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1st
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2ND
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je m'appelle Paul Leguen.
Comment ca va?
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Can you imagine the gap between us and the rest if we were a 'work progressed'.It just wouldn't be exciting enough.
Thank Gord for experiments.
After last season, despite what they say, the majority of Celtic fans would have ripped your arm off if you could guarentee the league, LC Final as well as automatic(nearly) CL qualification.
p.s Hopefully Naka and our Polish Bhoys will put on agood show in WC..but not too good.;)
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Podium? Is it a fair reflection of progress to compare results i domestic leagues? There is no doubt we are a better team than the one in August, but the real test comes next year when we can compare to those other leagues in competitive games.
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the real test coem sin the CL but i have to give good marks to WGS so far , it would have been nice to test our new troops in the CL this year but now they go into the next campaign with far more faith in each others ability and as a better team. WGS will need to prove HE can hack it at CL level though, his euro experience aint exactly the highlight of his CV!!
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which are the other 5 leagues?
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good point paul re the young lhads come the end of the season. I'd much rather see what some of these lhads are like playing in the Celtic side rather than go on and trying to make some sort of record for most points or something
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paul you are correct we are making great progress and doing exceptionally well in league so why does brian quinn have to plead for the fans to get behind the manager (in interim accounts!)
i think mainly becos the fans are allowing the media to lead them. (there is the buckie bhoy..he's not celtic minded angle also...but lets not go there for now)they went to town on him/us after going out in first round in europe.
compare that with how the media commented on first souness then smith during rankers 9 in a row...
they concentrated on how great they were doing in a (weak league) and did not 'go to town' on their shambolic performances in europe.
how bad were they in europe during the 9in a row???..
to summarise..
OUT IN 1ST ROUND/1ST QUALIFIER.....4 TIMES!!
OUT IN 2ND ROUND/2ND QUALIFIER... TWICE
MADE GROUP STAGES 3 TIMES BUT IN 18 MATCHES ONLY MANAGED 3 WINS!!!
this at a time when they were spending huge sums.
were the rankers fans screaming for souness' or smiths' head when they won the league but went out in 1st round against such giants as ATHENS, LEVSKI SOFIA , SPARTA PRAGUE OR GOTHENBURG.......NO SIREE
but i would suggest about 40-50% of our fans would be happy to see wgs get the heave-ho at the end of the season.......
dont be led like sheep by the biased media!!!!
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Good point Paul. Id much rather see what some of these young lhads can do in the Celtic team rathger than go for some points record or something
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100% agree. Shrewd buys in the summer and we will have a formidable squad to contend for the prizes next year. The right blend of youth and experience should see us in good stead for the coming months and into next season. WGS must be given time. The blend of attacking football we have seen this season excites me and bar a few hiccups we have generally done well. For next year a long term successor to Lennon and or Keane must be found and next years aim is to stay in europe beyond christmas either in uefa of champions league. Expect "horses for courses" to mean a more squad rotated system next year. Every player knows under WGS if you train and perform well you will be rewarded.
Now.....for the league and the cup.
We shall not be moved.
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Paul67, if the frequency of articles is partly about bandwidth allowances, why this new one after the last one is on only 25 posts or so?
There's only really ever one discussion that's ongoing and it continues under each headline you give the site. Clearly your headlines influence the content but quite often it'll continue nonetheless. I'd have thought that if your thoughts were on bandwidth then the other thread would have been left to reach a few hundred posts. Now, it might be that no-one discusses that topic to the same degree.
Also, as I'm painfully nosey, where's the ads? Has that been answered already or do you a secret strategy up your sleeve?
As ever, if I can help with any techie stuff, let me know.
Hail Hail.
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Paul
By formidable do you mean in Scotland?
Or else do you think we will sign some genuine world class players in the summer.
How many of our current first team do you think would get a starting place in the likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich etc?
I just don't think the current squad has enough class to compete against the big boys of Europe.
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Paul,
Thanks for the CTV answer on the last thread, I had thought it was the case that it didn't make any difference to Celtic how many subscribers were on board. Is there any thought in the near future that they will go it alone on the inhouse tv channel as I am certain that were the club to charge the £7.99 subs there would be a lot more interest.
