Post by staggerstag on Mar 24, 2019 13:58:46 GMT
I don't need my Easi-Trav portable barometer to tell me that it's warm here in the City of San Marino (18c, sunny, zero precipitation and a 5mph south south easterly breeze) It's perfect playing conditions in a game that sees Scotland trying to salvage some positives following the horror show in the recently renamed Kazakhstan capital of Astana (now officially known as Nursultan, named after President Nursultan Nazarbayev who resigned last week after 30 years leading the country - it makes you wonder if Astana FC will see fit to change its name accordingly)
"And San Marino...have SCORED" commentated an incredulous John Motson in November 1993 after Gualtiari stunned England by potting after just eight seconds. "I don't BELIEVE this!" continued Motson as England's World Cup USA 1994 qualifying aspirations seemed under threat.
So in a so-called microstate such as San Marino, a place where there is no national debt, a budget surplus, impressive financial connections, one of Europe's lowest unemployment rates, one of the wealthiest GDP per capita countries in the world, why is there no money for football?
The answer, of course, lies in the numerical population of the place, just over 33,000. It would never be profitable to pay millions to any top player to come here. He wouldn't swell the coffers in the Campionato domestic scene, he'd bankrupt them. With such a low population where is the incentive to splash the cash on building a national team that can actually compete? 33,000, I say again : you can't magic up a squad of world contenders from such a number even if you invested like Billy-O. It's a pity really as the place is delightful. There's money everywhere, except in football. It's even the country that has the highest per person rate of car ownership in the world, a country with more registered vehicles than people.
At any rate, it's time for Scotland to show us something. The wolves are at McLeish's door. Will he hide behind the sofa this afternoon or come out blazing with his blood-hungry gnashers dripping saliva?
Faithful Scottish fans have made the nearly 3,000 mile round trip to be here. They've tried to put their troubled minds on auto-pilot by visiting some of the many, many good things to visit here. The Torture Museum, the 13th century Three Towers fortress planted way up high on a hill several hundred meters above sea level, Liberty Square with its abundance of bars and cafés and its very own Statue of Liberty casting a watchful eye over proceedings, the Jambo Sri Parco (amusement park) for some lighthearted fun and a host of other things and places to enjoy in this small but captivating country.
If only they had a decent football team, though...Surely Scotland can't mess up against a team that has won just one game in its 154 game history (and that was a one-nothing friendly win v Liechtenstein in 2004)
Some Scottish fans are dining at La Terrazza, just a taxi ride south west of the stadium. It's set high up and there are wonderful views of the mountains and neighbourhoods around you from inside the restaurant or from its ornate al fresco terrace. Here you find delicious starters like Tomino alla griglia, a mouthwatering dish of grilled tomino cheese on a cream of potatoes and truffle (€11) and the Mazzancolle special of giant tiger prawns in tempura with a "zuccotto" of polenta and a sea urchin sauce, brought to your table fresh from the grill and not from a microwave oven - they don't know the meaning of the words here.
Popular main courses include the Tagliolino tirato al mattarello (lovingly hand-rolled tagliolini with a julienne of crunchy Parma ham and seasonal truffle at €13) Vegetarian options are severely limited here (there is hardly any call for them, it has to be said) but the Gnocchi di patate vegani comes in at €12 and consists of potato gnocchi with a pesto of pistachios, and a julienne of beetroot and is a vegan dish. Or try the Hamburger vegano, nestled on a carpaccio of tomatoes, black salt, Caesar sauce and spinach cruditee (€14) There is also the piping hot Zuppetta (soup €11) of beans and tofu served with warm bread which makes for a tasty veggie starter.
Enjoy the alternative menus as well, which include the Three Towers Menu (five small courses for €19) the Piatti Speciali Menu (consisting of ingredients sourced only in San Marino - €25 plus €4 per 100 gr of ribeye beef done in an old fashioned style) A very good tasting menu is worth a try at €25 and for the young ones the Menu Bambini is €12.50 and includes strozzapreti, a Milanese cutlet (with chips) and ice cream.
It won't take you very long to do the taxi ride up to the stadium and your driver will happily point out sights of interest along the way. For a few euros extra he will even attempt to speak in English for you.
