I’ve Been Thinking…

Home Minister's Blog I’ve Been Thinking…

Thursday, September 10th, 2009 | Tags: Minister's Blog

I was at Hampden last night to witness Scotland’s brave, but ultimately futile, attempt to reach next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa. I had my older boys with me; they need to learn that to follow Scotland is all about pride…with winning no more than an occasional treat!
But almost as soon as the final whistle was blown, and in all sections of the Scottish media today, the question was being asked: should George Burley, the manager, be sacked or should he be given another chance to get it right? Coupled with that particular question was the ongoing autopsy about goals that should have been scored, other ones that shouldn’t have been conceded and, in general, which players cost us our chance of glory.
Why do we always need someone to blame? Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised – after all, blaming is as old as Adam and Eve…literally! Shifting blame and refusing to accept responsibility is pretty well endemic across humanity.
We would do much better to share the ups and the downs, the victories and the losses – in football terms, to win as a team and to lose as a team. Didn’t someone once say, “All for one and one for all!”
Same in all of life. You win some and you lose some. No need for public hangings. Time to move on.