I generally enjoy your coverage of football in Scotland. It's usually insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking. But, the reportage of recent Scotland games, in particular the debacle against Belarus, was, quite simply, bewildering.
The "Scotland ratings" assigned every player a figure between 5 and 7. Five would have been my top rating for any player. Some, like Robertson (a fine player for Scotland notwithstanding) and McLean merited no more than 3. McTominay, McGinn and Gilmour had almost no influence on the game, save McTominay's goal. The least said about the remainder, the better. This against a side ranked 100 in the world, that had just come off 5-1 and 6-0 defeats.
Then, on the back page Stephen McGowan expresses the view that Steve Clarke can walk away with his head held high at the end of his tenure, that qualification for the World Cup will secure his legacy as the "best Scotland coach in a generation is secure" ("World Cup or not, Clarke should walk with his head held high next summer", Herald Sport, October 13). How on earth can he justify such a statement?
Qualification for major tournaments has been made easier because of an increase in the numbers at the finals, and because qualification groups are weaker. Denmark are ranked 20th in the world currently; Greece 40th. We've been comprehensively outplayed by both but inexplicably beat Greece. Our manager plays one up front, even when we needed goals against Belarus to have any chance of winning the group. The group of players is growing old together and needs an injection of pace, vitality and creativity that young players bring. But that's heresy to Clarke.
Contrast this with Michael O'Neill's Ireland. Replete with youngsters like Galbraith they go toe to toe with Germany. They play with heart yes, but also with skill, passion and verve. Their performance lifts the crowd. When was the last time Scotland's players did that?
Finally, when Clarke goes the new man will have to go back to basics. Players will depart the scene, and almost no thought has been given to blooding youngsters in preparation for the finals next year, should we somehow contrive to get there, nor for future campaigns.
It's some legacy right enough.
Charlie Burns, Edinburgh.
Read more letters
- It's time to bring Britannia back home to the Clyde
- How bad does BBC Scotland have to be before we demand control?
- SNP should drop its ideology and put the health of children first
A vision for Burns statue
When I read your piece on the statue revamp in Glasgow's George Square ("Statues revamp to cost over £600k", The Herald, October 14), I noted there was no mention of the Robert Burns statue, which in fact is the only statue in the Square funded by public inscription.
It is worth noting that there are four bronze plates, one on each face of the plinth at the base of the Bard's statue, three which depict scenes from his poems The Cottar’s Saturday Night, Tam O’ Shanter and The Vision. The front plaque on the pedestal has a dedicatory inscription, “Robert Burns/Born 1759/Died 1796”.
I would hope that those who will consider the graphics on the new plinths will consider reinstating these original bronze plates.
It is recorded that when the statue was unveiled in George Square on January 25, 1877 there were over 30,000 people in attendance to celebrate its installation.
I believe the Glasgow Burns clubs are considering holding an event to welcome Robert Burns back on a date after George Square has been formally reopened.
Robert Louis Stevenson, Past President, Glasgow and District Burns Association, Newton Mearns.
Profit before fish welfare
Further to Andrew Learmonth’s piece on the weak implementation of wildlife protection legislation ("Landmark Scottish wildlife laws ‘filled with loopholes’", The Herald, October 13) it is a similar story with our rare and unique freshwater fish the powan. Concern expressed about extreme low water levels in Loch Tarsan in Argyll during the incubation period of their eggs in recent years has gone largely unchallenged by NatureScot despite the fish having the status of a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). The sitting Green MSP was similarly ineffectual in making a challenge. As part of a hydroelectric scheme, the operator, SSE, appears to enjoy an elevated level of immunity regarding even legally protected creatures.
Like so many areas of Scottish legislature, power, profit, and privilege will always be able to get around the laws of our land.
Duncan F MacGillivray, Dunoon.
Not so smart from STV
I have read reports that STV is losing revenue and audience figures.
In other news, I recently purchased a smart TV. I assumed this could be powered through the internet and would not require a roof aerial. I have now discovered that the STV Player is not compatible with my TV, which is an LG, one of the leading brands. The solution it seems is to enter an English postcode and watch ITV1 instead. It is unsurprising that STV is losing viewers if it is not prepared to support viewers in Scotland at a time of technological development, let alone provide dedicated news for the former Grampian TV area.
Scott Simpson, Bearsden.
Roundabout answer
Many years ago, in fact in 1969 and 1970, I spent a very happy time living in Jersey in the Channel Islands.
I was a new driver at the time and one piece of local driving etiquette particularly appealed to me.
On approaching a roundabout each stream of traffic enters the roundabout in turn, meaning that no impatient queues form and each lane moves continuously; simple and incredibly effective.
I've never understood why this manoeuvre has not been implemented everywhere.
I visit the island virtually annually and the same rule still applies.
On reading Mark Smith's column on Monday (“It is the worst road in Glasgow. Can anything be done to remedy it?”, The Herald, October 13) I couldn't help but think that this idea would be an improvement.
Brendan Keenan, Glasgow.
Britannia bonus
I couldn’t agree more with David G Will (Letters, October 14) that it is high time the Royal Yacht Britannia returned to its natural home, its birthplace on the Clyde, well away from languishing forlornly at Edinburgh with which it had and has no meaningful connection. Such a move might even earn John Swinney some much-needed brownie points in West Central Scotland .
So it's a resounding “hear, hear" from me to Mr Will’s suggestion, or more appropriately a “here, here".
Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.
