Michael Matheson is holding Scottish football to ransom by threatening funding

[ian1964 10,761]

by GaryRalston

 

JUSTICE SECRETARY in danger of robbing the current generation of their sporting ambition, not to mention their long-term health.

 

ANY Scottish schoolkid who kicks a ball into Michael Matheson’s back garden can probably kiss goodbye to their Mitre Multiplex.

 

The justice secretary would surely put his garden fork through the pig skin, given his threat to puncture the dreams of a generation of grassroots footballers.

 

Margaret Thatcher stole milk from the mouths of kids in the seventies. Shame on Matheson, who is in danger of robbing the current generation of their sporting ambition, not to mention their long-term health.

 

His threat to cut £4million government funding to the game, spent almost exclusively on youth projects and facilities, is effectively using children to hold our game to ransom in his demand for strict liability. It is difficult to decide who left the SFA agm at Glasgow City Chambers on Wednesday afternoon with their brass neck shining brightest in the sun – Matheson or Hibs chairman Rod Petrie.

 

Petrie was forced to sit and listen to a 20-minute lecture from the SNP MSP in the

aftermath of chaotic scenes at the Scottish Cup Final, sparked by the decision of Hibs fans to invade the pitch, then attack Rangers players. Almost two weeks on and there has still been no apology from Petrie to the players and backroom staff affected by those

thuggish antics.

 

Petrie is in line to become the next SFA president – another grey, middle-aged, middle-class man ready to slide in, unopposed, to a position of power within the Scottish game.

 

His failure to make even the slightest conciliatory gesture to players over whom he will soon take pastoral control is a disgrace. His unwillingness to say sorry makes him look petty, vindictive and small-minded and raises legitimate questions about his ability to serve all clubs equally in his new role. He should resign or be ordered to step down.

 

Matheson’s bullyboy tactics as he tries to force through strict liability – or a version of it – are equally deserving of scorn, coming 24 hours after the Scottish Government’s wheeze to boost football’s image of among our kids.

 

A damning report revealed numeracy levels among our children show no improvement and in the case of P4 pupils has slumped again. The gap between rich kids and poor in Scotland is as wide as ever.

 

Hey, look on the bright side – if our kids can’t subtract 1998 from 2016 they remain blissfully unaware it’s now 18 years since Scotland qualified for a major finals.

 

Education secretary John Swinney appeared to lay a chunk of the blame at the door of teachers because they lack “clarity” on the importance of literacy and numeracy.

 

SFA member clubs also apparently sat in stunned disbelief as Matheson pointed the finger of blame squarely at football for a range of society’s ills, including sectarianism, anti- social behaviour, domestic abuse and our unhealthy relationship with the bevvy.

 

What next – Derek McInnes being forced to shoulder responsibility for the slump in North Sea oil revenues?

 

This government is in danger of re-positioning Scottish football as a standing stone around which all our nation’s ills are piled when in truth it’s nothing more than a barometer of bad politics.

 

It is the job of Holyrood to create decent employment opportunities, housing and hope for thousands of Scots who have been sucked into a downward spiral of anti-social activity fuelled by poverty and despair that manifests itself in occasionally shameful scenes within our football grounds.

 

It’s little wonder Matheson walked off to a wall of stony silence after ordering the game to get its act together or the Government will do it for them.

 

Earlier this year his government knocked back funding for clubs as they sought to introduce facial recognition technology to root out serial offenders that’s in place in virtually every leisure centre in Scotland. No money, they claimed, as civil liberty campaigners screamed at the injustice of the demand, ignoring the video cameras trained on innocent fans from stadia tracksides by Police Scotland every week.

 

Strict liability works for UEFA, Matheson argues, so it will work here – but clubs are right to have reservations, even if the principle has merit.

 

Who pays for the civil service, makes appointments, guarantees its independence and oversees its governance?

 

Will all senior clubs be monitored every week? Is a racist or homophobic chant at Annan less serious than one at Aberdeen? Which songs will be banned and which chants outlawed? Are Rangers fans more guilty of sectarianism than Celtic supporters who frequently claim their expressions are political? Why should Raith be held

responsible when Rangers fans turn up at Stark’s Park and sing the Billy Boys or Stranraer be fined when Celtic fans chant about the IRA in south-west Scotland?

 

Will political expression be forbidden altogether, including stadia adverts for local MPs and MSPs? Would flags of various nations be allowed? At what point does freedom of expression give way to political censorship and would a challenge by fans find backing in Scots law?

 

If the big two in particular are uneasy about sanctions when they have taken all steps to prevent fans falling foul of legislation, the financial consequences for Scottish football could be catastrophic.

 

How long before Celtic and Rangers refuse tickets for away games and tell their fans not to travel in case they run the risk of a stand closure at Ibrox or

Parkhead or, worse, a points deduction?

 

Matheson has threatened to legislate anyway but if he’s not careful clubs might just be in the mood to let him have his way.

 

Government intervention in the Scottish game would bring down the wrath of FIFA on the SFA and might just lead to sanctions against our clubs and national team.

 

It would be a brave MSP of any political hue, particularly the SNP, to tell the Tartan Army they’ll be staying at home for the foreseeable future.

[der Berliner 3,803]

Could it be that 80% of this is political posturing?

[ian1964 10,761]

''Petrie is in line to become the next SFA president – another grey, middle-aged, middle-class man ready to slide in, unopposed, to a position of power within the Scottish game''.

 

Maybe explains the defence of this tool and his club by the SFA?,it just gets worse!

[Germinal 27]

Crikey, we might be held responsible for our actions! Quick lads, call a tame journo!

 

Of all the keech in that pile of ordure is the idea that the public purse should pay for facial recog software. Fitba has burned thru millions, they can't expect freebies for things like that.

 

Bottom line is football has run out of time and options and to a large extent public sympathy. It either acts or will be acted on. No more room for the likes of Petrie to airily dismiss assault as exuberance. The government that acts is accountable, every three years, to the voters. We'll see who's more popular, football clubs or that govt.,but I know who my money is on.

[Tannochsidebear 2,429]

I am getting worried about this, as SL will only target one club.

 

Ralston makes a few good points in that for a change, in that it stinks of posturing from a failing government who wants people to look elsewhere and not at their own shameful record in power.

[ranger_syntax 4,422]

I would beg Matheson to withhold all money that the government pays to Scottish football. No strings attached.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I'm afraid the majority in Scotland are blinded by Unionist hating Nationalisim to be concerned about silly little things like tax, education and jobs etc?? So I wouldn't be holding my breath on the SNP being out of power anytime soon.

They will look to target anything to deflect away from an appalling record in power where they treat the electorate with contempt. So expect any attack on football(especially big bad British Rangers) and a full on assault towards a second neverendum. They haven't found it too difficult to hoodwink the Scottish people in the past, FM says she understands the mentality of the Scottish people? It would seem she does!