European qualification

[JamesMcClean]

Following yesterday, we’re clearly realigning our ambitions now from those at the start of the season. From wanting to avoid the bottom two, top 6 is not just an aim but likely a probability. We’re 10 points clear of 7th with a much better GD and even if we have a poorer points return in this next round of fixtures it’s still unlikely to be insufficient to at least get top 6.

However obviously there is a big chance of achieving much more than this. But here’s the rub - deep down do we really want European football at this stage of our development cycle? It would be way ahead of where even the most optimistic of Arabs would have expected to be and very likely those in the Club as well. I look at provincial teams that qualify for Europe (and even the New Club this season) and European qualification is actually a bit of a poisoned chalice. You only have to look at ourselves two years ago but also look at the likes of Killie, Hearts and St Mirren this season, the SSBs last season and numerous others along the way. The fact is that although it’s a bit of a jolly the truth is that it places huge demands on a Club in terms of expanding squad size and quality in a relatively short period of time and the finances required for this plus the big one, which is normally an early start with a curtailed pre season and if you?re incredibly lucky (which if we finish 3rd will happen) then having to juggle midweek games with weekend league fixtures. History shows that Scottish Clubs (mostly bar Celtic although they struggle at times too) have great difficulty negotiating such schedules and it’s not uncommon to see teams who had done well and qualified the previous season subsequently struggling in the League the following season.

So are we ready for this? Personally I think the jury is out. I would have my concerns following on from two years ago and is it something the Club would have remotely even thought about preparing for back in July last year? Would it have implications for who gets kept in May and who gets released? Lost and lots to think about but in the meantime let’s just keep winning…..