The "What the f**k has happened to Scotland" thread.

[degeneration]

I cannot describe in reasonable words how ecstatic, triumphant and proud I was to be a Scotsman in both the occasions that Scotland somehow managed to beat France during the Euro 2008 qualifiers. That whole campaign was a memorable experience, pushing both France and Italy right to the wire. Two of the best teams in the world, never mind Europe, and lowly fucking Scotland had given them a scare. We didn't qualify, but i'd never been so proud of the team and the feeling of how WE the small country had challenged the giants of football. If I recall correctly, those monumentous days took us up to 13 or 14th in the WORLD in the FIFA world rankings. THAT is pretty phenomenal for our country, qualifying for the main tournament or not.

But where are we now?! The Walter Smith (the mastermind) and Alex McLeish (the guy that does well with other people's good starts) era is over... we took a long time in appointing the new manager... who was it going to be? There were several in the running, and the best part was that there was even a few in there that were credible candidates! We weren't skimming the scum off the top of the "couldn't make it anywhere decent" pile, we had some proven, good managers in the reckoning.

George Burley got it. I was so god damn optimistic. I'm not religous, but I feel I would be swearing too much it I chose other words. From the candidate list, he was my top man. What he did with Hearts in his short time there was fantastic. Someone dared threaten the Old Firm dominance in Scottish Football. I'm a Celtic fan, but I genuinely think the greatest day in the scottish premier league will be when a challenging team rises and wins the league. Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen... I don't care who it is, I want someone else to win.

Anyway, I digress. Burley was an awesome manager for Hearts. But it has all gone so badly wrong. Scotland have gone back to being the laughing stock, the easy points for anyone playing us. Any team that can beat France 1-0 home and away should NEVER lose to WALES 3-0. We are not the same team that we once were, but this is only looking back 2 years. How can a country have slipped so much?? From 13 or 14th in the world to currently 46th?!!??! Where has it all gone so wrong?

Was Burley the wrong man for the job?
Is it the players who have been undermining Burley not allowing him to do his job properly?
Or were the days a few years ago where Scotland were respected and applauded by their European peers merely a fluke and we are now back to the standards we should be expecting?

But seriously? Wales? 3-0? We CURRENTLY are shite...

[Markgway]

But where are we now?!

In the proverbial shitter.

I'm a Celtic fan, but I genuinely think the greatest day in the scottish premier league will be when a challenging team rises and wins the league. Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen... I don't care who it is, I want someone else to win.

You forgot Dundee United, you jammy tim!

Was Burley the wrong man for the job?
Is it the players who have been undermining Burley not allowing him to do his job properly?
Or were the days a few years ago where Scotland were respected and applauded by their European peers merely a fluke and we are now back to the standards we should be expecting?
But seriously? Wales? 3-0? We CURRENTLY are shite...

Yes to all of the above questions.