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Stefski...
I recon about 5.
Boruc is better than V.Valdes.
Naka and Keano could probably fit in somwhere along the line.
Stan's had clubs of this calibre sniffing around before.
And as for Magic, well he's just...Magic!
Despite popular tabloid belief we do have some top notch players here.
The major rebuilding has taken place now we just need a few tweaks here and there.
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Paul,
I understand what you are saying, but don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm.
However.
Celtc need to gain 92+ points to show any level of consistency on last season or indeed progress.
For example, winning the league by 20 points, and only achieving 82 points ....what does that tell us?
Celtic should aim for 90 points plus per year, and hopefully that should win us the league.
However, real progress can only be measured by European progress, maintained by domestic dominance.
This is the poorest league for 20 years.
Ternar
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Kirsty, I'm not so sure about your percentage guess re. fhans wanting WGS. out. How this could be accurately gauged is anybody's guess. I think the pain of B.S. is still so accute, most fhans wanted a name!!?? manager..............but who? That to me is the question that I feel most dissenters couldn't answer!!!??? so why not rejoice in this current success?
This is a Golden age for the club............ no really. If, like me, you supported the club thro' the '80's and '90's, then you all know what I'm talking about!!!!????? Right? Get real people. This is a dream season if taken in context.
On a certain persons desperate attempts to aquire new finances........... I don't tend to indulge in spurious speculation!!!!, but, I know, heard it all before, but I can assure one and all that this is the real deal............
As has been alluded to on the last couple of threads, the money will indeed be coming from the former Soviet Rebuplic. A charming ?? individual will be bankrolling this individual for yet to be revealled rewards ???
So look out for the rags heralding the new Mr Big.........Bitema Handov.............
Some people have no shame. What was wrong with the adds Paul ????????? I think we should all be told the truth.
pablophanque
No.1 This day in History
I Should Be So Lucky - Kylie Minogue. 1988............(Paul???)
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kirstymccabe
you are paranoid if you think the media are biased against celtic.
you are also deluded if you think Gordon Strachan is doing a better job than what our own Tommy Burns could do.
However, I, like many Celtic supporters, support WGS as you call him.
Ternar
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I think of it as 'OUR' Gordon Strachan since he is the incumbent manager.
Unfortunately many people do not.
It reflects badly on us.
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BhoyBeattie, England, N Ireland, Wales, Israel, Iceland, Croatia.
Stevie21, we are in the middle of a reorganisation at the moment that is not going too smoothly.
Stefski, how many players would get into the Barca or Juve team is not the point, in the last decade or so, apart from Larsson no Celtic player would be automatic first choice at these clubs.
Bambi, I cannot see Celtic taking the TV channel in-house. They do not have the right skill set.
Ternar, totally disagree. Last season was much poorer than this season (Celtic were much worse and almost won it).
Many seasons during the 1990’s were awful for everyone, including Rangers. Even a poor Motherwell team came second once, as did a much worse Hibs team that the one currently in fourth place.
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Personally I'm delighted at where we find ourselves in the league at this stage.
However as a note of caution we have to look at the standard of our rivals in Scotland and more importantly remember we've won NOTHING yet.
Having said that I do believe we've made progress on last season. Ignoring points totals I can without doubt say that after last season I'm enjoying going back to Celtic Park again.
I'm also looking forward to seeing some more of our young guns before the season is over.
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paul
we will have to disagree. however, the difference between this season and last season is that rangers have have played mince. Otherwise we would have won the league last year by a country mile, almost like what we are gonnae do this season.
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ternar, don't agree with your comments re state of league this year compared to last. You say Rangers were mince last year, well we handed it to them. And they were mince. If you look at the big picture I think the leaugue is stronger this year as evidenced by the two Edinburgh clubs as well as a few others. Just because rangers are mince should not detract from our position or that of the other teams that are doing better.
GMAN
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ternar - I don't think I'd be so quick to label this the poorest league in 20 years.
Normally only the top 2 or 3 of the entire league have a positive goal difference : the rest are all as bad as each other and then get the obligatory doing from the top clubs.
