I remember Scotland-England games being huge events. They were proper derby games, fired up by a balance – a vastly more resourceful England were in the ascendancy, but Scotland had more wins in the history books. Despite the odd hiding we thought we could take them.
The Home International Championships probably ended at the right time, just before Scotland lunged into mediocrity. No derby remains attractive if one side dreads the game coming round, while the other considers it a formality, but our former manager has given us reason for hope.
Gordon Strachan took time off from the game to invest in his stock of knowledge before becoming Celtic manager. Despite an, erm, memorable opening week, Gordon blitzed Scottish football as Celtic manager. He filled the boots of legend Martin O’Neill, and within 18 months eclipsed him by reaching what we used to refer to as ‘the next level in the Champions League’.
Despite going on to reach the knock-out stage of the Champions League again, and becoming our third manager to win three-in-a-row, Gordon stopped progressing. His time at Celtic petered out, while the entire Middlesbrough episode was a nightmare.
Gordon, like Martin before him, looked as though the game had passed him by. His resurgence at Scotland is evidence of his outstanding attribute – he’s a student of the game who continually learns.
Roy Hodgson has by far the better players, but never bet against Gordon.
Shaun’s goal on Friday
31 years ago in Sarawak, Malaysia, a midwife, Beatrice Lo, assisted in the delivery of a boy born to a Scottish family who lived in her community. Beatrice got in touch with a common friend after wee Shaun’s goal on Friday, very proud of the kid she brought into the world.
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Buzzzzzzz
Afoot to see my wee pal whose birthday i missed when i was in hospital then to ksc for the game…
hail hail…
KTF
burghbhoy
17:19 on 18 November, 2014According to Sky Sports news Craigy has no intention of ‘ dodging his responsibilities’Hopefully that’s code for spilling the beans!!!
Minty will be getting the ole ‘private jet’ ,(no laughing at the back) ,fired up……
Mike In Toronto,
Ultimately, whilst I appreciate your analogy… sort of literally a horse’s for courses thing. I do disagree on CM. Great technique and very composed. Add in pace and I’m happy that we have a complete midfielder. He lacks pace, and RD does like to press (not that he’s really asked CM to do this), so perhaps he’s not in his comfort zone for Celtic.
Kitalba,
I don’t want to wind you up. Genuinely. I thought you were advocating an angry blog, but, I think now you were just trying to explain the sheep thing in your own terms.
I know Aberdeen fans (in my home town they were the 2nd club after Rangers, Celtic weren’t even 3rd) and they don’t really care about the sheep thing. Same with the welsh. I mean if it’s true, what can you say… right?
Basically, though, if you say something in the knowledge that it will upset or offend someone, the actual words are sort of irrelevant. Certainly in the context of a discussion, when you opt to use a word that you expect to offend, you’ve basically chosen to end the discussion, in favour of an argument.
Cough cough scuse meeeee, quiet at the back there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nov 18, 2014 16:06 By –>
THE Ibrox director insists the South African-based businessman failed to provide proof of funds.
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SNS GroupDavid Somers has explained the reasons for knocking back King
RANGERS chairman David Somers has today lifted the lid on why the club knocked back Dave King’s offer of investment.
Somers claimed the South African-based businessman failed to provide proof of funds and that made it impossible for the board to accept King’s proposition.
An offer from King’s consortium was considered along with another from former Blue Knight Brian Kennedy before Ibrox directors instead accepted a £2million loan from shareholder Mike Ashley last month.
Ashley has since increased that by a further £1m with his loan secured against the club’s Edmiston House and Albion car park properties.
And in an interview with Sky Sports News, Somers said: “We had three people offering us funds and I felt it was very important we do proper due diligence on all three.
“In the past Rangers has perhaps done deals it wouldn’t have done if it had done proper due diligence.
“Where (the King offer) fell down was really at stage one. When I said to all three of these people ‘would you show me proof of funds?’ two showed me proof of funds. The consortium did not.
“The second question for the consortium was, ‘I know there are eight of you, I only know three of you. Can I please have the other five names?’ And the message I was getting all the time was ‘if you agree to do deal, if you persuade 75 per cent of shareholders, then we’ll show you funds and you can have the other names’.
Daily RecordDave King didn’t provide proof of funding, according to SomersDave King didn’t provide proof of funding, according to Somers
“When I said to all three of these people ‘would you show me proof of funds?’ two showed me proof of funds. The consortium did not.”
