Keeping with in the spirit of doing things differently this pre season, the 1st team have a different type of challenge this Saturday with our second pre season game.

We have been invited by Craigie Amts in Kilmarnock to play a pre season challenge game for a trophy with a bit of hospitality afterwards. Generally we play all our pre season games in and around Glasgow against opposition who play in our league set up. While we will be doing that the following week against Windlaw, this Saturday promises to be a welcome change to the norm.

We previously played Craigie in a West of Scotland Cup tie 2 seasons ago. We narrowly lost 3-2 in that match so it will be interesting to see how both teams have progressed since then. There is also the added personal incentive for me to do well as Craigie is one of my former clubs having spent a season with them in the mid 90’s.

Craigie’s manager, both then and now, was a prolific goalscorer in his time as an amatuer player and like myself, Campbell continued to play into his old age (only kidding Campbell) and has a great appetite for the amateur game.

So, we look forward to Saturday, both to a new experience and hopefully to bring back the trophy to Glasgow.

So we had our first pre season game on Saturday. The 1st team played a team made up of 2nd team and morning players to shake of the Summer rustiness and get the boots on for the first serious kick of a ball of the season.

It goes without saying that its been a blow to lose so many players over the summer. Its never happenned before but then again we’ve never had such a young team before so inevitably people will move on when the leave university and get jobs in other areas. However, as i’ve always said, quality is more important than quantity and and we had some good quality on show on Saturday.

A couple of well taken goals and some nice football made it an enjoyable game for the 24 boys who took part. What was particularly good about the game though was that due to reduced numbers, (holidays and a Saturday morning kick off causing most of the absentees) 22 of the 24 players got a full 90 minutes under their belt. This is very rare in pre season so it was a real bonus for the guys who played.

It was also good to see a couple of new guys in action. Its always good to have a couple of new players, especially when they are good quality players, at the start of a new season as it gives everyone a boost and refreshes the squad in a positive way.

So, we look forward to a good weeks training at Kirklee and another game next Saturday which promises to be a toughie down in Kilmarnock.

So I stepped off of the plane this morning to wind and rain and a grey sky. Hard to believe I was in Marrakesh 24 hours ago and it was 47C. Anyway, because of the way my flights worked out I missed last nights first pre season session, the first pre season session I have missed in 12 years!

Luckily we have an improved pre season venue where the pitch will cope much better with any rain. It should always be an exciting time of the year as the new season approaches. However we have had a couple of disasters with the rain in the past but we will be better prepared this season.

Anyway, I cant wait to get my boots etc ready for tomorrow night and start to sweat off the Moroccan Tajine and Flag Speciale!

Having been lucky enough to see the great Holland teams of the 70s it was really disappointing to watch a dutch team with loads of talent at its disposal employ two thugs in De Jong and in particular Van Bommel to destroy by fair means or foul any creativity in the world cup final.

De Jongs assualt on Xavi Alonso was sickening and god only knows how Van Bommel got through this tournament without a red card or suspension!

I can understand why lesser teams with limited talent would employ certain types of tactics; thats perfectly understandable. But does a team with Van Persie, Schneider, Van Der Vart et al available really need to play like this? Were Holland really that intimidated by a fairly one dimensional low scoring Spanish team!

Thats not how Cruyff, Neeskins and Krol would have done it, they would have risen to the challenge and refused to compromise.

Morocco like everwhere else in the world is gripped by world cup fever like every other country. I have lost count of the number of fake Messi, Torres et al strips I have seen on the backs of everyone. The kids kick replica Jabilani footballs across the dirt and beaches. It shows that football is indeed the peoples game which is articulated really well in an articlewhich Ciaran sent me. Hopefully he has posted it on the forum.

What it says is what I have always believed in. There should be Opportunity for all and there is no I in team.

I have noticed from the website that the Scotland manager is coming to take a training session, did he read about the 1st team coaching vacancy I wonder? Seriously; this is a great event for the club; well done to those who have brought it about and hopefully it will be a great event for the kids and coaches alike.

