Our old friend Cognitive Dissonance was at play again last night. Hearts manager, Paolo Sergio, seemed to accept Stephen Elliot’s second minute attempt was cleared so quickly officials might not have had a chance to ascertain if it crossed the line, but he tried to reconcile his frustration at this reality by publicly adopting a position which, on reflection, he should accept is in contravention to the rules of the game.
Elliot’s attempt struck Joe Ledley, who was standing on the line with his arms stationary and by his side, before being cleared by Fraser Forster.
Sergio said, “If you don’t see the ball over the line then you should see the handball which is a penalty and a red card.”
It’s scarcely credible that the Hearts manager is unaware of the rules of the game which clearly establish that for a handball offence to be committed the player needs to deliberately use a hand or arm to play the ball, not have the ball played against his stationary hand or arm.
No one had much of a clue whether the ball had crossed the line or not until after watching multiple TV replays and even then, while I can understand the attacking team claiming a goal, TV evidence does not provide conclusive proof that the whole of the ball crossed the line.
This will no doubt be the source of Sergio’s frustration; his team could have taken the lead but didn’t. Armed with this frustration he then created a false scenario which allowed him to reconcile his feelings of grievance.
What a shower. Struggling to operate in the SPL and pay tax, disorganised team structure and afflicted by football’s Cognitive Dissonance epidemic.
Last shout for Taggsybhoy’s CQN music quiz at Jury’s Hotel on Saturday contact him with your team name and numbers (max of 6 to a team). Proceeds going to the Vanessa Riddle Appeal
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AprilsBhoy..
Cheers Buddi..
But you Should Not encourage Me..:O(
Summa
I see some reference to Kubler Ross and the five stages of grief.
CQN posters of a certain vintage will remember this wrapper which illustrates the stages we Celtic fans have gone through as the news of the HMRC case against Rangers has gradually been revealed.
Five Bhoys Stages of the Tax Case
Enjoy the gift that keeps on giving.
‘GG
.
Celtic have won all 12 domestic games since Scott Brown returned from injury in November
Summa
GG – I listened to the Scotzine (?)podcast the other day when Phil McG was talking about the Rangers fans going through the 5 stages if grief. Apparently they have come through the denial phase and now Phil expects them to “deal with the anger phase quite well”.
mncelt standing up for Neil Lennon says:
10 February, 2012 at 04:28
MNCELT
I think many of the more enlightened ones have reached the bargaining stage as they negotiate and lobby for their Rangers 1690 Newco being granted immediate reentry into the SPL.
When Celtic, Dundee United, Hibs and/or Dunfermline and Hearts (just for devilment) vote against it, they will then move to Depression.
Acceptance will only happen when they have been promoted to the First division and have a shot ar regaining their SPL place.
I expect that in 2016 or maybe later.
‘GG
There is suddenly an unprecedented urgency to embrace goal line technology.
Did something happen to cause this upsurge in interest?
From the Herald:
£3m goal-line technology burdenHugh Macdonald
Chief Sports Writer.THE price tag on introducing goal-line technology may be £3m for Scottish Premier League clubs.
The failure to award Hearts a goal against Celtic caused controversy
Custom byline text: Hugh MacDonald
Trials of the latest technology will be taken to a second crucial stage soon by FIFA but it is understood the cost of installing the equipment at a ground may be upwards of £250,000. Initial tests of equipment submitted by companies have been conducted at FIFA head- quarters and then at grounds in Southampton, Rochdale and Nuremberg.
The technology issue has come into sharp focus in Scotland after controversies surrounding Lee Wallace’s header in the Old Firm game in December that seemed to cross the line and at Tynecastle on Wednesday night when Hearts were aggrieved that a Stephen Elliott header was not given as a goal when it was over the line.
Neither referee Willie Collum nor his assistant Andy Tait could see it had crossed the line before being cleared by Fraser Forster, the Celtic goalkeeper.
