co could have had Celtic playing the reserves every week and I wouldn’t have reacted like I cared a jot. The reason for this has been since the summer, the game in Scotland has nosedived to gutter levels so farcical you would forget it used to be the case that in this country, a referee could request a ‘retirement game’ for himself. See one, Bobby Tait. Grown men, like Charles Green, throwing his toys out the pram yet again are symptomatic of this. We all know that they won’t quit Scotland like they are preaching. They don’t have any option but to participate in the new reconstructed league, so I wish they would just accept this, but every week, this man is given a platform to spout lies and irrational nonsense, which he is welcome to, as I do believe in freedom of speech, but there has to be a point where he gives it a rest and just focuses on making more money and leaves his company in the capable hands of someone else who isn’t intent in sneakily stirring up more hatred between his clubs fans and the rest of the clubs in the country.
Then there’s the social media users this week too – mumping and moaning about the new proposal yet offering hardly any input as to what they think is wrong with it. This is the time for Regan and co to actually earn their coin and do something decent with the game in Scotland and repair their damaged reputations after a summer which saw him and Doncaster’s professional stock crumble to pieces.
A good thing is a single governing body. Everyone involved with running the game in Scotland should be working with each other, so no more SFL and SPL is a step in the right direction. Play offs and pyramid introductions are very welcome too and I am sure a fair distribution of cash will also keep many clubs on an even playing field. For years, 12th place in the SPL have been Dibiase-like in their wealth over the Virgil-esque First Division champions. Doncaster has said that the new restructure plans will stop more meaningless games – I agree with him. I think this has the potential to be a bit more exciting than it is just now, even if the novelty wears off after a season. Why ? Because it’s something new. Let’s just go for it and see how it pans out. If it’s a dud, then at least we’ll have given it a go.
Regardless, Celtic will always be okay. That’s what matters, at the end of the day. We’ll probably never move from Scotland. England won’t take us, tough sob. An Atlantic League has been talked about for years and by the time I am 40 (stone), in thirteen years, it’ll be the same as it is now. Talked about, but that’s it. Our bread and butter is in this league and it’s up to us to get on with it and apply ourselves for the changes ahead.
If the change goes ahead for the start of next season, maybe our players won’t be as bored as they currently are at domestic level. A fresh perspective could instill some much needed enthusiasm, and I’m all for it.