“It wasn’t meeting the due diligence requirements – they were simple questions. I cannot go to shareholders when I don’t know all the names, I can’t check the names out and I can’t put my hand on my heart and say, ‘these guys have the money’.
“In the end we had to move on to stage two which left two providers.
“Then it was a simple case of which provider was offering the lowest interest rate – Mike Ashley was offering zero interest which is difficult to beat – and which provider wanted least security. Again Mike Ashley only wanted a small amount relative to the other deal.
“Once we got to that stage it was a no-brainer which one we were going with.”
Newcastle owner Ashley, who owns almost 9 per cent of the club, has a long-standing agreement to sell the Ibrox club’s merchandise through his sports retail businesses.
And Somers said: “The merchandising agreement is important to us. We make quite a lot of money from it, and so Mike Ashley and we are both keen that Rangers has financial stability because then we will both benefit.”
King has yet to respond to Somers’ comments.
in tribute to my much missed mum, who was born in hemel hempsted, and my granda from Dalton in furness I think I will support england tonight.
cmon rooney tim in chief , get in to them there huns in dark blue.
Jamesgang@16.18 on big Morton W
Cheers for that big Mhan. First time I had seen it. Difference between January and February for Morton makes you realise what he must have went through to get back to health again. Given the dedication required in so doing , would not rule him out of coming back in some sort of management capacity.
Always liked big Morton but that has now gone up a few levels.
HH big ghuy.
Catching on now EH? Bit late lol.
And in an interview with Sky Sports News, Somers said: “We had three people offering us funds and I felt it was very important we do proper due diligence on all three.
ItaliaBhoy
17:15 on
18 November, 2014
Whyte’s on his way back apparently.
Big tin of beans in one hand, and a can opener in the other…
Might be a can of worms rather than beans. I hope he’s also packed his sharpened stake and a hammer to knock it in with.
However, they seem to be unkillable. Cats everywhere are jealous of the number of lives they have.
kings consurtium they were huns behaving like huns,
we would have showed them the money if they said yes, and then we would have told them who the other investors where.
lol,
you cant out spiv a spiv.
SFTB
Cheers for the input… hoping you read more than just Andrew Robertsons name, and can see that no part of my post puts the boot into Celtic.
The crux of the issue I’m raising is with players further down the road than him – indeed predominantly I mention Mulgrew and Marshall.
Sure it’s complicated, but then I never said it wasn’t.
I would suggest, however, that even before the 16-18’s we cut too many players. What else are we spending money on, usefully?
French polis lift ex Marseilles officials, re players sold in recent years,i wonder if Trevor Steven or Basile Boli’s moves to the huns under investigation?
Bada Bing
The way things are for Minty I’d be surprised if he had the fare for the 501 Edinburgh-Glasgow City link.
Really think our hero is going to unleash a salvo.
Looking forward to the fun!
Livibhoy
Ha I remember those days well, though we had it tougher as all the experts were Tims!! :-)
SFTB
Well said. Can you think of anyone we released as a ‘failure’ who became a success elsewhere that you reflected on, thinking……I knew we should have kept him?
This spilling of the beans thing has got me thinking. Is it beans on toast, or toast and beans? Remember cheesegate with the roastit/toastit debate? Anyway, cheese beanos is also a worthy snack too in my humble opinion. Especially if you garnish the said comestible with a slice of tomato for the cheese beano deluxe.
Anyway, just saying like. Off tae the kitchen, nom nom.
Hail Hail,
KevinBhoy.
HT
We even got a fee for Charle Mulgrew and restored him to the club after he’d matured on a Bosman,
FrankMarker 17.27
Fully agree, horrible, cowardly tackle, should have been a straight red, was the Killie player (bas***d) even booked.
kevinbhoy
17:42 on 18 November, 2014
This spilling of the beans thing has got me thinking. Is it beans on toast, or toast and beans? Remember cheesegate with the roastit/toastit debate? Anyway, cheese beanos is also a worthy snack too in my humble opinion. Especially if you garnish the said comestible with a slice of tomato for the cheese beano deluxe.
Anyway, just saying like. Off tae the kitchen, nom nom.
Hail Hail,
KevinBhoy.
—–//-
I will pure Tena masel’ if some intrepid hack presses a mike in Agent Whyte’s direction and blurts out……
Cheese. Toast. Toasted or roasted? The fans deserve to know the truth!
‘Why toasted of course,’ our hero answers….as a characteristically enigmatic smile creeps across his face.
Whereareradeeds? Says a gruff voice in the distance.
‘Why under the cheese, of course.’
