Exclusive: The Great Con of Europe & how Rangers defied the impossible – part 3
In the final part of our investigation, we posit a very bleak picture and a dramatic solution…
The dreaded coefficient is averaged over a five-year period,
and Scotland will in the next two years soon get rid of its two lowest scores.
Then there are the countries above us. Currently, four of the countries above
us (Greece, Croatia, Switzerland, and Belarus) will next year lose their highest
scores in the last five years. Because of this statistical fluke, Scotland
looks like we will be able to leap-frog many of the teams above us, and it now
looks like was we are in line to take 14th position in the Coefficient table. A
jump that would not have been possible if Rangers had not reached the group
stages last year.
and Scotland will in the next two years soon get rid of its two lowest scores.
Then there are the countries above us. Currently, four of the countries above
us (Greece, Croatia, Switzerland, and Belarus) will next year lose their highest
scores in the last five years. Because of this statistical fluke, Scotland
looks like we will be able to leap-frog many of the teams above us, and it now
looks like was we are in line to take 14th position in the Coefficient table. A
jump that would not have been possible if Rangers had not reached the group
stages last year.
Position (2018 (2019)) Country
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
13 (13) Czech 3.875 7.300 5.500 5.500 6.500 2.300
14 (15) Greece 6.200 5.400 5.800 5.100 5.100 3.900
15 (18) Croatia 6.875 4.500 5.125 5.125 5.750 4.125
16 (14) Denmark 2.900 5.500 8.500 5.250 4.875 2.625
17 (20) Switzerland 6.900 5.300 4.300 6.500 3.900 2.800
18 (16) Cyprus 3.300 3.000 5.500 7.000 6.125 3.625
19 (24) Belarus 5.500 5.125 3.000 3.250 5.500 2.500
20 (17) Serbia 2.750 4.250 2.875 6.375 6.000 5.250
21 (19) Scotland 4.000 3.000 4.375 4.000 6.750 6.500
22 Sweden 3.900 4.750 2.750 5.375 4.125 4.500
However, despite this being fantastic news, and another
couple of wins each for both Rangers and Celtic would substantially improve our
position next year, there is still one problem and that is one trip in just one
year can dramatically affect a country’s place in this table, and it is
designed to be far easier to drop down the table than it is to climb up the
table.
couple of wins each for both Rangers and Celtic would substantially improve our
position next year, there is still one problem and that is one trip in just one
year can dramatically affect a country’s place in this table, and it is
designed to be far easier to drop down the table than it is to climb up the
table.
Taking a totally hypothetical situation, even if all four
Scottish representatives had qualified for the group stages, Scotland would
still have only picked up 13 points. Remember England gets 23.5 points before
kicking one single ball.
Scottish representatives had qualified for the group stages, Scotland would
still have only picked up 13 points. Remember England gets 23.5 points before
kicking one single ball.
Then, if each Scottish team did the impossible and they all
got 4 wins and 2 draws each, with one team being in the group stages of the
Champions League and three teams in the Europa League, Scotland would then be
able to gather an incredible 40 points (yeah, I know it’s not real, but the
point is to get this amazing haul, the Scottish contingent would have played a
combined total of 56 games of football, with no loses and only 8 draws in that
series).
got 4 wins and 2 draws each, with one team being in the group stages of the
Champions League and three teams in the Europa League, Scotland would then be
able to gather an incredible 40 points (yeah, I know it’s not real, but the
point is to get this amazing haul, the Scottish contingent would have played a
combined total of 56 games of football, with no loses and only 8 draws in that
series).
If we look over the border at England, assuming Wolves had
lost in the qualifiers, and only 6 teams remained, England’s 6 surviving teams
only would have to each win 2 games and draw 3 to get 42 points for their national
coefficient, and with that terrible record they would still be moving ahead of
an almost-perfect Scotland.
lost in the qualifiers, and only 6 teams remained, England’s 6 surviving teams
only would have to each win 2 games and draw 3 to get 42 points for their national
coefficient, and with that terrible record they would still be moving ahead of
an almost-perfect Scotland.
The number of games played by English teams in this
hypothetical example is just 36. That is 20 games less, a substantially worse
win rate, and Scotland would still lose ground on England in the coefficient
table.
hypothetical example is just 36. That is 20 games less, a substantially worse
win rate, and Scotland would still lose ground on England in the coefficient
table.
No matter how you look at it, the game is rigged, and the
damage is every time Scottish club gets any good players, the rich teams from
England come calling and we are left to look around for the next great talent.
damage is every time Scottish club gets any good players, the rich teams from
England come calling and we are left to look around for the next great talent.
And the worse thing is, just one bad result, and the
coefficient comes tumbling down, taking the entire country with it, which makes
one wonder why loud-mouthed reporters from the Scottish Newspapers are all
screaming left, right and centre to everyone out there to buy the very best
Scottish players and take them away from Scottish clubs.
coefficient comes tumbling down, taking the entire country with it, which makes
one wonder why loud-mouthed reporters from the Scottish Newspapers are all
screaming left, right and centre to everyone out there to buy the very best
Scottish players and take them away from Scottish clubs.
Games are sometimes won and lost by a single moment of
genius, and the fewer players we have that can manage to do that magic on the
big stage, the more chance we have of crashing out of the qualifiers early.
genius, and the fewer players we have that can manage to do that magic on the
big stage, the more chance we have of crashing out of the qualifiers early.
We at Ibrox Noise can only see one way for Scottish clubs to
move up this stupid coefficient table, and that is for everyone to start
working together. There is actually a world out there beyond the Scottish
border with England, and it will need newspaper reporters, the SFA, and the
Scottish teams to start trying to raise the Scottish game, rather than always
working to hinder those who are trying their best to raise the Scottish
coefficient.
move up this stupid coefficient table, and that is for everyone to start
working together. There is actually a world out there beyond the Scottish
border with England, and it will need newspaper reporters, the SFA, and the
Scottish teams to start trying to raise the Scottish game, rather than always
working to hinder those who are trying their best to raise the Scottish
coefficient.
Otherwise, they moneymen will win, and Scotland will sooner
or later drop down the rankings again.
or later drop down the rankings again.
Newspaper have to stop peddling transfer stories, and to
stop trying to get the very best players moved out of the Scottish game.
stop trying to get the very best players moved out of the Scottish game.
Morelos might not be popular amongst Celtic fans, because
his presence means Celtic now have a real race on their hands, but do we have
to have a fake story every week about yet another club who is looking to sign
our best striker.
his presence means Celtic now have a real race on their hands, but do we have
to have a fake story every week about yet another club who is looking to sign
our best striker.
Finally, a team will come looking, and buy the top players
in Scotland, and we will suddenly find our national game is no longer all that
exciting to watch.
in Scotland, and we will suddenly find our national game is no longer all that
exciting to watch.
Think about it. You never see English newspapers shouting
every day about all the top talent in England that should be sold to Spain.
They want to keep their best players, and the press truly help the English
clubs.
every day about all the top talent in England that should be sold to Spain.
They want to keep their best players, and the press truly help the English
clubs.
Our press does just the opposite, they attack players for
the smallest mistakes, and they constantly try to sell Scotland’s best players
to “so-called” better leagues.
the smallest mistakes, and they constantly try to sell Scotland’s best players
to “so-called” better leagues.
Scottish football is facing a difficult time. UEFA has
stacked the table very much against us, and sadly the Scottish press have made
the decision to make the challenge even more difficult. Being blunt, the
Scottish press is no longer helping the Scottish fans who dream of seeing just
any Scottish team at the top of the footballing world.
stacked the table very much against us, and sadly the Scottish press have made
the decision to make the challenge even more difficult. Being blunt, the
Scottish press is no longer helping the Scottish fans who dream of seeing just
any Scottish team at the top of the footballing world.
And yet… it could be so different. Couldn’t it?