Munro praise for the Vikings

DOUGLAS CAMPBELL

9 Dec 1996

Hearts 0 Raith Rovers 0

AS Iain Munro spoke, a tall, heavily bearded individual stood six feet away positively glowing with pride as he scribbled.

The guy looked like an extra from The Vikings, and after Munro had said his piece, the Norwegian journalist introduced himself to the Raith Rovers manager and the pair disappeared from view, deep in conversation.

What had pleased the stranger was Munro's glowing praise of the Scandinavian way of tutoring their young men in the finer arts of kicking a ball around, methods that, to Munro's way of thinking, the people who take to do with such matters in this land could mimic in some way for the good of those who warm seats in the grounds on Saturdays.

Munro, along with a few others at Tynecastle on Saturday, was a little fortunate in that at least they did not have to dig deep to witness what was dished up in the name of entertainment.

The paying customers, especially those with maroon and white draped around their necks, must have taken their leave of the old stadium feeling just a little cross, and informed the Hearts management of their disgust by roundly booing their men as they trooped off the field.

But enough of gloom, in this season of being merry, let us discuss the lighter points of Saturday afternoon in Gorgie, and three in particular - two from the frozen northlands, and one man from Glasgow.

When calm and order were brought into play, it was a safe bet that the ball lay at the toes of either Vetle Andersen or Kent Bergersen, the reasons that our pen-wielding Norsemen had made the trip from Oslo.

"I am a great believer that the game is about habits," said Munro.

"The players must have an understanding of the game, and that is the one thing that I think is wrong in this country.

"We teach our youngsters to compete very early, before we teach them the skills of the game and one thing that the two Norwegians have done is brought balance and discipline." Munro added that faults within the Scottish system are in the process of being overcome, the pity is that it has taken so long for the wrongs to have been identified - a fault that, says Munro, cannot be left at the door of Norway.

The man chatted about having seen, as well as been in Scottish teams which, in the not-too-distant past, had left Norwegian sides wondering what had hit them, but Munro added pointedly that as Rosenborg had just reached the quarter-final stage of the Champions' Cup, that land's footballers have come a long way in a short time.

However, there was a Scot on the Tynecastle grass who looked the part, was always to be seen when trouble raised its head, and who appeared to actively seek possession.

When mentioning the name, David Craig, the unkind out there may utter those demeaning words: "David who?" But the Raith man is no ordinary defender.

It is not for this Glaswegian to send the ball clattering into row Z in the stand when clearing his lines, instead adopting the build-up approach which seems alien to most other Scottish defenders.

Now the point gained in Edinburgh enables Raith to leave bottom position in the premier table Next league games - Hearts - Aberdeen (h); Raith Rovers - Motherwell (A).

FOOTNOTE q IF the fare on the pitch was a little unappetising, spare a thought for the youngsters who manned the refreshments kiosk in the Gorgie Road end.

There was almost as many of them as there were customers in that stand, so their afternoon must have been a barrel of laughs.

Taken from the Herald