With
the emergence on to the world stage of Erling Braut Haaland in the
last six months, and Martin Ødegaard beginning to
fulfil his promise with Real Sociedad, there has been an increase in interest
for Norwegian
football lately. Added to that the possibility of meeting Scotland
to qualify for the European Championships, this seemed like as good a
time as any to start writing about the Eliteserien, Norway’s top
tier football league.
First
however, a quick look at Norway’s emerging talent, before the
preview for the 2020 season begins next week.
It seems like Norway are on the verge of something, on the brink of confirming a golden generation. Not since 2000 have they qualified for a major tournament, but with a stellar crop of 18-21 year olds, it seems like this is about to change.
Haaland
and Ødegaard have both already made their debuts, indeed Ødegaard
has played over 20 times already. Kristoffer Ajer is a regular at
Celtic and Sander Berge has just signed for Sheffield United after a
successful three year spell at Genk, both are 22 this year.
Add
in to that some familiar, experienced faces and players playing all over
Europe, it is clear to see why they are favourites in the Euro playoffs to make it to the
tournament proper. Defensively there definitely are issues, but the midfield and forward divisions they are improving quickly. Really they should be looking to qualify for the next three
or four tournaments, based on the age and potential of the squad.
They
have plenty firepower to add to Haaland, with Josh King and Alexander Sørloth both
options in attack. Sørloth in particular has found form this year in
Turkey, scoring 16 in 19 with Trabzonspor.
Håkon Evjen
A
young player to keep an eye on that hasn’t
quite broken in to the national team reckoning yet is
Håkon Evjen. The under 21 international
was recently signed up by AZ in the
Eredivisie where he will join up with fellow Norwegian’s Jonas
Svensson and Fredrik Midtsjø. Evjen was the player of the season in
Norway last season at only 19 years old, scoring 13 goals from 29
games from midfield as he led Bodø/Glimt to an impressive second
placed finish.
Another
couple of under 21 internationals that have shown promise the last
season and earned a move to bigger clubs are Kritoffer Askildsen and
Kristian Thorsvedt. Askildsen made 16 appearances at Stabæk last
season, and the tall midfielder has earned a move to Sampdoria on the
back his breakthrough campaign. Thorsvedt meanwhile was a
real standout for Viking, one of the top attacking
midfielders in the league, and the 20 year
old has signed a deal at Genk, replacing Sander Berge.
The left footer has a real eye for goal
with his late runs in to the box, and his goal-scoring prowess should
translate well to
the Belgian league.
At
Genk he will be joining Mats Møller Dæhli who has recently moved
after a good spell at St. Pauli in Bundesliga 2. He was at Cardiff
City under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, but still only 24 he has taken some
time to fulfil his obvious talent, and will now be hoping Genk is the
ideal place to continue to rebuild his reputation after a wasted two
years at Freiburg.
Since
Norway met Scotland in World Cup ’98, neither have made it to a World Cup(Euro 2000 the last tournament for Norway). A one off game at Ullevaal Stadion, in front of a
capacity 28’000 would be an incredible night for both teams. First
Scotland need to beat Israel at home, and Norway have the tough task
of beating Serbia in Oslo, five days before the final to see who
qualifies for the Euros.
The
Eliteserien threw up some surprises last year, and my preview of the
season will begin next week with a look at the runaway champions from
2019, Molde, and also the surprise winners of the Norwegian Cup,
Viking Stavanger.
Judging by the response my previous post has gotten it is very clear that the problems I had as a player were not unusual, and that talking about them has been worth my while. The amount of well-wishers, messages of support and the general attention it received shows that this is something that needs talked about more openly by anyone who is having their own troubles.
I have been left with a sense of relief having finally managed to speak out and I really wish I felt able to years ago. One of the big bonuses to come from it has been the messages from former teammates and other professionals who say they have felt similar problems in their careers, and that has made me feel slightly better knowing I was not alone.
I also think it is important that if other players feel they need someone to talk to they know they can. The PFA in Scotland is doing a lot for mental health awareness, and they have people you can talk to anonymously if there is anything you need to talk about. It has been really good to talk to other players that have come to me, and I'd happily chat with anyone that is scared to talk or just wants to chat about similar problems.
It has genuinely touched me the amount of people texting me and wishing me the best, and now it is important for me to move on with my development personally and try to start a new career in something else. Football has been and always will be a huge part of my life and something I love watching and talking about. I have always been interested in analysing games, tactics and performances which is probably part of the problems I had in myself. Constantly analysing my own and others performances probably created doubt and caused a lack of self belief, now I think I can turn that trait into a positive and use it to stay involved in the sport.