In my earpiece I am hearing that three players missing from the Kazakhstan debacle are fit to play this afternoon. Robertson (dental surgery) and Paterson and Fraser (both with aversions to the artificial pitch in Kazakhstan) are back in the running.
Anything other than a Scotland win is unthinkable, and the book reflects that :
San Marino 40/1
Scotland 1/25
Draw 22/1
"And San Marino...have SCORED" commentated an incredulous John Motson in November 1993 after Gualtiari stunned England by potting after just eight seconds. "I don't BELIEVE this!" continued Motson as England's World Cup USA 1994 qualifying aspirations seemed under threat.
So in a so-called microstate such as San Marino, a place where there is no national debt, a budget surplus, impressive financial connections, one of Europe's lowest unemployment rates, one of the wealthiest GDP per capita countries in the world, why is there no money for football?
The answer, of course, lies in the numerical population of the place, just over 33,000. It would never be profitable to pay millions to any top player to come here. He wouldn't swell the coffers in the Campionato domestic scene, he'd bankrupt them. With such a low population where is the incentive to splash the cash on building a national team that can actually compete? 33,000, I say again : you can't magic up a squad of world contenders from such a number even if you invested like Billy-O. It's a pity really as the place is delightful. There's money everywhere, except in football. It's even the country that has the highest per person rate of car ownership in the world, a country with more registered vehicles than people.
At any rate, it's time for Scotland to show us something. The wolves are at McLeish's door. Will he hide behind the sofa this afternoon or come out blazing with his blood-hungry gnashers dripping saliva?
Faithful Scottish fans have made the nearly 3,000 mile round trip to be here. They've tried to put their troubled minds on auto-pilot by visiting some of the many, many good things to visit here. The Torture Museum, the 13th century Three Towers fortress planted way up high on a hill several hundred meters above sea level, Liberty Square with its abundance of bars and cafés and its very own Statue of Liberty casting a watchful eye over proceedings, the Jambo Sri Parco (amusement park) for some lighthearted fun and a host of other things and places to enjoy in this small but captivating country.
If only they had a decent football team, though...Surely Scotland can't mess up against a team that has won just one game in its 154 game history (and that was a one-nothing friendly win v Liechtenstein in 2004)
Some Scottish fans are dining at La Terrazza, just a taxi ride south west of the stadium. It's set high up and there are wonderful views of the mountains and neighbourhoods around you from inside the restaurant or from its ornate al fresco terrace. Here you find delicious starters like Tomino alla griglia, a mouthwatering dish of grilled tomino cheese on a cream of potatoes and truffle (€11) and the Mazzancolle special of giant tiger prawns in tempura with a "zuccotto" of polenta and a sea urchin sauce, brought to your table fresh from the grill and not from a microwave oven - they don't know the meaning of the words here.
Popular main courses include the Tagliolino tirato al mattarello (lovingly hand-rolled tagliolini with a julienne of crunchy Parma ham and seasonal truffle at €13) Vegetarian options are severely limited here (there is hardly any call for them, it has to be said) but the Gnocchi di patate vegani comes in at €12 and consists of potato gnocchi with a pesto of pistachios, and a julienne of beetroot and is a vegan dish. Or try the Hamburger vegano, nestled on a carpaccio of tomatoes, black salt, Caesar sauce and spinach cruditee (€14) There is also the piping hot Zuppetta (soup €11) of beans and tofu served with warm bread which makes for a tasty veggie starter.
Enjoy the alternative menus as well, which include the Three Towers Menu (five small courses for €19) the Piatti Speciali Menu (consisting of ingredients sourced only in San Marino - €25 plus €4 per 100 gr of ribeye beef done in an old fashioned style) A very good tasting menu is worth a try at €25 and for the young ones the Menu Bambini is €12.50 and includes strozzapreti, a Milanese cutlet (with chips) and ice cream.
It won't take you very long to do the taxi ride up to the stadium and your driver will happily point out sights of interest along the way. For a few euros extra he will even attempt to speak in English for you.
In my earpiece I am hearing that three players missing from the Kazakhstan debacle are fit to play this afternoon. Robertson (dental surgery) and Paterson and Fraser (both with aversions to the artificial pitch in Kazakhstan) are back in the running.
Anything other than a Scotland win is unthinkable, and the book reflects that :
San Marino 40/1
Scotland 1/25
Draw 22/1