The gap's narrowed from top and from bottom and now 7 clubs out of 12 have a positive GD.
Hibs are only one point behind Rangers but just as though David Murray had scripted it, their momentum is in danger with the departure of O'Connor (and the soon to follow Riordan). Hearts' season since Burley left has lurched from one crisis to another and they're doing well to still be in 2nd!
If, after the league split both Edinburgh teams lose to Rangers and to us, the league table could look altogether different (apart from us still being top!). Will we be fielding the kids by then? ;-)
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Anyone know where i can find the codes to allow my dvd player to play DVD+RW?
I can't find them anywhere.
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How good was the league in 1967?
Or 1979?
Or 1988?
Or 1998?
How good were Manchester United in 1993 in comparison to 1994 or 1996 or 1999 or 2003? In each season how good were the 2nd placed teams?
How good is the Premiership this season in comparison to any other season - better or worse?
Juventus this season are on course to be the most dominant Seria A winning side ever, is this because Seria A is crap or Juventus are good?
How good is La Liga this season in comparison to 2003 when Real Madrid last won it?
Comparisons across different years and different competitions are irrelevant.
The SPL this season is more competitive and has more teams of comparable ability, CELTIC are 13 points better than the next best team.
End of.
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Paul,
Just looked up the dictionary to see the true definition of formidable.
Scotland, perhaps.
Europe, I can't see it unless we sign at least 2 world class players. Since we're downsizing I don't think it will happen.
sevilleorthebill?
I know we have decent players from watching them, I don't read the papers, but we don't have a team capable of hurting the bigger teams in the Champions League.
Just being honest with myself, not pessimistic. Everybody wants the best for Celtic but that doesn't mean it should cloud our judgement.
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Japan drew 2-2 with Bosnia in Dortmund. Both goals set up by Naka, first from a Naka corner, second a Naka cross.
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Sorry this is a bit off topic and I don't want to drag up the past or anything but.... With regards to the Peter Grant argument from last week, did anyone notice that Ian (Hatchet Face) Ferguson was inducted into the R*ngers Hall Of Shame yesterday. Now if EVER there was a talentless journeyman who pandered to the masses....
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Artur Boruc and Maciej Zurawski, meanwhile, could be asked to play two games in 24 hours by Poland.
Strachan will be monitoring the situation closely as his pair prepare for a friendly double header in Germany.
Poland face Bundesliga club side Kaiserslautern tonight before an international clash against the US 24 hours later.
Coach Pawel Janas has yet to confirm how he plans to utilise his squad for the matches, but with Celtic facing Aberdeen in a Bank of Scotland Premierleague encounter on Saturday, Strachan is likely to be furious if his players are requested to play twice in as many days.
If this is true then Celtic ought to at least appeal to Uefa. WGS needs to take a leaf out of SAF´s book and pull them all out.
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Kirsty,
Thanks for that info on Rangers in Europe. Really interesting. I knew they were bad then but I sort of pretended the whole 9iar thing was a bad dream and didnt pay any attention to them..s bit like Malone I left their run early after about 3 iar...you telling me they won NINE!....@#*€ me!
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Chalky78
'pandered to the masses'.
unfortunae turn of phrase.
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'Many seasons during the 1990’s were awful for everyone, including Rangers.'
Paul - surprised at the above comment. In the 90's the huns won 9 championships and were only narrowly prevented from making it 12 in a row because Henrik dragged us over the line in 97/98.
Sounds like much more of a generation of domination than the one we are allegedly enjoying!
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chalky......both 'players' have a helluva lot in common! the buckfast loyals would defend fergie in a similar fashion
i aint saying anything more on that debate!!!
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While I maybe don’t agree that this is the worst league for 20 years,I do have to say that the only reason that its more competative is because rangers are garbage and we are nowhere near as good a team as we have been in recent years (last season apart).
The fact that we sit 13 point ahead of the rest flatters us somewhat and is largely down to hearts being addicted to crisis.
There is a hell of a lot of work to do before we’re ready for the Champions League.
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FRank,
except Rangers were the whipping fodder of Europe bar one season. Seville still counts!