Writing has definitely made me realise I should be doing it more often and that is something I want to pursue. Coaching is another thing I should have started a few years ago, but at 31 I still have time, and an opportunity in Norway to start doing it would be ideal. The amount of players doing coaching badges these days is incredible and it is such a competitive environment, but everyone is different and has different experiences that has shaped them so it's something I'd like to start.
Thank you to everyone that got in touch with me in the last 2-3 weeks, it has meant a lot and made it all worthwhile.
So, I wrote this 4 months ago, but I was scared to share it. But it seems like I'm not alone, and it will probably do me good to let other people read about my problems.
I was looking through Twitter earlier and noticed some posts about ex Falkirk and Queen of the South player(among others) Chris Mitchell, and how he hid his depression from his family and friends, before sadly taking his life about 16 months ago. There is a definite expectancy in general life that men especially should sort themselves out, get on with it and cheer up. But I want to write about my own troubles in football, and how I think it affected my career. It's really sad that it came to such a tragic end with Chris, but it has encouraged me to speak out a bit about my own troubles.
I should start by saying I'm not suicidal, never have been and although I have almost certainly been depressed, its so tough to write about it and I have genuinely been wanting to for so long, but the irony is, to write about anxiety and nerves you have to overcome them, therein lies the problem.
I can pinpoint to the game the first time I ever felt nervous before a game. It was for St Johnstone in 2008 against Hamilton at McDiarmid park in my first season professional. I hadn't started a game since the new manager took over in October, then suddenly I was thrown in against top of the league, in an important game for us in February. I had never been nervous before and was always relaxed before games, but suddenly self doubt and anxiety crept in. Although I would try and tell myself I wasn't nervous, my body was telling me different. I felt physically sick, couldn't eat, could hardly speak to people, felt breathless and my legs felt heavy. These symptoms are all due to nerves, lack of self belief and anxiety. I honestly think that anyone who says nerves are good for you, has never been nervous. I can 100% guarantee, that the body feels better, the head clearer and everything is easier when you are relaxed before a game.
When I was 21 I was super fit and everyone who knows me will know that back then pace was the main part of my game, but on this day I was tired after one run, my legs felt like they were cramping up in the first half and I had zero energy . I had a bad game, and it was the beginning of the end for me. When I arrived at St Johnstone in May 2007, I was flying high with confidence after promotion with Queen's Park, and my pre season and early season form was good, I felt great and I was playing. The difference between then and 9 months later was incredible inside me, and I don't think I ever recovered.
This was the start of 10 years of this feeling and the start of what was essentially a downward spiral in my career with a small peak at Falkirk which we will get to later.
The football dressing room and training ground is a very tough place to be if you have any anxiety or depression, because it is a ruthless business where everyone looks after themselves, and also most of the jokes are about making fun of people. There is no place to hide on a training pitch every day, and when I was young and at Queen of the South I found it difficult. I remember feeling so nervous before my first game I told the assistant manager I was too nervous to play, but it was ok, I was on the bench. I hadn't eaten, felt sick and had no energy. It is the only time in my whole life I have ever told anyone I was nervous. As it turned out I came on for an injured player after about 15 minutes. It was probably the best way as I had no time to think about it, and I played quite well.
From then on though, I was nervous about every game. I was sick several times, once on the pitch during the warm up and it affected my performances regularly.
The worst thing about it is that it becomes a never ending downward spiral. I lacked confidence and doubted myself a lot, and that in turn made me play worse, which made me doubt myself more. One time I remember calling in sick the morning of a game because I felt so bad. I felt ashamed doing it and I lay in bed all day feeling awful. I used to see people who were arrogant and full of confidence and wish I had that in me, I know I would have been a better player, but I think it just wasn't the way I was.
After 3 years at Queen of the South, my contract wasn't renewed and for 6 weeks I had no deal. I was resigned to stopping full time football, but luckily I got the chance to train with Falkirk. After the initial nerves at training and in my first game, I soon found myself feeling better and that is down to 2 things. The manager was absolutely perfect for me, he was full of praise, knew exactly what I was good at and he used me in a way that suited me perfectly. The second thing is the squad was younger, and the dressing room much friendlier. It coincided with the best spell in my career for those 8-9 months, almost injury free and playing every week.
