Scott McDonald and Kris Boyd

[David Votoupal]

Anyone noticed how Scott McDonald and Kris Boyd, since joining Middlesbrough, have struggled to score goals whereas in Scotland they had chances handed to them on a plate. And Scotty Mac has yet to find the target for the Socceroos.

Can this be taken as a definitive reflection of the poor standards of the SPL? Of current Scottish players there's James McFadden, Darren Fletcher and Charlie Adam but not much more than that. It's not far-fetched to say now that the A-League is not far off or will overtake the SPL in standard.

I guess it shows too that despite the doom and gloom about the A-League, it's by no means the worst, not by a long shot.

[Stobes]

A-Leauge the same standard as the whole of the SPL including the Old Firm? Perth Glory or NQF the same standard as Celtic, Rangers, Hibs or Hearts?

[sevengoals]

Standard is one thing, history, football culture, community another.

[David Votoupal]

Look at every Scottish top-flight team from 10, 20, 30 or more years ago and compare them to today. Same with the national team. It's not a pretty picture. Even the Rangers and Celtic teams of their barren years had technically better players than today.

It's hard not to think Scottish football's problems are also a by-product of Scottish society's ills.

[Stobes]

I can't help but feel this thread has little to do with McDonald and Boyd and more to do with the fact you dislike the SPL...

[David Votoupal]

No it's not. I absolutely love Scottish football's heritage, history and so forth. But an open and honest discussion on solving Scottish football's problems, from grassroots to the SPL and international level, is required. The idea of the Old Firm moving to England gets floated around but this will be of no benefit to anybody- not least to the majority of Scottish clubs who do it tough as it is already.

Even if the standard has hit rock bottom, it's not an entirely hopeless cause.

I used the McDonald and Boyd cases to illustrate some of the problems at hand.