Euro joy will help silence profits of doom

Jun 28 2009 Andy Walwer

IT'S ironic the SPL have just posted profits of £23million when Scottish football seems to be gripped by fear and uncertainty.

But the figures are sadly out of date because they represent season 2007-08 when the Old Firm enjoyed European success and Setanta's excellent TV coverage was at its peak.

Some of Europe's greatest clubs and players were coming to Glasgow on a regular basis and business was booming.

On the international scene Scotland had just failed to make Euro 2008 after an agonising defeat to Italy in the final qualifier.

But after the darkness of the Berti Vogts era we had our pride back and it looked as though Scotland could give anyone a game.

Fast forward 12 months and it's as if we exist in a different world.

Setanta's painful demise will almost certainly result in Scottish clubs cutting back on the size and quality of their squads.

Rangers and Celtic will be the only teams willing to pay transfer fees and big moves will be kept to a minimum.

English clubs hardly seem to have batted an eyelid over the collapse of their Setanta deal, with American firm ESPN stepping in straight away to snap up the rights.

The crazy spending down south is set to continue and Liverpool have just bought Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson for a mind-numbing £18m.

In complete contrast, Aberdeen won't spend a penny before their Europa League campaign and will instead rely on free transfers.

So new manager Mark McGhee will find it tough to make an impact in Europe and improve on last term's fourth-place SPL finish.

Our game badly needs a lift and we have to believe things will improve.

A new TV deal, however inferior it might be to the millions promised by Setanta, will be in place in time for the August kick-off.

Dismal Whether it's Sky or ESPN, a broadcaster will be found.

There's a market for Scottish football and we have to be encouraged by that.

The first chance for our game to get a much-needed boost comes in the early Europa League qualifiers involving Motherwell and Falkirk.

Can Well, under new gaffer Jim Gannon, give us a shot in the arm when they take on Welsh side Llanelli in the first qualifying round on Thursday? With only 14 first-team players registered for the game - and the rest of the 24-man squad made up from the Under-19s - it's hardly the ideal preparation for my former club.

Nancy outclassed the Steelmen in Europe last season but Welsh football is surely no match for the pace, power and artistry shown by the French.

I reckon Stephen Craigan and his men can take some sort of advantage to Wales for the return - and that will be enough to see them through.

Unknown Albanians Flamurtari are up next if Well see off Llanelli and I'm hoping the Fir Park men have enough in their locker to get through that tie.

That would leave them in the third qualifying round but they would still have to beat two more teams to make the lucrative group stage.

Our clubs were dismal in Europe last term and have to do much better.

We can't always look to the Old Firm for European highs so Well, Falkirk, Aberdeen and Hearts must seize their chance to shine.

Falkirk aren't in action until the second qualifying round when they take on Vaduz of Liechtenstein. And new boss Eddie May can surely steer mark his Euro debut with a win against the minnows. Aberdeen would then join them at the third qualifying round, with Hearts not in action until the final play-off for the group phase.

And I'm hoping at least one of our sides reaches the groups to set up some titanic tussles.

But playing so early in the summer means minnows can send our teams to shock defeats - as Rangers found out last season against FBK Kaunas.

Pioneering It's Celtic who face Champions League qualifiers this term and they could be drawn against giants in both rounds of games.

New boss Tony Mowbray will find it hard but the punters want European football as well as the SPL title.

If Celtic join Rangers in the group stage it will give the Scottish game a big boost. And a few good results from our Europa League hopefuls will also put a smile on everyone's face.

I WAS delighted to attend a marvellous send-off at the Supper Club on Friday for Radio Clyde's former managing director Paul Cooney.

Paul played a key role in Clyde's pioneering football coverage and also had a passion for the station's Cash For Kids charity.

He helped raise millions of pounds for underprivileged children and I wish Paul luck for the future..