Why on earth did I look forward to the start of the new season with mouth-watering anticipation? Jeez, I'm an educated man, I really should know better by now. It's not even the end of July, and the optimism has been swept away by the endless tides of complete drivel that have carried over from early in the year. Same old, same old.
The quality of lower league domestic football hasn't changed, as demonstrated by the opening ICT game of the season, the home Alba Cup tie with Montrose. The third division seems about at the standard I last recall from a couple of years ago, if it's anything to judge by the visitors' style of play; this can be summed up by one word, "hoof!". Unfortunately Mo showed how much organized, fit teams can achieve in the modern game, as Caley appeared to have 110% possession, yet managed only a handful of clear cut chances and just a single goal (an own goal, just to add to the embarassment), and looked as dangerous in attack as an empty apple juice carton. And to cap it all, Mo grabbed a goal out of nothing late on, when our centre halves suddenly avoided the ball like it was infected with swine flu, and we had to sit through another half hour of mindless tedium. And penalties, which we at least won. It was, in conclusion, and utterly hopeless and entirely accurate advert for the Scottish lower leagues.
Caley have Annan Athletic at home in the league cup on Saturday. I miss it because of work. I can't say with total honesty that I'm devastated about it.
And of course, don't forget the annual Scottish European farce, which was for some reason postponed two seasons back, allowing the Old Firm and Aberdeen long European runs. Don't worry, boys and girls. we look certain to revert to type once more this season. Congratulations to Falkirk, whose loss to a Liechtenstein team surely, once and for all, counts as the most humiliating European exit ever by a Scottish team. Joy. At least being knocked out (probably) by Dinamo Moscow is a step up in class from previous vanquishers of the Old Firm in the Champions' League, such as the footballing powerhouses of Kaunas and Artmedia Bratislava. But if anyone at Celtic really thought that Marc-Antoine Fortune was a Champions' League type striker, those thoughts have been well and truly euthanased.
The optimists amongst you will say "things can only get better". But what, dear readers, if the English Premier League becomes dull. Then what will we do? What will be the point of going on?
L.
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