UEFA Nations League Play-off, Hampden Park, 23/3/25.

After a sterling performance in Piraeus on Thursday Scotland came down to earth with a bump at Hampden in the second leg.

They never looked like matching Greece’s commitment or cohesion. In the end 0-3 rather flattered us.

I fear for the World Cup qualification campaign now. Only the group winners qualify directly – and on this evidence that may well be Greece. It looks like Scotland may have to finish above either Denmark or Portugal (whichever loses their Nations League quarter-final is in our group) even to get a play-off place.

So two relegations in two days for teams close to my heart.

Football is a cruel mistress.

I’ve been away over the weekend so wasn’t able to post about this sooner.

The death of former SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, came as something of a shock. He was only 69 and looked as if he still had many years. Then again, his girth suggested he wasn’t averse to the good life.

The outstanding Scottish politician of his generation, it is perhaps safe to say that, without him, the cause of Scottish independence would not have progressed in the way that it did, though that central purpose of his political life now seems as far away as ever – even if almost half of Scots still support it.

It is traditional at times like this not to speak ill of the dead but his reputation suffered latterly from the revelations that twelve women made complaints about his behaviour towards them when he was in office. It was this I suspect that caused the rift between him and his political protégé – and successor in both posts – Nicola Sturgeon.

Alexander Elliot Anderson (Alex) Salmond:  31/12/1954 – 12/10/2024. So it goes.

View of Linlithgow from Linlithgow Palace (stitch of three photos.) St Michael’s Church just left of centre. Part of Linlithgow Loch to right:-

Linlithgow Loch looking east from Palace:-

Linlithgow Loch looking north form Palace:-

The view of the Loch to the east is in this post.

Balmaha is a village on the eastern shores of Loch Lomond. I remember the Maid of the Loch used to call there on its trips up and down the loch back in the day.

The Loch from Balmaha:-

Boats on the loch:-

Present day pier:-

Looking south from pier:-

Loch inlet at Balmaha:-

https://flic.kr/p/2oCBk3E

I only discovered yesterday that Tom Nairn, the Scottish historian who came up with the memorable phrase that “Scotland will be free when the last minister is strangled by the last copy of the Sunday Post,” has died.

He is most famous for his critique of the British state which he dubbed Ukania for its monarchical resemblance to a Ruritanian archetype, anatomised in his book The Break-Up of Britain.

An advocate of Scottish independence, his Republicanism and Marxism, though neither Trotsykist nor Stalinist – his sojourn in Italy led him to lean towards Gramsci – probably did not help his career.

Thomas Cunningham (Tom) Nairn: 2/6/1932 – 21/1/2023. So it goes.

Or Holyrood Palace, as it is sometimes known, is the Queen’s official residence in Scotland, where investitures and garden parties are held.

I had been inside it once, as a child so many years ago now, but the good lady hadn’t. During the Covid restriction loosening in September we booked a visit.

Palace from gates to north side:-

Entrance gateway from inside outer courtyard:-

South gates looking onto Arthur’s Seat/Salisbury Crags:-

Stitch of fountain and palace from outer courtyard:-

Outer courtyard fountain:-

Older wing:-

Entrance to palace proper:-

Inner courtyard:-

Former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager – and sometime Sons player – Walter Smith has died.

It is fair to say his best days were with other clubs. He joined Sons from Dundee United in 1975 but in 1976 became one of the select few players ever to appear in a Sons jersey in a Scottish Cup semi-final. Arguably he and that squad appeared in two since the first game (against Hearts) ended in a 0-0 draw. We’ll draw a veil over the replay, though. 64 games for the Sons isn’t a meagre tally, though.

It was as a manager that he made the biggest impact on the football world. His Rangers teams won ten league titles in total, five Scottish Cups, six Scottish League Cups and reached the UEFA Cup final in 2008. He is also the only manager of the Scottish National side to win an international trophy (excluding British Isles only competitions,) the Kirin Cup in 2006.

Walter Ferguson Smith, 24/2/1948 – 26/10/2021. So it goes.

Scots are not generally given to flag-waving from their properties.

Exceptions come when the national football team qualifies for a major tournament; as it did for Euro 2020 (due to Covid, played in the summer of 2021.)

Maybe there was an extra excuse this time because the previous occasion when Scotland graced a big tournament was in 1998!

The flags have long gone now.

Euro 2020, Group D, Hampden Park, 22/6/21.

Well we know this is how it goes. A gallant effort but this was knowhow – and class – against inexperience. Their control, passing and movement made it look like men against boys.

At least we got a goal.

It’s hard to resist the thought that – notwithstanding they’d never beaten us before – the Croats targeted this game. They certainly played way better than in their previous two outings. They never looked at all bothered or likely to lose and in Luka Modrić they had an outstanding player who totally bossed the game and scored a superb goal. And Ivan Perisić wasn’t far behind.

Maybe Scotland’s players will have relished the experience and it motivates them to want to have it again – whether at Qatar next year or in the next Euros.

We can hope.

But it’s the hope that kills.

Euro 2020, Group D, Wembley Stadium, 18/6/21.

Well. The first thing you have to say is that Scotland deserved at least a point. It was a great performance by the players – perhaps unlucky not to get the win. But for that you have to put the ball in the net. We were never convincing about the ability to do that.

A win against Croatia ought to see us through. But they’ve got quality in midfield and upfront and it will be a very difficult game. The other thing that worries me is that they’ve never beaten us. That run has to end sometime.

And we know how this goes. Scotland put in a gallant effort and somehow still contrive to muck it up.

On Tuesday evening Croatia will burst our bubble with about ten minutes to go. Watch through your fingers.