BILLY BREMNER MEMORIAL JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN

SFSA – The independent voice of Scottish football supporters

Andy’s Sting In The Tale (07/02/25) “The Age of Uncertainty”

Date: 7th February 2025 

(Photo:@Homesoffootball)


1. Ex Hamilton Star in Front of Los Beaks

2. Celtic Swerve a Fan Ban  

3. Geo Politics and the USA World Cup

4. The Lost Final

5. Kid’s Stuff

6. Dirty Money for Nothing


1. It Started With a Kiss

Ex Hamilton Accies defender Luis Rubiales planted an unwarranted smacker on victorious World Cup captain, Jenni Hermoso, in front of a worldwide audience.

There was a stooshie.

And then he and the Spanish mandarins allegedly tried to bully her into saying she was fine with it all.

This week has been about Jenni and next week Rubiales will give evidence.

It’s fair to say the episode has uncovered the toxic relationship between Spanish FA and their women’s team.

2. Uefa Hand Celtic a Fine

Celtic avoid fans ban for Bayern Munich tie - BBC SportUefa sprang a wee surprise by fining Celtic just £8,400 after some tosser threw a green smoke bomb onto Villa Park.
Already under a two-year suspended fan ban for their pointless pyrotechnic display in Dortmund I’d say they were lucky and it shows the power of the club’s lobbying.
Uefa had the chance to make their strict liability mean something but maybe this was a smoke bomb short of a display.And maybe one day Celtic will allow our national broadcaster back into Parkhead press briefings.
Football can be childish sometimes.
3. Uncertainties and Inconsistencies in the Football Power Game

BBC World Service - Business Matters, Trump signs executive order on policingWe have a new President who wants to annexe Greenland, Canada and now Gaza, with a world cup and club championship in the USA imminent, we have Israel still playing in Uefa competitions despite the bona fide constitutional pleas from the Palestine FA, and Russia are out and wanting back in.
Fifa seem to think all is fine because Gianni Infantino mixes in high places and has a house in Qatar and Miami.
The famous Canadian/US economist JK Galbraith wrote about ‘The Age of Uncertainty’ back in the 70s.
I think it’s now.
4. Our Only Ever Uefa Men’s Trophy
The Lost FinalI watched a wonderful programme on BBC iPlayer, The Lost Final.
It was 1982, our big team was heading to sunny Spain and our under 18s won in Finland.
Only Chick Young was there to file small reports in The Record as Andy Roxburgh and Walter Smith brought the silver home.
Watch it.
And it got me thinking about when Saudi under 16s came to Scotland in 1989 and beat our team after penalties.
It was men against boys because we were the age group and they weren’t.
That is worth a retrospective documentary on the BBC Scotland channel.And I remember some cracking schoolboy Saturday afternoon matches from Wembley especially 1980 when our under 15 team with Paul McStay, Ally Dick, and John Robertson won 5-4.

5. Where Have All the Youngsters Gone?

Teenager Rice signs new three-year deal - BBC SportRangers played Bailey Rice, an 18-year-old Scot last Saturday.
Shock horror!
Arsenal have an 18-year-old, Myles Lewis Kelly, who has displaced two senior pros including Kieran Tierney.
And we know what Spain’s youngsters achieved in the Euros.

Our dearth of youngsters breaking through says a lot about the sheer pressure our managers are under in our wee leagues where 3 points is the difference between the up and down play-off spots.

But be acutely aware that our grass roots is in need of a root and branch review and a proper 30 year rolling plan.
When we beat England 5-4 at Wembley we had a vibrant schools and youth network.
Now we have academies who pick the wrong kids, teach them to pass sideways, and dump them at 20.

Kids football was the foundation of our game but nobody seemed to realise that.

6. No Wonder the Gambling Ad Ban Fizzled Out

Gambling sponsorship in football: Do you think it should be banned? - BBC Newsround2 years ago it was odds on that gambling companies would be frozen out of sports sponsorship.
After lots of high-end lobbying the industry had it’s wrist slapped with a wet dock leaf and now carry on regardless, as long as they pay lip service to problem gambling and gamblers.Why the government U turn?Because the tax take from Gambling is £3.6 Billion and rising by a third in the next two years, and it claims to employ 100,000 people.
It is Westminster’s most lucrative industry.

And here’s the cynicism.Unmasking Gambling Addiction in Men | Signs and TreatmentThe UK has at least 460,000 problem gamblers and the gambling companies are ace recruiters of youngsters.
As of now the cost to the exchequer of problem gambling is estimated at £1.1B to £1.7B so Westminster is currently quids in.
Politics is compromised at every level.

Andy’s Sting

is:A weekly column from me.
I’m still in an isolated ward on the fourth floor of the QEUH in Govan and can expect another 4 weeks to allow my new German immunity to become robust enough to escape.
I’m lucky to have a room with a router so the dodgy WIFI isn’t dodgy here.

Sting is Sting, any opinions are mine and are just that, opinions.

Andy’s Album of the Week
 
Camel : Mirage

Camel - Mirage - Vinyl LP - 2019 - EU - Reissue | HHVI was never into Prog Rock mostly because it was dull, boring, noisy and simply not progressive.
But one of my student pals, Fiona, had bought this album and played it a few times when it was her turn for team coffees and a group performance.
After a couple of listens I loved it and The Other Record Shop in Union Street was beckoning.
I particularly liked Andy Latimer’s flute which made Camel quite different.Prog rock doesn’t have to be aggressive and I’ve had this album on a few times this week as background support.Rolling Stone Magazine placed it 21 in their list of 50 Essential Prog Rock albums saying it was subtle, complex and melodic.
Supertwister is my favourite track but really the whole album is just one fine track and has stood the test of time.

Posted in: Andy’s Sting in the Tale, Latest News