(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
With the vital World Cup qualifier coming up against Holland today I though I should write about the importance of the international game. As most people on this site know, I was born in Scotland and have lived most of my life in Australia.
Despite living here for so long I have always been fiercely proud of my Scottish origins and have kept a look out for their results.
When I was finally able to get Setanta for some extra cash on my regular cable tv provider I was as excited about the prospect of seeing Scotland international matches as I was about finally getting to see Rangers play again.
As such when I asked who would be watching the Macedonia game months back it came as a great shock that at least half the responses to my query were in the negative.
After further questions I was able to ascertain some people’s reasons. Some were disillusioned with the Scottish team after not qualifying for a major tournament in years and again looking poor under new manager George Burley.
These people in other threads though have said how they have and will continue to stick with Rangers through the dark days, so why not Scotland?
Others say that the Tartan Army with their jimmy hats, kilts and anti-English sentiment deter them. For me though this is one of the reasons we have such a great support and something that sets us apart from other fans.
Everybody knows that these things don’t really represent everyday Scottish life but it’s fun to go over the top every now and again. As for the anti-English sentiment, surely that’s part and parcel of international football. As the closest country to us geographically that is any good and with the history we share it should come as no surprise that this happens.
The thing that I find ironic is the same people who hate the anti-English sentiment in the Tartan Army and who suggest that “They have watched Braveheart too many times” are perfectly fine with anti-Irish sentiment shown towards Celtic supporters.
I think both of these cases are harmless, I doubt any member of the Tartan Army actually hates every English person much in the same way I doubt any Rangers fan hates the Irish just because Celtic supporters identify with that country more than their own.
I think the problem here though is that some Rangers supporters are guilty of the same thing.
They think of themselves more as Brits than as Scottish and so the anti-English sentiments bother them more because it implies a hatred of the Union.
I have no problem with Rangers fans being proud of the Union and being British and the monarchy but I think we should also remember that Rangers is a Scottish team and that in international football there is no Britain.
I think the Scotland Day last month, is a step in the right direction as I think we should get Rangers fans identifying with Scotland as much as Britain.
Others amongst our support claim that they just don’t care about international football. I personally think this is the wrong attitude to have. Sure international football doesn’t require the time or passion you put into supporting a club from week to week but it’s a brand of football that is still exciting.
Many players nowadays in club football play more for the money than for the jersey but in international footb
Despite living here for so long I have always been fiercely proud of my Scottish origins and have kept a look out for their results.
When I was finally able to get Setanta for some extra cash on my regular cable tv provider I was as excited about the prospect of seeing Scotland international matches as I was about finally getting to see Rangers play again.
As such when I asked who would be watching the Macedonia game months back it came as a great shock that at least half the responses to my query were in the negative.
After further questions I was able to ascertain some people’s reasons. Some were disillusioned with the Scottish team after not qualifying for a major tournament in years and again looking poor under new manager George Burley.
These people in other threads though have said how they have and will continue to stick with Rangers through the dark days, so why not Scotland?
Others say that the Tartan Army with their jimmy hats, kilts and anti-English sentiment deter them. For me though this is one of the reasons we have such a great support and something that sets us apart from other fans.
Everybody knows that these things don’t really represent everyday Scottish life but it’s fun to go over the top every now and again. As for the anti-English sentiment, surely that’s part and parcel of international football. As the closest country to us geographically that is any good and with the history we share it should come as no surprise that this happens.
The thing that I find ironic is the same people who hate the anti-English sentiment in the Tartan Army and who suggest that “They have watched Braveheart too many times” are perfectly fine with anti-Irish sentiment shown towards Celtic supporters.
I think both of these cases are harmless, I doubt any member of the Tartan Army actually hates every English person much in the same way I doubt any Rangers fan hates the Irish just because Celtic supporters identify with that country more than their own.
I think the problem here though is that some Rangers supporters are guilty of the same thing.
They think of themselves more as Brits than as Scottish and so the anti-English sentiments bother them more because it implies a hatred of the Union.
I have no problem with Rangers fans being proud of the Union and being British and the monarchy but I think we should also remember that Rangers is a Scottish team and that in international football there is no Britain.
I think the Scotland Day last month, is a step in the right direction as I think we should get Rangers fans identifying with Scotland as much as Britain.
Others amongst our support claim that they just don’t care about international football. I personally think this is the wrong attitude to have. Sure international football doesn’t require the time or passion you put into supporting a club from week to week but it’s a brand of football that is still exciting.
Many players nowadays in club football play more for the money than for the jersey but in international footb
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