Vladimir MvTavish: Left in limbo – getting knocked out of the World Cup is not easy
Who knew it was going to be so difficult to get knocked out of the World Cup? My goodness, things have changed since the old days. Back in the day when we used to qualify regularly, going home early was the simplest of tasks.
Scotland used to regularly manage t through a heady mix of bad luck, injustice and bad judgement, but no little style.
Back in 1974, there were sixteen teams in the tournament and the maths was simple. If you didn’t come top or second in your group, you were home.
Simple as that. Indeed, in West Germany fifty-two years ago, we beat Zaire in the opening game, drew 0-0 with Brazil and then 1-1 with Yugoslavia. That was a win and two draws which was four points, five by modern standards.
And yet were still eliminated on goal difference, despite being the only unbeaten team in the tournament.
In fact, drawing with Yugoslavia in 1974 was quite an achievement, it would like drawing against five separate countries nowadays. Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Hertzogovia, North Macedonia, Slovenia, possible others I’ve forgotten. Unbeaten or not, our two points and 2-0 goal difference were not enough and home went. It felt very unfair at the time. It feels more unfair now.
This time around we have a bloated tournament of forty-eight countries.
Later this weekend, by the end of the group stages that will have been whittled down to a mere thirty-two (or twice the embers of 1974 starters).
Only sixteen teams are eliminated, It was easier to stay in than it was to eliminated. That’s no way to run a competition. Technically, it’s barely a competition.
Yet at the Euros in 2024, Scotland were on their way home after their customary three games, one of the elite six to be knocked out. So, this time two years ago, the Tartan Army were packing up their kilts and pipes and heading home. Having the charmed the people of Germany with their endless bonhomie and party spirit, they were leaving the rest of the continent to get with the serious business of football.
Not this year. We’re all left sweating on results elsewhere to see if our -3 goal difference will be enough to see us through on three points. And in the near-certainty that it won’t . This is an improvement on the old system? Not for Scotland, it isn’t.
Fo the players and management, they are in the ridiculous limbo of training for a game that may never take place against as-yet unknown opponents.
They’ve already been away from home for weeks, so I’m guessing a lot would have been happy to pack up on Wednesday knowing we’d just missed out, rather than hang around for four days like some hopeful party guest, to be told last thing on Sunday night that we weren’t good enough after all.
The old system which eliminated the only unbeaten team may have been harsh but at least we knew where we stood. Scotland have brought a lot of fun to this world cup. I suspect the last few days have not been much fun for any of them, players and fans alike. They deserve better than this endless excruciating wait. Bin this limbo next time around.