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Awe_Naw
I'm hundred percent sure your news ( citation) re.Boruc Zurawski and Janas are untrue.
Zbyszek Legia fan
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I once played against Iain Ferguson,when he was at Clyde and working as a hospital porter.
If I'd known then what I know now I would have tried even harder to kick him.
Even players with only a modicum of talent who get a game with the pros are head and shoulders above the rest of us,with our delusions of adequacy
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Chalky78 :- You may not like Ian Ferguson as a person, and I'll be the first to admit that he wasn't the happiest most outgoing personality to play at Ibrox. When it comes to the hall of fame though personality doesn't come into it, and Mr Ferguson has if I remember correctly the second highest medals total of any Rangers player, in my eyes he has earned his place.
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GMAN
i never said rangers were mince last year. I said they are mince this year.
ie as mince as the rest of the teams. this is the only difference in the league this season. We are plodding along almost the same as our performances last year, albeit with a different team.
All the other teams, plus rangers this season are just as good as one another, give or take a few points.
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Don't let any discussion regarding the beasts in Europe confuse you. It's the same with the McLeish vs O' Neill debate that some orcs try to get started. It's all nonsense and is an example of what the American political watchers call legacy shopping.
They are at the end of an unsuccessful era and are doing their Thatcher-like best to leave a historical footnote that shows them in a positive light, instead of the mince they are in.
Their legacy of this era will be two things: Officially worst Rangers team ever, and the 2003/4 Whitewash.
The simple truths are that they have been rubbish for five years, and we have had the upper hand almost everytime it has counted, and have made a real impact in Europe where we have won back respect.
Everyone on the continent regards their Last 16 place as a joke and a result of the worst league in the tournament's history.
Still hope they get pumped next week right enough...
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No offence intended edward but its on player's like Ian Ferguson where our clubs are different.
Greatest ever Celtic Player - Jimmy Johnstone.
Rangers equivalent - John Grieg.
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Paul 67,
We had a great opportunity to give Ferry and Lawson a run out against dunfermline at 5-1 instead what do we do bring on Thompson and then let Naka decide if he wants a game,
that was a missed opportunity and considering we don't get many opportunities (i.e. so many slender leads)I wonder when they will get another chance. I can accept Dublin getting a game as Hartson is suspended for the Cup Final and DD may need to be called upon, with Thompson he has had his time i would much rather Pearson was given a run out.
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Zbyszek,
you are probably right. I cut and past this from a Glasgow based broadsheet=(supposedly High brow)
http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/57022.html
ask the author what his source of information is Martin.McMillan@theherald.co.uk
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Greetings from the back shift,
As thismancraig points out, with regards to one season and another, comparisons are odious. Notwithstanding, Celtic seem to be gaining momentum as this season progresses. My subjective perception has been telling me that the League is more competitive.
I was also perceiving this year how nobly we were playing the beautiful game and decided to look it up on a website, I am very pleased to see that my feelings have been vindicated.
1 Kilmarnock 25
2 Celtic 33
3 Aberdeen 40
4 Dunfermline 45
5 Hibernian 48
6 Motherwell 51
7 Rangers 52
8 Dundee Utd 53
9 Falkirk 56 10 Inverness 56
11 Hearts 66
12 Livingston 69
The teams with the fewest points are those which have fewest yellow, red cards.
As I was scarred in my plooky youth with the Argentinian influenced Atletico de Madrid European Cup semi final in 1974 and as the scandal of Racing Club is also in our collective psyche, I think it is important that we are able to win without strong-arm tactics.
It´s interesting to see Hearts are almost the dirtiest team in the League and that Falkirk, whom Kojo singled out for their stop 'em at all costs policy a couple of weeks back at Celtic Park, are no shrinking violets.
According to the table I came across Celtic have one double yellow and one red card so far this season. The double yellow was for Neil Lennon I think but I can't remember a red card!!
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Our Nt will play only two games there. Janas has for example 4 goalkeepers and said that everyone will play it's 45 minutes. Boruc, Dudek, Kowalewski from Spartak and Kuszczak from WBA. Same is with the others formations as well.
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Thismancraig,
as a footballer there is no comparison but in their private lifes I can´t remember any scandal associated with John Grieg. That could be my fading memory though!
