2013-06-19T03:03:21-04:00 Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=ally-livingston Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Ally Livingston Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2679697 2013-02-13T14:25:40-05:00 2013-04-15T05:12:01-04:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
To my mind, for Celtic to win three areas would be crucial: an outstanding goalkeeping performance, clinical finishing and favourable refereeing. Unfortunately, in all three of these areas, the Italians fared significantly better.

Fraser Forster or 'The Great Wall' as he was titled by the Catalan press, was hardly at fault for any of the goals, but on another day he could have pulled off saves for all three of those goals. Buffon, despite his inability to kick, was sublime. Goalkeeping at its core is about positioning and handling, and there is none better then Gianluigi Buffon. With confidence in their defensive abilities, Juventus played a counter-attacking game. They had four chances and converted three. It was the archetypal 'Italian Job;. The title of this piece, other than being a personal over-indulgence with alliteration, refers to one concept of fair play, appreciation of your opponents' abilities. Fair play to Juventus, their clinical, counter-attacking performance was impressive. However, their antics, aided by an embarrassing refereeing display, were not in the spirit of fair play.

Celtic's corner strategies rely on limiting the opposition goalkeeper's movement. Once this is done, swinging corners from Mulgrew or occasionally Commons (much to my displeasure) are met by the likes of Wanyama, Samaras or occasionally Ambrose (much to my displeasure). It has been a tactic that produced much success for Celtic in the Champions League. Conte, the Juventus manager, commented that he had never heard such a roar for a corner. The fans had every right to have such anticipation - we were blooming good at them. Juventus' strategy to counter this was effective and entirely illegal. Led by Lichtsteiner they sought to grapple the Celtic players, preventing them from running onto the ball and in turn giving Buffon room to collect the ball. Joey Barton described these tactics as bordering GBH. Whilst not wishing to go that far, I was led to wonder if the Italians thought our players put horse meat in their lasagne, such was the ferocity of the man-handling. This tactic worked with tremendous success due to the referee's ineptitude. His performance disgusted much of the twittershpere, the media and especially our manager. He booked Hooper for no apparent reason and denied Celtic, five or six clear penalties. Yet when the ball left the box, even the softest contact was deemed a foul. Too frequently fans are left flabbergasted by the quality of Scottish refereeing. This years Champions League has been evidence that this problem is endemic throughout the European game.

Tactically, Neil Lennon has grown as a manager. Previously his main skills were as a motivator, but now he can also be said to be an astute tactician. In the first half, Celtic's superiority was beyond the hopes of even the most biased of fans. His team were quick to break, used the ball well and deployed an effective front three. The fans, as ever, were magnificent, but one can have nothing but respect for our guests. Their supporters were fantastic ambassadors for the Old Lady. As I write this, I am surrounded in Glasgow Airport. Waves upon waves of Italians are passing by with green and white scarves, and green bags from the Celtic store in the airport.

A great game ended without much luck for Celtic, and no team in Champions League history has ever overturned a 3-0 home-leg deficit. Isn't it time for that record to be broken! Bring on 'The Turnaround in Turin'.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2563702 2013-01-27T18:01:41-05:00 2013-03-29T05:12:01-04:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
The stats are impressive but much of the transfer hype is based around a striker who is able to do a lot more than just score goals. He is excellent at holding the ball up, linking with other players and positioning himself during counter-attacks. At Celtic he has made significant improvements in his decision-making and his work-rate. Crucially, Hooper is aware of his limitations, rarely shooting outside of the box or using his left foot. January has been good to Hooper, with six goals in four matches. I would attribute this good form at Celtic to a tactical change in recent games. Celtic have now taken to playing 4-3-3, with Samaras, Hooper and one other upfront. With the two other strikers playing wider, Hooper has sat slightly deeper and then arrived late in the box with devastating consequences.