The second year was a different story. Hamstring injuries had ruined pre season for me, and although I did get into the team by September, I wasn't playing as well. I remember coming back from another injury and I was playing my first game after a few weeks training. I felt fit and was due to play right back. However due to so many injuries and weeks missed I felt really nervous that day, and in the first half I got hammered by the winger. I had jelly legs, no energy, sore head, all the usual symptoms. I remember the manager saying my fitness was a disgrace, and it probably looked like that, I wish I could have told him the truth.
Two days later at training I did 10*400m in 70 seconds, 1 to 1 rest on my own and then hill sprints with the res of the team . My fitness was very high but my anxiety was the issue. I hardly played again for Falkirk, apart from a decent spell in February/March, and I knew my time there was coming to an end. My old problems had returned, or never gone away really, just hidden under the surface.
I have learned to deal with the feeling over the years, but they never really go away. I can force food down before games and I can relax sometimes, but the truth is I was never the same player again. I never ever felt carefree and confident like I had when I was 19, and it resulted in part time football and dropping down the divisions.
In the years since then injuries have been a problem, my pace has gone, and although I still had the appetite to train hard and try to get back to a good level, my body didn't let me. I lost confidence, I felt anxious every weekend and even some training sessions. I felt unfit every Saturday even if I was as fit as I could be. I could never produce anything like the form I wanted, and even if I was training well I never gained confidence. I've seen many players I played with go on to higher levels and even become internationals and I honestly feel that if I didn't have my issues I could have gone on to a higher level. It created huge self doubt, depression and many hours worrying and going over performances in my head. Now I am trying to come to terms with not having football at all as although I am 31, I can't love doing it when it makes me feel this way. I have dreaded games for nearly a decade, and that is the opposite of how it should be. I can relax at training and enjoy it, but never in a game and I am tired of that and don't want to do it anymore.
Looking back I wish I had asked for help, or at least spoken to a manager I trusted. But I didn't and I am sure that is normal for more than just me. This is my way of opening up and telling people my issue, and there are so few people in football that are an open book. It is a huge taboo mental illness, and in football I think if you show it you are just tagged as mentally weak.
People always say you get out what you put in to life, and football is the same. But if your mind doesn't let your body work the way it is trained to, then you won't get your rewards. Although I had a decent career, it should have been much better and I'll probably always think that and a forever regret it.
After finishing this, I read Chris Kirkland's article on the BBC, it literally came out as I finished typing. It is exactly the same as what I feel, everything about it. Irrational feelings, and it helps that other people have the same problems. I wonder how many hide it... Read that article here
I have also been reading the book on former Germany keeper Robert Enke, it absolutely spoke to me in so many ways, so many similar feelings. It's a tragic story of a top keeper, but well worth a read for anyone else struggling with what I did.
A big thanks also to the Queen of the South fan, who made this video of my goals at the club. It made me feel better any time I was down, and helped me feel like a better player than I probably was! Probably half the views on this video are me...
To any manager that wasted me out at right wing, here is the evidence that I am a poacher.
It would be nice to do an article about how the differences in the Norwegian football system benefits the league and enhances the fortunes of the national team, but unfortunately they are struggling just as much as Scotland, so I just have to write about the differences and separately try to dissect the continuing troubles of our countries football team.
I know one man will be happy I left Scottish football, but not so happy I wrote this. My friend told me in the summer I was linked with going back to Stirling Albion on a forum. One fan, seemingly unhappy with my previous spell there, wrote "Him and his blog can get to fuck", so mixed emotions for him, for which I apologise.
Football in Norway
Continuing my football career in Norway was always going to be something I would do when I knew I was moving here. But the truth is I had fallen out of love with football in Scotland, and grown tired of constant injury problems and having to trial or train with clubs to win contracts. If I had still be in Scotland I'm not sure if I would still be playing, even so it would have likely been out of the professional leagues. Injuries have been a problem ever since I started training full time, and they have only become more frequent in the last 3 years. The last time I felt genuinely fit and sharp was at Stirling Albion in 2013, when in the last 4 months of the season I managed to score 8 goals and help the team to promotion. Tearing my calf on the last game of the season with 15 minutes to go was the worst thing that could happen, as it resulted in a long term absence which didn't give me the chance to perform for Alloa. That season was a real regret for me, and although you try and keep a brave face and laugh off any jokes, it is not easy. Since then it has been a struggle to motivate myself for games and getting as fit as I need to be to play my best becomes almost impossible.
