Europa League

[Yngwie]

Tomorrow's back page headline should be "Tottenham run riot"

[CaleyD]

Can help feeling that they missed an opportunity by not playing Kaiser Chiefs as Tottenham took to the field.

[Renegade]

Oh dear, that wasn't very good. Really shows the poor standard of Scottish football compared to the Premiership.

[12th Man]

Scotland kicked out of Europe in August is a posibility.

[lukemackay]

i think we all knew the rift between scottish and english football before the game with spl team exept the old firm probably getting less than a million quid of tv money in compared to the premierships 20+ milion quid deals

[starchief]

I thought Hearts could have done something. Beforehand I looked at a teamsheet of:

Kello

Hammill - Webster - Zaliukas - Grainger

Black - Mrowiec

Driver - Stevenson - Templeton

Sutton

and thought 'that's a decent team'. I didn't think there was a 5-0 difference but there you go. They desperately needed to drop a player into defensive midfield as the 5-man mid was very square, allowing Van Der Vaart and Kranjcar to run riot.

Surprised Rooney didn't get on from Brum, considering what he did in the last game. Our fears may be coming true, that he just won't get the chance to stake a claim, no matter what he does. I find that quite ridiculous.

I'm really not sure that the OF will get through. Especially Celtic, if they can do nothing at home. All Rangers need is a home win, when they dominated away from home. Not easy but Scotland's best chance.

All very depressing.

[+DoofersDad]

We shouldn't exagerate the problem on the basis of one match. Hearts were tactically naive and giving away early goals made it mission impossible. Rednapp said after the game that it was as good as he has seen his side play. Had Hearts not let Spurs play but got in about them as they did at the start of the 2nd half, it might have been closer. The test will be the return leg. It will be a very different Spurs side and one which there is no way Rednapp would risk against any EPL opposition. A full strength Hearts side should probably beat a largely 2nd string Spurs on the night.

Hearts should go down there and take the opportunity to grab what they can. The people of Tottenham would expect nothing less.

[Heilandee]

The problem doesn't need exaggerating,no if's or but's, Scottish football is on it's arse big time.

[Alex MacLeod]

Scotland kicked out of Europe in August is a probability.

Fixed it for ya

[Yngwie]

Hearts should go down there and take the opportunity to grab what they can. The people of Tottenham would expect nothing less.

Indeed! I'd like to see a Hearts player being interviewed and saying "I'm confident we can go down there and nick something."

[ictchris]

I was hoping Ian Black would try to crock Tom Huddlestone, that would've been funny to see.

You get what you pay for in the end and Spurs wage bill is more than seven times hearts. Even so, it's a bit disheartening that they didn't put up more of a fight.

[starchief]

We shouldn't exagerate the problem on the basis of one match.

How about on the basis of losses this season to Maribor, Malmo, Slask Wroclaw, or losses last season to OB, Maribor, Utrecht, AEK or Braga. And we can go on to previous results against Icelandic teams, part-time Scandinavians etc etc.

Terminal decline.

[+MrCaleyjag]

It certainly is a time to be depressed about our game in European terms looking at results for the past few years like Starchief has said rather than one game, with the exception of maybe Braga as they are not a bad side, did they not beat Arsenal at home and do not bad last season in Europe.

It is a different style of play compared to the SPL and unfortunately the managers were tactically naive, Rangers had the game in the palm of their hand and should/could have been 2 or 3 up at half time, McCoist took of Naismith at start of second half put Lafferty on and went to a straight 4 in midfield, game lost Maribor took control and they were caught out. Lennon is still learning his trade and without seeing or hearing the game I can't comment but I really don't think Sion are any better than Dundee Utd and Celtic turned them over 5-1!! Hearts were just very naive and let Spurs play far too much, nothing can be drawn from that game as this is a team who were in the Champs League last year, turned over Inter Milan amongst others and got to the quarter finals.

I think had Walter Smith and Jim Jefferies been in charge of respective teams the results would have been very different, as for Celtic a man like O'Niell would have sent a team out and beat someone like Sion 4-0 easily. For the fans of those teams they have to realise their managers are learning at that level and while it is not good to watch and take

it's the level they are at.

Our game is certainly in decline in European circles and there doesn't seem to be a way out, we may now be restricted to the odd season where one team from Scotland actually does something but even then this will become very few and far between. We have been saying for decades we are getting worse and are in decline but nothing seems to be happening, our game needs a complete overhall from top to bottom.

[HumbersideDude]

Our game is certainly in decline in European circles and there doesn't seem to be a way out, we may now be restricted to the odd season where one team from Scotland actually does something but even then this will become very few and far between. We have been saying for decades we are getting worse and are in decline but nothing seems to be happening, our game needs a complete overhall from top to bottom.

You know,I know, majority of fans of all teams know that the game is in terminal decline. But until those at the top who have power and are making money from game get their act together, nothing will be done. These people, are happy taking money out of the game , feathering their nest, paying into their pension pot, and going on jollies with the national team, and stuff the game we all love and pay the money to watch!" They won't change anything , Turkey and Christmas...

[+jagster]

Every Scottish team is now out of Europe already and though not 100% sure I think every English team is still in. Even shamrock rovers are still in at the moment though that may change yet :irritated:

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Yip shocking results - makes Ayr result seem bearable....

What odds for both Old Firm managers sacked in the same season....not sure if that has ever happened before....

Edited August 25, 2011 by Tichy_Blacks_Back

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Every Scottish team is now out of Europe already and though not 100% sure I think every English team is still in. Even shamrock rovers are still in at the moment though that may change yet :irritated:

Fine win for Rooney and co - he played the full 90 this time....

[starchief]

There's got to be something we can learn from terrible results year upon year. I know some will say it just reflects Scottish football but we're constantly being tanked by teams whose players individually wouldn't get in our teams. I blame the kick and rush culture. Too many shin-plays in Scottish football.

[The Fly]

Quite an achievement for Sion to knock out Celtic - a town the size of Elgin in the Swiss equivalent of Morayshire - or is this really reflective of the state of Scottish football now?

[Yngwie]

FFS, you know it's been a bad night for our teams in Europe when when the nearest thing to a positive is that Hearts only went out 5-0.

[bauhaus]

McCoist knocked out of Europe twice in his debut season, Lennon knocked out thrice in two seasons. Only team in Europe to record a win to the next round was Hearts, only to then be mutilated at home.

Maybe the SPL will start the new season in April to give our teams a chance, and it could be argued we could get a better TV money deal with Summer football, better attendances, and pre season tours to Scandanavian countries also starting their seasons. The month early didnt help our European hopes at all

[Renegade]

According to Lennon, Celtic were "brilliant" apparently.

[starchief]

It's fine to blame it all on the red card, the early penalty and defensive reorganisation but only if Celtic hadn't been unable to bat Sion at home. The chances are they'd have been beaten anyway if that's the case.

Quite possible that irregularities may mean Celtic progress anyway. Much as I want Scottish teams to progress in Europe (and I most certainly do), I'd be embarrassed if Celtic go through. What an ill-deserved 'victory' that would be.

[Gabby]

This highlights the need for a 10 team SPL, without it Scotland out of Europe by August will be the norm instead of the exception.

[Ten4]

A ten team spl !! just so that celtic & rangers can do well (OR NOT) in europe?