The club most closely linked to Hooper has been Norwich City. Many Celtic fans, myself included, cannot fathom why he would move to East Anglia. Our disbelief comes for two reasons. Firstly, Celtic have a chance for a domestic double (which was a treble prior to Sunday) and critically will be playing in the last 16 of the Champions League. Even those who are frequently cynical about the quality of Scottish football can understand the allure of such matches. Secondly, why Norwich? With all due respect, there are few clubs that can match the quality and passion of Celtic fans, and why would you leave that to go to a club facing a possible relegation battle. Norwich can supposedly give Hooper the foothold to the England squad, but reports suggest that Hooper would have been in Hodgson's latest squad if he had not been injured. I can understand this desire to play in England, but Norwich would be a step down on too many levels. A better explanation, I would venture, is the widely reported fact that Hooper's contract with his agent expires in February. This in turn means that said agent is pushing his client for any move in order to receive one last payday.

The other club widely linked with Hooper is Tottenham. Hooper's attraction to Spurs would be more obvious. It would represent an opportunity for the man who was born and bred in Essex to go back and prove himself to his former employers. Moreover, Spurs have a realistic chance of Champions League football this season. Unfortunately, I fear this would be the wrong move for him due to André Villas-Boas' tactical preferences. Spurs frequently operate with a 4-5-1 system and the chance to link up with Bale, Lennon et al must be tempting, but would Hooper really be able to dislodge Defoe? At best, his playing time would be intermittent, which would be problematic for a striker who needs a run of games to get into his 'rhythm'. A more likely option is that Hooper would be playing in a Dempsey role in front of a striker. However, Hooper's successes in the deeper role at Celtic came because there was space further forward for him to run into. Spurs have switched to two upfront at times this season but Hooper and Defoe would strike me as a poor partnership. Defoe is a relatively selfish player and only partners well with a tall striker who can give him knock downs, or at least that is the conventional wisdom. I feel that Hooper could play with Defoe, but the latter would have to change his game to partner Hooper. Adebayor and Hooper could work as a partnership, but it would be strange for Spurs to leave out their in-form striker to accommodate anyone. To my mind, if Spurs wanted a striker who has played well at Celtic Park they should be looking at Spartak Moscow's Emmanuel Emenike. Powerful, quick and with an eye for a finish, he would suit any Premiership club. This season, no opponent player has impressed me as much as Emenike, and we have had Messi at Celtic Park!

If Hooper neither signs a new contract nor leaves Celtic this month, he will be in the same position in June, but English clubs will have greater resources due to their new TV deal. Surely it would be best to wait another six months? Some would put these musings down to a desperate fan who wants one of his team's best players to stay for a huge six months, but I genuinely do not see Hooper's incentive to leave at this moment and to go to either of those clubs. The next few days will see if my hopes are confirmed or not.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2248097 2012-12-05T20:14:50-05:00 2013-02-04T05:12:01-05:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
My trip to Sweden, which so far had consisted of a solid lasagne and a two mile walk to an overrated statue, was threatening to take an ominous turn. Thankfully, Celtic's performance did improve, and eventually they would qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. For many, myself included, one of the central aims of our entire season had been completed. As long as we were committed and won one of our home games, the players and fans could be proud. With failures against Utrecht, Braga, Sion (sort of) and others, expectations were not high. When the draw was announced, ITV had the audacity to tweet "Bye, bye Celtic. They've drawn Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow". Words that embodied the arrogance of the English press rather than the scale of the challenge. Expectations levels were low, but writing us off entirely seemed entirely unreasonable.

Fast-forward to 5 December, and Celtic need to better Benfica's result to progress to the last 16 of the Champions League (take that ITV). With Barcelona having changed all eleven of their players, the odds of the Eagles getting a result in the Camp Nou had increased significantly. The night begins and Celtic start nervously. Unbeknown to those at Parkhead, Benfica were missing chance after chance against a poor Barcelona side. Then, against the run of play, Hooper put Celtic one up, pounces on a defensive error. It was only his second goal outside the box for Celtic, with the other having sealed the championship last year.

With Benfica still failing to take their chances in Barcelona, we all began to believe. But belief was dangerous. The dejection that follows false belief is all the more painful. An outward pessimism is conveyed by many fans, again myself included, in a vain attempt to cover up an increasing belief that qualification was achievable. However, Spartak level just before half-time, Ari chipping Forster, and beating a hapless Wilson. At half-time, it looks as if Benfica will qualify with Celtic going out courtesy of a poorer head-to-head record.

