What now for Scotland?

[J-C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I don't really buy this fat,lazy kids excuse.Why is it we are producing more Olympic,World,European and UK champions and medalists than we ever have in numerous other sports? I think it's down to the level of coaching in football and the lack of any achievable plan to bring excellence through in a competitive team sport where clubs are fighting to steal a march on each other.

Just look at the investment in Cycling, swimming, gymnastics and athletics over the past 15 years or so, this has given loads more kids the chance to participate in the sports only ever seen at olympics and Commonwealth games.

Investment needs to be put into football, coaching and pitches.

Coaching badges cost a small fortune in this country for some reason, compared to say Holland.

[ancient hibee]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Just look at the investment in Cycling, swimming, gymnastics and athletics over the past 15 years or so, this has given loads more kids the chance to participate in the sports only ever seen at olympics and Commonwealth games.

Investment needs to be put into football, coaching and pitches.

Coaching badges cost a small fortune in this country for some reason, compared to say Holland.

Can't think of any sports that are only ever seen at Olympics or Commonwealths.Unless you mean only seen on TV at these times.Most of the sports that we have produced champions for have usually many enthusiastic participants rather than spectators.They of course receive lottery money which will never come to football because there is no evidence that it would be spent wisely.Obviouly in professional football the biggest percentage of income is spent on wages.Trying to change that would be a Herculean task.
Warburton has a cheek.One of the reasons for poor development is the spendthrift ways of the OF when they were both income rich choosing to spend on players from out with Scotland instead of bringing through their own in a vain pursuit of European glory.

[hibs#1]

I'm 28,I grew up in the nineties/early 2000s me my mates all had computers and laterely mobile phones but we also spend plenty of time out doors playing football and other activities

I would personally say when we got to a certain age it was other distractions that moved us away from sports at a serious level speaking for myself by the time I was 15 all I was interested in was girls parties drink drugs fags fighting clothes not really taking sport seriously after that and I wasnt the only one

Ps to add to that I'd actually say youngsters are much more savvy these days about keeping fit and eating healthy

Most of them want to post selfies of themselves in the gym and
being in good shape to show off

[superfurryhibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I'm 28,I grew up in the nineties/early 2000s me my mates all had computers and laterely mobile phones but we also spend plenty of time out doors playing football and other activities

I would personally say when we got to a certain age it was other distractions that moved us away from sports at a serious level speaking for myself by the time I was 15 all I was interested in was girls parties drink drugs fags fighting clothes not really taking sport seriously after that and I wasnt the only one

Ps to add to that I'd actually say youngsters are much more savvy these days about keeping fit and eating healthy

Most of them want to post selfies of themselves in the gym and
being in good shape to show off

Obesity statistics suggest otherwise.

[NAE NOOKIE]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Obesity statistics suggest otherwise.

I don't know about statistics, but at lunchtime in Galashiels half the kids from the high school pile into the town centre and for the most part there isn't enough fat on any of them to fry a chip .... it must just be big city kids.

[J-C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Can't think of any sports that are only ever seen at Olympics or Commonwealths.Unless you mean only seen on TV at these times.Most of the sports that we have produced champions for have usually many enthusiastic participants rather than spectators.They of course receive lottery money which will never come to football because there is no evidence that it would be spent wisely.Obviouly in professional football the biggest percentage of income is spent on wages.Trying to change that would be a Herculean task.
Warburton has a cheek.One of the reasons for poor development is the spendthrift ways of the OF when they were both income rich choosing to spend on players from out with Scotland instead of bringing through their own in a vain pursuit of European glory.

Yes is was sports like cycling etc that only ever gets shown at these games that get massive lottery monies spent on them for coaching and proper facilities to produce world and olympic champions, football could learn a lot from this, invest in grassroots and get the benefits in years to come. Whether the money is wisely spent is another thing altogether.

[ScottB]

So Strachan has apparently decided to stay on for the England game, but then might leave, depending on the result.

If that's his attitude, then he should just go now.

[superfurryhibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I don't know about statistics, but at lunchtime in Galashiels half the kids from the high school pile into the town centre and for the most part there isn't enough fat on any of them to fry a chip .... it must just be big city kids.

Discussion on Radio Scotland about obesity in children in Scotland just the other day, linking diet and lack of exercise to statistics around the rising numbers of adult diabetics etc.

The idea that our youngsters are eating well and staying fit is a bit far fetched. If we are going anectodal then my own 13 year olds views are good enough for me. He says most of his peers have no interest in playing football, many of them eat at the chippy, Greggs or Subway at lunchtime and many are just plain unfit and barely able to run the length of themselves.

Anyway, any takers for my observation that "cultural" issues around football linked to social factors contribute to lack of participation amongst sections of society. In Edinburgh c20% of children attend fee paying schools. I would bet my house on it that the percentage of those laddies playing at boys clubs is considerably less than those from other backgrounds. If that is the case then we are missing out on a swathe of potential footballers. I can count on one hand the number of Hibs players that attended the fee paying schools (Alan Gordon and Alex Harris spring to mind).

[BoomtownHibees]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Discussion on Radio Scotland about obesity in children in Scotland just the other day, linking diet and lack of exercise to statistics around the rising numbers of adult diabetics etc.

The idea that our youngsters are eating well and staying fit is a bit far fetched. If we are going anectodal then my own 13 year olds views are good enough for me. He says most of his peers have no interest in playing football, many of them eat at the chippy, Greggs or Subway at lunchtime and many are just plain unfit and barely able to run the length of themselves.

