The summer DIY season is well underway but Ian Maxwell has warned the Tartan Army Hampden may only get a lick of paint if the UK wins the right to host to stage Euro 2028.
Scotland and the rest of the home nations are the frontrunners to be named hosts of the tournament when the announcement is made in September but SFA chief exec Maxwell admits the profits on offer from the UEFA event don’t tally up to the figures generated by the originally proposed push for the 2030 World Cup. And that means plans for a major renovation of the national stadium are unlikely to go through - a revelation that has left the Hotline regulars feeling short-changed.
Jim McSorley, Bothwell, said: “Surely an upgraded Hampden has to be a priority for the SFA. It's a must that both stands behind the goal are moved closer to the pitch like the renovation to the Mercedes Benz arena in Stuttgart. Fans and players both deserve the increase in atmosphere this would bring.”
Gavin MacLeod, Renfrew, added: “Ian Maxwell needs to have a word with himself. Hampden has been crying out for development for years. If the SFA can’t afford to do the job properly, there needs to be bigger questions asked. If an international tournament isn’t the catalyst, what will be?”
But Nick Campbell said: “Rather than pouring more money into the Hampden white elephant, a bid for 2028 should be viewed as an opportunity to retire the national stadium in style and start to rotate our prestige fixtures around all other Scottish stadia.”
Maxwell also gave under-pressure Scotland boss Steve Clarke his backing this week after his side’s failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup.
But John Scott, Grassmoor, said: “This weekend marked the 24th anniversary of our last game at a World Cup finals. An entire generation has never seen Scotland at the biggest show on earth.
“John McGinn and Andy Robertson had just progressed from potty training in 1998 while some of today's squad were not even born. Yet Ian Maxwell wants us to believe we're making progress.
“So much so he believes Steve Clarke deserves the same backing the Irish gave Stephen Kenny. It seemed lost on him as he sat in the posh seats in Dublin, that Ireland had just mauled Scotland 3-0. It could have been seven. There's an unprintable definition for the acronym SFA and it's exactly what they do for our game.”
RIght, back to the club game and the perpetual Old Firm squabbles.
Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, added: “Had to laugh at Harry Kewell's story in Friday's Daily Record that when Ange Postocoglou phoned him to offer him a job at Celtic he was attending another interview at the time. The question is, did he get offered the job in McDonald’s?”
Stephen Johnstone, Ardentinny , added: “Celtic are splashing the cash, for what? Just to get knocked out of the Champions League and parachuted into the Euro safety net competitions, leaving them with a hefty wage bill for players signed on long-term contracts and possibly looking at a new manager if big Ange fails to make the group stage next time?”
Celtic fan Michael Emonds, Northampton, took issue with a caller last week who branded the 1967 European Cup won by the Hoops a ‘defunct competition’, saying: “George Wilson says Celtic supporters have to go back 55 years to when we won the now ‘defunct’ European Cup, that’s laughable, especially when he claims 55 title wins for his team when 53 and a half of those titles were won by a club that’s been defunct since 2012!”
Tommy Turner followed up to say: “Oh the irony from George to assume Europe's top club football competition is ‘defunct’ because it has changed its name whilst ignoring the ‘liquidation’ of his own favourites in 2012. Love it!”
Finally, Hibs fan Kevin Lord, Drylaw, emailed in: “I hope Hibs' signing of McGeadiy isn't just to keep Paul Hanlon company in the treatment room or Ryan Porteus company in the stand. What a waste of resources.”
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