Scotland World Champions 2011

[STARBOY]

We all knew it was only a matter of time but Scotland have won the World Cup in Paris beating Mexico 4-3 in the Final. OK its the Homeless World Cup but they all counts - Scotland reign supreme at Homeless Football, Table Soccer and Elephant Polo (honest) when your down in the dumps at sport its time to clutch at straws but congratulations to them there is a serious side to this a well.

[steelclaw]

Hey I wondered why I hadn't seem many scots homeless in London recently their in Paris.

[Jonny Whizz]

Maybe the Scottish national side should turn to some of the Homeless World Cup players? Football is not in a good state north of the border right now, at international or club level - all the Scottish clubs are out of Europe, and we're still in August!

Of course, Manchester United signed the unknown Bebe off the back of his performances in the Homeless World Cup - though Alex Ferguson strangely signed him despite never having see him play. He's now a forgotten man, out on loan and with a long-term injury. What was particularly odd was he cost more than Javier Hernandez, who was signed the same summer having impressed in the World Cup (and turned out to be a bargain), and Ferguson could have snapped him up on a free transfer earlier that summer.

[STARBOY]

Yeah its not good up here at present although the National team is on the up and it looks like Celtic will get through as Sion played 5 ineligible players - a few pundits are trying to use the fact that the gulf in spending is to blame for it and that's true to a point (look and Man City crushing Spurs who crushed Hearts, even Man Utd v Arsenal) but then you look at the teams Rangers and Celtic (you can excuse Hearts they're in trouble financially also at present) lost too, both are eclipsed by the Old Firms spending - look at Shamrock Rovers (stunning result against a good team) they got through and their average income is under a million a year their star player gets £1k a week - Old Firm annual income £55/60million average wage £25k a week - We have way too many teams up here for a population of 5.3 million we have 42 senior teams some with populations of under 10 thousand and attendances of under 400 a week whilst larger more successful clubs struggle -strong clubs like Morton, Raith and especially Dundee FC (not united),who got to the semi finals of both the European and Inter City Cups in the early 60s and played in front of over 137k at Scottish cup finals are all but finished - a total re think is needed or we will become on par with the Welsh and Irish leagues (no offence to them footy is not their main sport and they do great for their levels). Oh wee rant over

[Jonny Whizz]

I think the calibre of player seen at Celtic Park and Ibrox has really fallen in recent years. When Rangers were dominating Scottish football in the 1990s, they had Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne, both genuinely classy players, and under Martin O'Neill Celtic had players like Henrik Larsson, who showed just how good he was on the world stage for Sweden, Stillian Petrov who is the current captain of Aston Villa (a team that came sixth in the English top flight three years in a row) and Chris Sutton, who had been the Premier League's joint top scorer in 1998 with Blackburn.

By contrast, the Celtic team yesterday included players such as Anthony Stokes, who failed to impress in English football, plus Kris Commons and Gary Hooper, who have never played above second tier level south of the border. They have gone from signing players who could do well in the Premier League to bringing in Championship standard players, yet are as far ahead of the competition as ever which says little for the quality of the other teams.

[Digifiend]

a total re think is needed or we will become on par with the Welsh and Irish leagues (no offence to them footy is not their main sport and they do great for their levels). Oh wee rant over

To be fair, Wales's best teams play in the English leagues - Swansea (in the Premier League, no less!), Cardiff (Championship) and arguably Wrexham (Conference). Swansea and Cardiff would probably be like Celtic and Rangers if they played in the Welsh league.

[STARBOY]

Rangers and Celtic can't afford the Larsons etc of yesteryear there's just not enough money in the SPL to fund that type of player now (the old firms top salary is £25k a week in England's Premiership and Championship that's nothing) sadly they make most of their money from "bums on seats" and merchandising (they are massive clubs remember with fans everywhere). Alex Ferguson noted in a conference re the state of Scottish football, stating that around 25 years ago Rangers were the richest club in the UK and the 3rd in Europe and Man Utd were 15th, now Man Utd etc are in orbit and the old firm can't get in the top 30 top clubs (if that) - were it trouble big time now.

Cardiff and Swansea would ONLY ever be like the old firm in that they would dominate a Welsh league their success is down to money being poured in to them at at present and the commercial strength of the English league - without that they would be in trouble and play to a few thousand a week or so - historically the Scottish league (50s 60 and early 70s) was a pioneering league with amazing successes at club and player level (Glasgow the first city to have 2 teams in the main Euro finals, Rangers the first UK team in a Euro Final, Celtic the first UK to win the European cup, Celtic first to get to 2 Euro Finals, Hibs first UK team in Europe , biggest attendances at club level in Europe etc etc) what happened to us we had clubs like Dunfermline in Euro Semi finals years ago at one point? you can gather Im worried and it needs pointed out we were giants at one time no wannae be's

Just read that back I'm sorry if it came of a bit aggressive not meant to be all your comments were valid and spot on - passion and all that