Anyway, any takers for my observation that "cultural" issues around football linked to social factors contribute to lack of participation amongst sections of society. In Edinburgh c20% of children attend fee paying schools. I would bet my house on it that the percentage of those laddies playing at boys clubs is considerably less than those from other backgrounds. If that is the case then we are missing out on a swathe of potential footballers. I can count on one hand the number of Hibs players that attended the fee paying schools (Alan Gordon and Alex Harris spring to mind).

Talking of schools, the one that my daughter goes to does not have a full size football pitch, they don't have a football team and use a small multi-purpose astro turf for any outdoor PE.

Their sports day consists of 'potted sports'. No running, no races, no long jump or high jump, no real competitiveness as its all about the taking part.

That's where I think the failings are coming from. By the time these kids get to high school and beyond they have no concept of competition or winning and have absolutely no idea if they are any good at sports.

[Kato]

I'm failing to see how some think it's a mystery as to why we are crap and still racking over the reasons and possible solutions. The solutions are there for everyone to see by looking at how other countries have improved. Facilities and qualified coaching is the answer - over the last 30-40 years the Scandinavian countries (inc Iceland) have shown this is how to improve the sport and bring more youngsters through. It's not a mystery, although the SFA would like you to think it is. We'll continue on the cycle of sacking and blaming managers for evermore unless there is investment, until then we'll spiral further down the rankings and look more and more antiquated.

[JimBHibees]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Anyway, any takers for my observation that "cultural" issues around football linked to social factors contribute to lack of participation amongst sections of society. In Edinburgh c20% of children attend fee paying schools. I would bet my house on it that the percentage of those laddies playing at boys clubs is considerably less than those from other backgrounds. If that is the case then we are missing out on a swathe of potential footballers. I can count on one hand the number of Hibs players that attended the fee paying schools (Alan Gordon and Alex Harris spring to mind).

Agree with that ironically the fee paying schools sporting facilities tend to be top of the range and amazing however the preference is obviously towards other sports such as rugby and cricket etc. Alot is social I think their used to be loads of kids playing football because everyone did it now with sateliite tv, computer gadgets, the number of cars allied to pretty average facilities in certain areas much less are participating even in a purely social sense e.g just playing with mates rather than organised teams.

[hibs#1]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Obesity statistics suggest otherwise.

You could be right but did even bother wasting people's time previously with surveys on peoples weight?seems theirs an obsession with surveys these days and also statistics can be misleading as far as I can see when people get to teens now they want to show off on instagram and Facebook so they like to look good by going to the gym and the likes

[Hibby Bairn]

My son (15) trains for club/school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and plays matches Saturday and Sunday. He also plays Xbox and watches sport on TV. He is fit and slim.

But...even although playing football 5 days a week at most this equates to circa 7.5 hours pw. Add in say another 5 hours of kicking a ball around with mates and you might get to 12 hours pw. Most of it structured and coached.

The issue is 12 hours a week is no use. It needs to be at least double this and more unstructured. When I was 12/13 I would play loads of games with less than 5 mates. 2v3...seven byes....one touch 1v1 in the street...2 touch long bangers...shapes against a wall...hitting a ball myself against a wall....etc. Plus games of 10 a side with players of all ages.

All of this is lost. Everything is structured coaching and all in same age group. Mostly you are told to play a certain position.

Trying to reintroduce this street football culture into players up to age 12 would help a lot. But our coaches think we need cones, mannequins, fast feet ladders etc. Nonsense.

[fat freddy]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

My son (15) trains for club/school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and plays matches Saturday and Sunday. He also plays Xbox and watches sport on TV. He is fit and slim.

But...even although playing football 5 days a week at most this equates to circa 7.5 hours pw. Add in say another 5 hours of kicking a ball around with mates and you might get to 12 hours pw. Most of it structured and coached.

The issue is 12 hours a week is no use. It needs to be at least double this and more unstructured. When I was 12/13 I would play loads of games with less than 5 mates. 2v3...seven byes....one touch 1v1 in the street...2 touch long bangers...shapes against a wall...hitting a ball myself against a wall....etc. Plus games of 10 a side with players of all ages.

All of this is lost. Everything is structured coaching and all in same age group. Mostly you are told to play a certain position.

Trying to reintroduce this street football culture into players up to age 12 would help a lot. But our coaches think we need cones, mannequins, fast feet ladders etc. Nonsense.

I seldom agree with a Tory but you have a point, kids just don't play enough un coached football, the type of football that allows you to be greedy with the ball, to go on a mazy, to get you used to the feel of the ball, to find your own game, to fall in love with the ball. When I was a kid growing up in Porty everyone played from the minute we got in from school until we were called in by our mums, the ball went everywhere with us, we played ALL the time, me and my brother had a pitch in the kitchen, the hall, our bedroom, the garden, the park across the street, the promenade, the paddling pool, the beach when the tide was out, if it was flat it was a football pitch, we even took a ball up Arthur's Seat and done keepie uppies all the way to the top. We just played all the time, as did our pals.My youngest (11) plays for 2 teams, trains twice a week and the only other football he does is when I drag him out for a kick about in the park plus 1 hour per week at youth club. I doubt if anyone in his class plays much more than him, they all do other activities besides football. You can break it down to less than 10 hours per week, most of that being structured with a coach giving instructions most of the time. This is clearly not going to produce a top class player, in the seventies me and my pals were probably playing closer to 30 hours per week, the vast majority unstructured and free of coaches yelling what to do next. We had the freedom to find our own style and the cream of our generation were massively more successful than the guys who are representing our nation at the minute. The only way to
produce better footballers is for footballers to play more football from a young age but I can't see that happening on the scale it once did for the mountain of reasons mentioned in previous posts. I think we are just going to have to accept that the quality of player we produce will be inferior to those we used to produce. On a brighter note, I just got an email informing me that I have a ticket for Wembley! and I'm not even a tartan army member!