HH jamesgang
Livibhoy/BT/HT,
Re Shaun and THAT free kick.
I personally have never really blamed him per se (apart from how crap it was), in fact for him as a young player to have the boz to have a go at that stage i doffed my cap (manys years later that is!) but rather I blamed the senior players for not telling him, ” Dont even think about it!! Get it in the box for us to attack”.
Especially given we had caused them problems all night with crossed balls into the box.
As for his debut, I mind most of us in the Broomloan sort of looking at each other going “Sean who?” as lets face it how many actually knew at that point his name was spelled Shaun? The funny thing was watching the hun hordes foaming at the mouth at the young bhoy with the exceedingly Taig name coming on as a sub whilst we were gubbing them in their own backyard.
I think he knew immediately he should have squared the ball to Henrik or Paul Lambert (who gave Shaun dogs abuse for not doing so, given he had sprinted about 50 yards to get into the box) as it was a very weak shot that Klos had no trouble saving easily. But to be fair to the wee man, how many others in his situation would not have taken the shot???
BadaBing, I might be wrong, but I dont think Henke had scored his 2nd at the time when Shaun had that shot at Ipox. Seem to recall the 50th came very late in the game around 88-89 mins IIRC.
Still, and almost certainly always will be, my Favourite game at Ipox. In my Top 3 of all.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Hamiltontim
17:40 on 18 November, 2014
Livibhoy
Ha I remember those days well, though we had it tougher as all the experts were Tims!! :-)
SFTB
Well said. Can you think of anyone we released as a ‘failure’ who became a success elsewhere that you reflected on, thinking……I knew we should have kept him?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Letting Shay Given leave was a terrible mistake (not that he was thought of as a failure at the time).
FrankMarker/Yogiy,
I think it was that wee bassa Mahood who done wee Shaun that day, or was it Stan who was on the receiving end?
Just remember Mahood and various others in killie colours trying their damnedest against us that day, including the big hairdresser in goal having the game of his life otherwise we would have scored about 20!
Still think the turning point that day was a Henrik shot hitting the post, that had it gone in, wouldve put us 2 in front of the huns goals difference wise, but about 2 minutes later Van bronckhurst scored for the huns in their game to then put them level with us. Im convinced that had Henrik’s went in the news would have shot round ipox that we were 2 ahead of them and that wouldve translated down to their players who wouldve been much more edgy at that point. Ifs, buts could be and maybes i know.. Instead as I say VB scored and the rest is of course history.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Bourne
I’m seriously struggling to think of any. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few Tims who have a better knowledge of our youth set up who couldn’t come up with one or two.
Mike in Toronto
Russell is doing pretty well at Derby from what I have seen. He was out of action for quite a while with a bad injury.
HH
Hamiltontim
We should have never told Iniesta he was too wee:)))
scullybhoy
If I recall, we let him leave on a free to Blackburn who subsequently loaned him to Sunderland (??). It was obviously after this that he developed into the keeper that he became.
I don’t think we can blame Celtic for releasing him when we did.
Starry Plough
I watched Iniesta at Barrowfield against Stenhousemuir.
He was rubbish :-)
TTT
That day at Ibrox remains one of my favourites too. Still think I have a couple of other journeys into Mordor that were better though.
Sammi 2-0 was magic because we really weren’t expected to win that day.
Big Sutton…’Celtic park has an atmosphere that no other British stadium can match’
…’Scottish football gets an absolute battering down in England, but there’s not a great deal between the National teams, so what does that tell you about the top English players. Its all about Falcao, Costa and De Maria’.
It’s probably fair to assume that the question about whether we have cause to regret a released player was prompted by my posts on how we handle the development of players at Celtic.
So, it’s worth mentioning that I didn’t make any big issue out of how much, if anything, we received in fees for the player. In Mulgrew’s case many would argue that his contribution is worth a transfer fee, notwithstanding his history at the club, others wouldn’t. The point isn’t what it cost, so much as what it could have cost and whether it was a good process – he fell into our lap quite handily, but, we wouldn’t have paid his current market value. He could have spent the same two years at Aberdeen and the championship club (i forget who) on loan, or via dual ownership.
The point, though, isn’t about their value as a teenager or their contractual status later on. The point is whether we get full benefit from our investment in young players, and what we can do to ensure we do. Retaining more of them for longer, in a far different context, seems like a better use of money that hopeful transfer market punts.
And this is an industry problem. Look at the value Rangers lost in Charlie Adam. A technically good player, who clearly just needed to get out of the club for a couple of years to develop. He ended up being a £10m player.
