Scottish Premier League News 2011/12

[Rangerforever]

Speaking of youth, when I watched the Rangers/Hearts game a while back there was a kid at right back for the Jambos - MacGowan?
Anyway, solid player I thought.

Nice to have Setanta free these days as with dropping the Aussie Rules Football and them bumping up the SPL coverage, I might just subscribe again.

Have fun in Gay Paris Bucky.
Bender.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Celtic have one more day in Europe. Huns might have a bit longer if they can keep a clean sheet, which they could at home.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Horrific day for the OF sides... Hearts never really had a sniff, but Celtic had a long road that was able to be overcome and Rangers only had to score and keep a clean sheet...epic fail on both sides...Celtic lose 3-1 and Rangers draw 1-1...

Very VERY bad news for the UEFA seedings/coefficients etc and really is a fiscal blight on the health of the OF and SPL in general...

at least both teams can 100% focus on the SPL and SFA cups... (There's a silver lining in everything right?)

:shite:

 

[Dancin Bear]

Horrific day for the OF sides... Hearts never really had a sniff, but Celtic had a long road that was able to be overcome and Rangers only had to score and keep a clean sheet...epic fail on both sides...Celtic lose 3-1 and Rangers draw 1-1...

Very VERY bad news for the UEFA seedings/coefficients etc and really is a fiscal blight on the health of the OF and SPL in general...

at least both teams can 100% focus on the SPL and SFA cups... (There's a silver lining in everything right?)

:shite:

Why is it horrific???? It is absolutely beyond me that the general public think Scottish football is better than it is or that they expect more from the OF against ANY other team in Europe. We're shite! We've been shite for years!! The past has shown that there is no team that could be rated a minnow against us.....even a team from Wherethefcukisitstan!! There is absolutely no quality there and the argument could be made that the SPL is shite and that's what we play in week in, week out. But if you're on millions of pounds, you sure as hell better be bringing more to the table than a wee bit of 'hail, hail' or the sash your father wore.
I have no bother with supporting a team you grew up with, but there has to be some rationality. You want a silver lining JBN; Rangers didn't get beat and Celtic kept it under 4 going a man down early.

Surely something to build on. Fcuk me gently.

 

[cside17]

Tru dat

 

[johnnybluenose]

It isn't a matter of expectations... It's a results driven business db..

It wasn't too long ago Gers made the final 16 of the CL and had a Cup Final appearance, same with Shellick...

I guess what I'm saying is that the results actually back reality now, that Scotland is a footballing backwater now, and the only hope for the big clubs of Scotland is to get out of the Domestic Professional league and look for TV money, otherwise there is never going to be competition with other big clubs, and then you have two things happen...people either support the OF out of bigotry only, as no decent football is on display, or apathy sets in, and 2 massive clubs shrink.

Season Tix holders would accept having to watch the St Johnstones and Falkirks every other saturday because of the potential of a United or Barca or other large European clubs popping in from time to time... not this year...

 

[Dancin Bear]

It isn't a matter of expectations... It's a results driven business db..

It wasn't too long ago Gers made the final 16 of the CL and had a Cup Final appearance, same with Shellick...

I guess what I'm saying is that the results actually back reality now, that Scotland is a footballing backwater now, and the only hope for the big clubs of Scotland is to get out of the Domestic Professional league and look for TV money, otherwise there is never going to be competition with other big clubs, and then you have two things happen...people either support the OF out of bigotry only, as no decent football is on display, or apathy sets in, and 2 massive clubs shrink.

Season Tix holders would accept having to watch the St Johnstones and Falkirks every other saturday because of the potential of a United or Barca or other large European clubs popping in from time to time... not this year...

I understand what you're saying JBN about losing out on money given the exit from Europe. I won't use the words 'early exit' because we have no right to assume that we would go any further. The problem is, we do. We think that all these wee teams are pub teams when in fact it is us that are the pub teams.
I don't know Maribor's payroll but I'm willing to bet that Rangers has more expensive players. So is it all about getting more money to put back into the club?
I honestly don't think the OF getting out of the SPL will happen in our lifetime. Frankly, we wouldn't be able to bring anything to another league....bar the support and giving more songs that other fans can take and pawn off as their own. Any Scottish player that has some talent doesn't play in Scotland for good reason. Money and the standard is fcuking woeful.
We have stayed the same for 25 years. Same training, same mentality where all these other wee countries have moved passed us.

I disagree with you about season tix holders though; a massive percentile of the support buy their tickets to watch which one of the OF will do over the other one. The St Johnstone's and Falkirk's of the world are just a rest from OF games. That is the reality.