Systems have been devised that would alert the referee that the ball had crossed the line and a goal has been scored. It would alert the officials by means of an alarm on a watch.
The International Football Association Board, which regulates on all rule changes and advances in the sport, has been trying to find a system to end such controversies. More than a dozen companies submitted systems for stringent analysis. This number is believed to have been whittled down and further tests are planned soon.
There is a strong desire on the IFAB that a viable system be found. The FA in England is believed to be particularly keen and the cost would not be significant for Barclays Premier League clubs.
FIFA has four votes on IFAB with the four home FAs having one each. Any change to the game requires a minimum of six votes in favour.
‘GG says:
10 February, 2012 at 05:02
Aye they don’t like getting beat by Celtic, when Celtic win it’s time to change the whole system and make the field even more stacked against us!!!!
The thought of a Celtic treble from Neil’s young Lions is terrifying a lot of peepul, can’t think why!!
Hail Hail
I will be unable to sleep tonight. I can’t stop sniggering. Nurse, nurse I’m worse.
From the Scotsman. So much comedy material.
RANGERS manager Ally McCoist believes that the return of Daniel Cousin could switch the momentum of the SPL title race back in the Ibrox club’s favour at a crucial stage of the season.
McCoist is confident the 35-year-old Gabon international striker will agree a short-term move to Rangers and has not discounted the possibility of a deal being concluded in time for him to play against Dunfermline at East End Park tomorrow.
Cousin, a free agent following a three-month stint with FC Sapins in his homeland, has informed McCoist of his willingness to go back to Rangers, where he scored 13 goals in 44 appearances from August 2007 to September 2008. A deal remains subject to personal terms being agreed and international clearance being received from the Gabon FA. McCoist feels that Cousin, who spent the last three weeks on international duty with co-hosts Gabon at the Africa Cup of Nations, is capable of making an instant impact for Rangers, which can compensate for the recent sale of top scorer Nikica Jelavic to Everton.
“It is a great chance for Daniel to play at a big club he knows, to score goals and help us maintain a serious championship challenge,” said McCosit. “With a bit of luck, he could help us retain the title. If he gets here in time and has no problems registration-wise, he would be in the reckoning to play on Saturday.”
It was initially believed Cousin would have to serve a one-match suspension, left over from being sent off in the final game of his first spell at Rangers, but it has emerged he did so by missing Hull City’s first game after he joined them from the Ibrox club.
“I’ve been told he served his suspension by sitting out Hull’s game against Newcastle after leaving us,” said McCoist, “although we are still waiting to have that confirmed 100 per cent. I would hope Daniel would be able to hit the ground running if he signed. He’s obviously match fit, having played with Gabon all the way to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. He also knows Rangers and the environment he is coming into, which I would hope would be a big benefit to us.
“I had a good chat with him the other day and we talked about all aspects of the move, but he was certainly keen to come. I’m loathe to say much more until he arrives at Glasgow Airport but I’m very keen.
“I don’t know what his other options are to be honest with you. He didn’t say that he had other options. If he has, it’s up to him to make up his own mind.
“There are one or two details in terms of red tape with the Gabon FA and there is still the matter of a contract between now and the end of the season. Those are two hurdles I’d hope we would overcome.”
McCoist has no doubt Cousin would enhance Rangers’ attacking strength, the limitations of which were exposed by last Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Dundee United in the Scottish Cup.
“We didn’t pose anything like a strong enough threat in the forward area,” said McCoist. “The goals we conceded weren’t great defensively but, at the same time, you need to have a focal point up front. You need a striker who can be a physical presence and cause one or two problems. He may be older now, but I watched his performances in the Africa Cup of Nations and, from what I saw of him, he would certainly do a job for us.”
Cousin earned a reputation during his first spell at Rangers of only performing to his best in higher-profile games, in Europe or against Celtic, but McCoist says the player appreciates the significance of the circumstances to which he would be committing himself.
