Are Scotland unperforming or have they just found their level?

Question

There was a time when Scotland would be a certainty to be at a world cup. Now it looks unlikely that we will ever qualify for a major tournement again. Are we in a slump or have we simply found our level. After all we a small country with an unhealthy population. Are we actually a diddy team??

To answer a question posed below until Japan/Korea 2002 I think that Scotland had qualified for 8 out of the last 9 world cups. A better record than even our English neighbours. Must say though the level of uber partiotism from England during Germany 2006 was verging on frightning. So much for the "Golder Generation" though. With the exception of Brazil they where probably the poorest of the Big Boys.

Answer 1

i support northern ireland and they whipped england last septmber so u can never say that just need a good coach and okay players who act like a team look at greece 2004!

Answer 2

The problem is that the International team has paid the price for years of neglect in developing the youth. Rangers and Celtic have to be the biggest culprits with their foreign player signings but many of the rest have followed suit. The pressure on teams to get 3 points or remain in the SPL creates the situation where Managers only go with the tried and trusted. In the last year there seems to have been a change ( other than Hearts ) as the clubs find they no longer have the money to survive and hence some good youngsters are starting to emerge. Maybe they should make the SPL 16 or 18 teams and revert to playing each other twice. This may ease the pressure on Managers and encourage the fielding of promising youngsters but the sport is money driven and who is going to agree to giving up 2 matches against Rangers and Celtic.

Answer 3

I'm sure that Scottish football both at the national level AND the professional leagues has not yet found it's true level

It's surely bound to go down even further!

Scottish football is a joke, and always will be, all the time Rangers and Celtic are the dominant forces in the domestic league

All good Scottish players play in countries other than Scotland, and some of them are quite outstanding but the domestic Scots are pretty ordinary

Answer 4

I think that outside Europe there are not that many great footballing nations. The emergence of the African Nations and of the Asian countries in the footballing world has meant that competition for the "lesser" European teams to qualify for the World cup has intensified.
I will be very surprised if we ever qualify for another world cup finals until we do something radical. I would be happy to write off the next 12 years of tournaments if it meant doing something radical about the state of our game.

However, the S.F.A do not seem to have the ability to think outside of the box and to bring in measures that could improve things at youth level.

There are good young players out there but they are bought by the "Ugly Sisters" sat on the bench and then sent on to diddy English teams! Would be glad never to see another Scots squad containing another overpaid Old Firm player who doesn't try a **** in case he gets injured before an "important" game!!!

Answer 5

Yes it's amazing how your football has gone down hill,at one time every big club in England had 1 or 2 very good Scottish players. Your under 19's did well recently so maybe things are looking up but you've got a long way to go to catch England up! At least we wish you well which is more than you can say about England. I look forward to the return of the home internationals.Good luck

Answer 6

I think there was a mega dip in form once Berti Vogts took over, think we dropped from 40-odd to 80-odd. The problem is now that we are improving and the team is more gelled is that the rankings will hurt us bad when it comes to seeding, for example were 4th seeds in our Euro 2008 qualifying group, 2 tournaments ago we were 2nd seeds, like the old say is, its easier to get to the top than it is to stay there. I do believe that Walter Smith can get us back into the top 40 but no higher, there is alot of work to do.

Answer 7

Scotland are around about where they deserve to be maybe could go a little higher but they will never be a world beater. They have the ability to beat smaller nations but when it comes to the big european teams they struggle badly. In the future they may enjoy big wins but those wins will be the equvalent of Northern Ireland beating England (huge deal but flukey)

Answer 8

When where Scotland a certainty?????

But yep, the team HAS got weaker over the years....

I can remember Scotland being P*ssed before playing brazil
years ago and putting in a fantastic performance (I think they even won!)

Answer 9

Yep a diddy team. Same population as Denmark but unlike them Scotland are shite.

Answer 10

Scotland play football?