The Hoops come out for the second side looking a better team. The threat of Spartak's standout player, Emineke, seems less severe, and in truth, it looked like Spartak were willing to settle for a draw. Celtic began to push forward with chances falling to Samaras and Mulgrew. Then, a ripple of excitement filters through the stadium. Was there a goal in Catalonia? Unfortunately, Barcelona had not scored, but instead the curse of the 'phantom goal' had struck Celtic Park again.

It is now twenty minutes to go, Benfica are the favourites to progress. Lennon decides that his team cannot rely on Barcelona to beat Benfica, the job needed to be done at Celtic Park. He takes a holding midfielder off for a striker. A bold decision, and indicative of a man whose tactical nous has improved immeasurably since his days as the club's caretaker manager. With ten minutes to go, the scores are level. Commons hits a cross-field ball to Samaras. He controls it beautifully and then falls to the ground. Penalty. Lennon cannot bring himself to watch, he knows that this Celtic team has made missing critical penalties a habit. Commons, a man guilty of misses in the past, steps up.

The ball smashes against the bar ... then drops below into the net. 2-1. Celtic are looking comfortable, but what news is there from the Camp Nou? Messi is through, the keeper clatters into him, but he stays on his feet, preferring an attempt on goal to a penalty. Darn these continental players who refuse to go down easily. Then a few minutes later, with stoppage time almost up, Benfica are through. Cardozo is racing away. One-on-one. Celtic hearts are set to be broken. Then, inexplicabily, he dallies over the opportunity, the ball falls to Josh, but he can only blast it over. The full-time whistle goes in both games. The impossible dream is alive.

Celtic's season will now be considered a tremendous success, regardless of the trophy count in May. The youngest squad in the entire Champions League, has amassed ten points, and will be competing with Europe's elite in February. They have achieved what alluded Manchester City and Chelsea. Regardless of the opponents, no team will fancy sampling the Parkhead atmosphere. Shall we start booking our tickets for Wembley?]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2091916 2012-11-08T07:22:58-05:00 2013-01-08T05:12:01-05:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
I was fortunate enough to experience such a night on Wednesday. A 2-2 draw against Dundee United had preceded this game. Here, Celtic transpired to draw a game where it barely looked possible. Two late goals from United had left us all frustrated. I asked the same question that fans over the world ask when their team disappoint them in such a manner; what's the point of sport? Of course, seconds later, all fans instantly dismiss this question and look to the future, however bleak it maybe. In Celtic's case our future contained a home tie versus Barcelona in the Champions League. A team who over the past few years had been heralded as not just the best in the world, but one of the best in history. So it's fair to say this might be a tricky one for the bhoys.

Glasgow was buzzing in anticipation of the European giants. Any night game is special, but a Champions League fixture against Barcelona on your 125th anniversary, that's special and then some. The game began with a full stadium display to honour that anniversary. The Champions League anthem played over the tannoy, and overlaid with the crowd noise, it was akin to Glaswegian symphony. I very much doubt that the Barca players were intimidated, but they surely had to be impressed. Celtic Park is an awe-inspiring venue for a football match, but the fans make it unique. Led by the Green Brigade in Section 111, the chants bellowed throughout. All the favourite tunes came out in the first few minutes of the game. If we are being realistic, we wanted to savour the moment before the inevitable Barcelona onslaught occurred.

Instead, the game veered in a very different direction. A Mulgrew corner was met by a powerful Wanyama header. The net bustled. 1-0. Delirium ensued. Privately, I feared we may have just angered them, and soon enough Barcelona would restore the natural footballing equilibrium. After the events of the first tie, such a feeling was natural. However, half time came and the score had stayed the same.

As the second half began Messi and Forster resumed a duel that started in the Nou Camp. The English keeper produced another staggering performance, rising yet again on the biggest stage of them all. And as if his night had not been good enough, he added an assist. A long ball out, a mistake by Xavi (how often do you write that), and Tony Watt was through. The youngster finished off with sublime confidence. There was a fusion of pure joy and shock. It was late on in the game, could we, maybe, possibly, achieve the impossible.

