We’re not much for “optics” here at the Full Scottish. Things are either good or bad, regardless of how they “look.”
And the past fortnight has seen an event that was bad and looked it, and another that was good, even though it didn’t look so great. As they say in the Gorbals, “Wit?”
The Full Scottish
Served by Brian P. Dunleavy
First the bad news: Rangers sacked its sad-sack manager Russell Martin on the eve of the current international break, but not before the gloomy gaffer needed a police escort and special transport to make his way out of Falkirk stadium, the site of his final indignity (a draw) as bench boss.
Video footage shows a dejected Martin being kept away from an angry mob that also initially prevented players from boarding the team coach.
We’ve seen worse—at the Copa Libertadores, for example—but still.
Scotland national team Eye Prize
As for the good news, Scotland moved a step closer to the 2026 World Cup, clinching at least a playoff after a desultory 2-1 win over Belarus at Hampden on Sunday.
If Denmark also beat Belarus, the Scots would need a draw at Greece and a win against the Danes on the final group matchday at Hampden to make it to their first World Cup in 28 years. Those ties are scheduled for November.
Should a playoff be necessary, it would take place in March.
“You look at that table and it’s nice to see,” captain John McGinn told the press after the Belarus victory, while noting that the performance Sunday could and should have been much better. “I think people can get excited—we can get excited—but we’ve got a few weeks for everyone to stay healthy and come back for two really important games which could put us down in history.”
In other words, at least in some ways, things are looking good.