Time for Reflection, But, Can We Turn Things Around?

THE SRU hierarchy, and Scott Johnson, must be grateful this week for the break in the Six Nations programme. This should, in theory, prevent the growing Taxi for Johnson movement from building-up a head of steam; which will also prevent the focus of the supporters' ire moving from the legitimate target of a coach who appears to have "lost the dressing room", the the perhaps even more legitimate target of the Murrayfield Mandarins who haven't so much lost the plot since rugby went professional, as never picked it up in the first place.

 

However, if, as a growing band of us fear, we are embarrassingly turned-over in Rome, the pressure will grow and, it could all get very nasty indeed.

 

There are, of course,huge differences between the two principal professional team sports in Scotland - football and rugby. Scottish football has a far-larger, more egalitarian constituency; also, we've had professional football in Scotland for 100-years longer than we've had professional rugby. This should, in theory, have meant that when the SRU had to embrace professionalism post 1995, they ought to have had the experiences of the SFA since 1895 to draw on; and, might, crucially have avoided some of the pitfalls into which the SFA has fallen and continues to fall.

 

But, have the men at Murrayfield done this? I don't think so.

 

For instance - Craig Levein's hold on the Scottish football team manager's job began to slacken when he sent-out that team in 4-6-0 against the Czech Republic. It still took a few more bad games to see him removed, but, he was fatally wounded in that game.

 

Johnson's 4-6-0 game was perhaps the spineless surrender to Ireland in Dublin. However, to follow that up with an even less-inspiring capitulation to England, only hastened his departure. Her has already had the dreaded vote of confidence from the Murrayfield Mandarins. In football, when you get the Chairman's vote of confidence, you can start packing your belongings - you're a dead man walking.

 

If rugby was to go down the football road, SJ would already be consulting Quantas flight schedules, but, his situation is not that simple. He is only interim head coach, keeping the seat warm pending Vern Cotter's arrival from Clermont - assuming Cotter still comes; he is maybe, having viewed the DVDs, assessing his options and seeking a get-out clause.

 

When Cotter takes over, SJ will move upstairs. Givent he damage he has done to the national team, how much more damage can he do to the whole Scottish game? I know, I've asked that one before, but, I am worried.

 

However, I could be wrong. He may move upstairs and immediately implement the changes Scottish rugby requires, from grass-roots to the international team, but, that's a gamble - can we seriously take it on past experience of his expertise?

 

We have made a mess of the first 20-years of professional rugby. Is it too-late for us to tear-up the book and start again? What things should we do differently? Do we trust the present Murrayfield management to implement the necessary changes?

 

We really need a national debate to answer these questions.

Things Can Only Get Better - They Couldn't Get Any Worse - Could They

MY last post was obviously written by the ghost of that old sour-faced curmudgeon Private Fraser. This one is written by me, but, over 48-hours later. Things are no better, in fact, they're worse.

However, some things have changed in the interim; I see the beginnings of a back-lash against the Murrayfield Muddlers, who have driven us down to such a cold, dark place.

Well done Alasdair Reid of the Herald. He is, if you like, the kid who pointed out the Emperor's lack of clothing, with his Monday morning piece on the follies of Coach Johnson. Slowly, away from the Hootsman, where David Ferguson - with a stance totally incompatible with his birth as a Paisley Buddie - is continuing to toe the party line, the clans are coming round to the notion it is time to ditch the Ockker.

Well done too, Paul Hayward of the Daily Torygraph, for his Monday morning piece suggesting the Six Nations committee ought to tell the SRU to: "Ship Up or Ship Out".

I must admit, when I first heard about his piece, my reaction was the normal one you expect from a Jock, being lectured by some Home Counties Tory: "Gonny no dae that," leading-on to the delivery of a swift Glasgow Kiss. Then I read the article in question.

Ok, one or two of the points were obviously made for consumption in Richmond, Barnes and similar leafy suburbs, but, it was fair comment on the whole and written as much in sorrow as in the English equivalent (if there is one) of: Gerritrightupyes!!

Jesus H Christ, the English are feeling sorry for us - I'm a Scotsman - get me out of here.

An old friend and comrade in drink, who now occasionally causes offence in the comment columns of the newspaper website: www.scotsman.com, under the nomme de plume of 'Star o Rabbie Burns' made a good point therein this morning.