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PrivateFraser :- An interesting post, I have to admit that results this season prove you right, the worst Rangers team ever took to the pitch this year, were we rubbish for the past five years? Maybe, but still good enough to take to titles from what many consider to be the best Celtic team and manager since the 60/70s. When you claim that everyone in Europe thinks of us being in the last 16 as a joke can you back this up, we may be the weakest of the teams there, and we may not have been in the strongest group, but we are there on merit, I haven't read of anyone on the continent describing it as a joke.
As an aside, if a team reaching the last 16 is a joke, what is the term for a team that can't get through the qualifiers?
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awe_naw,
I meant as players (and playing style) only.
Jinky was world class and on his video you get his Rangers equivalent talking about kicking him onto the touchline time after time.
To clarify, I like John Grieg - he is a Rangers Legend and everything that the likes of Ian Ferguson is not.
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Edwardsus,
I think Marvin would call it quite accurately ;-)
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Once upon a time at the foot of a great mountain,
there was a town where the people known as Happyfolk lived.
Their very existence a mystery to the rest of the world.
Obscured, as it was, by great clouds.
Here they played out their peaceful lives,
innocent of the litany of ecsesant and violence that was growing in the world below.
To live in harmony with the spirit of the mountain called Monkey was enough.
Then one day, a Strangefolk arrived in the town.
They came in camouflage, hidden behind dark glasses, but no one noticed them.
They only saw shadows. you see, without the truth of the eyes
the Happyfolk were blind...
Falling out of airplanes and hiding out in holes.
Waiting for the sunset to come, people going home.
Jump out from behind them and shoot them in the head.
Now everybody dancing, the dance of the dead,
the dance of the dead. the dance of the dead...
In time, the Strangefolk found their way into the higher reaches of the mountain,
and it was there that they found the Caves of Unimaginable Sincerity and Beauty.
By chance, they stumbled upon The Place Where All Good Souls Come to Rest.
The Strangefolk, they coveted the jewels in these caves above all things,
and soon they began to mine the mountain,
its rich seam fuelling the chaos of their own world.
Meanwhile, down in the town, the Happyfolk slept restlessly, their dreams invaded by shadowy figures digging away at their souls.
Every day, people would wake and stare at the mountain.
Why was it bringing darkness into their lives?
And as the strange folk mined deeper and deeper into the mountain,
holes began to appear,
bringing with them a cold and bitter wind that chilled the very soul of the Monkey.
For the first time, the Happyfolk felt fearful,
for they knew that soon the monkey would stir from its deep sleep.
Then there came a sound, distant *at first, that grew into a *castrophony so immense,
that it could be heard far away in space.
There were no screams.
There was no time.
The mountain called monkey had spoken.
There was only fire.
And then,
nothing...
Oh little town in USA, the time has come to see
there's nothing you believe you want
but where were you when it all came down on me?
Did you call me out?
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STOP IT!!!! Lies, damned lies and stats - why so much energy wasted on trying to compare incomparables? You can rarely compare performances from one game to the next with any real meaning, never mind year on year comparisons with the countless permutations that can be thrown up by the numerically literate. All that matters is the Here and Now - we can't change the past or second-guess the future. Right now we are the best team in Scotland, accept it and enjoy it.
Hibs and Hearts fans will tell you that their current teams are the best they have had for many seasons yet some on here say we can only compare ourselves to Rangers. Rangers fans and the media told us they would be stronger this year than last - and on paper their squad probably is. After August who on here truly believed we would be fighting for anything better than 2nd spot?
But here we are clear at the top and some can only fret and worry about the unknown. Worrying about games in the CL next August when we are still in February really is a rather depressing way to live.
There is help available you know . . .
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rintimtim
The red card was for Alan Thompson in the same game as Lennon's two yellows.