Ten minutes later, the fourth official held up the board. Four minutes. The crowd voiced their anger at a referee who had been nothing short of woeful throughout. Then, in the blink of an eye, Messi scored. Excitement transformed itself to panic. There was enough time left and Barcelona were greatest attacking side in Europe. Were we going to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory? If we had, it would have left a deep scar on the fans, the team and the manager. Four minutes. It felt like four hours. It in all likelihood aged me by four years. But somehow, we held on.

The difference in quality was well surmised by Neil Lennon. "The difference is Tito can bring on Cesc Fábregas and David Villa as substitutes. I threw on Tony Watt, an 18-year-old kid who cost £50,000 from Airdrie". That was the mountain that the Celtic team overcame. Alex Song cost more than Celtic's whole squad. David Villa is worth five-times the value of Rangers. Overcoming such a gulf of talent and budget with beautiful football was not possible, but Celtic's tactics were incredibly effective. Across 180 minutes of football, Barcelona led for only one minute.
The Spanish papers were effusive in their praise for Celtic. Fraser Forster was proclaimed as 'La Gran Muralla' (The Great Wall) by El Mundo Deportivo. La Marca even said that there "is perhaps no greater home pitch advantage in all of football than a Celtic home match". Our team had captivated the crowd, shocked the European giants and impressed the world's sporting media. That's a combination that I just can't get enough of.

It had been a night like no other. A game where the seemingly impossible was achieved. A game where all who witnessed it will be able to recount their own individual tale. A game where the fans produced a unique serenade of sound. To experience such an occasion was simply unforgettable. Yet such nights need to be savoured and remembered. The next time we drop points away at Tannadice, or fail to beat Ross County and my mind flickers to that question, what's the point? I have the answer. Nights like Wednesday. They make it all worthwhile.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1944701 2012-10-08T17:00:00-04:00 2012-12-08T05:12:01-05:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
Forster, and Celtic goalkeeping coach Stephen Woods, have ironed out some earlier weaknesses in his decisiveness when crosses came into the box. That improvement, combined with Forster's six foot seven frame and brilliant ability for shot-stopping has earned him an England call-up. It is Forster's success, but the contribution of Woods should not be forgotten. He has also been the subject of praise from Artur Boruc and Lukasz Zaluska, Celtic's other goalkeepers during this tenure. Especially in the goalkeeping department, these coaches can make all the difference. They work solely with one or two players and also have a significant influence on scouting for their chosen position. Forster cited Woods as a major factor in his decision to sign a full-time contract with the Bhoys, and Celtic's decision to recruit Woods for their coaching staff has paid dividends.

Forster probably would not have received a call from England manager Roy Hodgson had it not been for the England under-21 team wanting Jack Butland for a critical play-off match. I am of the belief that Forster should be England's number two goalkeeper. Butland is a keeper of undoubted promise but his rise to prominence is baffling. It is not the quality of the opposition that Butland was playing against when he initially was called up that I object to, but rather a simple question - if he was that talented, why was he not in the Birmingham team? Similarly, Norwich's John Ruddy is a good goalkeeper, but not of the same quality as Forster. Ironically, Forster was replaced by Ruddy as Norwich goalkeeper. Paul Lambert made his admiration of Forster clear, and was open in admitting that he was disappointed to lose him.

Whether Forster is number two, three or four for England, the simple recognition of being in the squad is huge. Every single Celtic player and coach tweeted their congratulations. It was clearly a success not just for one man, but the entire Celtic squad. Additionally, with one swift call, Hodgson has probably tripled Forster's value from the £2 million fee paid to Newcastle.

Forster's benefit is, in all likelihood, to Gary Hooper's detriment. The English striker was Celtic's star man against Spartak Moscow last Tuesday. Hodgson has four strikers that are justifiably ahead of Hooper in Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney. If one of them gets injured, I still doubt that Hooper will be called up.

An anti-Scottish attitude has been embedded in the English game for far too long. Hodgson may have slightly altered this perception with the Forster call-up, but he would have been wary of the intense criticism he could have been subject to had England failed to win either of these games, given his two 'controversial' picks. Joe Ledley was right to claim that Forster's pick might help bring Hooper into the England squad, but it will take time. Barring an injury, Forster will not make his way off the bench. If Forster is picked for the friendly against Sweden, and impresses in that game, that may help to clear the path for Hooper to be included.

The Celtic striker could also help his chances with a couple of goals in the Nou Camp on the 23 October 2012. Yet it is ridiculous that domestic form alone won't be good enough to get him into the squad. Jay Bothroyd and David Nugent have made it to the squad from the Championship. In fact, Hooper scored more goals in one season in the Championship than £35 million Andy Carroll managed to, and he achieved that while playing for Scunthorpe. Nevertheless, it is only through further Champions League goals that Hooper will be able to break into the squad.

The inclusion of a Scottish-based goalkeeper may also be easier to justify then that of a striker. Goalkeepers are far easier to subjectively compare and analyse, regardless of their league. Shot-stopping, kicking, the number of mistakes made, positioning and so on, can all be demonstrated regardless of the opposition. That's why picking Butland, regardless of his division could be justifiable, but it also simultaneously reinforces my belief that Forster should have been included in the squad far earlier. Conversely, strikers are far more affected by the defences in front of them. Any goals can be attributed to a lack of defensive ability of the opposition. That lack of comparability will mean that Hooper's team will be held against him more than Forster's will be.

This is a buoyant moment both for Celtic and all of Scottish football. As Celtic manager Neil Lennon pointed out, for far too long the Scottish media has talked down our national game. There is plenty of talent north of the border, and hopefully this can be a watershed moment for that particular self-realisation. Even if that does not occur, it is still a personal triumph for Forster. His decision to join Celtic has been vindicated. With England call-ups, Champions League successes and the backing of a superb coach, Forster has the potential to be spoken before the names of Bonner and Boruc, as Celtic's greatest modern goalkeeper.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1924296 2012-09-30T17:21:45-04:00 2012-11-30T05:12:02-05:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
This influence does not just refer your opions on a team, but also your opinions on the mechanics of the game itself. The cries from father to son of 'if in doubt, kick it out' can frequently be heard in the local sunday leagues. Certainly that was true for me, but that was more due to a dodgy first touch which inevitably put me 'in doubt'.

When I was privy to my family conversations on football, one phrase shone out more then most. The 'best time to score wasn't just before half-time'. When Celtic scored before the half against Dundee, and I heard the commentator on the radio proclaim 'the Hoops have scored just before half-time, always the best time to score'.

To begin, what are the merits of scoring just before the end of the half? It demoralises the opponents, who thought they were going to go into the tunnel with a different score, and is evidence of the attacking team utilising every minute of the half. In writing this, these points seem so intuitive that debating them represents an exercise in futility

Yet this cherished commentators cliche is flawed. Firstly, goals before half-time kill the momentum of the scoring team. Crowd enthusiasm or anxiety are reset when fans return from their customary pie and coke. Moreover, players from the scoring team lose the adrenalin boost that comes from scoring or players from the team conceeding have a chance to recover from their nerves, when going in for the break. In short, there is no possibility for further momentum when a goal scored in the 45th minute.

Tactically, if you were going to concede, a goal just before half-time is ideal. Straight after half-time, the manager of his team is then given an opportunity to inform his team of their own failings and potential weaknesses to expose in the opposition. A goal straight after half, in contrast, leaves the manager's words to be largely irrelevant.

Scoring just before half-time may not be the worst time to score, but it certainly is not the best. It is an outdated cliche. Whilst every goal is a goal, a general rule of 'the latter the better' should be accepted.

Ultimately though, why do we care? That's a serious and worthwhile question. This is about more than picking on an individual commentator. A goal before the half isn't the 'worst' time to concede. Teams can and should be able to pick themselves up from this setback, and get themselves back in the game. Whilst no one should expect a team to rejoice at conceding, this type of analysis provides some perspective on unneeded dejection.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1855585 2012-09-04T17:00:36-04:00 2012-11-04T05:12:01-05:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
The days when Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen and Dundee United were winning European silverware, when Daglish was the 'King of the Kop', when Butcher and Gascoigne would venture north to play their club football, are long gone. Consequently, a generation south of the border has grown up understanding that the Scottish football is not just inferior, but of a standard akin to League 1. Rather than vehemently objecting to this tag, Scotland has embraced it. 'Crisis in our national game' is a headline that appears far too often. Hence, the requirement for a semblance of perspective.