Maybe we don’t have an endless list of frustration, and of course, we can retain many more of the best players we produce than other clubs, but over time every club in Britain throws talent away. Some come back to haunt others we never hear about… which is the other point. Back to Henderson again… how do we prevent him being sold for £300k next summer to Bolton. Is it RD’s decision, and should it be.
Saint Stivs
17:35 on
18 November, 2014
in tribute to my much missed mum, who was born in hemel hempsted, and my granda from Dalton in furness I think I will support england tonight.
…………………………………….
know Dalton well….a braw place …great chippy ……gravy on the chips with mushy peas ! new for me hahahaha but I cleaned the plate ….Clarence House is a braw Hotel as weel….. hoopy days to yeah …
braw
Hamiltontim
18:08 on 18 November, 2014
scullybhoy
If I recall, we let him leave on a free to Blackburn who subsequently loaned him to Sunderland (??). It was obviously after this that he developed into the keeper that he became.
I don’t think we can blame Celtic for releasing him when we did.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I remeber reading rave reviews about him in THE IRISH NEWS at the time he signed for Celtic. Was it not Dalglish who knew about him and took him etc????
Paul67 et al
Just as well Big Jack’s not in charge of Ireland these days, with a background like Shaun’s he would have been claiming him for the oul’ country.
Could have Craig, Charlie and Scott all starting tonight, so hopefully a positive result for those bhoys. I want the players to take something out of the game, which if it helps us again say Red Bull, then it’s worthwhile. After which that is International football over till next year. Scotland’s next game, against Gibraltar, won’t be at the Park though, the SFA have switched the match to Dumbarton, to make them feel more at home.
scullybhoy
You could be right mate but the fact that Blackburn loaned him out to another club indicates that they certainly didn’t think he was ready or good enough to be even a substitute keeper.
As I said, no doubt there will be a few but I think often hindsight is too easy a tool with which to beat others.
HT,
i wasnt at the Sammi 2-0 game unfortunately. Watched it in the Tavern in ML1 more in hope and fingers crossed rather than with any expectation of a result that day. But what an afternoon and night that turned out to be :-)
The other game that is right up there with the Henke 50th game is the Centenary 2-1 game when The Maestro struck that cracking volley (and was immense in general that day!) and Anton’s header that deflected in off walker’s chest for the winner.
Was in the West enclosure that day. Bedlam. Loved it. Think we sang “We’ve won the League again, Fly The Flag” for about 10mins solid towards the end of the game .
However, I think the fact that we went to ipox already as Champions (for the first time in my life) and the party atmosphere from the minute we got out of the car walking up to the ground, and their silence in general, not to mention the 2nd half display especially, is what edges the Henke 50th game for me as my Fav at Ipox.
Great memories.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Med Tim
Reading Phil ‘ s blog the AGM might be the least of their worries.
They should not be operating now.
They only hold an Entry level licence for Financial and Administrative capacity and should have Gold or Silver which is a requirement for Championship AND Premier.
Mind you so should Hearts who also have Entry level, so SFA are simply not applying the rules or there would be less clubs actually playing.
The other clubs in the Championship appear quite happy with this state of affairs but it’s hardly financial fair play when you are losing to a team fielding players they simply cannot afford.
I expect Hearts will achieve the required standard next season but for TRFC , without accounts ( because they would reveal no money) clubs and SFA via them , should be looking for either a massive cash injection to pay unaffordable players
or
severe cut backs in player wages which might only be achievable via administration.
They really should step back and take stock. TRFC is a Norwegian Blue, a dead parrot. It should be laid to rest with that dignity they used to boast about and really start again with a business model that bears (see what I did there) some resemblance to reality.
A tipping point is near when the painful consequences of holding on will exceed the pain of letting go. That applies to the whole game.
HT
There are hundreds more, who don’t make it anywhere, let alone at a big club.
Overall proportionately we do well, especially when you take into account how we
are unique in Scotland, and don’t produce the basis of the side from youth either.
We have a budget vastly outweighing anyone else’s, it’s a strategy that works, to win
the SPL.
I think anyone who thinks that we are going to get full unabriged version of the sale of Rangers is incredibly optomistic. We thought the Rangers the new club could not survive but they are still with us the masonic higherarchy will not let the information about the sale of the old club become public knowledge they are every where in our legal system from the police to Queens counsel like everything else there will be an almighty cover up. H.H.
What’s Jimmy whites latest autobiography called ?