Tannadice was so packed out this afternoon it looked like a Rangers creditors’ meeting and the Scottish Cup tie on show didn’t disappoint. Dundee United had the better of the opening period but four second half goals from an irresistible Celtic decided outcome.
Jon Daly headed wide early on after a Willo Flood cross early on but the first great chance of the game fell to Johnny Russell on 25 minutes. Gary Mackay-Steven got free on the left and crossed for Russell who mishit his shot, allowing Fraser Forster to make an incredible save and claw the ball away.
With Dundee United clearly on top defender Robbie Neilson received a straight red card for a forearm smash into the face of Georgios Samaras.
It took Celtic 36 minutes to make an attempt on goal. Joe Ledley’s shot from a corner was blocked and James Forrest shot over from a corner seconds later.
Celtic stepped up the pace after halftime. Charlie Mulgrew jinked to create space on the left side of the United box but Ledley couldn’t reach his cross. 8 minutes after halftime the visitors were ahead after the best move of the game.
Adam Matthews passed back to Fraser Forster who played the ball out to Joe Ledley. Ledley moved forward after playing the ball onto Samaras, who passed to Mulgrew before the ball moved onto Stokes. Anthony Stokes fired a low cross into the box which Gary Hooper dummied for Ledley, who never stopped running. The midfielder won the ball by nipping in front of his marker and shot home from 7 yards.
Samaras shot over before a Stokes shot after 64 minutes from 25 yards was saved by Pernis, the first save the keeper made in the game.
United had a great chance to draw level when substitute Milos Lacny latched onto a long through ball but his shot from 16 yards was weak and off target.
Georgios Samaras made it 0-2 when he got on the end of a Mulgew free kick to bullet a header into the top right corner of the net.
Two minutes later Johnny Russell had a great chance to pull a goal back but his shot from 15 yards flew narrowly over.
Stokes should have tied the game up 11 minutes from time when James Forrest combined with Hooper before Forrest cut the ball back to Stokes, who contrived to hit the crossbar with his shot with an empty net waiting.
Samaras and Forrest both had chances to add to the scoring before Ledley threaded a pass through the middle of the United defence for Stokes to clip past Pernis into the net.
With a minute of the game remaining Samaras beat Dillon, who pulled the Greek international down inside the box. Scott Brown rolled the resultant penalty into the net to make if 0-4.
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Ally McCoist is hoping to be cast as “Chunk”. Apparently he’s been researching the part for years and his truffle shuffle is spot on.
If you put a beret on Walter the Legned, he’s a dead ringer for Ma Fratelli. (thumbsup)
SFTB
Thanks. I thought it was funny and although the Utd fans are OK, they are probably not Tim Standard in terms of originality so I thought it was probably our support.
JJ
Morning All, anyone got a link to the red card incident yesterday?
HH
Will this come to rival the infamous Succulent Lamb article?
Keith Jackson, 23 June 2011
THEY could flog the rights to Ibrox and make a quick killing just as Arsenal did when Highbury morphed into the Emirates.
They could push for an all-new league cup competition which would see Rangers and Celtic go head to head with Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United.
They could even take the Old Firm derby halfway across the world to stage it in the United States or in Australia.
This is the future under Craig Whyte and his newly-assembled executive team at Ibrox.
Right now, as far as Ali Russell is concerned, Rangers could do just about anything as they set about their quest to turn a debt-ridden Scottish institution into a global money-making machine.
No idea to bring home the big bucks will be dismissed. No potential little earner ignored until each of its avenues has been completely explored and exhausted.
These people did not take over this club for the hell of it. Now that they’ve stormed through the front doors of Ibrox they have no intention of making a loss out of the old place.
And after Whyte’s radical restructuring of the boardroom, the burden will fall chiefly on operations executive Russell to show them the money.
