Why Are We So Shit At Football?

[StandFree1982]

Difference is that players in the 70s and 80s worked their socks off. They didn't sit on Twitter writing shite all day like the current crop of morons we've got plying their trade as "professional" footballers these days. They are also getting paid far too much and I have a feeling that's why we do really well up till they become professionals and earn a good chunk of cash, then it's all down hill.

 

Facilities doesn't produce great players, third world countries are producing excellent footballers with little to no training facilities and we've produced some fine players back in the day when all you had was a local gym and a field to run around in. It will have an effect on conditioning of the player, but it doesn't explain the lack of fundementals such as passing, reading of the game and the ability to hit the target from a shot!

[tup]

But they don't have the local field to run around in, that's the point I'm making.

 

Go into any of these NIMBY neighbourhoods these days, especially those chock-a-block with new builds, you know the ones, Hollyoaks existence, and you see no parks for the kids to play in.

 

So they have gone from having next to nothing to nothing at all.

[Foster14]

money is not the cause although it is a modern day problem but our issues existed before money

 

Thought money had always been an issue?

[The Oxford Don]

I think the calibre of the players we produce now is broadly similar to previous generations... perhaps we don't have a shining super-talent like Dalglish, Law or Baxter, but the basic quality is the same. And that actually is the problem.

 

The problem is that, basically, we have stagnated, whilst other nations have improved and improved dramatically. This is depressing but also oddly encouraging: incredibly depressing for those of us in our 30s now who are pretty much resigned to Scottish football being crap for the next generation or so, but encouraging because it means that the answers to our problems don't require much in the way of complex thinking. We just need to copy what similarly sized but more successful nations have been doing for the past 30 years. It'll work.

 

The answers are fairly easy, and already pretty well elaborated in this thread. We just need to appoint administrators who are competent enough to implement those answers.

[tup]

I agree with that, we are not going to find an overnight solution, but will solve it with perseverance.

[Foster14]

But they don't have the local field to run around in, that's the point I'm making.

 

Go into any of these NIMBY neighbourhoods these days, especially those chock-a-block with new builds, you know the ones, Hollyoaks existence, and you see no parks for the kids to play in.

 

So they have gone from having next to nothing to nothing at all.

 

I've never lived anywhere that there hasn't been a green field to play football in within a mile. Maybe not the best quality surface, maybe no goal posts, but there are always places where kids can play if they want to. The main issues are:

 

- Parents don't want their kids going to far away out of sight, and at the same time don't want to try and supervise such activities.

- Kids don't want to play as they are computer-gaming instead

- A lot of the facilities that you pay for are of very poor quality, so doesn't really encourage people to spend on them.

I think the calibre of the players we produce now is broadly similar to previous generations... perhaps we don't have a shining super-talent like Dalglish, Law or Baxter, but the basic quality is the same. And that actually is the problem.

 

The problem is that, basically, we have stagnated, whilst other nations have improved and improved dramatically. This is depressing but also oddly encouraging: incredibly depressing for those of us in our 30s now who are pretty much resigned to Scottish football being crap for the next generation or so, but encouraging because it means that the answers to our problems don't require much in the way of complex thinking. We just need to copy what similarly sized but more successful nations have been doing for the past 30 years. It'll work.

 

The answers are fairly easy, and already pretty well elaborated in this thread. We just need to appoint administrators who are competent enough to implement those answers.

 

I don't think many young Scots fulfil their potential. They rush off to England at some point to chase money where they go in to massive squads and have to hit the ground running, or they go to the reserves/down the leagues. Unless they've ventured to the Old Firm at some point, Scots players are a very cheap option when they first move to England. Cheap option = little risk.

 

I think you can put it down to a combination of most of the factors mentioned thus far, which in turn, means you have to point the finger at the people running the game and what they are doing about it. Very much a case of closing the stable door once the horse has bolted with their approach to this, as usual from the SFA and chums.

[beer gut]

In my opinion the biggest disaster to hit the national side has been the Bosman ruling. Most teams nowadays are full of foreign players who have absolutely no interest in the club and the local (Scottish) lads don't get a look in. It's too easy to fill the team with cheap foreign players at the expense of giving the young lads a chance. The fact that you can basically have a whole team on loan (see hearts) also doesn't help. Scottish players don't get the experience at playing at the highest levels i.e Champions League anymore because our biggest teams especially the OF are full of foreign players. This has a knock on effect on the National team.

