Belgium are ranked number 1 in the world. Why are Scotland so far behind??

We used to play with tennis balls at school. There were 50 pitches at 50 pitches - now there are 2.

We used to get the bus to the other side of Glasgow and play for the school then back again to play for the boys club in the afternoon.

We used to go down the 'Pubbie' park every day after school and play 3 and in or Headies.

We used to play in the street - kerbie or cross and score on the gate.

Since my son left home I've not seen a football in this street

The fifty pitches sprung to mind and there was a load of pitches out next to the airport which was taken away to build a motorway and airport car parks.

The public park we used to play in was ash for years then they put grass down but come the summer put chains across the goals so we couldn’t use them. :rolleyes:

Now as mentioned above the goals are taken away every summer. There is a small AstroTurf pitch at the school at the end of my street which to be fair has access from the street outwith school hours and kids are regularly kicking a ball about but I’d imagine they’re few and far between around the country.
 
We used to play with tennis balls at school. There were 50 pitches at 50 pitches - now there are 2.

We used to get the bus to the other side of Glasgow and play for the school then back again to play for the boys club in the afternoon.

We used to go down the 'Pubbie' park every day after school and play 3 and in or Headies.

We used to play in the street - kerbie or cross and score on the gate.

Since my son left home I've not seen a football in this street

I recognise all of this.

During the school holidays, we used to play all day, morning, afternoon, evening, anywhere we could find empty level grass and somewhere to throw down two jumpers to form goals.

Used to play until it got dark.
 
When you have an FA which has been previously covertly, and now not-so-covertly promoting one team only, and that team instils a nationalistic pride towards a foreign nation, then it is no surprise that you end up with a lot of your “top” players playing half heartedly? Or that the manager you pick blindly ignores the other big team? And you also end up with half empty stadiums watching your home games?
 
I recognise all of this.

During the school holidays, we used to play all day, morning, afternoon, evening, anywhere we could find empty level grass and somewhere to throw down two jumpers to form goals.

Used to play until it got dark.

We put a carpet in the goals when it was frozen
 
I recognise all of this.

During the school holidays, we used to play all day, morning, afternoon, evening, anywhere we could find empty level grass and somewhere to throw down two jumpers to form goals.

Used to play until it got dark.

WE used to play until it got dark in America (we were in Glasgow)
 
Last edited:
My experience of kids football is zero technique or tactics, it’s all about working hard and getting stuck in. The coaching for the most part is woeful.

Exactly, at our team we try teach everything with ball ect

We spoke to a coach at sellik and asked what they look for in a kid aged 7 (our teams age group) his reply was "someone who gets stuck in and then we can teach them the rest"

Baffled me.

Grassroots is a mess and it stems from the non competitive setup, its also not tiered so u can have a development squad playing against an advanced team and get beat 15-0 which teaches both teams nothing.

Scottish football from grassroots needs an overhaul
 
I was about to add a few things but they have already been stated.

Drink drugs? Every country has this. I will admit that our culture is changing quite a bit.

Computers? Every country has this .

Poor weather? Every country has this (Iceland)

When you narrow it down some what it really is the men who captain the ship at the SFA.
 
Everything is wrong with whole set up. Piss poor facilities, no kids kicking a ball around anymore. They'd rather be on the ipad or PS4, the SFA Dinosaurs, Youth football doesn't seem as prevelant as it used too.

I'm 40 and growing up you had BB football which was thriving. School football then we played with our club's too. Some weekends we played 3 games and 2 most weekends.

That's just the tip of the problem.

“ the facilities are piss poor “ argument doesn’t make sense to me , we have a lot better facilities in Scotland than many other countries who perform way better than us.

A disconnect between clubs and the shambles of a football association who run our national team is a huge problem. Also I think we lose a lot of talent to cultural issues like people who drop of out the game between 14-18 who would rather go out for a bevvy at the weekend. Add to that the poor standard of coaching at youth and a an overall lack of technically gifted players we have so many issues to face. And it’s not only the other clubs in Scotland who’s to blame , Rangers have a real lack of players who make it through or academy into the first team and go on to have a successful international career.
 
