Scottish Leagues 2001/02

[Jinky]

Ghod got the Hoops off to a good start tonight by scoring 2 goals en route to humping ELP new boys Fulham.

Celtic also paraded new signing, former Toulouse captain, Bobo Balde ( I have a good feeling about this guy).

The Hoops have drawn Ajax of Amsterdam in the 3rd round of Champions league qualifying.

Jonesy, the local Celtic clubs are showing the Ryan Giggs testimonial. Are you interested in watching the game?

[Regs]

Jinky,

Would you like me to change this thread title to Skotska Liga?

~TB.

[Buckfast]

Bobo Balde = Basile Boli

[Regs]

Jinky,

Do you ever fcuking answer questions asked of you anymore?

~TB.

[Jinky]

TB,

Leave it as it is, thanks.

Celtic beat ELP outfit, Sunderland today 1 - 0, with a goal by,...who else.

That's four goals in three games against QPR, Fulham, and Sunderland.

Larsson is picking up where he left off last year.

[Jinky]

Here's the standings so far,

1 Aberdeen 0 0
2 Celtic 0 0
3 Dundee 0 0
4 Dundee Utd 0 0
5 Dunfermline 0 0
6 Hearts 0 0
7 Hibernian 0 0
8 Kilmarnock 0 0
9 Livingston 0 0
10 Motherwell 0 0
11 Rangers 0 0
12 St Johnstone 0 0

I expect Celtic to take over from Aberdeen at the top but Rangers certainly have a long ways to go to pull themselves out of the relegation zone with only 30 odd games left to play.

Get used to a lot of this,

[Buckfast]

IMHO, I think we are in store for what poses to be one of the most exciting season's in recent memory. With that said, if Larsson falls injured your mob has only Sutton (?), Johnson and Burchill and I am sure Sutton couldn't carry that responsibilty solo.

C'mon the Teddy Bears.

[Buckfast]

Rangers 3 - Sheepshaggers 0

A good start for the League Runner-ups (I hate saying that) in an always difficult and often-heated tie. The new signings contribute already with a goal each. If we can keep Latapy out of the pub and Caniggia off the the Columbian Coffee Whitener, they pose to be good value.

141

Buck

PS - Good luck tonight, Jinks, Capt. and C17. Yeah, that'll be right. C'mon the Saints.

[Buckfast]

O'Neill expresses Larsson fears

Martin O'Neill has admitted that Celtic's ambitions in Europe this season would become a mission impossible if Henrik Larsson hobbled out of action.
The Parkhead manager described the Swedish superstar as 'irreplaceable' and spoke of his frantic worries whenever the team's talisman takes time to be back on his feet after a bad tackle.

His concerns are shared by the 60,000 supporters who surround him on Saturday afternoons at Celtic Park and fall silent whenever Larsson stays down on the turf for a second longer than normal.

Didn't I just say that?

Bucknostradamus

[Jinky]

O’Neill places faith in Celtic



Martin O’Neill’s decision to invest £2 million in Celtic, joining the big players who combined to add £22.5 million to the company’s market capital in their third share issue, is a hugely significant declaration of belief in the Parkhead club’s flourishing future.

The initial suspicion that the Celtic manager had been gifted the stock - amounting to just over 2.7 per cent of the equity - by a board of directors not only grateful for the team’s renaissance on the field, but as a kind of "golden handcuffs" to keep him, was immediately dispelled by chairman Brian Quinn.

"This is perfectly straightforward," said Quinn. "Martin was invited to invest and he has decided to do so. It has nothing to do with gifts or bonuses, he has bought the shares like other investors. Of course, we are delighted that he has, and to such a degree.

"His commitment, along with the others who have made the share issue a spectacular success is, I believe, an indication of the depth of conviction about the club’s future."

It is extremely unusual for a salaried employee such as O’Neill to put so much into any company, far less a football club, at a time when the markets are uncertain. It seems reasonable to infer that O’Neill, who is unlikely ever to be mistaken for a chump, has been persuaded of the wisdom of the investment by some of the financial heavyweights who now have a stake in Celtic.