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Thismancraig :- You raise a very valid point in that, one thing I would say however is that Mr Grieg wasn't voted greatest ever player, my vote for that would have went to Davy Cooper. He was voted greatest Ranger, not just for his play, but he played in two European finals, captaining us to winning one of them, he played his entire career with us, he was club captain and manager, and to this day is one of the most highly respected figures at Ibrox. What it does show though is a variance in football philosophy between the two clubs that has long existed, at the risk of gross simplification I would say Celtic get a flowing midfield and attack and then try to fit a defence in somewhere behind, Rangers get a strong solid defence and then try to build an attack in front of it. When either team gets both right they tend to hit one of their purple patches with a team that gets talked about for a long time and over the years it would seem that both approaches work equally well. How this came about I don't know and my knowledge of Celtics early teams is less than sketchy, but from as far back as I know Rangers have always went for a strong defence and I would say it's no coincidence that our worst run of results in history came when we had our worst defence that I can think on.
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Off topic.
Theres an interesting article currently on etims concerning recent focus groups at Celtic, querying the fans over the season tickets value for money.
Anyone here have any suggestions on how things could be improved? I for one would agree with the better facilities around the stadium.
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Edward,
I think I agree with most of that, except Davie Cooper - although he played mostly before my time(he left Rangers when I was 8) - I heard he was over-rated!!!
As you say, Grieg comes across as a respectable man and is an asset to Rangers.
Emerson gets my vote as greatest ever.
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AweNawNoAnnoniOnAnawNoo :- LMAO, maybe that's our problem this year, when we try to play poetic football it's vogon ispired :-)
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RinTim - red was Alan Thompson v TFOD in August...
:o(
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Hi Paul
Yes it's nice to be so far ahead in the league. However, you can look at this as a glass half full, or half empty, depending on how you view things.
Celtic are by far and away, ahead of everyone else in the SPL. The team attitude of saying the league isn't our's until it's mathematically impossible for anyone else to win it, is also encouraging. However, the current standard of virtually all other teams in the SPL is woeful. Rangers appear to be imploding on the field, financially, and just about every way possible. Hearts are ruled by a nutter, who in the long term, will do more harm than good - though I'm not complaining about this you understand.
The real test will be next year in Europe. I've said it before, no matter how much we win the league by, it will be forgotten in an instant if we have a repeat of Artmedia. What I think is realistic would be to qualify for the 2nd stage of the Champions league. Unlike Rangers, it would be good to achieve this by beating creditable opposition. With all due respect to Edward Ursus, Porto are hardly the same team Celtic faced in Seville.
I can agree with Thismancraig that league position isn't the be all and end all - look at Arsenal. Their league form is rubbish by their standards, but they did a job on Real, in Madrid. But can't agree with his comment that the SPL is more competitive. Celtic are streets ahead, then a gap to Hearts, Hibs, and You Know Who. then another gap from the Also Rans, to the Never Have Beens. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's the reality.
Ultimately, Celtic are in the enviable position that everyone else in Scotland is desparate for. Top of the league, and not having David Murray as chairman. Now they need to capitalise on it.
Hail Hail
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Paul67 - have the plans to develop the land around the stadium (and the old primary school) been shelved for the time being?
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Paul, am I redundant now???
cta
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BhoyinEngland,
I am of the opinion that Hearts are much improved under Romanov and Hibs are a better prospect this season too.Results and sqaud strengths (i.e plaers being capped or brought in or sought after is very much increased within Edinburgh). I also think that Kilmarnock and Caley are a better prospect than they were last year. Rangers lost Michael Ball but bought in about 5 new players.They have had their worst run domestically with their best run in the CL Motherwell are there usual selfs and Aberdeen have been dissapointing.
How do you come to your opinion ?
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Awr Naw No Annoni
Quite simply really. Imagine Kilmarnock playing in La Liga. Caley in the Italian league, or Motherwell in Germany. They would get horsed every week.
I'll grant you Hibs have improved, but I can't see Hearts maintaining where they are. Rix is only there because he has nowhere else to go. He is a fall guy for Romanov for when things go wrong. And they will.
As for Rangers, yes they are having a disaster in the SPL. With regard to Europe, they have achieved the mark of getting to the last 16. Can't knock that, but I would add the caveat that they did it against sides that were also struggling, and by a points tally that is the lowest ever for a side to reach the last 16.
