MacLeod's the Man for Scotland

[andy steel 0]

Another season, another new manager. It's starting to seem as though the Glorious 12th, the traditional start of the grouse hunting season, has been replaced in Scotland by the hunt for a new manager of the national football team.

 

As George Burley's inglourious basterd of a reign comes to an end, the name put forward so far have reacted with all the delight of Dracula being awoken by a door to door garlic salesman. Graeme Souness, Mark McGhee and Owen Coyle have formally declined to be considered, while David Moyes doesn't even have to say anything for the nation to know he's staying put at Everton. There's always the chance Sir Alex Ferguson will fancy a bit of part time managing in between tilts at the Champions League, but it's a slim hope. And Rangers boss Walter Smith as been there and done that: is he likely to go back again?

 

The fans have been reduced, only a few days after Burley's sacking, to rootling about in the bargain basement bin of managers. The first rule seems to be that they need to be unemployed, given the parlous state of the SFA's finances. The second, as always, is that they are a new broom, with which they will sweep in a new era of success. And the third is probably that foreigners are still verboten, after the dreck-shreck of the Berti Vogts period. We can safely rule out Terry Butcher, then.

 

Two coaches have at least thrown their hats into the ring. Jimmy Calderwood, late of Aberdeen, and John Collins, late of Beveren, have declared they would be willing to talk. While neither set the pulses racing, they at least have the cachet of being educated, football-wise and other wise, abroad: Calderwood in Holland, and Collins in France. They would certainly bring a different approach to the job, but it's debateable at least that it would be any more successful.

 

While both have their merits, I suggest a more radical solution. The SFA should approach BBC Scotland and ask it's football chunterer Murdo MacLeod if he fancies a crack at it. Anyone who listens, despite themselves, to the radio coverage the station provides can't fail to have been impressed by his tactical nous, his ability to spot a player, his passion for the cause. It would remain to be seen if he can transfer his passion for Celtic into the international arena, but it would be interesting to see - after all, the man played at the World Cup for Scotland. MacLeod also has the benefit of a continental education - this time in Germany - to broaden his horizon.

 

Fans often sarcastically call upon commentators or writers to put their money where their mouth is, but no-one in their right mind would want to see James Traynor or Chick Young in charge of a football team, unless it were some "The Producers" style destroy-from-within mission. I'm serious here: MacLeod spots where teams (alright, Celtic) are underperforming and can suggest convincingly where teams (oh alright, Celtic) can change for the better. The man understand football and footballers. The only fly in the ointment I can see is that before every game he'll probably still tip Celtic to win, but we can use that to our advantage: think how confused foreign coaches and media will be.

 

Murdo: your country needs you. What do you say?

[Zappa 0]

That's seriously funny!