Coaches failing in duty to drive teams forward

IS there a growing problem with the standard of coaches in the junior game? Recent events in the Scottish Cup would suggest so.

Talk about holding our game back – or certain games to be more specific.

Thankfully it has nothing to do with the quality on the training ground across our grade which, as I’ve said before, can be of a professional level.

No, this breakdown in standards involves coaches of the four-wheel variety. As a simple 13-word Tweet from Annbank United last week proved. It read: “Today’s game against Colony Park is off due to their bus breaking down.”

Certainly one of the more original reasons for the plug to be pulled on a junior game – and I thought I’d heard them all. Tyre tracks on the pitch, burst pipes, a clash of strips, even a referee getting lost on his way to the ground. The list of peculiar postponements goes on and on.

So the Inverurie outfit are hoping it’s third time lucky for their tie down in Ayrshire today. Having seen the first attempt to play the match washed out a fortnight ago, Colony Park were caught short when their bus refused to get out of neutral.

Just what you need after a week of preparations and an early rise.

Incredibly East Kilbride Thistle faced an identical situation when their bus packed in before leaving for their tie down in Girvan two weeks ago. Are coaches on a boycott of South Ayrshire or something?

Luckily for EK they managed to get round the situation by calling in a fleet of supporters to help give the players a lift down to Hamilton Park for the match which they went on to win 3-2.

Now that could have been an interesting journey home had they ended up on the wrong end of a scudding.