Hail Hail
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I've posted this before but it is our away form that has got us so far ahead in the league. Our home record (32 pts GD +19) is not really that much better than the teams below us - Hearts 34pts, GD +24 and Rangers 30pts GD +19. Although granted Hearts and Rangers have played a game more (14 compared to our 13).
However contrast the away form of the three teams.
Celtic 35pts GD +27
Hearts 20 pts GD +8
Rangers 16 pts GD -4
It's the wins at Ibrox, Tynecastle, Easter Road, Pittodrie and Rugby Park that have got us where we are.
Right who's for starting the debate on home fans v away fans?
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BHoyinengland,
So what your saying is that in previous seasons Motherwell Kilmarnock Caley would not get a gubbing in la Liga or Bundesliga ?
I would focus on Romanov rather than Rix at Hearts and I agree Hibs have improved. Only Rangers have nose dived Imho
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haud the bus
bit early to talk about us being formidable next season. we could so with something resembling a defence first. a better season than anticipated, yes, but events at Swinecastle and Mordor were hardly anticipated either.
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Stefski and Jocky bhoy;
Thanks for updating the red card count.Thommo is always in the thick of it at Ibrox.
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Awe Naw No Annoni
Nope, not saying that at all. Let's put it another way, imagine the current Birmingham side were playing in the SPL. Now Birmingham are a team struggling at the wrong end of the EPL. But how do you think they would feel about playing Motherwell, Kilmarnock etc as oppsed to Chelsea, Arsenal etc.
Sure they wouldn't get the revenue they do now, but the games would be far easier for them. I doubt very much they would be stuck in a relegation battle every week.
We can sugar coat it all we like, but the truth is, on a week in, week out basis, Celtic aren't really being stretched by SPL opposition. They have the occasional fight on their hands, but let us be honest here, we expect Celtic to win virtually every game, home and away in the SPL. Year in, year out. They aren't too many other leagues in the world where that happens.
Celtic are really the only bit of class in a league that's simply mince.
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Edward @ 3.51. the term is ‘work in progress
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Bhoyinengland,
Your original assertion that he SPL is of far lower quality this year I dont agree with and I cant see where your previous analogies back that up. Historically Scotland is a weak league. There is no debate about that. Celtic Rangers Dundee utd Aberdeen have all competed in more European cup finals than Birmingham . I think that not only has the quality improved (look at where Hearts are ?) How well Hibs are doing. Rangers have nose dived but as I say; Was Michael Ball really that good and important to them ? You really think so ?
In fact if Hibs or Hearts were to play Birmingham tommorrow I would fancy Hearts or Hibs taking them and I woul dprobably get decent odds as well knowing the English obsession with how good their own league is.
I also have to say I have stated this often in previous posts. I see the Scottish obsession with all things EPL an absolute irrelevance.
I still dont think you have demonstrated clearly why you think the SPL is of lower quality this year
Hail Hail
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Rangers win the league on last day as a faltering Celtic snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
No quality of league headlines.
Rangers make extensive close season signings to "strengthen" team.
Hearts get massive investment and make a genuine charge on SPL.
Hibs youngsters playing exciting, challenging but inconsistent footbal.
Celtic have stuttering start to season losing at Ibrox.
League is competitive, thrilling and wide open.
Celtic hit a form streak.
Hearts' challenge founders.
Rangers stumble as they are unable to cope with CL and SPL games as predicted on this portal at season's start.
League is worst in living memory.
Not in my book.
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OH dear Frankie bhoy!!
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bhoyinengland -
There could be a renaissance in the SPL, let's face it it could hardly have got any worse. I felt that MON always strove to complement other teams, he always respected the other teams. If it were up to the Beast who sloped off to England and who would insist to this day that you need to go to England to make it we would be even more in the mire. Look at his sidekick Smith, He doesn´t pick Kris Boyd even though he is SPL top scorer. Instead he finds room in his squad for a certain Naysmith, I've nothing against the lad, who he even admits is not in the Everton team. He hopes that putting Naysmith in the Scotland squad will kickstart his Everton career!! jobs for the boys or what?
Derbyshirebhoy - Can you see why some people choose to play for Ireland? The loyal scots are often the first to put the boot into the homegrown talent.
