The LOTW Diary- Tuesday Musings

After the weekends shambolic display, I decided to spend the bank holiday weekend away from fitbaw all together. So I watched r*ngers. Oh dear. If I wanted cheered up that done the trick. There is always someone worse of than yerself and the fare on show in Paisley was poor.

I’m really scunnered wie the hoops at the moment. So I decided that I would created a wee howf for maeself in the hut, a wee radio to listen to talksport- though in ma self imposed ban on all things fitbaw XFM was ma listening choice-, a cool box for some tennents and enough space for a deck chair. I even hovered the thing and have decided to gie it a wee lick of paint and do ma garden up when the season finished. Nae world cup to divert ma attention ye see, need to get ma time well spent.

Hopefully GS and the players done the same thing. A change is as guid as a rest and a few days withoot thinking aboot pressure, tired legs etc may have done the bhoys guid. Then again pressure is part of the joab and the excuse that the players are inexperienced at facing it disnny wash.

From the team on Saturday, Lenny, Arfur- who is looking, ahem, oot of shape, Magic, McGeady, and Naka all won the league last year wie the hoops. JVOH won a few titles wie the faltering PSV- and we thought we were in trouble- Lee Naylor won promotion in a high pressure play off final and Elvis, Caldwell, Riordan and Hartley can hardly be classed as wet behind the ears.

All 11 or 12 used had experience of high-pressure situations. O’Dea, who I never mentioned, has won titles wie the reserves and has handled the high-octane noise of the Milan tifosi. He has also looked oor most assured defender in recent weeks, which playing alongside a seasoned pro is no mean feat. Mind you the season pro is looking as shaky as an Iranian press conference.

Lack of character has been mentioned wie GS casting up Petrov and Hartson and also GS casting up the fact that he hadn’t planned to be withoot these players or Maloney at this stage of the season. GS is casting his own rod here by admitting in ma book that he husnae replaced these players and Maloney apart he has had 2 transfer windaes to do it.

Character is a buzzword for the wee man. He said JVOH had a presence on and off the park. I’m sure the big fellow has wowed the physios and club doctors then when his unmistakeable Dutch wit. Tommy G was another character that now spends his days entertaining the crowd behind the goals like some warm up act for a Blackpool miners welfare.

The main reason, for me, that Lenny still plays is because he is a character though that has been waning in recent weeks. He is looking most exasperated wie those around him. Like us he just wants this the longest title run in history- almost as long as the fight in the Quiet Man- to finish. Like us all I bet he is hoping that winning the league and hopefully a cup final will lift the club and make his final days enjoyable.

So what members of the young team could be characters? Big Mick is one, a strong level heided intelligent young man who come across in the mould of ceaser. Gary Caldwell again seems to be a meeja magnet when asking for a quote or an interview and surely the rumours of Deeks off field behaviour mean that he must be a character. Bundle of energy Naka eh? Mind you Deeks one man crusade against bigotry has to be applauded. If that had happened 20 years ago son yer starting place widnae be in doubt from one week to the next.

But I thought the wise ginger one once said that players win games not tactics. Does this mean he has changed his view and it is now characters that win games not players?

Surely it helps if yer characters are actually playing though?

Forza The Hoops