Monday the Fourth

There's not been a friendly since Bannock-burn, in any meeting between England and Scotland and yet, following the totally one sided exhibition match that was the opener in the Rotterdam tournament, the underwelming gnashing of teeth and toys being thrown out of the pram from the 'mighty hoops' was a joy to hear.

'It doesn'a mean anything', 'it was jest a friendly', 'look at the money they've spent', ........yeh right!! Scott Brown didn'a think it was a friendly, neither did Barry Robson, both of whom showed the kind of tackling abilities that put the frighteners up Cowdenbeath and Stenhousemuir. The amazing thing about watching that game was the difference in abilities and tactical awareness between the two clubs. This was Celtic, Scottish league winners for three in a row and going for four by all accounts. This was a team that has got to the knock out stage of the Champions league. This was Celtic..........yeh right!!

Sometimes, we find it difficult to put games into prospective, this was one of those. For me, we played them off the park in all aspects. We were so much better, it was unrealistic. Were Celtic that bad or were we that good?

So onwards and upwards, 'twas the Germans next. Following their first game, a re-run of WW2, where they laid waste the port city of Holland, surely Borussia would be a sterner test. Wrong.......OK, Gomes had a couple of saves to make in this one, but thank god for that, I was wondering if we would ever see him in action. 3-0, with goals of skill and speed and youth. The last in final few minutes, showed what a difference the new training is making. No tired limbs here folks, O'Hara, Lennon, Smith, O'Hara......goal.

So there it was, the Scots and the Germans in one weekend. Just the Italians left before the important stuff starts. Friendlies? No such animal!