Our survey says it’s too late already
Gino D’Acampo has brought Family Fortunes back just in time.
You can imagine the bold Gino, a couple of folk with their hands over the buzzers.
We asked 42 SPFL clubs their thoughts on what the heck to do in the event of another coronavirus catastrophe hitting the league season.
Buuuuuzzzz. End the season early and award titles and promotion?
It’s a good one.... Let’s see what our survey said – 10 clubs agree but it’s not the top answer.
Declare the campaign null and void?
Oooh, let’s look at the board. Ten clubs came back with that one.
Forfeit points when teams get hit? Another five clubs said so but we’re still looking for the top answer.
Play the season to a finish no matter how long it takes?
Another five clubs would go with that one.
What’s the top answer though. How about, come up with a variety of contingency plans that get the support of every club?
It sounds sensible, let’s see what our survey said... Uh-Uh. Afraid not.
Let’s have a look at the top answer...it’s hope for the best and then run around with our hair on fire when the worst possible scenario becomes a reality.
Ah. It seems obvious now, doesn’t it?
It’s understandable the SPFL are trying to canvas opinion about what to do if it all goes belly up again after the botched attempt from the board to get power of attorney back in July.
But here’s the problem with the survey they sent out this week – it’s already too late.
All of this should have been nailed down before a ball was kicked. Sure, things looked a bit better on the pandemic front back in July but every smart person around was warning there was every chance of getting walloped by a second wave.
But even in these wildly dangerous times, there’s still next to no chance of getting consensus from
this bunch of clubs with more self-interest than an Instagram influencer who makes cash from taking selfies.
This lot couldn’t agree what time it was if they held a meeting in the big observatory at Greenwich.
It’s like herding cats trying to get them all to work together.
Last season ended in a total shambles and the fallout won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
It’s not a leap to suggest we’re heading in that direction again. St Mirren’s latest nightmare means the fixture list was butchered again and we’ve already got clubs playing catch up already. Poor Iain Blair will need padded wallpaper for his Hampden office at this rate as he’ll need a time machine to squeeze in all the matches.
It’s all a bit ominous at the moment and all the while our clubs are simply bleeding piles of cash. The Championship, Leagues One and Two held off in the hope they’d have turnstiles clicking sooner rather than later but the longer they are shut out the bigger the risk.
There’s no way the lower league clubs haven’t been looking at Rishi Sunak’s latest Jobs Retention Scheme and feeling it’ll help them keep going or allow them to wave a white flag and say they’ll see everyone again in six months. Premiership clubs are burning through season-ticket money that’s become a charitable donation but will soon be running on fumes.
The survey results will just muddy the waters again but these clubs will need to somehow come together at some point.
Otherwise the SPFL family is facing nothing but misfortune.
This lot could not agree what time it was if they held meeting at the big observatory at Greenwich
The prospect of going up against Scott Brown and Callum McGregor could be a daunting one for a young Scottish midfielder.
The Celtic pair have amassed a staggering 35 trophies between them. They’ve been there and done it for club and country.
So preparing for a joust against the Hoops duo might faze some players.
But not Lewis Ferguson or Ross McCrorie. The two Aberdeen upstarts have respect for their opponents – but fear no one.
And as they prepared for the visit of Celtic to Pittodrie today, Ferguson says he can’t wait to lock horns with Brown and McGregor in the engine room.
The 21-year-old has known McCrorie since their days in Rangers’ youth team.
They’re both key players for Scot Gemmill’s Scotland Under-21 side and now Derek McInnes has teamed them up together for the Dons.
Ferguson has started the campaign in superb form – his screamer against Hamilton Accies in midweek is one of the goals of the season so far.
And he’s convinced the partnership with McCrorie in the middle of the park is only going to get better.
Instead of feeling trepidation about a battle with Brown and McGregor, the Aberdeen ace is relishing it.
He said: “We could come up against Brown and McGregor, two young boys against two more experienced players.
“But myself and Ross relish that. We’re looking forward to it. That’s the challenge you want – against two guys who have won trophies in their careers.
“That’s what we are aiming to do. We want to get up against them, get in their faces and hopefully put in a good performance.
“We want to get three points there before another massive game against Celtic at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final a week later.
“I’m looking forward to playing beside Ross long-term. For the past few months we’ve been playing together for Aberdeen and the Scotland Under-21s.
“We’ve formed a really good partnership, we both offer different things. We’re both hard working, humble boys.
“We’ll always put in 100 per cent – that’s the least we’ll give on the pitch. I’m enjoying having Ross beside me – and I think he enjoys having me beside him as well.
“We’ve struck up a good relationship, even off the park. We knew each other before, we were at Rangers together when we were younger.
“And for Scotland Under-21s we’ve been together for the past year or so.”
Brown is a former Scotland captain and McGregor is now a key component of Steve Clarke’s national side.
But in the future Ferguson hopes he and McCrorie are the ones picking up caps at senior level.
And he insists the fact they know each other so well will only help them achieve it.
He said: “I’ve known Ross since we were boys and was quite pally with him before he came to Aberdeen.
“So it wasn’t hard to strike up a partnership with someone you know so well.
“That makes it easier. When someone comes in that you don’t know, you’re not sure how to take them. And you don’t know what they’re like as a player.
“But I knew with Ross – and it’s probably the same for both of us – exactly what he was like as a player and a person.
“That has helped massively. We’re both quite demanding of each other and our team-mates, which is good.
“We’re always on to each other, trying to get us playing better. The last few games we’ve played, I’ve been really comfortable in there with him. I’m looking forward to having him beside me more often now. And I’d love to play with Ross for Scotland too.
“That’s something both of us want in the future, to play for Scotland’s senior team.
“There are so many big games coming up for the national team and that’s certainly something we both want.
“Whether it comes or not, I don’t know. But it would be great because we’ve played together at Under-21 so it would be good to do it with the full squad.
“We need to be the ones to go and do it, though, to prove we’re good enough.”
Celtic are still reeling from their Old Firm defeat to Rangers a week ago then a tough 3-1 loss to Italian giants AC Milan in the Europa League group opener on Thursday night.
And today the Dons have a chance to go level on points with Hoops boss Neil Lennon’s men in the Premiership table.
Ferguson is taking nothing for granted. But given his own current form and Aberdeen’s new-found attacking threat this season, he believes they can get at the champions at Pittodrie.
He said: “My own form’s been good. I’m enjoying getting on the scoresheet.
“There were times last season when I was playing well but wasn’t scoring.
“So when you start to get the numbers up, you get more recognition.
“Everything’s looking good and bright for us this season.
“We’re attack-minded now, we’ve got so many players at the top end who can cause teams problems.”
Last time the sides met at Pittodrie, Celtic secured a 2-1 win thanks to an 81st - minute winner from Kris Ajer.
McGregor had opened the scoring but Ash Taylor pegged them back for Dons before half-time.
Ferguson said: “The last time we played Celtic at Pittodrie we gave it a go and deserved more than what we got.
“We’ve def initely have the players to have a go at them.
“The gaffer will look at them and set us up in the right way because we’ll have to contain them at times – they’ll have a lot of the ball.
“When we get it, we have to be positive because we’ve got players who can hurt them.
“Some people have said it’s our best chance to get a result against Celtic – but I still think they’re a top side.
“They’ve won the league for so many years and dominated Scottish football.
“So it’s never going to be easy against them. We’re up against a tough team who took a bad defeat last weekend.
“So they’ ll be looking to bounce back.
“They’ll look for a reaction and we’ll need to match that.
“Hopefully we put in a good performance and win.”
That’ chal lenge s the
– playi you want ng guys again who st won have troph ies