Have Scotland been in their own technical recession ever since a 3-1 international 'friendly' defeat to England at Hampden in September?
THE international break is to the sports desk what one of those mysterious “in-service days” must be to teachers. Does anyone outside ofhave any idea what our pedagogues get up to during those liminal episodes in the school term? Tomfoolery on the kids’ play equipment? Karaoke machines? Suitcases of wine? No, come to think of it, that was No.10 during the Covid lockdowns, wasn’t it?
Speaking of the finance sector, on Thursday morning the Office for National Statistics confirmed that the UK had entered a technical recession in the second half of last year, although their figures showed that theoverall grew marginally across the whole of 2023. Cue Tory Chancellor Jeremy Hunt claiming the results as proof that his economic plan is working while opposite number Rachel Reeves of Labour insists that the opposite is true.
The glut of goals conceded in the three competitive fixtures during this six-month spell compound this sense of a malaise. Yet, the 2-0 defeat in Seville to Spain aside, draws away to Georgia and then at home to Norway helped to seal qualification to just our second major finals since the World Cup in 1998.
This week, as club physios give players the once over to check if they have returned from their international camps in one piece, the cinch Premiership will get back under way as we turn into the final straight of the domestic season.
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