Recalling a post-match Ally MacLeod press conference, during that great man's third tenure as Ayr United manager, he re-told Ally's take on managerial security in football.

Basically, the Gospel according to Ally is - if the crowd is calling for a manager's head, so-long as they are calling for his head, and his head alone, that manager is safe. However, when they turn their anger on the board and, in particular, the Chairman - that manager is toast.

So, today's lesson to the body of the Scottish Rugby Kirk is - instead of simply calling for Johnson's head - turn your fire on Dodson and the SRU board. They appointed him, they have to get rid of him.

After all, when you see the damage Johnson has done as Head Coach, even in an interim role - just think of the carnage he might cause when he becomes Director of Rugby and is responsible for the whole game in Scotland.

It doesn't bear thinking about.

This Was The Worst Scotland Performance Ever

THE many sporting heartaches we suffer is a heavy price to pay for life-long enlistment in the Tartan Army. I have been following Scotland's rugby team for over 50-years; when I started going to Murrayfield, there was just the one stand, we stood on that vast, open bowl of terracing and watched the likes of Ken Scotland, Arthur Smith, the McLeod, Bruce Rollo front row, Hamish Kemp, Adam Robson and Jimmy Greenwood.

I've seen some great days, and some dire ones, but, never, in those 50-plus years, have I felt so low as I feel tonight.  We weren't so-much beaten by England, as humiliated this afternoon, and, I can see no light at the end of the long, dark tunnel we are currently travelling down.

I hate losing to the England. It's a feeling I should be used to by now, but, as a firm believer in the old truism: "It matters not who won or lost - so long as you beat the English", today was hard.

I firmly believe this current English team will go close in the 2015 World Cup, with home advantage, they should. They have the makings of a good side, but, they are not there yet. They have a good pack of forwards, but, on today's evidence, they are struggling in the vital midfield area. If they can sort this out by World Cup time, they will be a handful for anyone - even the All Blacks.

I always fancied them to win today, but, felt, in terrible conditions, on a poor pitch, we could drag them down to our level and, under these conditions, I was quite happy to accept a ten-point start in a "loser buys lunch" wager with one of my schoolmates who has been doing vital missionary work in the Sudetenland tese many years.

Boy, was I wrong. And, what makes the terribly low feeling worse, it was the same-old, same-old. No cutting edge, slow possession, out-muscled at the breakdown, a poor kick-chase game.

I had my doubts when Scott Johnson was recruited. Since then he has risen seamlessly to the top and, even when Vern Cotter arrives - if he still does; if I was him I'd be looking for an out!! Johnson will still be around as Director of Rugby.

Well, you never know, he might be a better DoR than he is Head Coach, where he is a distinct liability.

How many more chances will Ross Ford get? He cannot hook, he misses his jumper at every crucial line-out, while struggling at the midfield ones. Sorry Ross, your time has come.

But, let's face it, until we have a total overhaul of Scottish rugby, from elite level to grass-roots, we are only going to go backwards. I don't see SJ as the man to run this.

We are doomed.

The Tartan Army Got It Correct All Those Years Ago

WEMBLEY, 1996 - the final whistle blows and, courtesy of Uri Geller's earlier intervention (aye right), a not very good England team, inspired by a truly wonderful Paul Gascoigne goal had got out of jail to beat Scotland in a European Championship game.

 

Half an hour later, the polis finally allow the Tartan Army, who had certainly won the terracing support match over the English fans, are allowed to leave: marching out to the strains of: "We're shite, but we know we are".

 

Nearly 20 years later, as I disgustedly switched channels at the conclusion of the game in Dublin - I thought - that old Tartan Army anthem is now Scotland's rugby song of choice.

 

We could blame the players; we should blame the coach; we must blame the Murrayfield blazerati; but, the fact is - much though the English media's constantly harping-on and making the point might hurt us - in rugby terms, we are second-rate.

 

We are still, quite likely, to rise to the occasion when those awfully nice chaps from the other side of Hadrian's Wall come calling on Saturday. This, aligned to the fact that, for all Stuart Lancaster's warnings to the contrary, the English might arrive with the impression: "It's only the Sweaties - we just have to turn-up to win", and, we can drag them down to our level and somehow slink home in a poor game.

 

But, I see more pain and suffering to come in thes Six Nations. How things have changed since even Friday.

