Domestic squabbling. Arguing amongst the Old Firm. Bickering over TV deals. Steve Clarke and his Scotland heroes did their best to unify the country over the period of the international break.
However, with the national team action now on the backburner again, it’s time for verbal combat to resume on the Hotline. Alan Flett ’s insistence that international football is irrelevant and that he doesn’t understand why another would care ticked the final box of the Scotland spell.
Sam Morton, Edinburgh, hit back: “He doesn’t understand why people care about international football. I don’t understand why people care about a domestic two-horse race and the predictable and repetitive Champions League where the big money teams dominate. Clarke took Scotland to their first second placed finish in a qualifying group since the Berti Vogts era and to a pot two seeding for the Euro qualifiers as well as into the top bracket of the Nations League so the progress is there for all but the most blinkered to see.”
Archie Taggart, Aberdeen, said: “Scotland are just going up and up under Clarke and I don’t see why anyone would think it’s irrelevant. “It’s not going to feel irrelevant when there is a World Cup on and we’re not in it. Again. The Euros was brilliant last year, despite the results. We all want to go back to another tournament and this Scotland manager and squad is going to get us there.”
Alan couldn’t resist returning to the Hotline for another pop, this time about the TV deal which has been agreed between the SPFL and Sky Sports. He said: “If the supporters of clubs outwith the Old Firm would turn up every week instead of crawling out of the woodwork for the big games, Scottish football in general would be far better off. These clubs and their fans would do well to remember that without the Old Firm, there would be no TV deal at all.”
Not everyone appears thrilled at the mechanics of how the TV deal was concluded. But Bill Smith, Airdrie, said: “With regard to the interview with Neil Doncaster, I am not in a position to comment or critique the deal, but I would assume to a high percentage that 41 out of 42 clubs would have done a good degree of due diligence.”
Robert McGuire, Glasgow, added: “Once again, everyone seems happy about the situation except poor old Rangers. Yet again, it seems they can see something that everyone else can’t.”
Stephen Johnstone, Ardentinny, then took it neatly back to Scotland when he said: “Never mind the right and wrongs of the new TV package, the SFA need to give Clarke a new contract as one can see a big club from England’s top tier poaching him. If you can do a deal with the TV company two years early, the same must be done to keep Scotland’s best manager in modern times.”
The Premiership gets going again on Saturday with leaders Celtic at home to Motherwell, Rangers going to Hearts and Derek McInnes returning to Aberdeen with Kilmarnock. Liam Fox is in charge of Dundee United for the first time proper and St Mirren can go third.
Plenty to be excited about and David White, Glasgow, said: “As much as Scotland was decent to watch, this is what it’s all about. Rangers going back to the top of the league for a start will make my weekend.
“I’ve had to laugh at Celtic fans moaning about players getting injured on international duty. I thought the amazing Ange Postecoglou and the greatest squad ever could win the league with their second team? Or did I hear that wrong?”
What do you think of Thursday's Hotline calls?
Get involved in the conversation in the comments section below...
