For the thousands of people that play and watch the game, very few have what it takes to be a manager or referee.
But what they, almost, all have in common is the belief they could do the job of either, or both, better than most or all who have put their heads above the parapet to do so without gratitude.
I really feel for Pel’s position just now. He has assembled a squad of players with experience higher than those in the SHFL – at times.
At others they tend to go off the boil very quickly and have toiled against teams from the lower reaches of the league.
A win and a draw away to Wick and Brora doesn’t sit easily alongside lacklustre draws at Rothes and Lossie.
Something’s wrong somewhere and I think it’s an attitude thing.
When things are going their way they play fluently and confidently, and will battle it out with any team.
But when the hint of possible embarrassment arises in the form of, say, defeat by a club perceived as being of lower status, they seem to lose their way, make mistakes, drain shape and sometimes discipline – they visibly crumble.
So many of these players have been at a higher level and crucially – failed to make it there.
Is it not making it here their worst nightmare? Is that what the panic’s about?
Do they get to the point of trying to hide for fear of making mistakes – I think I‘ve seen a bit of that.
How do you manage that? Can you? Do they need carrot or stick – or released? Who’d be a manager?