One thing that I do still enjoy is the training, and I am far too honest to turn up to training and not give 100%. I really hate it when players don't train hard or turn up to just mess around. I understand it should be up to the manager to ensure it isn't happening, but personal pride is really important for me and I will always give my best. To then see players who don't try at training continually given games is a real motivation drainer. I had 3 months of no football and I really missed the training, so I decided I would go in to the local team here Levanger FK. At the time they were 3rd top of the 1st Division, which is the 2nd tier, so I knew it would be difficult to walk in and get a contract. After a week of training and basically nobody talking to me while they all spoke Norwegian, I realised I hated it. It was a chore to go in, so I stopped. I'm sure I wouldn't have been given a deal anyway, but I wasn't moving to Norway to be miserable. At this point I thought I was done with football, and saw it as an opportunity to move away from professional football as it wasn't making me happy anymore.
It was another 2 months before I touched a ball again, when I decided to go into another local team Verdal IL. They played 3rd division(4th tier)so I knew it would be slightly lower standard, but maybe it's what I needed. Turns out it was, and the last 2 months have been really enjoyable, training and playing with guys who love football and play because they want to. The standard is good, and next season will be somewhere close to League 2 in Scotland, which I am excited about and looking forward to a hard pre-season in the snow. There are young players in the team who will be scouted by teams in the region higher up the leagues, like Levanger and Ranheim, and possibly even Rosenborg, so it is a good opportunity for young players to develop by playing competitive games.
The pyramid league structure which is in place just now, meant that there were 88 teams at a higher level than Verdal, and 164 at the same level, with regionalisation of leagues. However with the new structure meaning only 2 leagues for the 2nd division, and 6 for the 3rd division, there will 60 clubs higher up the leagues and 80 at the same level. This in theory should mean no easy games like this year, and also less teams relegated from the higher leagues. Regionalising the leagues is important here because of the travel distance, so the structure is necessary otherwise you would have to fly to games which is not great for the budget of smaller clubs. One thing about the structure means that there is a clear pathway for teams for promote, and the leagues aren't so closed off like they are in Scotland with only 1 team able to promote into League 2, if they win a playoff. It is a good way to get young players playing competitive games at local clubs before they can then move on to bigger teams. It should mean that players have experience of senior football and gets them ready to step up, as opposed to playing under 21 football and getting a shock to the system when you have to step down a league or two and play against senior players who are playing for a job. It also gives players and clubs real incentive to do well, as there is a clear path to the top leagues and a chance to play against bigger teams.
Scotland - Is there a bright future?
If it isn't depressing enough that we haven't been at a major tournament since 1998, it seems that our national team is enjoying another trough in their graph of recent history. A last minute goal to salvage a draw against Lithuania was followed up by a thumping in Slovakia, and led to question marks over another managers future. I don't think there is any point in sacking Strachan, but that doesn't mean I think he is doing a good job. What would happen if he was sacked? Another manager comes in, plays 4231, or 451 away, fails to qualify and gets sacked. The pattern is repeated.
It is clear there is a lack of depth in terms of squad selection, but that doesn't mean there is a lack of talent. One problem I do have with Strachan is the way he talks to the media and treats the average Scotland fan like an idiot. Telling us we played well against Lithuania or before the game that it isn't must win is not smart, we can all see the truth in front of us.
Scotland has been crying out for a goalscorer for years, and we have one who consistently scores goals for the best team in our country. He has done throughout his career, yet for some reason he doesn't get his chance with Scotland. How can it make sense that Leigh Griffiths scores 40 goals in a season for our best club, but can't start for our national team? It doesn't, and to me it seems that there are other reasons for him not playing, and this is where Strachan annoys some supporters, with his stubbornness and his unwillingness to move away from his normal of Chris Martin or Fletcher up front on their own. Neither are at their best as a lone striker, both are very good at holding up the ball and linking play, but with Griffiths poaching goals and taking chances it would be far more effective than what it currently is.
We have good midfielders to supply them, and promising full backs, but our central defense is a real weakness, so to score goals is important as we are not keeping any clean sheets.
Here is what my team would be for the next game, but maybe we need to start blooding some youth for our future:
I think a back 3 would help keep clean sheets, and it would not include Grant Hanley, who for me isn't good enough. 4th choice defender in a Championship club should not be an automatic pick for our country. Christophe Berra has had a lot of praise from Mick McCarthy, and I would play him. One player who I played with, Murray Wallace, is someone I always thought would be a future Scotland player. He is a regular at Scunthorpe who are top of League 1, and I know he is better than Hanley, I hope he has a future in the Scotland team. Stephen Kingsley has also been playing for Swansea and I can see him developing into the left central defender position.
Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney are both great options at left wing back, and I like the pace and directness of Oliver Burke. He is young and a little raw, but you can see he is a threat, and hopefully being in Germany his technical side will improve and also his defensive positioning should get better.
Our midfield 3 will work hard, and we also have the quality of Ritchie and Snodgrass who can both pick a pass and score from distance.
I think the strikers will link up well, plus we have McCormack, who should be in the squad, or Naismith to make an impact from the bench.
It seems that every manager we get plays the exact same system, and it doesn't work. It would be nice to see a change to try and change our fortunes. The way it is going just now we won't be at Russia 2018, and with our seeding for the Euro qualifiers it will be difficult again to get through the groups.
It might be time to let older players move on, like Fletcher, Martin, Maloney and Morrison, to see if we can give younger players games and get used to playing on the international level. It is getting towards 2 generations of players who have failed to make it to a major championship, it is time to change something or we will continue to disappoint and be an easy 3 points for half the countries we play against, bigger or smaller.
Hello to all who have missed my blog that ceased to exist for a couple of years, and to others who may be reading what I write for the first time. Apologies for the lack of activity, I'd like to make a good excuse but I don't have one.
However, this is a perfect platform to tell all who read, that I am planning a move to Norway in July, and that the blog is a perfect place to keep people up to date with my football which I hope to continue doing out there. I figure that if you are interested enough to read this, a small update about football in Norway could be a nice way to introduce most of you to Norwegian lower league football and also let you know how I am doing.
First though, since it is tomorrow that France kick off Euro 2016 against Romania, I thought I'd do a personal preview just for myself to gain information on all the teams, and also so I can share my opinion on potential winners, surprise packages and players I expect to light up France this Summer.
Euro 2016
Another major tournament has come upon us without Scotland, so it is time to get supporting someone else again, or just enjoying the football. I always find it difficult to support the other home nations in football, probably because they are our close rivals, and also because I have no real ties to the other countries. However with my old driving partner and teammate Mikey McGovern likely to be playing for Northern Ireland I'll definitely be rooting for him to keep some clean sheets and have a great tournament.
I think I should start with some players that I am excited to watch, and my tips for Golden Boot and Player of the tournament.
5 players to watch
Trying to avoid theobvious world stars, here are my 5 players to look out for to have big tournaments.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey - 18 caps 6 goals)
Çalhanoğlu is one of the big talents currently playing in the Bundesliga, and possibly gained a bit more attention with his goal in the recent friendly against England. At 22, the Leverkusen attacking midfielder has a big future, and I think this Euros is a chance for him to show he is one of the most promising players in Europe, and earn himself a big move. His dead ball skills are second to none. His free kicks are incredible and his corners are almost always causing trouble. Added to that he has good pace, great technical ability and an eye for goal. Turkey are in a hard group with Spain, Czech Republic and Croatia, but they have a good recent Euros record and with players like Çalhanoğlu, progression is definitely possible.
Radja Nainggolan (Belgium - 19 caps 4 goals)
Nainggolan is one of many Belgium players that have come through together and look set to have a serious go at winning this Euros. He currently plays for Roma and he is a regular for Marc Wilmots in the Belgium starting team. He is a great foil for the creative players that Belgium have, like Hazard, De Bruyne and Mertens. He is very combative in midfield, but like most players brought up playing in Italy, is exceptional on the ball with and very comfortable taking it in tight areas. He is hugely important for Belgium, and I expect him to have an important role to play breaking up attacks and also being crucial to starting attacks for a team that other teams will allow to have possession of the ball. He has been linked to the Premier League, most noticeably with Chelsea, and if he has a good tournament his price tag will go up again and I;m sure more teams will come calling for his signature. He will be hard to miss with his distinctive hair, which makes it easy to keep an eye on what he does for his team against the ball and appreciate how hard he works for his team.
Anthony Martial (France - caps 9 goals 0)
Martial has burst onto the scene this year, and yes he cost the best part of £50million, but he is only 20 years old and I like what I have seen. I can see him having a huge tournament for France with his pace and directness. It's something that is quite unusual in the modern game to see players being as direct as him while dribbling, and it is great to watch. I think away from the Man United scene he will be more free to do what he is good at, and not have so many defensive duties demanded of him. His finishing is strong inside the box, and he makes good quick runs in between defenders. I can see him scoring 3 or 4 goals this year and taking France deep into the tournament.