Hatred and bigotry simple as
Not 100% accurate, it goes way deeper than that.
Our countries main placeholders no longer give a f.uck, they haven't for year.
Mediocrity is the norm and more worrying, accepted.
Ernie Walker cared, that's when it stopped.
 
We spoke to a coach at sellik and asked what they look for in a kid aged 7 (our teams age group) his reply was "someone who gets stuck in and then we can teach them the rest"
Yes baffling. I’ve only coached u10s but it was clear that some kids are just naturals technically. Miles ahead before you’ve taught them anything.
 
I remember after the 1998 WC we were starting again.

It just seems that every 5 years we plan to do this sort of stuff and nothing ever come is it.

Since 1998 we have produced a handful of players who could play at top level. At the moment only Robertson and Fraser are good players. The rest are just donkeys.

We haven't qualified for a major tournament in 21 years and that won't be changing any time soon. Fuuking Bosnia qualified a number of years ago and even Albania, Austria, Northern Ireland, the free state, Denmark, Iceland and Poland have all been at majors in last few outings.

We live in a country where Football is not the same as the rest of the world. We should play football instead of playing the kick and hope.
 
Probably the same reason China aren’t the best in the world.

There are plenty other factors besides population size.
 
Gullible fans who sing "Steve Clarke's tartan army" says much about the state of the game.
No need to improve the game when there are fools willing to cough up for dross.
 
Yes baffling. I’ve only coached u10s but it was clear that some kids are just naturals technically. Miles ahead before you’ve taught them anything.

Yip, but if hes too small they will favour a taller less gifted player who gets stuck in, thats the scottish mentality, which is why scotland is crap lol the setup is a joke
 
Lack of confidence.

When other countries have gone through periods of failing to qualify for tournaments, they rally round and try to identify what they need to do differently. Then they work hard and actually try to win games.

In Scotland we have this dour, masochistic mentality in which many of us actually appear to revel in apathy and failure. Journalists, players, managers and supporters are all complicit in this.

Years and years of this grind everybody down to the point where players don’t enjoy playing for Scotland, fans don’t enjoy watching Scotland and qualification matches are treated as damage limitation exercises rather than opportunities to be seized.
 
There will be some valid reasons, but the main one is probably just randomness. Sometimes a small country has loads of good players come through at the same time. If Belgium are top #5 in the World in 15 years time I'd be very surprised.
You are probably right, B10P. However, it is going to take a major improvement in the quality of leadership at the SFA for Scotland to be in the top 30, in 15 years.
 
I remember after the 1998 WC we were starting again.

It just seems that every 5 years we plan to do this sort of stuff and nothing ever come is it.

Since 1998 we have produced a handful of players who could play at top level. At the moment only Robertson and Fraser are good players. The rest are just donkeys.

We haven't qualified for a major tournament in 21 years and that won't be changing any time soon. Fuuking Bosnia qualified a number of years ago and even Albania, Austria, Northern Ireland, the free state, Denmark, Iceland and Poland have all been at majors in last few outings.

We live in a country where Football is not the same as the rest of the world. We should play football instead of playing the kick and hope.
Its all been lip service. They don’t want to upset the status quo.
 
As young boys we were told to kick the ball and chase it. At 11 years old I was s formed by st Mirren and later went on to be scouted by Manchester Utd. . The whole setup was completely different. The ball was smaller and we were taught how to control and use skill and make the ball do the work. At 11 in the West of Scotland with a size 5 ball this was impossible. At the age of 13 I won player of the year in a certain tournament where Paul lambert and others were 2 years older than me. Looking back the setup for kids was all wrong in Scotland. We can’t blame weather or the size of our country. The problem was the whole youth setup at the time. And I think that’s why we are way behind now. On a positive note watching managers with young kids now when I come back home is really refreshing and I just wish we had some of the people coaching now back in they days.
 
It's 2019 and we are still asking 10 year old kids to go out and play in the pishing rain in December and January, while we take down the goalposts in the summer to "protect the pitches." We deserve all that we are getting. You couldn't make a decent Scotland team out of all our internationalists in the last 20 years.
 
I really don't get the PS4/XBox excuse.

They have them in Belgium and every other country. It's not just Scottish kids that play computer games.
I was about to add a few things but they have already been stated.

