‘ Championship in England is better ‘ than Scots think
BLACKPOOL, Brighton, Blackburn, Nottingham Forest, Watford — potential Championship winners one and all.
Second-tier clubs with aspirations to be better, and that’s admirable.
But they’re also the kind of clubs that jump out most frequently when you look at the Scotland squad for the games against Belgium and Macedonia.
That’s the reality Gordon Strachan has had to confront since taking over the Hampden hot seat.
As national boss, he must pick from a second-tier pool of players.
Changed days from when I was in the squad, but you could argue the current situation is just about right.
After all, Scotland is a country of five million people, next door to a country of 50 million.
But as a proud nation, unflattering comparisons with England are never going to be welcomed.
Fortunately, I don’t think there’s any need to put ourselves down, even though most of our top players don’t play in the top League.
That’s because the Championship is a far better League than many people north of the border imagine.
I see plenty of football at that level and, let me tell you, the players are excellent.
Just look at the likes of QPR and the money they’ve spent.
That shows you the kind of cash that’s kicking about in England’s second tier.
It outstrips what’s available in the SPFL Premiership by miles.
And when you start flinging five-figures-a-week wages around as a matter of course, you get decent players.
So while many fans in Scotland may not be too familiar with your Ikechi Anyas, Liam Bridcutts and George Boyds, for me, there’s no doubting their ability.
Gordon Strachan has no doubts, either. He’s confident by picking these boys, he’s picking the best players he can.
And with Belgium arriving at Hampden on World Cup duty on Friday week, that’s important.
Make no mistake, the Belgians are world class.
Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini, Vincent Kompany — all genuine superstars.
Fortunately for us, Kompany will be missing due to injury, but Scotland will still have to be at their very best.
After an excellent result away to Croatia and a good performance against England, a heavy defeat to Belgium would put us back to square one.
Gordon Strachan’s side will have to fight for every ball, because technically, I think the Belgians will be beyond them.
But that’s why I’m confident a squad peppered with boys from the Championship is actually a good thing — because that’s what they do week-in, week-out.
Nobody, no matter how good they are, will get anything off them cheaply.
And if that’s not Scotland through and through, I don’t know what is.