What is the answer?

[DukDukGoose]

As far as I'm aware, Aberdeen have failed at every hurdle that our seeding suggests we would. We should have beaten Maribor, every other team was just better.

We're competing with English Leagues for players. I saw we were criticised for having too many foreigners in our line up against St Mirren. Unless it's youngsters you've taken through, most of the Scottish players we can afford just won't cut it at European level.

[Fletchers Saucy Manbun]

40 minutes ago, Ya Bezzer! said:

Players that make off the ball runs are almost like genius level gods in Scottish football.

I watched Match of the Day for the first time in a couple of seasons last week and the thing that really stood out for me was how hard virtually every player worked off the ball.  Forget about the technique aspect of football, our players are just fucking lazy as well.  Most of the guys in our league are plodders seeing out time like they were photocopying in an office.

Fitness levels are noticeably comparatively poor. Then again, athleticism is such a core requirement for good players now that the best athletes are snapped up by English teams.

You're right about laziness too. As well as geniuses able to make off the ball runs, it's some level of genius tracking these players too. Watching the two games against AZ Alkmaar, United could not handle their off the ball runs, boys ended up running into miles of free space again and again.

All-in-all though, we're just about in the right place in the money chain and therefore food chain.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

Europe these days is a bit of a jolly and a chance for diddy clubs to play some "exotic" preseason warm up games.

Nothing more, nothing less.

[jamamafegan]

The first step is acceptance.
We need to realise the standard of the Scottish Premiership, outside the Top 2 of course, is absolutely desperately bad.

I mean, I feel I already largely accept this. What I’m struggling to accept is that we are somehow worse than the teams from the nations I mentioned in my other post. I think Scottish clubs have a negative mentality. For example, teams consistently fail to hold out for a good result against the OF in the league. Look at Ross County the other weekend, held out until the 80 something minute and then their arses completely collapsed. We’ve seen it so many times before. Clubs are unable to hold onto a lead and either blow it in the final minutes or lose their lead early on and proceed to get scudded by several goals. It seems in Europe we are afraid to play against teams.

[TheScarf]

44 minutes ago, Portmahomack Saint said:

So what does that tell you...   

That you were wrong to include the Celtic/Red Imps example in your argument.

[Portmahomack Saint]

25 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

That you were wrong to include the Celtic/Red Imps example in your argument.

Awrite   I must be mistaken then was sure that Red imps with a Policeman Fireman and taxi driver beat Celtic 1-0 

Did I hit a wee nerve there Mr Caley fan 

And beating Red Imps over 2 legs 3-1 isn't exactly a thrashing is it 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Portmahomack Saint

[TheScarf]

5 minutes ago, Portmahomack Saint said:

Awrite   I must be mistaken then was sure that Red imps with a Policeman Fireman and taxi driver beat Celtic 1-0 

Did I hit a wee nerve there Mr Caley fan 

And beating Red Imps over 2 legs 3-1 isn't exactly a thrashing is it 

This thread is about Scottish clubs being knocked out by shitter teams.  Can you point out where Celtic v Lincoln Red Imps falls into that category?  Also, what does who I support have anything to do with it?

[Mr. Brightside]

A better TV deal would probably be a start.

[FairWeatherFan]

More owners interested in sportswashing, and none of these Americans that think Scottish football can be a smart investment.

Edited August 12, 2022 by FairWeatherFan

[ICTChris]

Looking at the club rankings, Rangers are around the level of Lazio, Slavia Prague, Dinamo Zagreb and Braga.

Celtic are around the level of Rennes, PSV, Besiktas and CSKA Moscow.

The only other Scottish team who have played regularly in Europe is Aberdeen, whose performances have them ranked around Flora Tallin, Dundalk, Lugano and Shkendija.

[Richey Edwards]

Stop framing Scottish teams getting pumped in Europe as a national embarrassment and just enjoy it for the hilarity it is.

[keptie]

Most Scottish players lack of technique is appalling if you can't control the ball instantly without needing to take three touches first you are always going to struggle and no amount of running about is gonna make up for that. Don't really understand why we haven't fixed that with all the training kids get these days. 

[williemillersmoustache]

We'll never make progress in Europe until we scrap colt teams. Been holding us back for year(s). 

[19QOS19]

Maybe stop ploughing loads of cash on poor foreign players ....and use that money to produce and employ full time youth coaches who can work on producing quality Scottish talent?

And then continue to allow the OF to hoover up said talent and hide them away given them no fucking chance of progressing...

[GroundHoppingBear]

Teams defending for their lives for a point 8 times a season doesn’t really give them the best experience to play in Europe.

But going from the other thread it’s much easier to blame the OF than it is to take a bit of responsibility.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

Theres only one answer and its an anagram of this:

OTFF

[Jacksgranda]

6 minutes ago, GroundHoppingBear said:

Teams defending for their lives for a point 8 times a season doesn’t really give them the best experience to play in Europe.

But going from the other thread it’s much easier to blame the OF than it is to take a bit of responsibility.

What do they do the other 30 games?

[FredFlintsone]

5 hours ago, jamamafegan said:

 

I agree with you but it hasn’t always been this way. There is something seriously wrong when we are being turfed out by teams from places like Ireland, Wales, Lithuania, Armenia, Malta and Romania

 

Romania don't belong on that list. They have a European cup winner. Although having said that Celtic got knocked out in the Champions League qualifiers by Cluj, a team with a home support of 5,000, a few years back. Agree with the rest though. Killie getting knocked out by the Nomads and Motherwell losing home and away to Sligo beggars belief to be honest. Celtic have massively underperformed the last 15 years given the size of their club. Failing to win a single knockout tie is laughable and demolitions to Paris St Germain just makes the Scottish league look so poor.. I really fear for Hearts and Celtic in Europe this season. 

[jamamafegan]

Celtic have massively underperformed the last 15 years given the size of their club. Failing to win a single knockout tie is laughable and demolitions to Paris St Germain just makes the Scottish league look so poor.. I really fear for Hearts and Celtic in Europe this season. 

This thread doesn’t concern either Celtic or Rangers - this is about the rest of the clubs in the top flight. The OF manage to consistently get to the group stages and get decent results in Europe. I don’t care about them because they aren’t a good measure of how successful Scottish football is or isn’t. I am only concerned with the “diddy” clubs performances.

[FredFlintsone]

Larne beat a Danish side last year.  I suspect all the  countries (with say 4M to 8M populations) have weak 3rd, 4th, 5th teams.

 

What I dont understand is how a side like Sheriff Tirapsol can beat Real home and away. Or even the best side in the Arctic Circle, Bodo Glimt,  can outperform so much.