His credentials are impressive enough, having held down – and been headhunted from – top marketing and commercial posts at the Scottish Rugby Union and Hearts before being appointed as deputy MD by the mega-rich owners of Queens Park Rangers.
He’s young – having yet to turn 40 – he’s slick and he has all the jargon off pat too. Russell talks about “core markets” and “brand development” much more comfortably than he does about 4-5-1s or 4-4-2s.
But that’s what Gordon Smith is for, isn’t it? Russell’s job is to concentrate on an altogether different set of numbers. And to inflate them from every conceivable angle.
“It’s about looking at all avenues,” Russell says, after being asked how on earth he plans to turn a financially stricken club into some kind of golden goose laying eggs on a global scale.
“It’s about looking at the real estate here. How do we maximise that? Is it just a ground for football or does it have more uses?
“Can we use rooms on non-match days more effectively? What do we do to grow the brand, where do we play as a team? How do we integrate international players so that we’re building the brand in different markets? Where do we go with our own broadcast rights? There are numerous areas we are looking to investigate.”
And Russell will be charged of the task of probing each and every one. Even those ideas which to many Rangers fans may seem strictly off limits, like the possible rebranding of Ibrox.
Now that really would test the levels of goodwill which have been soaring sky high for these people ever since Whyte and his group manoeuvred Sir David Murray out of power for the price of just a single pound.
In fact, the club could stand to rake in many millions of pounds just by agreeing to sell a name. Russell doesn’t completely rule such a scenario out. If truth be told the businessman inside him must be bursting to strike a deal which would see Rangers gain so much from giving away so little.
But, with so much emotional investment to protect, neither is he in a rush to rule it in.
Instead he chooses his words with great care as he says: “At this stage of the new era we consider everything but it’s not something we’d go out and look at.
“Ibrox is synonymous with Rangers so I don’t think it’s something we would consider at this stage. We are very protective of our intellectual property.”
Clearly, the sanctioning of such a break with tradition would have to be treated with great caution. But Russell belongs to a modern world of bold thinkers.
And there are plenty more ideas where that one came from.
Challenge He adds: “I’m looking forward to helping develop the brand of this club, not just in Scotland but internationally.
“I think we have some huge opportunities. The club has been under some challenging financial circumstances. Moving forward, we have to challenge ourselves.
“How do we generate more interest in Scottish football?
“How do we become central to that and move it forward? In terms of pre-season, we went to Australia last year – do we now go to the US or Japan?
“What are the core markets we are going to be focusing on so that we reinforce it every time we do a tour. So we don’t just go where the biggest cheque is – we look at growing a fan base in different areas of the world which strategically fit back well into the club itself.”
Russell and Whyte also plan to quickly develop the land around Ibrox or whatever else it’s called somewhere down the line.
Hotels, retail outlets and new residential developments are on the cards and Russell is already in talks with Glasgow council chiefs about how best to fund this work.
He has also opened discussions with SPL chief Neil Doncaster on how best to maximise the Scottish game’s earning potential. And that may well include the breaking down of many borders.
Russell says: “There has been a lot of talk about cross-border cup competitions.
“Arsenal and Manchester United have not been playing their best teams in the early stages of the League Cup.
“A cross-border aspect would generate a lot more interest. Should we be involved in those sort of discussions? Absolutely. If we feel there’s an appetite from the fans I see no reason why we wouldn’t look at it.”
The prospect of picking up the Glasgow derby and dropping it somewhere on the other side of the planet, in the form of a pre-season friendly, has also been mooted in recent years.
Russell’s Spidey senses are tingling. “It’s about making it the biggest rivalry in world football,” he says.
“How do we ensure that without the negativity that maybe came to the surface last term?
“Could we take it to the States or abroad? Again, we would look at things. However, it would have to be right for the fans.
“They come first in terms of moving forward. There’s a lot of history here. The brand can’t be tarnished. We can’t move too far too quickly but we have to be open-minded.”