The game is all about short termism and money and until this changes Scottish football is going nowhere.

[Redstar]

The four foreigner rule was good...all seemed to go to fu*k after that disappeared.

[Foster14]

Bosman being quoted as a bigger reason than participation levels now - whether quantity of kids or quantity of time per kid?

 

Errmm... No. Bosman may be a contributory factor but it isn't anywhere near the top of the list.

 

I'm with you on this one. There may be perhaps the same level of participation in numbers, but I'd be absolutely astounded if it was for the same volume of time.

 

Seems to be a snobbery for kids to go play at a park with jumpers for goalposts now. Where kids used to spend 15 hours a week in that kind of environment, now they'll do 1 to 2 hours at the local astroturf pitch instead.

[tup]

I'm with you on this one. There may be perhaps the same level of participation in numbers, but I'd be absolutely astounded if it was for the same volume of time.

 

Seems to be a snobbery for kids to go play at a park with jumpers for goalposts now. Where kids used to spend 15 hours a week in that kind of environment, now they'll do 1 to 2 hours at the local astroturf pitch instead.

 

Which was exactly the point I've been making all along.

 

The numbers are the same, the volume of football played is much less, by the same numbers.

 

That's because, without locals giving their free time to coach the kids, they have nothing.

 

That is a societal issue.

 

How come other societies can let their kids out to play football in a fear free climate?

[tup]

Possibly, there's no real way of knowing.

 

My main point is that the enthusiasm still exists, in whatever numbers, and it only dissipates as a result of a lack of basic facility.

[Foster14]

 

I'm with you on this one. There may be perhaps the same level of participation in numbers, but I'd be absolutely astounded if it was for the same volume of time.

 

Seems to be a snobbery for kids to go play at a park with jumpers for goalposts now. Where kids used to spend 15 hours a week in that kind of environment, now they'll do 1 to 2 hours at the local astroturf pitch instead.

 

Which was exactly the point I've been making all along.

 

The numbers are the same, the volume of football played is much less, by the same numbers.

 

That's because, without locals giving their free time to coach the kids, they have nothing.

 

That is a societal issue.

 

How come other societies can let their kids out to play football in a fear free climate?

 

It is more a societal issue than a facilities (though no harm in additional facilities/coaching availability).

 

If there was a bit of grass large enough for 6-8 folk to play football on it, we did. Didn't matter if it was bumpy, had rocks on it, we just went for it. Nowadays, it seems that if youngsters play football it has to be:

 

- On a specifically designed pitch

- With goalposts

- In decent weather, or indoors

- Under adult supervision or at a secure facility

 

Less than 5 years ago, I would still go down to Westburn Park and play using trees for goals.

 

Also, are those playing necessarily doing it from their own free will. Football was on the PE schedule by the time I left school. Are some just playing because they have to?

[tup]

Aye and with dog shit in about the lot, didna matter, you just got on with it.

 

The bit where I used to play football as a loon now has 'No Ball Games' signs everywhere, for no discernible reason I can think of, other than folk dinna want their windows broken.

 

When we broke a window, which was rare, we would chip in and pay for the damage.

[diamondsr4ever]

I blame mithers....these days they spend that much time dressing their loons like fukkin one direction poofters and moaning to the coaches about their sons in-ability to play fitba, or being picked on, or being cold or being bullied....ye ken the shite im on aboot.

 

mithers are to blame for the decline in kids playing in the streets....simple.

 

get them te fukk oot into the streets, gardens, fields and get them playing fitba again, nae prancing aboot primark picking their next onesie or salmon pink polo shirt for the school disco.

[tup]

Correct diamonds, a women led society is always going to lead to mass poovery, and that's what we have.

 

Women are like kids, should be seen and not heard, eye candy only.

[Huntlysheep]

I mine i used to play fitba a the time, at school in p.e. or lunch time, then got a my pals oor to the park ahin my hoose we hid proper goals etc. at the park after school every night 11 vs 11 till it was dark nae matter the weather or anything even played Sat & Sundays & we a few beers. Some great players i played wi, could hae made it big but drink & drugs teen oor their lives, good times playing fitba.

[diamondsr4ever]

My mither would kiss me on the cheek, hand me 20p and say enjoy yer day...this was at 0900hrs as she left me in the hoose at 9yrs old during the summer holidays, with why dont you on the box...oh and a few 50p's for the meter. the old man had gone to work about an hour earlier, the instructions were.

