26 Aug 2026 23:23:31
Sitting watching that game last night with my missus, kinda couldn't help but think is this the beginning of the end for Scottish teams in Europe? Especially with European places diminishing. I love watching Celtic get beat, but it saddened me a little of how easy it was for lask, how much of an embarrassment it was for Scottish football, that they couldn't hold on to a 4 goal lead. It's scary how good these so called lesser nations are getting better, while the Scottish game is getting so much worse. I get we shouldn't compete with English teams etc, because of the money they get, but teams like lask and brann shouldn't compete with us either, with a fraction of the money we spend, why is it that, not only do they compete, but absolutely play us off the park.
What are they doing right that we are doing wrong? How do we fix this, it's a genuine question that I have no idea as to the answer. I'm sure I read somewhere that next season there's only 1 CL spot, one Europa league spot for Scottish Cup winners, 1 conference league spot for runners up in league, did I read that correctly? As if we only get conference league this year, don't win the league or Scottish cup then it would be conference again, if we qualify, sorry if I have this wrong, no doubt someone will correct me. If it is the case, that is really worrying, did our owners know these things before purchase, surely they must have, have a plan to take us to the top, as they certainly won't get any kind of return if they don't.
27 Aug 2026 02:25:31
Hearts doing well tonight.
27 Aug 2026 07:05:08
I also feel Scottish teams are way behind. It needs a good shake up, just won't happen.
27 Aug 2026 07:18:25
Looks to me like we are still playing the same football style as we were 10 years ago!! The rest of Europe have moved on rapidly. Very fit, Very athletic, Very quick & easily switch from defence to attack, Scottish teams just don't fit any of those boxes & I feel it's not going to get any better soon.
27 Aug 2026 07:18:50
Grassroots here, brutal - too many young players getting into pro youth due to who their dad knows, when clearly they will never make it, but stops others getting in who give up game - also so much emphasis on size and winning from a very young age, rather than working on the technical skills and picking best players, not just biggest - finally not enough actuall ex players who were good working with the young players to build hr right habits from a young age - Look at Norway, for example, their clubs I feel are doing it the right way, which in turn also helps their national team.
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27 Aug 2026 07:49:01
Rangers almost always needed to have almost two teams, one for Scottish games and 1 for European. Only now we can't afford to do that. So we have the scenario that to get into CL, we need players who can play against Scottish teams but then are crap in EU competition.
Scottish football is holding us all back, and I really don't see a way out of it. I think we will find it a long road back to CL, with having to play so many qualifiers we will be starting the campaign the season before.
27 Aug 2026 08:14:13
There is also the mentality in this country of trying not to lose, rather than trying to win, along with the possession obsession, which is again the negative attitude of keep ball so they can't score and hope for chances rather than making them. Perhaps it's the closeness to the EPL that we try and copy them, but without the same quality, rather than focusing on our own game, so the strengths we did have gradually been lost.
I don't see these other smaller nations adopting that style as it doesn't suit their culture or climate. Just look at LASK game. Celtic actually had more possession but lost 5-1 and conceded 40 shots.
27 Aug 2026 08:51:03
We just never, ever learn.
I've heard all of this - and all of the fixes that were to happen - for the past 35 years.
There needs to be a revolution in how the game is structured and run in this country. It needs to happen right now.
Wholesale change required. However, the people in power will not step aside voluntarily.
27 Aug 2026 09:32:45
I'd have to say it's the managers imo. McInnes no experience in Europe. O'Neill is a dinosaur. We done well under Gio, Clement, as it was a slow pass sideways or back, keep possession, waste time and kill the game type football with a quick counter.
Or against better teams a back 5 and stay tight and organised with the counter. Which didn't work in Scotland but did in Europe to an extent.