Many moons ago, in a previous life, I had cause to attend events where the then Principal of Aberdeen University would be speaking. Professor Duncan Rice was a profoundly smarter person than me and I was always impressed with whatever over the cuff remarks he would have to make in front of the great and the good of Aberdeen and its academic staff.
There was one phrase that Professor Rice returned to time and time again in his speeches, it was “try and brighten the corner you’re in”. What he meant that the university in Old Aberdeen, for all it had going for it, couldn’t compete with Glasgow in size, or Edinburgh in stature or Oxbridge in poncy people punting.
It meant that there are thousands of universities across the world, all offering different opportunities to people. And whilst Aberdeen certainly couldn’t control the weather or the fact that for centuries it was easier to get to it from Edinburgh via sea rather than land, it could focus on what it was good at. If you’re forever comparing yourselves to others, you’re doomed to be overtaken by others who are surer of themselves.
It’s at this stage, you’re wondering why The Terrace has diversified into delivering hot takes on the higher education sector in Scotland, I’ll get to the point:
For too long in Scottish football we’ve focused on what we are not. We’ve not got the money they have in English football. We’ve not got the weather to produce quality players. We’ve got kids obsessed with computer games not sport. These excuses, and they are excuses, exemplify this idea of Scottish exceptionalism, as if we’re unique in the world. As if the Croatian league isn’t awash with money, as if the weather is somehow better in Iceland, as if America doesn’t have video games.
The outlook on Scottish football has become one of utter doom and managed decline. And I’m sick of it. Scottish football can be better, we can produce better players, we can qualify for tournaments. Hell, some people in the Scottish football media might even begin to pretend that watching football can actually be enjoyable.
I suppose this is a runabout way of getting to one of the biggest issues in Scottish football of the past few weeks: Rangers and EBTs.
I have a confession to make: I’m so utterly bored by this debate. Perhaps once in the past I’d have been exorcised by such a (perceived) injustice, but frankly, I don’t care.
I don’t see how stripping Rangers of the titles makes ‘our corner’ any brighter. I don’t see how removing titles makes Celtic better in Europe next season or helps Dundee produce better youngsters or gets more fans to attend matches at Fir Park.
So much time and energy is being used up on something that happened. It’s not like any decision to strip titles will suddenly make that gubbing from the Ibrox men any less memorable or make me sleep any easier at night. The past is the past, can we contemplate letting sleeping dogs lie?
Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but surely that time and energy could be spent on something positive? Instead of screeds of pages on blogs examining Ronald De Boer’s net salary, why not speak to someone who has never attended a game and find out why. Why not consider how we can improve Aberdeen or Cove Rangers or Threave Rovers today and tomorrow, not settle old scores from a decade ago.
Again, maybe I’m being hopelessly naive. But I’m inclined to think about Professor Rice’s words. I’d much rather be thinking about a better tomorrow than a darker yesterday.
How much better could we make Scottish football if we all decided to brighten the corner we’re in?
Written by Duncan McKay (@DuncMcKay)