 

 

 

FINAL word on Dublin. When will Ross Ford finally be pensioned-off. He crumbles under the pressure line-out throws. HE IS A HOOKER WHO CANNOT HOOK, and, whilst on this sorry subject - will the Scottish coaching staff please ditch their supposed tactic of not striking for their own ball, relying on an eight man shove to get the ball - it doesn't work.

 

If they cannot show how to feed and strike, there are enough former Scottish and Lions legends around who could teach these lost arts.

 

AND - that taxi for Ford, should also be for Jim Hamilton. I've said for years the big man was a liability - surely, after Sunday, I am no longer a lone voice.

Reffed Out Of The Game - Again

THE lady with whom I have shared a sort of Last Tango in Ayrshire these past seven years having decided  she was right all along when she first ditched me 50 years ago, I am now free to enjoy the Six Nations without incurring her wrath.

I intend taking advantage of my new-found freedom, by watching every game.

I warmed-up last night by watching the Scotland A v England Saxons game. WE WUZ ROBBED; but, I don't expect that will be the only time I say that over the next few weeks.

Take away the ten points a clueless French referee handed the Saxons, through getting things wrong, and, we won a poor game, and, ok, the conditions didn't help. I felt we were the better of two poor sides, but, the way the referee reacted to the big calls. Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear - Disaster for Scotland, as my old pal David Francey used to say.

The English loose-head was pulling Jon Welsh's arm down all night, and getting away with it. Indeed, in the scrum in which the ref awarded the penalty try, if you watch carefully, you will see it was the English front row which popped-up first.

On the other side, Gordy Reid was pinged a couple of times, when he had the English tight-head on toast all night. I felt sorry for Greig Tonks, whose big chance ended prematurely through injury, but, the boy Heathcote again impressed when he came on and, Ally Hogg's immense contribution merely proved (yet again), good technical coach though he is - as a selector, Andy Robinson couldn't pick his nose.

WHAT'S that old (political) saying? Yes, a good time to bury bad news - hence the SRU's decision to let it be known, the eight-club Scottish Super League will not be happening any time soon.

This is one of these good ideas which was always doomed to fail. There is no way the lesser Scottish clubs were ever going to stand for it, particularly in that part of the nation which is closest to the common enemy and where they go in for sex with their sisters, particularly if she has a wooly coat and says "Bah" a lot.

Our love of the clan culture has always been Scotland's hand brake. If we cannot have it, we don't want our neighbours getting it - unless it is a contagious disease. Thus, fears about player poaching have been behind the decision to quietly drop the plan.

As originally announced, the eight-club Superleague wasn't perfect, a lot of things had still to be ironed out, but, I think it was better than what we've got and was a way ahead.

The selfish clubs have dropped the ball here.

Still on the subject of burying bad news. Have a look at the Glasgow Hawks website, where the wonderful webmaster, Hugh Barrow, has posted a piece on last month's meeting between Hawks and the SRU, on the vexed subject of the governing body's response to the altercation between Hawks' Ally McLay and a band of Warriors.

This matter is subjudice, and clearly heading for the courts, so comment has to be minimal. Suffice to say, Hawks aint happy and, from what I gather, CCTV evidence, if used, will be very bad for the Warriors and the image of professional rugby in Scotland.

The SRU's news management abilities will be sorely tested by this case, when it finally gets to court, believe you me.

I DON'T do predictions much, but, I will say - if we can play the referees better than we have in recent years, and if our key men stay fit - I think we can do a bit better than the much-predicted fifth spot in this year's Six Nations.

Go for it lads.

I Predict A Hard Time

HERE we are, in the calm before the storm which is the Six Nations. We are in our familiar position are Europe, outside looking in as it gets to the tickly bit; it would perhaps be better not to mention the British & Irish Cup, in which only Ayr of the home-based clubs managed to win a game, or, in their case, two.

We have our usual pre-6N aura of confidence about us, even if, internally - forward tho we canna see, we guess and fear. Aye, it's being this happy and upbeat which keeps us going.

My view is, let's just get through this next few weeks, then hope for better things when big Vern arrives at the end of the season. I have very little confidence in Scottie J, sure, he talks a good game, he knows how to push the Alickadoos' buttons, but, I don't think he's got it as a national coach.

We are going into the 6N with an all-too-obvious weakness at half-back,where, for all the good things he does, Greig Laidlaw simply isn't an international-class scrum-half, and, we still don't know which of the four contenders is our best bet at 10.

