Scottish football appears to be on the edge of a precipice, as the fans argue for one outcome as the clubs appear to be going in the opposite direction. As has been reported, the SPL teams appear to be barrelling towards a ten team league. A supporters direct survey (Which appears to have vanished from the internet, conspiracy ahoy!) of around 5000 supporters 'found that 77% wanted a 16 or 18 team league and 88% opposing a drop from 12 to 10 teams, which is being pushed by the SPL.' (BBC SPORT). Personally, I quite like the 12 team league and I manage to mention the split without putting the word 'ridiculous' in front of it. The split keeps interest until the last day of the season as teams play those around them, who are invariably almost as good in what are often exciting games to win spots in Europe, avoid relegation or win the title. It also stops situations like Dunfermline and Kilmarnock 'collapsing' to the Old Firm on the last day, as teams have more to play for.
So that clears up my position in any case, but I'm not against at 14 team league, 16 or 18 seems a bit too much, bearing in mind that the quality is fairly low as it is, so dropping another 6 teams into the league seems a bit too much. Either way, I digress from the point that is ten teams is a bad idea. For me, ten teams is how we got here in the first place. Discounting the Old Firm in the Scottish league, there is very little to distinguish one team from the other. The league as it stands (minus the bottom two):
| 3 | Hearts | 20 | 19 | 42 |
| 4 | Kilmarnock | 21 | 10 | 31 |
| 5 | Inverness CT | 22 | 3 | 28 |
| 6 | Motherwell | 20 | -1 | 25 |
| 7 | Dundee Utd | 17 | -3 | 24 |
| 8 | St Johnstone | 19 | -12 | 22 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 20 | -17 | 20 |
| 10 | Hibernian | 20 | -14 | 16 |
From season to season, there is very little to choose between any of these teams. For example, Hearts have finally got a bit of stability and have roared off with third place, Kilmarnock (apologies to any Killie fans out there) seemed like stick ons for relegation candidates at the start of the season. Mixu has turned it round though and all credit to him. Hibs' toils this season have shown how a season of poor choices can be carried over to the next season. What we see is, losing a player or two, gaining a player or two, a bit of a hangover from the previous season (Dundee United), can have a massively detrimental effect on the next season. What this leads to is 8 teams terrified to play football. We have 8 teams playing hammerthrowers back to front in order to not lose games. The quality drops, young players are too much of a risk (Unless they're 6'5 and a centrehalf/centreforward) and we can all get back to writing articles bemoaning the state of Scottish football as the Spaniards once again win with tiny midfielders that can play the game properly.
Then we get to Berti's Scotland team, trying to find someone, anyone thats faintly Scottish that has a first touch and can play. The 12 team league structure (or indeed the 14, 16 or 18) offers more scope to play, more scope to give kids a chance because every game isn't a potential six-pointer.
Despite Scottish football being in 'crisis', the Scottish national game is improving. The Scottish national team has more good players playing at a higher level than I can remember. Even in the last week we've seen Leigh Griffifths leave Dundee for pastures new in the English Premier League (Greatest league in the world TM) for Wolves. Darren Fletcher cropped up in FourFourTwo's best 100 players in the world last month. Alan Hutton is getting a run for Spurs and despite his current predicament, David Goodwillie is rated at a million pounds. Rangers, Celtic, Hibs, Hearts, St. Mirren and Falkirk all have good stadiums and proper training facilities in place in one way or another, with others following suit. The Scottish game can improve over the next five years with sensible planning and continued work by the clubs.
The issue as a whole strikes me as being akin to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. There are other issues which are more pressing and the number of teams in the top league is not one of them. How about sorting out the fact that there are three bodies running the game? A redistribution of wealth? The mad situation of Clyde leaving a stadium to move to East Kilbride then Uddingston? The fact that the SPL is attempting to effectively demolish the SFL despite it being run correctly?
But I hold little hope. I assume the decision will be made no-matter what fans think. I'm genuinely beginning to think theres a connection between Scottish football and Goldfish.
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