There is a very long history for both clubs and a lot of pride. Typically, Scottish fans don't give a daffy duck when big teams show up like Utd or Barca. And they also aren't cognizant of how much money it's bringing in. They just want to do well and when the fan who knows enough about football sees a 6-4-0 formation against these 'superstars' and watching men against boys, he's not particularly interested in getting a photie of Messi.

I am a very proud Scotsman as is most who are blessed with being Scottish But until we TRULY realize where we are in the grand scheme of European football, it won't get better....unless you're happy putting 3 past some part timers from Auchtermuchty and GIRU the rotten mob at the piggery.

Incidentally, these 2 'massive' clubs have already shrunk. They are shadows of the teams that have gone before them.

 

[johnnybluenose]

sadly....agreed wholeheartedly with everything you said.

 

[lll]

-the standard in Scotland is poor and all that matters is which one of the OF is going to win the league and who's coming 3rd of 4th and getting 1 home game in the Europa cup ( if Celtic don't get their arse in gear they'll be lucky to come 3rd or 4th this year )
- the 3 Scottish teams that were beaten in Europe this week were at least 60% foreign players
- would we be better off having a limit of 3 or 4 imports and giving our own players a chance to get back to some level of competence ?
- both Celtic and Rangers have had numerous dud imports playing while Scottish kids are sitting on the bench and then moving on to get a game at other clubs- Charlie Adam is a fine example
- DB, a bit surprised at the piggery comment, I wouldn't have expected that from you after reading previous posts, leave that to the bigots

 

[Dancin Bear]

-the standard in Scotland is poor and all that matters is which one of the OF is going to win the league and who's coming 3rd of 4th and getting 1 home game in the Europa cup ( if Celtic don't get their arse in gear they'll be lucky to come 3rd or 4th this year )
- the 3 Scottish teams that were beaten in Europe this week were at least 60% foreign players
- would we be better off having a limit of 3 or 4 imports and giving our own players a chance to get back to some level of competence ?
- both Celtic and Rangers have had numerous dud imports playing while Scottish kids are sitting on the bench and then moving on to get a game at other clubs- Charlie Adam is a fine example
- DB, a bit surprised at the piggery comment, I wouldn't have expected that from you after reading previous posts, leave that to the bigots

III,

The piggery comment was tongue in cheek. It was in reference to the mentality of a massive portion of fans and that is both sets. Both supporters look at the other teams' hallowed ground as piggeries.
While I see why you misunderstood me, a bigot I am not. Ever.

Apology accepted

 

[lll]

III,

The piggery comment was tongue in cheek. It was in reference to the mentality of a massive portion of fans and that is both sets. Both supporters look at the other teams' hallowed ground as piggeries.
While I see why you misunderstood me, a bigot I am not. Ever.



Apology accepted

I knew that wasn't your style , the apology is mine. I didn't see the Rangers game yesterday but after the first part of the game Celtic weren't too impressive yesterday. But the way things are going it was a welcome 3 points. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Charlie Adam is an excellent example of the lack of vision in the Scottish game.

Charlie Adam was too young, too fat, too unmotivated to become a star in Scotland. He's deemed "surplus to requirements" at Rangers and goes to the Championship, find out what real professional footballers do and learns what it takes, and now he's likely in amongst the best Central Midfielders playing in the Barclays Premier League playing at a massive club.

Sir Alex Ferguson on Charlie Adam: "His left footed corners and set pieces are worth 10 Million pounds alone"

He was one of the best players on the field, if not the MotM, vs Bolton Saturday.

 

[Rangerforever]

Agreed on Charlie Adam - He did look good.
Amazes me really and I no longer question why people rate him the way they do.
I don't know how his situation could have changed at Rangers but definitely the Championship seems to be the better option for our best players as opposed to the SPL right now.

III:
There is a good interview on the Beeb's site with Andy Goram and Tommy Boyd on the state of the game in Scotland.
They discuss the foreign player rule as well as the talent going down south into the Championship.

 

[lll]

Agreed on Charlie Adam - He did look good.
Amazes me really and I no longer question why people rate him the way they do.
I don't know how his situation could have changed at Rangers but definitely the Championship seems to be the better option for our best players as opposed to the SPL right now.

III:
There is a good interview on the Beeb's site with Andy Goram and Tommy Boyd on the state of the game in Scotland.
They discuss the foreign player rule as well as the talent going down south into the Championship.

Agreed on Charlie Adam - He did look good.
Amazes me really and I no longer question why people rate him the way they do.
I don't know how his situation could have changed at Rangers but definitely the Championship seems to be the better option for our best players as opposed to the SPL right now.

