BILLY BREMNER MEMORIAL JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
Date: 31st August 2024
At the Hump Den, things are more settled than they have been over the summer. Their sojourn to Germany, with much excitement had not gone as well as they had hoped and supremo and ray of sunshine, head of it all and so very much more, Mr. Clarke was contemplating.
In fact, some had even suggested, whispered in some corners, that Mr. Clarke was “pure losing his touch,” and the time had come for him “tae haud in his jaiket.”
But Mr. Clarke was going nowhere…
Picture the scene…
It is the hallowed halls of the National Hump Den, home of National Hope and Disappointment. Glory was nowhere to be seen this bleak summer’s morning.
In fact, right now the whole place was decked out in the colours of one half of the mighty two in Glasgow as Hump Den play host to the Govan Brigade as their home gets a refurb.
And so, the sight of Mr. Clarke coming out of his office, trying to avoid any banners that might be taken as headlines for the critics and nay sayers, he waltzes down the stairs and emerges to the next staff meeting designed as a question-and-answer session to quell the rumours and take the company in the right direction.
Whatever that it is…
To wherever that may be…
Because the team face a couple of huge challenges over the next few weeks. One at home and one in Portugal.
Mr. Clarke needs to make sure he is picking the right team to make the right plays, to do the right things, to succeed in the right manner… and that is in our manor first and then their manor later guv…
Mr. Clarke sits behind a pop-up desk like a detective in a 1970’s cop show. Rumour has it that that was decade in which he was last caught smiling…
Mr. Clarke grimaces at the people in front of him. The money spent on grooming lessons and the art of decorum seminars have clearly been wasted.
Mr. Clarke nods which was the cue for the very first question to be asked.
And some asked about his last few pronouncements in Germany when he seemed to be “in a wee bit of a tizz”.
Mr. Clarke nods to acknowledge the question and to confirm he had been that wee bit agitated. Since then, nobody has been able to mention Argentina to him… Some of the older guard said it was reminiscent of 1978 and how previous incumbent of the post, a Mr. MacLeod had struggled to recover from his experience of the Argentines. Dave, a Falkland’s War veteran and door keeper was retired early when found making plans for a full-frontal combat assault in South America.
In a surprise to almost everyone, Mr. Clarke admitted he had been disappointed and frustrated. Two emotions that nobody had heard pass his lips before.
When asked if he would apologise for what he had said in the given circumstances, Mr. Clarke said, “no”.
Someone then said he would be in for a bit of stick for all of that.
Mr. Clarke said, “I can take it.”
Someone was then bold enough to suggest that some people were a tiny bit disappointed with things in Germany.
Mr. Clarke asked, “who did you speak to?” No hands were raised, and the questioner slunk back into his plastic chair.
The final question came from a lanky, vaguely familiar figure who had just rode in from Perth. “Had he considered resigning?” he asked.
There was a hush in the room.
People began fidgeting and looking anywhere BUT at Mr. Clarke.
Slowly Mr Clarke rose from the table. He eyed the tall lanky stranger with some suspicion. A familiar person but one, at that time, neither he, nor anyone else in the room could place. He contemplated losing it and tossing the table over the assembled throng of people but stopped himself.
Mr. Clarke said, “no”.
Then he left.
The tall lanky one cursed under his breath and left the room, then Hump Den in haste. As he got into his car in the car park below, the disguise came off and as Mr. Clarke was watching from his office window, the Big Levein revealed himself…
Whilst the author asserts his right to this as an original piece of work there is no evidence that Steve Clarke has not smiled since the 1970’s, unless you know differently, so, this is clearly a piece of fiction.
The fact is that following what happened in Germany and announcing squads to face Poland and Portugal, Steve Clarke faced the press and according to many news outlets, especially the BBC this is what followed: “In his first address since Germany, Clarke, revived and in good humour, said his outburst that night was that of a disappointed and frustrated coach speaking with a lot of emotion. There was no apology, but there was a lot of determined talk from the Scotland manager. Had he thought of quitting post-Germany? “No,” he replied, emphatically. Clarke spoke about regret and resilience. A lot of flak has flown. “I can take it,” he said. He balked at a question about the massed ranks of the Tartan Army being angry and flat in the wake of the Euros. “How many did you speak to?” he responded.” And with that the Tartan Army roll on and into the next campaign…
Oor Donald is an Ayr fan who cares about Ayr and the bigger picture.
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Tags: Hampden Park, Scotland