So the pre season schedule is planned and has been distributed to the boys. Hopef ully they are looking forward to it. Its always nice to get a  break from football but you never want it to be too long! Well I don’t anyway! Hopefully the guys have had the good sense to stay in shape and do some training over the break. I know that some of the guys have been playing regularly and some have been out pounding the streets (always a good idea to stay in shape) and I am sure quite a few have been in the gym.

We are doing things a bit differently this year which is great as its always good to freshen things up. We have a new venue as Ruchill Pitch is finally out of bounds as its being built on. (Another grass pitch bites the dust). But we are moving onwards as despite it being sad to lose the venue we now have the opportunity to try something new. Kirklee pitch is an excellent grass surface in a good location. The only downsize is that there are no hills!

Also, we are going to train all 3 teams together for the 1st two weeks at least. This allows the guys to get to know each other a bit better and also to experience different coaches and their methods. And; this year’s training programme has been designed by Davie Kelly, this also will give things a freshness and the opportunity for a new experience.

So, pre season looms again and as much as it often seems that things stay the same, things are in fact constantly changing. I am sure we are are looking forward to it!

Its an old cliche but the first rule of defending is to clear your lines. This was highlighted last night when no less than Brazilain Superstars Douglas Maicon (twice) and Dani Alves absolutely hoofed the ball up and out the park in order to clear their lines and avert danger!

It made me think about our second last game of last season when we were under attack and big Andy skelped the ball the way he was facing, out the park and bought us time to get organised and clear the attack.

Big Andy’s grasp of the fundamentals of basic defending was met with many unflattering shouts from the soon to be beaten opposition. However, the first rule was proven to be right. And if its good enough for Brazil, its good enough for NKU

I am sure I am not alone when I say that I was not heart broken to see a younger, better organised and motivated German team knock out England’s “Golden Generation” yesterday.

We all watch the Premiership and enjoy watching the great English players do their stuff. However, while being a good league the Premiership is not as good in terms of quality as Sky actually hype it up to be. At least 12 teams out of the 20 involved just want to survive relegation. Also, there is a massive percentage of foreign players and money talks; so young players must find it hard to get an opportunity and to develop.

Anyway, however good these players are, the bottom line is that you need to win it on the park. You win nothing by sitting in a studio, writing for a newspaper, or talking on a radio station and proclaiming that you have the best players, therefore you have the best team, therefore you are bound to win. Life, and in particular football, doesn’t work like that.

Its often said but its so true, we don’t actually hate the English or their players or their team, what we hate is the disproportionate media coverage which if far far far over the top!

As at the end of any season we lose a few players. Mainly due to work commitments like Ciaran’s this year or students coming to an end of their studies and moving away with work like Paddy’s this year. However, its always disappointing to hear that guys are thinking of moving on for other reasons (particularly if they haven’t had the respect to discuss it with you and you hear this from others) as, as far as I can see there are very few better run clubs who have a real commitment to improvement and development like we have.

Our goal every season is two fold. To improve the team performance from the previous season and for each and every player to improve their game.

I am pretty sure (infact I know) that there are very few clubs who hold both of these ambitions. Many have the first but very few the second. As a club we have over 30 SFA qualified coaches and this alone explains our committemnt to player development. We have better training times and facilities than most other clubs. We have better match pitches than most other clubs. I would argue you that if you don’t develop with us, then you’re probably not going to!

Big Pino from last season but one is a great example. He was a very good players when he came to us. However after a year with us and hard work and good lsitening, he has gone home a much improved player (his words not mine) to training facilities and coaching far below our level (again his words not mine).

So, what I would say to any players thinking of moving on, for whatever reason, think before you jump, the grass is not always greener, as they say!

I’m just back from my now annual Santa Ponsa trip with the guys. This year was busier than ever as there were about 40 of us. The make up of the group is mainly current and ex-players, mainly from senior level. The large numbers and football life domination of the group means that we were able to get a proper game nearly every day. The heat was stifling at times and the hangovers plentiful but we still managed to get a decent standard of game 4 days out of the 5.

I know I am a football obsessive but you should meet some of these guys. I am doing well I think playing at 42, but some of these guys still want to play every day and they are in their Sixties ( and I mean they can play). Lots of them are now playing over 35s football which is becoming more popular too. It was a great experience once again to play in a game where the age range could be 14 – 61. It just shows once again that age is only a number, its appetite for the game that counts!