Across The Pond - 6 days to go

So here we go (here we go, here we go) ... The competition starts in 6 days time and Scotland are firmly ensconced the USA preparing for their World Cup return in 8 days, albeit without Billy Gilmour, which is a big loss to the side, but we are nonetheless at our first World Cup since France '98 and the Tartan Army will be there in force, tickets or not.

I remember France 98, we got beaten by both Brazil and Morocco enroute to a bottom of the group finish. Let's hope history does not repeat itself. We have been drawn against Brazil in 1974 (0-0), 1982 (1-4), 1990 (0-1), and 1998 (1-2) so 1 draw, 3 defeats across 4 games in a total of 7 world cups we've been to since 1974. I'd take a repeat of the 1974 result against them if you offered it right now! If we can avoid slip-ups then the current squad surely has a chance to make a name for itself as the first Scotland team to get out of the group stage, something that is statistically easier this time around with 48 teams instead of 32, but we all know Scotland don't do things the easy way ... its like watching ICT (or Toronto FC).

Another possibility is for there to be a new Scottish top scorer at the tournament, not the golden boot for the tournament itself (although that would be really nice) but just the top Scot. Joe Jordan has the most goals for Scotland at the World Cup, with 4 in total having scored 2 in '74 and 1 each in '78 and '82. Three other players have two World Cup goals total, Archie Gemmill got two in 1978, both in the same game, and I think we all remember only one of them ❤️. John Wark was our top scorer in 1982 with two in the game against New Zealand and Kenny Dalglish has two as well, but spread across two tournaments with one each in 78 and 82. If MacTominay, McGinn or Shankland can bag two goals in total then they would join the three players who have scored more than once at a World Cup, and if by chance anyone got three or more, they would be our all-time top scorer in a single World Cup tournament ... but let's not get ahead of ourselves, I think we would all take an 89th minute sclaff in the box from any player if it got us three points.

ESPN had a decent article this week about the World Cup predictions and for Group C it predicted - as many have - Scotland to finish third but noted a 67% chance of advancing. The simulation, performed 1000s of times has this averaging out as a low scoring group and shows Scotland ending up with 4 points and a 1-1-1 record. According to the Supercomputer we are going to beat Haiti 2-1, draw 0-0 with Morocco and lose 1-0 to Brazil before crashing out 1-0 to Mexico in the round of 32. I guess that sounds plausible and also puts the kybosh on us hoping for a new top scorer for Scotland at a world cup. (source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48962628/world-cup-predictions-picking-winner-every-game-entire-tournament)

On a personal level I thought long and hard before deciding not to cross the border into USA and go to Boston. There were just too many factors conspiring against me personally, professionally and it has to be said, financially, with tickets, travel and accommodation costs putting it well out of reach of most 'normal' people this time around. The cherry on top of it is that my son's football team will be playing in a tournament close to Niagara Falls next weekend on the very day that Scotland kick off against Haiti. So instead, we have a group of around 40 parents who are all going to the pub to eat loads of fried food, drink loads of beer, and hopefully be converted into Tartan Army members, although I don't think this will work on the Haitian family who are part of our group nor those with Spanish or French connections. Should make for some interesting banter however ... and yes, full Tartan Army uniform will be in force. The kilt is being dusted down, the Scotland top is already in hand, and I have my (really comfortable) Adidas World Cup trainers, courtesy of FIFA.

Anyone following the blog will have seen I was unsuccessful in getting tickets for any of the games in Toronto, and although prices are now coming down slowly, they are still pretty high and may eventually sell out before reaching my comfort zone. I will keep my eye out just in case things improve. However, what started as 'Plan B' to try and get a role inside the stadium on matchdays by volunteering my services, has instead seen me get a role that is called "Host City Management" and I will be based at the Volunteer Centre that is located in the heart of the Fan Fest area near the stadium.

The title sounds high falutin' but it's basically checking in other volunteers and telling them where they need to be and being kept in reserve in case, we are needed elsewhere. The description of this new role, notes that we need to be flexible, adaptable, and capable of performing many different roles, so I'll take that as a compliment. The training we are receiving is comprehensive and things, while perhaps looking chaotic on the surface, which is not unexpected given the sheer quantity of applications received, is actually very well organised, and smooth. I went to pick up my accreditation and uniform the other week and was in and out of the place I had to go in about 20 minutes with all my gear. During training it was confirmed to us that there were more than 250,000 applications for volunteer positions in Toronto alone, of which a total of about 3200 volunteers were selected in total, and in the role I have been given, only a total of around 60 people. The same is true of other roles where it was whittled down from that initial 250K to just a few. As the tournament draws closer, I am actually looking forward to this quite a lot and after signing up for the required 8 shifts the other week, I actually went into the volunteer portal and added 4 more today although none when Scotland are due to play! Wherever I end up on any given day, the atmosphere is going to be electric around Toronto and it's time to breathe it all in. If I ever experience this again, it's unlikely I will be able to go home to my own bed at the end of the evening and that's kind of a surreal feeling.

And so to a little final comment about the "Toronto Stadium". I am going to say it now. I think the smallest stadium in the tournament might actually be very popular with fans and players alike. The temporary stands are not exactly attractive from the outside, but on the inside of the stadium it does not look too bad, the fans are really close to the field (like 10-15 feet at the front row) and there is no running track or other barrier distancing the field from the players. They WILL hear you if you are close enough to the action. I know that much from TFC games.

They tried a dry run at the recent TFC -V- Inter Miami game and because Messi and co. were in town, they managed to pretty much sell out the stadium. They also implemented World Cup travel schedules on public transit and put the proposed entry procedures into effect to test it, and it has to be said, it all seemed to go pretty smoothly considering there were twice as many people as normal in the stadium. The atmosphere was pretty good with 45K in the stands, although with World Cup crowds I think it will be more raucous and louder than the Messi-hunters. Despite the result, a 4-2 defeat with Messi and Luis Suarez both on the scoresheet, the experience felt good. I looked around and wished the Tartan Army would have been drawn here. I think any team as loud and as passionate as the TA will make this stadium rock.

No Scotland No Party !