The Scotland Epistles Football Magazine

I would much prefer it if we didn’t play Northern Ireland [or England or Wales] in a friendly match again. These games need a competitive edge [at least to get the Tartan Army motivated/animated in numbers] so I’m all for resurrecting the oldest international football tournament in the world – the British Championship- and I say that as someone who votedfor independence. Re-name it the British Isles championship if you must and concentrate on the geography not the politics. It’s worth remembering that there’s a trophy up for grabs and with four teams competing that gives it the edge over the Kirin Cup [three teams] and the Ashes [two]. It might be an idea however to play the Wales and Northern Ireland games in Aberdeen or Edinburgh where full houses would probably ensure a much better atmosphere than a half-full Hampden – a vociferous Irish support notwithstanding. I would rather watch ‘Championship’ games to many of the ‘powder-puff’ friendlies I’ve seen and I think they could be better for giving certain fringe players a try -out or alternatively we could seek to re-introduce League Internationals but hold on a minute for that’s a completely separate hobby-horse/article of mine.