Scotland has produced a squad that has a great deal of strength in depth, but there are very few, if any outstanding players. In some ways, it is the opposite of a Wales squad that is built around four exceptional players in Bale, Bellamy, Ramsey and Allen, but that lacks any real talent beyond this. This is the key problem. Who would you proclaim as Scotland's star player? There are many that are good, but I would venture that if you asked 11 fans this question, you could get as many as 7 players. The infrequency of the international calendar harms Scotland, whose strength is in quantity not quality.

It is not as if Scottish players do not have value. We have seen Scottish players with fees of £8 million (Craig Gordon, Jordan Rhodes), £9 million (Alan Hutton), £10 million (Charlie Adam) and £14 million (Steven Fletcher). The latter is a particularly irksome matter. Scotland should be lining up for their first qualifying game with a rather potent strike-force of Fletcher and Rhodes. I understand why Craig Levein wants to stick to his guns on the Fletcher matter. He failed to show exemplary commitment to the national team under his management. However, the moral high ground on the matter is completely thrown out of the window when you see Levein's treatment of McGregor and Ferguson's antics. Everyone deserves a second chance, and when you are small country with a slightly above average team, exceptions need to be made for players of that quality. Levein continuing to antagonise the matter by questioning Fletcher's £14 million valuation is both childish and counter-intuitive. He is, of course, right, the value was ludicrous. Yet his job as coach is to foster the national game, and talking down the value of Scottish players completely contrasts that aim.

Levein's attitude to Fletcher is not solely responsible for Scotland's current position. There is also the contentious issue of Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy. Two of the most talented players that Scotland have produced, who ultimately decided to pursue their international careers elsewhere. Whilst having an affinity to Scotland and Celtic, but not Ireland, this is a precarious point for me to discuss. From my understanding, the decision these players made was neither inevitable nor immutable, but stemmed from their feeling of greater backing from the Irish authorities in their early development. The Scottish authorities cannot afford to alienate precocious young talents in this way. The scouting system needs to be reinforced to ensure that these talents do not slip away and rules forbidding good players to play for their school teams should be abolished. That in itself will not prevent further players from slipping through the net, but it will help to ensure that these players do not feel so undervalued.

However, there is a growing mass of young talent emerging from Scotland. Forrest, Russell, McGeough, Mackay-Steven, Ness, Watt, and Feruz, to name but a few, are very promising young players. Moreover, the Rangers situation should help to push through younger players. This is not because a lack of finance will 'finally' push other Scottish clubs to look to their academies. Tight finances of the previous decade have dictated that policy. However, the signing ban will place an extra emphasis on Rangers to produce younger players. An opportunity that many of them should thrive upon.

There is every chance that Scotland may at some point, produce a new 'golden generation'. Belgium, a small country also used to living in the shadow of its footballing neighbour, looks on the precipice of a magnificent era; led by Hazard, Fellaini, Witsel and co. Yet such generations will be less and less successful with the globalisation and secession of football. Those two terms are not normally associated, so let me elaborate.

Developing countries are thriving on the sport, mostly due to its low cost of participation at the grass roots level. Football also offers a chance for status. If a commonwealth country, can achieve a victory against England, that is a point of intense national pride. Both of these factors mean that the quality and investment in the international game will continue to increase. Which in turn will lead to higher standards with which Scotland has to survive in.The spate of secessions in Europe also harms Scotland. Where there was one strong team in the Former Yugoslavia, a multitude of quite strong teams exist, all of whom are able to take points away. The same process has happened in the Soviet Union. With only 32 teams in the World Cup, Scotland's relative chances of qualification will be again harmed. This potent combination is the biggest obstacle for the Scottish game rising to reclaim former glories.