Russell’s Spidey senses are tingling. “It’s about making it the biggest rivalry in world football,” he says.
I’ve got a better idea.
RIP Rangers. (thumbsup)
Final post before I go out.
So much more enjoyable on here today reading comments about Celtic/Utd game. player performances, crowd contribution, Neil`s comments etc than about the Huns ` demise. A few days of this kind posting along with League Cup final suggestions re line up etc would be most refreshing.
JJ
Hail ! Hail! The Celts are here ( guaranteed o:-) )
I would love to know just how much they offered HRMC – and how long it took Hector to stop laughing before saying no
Gordon_J
The good news is that:
Hector doesn’t do laughing.
Hector doesn’t do walking away either.
;o)
I have been sent a link for Jabba’s column in the Daily Rangers today.
I will not post it as I would not wish to cause such pain upon my fellow Celtic Supporters.
What I will say is that there is another sleekit dig at Celtic and I am delighted the club will no longer be talking to this rag.
HH
philvisreturns on 12 March, 2012 at 09:53 said:
Filip Sebo was last seen auditioning for the role of “Sloth” in the forthcoming Goonies reboot.
————————————————————————————-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnrs3zu0xeI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I wish they’d hurry up and die so i can enter them into the Darwin awards. They’re a dead cert. hehehe
sixtaeseven,
Hector doesn’t do walking away.
But he does tell others to go away. Or something like that.
Victor Wanyama, Is there anywhere on the park he cannnot play and make it look like a dawdle. He was fantastic at CH yesterday when he dropped back.
If we can keep him for another season you are talking about a player that would bring in a record transfer fee.
HH
Good news for the bhoys abroad.
THIS Sunday’s Scottish Communities League Cup final at Hampden between Celtic and Kilmarnock will be live on Celtic TV, for domestic supporters outside of the UK and Ireland.
The match, on Sunday, March 18, kicks off at 3pm and Celtic TV presenter, Gregor Kyle, will be on live at 2.30pm.
All Celtic TV+ and Premium subscribers overseas will get to see the live video of the game and there will be a 24-hour hold back for UK and Ireland subscribers. However, those in the UK and Ireland will get full live audio commentary.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan @ 09:21,
Top analysis of a rather intriguing affair are they construing, conspiring or conniving? I guess we’ll have get to wait on the out come but I cannot see the gang of ten coming out with some blue sky thinking and a frame work for bringing Scottish Football into the 21st Century.
So your premise must be “on the money.”
Interesting that this meeting was set-up after the so called Financial Fair Play meeting called by the SPL, it would seem to me that Celtic were resolute on their position.
Hail! Hail!
Anyone who follows Stewart Regan on Tritter will be left in no doubt that this is not the man to sort out Scottish football. He’s far too busy sending out pointless drivel (the latest being how the SatNav has got him lost in Largs) and no doubt reading the hilarious replies to have any time leftover to do anything constructive with the game.
I feel Celtic are well on the ball with all that is going on at the moment. The gaffers comments re the media are welcome and we should back him by burying the rags. Thugs n thieves should have been the last straw.
BRTH
So you think that Dave King will be their new Oligarch owner.
My worst nightmare is a Man City type owner taking them over.
I really hope that you are wrong.
TT
BRTH 09:21
Another excellent piece.
hh
I am led to believe that D+Ds ‘discussion’ with HMRC was over the £15m outstanding on current PAYE + NIC
The Blue Knights etc will have to settle that bill in full otherwise liquidation is a certainty
James Forrest…sometime yesterday.
Long post but brilliant nonetheless
hh
Random things from way down south —–
Nothing to stop someone buying and then liquidating . Would probably have to pay more than £1 though.
Any news re Gary Withey ?—– The Company Secretary of a Company in Administration. The man who knows more than most re the ins and outs of the Ticketus deal..
Pleased that Celtic have told the lying, agenda laden media scumballs where to go
Celtic were dire for 45 minutes yesterday ——- Eyes on the prizes please !