Dele Alli (England - caps 8 goals 1)
Dele Alli has been in great form for Tottenham this season, and I expect it to continue into the Euros. He has great timing of runs into the box which is quite similar to Lampard when he was young. However he has more pace than Lampard and also links up very well with Harry Kane which should be utilised by England. Alli is perfect for the role behind Kane if he is allowed to play it instead of Rooney. One weakness is his willingness to get involved with other players when the wind him up. It's an issue that could easily come to bite him in this tournament, so he could potentially become another Rooney or Beckham. But I think if he can get into advanced positions with the ball, keep his composure and link up with Kane, he should be one of England's best players this Summer.
David Alaba (Austria - caps 46 goals 11)
Alaba is a regular for Bayern Munich, but he mostly plays in defence, or in a deeper role. However when he plays with Austria he has a bit more license to get forward, where he chipped in with 4 goals in qualification. His left foot is one of the best in the game, and he regularly tries his luck from long range, usually with a lot of power. Austria qualified really well, winning 9 and drawing 1 of their 10 games and Alaba is their main man. In a group with Iceland, Hungary and Portugal, they should be able to get through, if not even top the group. Alaba can be the catalyst for what could be a strong tournament for the Austrians, and he seems to relish playing more advanced where can show off his passing, shooting and dribbling in the final third.
Golden Boot
The Top Goalscorer for the Euro 2012 only scored 3 goals, that was shared with 6 different players. This year with the extra game, it should be more likely to be 5 or 6 goals that wins it. Only Platini in 1984 when he scored 9, has scored more than 5 in a European Championships. With the extension of the competition to 24 teams, it does look noticeably weaker, so I think it gives potential for someone to get a hat-trick in the group stages and push on from there. With the trend towards 1 striker it means not many players are in with a big shout, however there are a few midfielders that could score plenty goals for their countries. Looking at the groups, I think that Ronaldo and Griezmann both have big chances to score 3 or 4 goals in the groups before adding to them in the knockouts. However my pick for top scorer, is Harry Kane. He had a great season again for Spurs, and he is definitely the first choice striker for England. I think they have a good group that they should be able to score goals in, and that they could go quite deep in this tournament. At around 14/1 I think he is a good bet to at least get close.
Champions
Spain went into Euro 2012 as big favourites, and rightfully so, they were by far the strongest team. This year however it appears to be much more open. Germany appear to be in a bit of transition despite only winning the World Cup 2 years ago, and Spain are not as good as they were 4 years ago. Italy look as weak as they have done for many years, so they shouldn't be challenging. I think Austria will be a big surprise to most this year. They come in on great form, they have a strong team, and should get through their group no problem. A place in the Quarter Final is very likely in my opinion. But the winners I think are going to be France. They seem to be coming to their home tournament with the strongest squad they have had since 2000 when they won it. Pogba and Matuidi are a great central midfield partnership, they provide the more defensive cover to let players like Griezmann, Martial and Payet play further forward. One potential issue is Benzema not being there, But Giroud can score goals and I really like his movement, plus there will be goals from midfield. Lloris is one of the top 3 goalkeepers in the world, and they have some pace in defensive and good experience. It looks like a team that can win a tournament, and with the backing of the home support, I fancy them to do it.
All that is left to say is, enjoy the tournament, it should be a belter. See you next time when I will be in Norway, hopefully playing football and keeping you up to date with my life. Please comment and let me know what you think of my opinions, and if anyone wants to visit me in Norway, I'm pretty sure we can arrange that. It will be interesting leaving Scottish football for something else, but it is really exciting and I am looking forward to not only starting a new chapter in my life, but starting a new part of my career.
The first break of the season comes early in September with the International break. It is a time for me to sit and struggle through a couple of Scotland games and wonder how we will ever be good enough to qualify for a tournament again. Since I don't really have a club team I support Scotland more than most players. It really bothers me how bad we currently are and it is hard to see when, or if, we will come through the other side of this lull and make it to a tournament. Not since 1998 in France have we qualified, and that turned into a glorious failure with a close defeat by Brazil and a draw with Norway followed by a spectacular 3-0 defeat to Morocco.
After watching the Belgium game on Friday it is obvious how far away we are. We have no world class players, and if we are honest, we don't really have any top class players. There has to be a reason for this somewhere deep in the Scottish football system. There is no way that there is no talented young players, but where do they all go. It is noticeable that there isn't as many young people playing football in the streets and parks every day around Scotland like they did 10-15 years ago. But there is much more organised football for young players and many football camps held throughout school holidays. But I think that is the problem, there are no coaches in schools. School is where you spent most of your time as a kid, but at P.E you get taught nothing basically. The teachers aren't coaches and therefore you never progress at all at school, so you are only learning skills for football 2 or 3 times a week if you are lucky, under the age of 15.