III:
There is a good interview on the Beeb's site with Andy Goram and Tommy Boyd on the state of the game in Scotland.
They discuss the foreign player rule as well as the talent going down south into the Championship.

thanks RF, I thought Boyd was a bit long winded but Goram made some good points
- it's interesting that Scotland haven't qualified for a WC since the import rule went out, you'd think that alone would get something happening at the SFA
- when the OF bought a foreigner they were quality, Henrik,Laudrup,the English internationals at Rangers etc
- now they're paying over the top for these guys and the players aren't even getting on the park most of the time
- one interesting thing and I think it was Goram who said a Scottish team hasn't won a European trophy since 1972, Aberdeen won the cup winners cup in 1983 but it just shows how it's all about the OF

JBN- I remember Ferguson saying that about Adam being worth 10mil when Liverpool were first trying to buy him and someone on the tv saying it was a crafty move on his part to drive up the price and/or make Blackpool hold out for more money and Liverpool wouldn't get him- I wouldn't put it past Ferguson, he's always thinking although it looks a good move for Lpool now

 

[johnnybluenose]

I just remember back in the day watching Rangers and screaming at my Tele because Alan Hutton would throw the ball in to the opposition every time he had the chance and Charlie Adam would chug his chubby arse around the park kicking everyone he could lash out at and attempt stupid 30 yard screamers at every opportunity...now look where the two of them are...

 

[Rangerforever]

Big Eck is apparently going to make a bid for Hutton...

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Andy Goram shouldn't be allowed to speak. He should just stick to eating........fat wank.

Celtic signed a left-back on loan from Dynamo Kiev today but I know very little about him. He is 30 and will hopefully just fill the void for Izzy and it might mean Mulgrew will have to go into the middle with big Kelvin......Dan the Man, has been anything but so far.

 

[johnnybluenose]

John Fleck and Kyle Hutton to Sheffield United on loan

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Perhaps a Rangers supporter could answer this question.........why the fcuk would they put such a statement out there without naming the team which allegedly 'bid' for Jellyfish? Embarrassing but I guess in their current state of finances it looks good to the support to tell a big fat porky pie about their loyalty to keeping Jelly.

From BBC Sport

Rangers have rejected a £9m offer from an unnamed club for striker Nikica Jelavic after warding off an earlier approach from Lecester City.

The Championship club had a £6.5m bid turned down by the Scottish champions.

Leicester then had a bid of more than £4m accepted by Everton for forward Jermaine Beckford.

But a Rangers source claims that they have since received a call from an agent offering substantially more but refused to name the interested club.Leicester were seeking a new striker after missing out on signing Shane Long, who joined West Brom from Reading.
Rangers sources had stressed that they would be unwilling to allow Jelavic to leave unless someone offered "silly money" for the striker.

And fellow Ibrox striker Steven Naismith is eager for the player to remain in Glasgow.

"He has been a massive player for us since he has been at the club and hopefully we can keep him," said the Scotland international.

"Hopefully, if any more bids come in for him, they will be rejected.

"Everybody has their price. But, luckily for me, I'm not the one who decides what price anybody is.

"He is a top-class forward and in football years he still has a bit to go before he reaches his peak.

"I'm sure he will be a world-class player by the end of his career."

The 26-year-old Jelavic joined Rangers for £4m from Rapid Vienna in 2010.

Despite an ankle injury early in his Ibrox career, he finished his first season in Glasgow with 19 goals.

Jelavic has scored three goals in seven appearances this season but was among the culprits who missed goalscoring chances as Rangers were knocked out by Maribor in last week's Europa League play-off.

However, he remains Rangers' main marksman and, should Leicester increase their offer, it would test the resolve of new owner Craig Whyte to retain his top players.

Rangers, who rubbished suggestions they had also received an higher offer from a Russian club for Jelavic, remain heavily in debt and face a season without the financial rewards from either the Champions League, having earlier been defeated by Malmo, or the Europa League.

Big-spending Leicester were desperate to improve their strike force having failed to sign Long and having had bids rejected by Bristol City for Nicky Maynard.

This week, they cancelled Slovenian striker Leon Crncic's contract by mutual consent, they have also told fellow forward Martyn Waghorn he has no future with the Foxes, while Dany N'Guessan has headed for Millwall.

Meanwhile, they turned their attention to Jelavic, who began his senior career with Hajduk Split before spells with Zulte Waregem and Rapid Vienna and has been capped 12 times for his country.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I'd assume they don't want to "embarrass" said club.

In all honesty it is likely spin and no club did.

Jelavic is a good player...if he was in the Premier League he'd go for more than 9 Mill, but that's only because the SKY TV funded EPL is an overrated league when it comes to both player prices and wages... City's own purchases have priced themselves out of even selling Teves ffs...

The problem for Rangers and Celtic (and the rest of the SPL for that matter) is that:
a) They can't attract suitable replacements for players they sell, even if they have the cash to spend
b) They lose the homegrown talent because of a) and because they don't know how to spot and develop the diamonds in the rough fromt heir own backyard... see Charlie Adam, Alan Hutton, etc...