By Stewart Weir
Saturday
These days, in international terms, Scotland only ever seem to play "must win" matches. Today is no different. The Scots face the Czech Republic needing three points. In the end, one wasn’t enough.
The crowds turned up, as usual. But when will people realise that the legendary Hampden roar is no more. 50,000 will never make as much racket as double that number, and the genuine atmosphere has been replaced by a PA system that is constantly at gas mark 10.
There was little to cheer at the end, the Scots diddled out of a result by a dodgy Dutchy, if you believe the spin. Truth is, Scotland were lucky to survive a genuine penalty claim from the Czechs in the first half when Charlie Adam proved he would struggle to tackle a fish supper.
Of course, most blinkered folks would only see the penalty that the Czechs did get, and the one we didn’t. All in all, and best summed up by Sky’s Ian Crocker, three wrongs didn’t make a right.
Afterwards, SFA head honcho Stewart Regan tweeted that maybe the time was right for replays to be used for contentious decisions. And I agree. As would the Czechs who didn’t get their penalty in the first 45. If only Mr Regan had tweeted at half time, he might not have looked such a whinger.
Of course, Scotland have never benefited from dubious or dodgy penalty decisions in their long history. Just don’t make that point in the company of a Welshman…
Sunday
Mo Farah is on top of the world after winning the 5,000m at the World Championships in Daegu, Britian’s first-ever distance gold medal, or so one commentator had you believing until the words “Liz McColgan” were hissed in his ear.
Meanwhile, Jamaica turned up the heat on everyone else by romping to the 4x100m gold in a world record time of 37.04 seconds.
Great Britain were in lane 3, and broke the British all-comers record for baton-throwing with their sixth balls-up in the last ten major championships. That’s professionalism for you.
Closer to home, Rangers win the Masters Grand Final in Manchester, beating Leeds United in what was an enjoyable finale. Proving he hadn’t lost it, Jörg Albertz showed, even after all these years, that he is still Der Hammer, lashing home one of the Gers eight goals in the final.
As I once wrote, it was an effort that had the goalie clutching at the vapour trail…
Monday
And here was me thinking it was only me, Terry Wogan and those who have appeared at Wembley (I mean footballers, not horses or Boyzone) who take cramp.
But tennis genius Rafa Nadal suffered an extreme bout (or is it dose?) after his latest match in the US Open. Oh how we laughed at his almost-comedic departure under the table.
It later transpired however that cramp was only an excuse, and actually he had fallen asleep listening to Andy Murray.
On such occasions, it’s difficult not to laugh. And I am so glad Caroline Wozniaki saw the serious side of Nadal’s agony…
Tuesday
News travels fast these days, sometimes too fast. At the weekend, we were told that French footballer Steed Malbranque had retired with immediate effect so he could look after his son who had been diagnosed with cancer. Very honourable, very loving, very touching,
Joey Barton tweeted his support, as did many from the football family. But his lawyers in the UK didn’t.
They denied the story, and denied Malbranque even had a son. So the ex-Fulham and Sunderland midfielder went in an instant from being a caring and concerned father on the news pages to a free agent on the sports pages.
Rangers were linked with a move for Malbranque, new news for some.
“Aye, he’s a decent player,” said one fella in the queue at the local Co-op.
“Aye, and obviously Yorkhill will be handy for the wean as well….”
Make that some news travels fast…
Wednesday
Time catches up with everyone, eventually. And seven-times world champion Stephen Hendry could be the latest victim of age.
Hendry is set to lose his place in the elite world top 16 after being beaten 5–1 by Robert Milkins in the opening round of the Shanghai Masters.
The Scot has been part of the top 16 for the past 23 years but will now probably need to qualify for the UK Championship in December.
It’s easy to say he’s past it and he's had his day. One, if not both of those statements, is fact. And he, more than anyone, will know that.
So he doesn’t need advice from some – especially those who, 20 years ago, wouldn’t have got in a queue to watch him, never mind pick up a cue to play him…
Thursday
Rangers announce that they are to commemorate the deaths of two fans 50 years ago at the Old Firm game later this month.
Tommy Thomson, then 29, and 22-year-old George Nelson, lost their lives at Ibrox on 16 September 1961 at Ibrox when they were crushed on a stairway as they attempted to leave the Copland Road end of the stadium.
However, as innocent as this announcement and commemoration might seem, you would not believe the knicker-twisting, consternation and conspiracy theorising that has gone on in forums, fans chatrooms and the likes.
For some, believe it or not, this is just a ploy by Rangers to catch out the moronic element that Celtic (and indeed all clubs) have within their fan ranks. As the late James Sanderson would say, utter poppycock.
Rangers are getting around to something they perhaps should have done years ago.
However, within ten years of this accident, Rangers were having to deal with a monumental tragedy that will be painful for evermore, when 66 went to the football and never returned home. It is easy, although in no way correct, to forget two souls when faced with the enormous scale of that death toll.
But those of this generation don’t realise how differently things were done years ago. People, who had seen millions killed in wars in previous decades, and who worked in industry where death was almost commonplace, perhaps didn’t commemorate or signify tragedy en masse as we appear to do these days.
When Phil O’Donnell died, games across the country were cancelled or postponed. A week after the carnage in Govan 40 years past, the games were played as if nothing had happened.
So maybe it is a generational thing. And maybe those in the current generation at Ibrox are catching up with something that, if not in their forethoughts, has long been on their conscience.
Friday
You can’t beat a good opening ceremony. In truth, you can. A great deal of time, effort and money goes into such displays of national culture and the likes, but does any sports fan really care about it?
The Rugby World Cup kicked off today, with hosts New Zealand facing up Tonga.
Having roundly beaten them in the Strictly Come Dancing appetiser – or the haka, as it’s better known (to the tune of Humpty Dumpty) – the All Blacks then ran out easy winners against the Tongans.
So, we’re off an running – all the way through to 26 October and the final.
Wonder what time the body clock will be on by then…
– Tweet Stewart Weir with thoughts and comments, @sweirz
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