In other countries across Europe young players are receiving many more hours of coaching from top coaches and this make a huge difference to their technical ability.
Defour scores opener for Belgium
Another noticeable difference between Belgium and Scotland on Friday was the fitness levels and strength of the players. Every Belgium player looks like an athlete, they are all strong, quick and fit. Meanwhile we have players who look slow and get bullied. Obviously in relation to Scottish League football most of the players are good enough, but when it comes to stepping up to Premiership or international football it becomes difficult for them to compete. It can only come down to personal commitment and determination to get to the same levels as the top players. I personally think it is the Scottish footballer culture that has a big influence on this. Nights out, gambling and not enough training are all factors that stop players moving to the next level.
Something I really don't understand about Scotland managers that keep coming in, and eventually leaving with no tournaments reached, is that they all seem to want to play the exact same formation, the same way, with the same players. Nothing ever changes in the way we play (except once with the famous 4-6-0) with the team constantly setting up in a 4-5-1 formation. I know this is the modern formation of choice throughout Europe, but the way Scotland play it with 3 flat holding midfielders and 2 wide midfielders (not wingers) is far too defensive and leaves whoever is upfront on their own totally isolated. The top teams all play it with out and out wingers plus a playmaker in the number 10 role.
Hanley looking like he might have made another mistake
Take Belgium as an example since they beat us so comfortably on Friday. They had Benteke up top, then De Bruyne and Chadli playing as wingers with Defour (the goalscorer) in behind getting into the box whenever possible and linking play.
We had Griffiths up front all on his own with Snodgrass and Forrest playing wide in midfield. A central defender played centre midfield beside Brown and Maloney which is so defensive. Maloney tried to get forward but likes getting on the ball so kept dropping deep. As for the defense, which is a huge weakness of Scotland and has been for years, Strachan continues to play Grant Hanley, who must be the worst Scottish defender in the squad, if not that's ever been in it!
It would be nice to see a change in formation just to see if something different helps. I'm not saying 2 upfront, but definitely one off a striker would be nice to see, and a slightly more attacking outlook. We have goalscorers in Steven Fletcher and Jordan Rhodes, we need to utilise them and create chances for them. But most importantly we need defenders who know how to defend, not constantly get caught out position and barge around like a rugby player with no brain. Mulgrew is Celtics best defender when he plays central defense, so we should play him there, it makes perfect sense.
One day it would be nice to see a Scotland team playing the way they used to when they had top class performers like Lambert and McAllister. Until we start nurturing our talent properly though, and progressing them consistently through their youth and into their careers then it could be a long long time before we get 'lucky' and bring through a group of players capable of qualifying. With the under 21's losing 6-0 and 4-0 to England and Netherlands respectively in their last 2 games, the future doesn't look bright! Nevertheless, we live in hope, I was born Scottish and I'll support them whatever the weather.
We have another game on Tuesday against Macedonia on Tuesday and here is what team I'd start with based on the current squad:
Marshall
Hutton Martin Mulgrew Whittaker
Brown McArthur
Anya Dorrans Maloney
Fletcher
It might not win, but it looks more attacking I think, and hopefully stronger at the back with Mulgrew. Hopefully we can get a win and get off the bottom of the group. It would be embarrassing to finish bottom and would seriously affect future campaigns with the pot seeding.
As I get towards the middle/end of my career I have started to realise more and more how important it will be for me to be ready to move into 'the real world' and have a career path for the rest of my life. It is a common stereotype that footballers are all stupid, have no qualifications and would be no use in a working environment. Well, luckily for my I got a degree before I started football (I don't talk about it much) so that at least gives me something to fall back on. I am not naive enough however to think that I would just walk into a job as soon as I need to. I have started looking and planning out what I want to do, and with this blogging going on, other writing possibilities and my love of most sports it seems like something I should try and get into.
I am not claiming to be a great writer or have a fantastic vocabulary, but I am sure that is something that can be learned and practiced like everything else. I do have a passion for sport, a very good knowledge and grasp of a variety of sports, and hopefully from my football background I have some contacts that could come in handy (It's not what you do, it's who you know).
Something else that I am looking into is coaching. I don't know if I want to be a coach or a manager but I do think I have a decent understanding of the game and have picked up a lot of good ideas throughout my career. I think to be a successful coach would be hugely rewarding and to become a manager, although it would be stressful, would be a nice responsibility to have and is something I can look into. One problem however is the sheer volume of players and ex players who go down this route, so finding a job once you are qualified wouldn't be easy, but... it is who you know, a familiar theme.
With so many young players turning full time it is obvious they don't have any qualifications, and the biggest problem is that every single player thinks that they will make a living and a career out of football. Admittedly more and more youngsters are getting chances in first teams, but that doesn't mean they are making a lot of money that will support them if they live away from home, it just means they are getting good experience. This will hopefully help them move on, but not all of them will be able to, and it is at this point they will realise how difficult it is with no qualifications.
The PFA does help put them through highers and further education courses, but often they won't be taken seriously and therefore they aren't passed.
Scottish fans break the bar after beating England at Wembley in 1977
For anyone that is not a football fan, or has not being paying any attention to international football, Scotland play England this week at Wembley in a 'friendly'. Personally, for whatever reason, I am not that excited about it. I think perhaps the years of abject performances at Hampden have left me a bit of sick of Scotland. I don't really have a club team, so Scotland is the only team I really support (unless someone else plays England), therefore I usually go to Hampden for all the home games in qualifiers and some friendlies. Unfortunately since I started going there has been a distinct lack of good results which is leaving me a bit disillusioned with the team. There have been some great nights, they have mostly ended in glorious failures, but some have been great wins and both wins and failures stick in the memory. The highlights for me include:
Beating Netherlands 1-0 in 2003 (Lets not mention the return leg)
Beating France 1-0 in 2006 (then repeating the feat away)
Losing 2-1 to Italy in 2007 (glorious failure 1)
Losing 3-2 to Spain in 2010 (glorious failure 2)
When Iwelumo missed (below) against Norway in 2008, I called the headline 'Iwel Oh No' in the next mornings paper, a personal highlight.
It would be great to beat England, purely for the bragging rights, but the reality is we haven't qualified for a tournament since 1998, we are already unable to qualify for Brazil 2014, and the way the team looks, it could be a long time before we get close to qualifying for another one. Not since England beat us 2-1 on aggregate to qualify for euro 2000 in the playoffs have we genuinely come close, and it has been a downward spiral from there. Hopefully in my lifetime it happens, but the future doesn't look too bright, especially the way the club game in the country is heading.
It has been 2 months now since the football season finished and I am still no closer to knowing where I will play next season. Professional football in Scotland is a dying game at the moment, lots of good players not in jobs, and lots of average young players being paid low wages to play full time at a good level.
When i look around teams in the first division they are full of players who have hardly played any first team games but will need to step up this year and try and make an impact. The problem is that fans still expect the same level of quality, but it isn't going to happen.
Part time football seems like an option that more and more good players are taking up, which means that the 2nd division is closing the gap slightly on the 1st because players are making as much money part time as they do full time. With a job on top of football they can make much more money, and when you play lower league in Scotland, money is the most important factor to support your families and to live comfortably, especially when you start getting towards and beyond 30.
Personally it has never been about money for me, I work as hard as i can every day at training to improve as a player, so i want to play as high a level as I can so I can keep enjoying my football. So with the help of the PFA and some calls myself hopefully I can get myself a club and have a successful season.
Keeping Busy
So i have basically become a house husband without a wife or child these days. Cooking and cleaning plus all the other boring stuff around the flat have to get done, and since my girlfriend is at work it means I'm in charge. I get to look after the cat, aptly named Katt Monsen, not by me, as he continues to try and hump everything around the flat. We got him his own 'wanket'(wank blanket) which he seems to have become fond of, so that might save the rest of the flat from his affection. He basically sleeps and humps, then occasionally stands out the window and enjoys the breeze, it isn't so difficult looking after him.
Also joined the gym so i can work on my fitness and strength while I have no club. The pure gym is extremely boring with the same songs on every day not a lot happening. So I do my work and get out before I get too annoyed by the 'gym wanks' that decide they need to let everyone know they are doing some weights by groaning and walking around like they just lifted the heaviest weight ever.
The summer is always good for sport, and much to the annoyance of my girlfriend I pretty much love watching every sport going. So I watch the Tour de France in between Wimbledon and also there is the under 20 World Cup on just now which is good for seeing the talent in other countries, and also because England failed miserably there too.
When it is difficult finding a club here it is times like this I consider moving away, and with a Norwegian girlfriend(KA), Norway seems like not such a bad option. The cost of living is high but the wages are great and it is a beautiful place to be. Would have to convince myself and KA that it would the best option for us though, so that might not be easy!
Well, first blog ever, pretty boring but it is down. Can start trying to be more fun when i get used to typing again and learn how to put videos and photos and stuff in.
