
Scott Brown #6 of Scotland celebrates after scoring the opening goal, with team mates Kenny Miller and Darren Fletcher during the 2010 World Cup Qualifier match beteween Scotland and Macedonia at Hampden Park. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.
Oh dear. Scotland won a football match today. Ordinarily this is occasion for huzzahs and trebles all round. But, really, we all know that it's simply a matter of Delaying the Disappointment. To recap: for 50 minutes or so Scotland were dire. Against Macedonia. At home. Now all that's needed is victory over Holland on Wednesday, results elsewhere to fall into place and the trifling matter of a play-off against a better football team and we'll be joining England in South Africa next summer. And, hopefully, Northern Ireland too...
The disappointment, frankly, is easy to bear. It's the hope that gets you down. We're doomed but cling to the notion that miracles can happen. Then again, as a man once said... For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.
Stubborn things, dreams.
Filed under: Football (89 more articles) , Scotland (499 more articles)
Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Melanie Phillips | Coffee House | Faith Based
Actions: Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (3)
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
Andrew Sullivan
Ben Smith
Charles Crawford
Chris Dillow
Claudia Massie
Dan Drezner
Daniel Larison
Dave Weigel
Ezra Klein
French Politics
Global Guerrilas (John Robb)
Henry Porter
James Fallows
Julian Sanchez
Kerry Howley
Kevin Drum
League of Ordinary Gentlemen
Marc Ambinder
Matt Zeitlin
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
More than Mind Games
Mr Eugenides
Norm Geras
Our Kingdom
Outside the Beltway
Radley Balko
Reason: Hit&Run
Rod Dreher
Samizdata
Scottish Unionist
SNP Tactical Voting
The American Scene
The Plank
Tim Worstall
Toby Harnden
Will Wilkinson
Charlotte Gore
Iain Martin
Hopi Sen
Liberal Vision
Left Back in the Changing Room
1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk
Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844
62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk
Apollo Magazine | Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2012 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Beefeater
September 5th, 2009 9:58pm Report this commentSoccer is life.
Colin Campbell
September 5th, 2009 10:06pm Report this commentI think only Scottish people could have such an angst ridden relationship with their football team. Always hope..only to be dashed later.
Jeff
September 6th, 2009 11:56am Report this commentWhat a depressing post.
I am now hoping we beat Holland not just so we get to South Africa, but also to prove that pessimists can be disappointed after all.
So come on man, get your ginger wig on, a tartan scarf, a glass bottle of irn-bru and join in the singing.
'We're going to Jo'burgh, we are, we're going to Jo'burgh...'
Back to top