Talking Sport with Kevin Craigens
LEAGUE’S FATE NEEDS TO BE CLEARED UP SOON
Football is a crazy game. Everything can be going well one minute, then the next it’s all up in the air.
That was exactly how I felt when I heard talk of Spurs being deducted six points and consequently forfeiting the league trophy they had won last month.
They allegedly played an ineligible player during a league fixture in July. Spurs took the three points on the dale against Whitedale and this had a bearing towards the final standings of the Ocean Kinetics Premier League and, of course, the fate of the trophy.
Although decisive action, one way or the other, has yet to be confirmed by the Shetland Football Association.
But I have a degree of sympathy for both the milkbags and Whitedale in this messed up situation.
I have played in a team where we were on the wrong side of a defeat but progressed in a cup because of eligibility rules.
The rules are rules and should be followed by everyone involved.
However, at an amateur level, does one man really make a difference in a match? Who knows.
Some of you might argue that it would be pure speculation if you had to say what the score would have been when Spurs hosted Whitedale at Seafield on Wednesday 30th July and they left the offending player out of the team.
I’d be tempted to stand with you in that argument. To say that one player made the difference does an injustice to the rest of the Spurs squad - who undoubtedly did their jobs effectively - considering they kept a clean sheet.
On the other hand, a rule has been allegedly broken. And without those rules football in the isles would be like the Wild West.
I can only hope the authorities come to a conclusion soon and explain exactly why they have come to their decision.
FANTASTIC SCORING FEAT IS INCREDIBLE MILESTONE
Congratulations must go to Valkyrie Charis Scott who has scored more than 1,000 points for the women’s rugby side.
Reaching the milestone means she also broke a club record at the same time.
Considering the sports awards inclusion nominee has reached the feat in 56 appearances is astounding.
Speaking to this newspaper a few days afterwards, Scott’s humbleness shone through.
Firstly she was unaware of the achievement and even then, she said none of it would have been possible without the players around her and the coaches on the sidelines.
And while that is true in every team sport, Scott still has to be in the right place at the right time to clock up each and every one of those points.
RODGERS RESIGNS
Awful, atrocious, dreadful, ghastly and gruesome. Some of the words I found in the thesaurus when I was thinking about the state of affairs for Celtic.
I even saw a tweet which billed the upcoming 2nd November Old Firm fixture as “the stoppable force versus the moveable object”.
To steal a phrase from Scotland talisman John McGinn, the best way I can think of to describe how Celtic have been playing so far this season - in a family friendly way - is “jobby”.
That was how I had began to write this part of my column on Sunday. I was hoping for change on the park and off it for Celtic.
But what a difference a day makes.
Within 24 hours of me wondering what it would take for Celtic to change manager, and perhaps even in the boardroom, Brendan Rodgers handed in his resignation.
After a 3-1 drubbing at the hands of league leaders Hearts, the Northern Irishman packed his bags and taken some members of his coaching staff with him.
And it has been coming for a long time, for a host of different reasons.
First of all, the football on the park has been anything but what the support wanted to see.
Secondly the tensions between Rodgers and the board have been unbearable to watch.
The summer transfer window was a nightmare, which culminated in Rodgers throwing his players under the bus.
He described the squad as a “Honda Civic” when he wanted to drive a “Ferrari”.
Not quite the leadership you might expect in any profession, is it?
I am far from the person who should be deciding the next permanent manager at Parkhead but from the bookmakers list I saw early Tuesday morning, I thought Marco Rose, Michael Carrick and Kjetil Knutsen were the most interesting of names.
But for the time being I can only wish temporary gaffer Martin O’Neill the best. He was the man in charge when I was growing up and some of my fondest memories as a Celtic fan were during his very successful tenure as boss.
However, that leaves one thing left to be changed at the club. The board.
What will happen now? I dread to think sometimes but most likely nothing.
ALL STARS IN MY EYES
And finally, congratulations to all of the nominees for next month’s Shetland Sports Awards.
Each and every one have had terrific years.
I’m not sure I could even disagree with any of the selections for any of the categories or pick more suited candidates.
Hopefully everyone has a great night.