They certainly don't seem to play as much football as I did growing up. I don't think it's the lack of the England match but a much wider change in society. There is a much wider choice of sports to be interested in, and other activities too. There is still a huge interest but it seems qualitatively different from when I was growing up.
Well, yes, there are plenty of opportunities for sports out there, and many kids take part in them, but it's still the easiest thing in the world to keep a ball in the boot of the car for impromptu kickabouts or take a ball down to the rec with your mates, I cant think of any other sport that is so easy to play on the spur of the moment, except running. No idea what it is like north of the border but my son buys every print edition of MotD magazine, Match and Kick, and reads and re-reads them, and his favourite Xbox game is FIFA - he has a staggering knowledge of global players. Today he's as excited about the Championship playoff final, as he wants to see Fulham get promotion, as he is the CL final.
I guess if the Scots youngsters really aren't that interested then Scottish football will have little future.
