Alan Pattullo: SFA still waiting for apology after V-sign disgrace

SOME have expressed doubt as to whether Barry Ferguson managed to make a lasting legacy as a Scotland player, such has been the amount of indifferent performances included throughout his 45 cap-long international career. However, yesterday's events at Hampden Park ensured that he should always be remembered as a catalyst for change.
From now on, regardless of level, all players chosen to represent Scotland will be issued with a code of conduct, one which will forbid alcoholic sprees which begin at 5am in the morning and continue until noon. Also included in a not-to-do list will be gestures of the sort spotted against Iceland last week, when Ferguson and Allan McGregor, his partner in both revelry and idiocy, reacted to being dropped with V-signs.

Gordon Smith, chief executive of the Scottish Football Association, yesterday admitted he was disappointed that this had needed to be spelled out in this day and age. As a former professional footballer himself, he was sympathetic to the extent he is aware how hard it can be for a player to wind down after a match. But a six-hour drinking session, he acknowledged, was hard to credit, particularly when one of the perpetrators happened to be the captain of his country.

Perhaps disbelief was one reason why the SFA appeared one step behind last week. The inclusion of a report from Scotland manager George Burley among the agenda items at yesterday's regular meeting of the SFA board was an attempt to draw another line under incidents which overshadowed Scotland's achievement in gaining what had been the minimum requirement of three points against the Netherlands and Iceland. A line had already been claimed to have been drawn under 'Booze-gate' last Thursday, but, Smith admitted yesterday, that statement had only referred to the Cameron House incident. When the gestures made from the bench came to light, Smith again spoke with Burley. By Friday it was decided to bar Ferguson and McGregor from playing for Scotland again. He felt the SFA deserved respect for such a forceful judgment, since neither player could be considered as being of no value to Scotland.

"This was not a reaction to Rangers," insisted Smith, in response to those who claimed Scotland had been inspired to act only following the Ibrox club's swiftly-made decision to suspend the pair for two weeks, with their pay donated to charity. As far as Smith was aware, although Ferguson and McGregor had apologised for the drinking spree, they had still not shown any contrition to the SFA for the offensive gestures.

The chief executive seemed happy to have been able to hear the facts presented to the 10-man SFA board yesterday. "There has been a lot of emotion in the last few days, and sometimes emotion kills the facts," he said. "The board members were unaware of what exactly happened, the timescale and who was involved. They are now aware of that. I was aware of it and that is why it was easy for me to understand the decision George made."

Burley explained to Smith what had happened at Cameron House on the Wednesday, hours before Scotland's most vital game in years kicked-off. He informed him why Ferguson and McGregor were on the bench, despite their behaviour at Cameron House. At this stage, said Smith, only the equivalent of a yellow card had been issued. Those who joined Ferguson and McGregor at the bar for a considerable time, but who chose to go to bed earlier, can also consider themselves 'booked'. "I will put it into football parlance for you," said Smith. "What happened on Sunday was a yellow card. What happened on Wednesday night was another yellow, and that resulted in a red card. The first incident could be regarded as a yellow card incident, therefore no-one gets sent off for that. But the two players were involved in two incidents. Two yellows make a red. I hope the football world can understand that."

What the outside world still fails to comprehend is why the drinking of any alcohol at all had been sanctioned in the middle of the night. This, surely, lies at the crux of the matter. If the players had been ordered to their beds on their return from Amsterdam then incidents described in a statement issued by the SFA yesterday as "an embarrassment to the national game" would never have occurred. Burley admitted yesterday that there had been no curfew, but the SFA board members absolved the manager of blame.

"George has just assumed that the players – all experienced players at the top level – would know how to act," said Smith. "There was food laid on from 4am. That was part of the sports scientist's advice. The players were also told they could have a beer and then go to bed. But there was no curfew.

"They (the Scotland coaching staff] gave the players some responsibility, and they were relying on them to be sensible. If a player sneaked out of his room after he had gone to bed is that then the manager's fault because he did not have the bedroom window locked? Or that there was no guard in the garden? You are relying on players to act in a certain way."

"The Board recognised that by taking such a tough stance on this matter, a crystal clear message has been sent out to current and future players that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated," concluded an SFA statement. "However, further tightening of procedures will now take place. A code of conduct will be issued to all players who are chosen to represent their country – regardless of level."

TIMELINE

29 MARCH

At 4am, the Scotland squad returns from World Cup duty in Amsterdam to Cameron House Hotel base at Loch Lomond. Food is laid on and players are allowed to have a drink. By noon, Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor are still in the bar.

30 MARCH

The story has yet to break, and the pair train with the squad as normal. By now aware of what has happened, Rangers manager Walter Smith speaks to each player and advises them to keep a low profile following their misdemeanour.

31 MARCH

Rumours of a breach of discipline leak out, and it becomes clear that both players are likely to be dropped for the match against Iceland the following day.

1 APRIL

In the morning, the SFA confirms the players will not face Iceland because of a breach of discipline. In the afternoon, it emerges the players will be listed as substitutes. This compromise backfires when Ferguson and McGregor choose to make V-signs at photographers from the stand. After the match, national team manager George Burley says he would be happy to have Ferguson as his captain again – unaware of the images that would be printed in the following day's newspapers.

2 APRIL

Burley and SFA chief executive Gordon Smith say that the players have been punished and the matter is now closed. Not so, counters SFA president George Peat, who demands a full report for the SFA board meeting on 9 April.

3 APRIL

Rangers manager Walter Smith sends home Ferguson and McGregor when they arrive at training. Later, Rangers confirm that the pair have been suspended for two weeks. It looks likely that they will never play for Rangers again. Now fully aware of the impact of the V-sign images, the SFA issues a new statement to say the pair will not be picked for Scotland again.

9 APRIL

SFA board meeting accepts Burley's version of events and re-confirms punishments meted out to Ferguson and McGregor, but Smith says he cannot predict what will happen in the future – avoiding any description of the punishments as life bans.

Taken from the Scotsman