McCoist said: “Every game between now and the end of the season is massive so, if Daniel is a big game player, that’s fine.”
I think I’m watching Comedy Gold. There is another Scotsman article headlined
“Ally McCoist insists first-choice Rangers side more than a match for Celtic “
Have DC Thomson taken over the Scotman and replaced the sports desk with Beano and Dandy writers?
I wasn’t going to copy n paste, but hey why not? These new staff deserve all the recognition for their comedic content.
Ally McCoist feels Rangers are more than a match for Celtic. Picture: SNS
Published on Friday 10 February 2012 00:00
THE size of the task facing Ally McCoist in his bid to retain the SPL title for Rangers was graphically displayed by Celtic’s 4-0 demolition job at Tynecastle on Wednesday night.
The Rangers manager watched the action unfold from the comfort of his living room but might easily have felt a chill down his spine at the ruthless manner in which his biggest rivals re-opened a four-point lead at the top of the table.
The depth of resources at the disposal of McCoist’s opposite number Neil Lennon was emphasised by Ki Sung Yeung and Kris Commons spending the whole of the evening on the substitutes’ bench, while last season’s Player of the Year Emilio Izaguirre was unable to even find a place in Celtic’s 18-man squad.
Contrasted with Rangers’ current woes, which see McCoist pinning his hopes on the possible short-term return of Daniel Cousin, it is easy to see why the Ibrox men are now priced as long as 5-1 to win a fourth successive SPL crown.
But, while he accepts Celtic have a clear advantage in terms of strength in depth, McCoist remains defiant that his first choice starting line-up can prove more than a match for Lennon’s side over the remaining 13 games of the championship campaign.
“Without doubt, there is a big difference between the squads,” said McCoist. “In terms of numbers and strength of squad, we don’t really have it. But I would argue the case that, if we could get a wee bit of luck and get players back that we are missing through injury at the moment, then I would take my chances for the rest of the season with a fully-fit team.”
The tame nature of Rangers’ elimination from the Scottish Cup at home to Dundee United has exposed McCoist and his players to considerable criticism and places them under significant pressure ahead of their return to SPL business against bottom of the table Dunfermline at East End Park tomorrow.
McCoist accepts they have reached a point where they must prove they can cope with the expectations surrounding a club like Rangers.
“I think that’s fair comment,” McCoist added. “In times of need, you need men around you to stand up and be counted. The club has always had that in the past and now is another time when the club is in need.
The following paragraph had me rolling on the floor
“I’ve got to be honest with you, I look about our dressing room and think we have some great men in there. We could definitely do with a couple more. And by that I mean numbers, not that anyone here is unable to stand up and be counted. I don’t think we have a problem in terms of personnel willing to roll up their sleeves and get on with it.
“I hope this could be the making of them as Rangers players. We’ll have to wait and find out. We definitely know what is required now and what we have to do. Time will tell if we can but we know the job at hand.”
While McCoist is pleased to welcome 20-year-old striker Kane Hemmings back into his plans this week following injury, he says he is reluctant to delve too deeply into the Murray Park youth academy in order to bolster his squad over the remaining three months of the season.
“It’s all about getting a balance,” he added. “If your team is doing really well then sometimes you can give youth a chance to blossom. But sometimes you have to nurture youth players for themselves as much as the club. It would be a little bit unfair in some cases to throw young lads into a situation that could be difficult.
“Put it this way, it’s a lot easier for youngster to come into a team that is winning and on a consistent run of form than it is otherwise. We have been using Gregg Wylde and have been unlucky with Jamie Ness. Kane Hemmings was involved at the start of the season and is coming back from injury now. So there are certainly youngsters who have an opportunity to play for Rangers. But, on the other side, I would be loathe to throw them in and potentially do them damage.”