Other investors include Eddie Jordan, owner of Jordan Racing Team (£1m), Thomas Lynch, deputy chairman of Elan Corporation (£2m), Denis O’Brien, chairman of Communicorp Group Ltd (£1m) and Pearse Flynn, former president of Alcatel Carrier Network and chief executive of Newbridge Networks (£1m), who now lives in Scotland.

As a non-executive director, Desmond, of course, already has a powerful voice on the Celtic plc board. While the biggest single group of shareholders remain the 17,000 fans whose additional £4 million investment in the past two weeks gives them around 29 per cent (a dilution of their previous 40 per cent), it is becoming more obvious that Desmond has become the most influential individual at the club’s business end.

It is likely that he has played a serious part in enticing his compatriots to buy in to Celtic. Since Desmond is also one of the prime movers of the proposed scheme to take Celtic into the Premiership within four years or so, his new stake - bringing his total investment in Celtic to around £18 million - is a certain indicator of his conviction that the revolutionary plan will succeed.

Desmond is not known for supporting companies likely to stagnate. At the time he put his first £4 million into the Glasgow club - thoroughly convinced by Fergus McCann’s business plan - he told me during an interview at the Dorchester Hotel in London: "You don’t buy into a company when the shares are at their highest. It’s when they’re down that you move in.

"This is a very good time to buy Celtic shares, because they will get much better. And if the club wants any more from me to help them achieve their objectives, I will be very happy to provide it. I am very confident about their potential."

"As well as the bigger individual investors, there was another £4 million from the supporters - a marvellous response considering it was the third time of asking - and institutional people are not exactly throwing their money at football clubs in the present climate, but they have come aboard, too.

"What the £22.5 million gives us in the most general terms is flexibility. We have to develop and strengthen the playing squad and look after youth development.

"There are other things to come for us, including multi-media rights, which I believe is going to be huge for Celtic. And, as I have told you before, the big changes, such as Celtic joining the Premiership, will happen."

Btw, Celtic beat St. Johnstone 3 bagel on Saturday.

[Jinky]

Celtic 4

Man Utd 3

The Scottish Champions man-handled the English champions at Old Trafford today and make no mistake, this was no freindly.

The Celts were superb, pure and simple.

I used to be willing to give Beckham the benefit of the doubt but no more.

Beckham is a wanker.

[Buckfast]

Jinks,

I understand that the match was a cracker. What was numb-nuts up to this time around? Captain of England....what a disgrace.

Maybe the big boys in the Premiership should think about joining the Scottish Premier

[Captain Shamrock]

Jinky,

Where did you watch the game today? How was the attendance? Will you be attending next weeks Champion League match vs. Ajax?



Sorry for all the questions but I need answers.......

[Jinky]

Bucky,
this is fro the Daily Record,

United came out for the second half fired up to try to get back in the match but England skipper Beckham's short fuse nearly exploded.
Three minutes after the interval, the England captain kicked out at Bobby Petta and once again players from either side had to be calmed down by referee Mike Dean as they threatened to square up to each other.

Beckham, whose input in terms of football had been minimal, was also substituted before the hour by Dwight Yorke.

He was tripped by Lambert and took great offense and then proceeded to repeatedly kick Sutton. Considering it was a testimonial, he was a disgrace.

Subterfuge,

#1. Yes

#2. Good, including the Richmond Irish mob, Gazza's old man as well.

#3. Of course.

#4. Talk to your Dad and we'll see you on Saturday.

[Hands of Stone]

Jinky

Celtic wins the league once in Ten long years and now they are going to go on and win in Europe.

Rangers will be back this season and destroy Celtic like all the years gone by.

When is the first Celtic-Rangers Darby anyway and will it be televised?

Lastly...Do you where those Red Boots so it is easier for the snipers to see you and in return more of a challenge when you make an apperance on the field?

HOS~

[CDK]

- NEWS

Thursday, August 2, 2001
Dasovic backs Sylla to be good Bhoy
By George Grant

St Johnstone midfielder Nick Dasovic has tipped Parkhead-bound Momo Sylla to impress in the Champions League - and end his disciplinary problems.
Sylla looks certain to clinch a £750,000 transfer to join Martin O'Neill's squad today and, while it was an unheralded move into the Scottish market, the only surprise for Dasovic was that his team-mate wasn't heading for England.

