Football columnist and Largs Thistle legend George Wall's regular column

 

I was recently sent a link to the BBC iPlayer programme The Lost Final and was very impressed. 
The hour long documentary is the story of Scotland Under 18’s winning the Euro Championship in 1982 and is a must watch for every Scottish football fan.
I thoroughly recommend it. 
It was a great story of the only Scotland team to win a major championship - and presenter Pat Nevin, who scored in the final, is on the quest to find the missing footage of the final
In 1982 I think that is when Scottish football started to get complacent, we had reached our third World Cup finals in succession and I think we took everything for granted . 
Since then I think the level in the country has gradually declined. 
We have not reached a World Cup in a long time, our club European performances outside Rangers and Celtic have not been great so much so that to me Motherwell getting beat from Sligo was not a surprise. 
In years gone bye a Scottish Premier League team getting beat off a League of Ireland team would have been a major shock. I don’t think it is now.

Thankfully, Dundee United have made a good start with a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar of Holland to lift our spirits after the Rangers defeat in Belgium earlier in the week. It looks like Gio Van Bronckhorst's team have a mountain to climb in Tuesday's second leg but with Ibrox at full capacity and the crowd getting behind them they will fancy their chances of overturning the deficit.
* The Lionesses triumphed with a pulsating 2-1 win over Germany after extra-time. Ella Toone's sensational opener really showed composure, and after the German equaliser, it was into extra-time. England showed determination to get over the finishing line with Chloe Kelly's well taken winning goal.
* I keep seeing on social media coaches being qualified at the SFA coaching courses. 
What improvement are those coaches making to the game and to the players ? I have watched a number of grassroots coaches in action and they all seem to be doing the same stuff which you would expect if they all do the same courses. 
That would all be good if all players and teams were the same. They're not. The coaches in the main do not cater for individuals and doing the same stuff when it’s not producing players at the top level is nuts. I believe it’s time for a fresh approach. What that approach is I don’t know but there must be someone out there that can go manage the SFA.
* Largs opened the season with a 1-1 draw against Glenafton. 
While a victory would have been better I have always felt just don’t lose your opening game. 
Thistle have two league games coming up before two cup games. From the league games they should be looking at getting four points and I expect them to progress in both cups
* I noticed a Facebook post from ex Largs manager John Crawford - his under 18’s Ayr United game at Palmerston cancelled due to 'solid seagull excrement on the playing surface' - that has got to be a world first!