One player who could yet come in from the fringes to play a role for McCoist in the title run-in is Australian international midfielder Matt McKay. The 29-year-old has made just three first-team appearances since signing from Brisbane Roar last August but McCoist is now reluctant to let him leave the club. “There was talk of Matt going back to Brisbane or one or two other places, but I’m not sure it would be in our interests to let him go,” he said. “He played in a closed-door friendly against Raith Rovers this week and did well.
“It has been hard for him to get into central midfield, where I would argue Steven Davis and Maurice Edu have done well, while we have gone with Sasa Papac or Lee Wallace on the left and Sone Aluko on the right. But I’ve not closed the door on Matt, I’m not in a position do that with anyone.”
It’s like episodes of the Goons or Round the Horne.
Morning Celts and happy Friday, a long day ahead so better shift it ……..
Bring on the slow lingering demise of der hunCSC
V
Morning All from a snowy and -11 Germany, just read Phil’s blog suggesting strong possibility of an ‘insolvency event’ before end of March. Also the comical stuff about Cousin. Only 13 goals in 44 appearances back in the ‘good old days’ and now he’s 4 years older. Like him, they really are on their last legs.
I tried explaining ice-cream and jelly to Frau F and her response was ‘Eis und Wackelpudding….zusammen’? However, I think once she tastes it she’ll be won over.
HH
That stuff about Cousin is just guffaw-inducing. How the LL can type (& how Sally can say) such p1sh with a straight coupon is mind boggling.
On another subject, I haven’t got a problem with goal-line technology in principle, but as others have pointed out nobody gave two hoots until we were seen to have possibly “benefited” form a couple of calls.
In fact, anything that takes decisions out of the hands of Scotland’s lodge-lurking whistleblowers is fine by me.
Where I would like to see them use TV is for quick checking of offside decisions – but I know that’s pie-in-the-sky because I guess everybody knows that Celtic would be the ones with most to gain by the forced removal of that
particular get-out-of-jail card from the hun MIBs armoury.
Sorry to dampen the mood, but I have a huge concern. When the dust settles and there is no more Rangers, what will their supporters do with their time?
I suggest there will be a period when they will want to take their anger out on US. I fear there will be clusters of ex-Rangers supporters accumulating in an aggressive and threatening manner whenever we have a home game.
Celtic fans on the way to the game will be intimidated. On the way home it will be worse, ambushed, assaulted and …. Of that I have no doubt.
As a teenager in the 80s, if happened to me and my relatives (father, uncles, grandfather aged 70-odd) walking home from a night game. A simple question from a stranger as you walk past (“what was the score”) met with the wrong reply (“Celtic won 2-0”) is met with a whistle and a hoard of animals appear from across the street, wielding sticks. We escaped relatively unscathed. We were lucky.
Some on here have experienced worse very recently.
I would therefore urge. “Be careful out there. It is NOT a jungle”.
Good morning all CQNers.
I’m not particularly impressed to see Alistair Johnstone quoted as saying “Rangers’ stakeholders are now demanding full transparency.”……….perhaps he’ll start the ball rolling by giving us an insight to his dealings with the EBT’s awarded to players and board members, hmmmmmm.
With each frantic manoeuvre they are betraying their increasing sense of doom and the attempts to distance themselves from the carnage are becoming ever more embarrassing and comical.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16975105
About to depart frozen North of Aberdeen by train to sunny Glasgow. Meeting, then sociable pint with a famous CQN er then back ‘home’ to the North…
Supersutton 06-49
Your so right.
I’ve been saying this for a while.
Good morning CQN from the fast train to Glasgow on a drizzly ML8 morning.
The good feeling from Wednesday night has a welcome lingering.
Busy day again, but each & every one is at the moment.
Cultsbhoy – you and mwd finally getting it on….enjoy breakfast with him;-)
hh
bjmac
BT
Make sure Cultsbhoy buys the pint!!!
MWD
Morning Bhoys, From a dank Airdrie, Hail Hail and Have a good weekend. Catch ye’s tomorrow for the action.