Drink drugs? Every country has this. I will admit that our culture is changing quite a bit.

Computers? Every country has this .

Poor weather? Every country has this (Iceland)

When you narrow it down some what it really is the men who captain the ship at the SFA.

Every country has drink/drugs yes but I just don’t see the attitude that Britain has abroad. A good example is when brits go abroad. The locals hate them for there boozy antics. I don’t see that happening when they come here. I don’t think the culture of getting steaming every weekend starting from 16 sometimes earlier exists. They drink yes but not to the level our young player people do

Same for consoles. They have them but are they as important a part of there lives as they seem to be for kids in this country
 
A lot of replies, many of them echoing what I have said, a lot suggesting other reasons why we are shit as a national team. No quick fix, that’s for sure. In fact, there’s no apparent fix at all:( Which is a depressing thought.
F**k sake, we have had numerous revamps, league reconstructions, think tanks etc etc etc. We have tried any number of things over the last 20-30 years and we are still shit.
 
In general Scots who support a football club have zero time for steady progression are more than happy with turgid shitey football and have players smashing into each other, the captain screaming into everyone's faces....failure to do so means that any player not doing it is a shitebag and hounded.

THAT is the mentality of a high proportion of Scottish football fans and you have likely read a version of the above countless times on here.

In short, there's zero chance of a longterm vision led by the SFA/SPL or demanded by football fans. It basically lets the authorities away with presiding over any old shite as it's just accepted.
 
If you read about the success of France, Belgium and recently England, the whole racial background has changed dramatically.
Extract from a leading sports and race professor.

"While Mbappé is an unusual talent, his background as the son of first-generation immigrants to France makes him a typical French national team player. Indeed, 17 players on France’s 23-man roster at this year’s Cup are the sons of first-generation immigrants. Other successful European squads are also stacked with talent from sons of immigrants or recent migrants themselves, notably Switzerland and Belgium".

Not many immigrants came to Scotland in the 60's and 70's as it's always pishing it down and freezing.
 
Belgium have a population of around 11 million, we have a population of about half of that. They have a team littered with world class players, we have one player that could possibly be classed in that bracket in Robertson. Why the difference? What are they doing right that we aren’t? Is it down to drink and drugs culture? Poverty? Lack of facilities?
I would say it’s because their FA were open minded and trusted real football men who changed the outlook of the football in Belgium 20 years ago for the better of the sport.

Unlike here where egos rule and the blazers don’t listen to real football men as it may upset their comfortable lives.
 
“ the facilities are piss poor “ argument doesn’t make sense to me , we have a lot better facilities in Scotland than many other countries who perform way better than us.

A disconnect between clubs and the shambles of a football association who run our national team is a huge problem. Also I think we lose a lot of talent to cultural issues like people who drop of out the game between 14-18 who would rather go out for a bevvy at the weekend. Add to that the poor standard of coaching at youth and a an overall lack of technically gifted players we have so many issues to face. And it’s not only the other clubs in Scotland who’s to blame , Rangers have a real lack of players who make it through or academy into the first team and go on to have a successful international career.

The facilities are there yes but they are purely mismanaged, kids are blocked from playing on them e.g gates locked in summer or at weekends ‘to protect Astro pitches’ and costs are far to high
 
There will be some valid reasons, but the main one is probably just randomness. Sometimes a small country has loads of good players come through at the same time. If Belgium are top #5 in the World in 15 years time I'd be very surprised.
Yeah Mark, just the random nature of football.
Spoken like the next England or Spurs manager.
 
Lol Scotland. Utter shite been that way since Walter.
Steve Clark is the new no mark charged with changing "the game in Scotland" lol just another Rangers hating 19th Century Terrorist bastard. Same paedo different 19th Century Terrorist.
Scotland have had no chance at doing anything since Walter, until they appoint another staunch protestant Scot then they will achieve fukk all.
 
