Is it Phycological, is there something in us – that stops us from getting over the line, going that extra inch, grasping victory rather than yet more glorious failure.
I appreciate this is just football, and international football at that, but last night I just wasn’t surprised when Hungary scored in the 100th minute to beat Scotland 1-0.
Friends were texting last night with comments like “well at least we got to the finals”, “we were unlucky”, “the fans have been great”, “I’m proud of Scotland” etc etc. Putting aside that I think Steve Clarke has just got the selection, the formation, the tactics wrong in virtually every way a manager could, that is just my opinion, it still does not take away from the fact that something seems to stop Scots getting over the line.
Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one’s ideas, to take a calculated risk – and to act. Andre Malraux
As a people, a race, what do we lack? Do we lack self-discipline, do we give up too easily, are we afraid, are we just really great at excuses, do we fear responsibility, or are we so colonised by our integration into greater Britain (England) that our past is just that, the past, our history, our character, our resilience, our fight hits the wall at 98%, and we fail, again.
I just laughed last night when that goal went in, because it was what I was expecting, I actually said to my daughters’ boyfriend, “just wait, we will concede with seconds to go, it’s our way”. That is just sad though isn’t it, depressing, we wake up this morning with feelings of what might have been, if only this had happened, or that penalty had been given, and not to stretch the analogy too far, if only we could get a Section30.
Something stops Scots from getting over the line in too many areas of our lives, of our culture, our sport, our education, our achievement, and our politics. Until we can figure out, or agree, on what that is, and take action, I just can’t see anything changing.
So as the colony wakes up this morning, no doubt what ifs will be getting spoken about, if we had only got that penalty from the referee, maybe we need to stop looking at others, and look at ourselves.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
In both the political and sporting arenas we like to beig ourselves up as hard-headed tough guys and ‘bravehearts’.
The reality would suggest a combination of mental frailty and a lack of courage.
Duncanio
I would tend to agree, too many are full of it as the saying goes but there is something that underpins our lack of faith in ourselves, what we can achieve.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
And yet you have Glasgow Warriors.
20/1 before the quarter finals
10/1 before playing the Irish Champions in the semis
7/2 before facing South African Bulls in South Africa then coming from behind to win the trophy.
Talking about rugby, I remember Vern Cotter the former Scottish national coach from New Zealand saying that his team had all the talents to rival his home country but there was something in their heads stopping them.
Sorry but we need a total clear out starting with the Blue Blazer Brigade then the manager then last but not least we need a brand new anthem cos I will always be convinced that things started to go pear shaped from 2000 when Flower of Scotland became the anthem.
We also need a total clear out of politicians as well and replace them with Robin McAlpine and his Common Weal.
Andrew
Totally ignorant about rugby, sorry, but I don’t disagree with you at all. I don’t mind FOS but not as the anthem as the 90-minute patriots pee me off when they sing it, they just don’t get how colonised they are. I agree about Robin, if I were the SNP I would be taking his advice where possible, that is for sure.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
At least Glasgow Warriors have shown the way, they defeated the URC Rugby 2022 champions the Stormers in the 1/4 finals, the 2023 Champions Munster in Limerick (which is virtually unheard of) in the semi finals, and beat the bulls to be 2014 Champions in the most adverse conditions
Gordon
I am so ignorant about rugby, sorry. I played at school a little but was never a sport I got into at all.
Thanks for the information.
Bruce
As Henry Ford once said “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right”. Our problem here in the colony is that there are no real opportunities for the best educated and dynamic young people in our small population, (eg only 10% of the professors and lecturers in Scottish universities are Scottish, and Nicola Benedetti is the first Scottish person (and only woman) to lead the Edinburgh International Arts Festival in its 77 years of existence).
As a result all those Scots with real get up and go, do just that, leaving us leaderless and lacking vision and initiative.
Anon
I remember reading that there had never been a Scottish Director of the National Museum of Scotland, colonisation. There has only been one Scottish Chief Constable and he was only temporary, colonisation. Until we grow a pair nothing will ever change, I just have no faith that anything will change in my lifetime. I have no country, I am colonised.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce