GLF 68: Graham's view from on high
SCOTTISH CUP - I wrote an article in the Dundee programme about how the Scottish Cup had become a predictable tournament with no shocks!
What happens, Dundee beat us and all hell breaks loose everywhere. Aberdeen beat Celtic after two games, then lost to Queen of the South in the semi.
Rangers then struggle to beat both Partick Thistle and St. Johnstone (who had beaten St. Mirren in the previous round) to reach the final.
Maybe this season some "magic" has returned to the old tournament with a First Division side in the final for the second year out of three.
Long may it continue…..
The only issue I have with this season's tournament is that once again a so called "diddy" team will qualify for Europe (hopefully as winners this time though!).
Thankfully they have fixed this anomaly for next season and only the winners can go through automatically.
HAMILTON ACCIES - In some respects I am delighted to see our local rivals make it back into the top flight after 19 years away.
I have seen them a few times this season, they have an excellent work ethic and a real team philosophy with no real stars.
They have an excellent mix of youth and experience, with the youthfulness of McCarthy and McArthur alongside Alex Neil in midfield. At the back they have excellent young players in Elebert and Easton.
Up front they have a familiar face to Well fans, Richard Offiong who has scored over 20 goals this season. He has certainly matured since his short spell at Fir Park under Terry Butcher, but it will be interesting to see how he copes with the SPL again.
They will also have to rip up their much talked about Plastic pitch, and it will be interesting to see how they cope with playing on grass every week!
DAFT RULES THAT HAVE CREPT IN - there have been a couple of rules that have been bugging me in recent weeks, when is handball actually handball, and when is offside actually offside.
The former hasn't affected Motherwell too much this season but on TV I have noticed a whole debate about ball to hand and hand to ball.
I can understand when the ball is struck at 100mph from about a yard that it is hard to keep the hand/arm out of the way but when it is from about 10 yards or more surely it is a clear case of hand ball.I have seen the ball deflected away from danger and no penalty has been awarded because it was ball to hand, I don't ever remember this being a concern when I started watching the game in the 1960's and 1970's.
Offside is another that has become too complex, with first phase, second phase and then active or inactive.This has now confused the officials so much I saw a goal for Aston Villa that hit a Villa player on the goal line who was behind all the Derby players and a goal was still given.
Time to simplify these rules, if it hits the arm it's a foul and if you are in an offside position you are offside - couldn't be easier.
Another one that gets up my nose is the "shielding" of a ball out of play, usually for a goal kick.I used to think this was okay when it was from a couple of yards out. This is now starting about 10 yards out, and for me is actually obstruction, and it is time this was clamped down on as well!
Minor rant over……
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS - why is there never any imagination shown in any of these awards each season!The Players themselves managed to pick Aiden McGeady for Player and Young Player of the Year, just shows what they know!!
At least they did pick Billy Reid from Hamilton as Manager of the Year, but that might look stupid if Walter Smith does manage to win a Quadruple!!
They also had good sense to award a special merit award to Phil O'Donnell.
Graham Barnstaple
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