'We knew right away that Momo was different class and, to be honest, some of us wondered why he was at St Johnstone,' said the Canadian international. 'He was only 23 but he already had international experience with Guinea. He has bags of skills, great technique and the strength and agility needed at the top.

'Last season we went to Middlesbrough for a friendly and he was absolutely amazing. I know Terry Venables was raving about him and I really thought he would be putting pen to paper that night. Momo really was that good against them.

'Momo has the technical ability to go straight into a Champions League game. I thought he would leave later rather than sooner. The timing, so early in the season, has come as a surprise. But he won't be out of his depth at Celtic.

'Our fans might be upset because he was a favourite with them. But it's important that a selling club like St Johnstone has money to plough back into the youth system.

'It is good business for the club because they got Momo for nothing from Le Mans a year ago.'

St Johnstone managing director Stewart Duff remained silent last night but Sylla, signed 12 months ago on a Bosman deal by Sandy Clark, will meet with his agent who flies in from Paris today to finalise contractual details.

O'Neill put the wheels in motion after Sylla starred in the opening-day clash against Celtic at the weekend.

Sylla, who has scored five times for Saints in 39 appearances, arrived as a right-back but worked his way forward in the Saints line-up.

Sylla was the most fouled player in the SPL last term, but he also landed the most yellow cards. He was booked 16 times - usually for retaliation.

Dasovic added: 'I had a long talk with Momo about his cards and I think frustration played a big part.

'He will be on the winning side a lot more, playing with a huge club like Celtic, so the frustration level won't be the same.'

[Captain Shamrock]

Sylla was very impressive against Celtic. He didn't look out of place at all and we all commented about his obvious talent. I am not sure where he will fit in right now, but I think Agathe might looking over his shoulder. He certainly didn't impress on opening day.....

[Buckfast]

Capt.

From what I understand Agathe had a blinder against ManYoo, in which he skinned Scholes and one of the brothers for C****c's first. Not that I care or anything.

RFCBuck

[Captain Shamrock]

Celtic announce treble signing


Newsroom Staff

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celtic Football Club today (2/8/01) announced the signing of three new players to further strengthen its first team squad.

Welsh internationalist John Hartson (26) joins the Club from Coventry City on a four year contract, 24 year old Mohammed Sylla has signed for the Club from St. Johnstone on a five year contract and Steve Guppy (32), formerly of Leicester City has signed with Celtic for the next three years.

Football Manager Martin O’Neill comments, “I am delighted to welcome John Hartson, Steve Guppy and Momo Sylla to Celtic Park. Our season is just one game old and I am confident that all three will play important roles in the coming months. Having lost a number of players during the summer, it was essential to bring the squad back to last season’s strength and I still hope to add to its depth in the coming weeks.”



I must admit that I have never heard of Steve Guppy. Is Hartson still having problems keeping his weight down? As long as Sylla defends well(if he doesn't he'll be on the bench for Marty anyway), he will be a prominent signing for the Bhoys........


Bucky, when do you actually leave for Vegas? I thought you were leaving last night. I am feeling more and more betrayed by the minute. You could have picked the big winner that I needed to get to Kamloops........

[kurgan]

Is Hartson still having problems keeping his weight down?

Apparently the Captain isn't the only one who thinks so:

Louise Johnson, associate editor of New Woman magazine, said: "It's a well known fact that wearing horizontal stripes makes a person look shorter and wider. It's just an optical illusion, but it's very unfortunate for someone like John Hartson.

"His other problem with signing for Celtic is that the stripes are green. It's a very unflattering colour for red-haired people, because their fair skin makes their veins more prominent and gives them a slightly green tinge. That's why we get a lot of Scottish and Irish models who look slightly green or blue."

Louise's advice to Hartson is to forget about Parkhead and turn his attentions to St James' Park instead. She explained: "Vertical stripes like the ones worn by Newcastle have the opposite effect to horizontal ones - they make a person look taller and thinner. That would be good for someone with John's distinctive body shape. It would be even better if he were to insist on always being photographed in his Newcastle shirt standing against a black wall. Your eye would be fooled into thinking that his stomach only extended out as far as the outermost white stripe.

"Another option would be Barcelona. Their shirt is that maroon colour, but it has navy blue panels on the sides which again can fool the eye. He could take a couple of inches off either side that way."

There's hope for us yet Jinky