Scottish football is not lurching from crisis to crisis. However, footballing successes are relative, and Scotland is becoming victim to this footballing fact. Nonetheless, by understanding the difficulties that the country has to overcome, we can take greater pride in the smaller successes. That might be a hard pill to swallow, but it is certainly better then the perpatual misery that comes from failing to achieve an unattainable standard.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1797654 2012-08-19T12:52:12-04:00 2012-10-19T05:12:03-04:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
It is a predicament that is not confined solely to football. The qualification dilemma could plausibly manifest itself when Rugby Sevens becomes an Olympic sport in 2016. Team GB's participation may only be possible if there is a bespoke qualification tournament. A Team GB squad of Wales, Scotland and England would be tantalising due to its similarities with the Lions team. That alone would help rugby fans to have significant interest in the games. It would not just the U.K that would be impeded without a specialist qualifying tournament. The Irish team is made up of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Thus, Irish qualification could be ruled null and void due to the players they selected. This is based on the assumption that the IRB use the same methods as FIFA use for qualification. There have been rumours of plans to enter a specialised GB team into the 2015-16 World Sevens Series season as a way to prepare for the games, but that has yet to be confirmed. The history of cooperation between these nations led one rugby pundit to comment that the problem will be solved 'with a great more maturity than the Celtic football associations managed to muster'. He may well be right, but clarity is certainly needed on this point. The IRB have promised an answer on the qualification process by 2014. It will be interesting to see how they and the individual rugby boards tackle this problem.

Such a problem is not confined to these two sports or just to Britain and Ireland. There has been much clamour for Twenty-20 cricket's inclusion as an Olympic sport. If this were to occur, what would become of the West Indies? This is the contrary problem to that of Team GB, as the component nations would have to compete individually. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago would have to send individual cricket teams to the Olympics. For Team GB crickets entails less obstacles then football. England and Wales already play as one team under the banner of England. Scotland play as an independent country, but there is precedent to Scottish cricketers not playing for Scotland. Dougie Brown, Gavin Hamilton and most famously, Mike Denness have all represented England. In fact, one of England's current star players in the Twenty-20 format is an Irishman, Eoin Morgan.

The key problem here is with teams that play across or within national boundaries in pre-Olympic years and the qualification procedures that they would partake in. This problem takes on added importance for rugby and cricket. The number of quality football teams does not significantly decrease without Team GB. If Ireland and the U.K were absent from rugby, and Ireland, the U.K, and the West Indies were absent from cricket, then the quality of these tournaments will be damaged. Both Sevens and Twenty-20 have shown that they lend themselves to less established nations succeeding. Yet the Olympics should be a place where the best compete against each other. That is not to say that exceptions should be made. However it does demonstrate that clarity is required on these issues. The sooner that clarity comes, the better prepared all countries can be.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1797872 2012-08-17T13:36:11-04:00 2012-10-17T05:12:09-04:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
The losses to Artmedia, Copenhagen, Aalborg, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga and Utrecht were far from results that the Celtic fans will be proud of. Yet failure to win against Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona (x2), Bayern Munich, Benfica (x2), Lyon, Manchester United (x2), Milan (x2), and Villarreal (x2) is no great disgrace. Celtic's poor away record, has in part been sustained due to many years of Champions League success, which in turn led to quality opponents. They also have a rather impressive record of playing winners in eventual tournaments (Barcelona, AC Milan, Manchester United and Atlético Madrid), which would do little for their chances of an away European win. However, in their last three away games, they beat Helsinki, and drew with Udinese and Rennes. It was only the width of the post and comical own goal which prevented victory in the latter two games. In recent years Celtic have drawn in the Nou Camp, were beaten in extra time by a wonder goal in the San Siro, and gained a credible score-draw on an artificial pitch in Moscow. European away failure is tinged with moments of incredible accomplishment.

Another issue I have with this statistic is that it is incorrect. Celtic have actually won 3 of the last 34 European away games. The Sion result, which should not be celebrated as a triumph, was certainly affected by the presence of ineligible players. It currently stands in the record books as a 3-0 win. Sion were warned well beforehand and their punishment was far from a surprise. This might be a minor gripe, but it could be used to show that Celtic have lost 1, drawn 2 and won 2 of their last 5 European away games. Hardly evidence of apocalyptic form.

