Thoughts On Resolution 12 and The SFA

El Cormaco sits on his sofa and ponders the events surrounding the biggest issue facing Scottish football today…

An apology. Ralph suggested to me that I write something on Resolution 12 and what the letters posted on here last week mean. I tried a couple of times but discarded it all, there is nothing more I feel I can add to the analysis of their content that’s not already been said. Very Well
The work of the guys at Scottish football Monitor, Auldheid et all far surpass any comment I could add, and Rich’s recent articles on here lay the case out clearly.
As I understand It as a layman, UEFA do not allow any tax liabilities to be due when clubs are granted licences to partake in UEFA club competitions. For season 2011 / 12 competition Rangers had their licence signed off by the SFA, despite evidence appearing to show the SFA were aware there was an outstanding tax liability payable. The club (yes, those halcyon days when you don’t need to stipulate which part you were referring to, mind them…) were contesting this liability it is claimed, and on this basis the SFA did not consider it a liability, although UEFA regulations make no provision for them to do this. That this income was vital to the continuation of operations at Ibrox is beyond doubt, the club failed to qualify ultimately for any European football that season and went into administration and then liquidation thereafter.
That’s my understanding of the situation. The reason for anger over the issue is that the SFA have seemed to act in the interests of one association club and so to the detriment of others. The playing field was like the old Hibs pitch, sloped, uneven, unbalanced. In contravention of the SFAs own stated aims of applying the rules without fear or favour.

The issue is to do but not to do with Rangers. They were the recipient of the alleged “help” but really at heart it is to do with the lengths to which the National Association were prepared to bend/ overlook/ ignore or break its own rules and guidance to assist Rangers in a time of need.
Since 2011 there have been 3 Celtic managers, 2 Rangers football clubs, 4 Rangers/ Sevco managers – people have left their jobs, mainly due to poor performance. One constant is Stewart Regan, head of the SFA. In post in 2011, he remains so today, despite seeming to oversee and unfair application of the SFAs own processes, despite fearmongering aver the implications of a “Rangers” team not being admitted into the top league of Scottish football upon its reformation, with wild talk of “social unrest”. Despite overseeing a series of poor qualification campaigns by the National team. Despite pricing most fans out of being able to cheer on their national team by selling the TV rights to Sky. Despite a seemingly unending merry go round of “reviews” and “plans” and “strategies” to improve Scottish football from youth up which seems to break down every couple of months as someone else becomes exasperated trying to work with the SFA and departs their post. Despite scheduling of major domestic semi-finals and finals in stadia too big for the number of people who will be attending and on days and times that make it next to impossible for supporters, especially from the North, to attend. Despite seeming to see Scottish footballs commercial future as entirely dependent on a “normalisation” of “Old Firm” rivalries.
Regan is the only major public player from the February 2012 “Armageddon” period still in post from then to now, and given the evidence uncovered by respected organisations such as the Offshore game it is incredible to me that there is no appetite within the MSM to even give oxygen to this issue, if only as a wedge into getting the SFA to address some of its other glaring deficiencies.
I see often on Twitter fans from other clubs including our erstwhile rivals complain about the SFA.. Granted it’s usually from a very subjective point of view on “What was done to them” but sometimes your enemy’s enemy is your friend. Regan is detested by fans of most clubs, the SFA is derided by fans of most clubs, a cross club coalition of concerned fans is the only way we will see real change at the SFA inn my view.

I d urge people to engage with fans of other clubs whatever way they can, find the thing that angers them most about the SFA’s outdated, amateurish, arrogant, secretive approach to governing the National game and encourage them to join you in signing the petition as a way of getting to where they want to get to – real change, a new transparent and modern Association that listens to its customers and works fairly in the interests of all its members. And send Regan out the door as signal of intent to change
So sign the petition if you feel there is a case at least to answer rather than the usual “move along nothing to see here” response provided when any MSM person even engages briefly on the issue and try to get any fans of other teams you engage with in the pub or online or at a Scotland game to do the same.
I read a piece this am written by an American Muslim female immigrant who voted for Trump. She was angry about the Clinton foundation’s donations from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and overlooked the rhetoric from Trump on so many other issues that you might have thought would make her vote Clinton. It takes all sorts of people, with all sorts of reasons for getting involved, to create a movement…
Right, I’m stepping off my soap box, but if you really do want to see change in the SFA then remember the wise words of Yoda

“Do or do not. There is no “try”  “