The English perspective on our sport remains unchanging, doesn’t it?
We are always subjected to absurd taunts from those to the south about how even their grandmothers could excel in our league, dismissing it as a playground for amateur teams. The continual patronizing tone from that region becomes tiresome as it never evolves; it’s always the same snarky comments from individuals largely ignorant of our sport.
Characters like Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara, and now even Jeff Stelling of Soccer Saturday fame, contribute to this narrative. Stelling’s recent remarks, criticizing the upcoming Glasgow derbies, sparked controversy. In his Talksport segment, he suggested that English fans would be indifferent to these old firm clashes since, according to him, the teams face each other “every week.”
The disinterest Stelling displayed towards these encounters is quite puzzling, especially given the massive viewership they typically draw. The record-breaking Sky Sports audience for the previous Glasgow Derby clearly contradicts his statement.
Such remarks only reveal the narrow-minded and patronizing attitude often displayed by those immersed in the Premier League towards our football. Our game thrives on passion and character—qualities sorely lacking in the money-driven EPL. Players like Matt O’Riley have even attested to the unmatched atmosphere experienced in Scottish games compared to those in England.
Despite any financial disparities, our game remains vibrant and spirited in a way that the EPL struggles to replicate. When individuals like Stelling and others at Talksport comment on Scottish football, they do so from a standpoint of inadequate understanding, making surface-level judgments without true insight.
Stelling’s suggestion to disregard the rest of Scotland’s teams only contributes to the ongoing misrepresentation and lack of appreciation for the depth and soul of our sport.
“For heaven’s sake, one can’t help but hear every English football fan chiming, ‘Rangers facing Celtic again? Surprise, surprise!’
Should they not make it a weekly affair, disregarding all other matches in the process?
How clever of a suggestion, don’t you think?
A spectacle that encompassed it all.
An engaging back-and-forth battle.
Last-minute levelers.
The heightened drama of penalty shootouts.
Culminating in sudden death.
One couldn’t have wished for more from a match.
And all this excitement against Aberdeen, yet why bother with them when we could play Rangers every single time?
Have you ever heard such nonsense in your life?
Despite my reservations about Ally McCoist, at least he stood his ground and put Stelling in his place:
‘Jeff, I must point out that our interests up here aren’t influenced by what every English football fan opines!’
The match yesterday was commendable, R*s versus Hearts.
And what about Saturday’s showdown, what a spectacle it was. Celtic-Aberdeen, a thrilling encounter, ending 3-3 with Celtic prevailing on penalties. What a footballing showdown.
MCCOIST IS RIGHT, WE DON’T CARE ABOUT THEIR OPINIONS.
However, we do take notice when they scrutinize our game the way they do.
It reeks of entitlement and ignorance.
It’s fair game to critique football with a grasp of its intrinsic dynamics and complexities.
If you’re clueless, then keep quiet and hold your tongue.
Stelling is just following the Talksport narrative.
Degrading himself to the level of buffoons like Cundy and O’Hara.
But I can guarantee one thing to him.
A multitude of fans worldwide will be glued to their screens for the upcoming Glasgow derbies.
Simply because it’s the most fervent derby in world football.
Nothing in England even comes close.
That’s just a plain truth.”
