From: eftv20@castle.ed.ac.uk (G C Stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer,eduni.football
Subject: Topical comments
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:16:14 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

Just thought I'd throw in my tuppence worth, while I take a tea break.

1. Jim McLean interview
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jim McLean, chairman and manager of Dundee
United FC and widely respected throughout British football made a most
interesting assertion after his side's 1-1 draw with Celtic last week.
Now Celtic have faded out of contention for the league championship and
are widely regarded by the Scottish media to be a few quality players 
short of being able to compete on the field with Rangers. However McLean
(on Radio Clyde) remarked that Rangers are in a class of their own in
the context of Scottish football, with the exception of Celtic. He
stated that the Hoops were the equal if not better than Rangers.
                        Now, I've gone on record as having stated that
Celtic are the best footballing side in Scotland, and whereas I'm
prepared to take a little flak off Wacko Jacko and friends, I'm glad at
least to be ridiculed with such distinguished company. There isn't a 
figure in the Scottish game with more knowledge than Jolly Jim (yes,he
knows even more than Andy Roxburgh  :-)), and so I hope it makes a few
cynics (some Celtic fans included) think again about slagging the
quality of players at Liam Brady's disposal. If Celtic can't do well
with their current squad, then they'll never do well.

2. Scotland v England (was Rangers v Leeds)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm targetting the Rangers'
fans here and their recent comments on the English media. I can only
laugh at this sudden chip on the shoulder from supporters of a side
who only 2 years ago were regularly turning out sides with up to 6
Englishmen in it. Terry Butcher would not approve of this Anglophobia!
Yes the English press generally backed, Leeds United, but up until their
tie with Rangers, they had every reason to believe that English football
was of a much higher standard. Since the English clubs have returned to
European football they have performed, not spectacularly, but a damn
sight better than the miserable efforts by our clubs! 
               I personally don't think there is much difference in the
relative standards - they're both shockingly poor at the moment and
technically aren't on the same planet as the domestic leagues in Italy,
Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain or Portugal. Rangers victory tells
me nothing that I didn't already know and the petty nationalism of some
of the Scottish postings verges on the xenophobic.
               May I add though that I do hope that Turkey beat England
on Wednesday, but I will not kick my tv set in, if England prevail. If
England play good football (and they have the players to do so), then
we shouldn't fall into a lather of rage up here. However England haven't
played well since Taylor took over and even if they qualify for the
World Cup, they'd do well to replace him before the finals. Where
perhaps we do have a gripe up in Scotland is in the unreal expectations
of the English popular media, whichw e are forced occasionally to put
up with, but as Sweden this year illustrated, it can also rebound 
spectacularly back in their faces!

3. Netherlands v Germany (was Dirty Germans)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well we in Britain must
step aside - this is real rivalry. Ever since Ronald Koeman took a
German jersey with him into a toilet cubicle, because there was no
toilet paper and Frank Rijkaard assisted Rudi Voeller, who'd run out
of hair gel, every Dutch v German clash must be awaited with eager
anticipation. 
               On the subject of being dirty, I do think the Bundesliga
is very brutal and the manner with which some Dortmund players set about
Celtic two weeks back reinforced my opinion. However I think one or two
of the Dutch posters leave even some of the most forthy Huns up here
behind with the anti- this are that sympathies. Perhaps they'd do well
to remember the manner with which Jan Wouters set about the Danish
players this summer - mind you he plays for Bayern ! I personally hope
Ajax beat Kaiserslautern, and I think they will too, because they are
a lcass side. 

              Enough from the Scottish paradfise delegation           
 
                       Gerry Stewart
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer