Albania
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
Wales
World
Scotland
And we’re done: Scotland 0-1 Netherlands
Comments(13)After weeks of crunching the numbers, of trying to figure out who has to win, lose and draw to allow Scotland a chance into World Cup 2010, it’s now official – the Scots are out of qualifying. For those of you not obsessively watching today, we dropped our last qualifier 1-0 to the Dutch today at Hampden.
In a way, I wish it wasn’t so close. Though it hurt in a very different way two matches ago, when we were destroyed in Oslo 4-0, I truly believe that there is no loss as painful as one that could have been a win, and it’s damned hard to enjoy a valiant defeat. If we would have been outplayed, outmatched, as I frankly expected us to be, that would be one thing. But we weren’t. We met the third-ranked team in the world, the mighty Oranje, and we played with them. We didn’t let their supremely talented midfield boss us, we didn’t let their ridiculously deep squad of strikers beat us early, the way many expected them to. In what I consider the strongest performance of the George Burley era, we matched up well with one of the best sides in the world.
It may have been the best match of George Burley’s reign, but it will certainly be the last. The SFA has made no secret of the fact that the former Hearts gaffer had exactly one job requirement – qualify for the World Cup. This was no group of death like in Euro 2008. Aside from the Netherlands, we drew Norway, Macedonia and Iceland, teams that Scotland should handle, and that for the most part, we didn’t.
I’m going to hate myself for saying this … in fact I already do. We missed Kris Boyd today. We created chances, and as much as I would have loved to have seen the footwork of James McFadden on display today, he was not what we were most missing. Fads, as much as I love him, is not a pure finisher. We created chance after chance, close in and in many cases with the keeper out of ideal position. What we needed was a poacher, a Pippo, or yes, a Boyd. We needed a player that gets goals when they are handed to him, and Kenny Miller is not that player. He has scored some important goals for his country, and I don’t take that away from him, but he has also missed sitters that still make my eyes hurt to think about. In a system that plays so often with one man up front, that man needs to be accurate, a finisher, and the lack of that is what cost us today’s match.
It’s worth considering for a moment, though, what went right today. Our midfield was strong, our defenders, including all 39 years of Davie Weir, resilient. David Marshall stepped up in goal huge, playing in what was without any doubt the most important match of his life with almost no notice when Craig Gordon failed a late fitness test. Marshall’s quick hands and great positioning were the foundation of our performance today, and he deserves a massive pat on the back. He’s had a rough time in a Scotland shirt, including the 4-0 loss in Norway, but he gained hugely in my book today. Thank you, David.
So, it’s a night for mourning. I will be in South Africa next year, and I am personally devastated that my beloved Scotland will not take the pitch. That will take some time to sink in. Soon will come a time for rebuilding. Burley is gone, no question of that. If a meeting hasn’t been called in Glasgow yet, it will be by the weekend. Who will take us forward, I don’t know. The next major tournament is Euro 2012, which seems right now like a decade away. For now, all we can do is lick our wounds, and resign ourselves to watching from home, as England and perhaps more of the home nations pack their things for South Africa. There will be more glory for Scotland, but not now. Mon the Scots.
England in + Scotland out = Sweetest day in history.
Posted from 
United States
Ahh, the English trolls don’t take long to show up. Eugene, I will definitely be supporting the Irish if you make it. In fact, the next post on this blog will be about that very subject, throwing our support behind Ireland.
Oh, and to answer your question, I got match tickets in the first round of bidding back in March, and they were expensive, but really not much more than a Premiership ticket these days. I think they’ve gone up since then, but check out FIFA’s page for availability. The biggest thing that sucks is that you have to commit before you know who plays where. If you’re a member of one of the official Ireland supporters groups, you may be able to get tickets later through them.
I may be wrong, but looking at the table standings Scotland wouldn’t have made it through even if they won, correct? Oh well, there’s always 2012…
Drew – A win would have put us on 13 points, and second ranked (for now) among the second-placed teams, because of the weird and confusing system of removing the results against the last-placed finisher in each group other than ours. Anyway, doesn’t matter now, but yes, a win would have probably let us through.
From the Dutch blog again – Sad to see the Scots not make it. You have the best fans, the most courageous players and superb team work. Just dont have the super talent (Law/Jordan/Bremner etc) of one or two exceptional players. We were lucky and you were solid. Good luck in the future.
Posted from 
Singapore
Nevermind, who wants to go to South Africa anyway? It’s too hot and the noise fae those horns would drive a sane man doo-lally. No, Poland/Ukraine 2012 is where it’s all going to be happening.
(sob, sob)
Posted from 
Netherlands
It’ll be winter in South Africa though Seb.
Thought the Scottish NT played well and were unlucky. Not sure I agree with you about Boyd though. He’s got a reputation of bottling it big games. I think he has one or two, if any goals, with Rangers against Celtic, Hearts, Aberdeen.
Believe me, Matt – I’m as far from a Kris Boyd fan as it comes, after the way he abandoned his country. I just think we need someone who pokes in goals, and he certainly does that.
Aye who wants to go to South Africa anyway as Seb said – I had plans at any rate – getting married at the end of May and honeymooning in the Maldives 
at least now I can laugh at the English and the commentators oozing quotes on how England will win the World Cup because of how great they are and how brilliant Rooney is etc.
Mon everyone who plays against the English.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
Jan from the Dutch blog here…
Sorry for your loss guys. I actually would have loved to see the Scots at the WC. I do think you didn’t lose it against Holland, but against the smaller nations in our group.
Make sure someone tells Miller how to score a goal from that position, alright?
Jan-There’s a reason he was known as “Kenny Misser” in his time at Celtic.
Comments are closed
MORE EUROPE BLOGS
CATEGORIES & ARCHIVES
Ian
Purely out of curiousity, I’m assuming you have tickets for a match of some sort in South Africa next year. How was the process of getting them for you? Only that I’m halfway tempted to try and get some tickets, but I’m not sure what the process is like. If it’s too much money and too much grief, then I’ll probably give it a skip, but maybe you can offer some advice?
Watched bits and pieces of your game tonight, saw Miller smacking that mishit cross off the crossbar and O’Connor’s shot squirming past the post, then Elia’s goal. Couldn’t offer much of an opinion on the side, the only match I saw of the 8 was the 4-0 in Oslo, and the less said about that the better. Shame you won’t be there though. Maybe lend us your support if we get there?