(still getting to grips with Don´tbrattback trying to shadow Ferguson at shawfield!!)
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Timmy7 :- Fair enough, but remember that means next year you have to at least reach the last 16 or be branded a joke :-)
GavilGuy :- I tend to agree with you there, the league is the league, you can only beat who is in front of you, some years it's win by a large margin other years it's a close contest, either way you have to do better than any other team over the course of the season, cups can lie, but the team at the top of the league at the end is the best in the land, and if it's bye a wide margin then it's because they are that much better over the season. If your team keeps it's current lead then it fully deserves it, but what I would say is that before they can be considered a good team they will have to get a good settled defence, and to be classed as a more than good team will have to show signs of Paul's vision, or mirage as I prefer to think on it :-)
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I'd rather not talk about tfod as a rule but I will say that I was happier when Cooper played rather than Mark Walters.
And Kirsty lay off the Buckie!! It's like listening to Helen Liddell.
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Zybszek,
do you know if the Polan USA game is televised on German TV ?
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Awe_Naw
Here is the answer. We won today v.Kaiserslautern 3:1. Boruc and Zurawski did't play.
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Gavil Guy
The league is not the worst in living memory, but neither is it a good league when everything is taken into account.
Hearts made a very good start to the league, but as soon as George Burley was off, then Hearts start to falter. Coincidence: I think not. Romanov has put money into the side, but his style of ownership is at best debatable. Hearts is not his only involvement in football, so just where do his loyalties really lie? To himself, and only himself I suspect.
Hibs, as you say, are inconsistent. Could maybe also described as a work in progress, but nothing more as yet.
Rangers problems have been well documented on here, and loads of other websites.
The league is not however, wide open. We cannot make the assumption that it's all done and dusted. But with the lead we now have it surely a case that no one else can actually win it. Only Celtic can lose it.
Competitive: Eh, not really. Celtic are way clear at the moment with 3 teams fighting for 2nd place. One could argue, that for these teams it is competitive. The rest are nowhere.
Thrilling: When your team wins 1 - 8, or beats you greatest rivals at their ground, then you betcha it's thrilling.
No, the league ain't the worst in living memory, but it is still one of the po
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Gavil Guy
The league is not the worst in living memory, but neither is it a good league when everything is taken into account.
Hearts made a very good start to the league, but as soon as George Burley was off, then Hearts start to falter. Coincidence: I think not. Romanov has put money into the side, but his style of ownership is at best debatable. Hearts is not his only involvement in football, so just where do his loyalties really lie? To himself, and only himself I suspect.
Hibs, as you say, are inconsistent. Could maybe also described as a work in progress, but nothing more as yet.
Rangers problems have been well documented on here, and loads of other websites.
The league is not however, wide open. We cannot make the assumption that it's all done and dusted. But with the lead we now have it surely a case that no one else can actually win it. Only Celtic can lose it.
Competitive: Eh, not really. Celtic are way clear at the moment with 3 teams fighting for 2nd place. One could argue, that for these teams it is competitive. The rest are nowhere.
Thrilling: When your team wins 1 - 8, or beats you greatest rivals at their ground, then you betcha it's thrilling.
No, the league ain't the worst in living memory, but it is still one of the poorer leagues in Europe.
Hail Hail
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Edward,
Fair point old man. in terms of what I would call a team that could never qualify, charitably I would call them unlucky, in terms of dodgy late goals/penalties conceded, but probably more accurately, naive in the way concentration lapses led to those bouts of bad luck.
Either way, I would put to you that any Celtic team of the last five years would have qualified out of the group Rangers found themselves in where they could have made it through with six points, considering that we have been in groups with at least two very high quality sides on every trip to the CL stages, usually three, counting Rosenborg, Anderlecht and Shaktar as all decent sides.
Please forgive the bitterness but to have been denied at the final hurdle when we had played so well so many times against so many good teams, it still rankles to hear the gloating from some (I wouldn't say yourself) amongst your support about making it so far without acknowledging the lucky breaks that got you guys there.
I know it is churlish, but isn't that the nature of football rivalry...
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BhoyinEngland
So neither is the EPL competitiv