KLV
Oh.
And if he’s no wearing hoops boxers and socks he’s a Hun!
MWD :o))))
A damp, dark and cloudy morning here in North Ayrshire.
Good morning friends and a Big Happy Friday to one and all from a damp and drizzly East Kilbride.
A home game tomorrow, woo-hoo!
Jobo
Morning,
rangers have banned the media today to help them prepare for their trip to bottom of the League Dunfermline.
Says it all really…
HH
Jobo 07.31
Must be league game, no chance of cup game at home!!
MWD
Hoping you’d be there…To pay the bill
Willie McKay claims he is taking no fee and his client is taking 25% of what he could have got if he had gone to Birmingham????? Tell the truth Willie, tell the truth.
From the Record:
“DANIEL COUSIN’S agent last night insisted he has clinched a deal to take the striker back to Rangers.
Adviser Willie McKay confirmed to Record Sport the 35-year-old will arrive in Scotland today via Germany to sign. The breakthrough agreement came just hours after Mackay had broadcast live on two teatime radio shows to savage Rangers chiefs over the negotiations.
Cousin’s agent revealed Birmingham were attempting to hijack the move to the SPL with a £20,000-a-week bid – FOUR times more than the £5000 at one time on offer at Ibrox.
But McKay said: “I’ve just spoken with Craig Whyte and we have reached agreement on Daniel’s wages.
“Rangers are prepared to pay him £7500 a week. That is a lot less than stood to make at Birmingham but money was not the key issue.
“I’ve agreed to take no fee to make this happen.
“Daniel wants it, Ally McCoist wants it, so we’ve all had to do our bit to push this deal over the line.
“Daniel is scheduled to be at Murray Park on Friday afternoon to rejoin the club.”
The deal, until the end of the season, looks to have been done after a farcical day of behind-the-scenes negotiations when McKay claimed the Cousin offer had been slashed back by Rangers operations executive Ali Russell to £5000 a week.
McKay joked the SPL champs were having difficulties arranging Cousin’s travel because no budget airlines fly out of Gabon.
McKay rubbed further salt in Rangers’ wounds by suggesting the reason he was still waiting for a return call from Whyte was because the new chairman’s mobile phone had run out of credit.
He said: “The lad is happy to come back but they have offered him 25 per cent of the last contract he was on at Rangers and that is £5000 a week.
“There are further difficulties. EasyJet and Ryanair don’t fly to Gabon. Ally is doing his very best to get him but I feel sorry for Ally.
“I am just waiting for Craig Whyte to give me a call. Ali Russell phoned me and said Craig Whyte had said it was £7500. They offered £7500 then came back and offered £5000 a week. It’s only 10 weeks and you know what he did to Celtic in the last game he played at Parkhead.
“Daniel can get himself £20,000 a week at Birmingham but Rangers on his CV for a last contract sounded quite good to him.”
McKay’s astonishing outburst came just hours after McCoist admitted he was desperate to land Cousin in time for tomorrow’s SPL clash at Dunfermline.
Record Sport revealed exclusively on Wednesday that McCoist had opened talks with the Gabon striker in the hope of landing him as a free agent – three years after he left Ibrox for Hull in a £3million deal.
McCoist expected Cousin to catch a flight to Paris late last night then jump on a flight to Scotland but although the player’s bags were packed the deal threatened to stall over personal terms.
Former Rangers chief scout Ewan Chester was trying to lure Cousin to Birmingham instead.
McCoist said: “We need strength up front and Daniel can do a job because he’s strong and powerful.
“He’s older now but I watched his performances in the African Nations Cup and from what I saw he would definitely do a job for us.
“If he’s here on time and fit, Daniel will be in the reckoning for the game at East End Park.
“If I was him I’d be looking at this move in a positive way. It’s a great opportunity to get back to a big club and score goals that’ll help Rangers maintain a serious title challenge”
Bjmac
He has asked to see my underwear…
‘GG says:
10 February, 2012 at 05:02
There is suddenly an unprecedented urgency to embrace goal line technology.
