Last night Scotland deservedly beat Spain by 2 - 0 in their second game of the European Championship Qualifying stage. This was not a shock result, this was the result of an ongoing process carried out by manager Steve Clark, a process that has had it's ups and down's over the period he has been in charge. Scotland, the nation that not only invented the game of 'Football,' but developed the Laws of the game as they now stand, alongside the 'Scientific Football,' that saw them dominate the game before the Great War, has been through a tough time recently. Until Steve Clark took charge Scotland were on the way down in football levels, last night they revealed the results of hard work and team discipline which combined with decent tactics and the always required luck, saw them return to the world stage, a stage they have not appeared on since at least 1998.
There has been moments when things looked like they may improve, only for them to fall down all around us. Individual players of quality have appeared occasionally, but sadly too many lacked the quality, the managers the tactics, and hope that rose soon dissipated. Questions can always be asked regarding how some players or managers obtained their place, eyes always glaring in the Glasgow direction at such times, but today is not the time for recriminations today is the time for hope and encouragement. Hope that a renovation of the Scottish League to suit all sides rather than two will occur. Hope that clubs can develop young players, especially those who are capable of making it overseas in places such as Italy. Encouragement for those already involved, in spite of their obvious limitations, to continue to give all and develop on the field individually and together. This is a time of hope, at last Scotland can look forward into the football future with hope, much development still is required, but as a man once said, "This is not the end, but it is the end of the beginning," or something...
Humza is swearing in himself and his new cabinet as we speak. Each will have been carefully chosen to support the cabal that has undone the independence debate over the last few years. To begin with offering Kate Forbes a lowly job at 'Rural Affairs' can only be seen as an insult. Her supporters are also beginning to turn down the low jobs offered them. This cannot be the way to unite the SNP. What this man has done is to force half the SNP people who voted for Kate to one side as if unimportant. This politically is dangerous as they will then gather around her and Ash Regan, we have no idea if she has been offered a post as yet, and form a powerful opposition to Humza within the party. This sort of behaviour make the SNP look like the Conservatives and can only lead to disaster. Maybe we can ask again regarding Special Branch operations with the SNP?
I came across this on Twitter this morning, 'Which' offering an idea of the rise in prices at the major supermarkets. As they say, Aldi and Lidl remain cheapest, but still it gives a good indication of rising costs.
I noticed this as I scrutinised my bread in Tesco after reading this. The fancy type of bread I like, instead of the 'Plain Loaf' variety, now costs either £2:25 or £2:40, according to taste. It was not that long ago it cost £1:60 or £1:80. Now Brexit is too blame indeed, other factors such as rising energy prices, transport costs, slight wage increases must all be taken into account, but for me the real reason prices increase is greedy supermarkets! They have us all on the end of a lead. There is little opposition to a large supermarket, other than a large supermarket. In my reach lie Sainsburys and Tesco, up till now Tesco were cheaper, but lately they have been catching up with the crooks at Sainsburys. There is a Lidl up the road, too far to walk these days, but I never found them cheaper anyway.
Now I can survive this, I simply do not spend on what I can no longer afford, I buy the cheapest stuff if required to. Some however, suffer. Gas prices like electric are doubling for me, or at least so they say, what may happen will no doubt be different, and many will struggle to cope. Many of these will be working people at that.
Remove the government where the PM pays less tax than the workers, where MPs line their pockets on second jobs, and bring in a government of the people, for the people. Hold on, I see a problem here. The opposition do not know what a woman is, they have no policies bar getting the 'red wall' votes, and Keir Hardie is turning in his grave at what they have done to the workers. Maybe an election is not the way forward after all...?
