Some very valid points made by S_A regarding the performance and its long term affect on the national team:
http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=828&Itemid=1
We as Rangers fans are perhaps more aware than most that performances can almost be as or more important than the result itself. How else do you explain the fact that a manager who has had us competing in the final or to the last day of every competition we have entered since his return (last year�s European run aside) still having his doubters and detractors?
Walter Smith in his second spell, I need not remind you, has won 2 Scottish Cups, 1 SPL trophy, 1 League Cup. In his two full seasons back we have won 4 of a possible 8 trophies available, finishing runner up in 3 with the other tournament being last year�s Champions League. Add that to his previous tenure and NIAR and you wonder how some are still not convinced.
The major criticism appears to be in the manner in which this fantastic run of success has been achieved. Team, work, organisation and defensive solidity are favoured ahead of skill and flair (though we may see a change in that this season). So can it be that the performance is more important the result?
Scotland�s Wednesday night defeat by the Dutch lends support to that way of thinking. In the context of a one off match a 1-0 defeat to the third ranked side in the world is not a terrible result. In the context of our disastrous World Cup campaign it was the result which condemned us to at least 14 years without an appearance on the International stage.
Going into the recent double header, George Burley was a stick on for the sack. A minimum of 6 points was required just to give us hope of a play off place. In truth 3 points against Bert Van Marwijk�s side, who had collected maximum points in every game so far was highly improbable. Most Scottish football fans, whilst resigned to another unsuccessful qualifying campaign, were looking forward to seeing the back of bungling Burley and hopefully a return for some of our star players most notably Kris Boyd.
In a qualification group were we scored only 6 times in 8 matches and with Chris Iwelumo�s howling miss still fresh in the memory it would be a particularly stubborn fan who would not admit that Scotland cannot do without such a prolific talent.
Yet are Kris Boyd and indeed some of his fellow exiles any closer to a return to Dark Blue? In spite of another bad result ending our World Cup aspirations for another four years, because we turned in one of our few good performances of the campaign, suddenly all talk of Burley�s successor is less certain. Whilst most expected him to fall on his sword after the inevitable occurred against the Oranje, Burley is still here. The SFA have made no telling statements. And what is more worrying, rather than the typical press conference called for the following morning, the SFA will not review this unsuccessful campaign until next week. Perhaps an indication that the manager will be given a stay of execution?
The performance against Holland was in stark contrast to the rest of the campaign. We had fight, we had spirit and we had an equal measure of quality. All we missed was a decisive finish, or perhaps a slice of luck. Miller struck the bar and Zorm pulled off a wonder save from the ever-willing front man when the keeper spilled a long range Naismith effort. Miller had another snap shot spilled just round the post when even the Dutch Goalie feared it was rolling in.
Scott Brown nudged past the post when the goal gaped at the back stick and Naismith had the ball in the back of the net only for the linesman to wrongly flag offside. And of course, as we chased the game, the Dutch struck the killer blow.
This performance was night and day from anything else we had produced. But how much credit should the manager get for that? Weir only returned to the side because Barry and Paul Chuckle had been ruled out through suspension and injury respectively. And whilst some may try to lump the blame on the veteran defender, two key points should be remembered. 1: Our qualification hopes were wrecked long before the do or die game with one of the best sides in the world. And 2: In the four games Weir has played under Burley we have gained 3 clean sheets with only this solitary goal conceded to World Class opposition.
For the 4-3-3 formation and the quick, agile and tricky attackers employed Burley does take credit. Miller was highly unfortunate not to score at least one. Naismith, but for a marginal linesman error, would have given us a priceless lead and produced a performance that belied his relative inexperience at this level. Maloney was somewhat less impressive but the right blend of abilities was found in the attacking trio.
However, should one good performance that ultimately ended in more glorious failure atone for a calamitous campaign? Terrible results home and away to Norway and in Macedonia. Poor man management. Poor tactics and team selections. Burleyââ?¬â?¢s deficiencies in all areas of management at the very top level were laid bare time and again. Booze-gate. The Iwelumo/Fletcher ââ?¬â?? Boyd fiasco. ââ?¬Å?Limited abilityââ?¬Â. Perhaps it is Burley and not Kirk Broadfoot who should know his place and his limitations and not dream to strive beyond his own capabilities. The list of errors is endless and is another article in itself.
Should another night of glorious failure trump all that? Should we forget what went before it and pretend that this was a qualifying campaign on par with the Smith/McLeish led European Championships campaign that was so cruelly ended against the reigning World Champions after home and away victories over the vanquished foes of that same World Cup final. Let�s not diminish the work of Walter Smith and Alex McLeish any more than Burley already has by pretending they are in anyway similar.
It is a worrying sign that the manner of this latest failure may yet see George Burley keep his job and in so doing, the impressive performance of Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker and their team mates may in fact turn out to prove more damaging than the 1-0 defeat that ultimately ended our World Cup ambitions for South Africa 2010.
