Scottish football

Seventy Years of Hurt Never Stopped Us Dreaming Gerry Hassan Sunday National, 30 June 2024 We all know the script. The Scottish men’s national team qualify for a major tournament. We raise our hopes. Once more they go out in the first round to deflation and dismay. All of this feels very familiar. We have been disappointed and hurt so often. The men’s national team have turned up for twelve major tournaments. Twelve major tournaments have seen us come home at the earliest opportunity. This story of underachievement and underperformance runs from the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland to last

Continue Reading Seventy Years of Hurt Never Stopped Us Dreaming: Scottish Football and the Need for Change

Imagine a Scotland where we won the FIFA World Cup ... And when we did Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, 24 November 2021 Imagine a world where the Scotland men’s national team were not only occasionally very decent and even sometimes very good at football, but actually contested and succeeded at the top of the international game - and had the ability to win the FIFA World Cup. Think about it for a second. Not the practicalities or whether or how it could be attained. Or the fact that it involves an element of fantasy. But rather what effect such an

Continue Reading Imagine a Scotland where we won the FIFA World Cup … And when we did

Falling in love with the Scotland football team again Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, 17 November 2021 Scotland are on the rise again. At least in terms of the men’s national football team who are on a roll. They have qualified for the World Cup play-offs next year after winning six World Cup qualifiers in a row: something no Scotland team has ever done. And they have done this by convincingly beating Denmark, one of the best teams in Europe, in a 2-0 victory at Hampden. A new spirit, sense of belief, camaraderie - and intelligent, skillful team football now infuses

Continue Reading Falling in love with the Scotland football team again

A new England is emerging – modern, hopeful and not about the past Gerry Hassan Sunday National, July 11th 2021 England’s success in getting to the European Championship final today at Wembley is a major football moment – and a lot more. This is the first time England have ever reached the final of this tournament and only the second time they have ever reached a major competition final – the other being 1966 and victory over West Germany. Football has long provided a means by which people have found enjoyment, release, exhilaration and disappointment. But it is also

Continue Reading A new England is emerging – modern, hopeful and not about the past

Scotland no longer defines itself and the world through England Gerry Hassan Bella Caledonia, June 18th 2021 The Scotland v England fixture returns - Wembley, the Tartan Army, English commentators talking nearly exclusively about England, with Gazza’s 1996 goal now replacing the once constant references to 1966. It is almost as if nothing has ever changed. Almost. This is the original and oldest international fixture in the world dating back to 1872 - the foundational rivalry of international football, and one with great history, drama, controversies and memories. It is a vital part of the story of Scottish and English,

Continue Reading Scotland no longer defines itself and the world through England

Scotland is back on the international stage Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, June 9th 2021 The Scottish men’s national football team are back in the finals of a major international tournament – Euro 2021 (but called Euro 2020 after the delay through COVID). This is after 23 years away, having endured ‘ten in a row’ of failed qualifications, and last appearing at any finals in the 1998 World Cup in France. The women’s team, who have attracted much attention and praise in recent years, qualified and made quite an impact in the 2019 World Cup in France. A whole generation have

Continue Reading Scotland is back on the international stage

After a dramatic season can football resist the pull of corporate capitalism? Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, May 26th 2021 The past few days saw the climax of the domestic Scottish football season. One that has been difficult for clubs, players, managers, coaches, and fans as we have all come to terms with a different type of football - and sport – during the pandemic. The past year has seen all sorts of milestones: Rangers winning the league; Dundee returning to the top flight beating Kilmarnock in the play-offs ending Killie’s 28 year run in the Premiership; the return of Hearts

Continue Reading After a dramatic season can football resist the pull of corporate capitalism?

What do we do about Rangers? Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, May 19th 2021 Glasgow Rangers FC have returned to the top of the football game in Scotland. At the same time twice in the spate of two months a section of their fanbase (small but incredibly visible) have trashed parts of Glasgow - engaging in hooliganism, thuggery and violence in George Square and its surrounds. What the above events show is something toxic at the heart of Rangers and a section of their support, along with wider collusion and a malaise in the football authorities. Beyond this there is a

Continue Reading What do we do about Rangers?

Breakaway: The rise and fall of the European Super League Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, April 21st 2021 What has been the big media story so far this week? Not COVID, not Boris Johnson’s many scandals, or even the George Floyd trial in the US. Rather, by far the biggest story media-wise has been the announcement of the European Super League – with some of the continent’s biggest football names announcing their intention to join together in a league which would make them an even more out of touch elite, before the fans rebelled and the powers to be had

Continue Reading Breakaway: The rise and fall of the European Super League

Isn’t it time the People’s Game cared about and listened to fans? Gerry Hassan Sunday National, February 28th 2021 This weekend sees one of the showcase moments of Scottish football - the Scottish League Cup final between Livingston and St. Johnstone. Yet, the game which so many people care about and love is at a massive crossroads facing questions which will define its long-term future. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant the game has gone nearly an entire year with no crowds in attendance, hence a huge reduction in income for the game and clubs. What, you may ask, is special

Continue Reading Isn’t it time the People’s Game cared about and listened to fans?