Yet, what is truly frustrating is the amalgamation of leagues games and aggregate games into one statistic. The formats are fundamentally different. A team's mentality will be completely altered depending on which of these formats they are competing in. When Celtic were 3-0 up against FK Teplice, their concern was not with getting a win in the away leg, and possibly exposing themselves in defence, but in attaining the aggregate result required. That 1-0 loss is ultimately irrelevant but it is included in such statistics. These concerns are particularly pertinent when in an aggregate tie, the away game is first. Under that scenario a score draw is a good result. I bet, given the option of bringing the game back to Celtic Park and 60,000 behind the team, Neil Lennon would fancy his chances. Every aggregate game is different. Each tie should be considered on their own merit rather than the number of wins that the respective teams have attained. In a derby game 'the form book is thrown out of the window'. That is the type of attitude that statistics should be treated with in aggregate games.

Celtic's record is actually in line with the rest of Scotland's. Rangers, for instance, have won 1 of their last 22 European games, home and away. For the same reasons though, that is useless statistic. Many of those games were aggregate games that Rangers progressed in, and some were against the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United. Many Celtic fans feel that Rangers failure to win in Europe has not been reported to their liking in the media. I am sure they can solace themselves with the fact that Rangers will be unable to change that record for the next three years. However, to my mind it isn't bias that will see this statistic repeated. If anything, all of Scotland will be behind Celtic. Motherwell and Hearts have incredibly poor chances of European progression, meaning that Scottish coefficient could rest solely with Celtic. Instead, I would blame a culture of playing down Scottish football which seemingly pervades the domestic mass-media. Over the last few years Scottish football has been stripped of any semblance of a feel-good factor. Poorly cited and ultimately irrelevant statistics are simply further evidence of that culture. Positivity alone will not help Scottish teams progress in Europe but unwarranted pessimism does nothing to help them.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1663124 2012-07-10T16:25:59-04:00 2012-09-09T05:12:04-04:00

Ally Livingston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ally-livingston/
Given the perpetual murmerings surrounding the depraved intellectual nature of British society, it was pleasing to see essentially Platonic arguments at the core of these debates. In Plato's 'Form of the Good', the just is the good. Intriguingly, some of the counter arguments adhere to this debate. What if justice not being served would effect the good? For Mr. Diamond this argument won out, he resigned because did not want to further tarnish the reputation of the bank. This debate still rages on inside Scottish football, be it the SPL or SFL. Letting Rangers back into the SPL, would benefit all the clubs, but would tarnish the 'sporting integrity' of the league. That in itself would harm the product of the game. Moreover, fans have threatened mass boycotts, a strategy which could surpass the financial harm that Rangers relegation will cause.

For now, it seems if SPL chairman have been convinced by the latter argument. Division 1 or Division 3 is the new choice. Whichever league Rangers are to play in, the club and its fans care about the reputation of the oldco. Despite being liquidated, the history of that club will be the new battleground of the Rangers debate. Its history will not be shaped by its fans, the SFA or even a higher footballing authority, but HMRC.

Hypothetically, were Rangers to lose the Big Tax Case (BTC), then a number of other sanctions could come into effect. The main problem for Rangers is that every single SPL player must have their full contract registered with the governing body. If any part of that contract is not known to these governing bodies, then a player is improperly registered. If Rangers were to lose the BTC, it would confirm that their players had second contracts (in the form of an Employee Benefit Trust) which were unknown to the SFA. Hence many of their players from 2001-2010 were improperly registered, and the established punishment of a 3-0 loss in each game in which such players have played. In turn, that will prompt questions over the legitimacy of the trophies won. Some will say enough has been done to punish Rangers, some will say history is in the minds of the fans, but If the BTC is lost, this point will certainly be debated.

Supporters of Celtic, Hearts, Dundee United and co will lead serious pressure for such trophy reallocation. In particular, this reallocation will give Celtic the chance to be only one behind Rangers in the all-time Scottish Premier League Titles. Surpassing this would be akin to Manchester United passing Liverpool's haul of titles. It's a record which gains greater significance as the chances to surpass it increase. Any title reallocation due to player ineligibility hinges on HMRC. Ultimately, the tax tribunal is best placed to judge if these were second contracts not the Scottish footballing authorities.

Whether this is the good, right or just outcome is a different matter. Perhaps out of all this uncertainty, one fact can be stated in complete confidence: the next few months will shape the landscape of Scottish football for decades to come.]]>