Belgium/Macedonia Squad

[rocket_scientist]

 

You've got to wonder what they did, probably something similar to what Germany did to be honest. I have zero faith in the SFA's ability to critically analyse anything, just look for excuses.

With regard to Germany, it's not just organisation, it's cultural. Every wee village in Deutschland has well-maintained football pitches, and in the towns, loads of them. Every Saturday morning, the pitches are full and the parents and indeed the whole community are out watching the youngsters.

 

 

They've had a regional and national structure in place for decades. When we lived in Germany in the early 70's, there was U9's, U11's and U13 regional leagues and by U13 level, there were national tournaments that lasted a whole weekend. Then there were international events held in big stadiums where the likes of Chelsea, Man U and even Celtic (if I remember correctly) sent boys teams. I remember playing a very good Chelsea team in Arminia Bielefeld's stadium and we beat Man U in the semi on the way to getting beat by IFK Copenhagen in the final at the host's stadium in 1974 ish.

 

 

In winter, we had tons of five a sides indoor tournaments and events happening every week and even these attracted spectators, mostly from interested parents of course.

 

 

Every town and village has football teams and they take pride in them. We don't even have the interest let alone the facilities in Scotland. Our kids are more interested in eating shite and their single parent encourages them to get on their play stations so that they know where they are and they're kept occupied whilst she can smoke fags and watch shite TV and keep up to date on how best to screw the welfare state, especially if she's a weegie or fifer.

[Madbadteacher]

The reason we're pish?

 

Cultural

 

As a teacher in Scotland for many years before I crossed the pond, 99.9% of the kids want it handed to them on a plate. They're ingrained with laziness, stupidity (not learning issues, genuine stupidity) and the culture of "something for nothing". "I can play fitba better than ma mates" = I'm gonna be a star and I don't need to learn anything, academic OR how to play "cos, like, I'm a fuckin' natooral, like, ken, definATEly".

 

Half of them cannot even speak coherently and we expect them to "learn" how to be better players? They don't want to learn, once they've got a contract paying them more than ten times a week what their "mates" make in a month they become lazy big-time-charlies.

 

It's a cultural thing and, until they learn better that they are PROFESSIONAL (hahahahahaha) sportsmen and act like it, the next generation will also think it's ok to give up any attempts towards "CPD" cos "I has my monies now so we's gonna spend it like a dick' eh"

 

Oh, BTW, it's getting like that here as well with kids who assume that because they can play sports they don't need an education................but there's a fuck of a lot more 'murcans so they have a bigger "talent pool"

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Single biggest issue is indeed the prevailing culture and also the abject lack of facilities. You'd like to think though if the culture was different then priorities and pressure would dictate an improvement in facilities but, depressingly I doubt we'll ever find out.

 

I too have no trust in the SFA or the clubs to change much, they're pissing into the wind a little, like schools are, to change things without any real investment from parents.

 

And luck? Fuck sake. Make your own luck. As the aphorism goes "the harder you work, the luckier you get"

 

 

[BigAl]

Does anyone give a shit about Tuesday night's game 

 

 

[Madbadteacher]

What game?

[scunnered999]

We're shite & will remain so until the tools in charge are disposed and clubs start investing in the future of the Scottish game

[baggy89]

I think the rocket makes some good points in this thread.

 

 

Luck - has nothing to do with sport. Two phrases repeated over and over during my recent FA youth module. "Practice makes permanent" and "No such thing as unlucky, there's only poor technique"

 

 

As MBT states there is a culture of immediate gratification, I see it with the under 9's I coach, set them a drill that's quite technical a good few will give up if they don't "get it" first time. In Bounce, Matthew Syed reckons you can become world class at anything as long as you put in 10000 hours worth of good quality practice. No-one is born with natural ability.

 

 

In addition a main point of focus in the youth module was warm up's that cover the A B C S (agility balance co-ordination and speed), The thinking behind this is kids nowadays don't go out with their mates of an evening, go into school early and mess about playing tag or bulldog or whatever so they are lacking in the gross motor skills that we may have had at similar ages.

 

 

Then you add in the win at all costs attitude of some parents and coaches at grass roots level, which further stifles the development of the children. At a tournament in the summer I was having a chat with some of the parents about appropriate language i.e. not using phrases like "get it in the mixer" or "put it in the hole" a coach of another team pipes up with "all my lot understand, get rid of it". This in non-competitive mini-soccer planned so they can try things and make mistakes where we have a retreat to the half way line rule for goal kicks to take the pressure off and stop endless punts forward. I didn't have the heart to point out that, that might be why his team had failed to score a goal in any of the tournaments they had played in.

[manc_don]

Some result tonight, absolutely gutted I missed it!

[tlg1903]

tru dat manc, great result and performance.  All three goals were top drawer too.  Actually starting to look forward to the euro qualifiers

[rocket_scientist]

1. I think the rocket makes some good points in this thread.

 

2. As MBT states there is a culture of immediate gratification, I see it with the under 9's I coach, set them a drill that's quite technical a good few will give up if they don't "get it" first time. In Bounce, Matthew Syed reckons you can become world class at anything as long as you put in 10000 hours worth of good quality practice. No-one is born with natural ability.

 

 

1. I always do. It just takes a certain class to appreciate it.

 

 

2. Coincisileedence. I just e-mailed back a client who's recommending a book called Facing Frankenstein. I said I would get it and pass it on to someone who could use it afterwards but also in my e-mail wrote this: -

 

 

I've read heaps in my time. When you get to my age, it's very rare to find a new angle. All the basic truths have been written or expressed before. I even invoke Shakespeare would you believe although not in xxxx. I have used a wee story from Zen in xxxx though. Bounce was my last WOW moment in reading, although Power v. Force was superb.

[dave_min]

You've got to wonder what they did, probably something similar to what Germany did to be honest. I have zero faith in the SFA's ability to critically analyse anything, just look for excuses.

 

Aye, it's amazing what a positive immigration policy can do for your National team.

 

The Belgian team of today is as African as the French team of the late 90's.

 

Skopje is wonderful.

[Stewart]

 

Aye, it's amazing what a positive immigration policy can do for your National team.

 

The Belgian team of today is as African as the French team of the late 90's.

 

Skopje is wonderful.

 

Did you happen to notice any statues while you were there?

[dave_min]

Did you happen to notice any statues while you were there?

 

I think there was one just outside my hotel.