YOU cannot buy experience, so the saying goes. But it can cost you, if the wisdom accrued from it is accompanied by wilting and/or a waning of desire. Fortunately for Falkirk, when it comes to Jackie McNamara and Neil McCann, age has neither added nor taken away. In their mid-30s they are still the same wily warriors they were when racking up a glittering array of medals as performers with the honours-gobbling Glasgow clubs longer ago than they would care to remember.
Even if John Hughes' side fell short in their quest to bring silverware to Falkirk for the first time in more than half a century, it wasn't through any shortcomings on the parts of McNamara and McCann. In the melting heat of Hampden, they were true
like ice, like fire. True, indeed, to the very spirit and skill that had McCann chasing his sixth Scottish Cup winners' medal and McNamara a fourth.
In some quarters, it was expected that Steven Pressley would be Falkirk's third multi-cup lifting, many-miles-on-the-clock, much-capped musketeer. It would had provided him the opportunity to become the first man to snare the trophy for four different teams. But, as has become painfully obvious in recent years, Pressley's body has rebelled against his attempts to play football at the highest level. Hughes' decision to relegate the centre-back to the bench was the only sensible course of action, even if morning reports suggested yesterday this was the 35-year-old Scotland coach's last game before retiring.
McNamara had said earlier this season that if Falkirk were demoted, the blame would be laid at the door of the Old Firm old-soaks. The right-back was one of the men that played a significant role in extricating his team from that position, his driving run and cross paving the way for Michael Higdon to net the goal that saved them at Inverness last week. The former Celtic player ran his legs off and tackled tigerishly.
There will be some long lamenting Falkirk fans who will finger McCann in the reasons the cup resolutely remained out of their grasp – on an afternoon when they could legitimately argue their team battled better, passed with greater poise and served up more slick play than their opponents. An irrepressible Rangers, though, had a quite brilliant 46th minute strike from Nacho Novo to floor Falkirk and deliver them the double.
Chances for Falkirk did not come any better than when, in the 20th minute, Darren Barr slung over a cross from the right that begged to be hit by McCann, in the centre of the goal, 15 yards out. Opening his body, the former Rangers man shaped as if that was precisely what he was intending to do, only to stretch his foot too far, scuff his drive and see it dribble the wrong side of the upright.
He held head in hands there, as he was left doing six minutes earlier when a neat move led to him being played in at the edge of the box. From there he struck with a rising drive that seem to pick up speed before skimming the crossbar.
McNamara, harshly booked for pulling back Kyle Lafferty on the stroke of half time, kept making his runs, kept making his challenges to the very end. McCann, meanwhile, was withdrawn 16 minutes from time. Pressley, understandably, had to remain in his watching role. A sad way for a fine career to finish.
Hughes looks to bigger and better things – for FalkirkIN THE wake of a spirited assault on the Scottish Cup, John Hughes said he was flattered to be linked with the now vacant position at Easter Road, "but I'll be at work with Falkirk on Monday morning". Hughes said his focus remains on the job in hand. "There were seven boys on the pitch today who are out of contract now and I have a duty to them to get them sorted out. I'm going to sit down with my board and come up with a way of moving the club forward. This has been our best ever season. Can we
Hughes bemoaned his team's inability to take their few chances but refused to criticise his players. "I have nothing negative to say about them," he insisted. "We played football out there today. We were beaten by a wonder goal. As soon as I saw he was coming on I thought, 'Oh no!' because he always seems to punish us."
It was a combative performance from Falkirk, a display that was warmly applauded by Ally McCoist later on. He described the beaten finalists as "terrific" and said that on their day "Falkirk can pass the ball as well as anybody. To be honest, I was pleased to get through it."
On his pivotal substitution, he said that not in his wildest dreams did he think it would pay off so quickly. "It was a goal worthy of winning any game of football. It takes some beating. It was one of the great goals to win any cup final in any country. He's an incredible wee guy, Nacho. He has a wonderful rapport with the fans. The place lights up when he comes in the room so I'm doubly delighted for him."
McCoist agreed that Rangers rode their luck at the end, referring to his quickening pulse as Steve Lovell's late shot hit the post. "Magic is the only word I can think of to describe how I'm feeling," he said. "Falkirk played really well and I was looking at the clock and counting time away at the end. I was delighted to hear the final whistle."
McCoist is planning to play some golf in the weeks ahead. Hughes, meanwhile, may be thinking about a choice of clubs of a very different kind.
Tom English at Hampden