The Stark realities of Scottish Football By Chris Mac - July 27 2005
I read today the fortunes of Alan Mahood in todayâs Daily Record and his journey in to oblivion and disillusionment with football in general. I though there was a real point to go with this story that seems to have been totally missed.
I have copied the full Daily record piece for you to read before saying my piece.
quote FOOTBALL: ALAN'S NOT IN THE MAHOOD
ALAN MAHOOD is close to hanging up his boots after admitting he has lost his love for football.
seen proposed moves to junior clubs collapse and is already seeking employment out with football.
Mahood was released by his first club Morton following a brief return to Cappielow from St Johnstone last term.
He said: 'Kilwinning were on the phone with Bunnion (Paul Wright) asking if I fancied it but when I said what I was looking for , which wasn't a fortune, I never heard back.
'The same happened at Penicuik although their gaffer said he'd try and get a local business to sponsor me with wages.
'To be honest, I am scunnered with the whole situation and I have kind of fallen out of love with the game.-quote
Whether you rate Alan Mahood or not is immaterial at this point this could have been any number of players who can no longer make their way in the senior game. Airdrie as the example have had to cut budgets to stop loosing money many other clubs have had to and will have to do the same. Maybe a new generation of teams coming through the ranks will be able to do something different, find some way of balancing the need to meet players wage demands and stop milking the fatted calf that is the clubs die hard support.
Yet at the moment the Scottish game is haemorrhaging, itâs dying on itâs feet and neither the S.F.A, S,P,L or the S,F,L can see a way forward it seems. There has been many open debates on many forums concerning this, the Scottish Executive ran a national audit of what people thought was needed to stop the flow of life blood, yet still nothing has been done.
The S,F,L have made a start by looking at the introducing play offs, whether this will work is still to be seen the final result wonât be known until the end of the season.
Yet the big problem is how to address the falling gates and still meet the demands of playerâs wages.
Raising gate prices is not the answer, yet no one is willing to take the risk in lowering them.
Lower playerâs wages and you get professional players like Alan Mahood withering in no mans land looking for his next pay check.
Milking what little support that sticks with your club, will only go on for so long.
Some things got to change and soon.
