Braveheart’s Bite Back: The Return of the Mac’s!
Rangers produced another superb European display in Lisbon to reach the Uefa Cup semi-finals last week. They overcame the odds once again to win 2-0 in Portugal. This result epitomised the recent upturn in Scottish fortunes both in club and international football. If you look at the improvements made in recent seasons it truly is a remarkable turnaround for the countrymen north of Hadrian’s Wall.
Scots Back on the Premier League Menu
There was a time when there wasn’t a top English side that didn’t possess an impressive Scottish talisman. The bygone era of Dave Mackay, Billy Bremner, Graeme Souness, Dennis Law and Kenny Dalglish gracing the top level of English football has all but ended. However, once again the Scots are slowly beginning to attract the Premier League big boys. This is due to the widespread acclaim the current new crop of talent has received following their performances at the highest level of football. The first of the new wave of Scottish recruits is Tottenham fullback Alan Hutton. The former Rangers man was attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool prior to joining Spurs for a substantial £8million transfer fee. It’s highly unlikely Hutton would have been signed purely on the back of his domestic form for Rangers alone, it’s more likely to be down to his impressive performances for both the national side and for his former club in Europe where he consistently excelled. Now that the two Glasgow giants are performing well at the top level of European club football once again, don’t be surprised if more young Scots make the lucrative move south. One such name who could be next in line for a possible defection could be Rangers striker Kris Boyd if Man City reportedly get their way.
All Change in the Champions League for the Old Firm
In the last few seasons both Old Firm clubs have improved dramatically in Europe. They’re no longer the poor relations of the Champions League and have shown that whatever the size of the opposition, no-one gets an easy ride in Glasgow. Europe’s Premier club competition introduced a group stage format in 1994/95 similar to the one they currently use now and up until recently, no Scottish side made much of an impact. Neither of the Old Firm made it past the group stage in the first 11 seasons of this format with both sides struggling to navigate past the qualifying rounds on a number of occasions. However, the past 3 seasons have seen both sides finally qualify from the group stages and beat a number of top sides along the way. Rangers achieved this once (2005/06) and Celtic twice (2006/07 & 2007/08). The teams that the Glasgow giants were finally defeated by in the last 16 of the competition are all strong clubs. Rangers were beaten by eventual semi-finalists Villarreal in 2006 and Celtic by eventual winners Milan in 2007 (only 1-0 on aggregate). This season Gordon Strachan’s side were beaten by Barca 4-2 on aggregate and there’s absolutely no shame in that. You only have to look at the sides that these two clubs have beaten in recent seasons to know that the Old Firm are no longer the weakest links. Celtic have beaten the likes of FC Copenhagen, Benfica (twice), Manchester United, Milan and Shakhtar. Rangers have beaten Porto, Stuttgart and Lyon (away), as well as drawn with Inter and Barcelona. These two proud Scottish clubs are now both respected and feared particularly in front of their fervent fanatical home crowds. However, it’s not just the Champions League where these two sides have performed so well.
Glee for the Gers in this Season’s Uefa Cup
Rangers are now just two matches away from their first European final in 36 years since winning the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972. Walter Smith’s team have reached this season’s Uefa Cup semi-final on the back of superb victories over the likes of Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting Lisbon. They remain the only British club left in the competition after Bolton, Aberdeen, Tottenham, Blackburn and Everton all fell by the wayside in earlier rounds. The Ger’s are looking to go one better than Celtic’s Uefa Cup final defeat in 2003 when Martin O’Neill’s side were narrowly beaten by Jose ‘the special one’ Mourinho’s Porto. The Old Firm have therefore established themselves as two of the top sides in Europe as they continue to improve year on year.
The Tartan Army Rise Again
It’s not only club football where Scotland are improving. The national side may have failed to qualify for this year’s European Championships but no one can doubt they are a nation on the up. For 2 years the Scottish national team were fast becoming a laughing stock under former Head Coach Berti Vogts. The German led the team to home defeats to the likes of Norway and Hungary as well as a humiliating draw with football minnows the Faroe Islands. However, in December 2004 Walter Smith was appointed as his replacement and Scotland haven’t looked back since. They’ve recaptured both their national identity and their pride, revelling in their role as underdogs in their European Championship qualifying group. Even a change in manager didn’t halt the momentum the nation’s footballer’s had gained. Only a disappointing injury-time home defeat to World Champions Italy in their last competitive match stopped them qualifying from a group including the likes of France, Ukraine and Lithuania. Their memorable campaign included home and away victories over France and 5 wins at Hampden Park from a possible 6. To emphasise their ability to mix it with the best European nations, Scotland did what England couldn’t in recently drawing at home with Croatia. Under Smith, Alex McLeish and now George Burley, Scotland have moved up 71 places in the World rankings from 86th under Vogts to their current position- 15th. The Scots are well and truly a force to be reckoned with on the international stage again.
The performances of both the national side and the Old firm clubs in Europe have led to the rise of both the profile and reputation of Scottish football. The nation’s two strongest clubs are competing impressively at the top end of the best European club competitions and the national side has held it’s own against the best nations in Europe of late. The Scots can no longer be considered a second rate football nation, No longer are they Scotland the fearful, they are now what they once were, Scotland the brave!
Written by Christian Goodbrand
Tags: Celtic, Champions League, Rangers, Scotland, Scottish football, Uefa Cup
April 18th, 2008 at 11:44
It’s about time Rangers and the Scottish national team received the respect it deserves for the massive improvements made recently, good work!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:38
Great article, it is all too often that our achievements are ignored south of the border. Living in England i’ve bearly read a word of Rangers Semi-final matches in the UEFA cup. Hopefully a win in the final will stir up some respect for the Scottish game.