 

set the table, butter the bread, peel the tatties( dinna let them burn) and turn the oven on to 200...be home for 5pm....ill see you at 6.

 

 

these days they are with neighbours, or grunnies, or mithers want half days or understanding bosses so they can look after their 13yr old kids pour their fukkin milk into a selection of 10 cereal boxes....

[daytripping]

I blame mithers....these days they spend that much time dressing their loons like fukkin one direction poofters and moaning to the coaches about their sons in-ability to play fitba, or being picked on, or being cold or being bullied....ye ken the shite im on aboot.

 

mithers are to blame for the decline in kids playing in the streets....simple.

 

get them te fukk oot into the streets, gardens, fields and get them playing fitba again, nae prancing aboot primark picking their next onesie or salmon pink polo shirt for the school disco.

 

 

Pretty much spot on, well said.

 

In my day we played football morning to night, your mother didn't let you sit about the house and you didn't want to anyway.

 

However I don't think society is ever going to go back to those days so we have to move with the times; the little darlings of today's generation don't want to play in poor weather on crap pitches, we need to get more indoor pitches built and get proper coaches in to run them, I believe Scandinavian countries have done this in recent years and are seeing the benefits. We need to do the same and quickly. The sports village is a great concept but we need dedicated football centres where kids can go and play for free.

 

Summer football wouldn't harm our chances either, playing on better surfaces in better weather might help our players improve technique and skill.

[King Street Loon]

 

Does Stirling Uni not have a state of the art spurts facility which they are trying to entice the SFA towards.

 

 

You never disappoint Harcus.

 

 

Does Stirling Uni not have a state of the art spurts facility which they are trying to entice the SFA towards.

Heard something about it this morning on the radio, bit didn't catch it all.

 

Stirling Uni are a client of mine. They have the most innovative sports coaching programmes in the country, possibly even the UK given the dominance they've been showing in certain disciplines in recent years.

 

The reason is so simple. There is a man with a vision who has infected others - both coaches and sportsmen and women - with his vision and his enthusiasm. I don't use the word discipline by accident. It's the foundation upon which everything else is built.

So, excuse my ignorance on this.

But why then have the SFA heirarchy not embraced this place for the betterment of scottish football.

[diamondsr4ever]

Dayts...its moving in the right direction with the kids 4-a-sides...it is getting better, but yer right...they are growing up like wee quines. thought the quines are harder...my 15yr old daughter shows more passion than some of the boys she kens.

 

but give me 22 a side at nelson street playing field anyday....2 hours each-way...a quick jaunt to the shop at half time for a sherbet dip, moray cup and packet o space raiders.

[tup]

I said it before as well, you hardly ever see fights at school anymore, kids should be encouraged to fight each other, there is zero aggression in most of the modern day loons and I've even seen diving and play-acting in kids under ten which is sad.

[StandFree1982]

Kids these days are turning into tight jean wearing, hair slicked to one side, x-factor wannabe poofs. You go into town and it's like a scene from one of those "Essex" programs with everyone dressing like Justin Beaver or Milly Cyprus.

[vanderark14]

Correct diamonds, a women led society is always going to lead to mass poovery, and that's what we have.

 

Women are like kids, should be seen and not heard, eye candy only.

 

I'm not on board with kids being eye candy

[tup]

[davieb]

The coaching standards are appalling. I mean, the likes of Craig Brown and his ilk are the standard that we generally aim for. There seems to be a club of so called ex-pros who really should be no where near the manager/coach role.

[dunc_afc]

Think kids coaching levels are pretty poor. When these 4/5 year old kids come on at half time at pittodrie and they are playing a wee game with full size balls its pretty obvious where its going wrong. Amazes me that not one of these youth development coaches thinks 'hold on, if we give them a ball that isnt as big as they are they might be able to develop some ability rather than learn just to hoof it'.

[tup]

To be fair size one footballs are used in lower age groups just now at some clubs.

[Bluto10]

its kick and rush they teach kids, nae football

[dunc_afc]

To be fair size one footballs are used in lower age groups just now at some clubs.

 

Obviously got coaches with more sense than the dons then

[vanderark14]

its kick and rush they teach kids, nae football

 

maybe it was before but its not now.