Did something happen to cause this upsurge in interest?
…………………………………………………………………….
There sure is, but there is no need to worry the S.F.A. are already committed to look at goal-line technology and are considering bringing in “goal judges” after an appalling refereree-ing decision at Hampden.
Problem is the incident happened in 1938!
Maybe the report is still lying in Jim Farry’s “Things to do” tray.
Here is the story:
From The Glasgow Herald, Nov 28, 1938. (Extract from match report)
REMARKABLE GOAL DECISION AT HAMPDEN PARK
Queen’s Park, 2; Rangers, 3
“If there had been goal judges in this match at Hampden, Queens Park would have been saved a point and the referee from making what appeared to be an inexplicable and quite erroneous decision.
Eight minutes from the end when the score was two-all McPhail, with a perfectly placed pass, opened up the way for Venters, who advanced to the 18 yards line before shooting at terrific speed.
The ball, travelling well clear of Mansour’s reach struck the goalkeepers left hand post fairly low down and rebounded fast as a bullet and at a narrow angle into play.
Obviously under the illusion that the ball had crossed the goal-line and rebounded from the iron stanchion at the back of the net—that can be the only possible explanation, for the ball could not have shot back with the speed it did if it had struck the yielding side-net—the referee, to the crowd’s amazement, ran to the centre of the field signalling that a goal had been scored.
GAME STILL IN PROGRESS
While he was doing this the game still carried on, proof, if proof were needed, that the Rangers’ players themselves had no intention of claiming a goal. When the amateurs realised what the referee was about they protested vehemently, but the official held resolutely to his decision – he was so sure of himself that he did not think it worth while consulting the linesman – and play was resumed in an atmosphere of bewilderment.
One felt here that the Rangers’ players had a splendid opportunity of raising the prestige of the professional football. If one of their number had stepped forward and supplemented Queen’s Park’s protest the action would have been universally applauded. This goal which may prove vital to the fortunes of both Queen’s Park and Rangers when the end of the season is reached, must stand of course. But surely such a unique case demands an inquiry and public explanation.
If this is any consolation for Hampden people. Queen’s may not be martyrs in vain. The S.F.A. may now appreciate better the use of goal judges and make an effort to have the whole question reviewed by the International Board at their next meeting.”
Cultsbhoy, I’m more concerned with the fact you assume he wants you to be wearing it when you show him….. ;-)
Safe journey, mate.
hh
How the hell can Cousin get away with serving an spl suspension in England? The huns have an absolute front on them to even try to get away with it.
Meeting with ‘Truth’ are we ?
Good morning everyone,
May have been posted before, fan about to be hit :
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/rangers-takeover-probe-demanded-by-johnston.16705898?
Qoute from agent McKay from BBC, asked about the difference between Murray & Whyte – “Five minutes later I was on my way to an airport in Lyon, on a private jet into Edinburgh, picked up by Sandy Jardine, job done.
“That’s the difference.”
They still don’t get that it wasn’t SDM’s money that paid for all that.
Oops “Quote”
Morning bhoys from a very cold but hun free mountain.
Are they dead yet ?
Spoke to my mate who works for Birmingham FC in the finance dept, and he has not heard anything about Cousin being offered a deal with them, he has worked there for more than 25 years and would hear things.
I believe him.
The scottish media wouldn’t be telling porkies would it……..
Morning all.
I really don’t want to get out of bed, I’ve had the most
restless night ever.
I only hope to God we can get big Billy up to speed to combat the
the threat of Cousin..
I’m Sooooo worried
Brimmer
THE EXILED TIM 10 February, 2012 at 08:16:
Morning bhoys from a very cold but hun free mountain.
Are they dead yet ?
I wish they’d hurry up. My jelly and ice cream is getting cold.
THM
You could have a backed Alaska :>)