These days, caps are dished out like sheriff’s badges at school so until we qualify for a finals, the Hall of Fame should be padlocked
THE SFA Hall of Fame – famous for what?
Let’s discontinue the practice of allowing anyone else into that glory roll until someone steps forward worthy of the gong.
Pull the ladder up and preserve the achievements of those who have gone before.
Trace back to 1988 to its conception and the 11 players who had achieved 50 caps or more. Take Denis Law, 55 to his name as part of a team of Scottish talent that stands alone.
He led the line for our country against Zaire at the World Cup in 1974, our first finals since a gap of 16 years.
Joe Jordan carried the mantle, the legends were stacked up and by the time we last played in a major finals at France 98 it was Darren Jackson who was in the striker’s shirt.
The truth is it has been an ever decreasing circle of centre forwards which up until Thursday night had Oliver Burke claiming the honour of being up front on his own.
A decline in standards and one of the reasons why an asterisk should be placed alongside any other player who passes the 50-cap watermark.
Hall of Fame? Famous for what? Good attendance at a time when other players can’t be bothered to turn up?
A measure of consistency for their club and staying fit enough to be able to regularly pull on the dark blue top?
Take Charlie Mulgrew as a case in point. A lovely big chap but a guy who’s seven appearances away from being presented with a gold-coloured bunnet and having his picture on the staircase leading down to the Hampden Museum.
If he passes this landmark while being part of a Euro 2020 play-off success fair enough, it will have been an honour well merited and a success hailed as one which is better later than never.
But as with all things Scotland, you’re better not to hold your breath. Alan Hutton has his name alongside the great and the good of a Hall of Fame where the book should now be shut until a time when playing for your country doesn’t coincide with nothing but a roll of shame.
The 55-times capped Scott Brown was a reliable servant but another whose time with Scotland has no measure of anything resembling international success.
Later this month Scottish Football’s Hall of Fame dinner will take place at the National Stadium and assembled on the top table will be Joe Harper, John Robertson, Colin Stein and Paul Sturrock.
A member of Patsy Gallagher’s family will also be on hand to posthumously accept the Celtic hero’s award. All proper players with an impressive body of work.
As a member of the Hall of Fame committee, it’s becoming something of a walk down memory lane to a time when we actually sifted through candidates who are deemed worthy of being inducted to sit amongst the greats. The nation is now in danger of becoming disengaged from the national team. One look at a list which has the likes of Ikechi Anya on 29 caps, Barry Bannan on 27 and, dear Lord, even Andy Webster somehow managed to amass 28.
We need to assert some type of quality control when it comes to the word “fame” in any hall that is supposed to be a celebration of the best footballers our country has produced.
If ever there has been a week which underlines the decline then it’s this one.
Russia was a debacle for the senior side and tuning into Scotland Under-19s against Belarus on Wednesday night was another warning sign of what little we have coming up from below.
Our Under-21s huffed and puffed their way through a dismal draw with Lithuania on a night at Tynecastle which shone another sad light on the poverty of player we have trying to pushing their way into Steve Clarke’s thoughts.
Caps are now being dished out like sheriff’s badges at a primary school prize giving ceremony and have depreciated in value to such a level that we’re considering giving Steven Caulker a place and somehow disregarding the fact he has already played for England in a friendly defeat to Sweden.
Scotland doesn’t need superheroes, it just needs some players to step up and raise the bar. Only when we reach a major finals should anyone else be welcomed into any of our Halls of Fame.