Slithers of light were, in some cases, barely slithers at all as the clouds that hung over the game this week were far heavier and darker than any lining of hope.
The darkness is in particular reference to the Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football published by the SFA this week.
The review, which looked into the harrowing sex abuse allegations concerning team officials, scouts and coaches, found that in the majority of cases there wasn’t enough concrete evidence to accuse of abuse at the time. However a number of those in the report have since been convicted.
97 recommendations were made including calling for individual clubs, which included Rangers, Hibernian, Motherwell, Partick Thistle and Celtic Boys Club, to apologise to those affected as well as Scottish football needing to do more to tackle homophobia in the game.
I don’t know how far an apology can go in trying to heal such deeply inflicted wounds but if it’s a start then the clubs involved have to do it.
The report is a very sombre reminder of the dark side to a pastime, vocation and profession that so many people love.
Kamberi finally comes to the party
–Result: No Goals In Almost 8 Hours Now For Aberdeen As They Draw 0-0 With St Mirren
It’s not much of a party really. Aberdeen are currently being vilified for matching a hundred plus year record on how little they’ve been scoring.
The Dons are five games without a goal. Their previous five results say it all about the abyss of form McInnes’ men have fallen into – three 0-0 draws and two 2-0 losses.
Saturday was the third of those 0-0s although there was hope in the surprise introduction of Florien Kamberi.
Kamberi is seen by McInnes as the main solution to Aberdeen’s scoring woes holding good experience in the league having previously played over fifty games for Hibs.
There were signs of life in Aberdeen’s attack at the weekend with Kamberi bringing spontaneity to the front line however there was still no sign of that vital ingredient – a goal.
For context, it’s not just Aberdeen who are finding it difficult at the moment. After their fourteen game unbeaten run Livingston lost their second game in a row losing to United 2-0 in what is proving to be David Martindale’s first real test as manager.
Teams up and down the country from the Premier League to Europe are finding covid and the lack of fans has blown form out the window.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund – who boast one of the best strikers in Europe – have only won one in six after being involved in another lacklustre performance, drawing 2-2 with Hoffenheim at the weekend.
–Result: Dortmund Held At Home To Hoffenheim In Bundesliga
The only team that seem not to be affected by form is Bayern Munich. The Reds, treble winners, and eight-time-in-a-row German champions, lifted their sixth trophy of the season on Thursday being crowned World Club Champions after Benjamin Pavard’s strike was enough to beat Mexico’s Tigres UNAL 1-0 in Qatar.
A thriller in the Six Nations rugby
–Scotland Lose By A Point In A Thriller Against Wales In The Six Nations: Match Report
Rounding the week off with some better news, although Scotland lost by a point to Wales 24-25 at Murrayfield, the game felt like it had played host to two winners with both sides putting on brilliant displays in a pulsating fixture.
Wales got over the line through the superb “Rees-Lightening” (Rees-Zammit) who most likely scored the try of the tournament, but the match was very much thrown away by Scotland who made bad decisions choosing try attempts over kicks and having Zander Fagerson sent off with over half an hour to play.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 