Some very valid points made by S_A regarding the performance and its long term affect on the national team: http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=828&Itemid=1 We as Rangers fans are perhaps more aware than most that performances can almost be as or more important than the result itself. How else do you explain the fact that a manager who has had us competing in the final or to the last day of every competition we have entered since his return (last yearââ?¬â?¢s European run aside) still having his doubters and detractors? Walter Smith in his second spell, I need not remind you, has won 2 Scottish Cups, 1 SPL trophy, 1 League Cup. In his two full seasons back we have won 4 of a possible 8 trophies available, finishing runner up in 3 with the other tournament being last yearââ?¬â?¢s Champions League. Add that to his previous tenure and NIAR and you wonder how some are still not convinced. The major criticism appears to be in the manner in which this fantastic run of success has been achieved. Team, work, organisation and defensive solidity are favoured ahead of skill and flair (though we may see a change in that this season). So can it be that the performance is more important the result? Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s Wednesday night defeat by the Dutch lends support to that way of thinking. In the context of a one off match a 1-0 defeat to the third ranked side in the world is not a terrible result. In the context of our disastrous World Cup campaign it was the result which condemned us to at least 14 years without an appearance on the International stage. Going into the recent double header, George Burley was a stick on for the sack. A minimum of 6 points was required just to give us hope of a play off place. In truth 3 points against Bert Van Marwijkââ?¬â?¢s side, who had collected maximum points in every game so far was highly improbable. Most Scottish football fans, whilst resigned to another unsuccessful qualifying campaign, were looking forward to seeing the back of bungling Burley and hopefully a return for some of our star players most notably Kris Boyd. In a qualification group were we scored only 6 times in 8 matches and with Chris Iwelumoââ?¬â?¢s howling miss still fresh in the memory it would be a particularly stubborn fan who would not admit that Scotland cannot do without such a prolific talent. Yet are Kris Boyd and indeed some of his fellow exiles any closer to a return to Dark Blue? In spite of another bad result ending our World Cup aspirations for another four years, because we turned in one of our few good performances of the campaign, suddenly all talk of Burleyââ?¬â?¢s successor is less certain. Whilst most expected him to fall on his sword after the inevitable occurred against the Oranje, Burley is still here. The SFA have made no telling statements. And what is more worrying, rather than the typical press conference called for the following morning, the SFA will not review this unsuccessful campaign until next week. Perhaps an indication that the manager will be given a stay of execution? The performance against Holland was in stark contrast to the rest of the campaign. We had fight, we had spirit and we had an equal measure of quality. All we missed was a decisive finish, or perhaps a slice of luck. Miller struck the bar and Zorm pulled off a wonder save from the ever-willing front man when the keeper spilled a long range Naismith effort. Miller had another snap shot spilled just round the post when even the Dutch Goalie feared it was rolling in. Scott Brown nudged past the post when the goal gaped at the back stick and Naismith had the ball in the back of the net only for the linesman to wrongly flag offside. And of course, as we chased the game, the Dutch struck the killer blow. This performance was night and day from anything else we had produced. But how much credit should the manager get for that? Weir only returned to the side because Barry and Paul Chuckle had been ruled out through suspension and injury respectively. And whilst some may try to lump the blame on the veteran defender, two key points should be remembered. 1: Our qualification hopes were wrecked long before the do or die game with one of the best sides in the world. And 2: In the four games Weir has played under Burley we have gained 3 clean sheets with only this solitary goal conceded to World Class opposition. For the 4-3-3 formation and the quick, agile and tricky attackers employed Burley does take credit. Miller was highly unfortunate not to score at least one. Naismith, but for a marginal linesman error, would have given us a priceless lead and produced a performance that belied his relative inexperience at this level. Maloney was somewhat less impressive but the right blend of abilities was found in the attacking trio. However, should one good performance that ultimately ended in more glorious failure atone for a calamitous campaign? Terrible results home and away to Norway and in Macedonia. Poor man management. Poor tactics and team selections. Burleyââ?¬â?¢s deficiencies in all areas of management at the very top level were laid bare time and again. Booze-gate. The Iwelumo/Fletcher ââ?¬â?? Boyd fiasco. ââ?¬Å?Limited abilityââ?¬Â. Perhaps it is Burley and not Kirk Broadfoot who should know his place and his limitations and not dream to strive beyond his own capabilities. The list of errors is endless and is another article in itself. Should another night of glorious failure trump all that? Should we forget what went before it and pretend that this was a qualifying campaign on par with the Smith/McLeish led European Championships campaign that was so cruelly ended against the reigning World Champions after home and away victories over the vanquished foes of that same World Cup final. Letââ?¬â?¢s not diminish the work of Walter Smith and Alex McLeish any more than Burley already has by pretending they are in anyway similar. It is a worrying sign that the manner of this latest failure may yet see George Burley keep his job and in so doing, the impressive performance of Steven Naismith, Steven Whittaker and their team mates may in fact turn out to prove more damaging than the 1-0 defeat that ultimately ended our World Cup ambitions for South Africa 2010.