In August last year, the Scots won the Homeless World Cup in Paris. 
Its the second time they’ve won it. In the final they beat Mexico 4-3 in front of a healthy crowd. It’s a brilliant tournament. It raises awareness of issues around homelessness, it offers those who participate an incredible life-changing experience and the football is frequently spectacular. 64 national teams of homeless players took part in 2011, 8 more than took part in the tournament I volunteered for in Melbourne 2008. Armed with a press pass, I watched almost all of the games (a number of them with Martin Flanagan from The Age). I cheered Scotland through to the semi’s including a quarter final victory over the auld enemy and challenged Craig Foster on his vitriolic views on Scottish football. I also went to a presentation by social entrepreur, President and co-founder of the Homeless World Cup, a fellow Scot, Mel Young. Like the football played at the tournament, he’s sharp, grounded and inspiring.
The contemporary game in Scotland is often seen to be the opposite. Considering one of our most prominent clubs developed the notorious ‘anti-football’ style of play, the view is understandable. It would be easy to think the Homeless Team’s victory was the culmination of the country’s international footballing success, but the times they are a changing.
The country’s representatives at European level fell over the first hurdle (one Glaswegian club went out of the CL and the EL in the same month), but given a second bite one club, Glasgow Celtic, made a game of it, recording a embarrassmentless win and three draws against 2009/2010 winners Athletico Madrid, Serie A League leaders Udinese and Rennes, a team one point from third in the Ligue 1. Better yet, a young player from the same side, James Forrest, is included the group of 13 players on a FIFA list of youngsters to watch in the world.
Despite the perspectives offered in a less than objective press, the Scottish game is gathering some strength again. Instances of instrumental Scottish players in the EPL sides are on the rise and there are presently over 60 Scottish players playing in Championship sides. 
The game needs some room to breathe though and the doom and gloom brooded on at the SFA and the SPL is only apparent because they refuse to look at the bigger picture. Two major clubs may face administration, but it is not because of the state of Scottish game. On the contrary, it is down to greed and very poorly managed finances. In the case of Glasgow Rangers, their flagrancy amounts to financial doping administered by a greedy former Chair exacerbated by his successor.
If the game in Scotland was ever allowed to progress free of the nonsense and the bile and the Politics (and the politics) and draconian, sectarianism double standards, they might meet with the success of their Homeless World Cup counterparts. Do not mistake me for Ally McLeod here, but they would fare better than they have in the past. The times, they should be changing.