Went to Catania 1 —-Fiorentina 0 . Good shift from Artur Boruc . Looks 2 stone lighter than he did when he left Celtic . Still prone to blaming other people when he makes a mistake.
No to a SPL Parachute . No to any Newco that doesn’t have to beg and plead to be allowed to start at the very bottom.
bigjie on 12 March, 2012 at 05:50 said:
BBC highlights from our victory in the tainted cup yesterday , available for those “outwith” the UK
——–
“Outwith”? Surely you mean “Outside”?
Paul67
Bryce Curdy,
Isn’t pointless posting the point of Twitter??
Paul67
From a previous post you mentioned…
“If found guilty, some punishments are clear. Playing an improperly registered player in any match invalidates the result of the game. A 3-0 win is retrospectively awarded to the opponent. Always. Just as your history books do not record Ben Johnson as Olympic 100m champion for 1988, Scottish football records would be changed.”
This got me thinking…if found guilty of this playing improperly registered players. Would the cheats not have been relegated in each season that this happened?
So by now would be at the bottom of the Third Division. So this would be the rightful starting place whether they survive or come back as Glasgow Rangers or Govan Rangers.
Blantyre Kev
Jangle’s ‘Nose’ for fawning hun stories has taken up some very dark back
passages to such an extent that it now resembles a melted Snickers bar
stuck to a rotted turnip.
Turd brown with peanuts for brains.
HH
Ten Men Won The League @ 10:37,
They have a stated their game plan, sell all the Footballing assets of RFC to a NewCo including the SPL share, then liquidte the old Company as the debt free new Club takes to the field.
We have been through the problems with this ad-infinintum but first and foremost would be the selling of these assets on without ensuring the creditors in general and HMRC specifically are satisfied.
The Blue Knights want RFCNEW on the cheap and it isn’tgoing to happen.
Laird of the Smiles aka PMTYH – Heh heh heh.
Knee Deep in the Hoopla. (thumbsup)
was watching the excellent celtic History DVDs a few days ago, the part on the McCann takeover was interesting. Fergus came in and paid all creditors in full on day one. He said soemthing like “liquidation would have been far cheaper, but we decided we weren’t going to go down that road”. Blue Knights seem to be considering doing the exact opposite. They either inherit the debt along with the trophies, or they don’t inherit the trophies. 54-0.
Billy’s Bhoy on 12 March, 2012 at 10:49 said:
So this would be the rightful starting place whether they survive or come back as Glasgow Rungers or Govan Rungers.
Frank Sinatra has more chance of making a comback than they have …:-)
Bhoys
Apart from his glaring miss I thought Lascny was pretty useful when he came on. Very different from anything that we have currently. Tall and direct.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan
Another great post.
I believe any rich buyer would have to be squeaky clean to pass the SFA fit and proper test.
In fact, even cleaner that Paul Murray and the Blue Balls, who would no doubt be the preferred choice of the ruling body and benefit from the new SFA fast track acceptance process*.
*This new SFA fast track acceptance process will be set up and implemented as soon as it is needed by “Messers” Olgivie and Reagan.
:o)
Just finished watching the game and I think as always credit to Dundee United for the way they play the game, they are a credit and always have been, however the better team won.
There is no two ways about it, Paddy McCourt is too good for Celtic’s bench. I wish he gets a couple of medals this year at least.
Kevin Thompson must cringe and bite the pillow every time he remembers taunting Scott Brown with “you signed for the wrong team”.
There is only 1 Scottish club that would be of interest to a mega-rich buyer …..
Morning Bhoys
Was the late substitution of Forster for Zaluska to earn Zaluska a medal when we win the cup, or is big Fraser injured?
Billy’s Bhoy
“apart from the glaring miss.”
That’s the whole point.
He lacked composure when it mattered most.
TT
http://www.kirkintillochemerald.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14087