STUTTGART, GERMANY - JUNE 23: Anthony Ralston of Scotland runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Dominik Szoboszlai of Hungary during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Scotland and Hungary at Stuttgart Arena on June 23, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Chris Ricco - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Keith Jackson has claimed that that Tony Ralston played at the European Championships while ‘suffering from an inferiority complex’.
There might be a few sticks to beat Ralston with, he isn’t a wing-back and had very limited playing time at Celtic last season but he certainly has no inferiority complex.
Back in 2017 he made his first team debut in Celtic’s Invincible season, a year later he was facing Neymar in the Champions League with his appearance against Hungary his 12th full cap on top of appearances at u-19 and u-21 level.
Ralston has stood in and competed with Josip Juranovic and Alistair Johnston at Celtic with Croatia and Canada more recently at the World Cup Finals than Scotland.
Despite all that evidence Jackson decided to highlight the Celtic defender as he summed up Scotland’s early return from Germany:
Reflecting on Clarke’s position as manager and the failure to use James Forrest in any of Scotland’s three matches, in the Daily Record Jackson claimed:
Especially when Forrest looked perfectly capable of replacing Anthony Ralston at wing back and offering some attacking threat to a side which was so blunt it actually beggared belief?
Clarke’s team was screaming out for a player with a creative edge and an eye for goal. But Clarke stuck stubbornly with Ralston even though the full-back was suffering from an inferiority complex in such esteemed company.
Some of that was admirable as Clarke knew that he was asking for more than he could have reasonably expected Ralston to give. To his credit, the player gave every last ounce for the cause.
With Jack Hendry playing on the right of a three man central defence Ralston had little in the way of support, rarely was the ball played in front of him to get forward and be an attacking option.
On the other side of the park Andy Robertson was a shadow of his usual influence at Liverpool, it is difficult to find a single Scotland player that made a positive impression over the last fortnight in Germany.
Ralston turned in good honest performances in the ‘esteemed company of two Norwich City players, a free agent and an Al Ettifag defender beside him against Hungary.
Aye who exactly were the esteemed company he was playing with, Jackson was talking pish about Gilmour being some kind of wizard spraying passes about,all I saw him do was pass back and sideways,this love they’ve all got with Gilmour is unbelievable he’s done nothing of note.i thought Ralston contributed as much if not more than St Billy of Gilmour,and overrated ex Hun.
Anthony had hardly played at all last season. To use a mixed metaphor to decry him shows that it is Jackson who actually has the problem!
Jackson’s honesty is notable by it’s non-existence!
Two own goals were all Scotland could inflict in over two hundred and seventy minutes of football. What were they waiting for?
I thought it was a Scotland penalty vs Hunguary. But on reflection, they would have stolen it had they got it and went through.
So, Hard Luck Scotland.
Again!
Any objectivity regarding Celtic players performances for Scotland in a European tournament goes out the window when you’re a hun hack who weeks earlier watched Celtic win the title and score a last minute winner against your team in a cup final .
The articles fine what l find annoying l think is that anyone would give any credence to what these people who write for that paper have to say about football or football players. The sum total of their knowledge collectively could be written on the back of a stamp.