Scottish Football Review - July 2010

The summer – or the brief snaps of sunshine amidst the overcast and rainy Scottish days – seems to be dragging and dragging.

We're stuck in that strange period when the World Cup seems a distant memory (actually, that maybe not a bad thing) and the start of the SPL doesn't seem to be getting any closer.

I've been ruminating on this in between becoming embroiled in a copyright farrago with the SPL and their mysterious agents. Sometimes I wonder why I bother!

Goodbyes

At this stage in the pre season I find myself wondering how optimistic I am about the season ahead. My answer in 2010 is: “Not very.”

Clubs are losing players but few seem to have the money to replace like with like.

Debt remain the curse – one of the many curses – of modern football. At times Rangers have been less of a football team and more a re-enactment of the start of Harrods' sale.

Kris Boyd divides opinion like few other players. But any league losing its top scorer is a diminished product. To lose him to a Championship side is even more galling.

Following Boyd to Middlesbrough was Kevin Thompson as Gordon Strachan continued his odd, tartan themed, recruitment policy. It will be interesting to see how that works out in the season ahead.

Europe

UEFA's co-efficient system remains impenetrable to most of us. But Scotland's lowly standing is all too understandable.

And it means Europe kicks off before most of have even returned from holiday.

The good news is that we have a 100% record. That's only from the two games that Motherwell played against part time Icelandic opposition. But still. A win is a win.

So far the European draws seem to have been quite kind. Motherwell now face a Europa trip to a distant part of Norway while Hibs head to Slovenia in the same competition. Potentially tricky but definitely winnable games. Fingers, toes and anything else crossed that the can deliver.

In the Champion's League Celtic drew Portuguese debutants SK Braga. Let's not pretend that's an easy game. But Celtic avoided some of the bigger names. With another qualifying round to come Celtic's route to the group stages remains arduous.

But so far our clubs have avoided European disasters both on the pitch and in the draws. After the misery we endured last year, we've got to call that a positive.

Hello

We seem to be at that silly stage of the summer where Celtic are linked with almost every available player in Europe. I find myself checking the back pages each morning to make sure I'm not about to sign for them. It certainly beats checking the obituaries to see if I'm dead.

Yet so far there hasn't been a signing – by Celtic or anyone else – that has really made me sit up and think: “Wow, can't wait to see him play.”

Most clubs lack the funds to attract big names. Celtic seem to have the funds but the reality of their situation is that they're not champions and their participations in the Champion's League proper is far from guaranteed.

Unfortunately, right now, Scottish football is difficult to sell to players.

Which means we'll get the chance to see how managers have fared in unearthing bargain gems. More importantly, from top to bottom of the SPL, there will rarely have been a better time for youngsters to emerge and stake their claim.

Ah, now. That's me getting optimistic. And that can only lead to disappointment.

Tom Hall covers Scottish football on the Scottish Football Blog.