The Scotland A squad to face the Saxons at the end of the month was named today. It's good to see Ally Hogg back; I have to issue with Jonny Gray playing on Friday night at Scotstoun, rather than in Dublin on the Sunday and, all told, it's not a bad team.

LOOKING at the Scottish Cup quarter-final draw, I get the impression the SRU have borrowed the old SFA square and oval balls, supposedly deployed to keep the Old Firm apart, to ensure that the supposed big guns had the best chance of a semi-final place.

I still reckon the Cup will come down to Ayr v whoever wins between Gala and Melrose.

I SEE the English media is now coming round to the point of view that, post-Heineken, they will have an Anglo-Welsh League. Or maybe an Anglo-French-Welsh competition - anything but the Heineken as we know it.

Now, the fans with laptops what follow the English League are not the sharpest; all their chat about new set-ups for cross-border rugby overlooks one vital fact - to organise a cross-border competition, the organisers will need IRB permission. Without that, they will not get referees for a start, and, I don't see the IRB not backing the interests of the WRU, the IRU and the SRU. They will stick together, the Italians will come to heel; the French will not let their clubs have their way, so, the RFU will have to pull their clubs into line - or else.

We all accept the Heineken needs change, but, I don't see the unions rolling over to allow the English clubs to run it. So, if they want change, they had better sort things out with the RFU and with the other unions.

I ONCE played for a "Coarse Rugby XV" - our club's third team. The team motto was: 'We Won the Fight' and, we could always claim that - no matter how badly we were humped in actual scoring terms.

So, I was delighted to see Ayr's response to some terrible refereeing in Saturday's British & Irish Cup clash against Jersey.

Match official James McPhail was honking - his terrrible display confirmed all our prejudices about incompetent Scottish referees, as he repeatedly penalised Ayr (and yes, I know, Ayr do get penalised more than any other Scottish team, and often rightly so).

By the second-half, Ayr skipper Dean Kelbrick was a constant nagging presence at the ref's ear - and not doing too-well in turning things around. So, with nothing else going for them, Ayr piled in to the games single set-piece melee; and, right at the heart of things, exactly where you would expect a wee, thrawn, ginger-haired five foot six square scrum-half, was Murray McConnell, getting tore into a couple of Jersey forwards about twice his size.

Result - Ayr won the fight, Jersey went into their shells and Ayr scored a narrow, if deserved win. Memo to Scottish clubs facing English opponents - as a general rule: they don't like it up 'em.

Now, while I am being sore on Mr McPhail, can I just say, all is not lost with Scottish referees. Young Andrew McMenemey is, to my mind, growing in stature, while the way experienced players in the twilight of their career, such as Mike Adamson, are being targetted and fast-tracked, speaks well for the future.

Let's face it, bad (occasionally) though our referees can be - we are a long way from having the one-eyed homers which our pro teams have to deal with in the Pro12 games in Wales.

Scotland - Where's That? Is The Fleet Street View

IT'S been a tough week for the poor unfortunates charged with, as the industry saying goes: "putting a kilt" on the London papers' coverage of the weekend Heineken Cup games.

 

Edinburgh beating Perpignan and Glasgow doing the double over Exeter doesn't fit-in with the Fleet Street authorised version: verily English clubs rule, while the French come next - the Scots are merely in there to make up the numbers.

 

So, well done our two professional sides. It is, alas, maybe too-late for both to take the consolation prize of an Amlin Cup quarter-final slot, but, we live in hope of Edinburgh at least qualifying - it will take some terrific shocks for Glasgow to recover from their two losses to Cardiff to slip in, I fear.

 

I had to laugh, however, at the way the London media managed to pick a team of the week without a single Scot, but, hey, that's life.

 

 

 

I WAS at Old Anniesland on Saturday for the Hawks v GHA West Cup final, which was won by the Premiership side. It was a really good match, with little between the teams, before Premiership nous carried the day, but, not before Heffin O'Hare and Andy Henderson had turned back the years to inspire GHA.

 

There is more to rugby in Glasgow than the Warriors - Evening Times please note.

 

 

 

THE 6 Nations squad will be released this week, which should be interesting. I am not without hope going into this season's tournament, but will reserve my forecasts until I see the strength of the relative squads.

 

The Club XV squad was announced yesterday, and I am still scratching my head to work-out what Ayr's Robbie Fergusson has to do to get a mention. He is a class act.