OPTIMISM is always rife among supporters when a new season dawns. Past disappointments are forgotten and great things are eagerly anticipated every year. They are invariably staging protests and calling for heads to roll within a fortnight.
But there is certainly much to look forward to in the cinch Premiership, which kicks off today when Livingston host Rangers at the Tony Macaroni Stadium at noon, in the 2022/23 campaign.
Here are five things which it will be good to see in the next nine months.
VAR WORKING
Alan Burrows, the Motherwell chief executive, was at pains to point out that VAR, which is set to be introduced to Scottish football for the first time this season, will not be perfect and he was right.
Premiership games which are shown live by host broadcaster Sky will have 14 cameras inside stadiums which officials will be able to refer to when they are examining key flashpoints and contested calls. But other matches will only have six, sometimes eight, inside grounds.
That is far fewer than the Premier League have installed at venues down south. And English players, managers and supporters have not, it is fair to say, been entirely enamoured with some of the rulings which have been made in the past couple of campaigns.
Do not, then, expect modern technology to bring an to end complaints about the standard of refereeing in this country or the conspiracy theories which have long abounded in the game here. It is inevitable there will be a few teething problems initially.
But it is to be hoped that VAR makes a real difference. The outcome of far too many important encounters were decided last term because fouls and hand balls were not spotted, penalties were not awarded and offside goals were allowed to stand.
The days of saying “these decisions even themselves out over the course of the season” should have been consigned to the past long ago. With a bit of luck, our much-maligned match officials will get more big calls right than wrong thanks to VAR.
IT GOES TO THE WIRE
Last season was, unless you were a Dundee, Rangers or St Johnstone fan, entertaining and enjoyable. The transformation that Ange Postecoglou oversaw at Celtic was remarkable and the football that his team produced at times impressive. It was nip and tuck at the top of the table for a while as well.
But it was obvious in the final weeks of the season that the Parkhead club were going to be crowned champions. Their city rivals’ defence of the Scottish title fizzled out following the winter shutdown. An emphatic 3-0 victory over their bitter adversaries at home in February proved pivotal. They finally secured the silverware with a match to spare.
It would be good for the game in this country if the Premiership this term was a far more closely contested affair. It is now 11 long years since matters were decided on the final day. But both teams appear evenly matched following extensive summer recruitment. There is every chance it could be a classic campaign.
MANAGERS GET TIME
The lifespan of managers at big clubs is getting shorter every season. Job security is at an all-time low. It is now a case of when, not if, they will be tapped on the shoulder and handed their P45 when form dips and fans grow disgruntled.
But the treatment of Stephen Glass by Aberdeen, James McPake by Dundee and both Jack Ross and Shaun Maloney by Hibernian last season was still poor.
Yes, results had left much to be desired when they were sacked. But rookie coaches Glass, McPake and Maloney needed patience and backing. Of course they were going to toil at times given their inexperience in the dugout. Ross, too, was deserving of far greater loyalty too given how well he had previously done.
Clubs would benefit from standing firm when their followers are growing restless and taking a more long-term view.
FANS BEHAVE
Clubs waste little time identifying and banning morons – and there is, alas, no shortage of them - who are incapable of conducting themselves in a responsible manner for 90 minutes.
Those who make racist gestures, throw missiles or invade the pitch invariably find themselves charged by police for their imbecilic actions and told they are no longer welcome inside grounds. But matches are still marred by offensive chanting and incidents of affray on a regular basis.
Neil Doncaster, the SPFL chief executive, issued a statement this week urging warning that severe punishments will be handed out to anyone guilty of unacceptable behaviour. With a bit of luck, his words will be heeded and the focus will be firmly on football.
YOUTH GETS A CHANCE
The emergence of outstanding Scottish youngsters Connor Barron and Calvin Ramsay at Aberdeen, Aaron Hickey at Hearts, Josh Doig at Hibernian, David Turnbull at Motherwell and Nathan Patterson and Alex Lowry at Rangers in recent seasons has delighted anyone who cares about Scottish football and the fortunes of the national team
It would be nice if managers in the Premiership, despite the demands on them to get results, take a chance on a few more promising kids this season. They could reap rich rewards if they do so.