I have a friend who was a really talented boxer at 14/15/16 . No1 at his weight and age in Scotland . No2 in Britain . Went to euro champs world champs etc etc. As soon as he hit 16/17 and started drinking, taking coke and chasing birds . He eventually stopped boxing and is now a roofer. I reckon this happens to a lot of footballers as well. It must be so hard even if you know your talented to see all your mates having fun and takes real mental strength not to give in to peer pressure. George best and plenty others got away with it decades ago but now in the world of sports scientists, PT’s, nutritionists, if you want to get to the top you need to treat your body like a temple
 
I coached amateur teams for 15 years and on more than one occasion was at Hampden for disciplinary stuff of one sort or another.

8-10 old guys with blazers, shirt and ties sitting around a big table. Anyone who has been there will tell the same sad story.

The SFA is just an extension of this. Outdated amateurs hanging on to positions of authority they are unqualified/ incompetant to hold in the first place.

Until this regime at the top changes the country will languish where it sits now or get worse.
 
Most of Scotland’s best players end up at us or the scum, where they inevitably get a doing. Ian Durrant for example.
 
As for on the pitch unless teams like Aberdeen Kilmarnock etc try to actual play football nothing will change. If there first team just hoofs it up that will stem through there entire youth setup and kids with talent get nowhere. Refs are massive. If refs all agreed to stop allowing teams to hard tackle and kick talented players out the game it will improve. Did English refs not do this in the premier league a few years back and for 2/3 weeks there was so many red cards but eventually players realised they couldn’t do it anymore
 
I coached amateur teams for 15 years and on more than one occasion was at Hampden for disciplinary stuff of one sort or another.

8-10 old guys with blazers, shirt and ties sitting around a big table. Anyone who has been there will tell the same sad story.

The SFA is just an extension of this. Outdated amateurs hanging on to positions of authority they are unqualified/ incompetant to hold in the first place.

Until this regime at the top changes the country will languish where it sits now or get worse.


You are spot on there mate. Your experience is something many people can relate to, wee insignificant guys that have worked their way onto a committee and have stayed there for years, sometimes decades.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of guys that have given up their spare time and are committed to try and make a difference, these guys never seem to get into positions of power though.
 
Lol Scotland. Utter shite been that way since Walter.
Steve Clark is the new no mark charged with changing "the game in Scotland" lol just another Rangers hating 19th Century Terrorist bastard. Same paedo different 19th Century Terrorist.
Scotland have had no chance at doing anything since Walter, until they appoint another staunch protestant Scot then they will achieve fukk all.

Fuckin hell.....:rolleyes:
 
Agree with this completely.

The refereeing in this country is a real problem.

It absolutely brutalises any skills right out the game.

Players should never be allowed a freebie dull one at the start of the game. If it’s a red card in the 85th minute, it’s a red card in the 1st minute

It’s a joke mate. And it goes all through the media.

They have this pathetic testosterone based ‘aw it’s a mans game bullshit’ and meanwhile ( like us with Killie & the sheep ) good players aren’t allowed to play & develop.
 
It’s a joke mate. And it goes all through the media.

They have this pathetic testosterone based ‘aw it’s a mans game bullshit’ and meanwhile ( like us with Killie & the sheep ) good players aren’t allowed to play & develop.
Yes, you only have to listen to the commentary on Rangers games on the telly, to hear the sheer delight and excitement when opponents clatter our players, to understand that this mentality prevails.
 
My experience of kids football is zero technique or tactics, it’s all about working hard and getting stuck in. The coaching for the most part is woeful.

I’ve coached years ago mate & some of the guys that are allowed to ‘coach’ kids are an absolute disgrace.
Don’t have a clue about the niceties & just send wee guys out to fight. Because the system doesn’t insert controls to ensure that they put the proper mindset into kids.
 
It’s a joke mate. And it goes all through the media.

They have this pathetic testosterone based ‘aw it’s a mans game bullshit’ and meanwhile ( like us with Killie & the sheep ) good players aren’t allowed to play & develop.

And the clubs outside us and them don’t want that mentality to change because that mentality helps to bridge the gap which wouldn’t only get larger if talent was allowed to flourish. It’s a leveller for them
 
And the clubs outside us and them don’t want that mentality to change because that mentality helps to bridge the gap which wouldn’t only get larger if talent was allowed to flourish. It’s a leveller for them
I also don’t think the mentally challengeds want any fundamental change in refereeing in this country (unless it gets even more in their favour).
 
Back
Top