Remember when Barcelona were regarded as the model of an ethical football club? I don’t know if it’s just every time I see Tumbling Neymar that I feel a little less affinity with brand Barca but that image has proven to be a mirage.
The clubs tax affairs, specifically over compensation to Lionel Messi, brought it into more disrepute than could be compensated for by the ethically immaculate (cough) ‘Qatar’ emblazoned across their shirts. Tax is not just for the wee guys.
Now Fifa (you know you have issues when these guys can get moralistic with you) have banned the club from signing players for the next two transfer windows and a fine of 450k Swiss francs after investigations into the signing of 10 foreign minors over the period 2009-2013. Their accomplices, the Spanish FA, were fined 500 Swiss francs for their role in the episode.
We’ll see if the Spanish FA have the equivalent of What-school-did-you-go-to Ogilvie in charge, who is able to arbitrarily change which transfer windows the ban applies to, in order to assist the club.
Speaking of Ogilvie, after leaving now-liquidated Rangers he continued his work at Hearts, who administrator Bryan Jackson yesterday admitted were themselves facing liquidation. Ogilvie had a legal responsibility for Rangers during the period they introduced the ruinous EBT scam, some of which was found to be illegal during the First Tier Tribunal, the remainder of which is currently subject to an Upper Tribunal deliberation.
Indeed, the man, who remains president of the SFA, pocketed a £93k EBT, but he can claim no credit for the liquidation of Hearts, which was brought about by the liquidation of the club’s shareholders and lenders. If there were two clubs in the whole world you would ask karma to liquidate……….
Before you react to this acknowledged possibility, check, are you a fan, or player and fan? If you are a fan, feel free to proclaim the situation loudly. If you are player and fan, stop. The SFA don’t want you proclaiming an acknowledged possibility, as though you were a fan. Hearts are going bust, but the only man in football allowed to say this is the Hearts administrator.
I see a bit of push-back against Beram Kayal, which is harsh. After a very promising start Beram is increasingly out of the picture at Celtic and needs to construct a narrative for himself and potential future employers. Everything he said was almost certainly true: he was ‘done’ by Lee McCulloch, leaving him with a poor first-hand experience of our game. Why would he retain a love for a league which is offers him nothing?
The comments about Liverpool and Manchester United showing an interest in him prior to his injury tells you lots about how the game works. Promising, though he was, he was never in this class, but all clubs watch hundreds of players every year. I see no reason why his agent would be unable to get Beram scouted by a couple of top English clubs. This would have been reported to the player, but should not be confused as being a qualified interest.
Seville – The Celtic Movement:
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Petec,
Sounds cool, I know how you feel about family but I offer this
My cousin is having a hard time in englandshire but I got him to meet up in Glasgow for the St Mirren game and we had a ball. Felt like 81 all over again.
Point is
Very easy to recreate family fun, if effort is made. The hard bit is the first contact
2 door cinema club
Something good can work
P
Science of Fear
Temper Trap
Class in a glass
Yesterday
And probably tomorrow…..
I don’t get this?
Inverness face a third trip to Celtic Park, which will take place on Sunday, April 27 as League One champions Rangers are at home on the Saturday.
Waiting for the 7.18
January is endless
………..
Can still kick a ball a 100 yards……..
If I could do it again, I’d pick more blackberries
Let’s drive to Brighton on the weekend……..
I will dazzle them with my wit……
Morning all on CQN!
Weather has been unusually brilliant here in SW Germany. Mid 20s yesterday with more of the same over the next few days. Been great golfing weather but garden work beckons today – Mrs GB has submitted “request” for same :-((
HH
Glasvegas(met the lads, top boys)
Babe, why you not home get?
Polis on ma left and right
Flowers and fit a tops
Top of the morning to you all from a still-dark but damp Fife.
This from Staff writer at The Herald: “Extra support for cup referees
Last year’s Scottish Cup Final – won 3-0 by Celtic over Hibernian – featured officials behind each goal for the first time and now the SFA have expanded this format to include this year’s semi-finals.
Referee Bobby Madden will take charge of the Rangers v Dundee United tie at Ibrox on Saturday, April 12, when he will be assisted by Graham Chambers and Alastair Mather, fourth official Calum Murray and additional assistant referees John Beaton and Alan Muir.”
Why don’t they just get the whole lodge signed up for the £1,000 a go gig?
How this man was ever allowed on a football park I will NEVER know?
LEE McCULLOCH loves nothing better than beating Celtic and has enjoyed some of his finest moments in old Firm games.
But the Rangers skipper also admits he finds it hard keeping a lid on things in the derby madness – and once got so riled up he challenged Paul Hartley to a fight on the Hampden pitch.
That flashpoint came at the end of the 2009 League Cup Final as McCulloch watched the Hoops midfielder celebrate his side’s 2-0 extra-time victory.
And the Ibrox ace revealed his anger had been building since a 2-1 SPL defeat at Parkhead 11 months earlier.
McCulloch said: “I miss playing against Celtic. The Old Firm games brought the best out of me but on some occasions the red mist came down. The worst was the 2009 League Cup Final.
“I will go back to April 16, 2008 to explain the history of what led to the incidents in that final.
“It was an SPL game. The referee was Kenny Clark. Paul Hartley caught me very late in the 15th minute and was only yellow-carded.
“He should have been given a straight red. Hartley actually broke my foot with the tackle. I didn’t realise it at the time and played on.
“Fast-forward to that final. Hartley was at it again. His challenges weren’t nasty, they were just niggly and
definitely late. I knew what he was up to but I didn’t want to risk a red card.
“As it turned out, I just couldn’t get the opportune moment.
“Completely frustrated, I eventually snapped. Twice.
“The first came at a corner and I was defending our box. He was in the vicinity and I shouted, ‘Hartley, you’re getting it from me. If I don’t get you today then I’m coming to your house later’. I had totally gone.
“Stephen McManus tried to calm me down. I told him to ‘f*** off’. I repeated the threat to Hartley. He just kept quiet. I knew he wasn’t amused.
Daily RecordHartley tackles McCulloch and breaks his foot
“We lost 2-0. At time-up, I sat on the grass disappointed and still raging. Walter Smith asked me if I was OK. I told him I wasn’t. He told me to calm down. I wasn’t for listening.
“I glanced over and could see them bouncing up and down as they waited to receive the trophy. That set me off.
“I made my way over. Hartley was standing beside Gordon Strachan. I challenged Hartley to a fight. I said, ‘Come on, right here and now. Let’s get it on. Down the tunnel, wherever you like’.
“Strachan stared at me in disbelief. Hartley was stunned. A few Celtic players pushed me away from him.
“I realise it’s no way for a player to react and sets a terrible example to kids. But the red mist came down and for that moment I felt like I was Rambo.
“But Paul and I laugh about it now. We were doing our SFA coaching badges together and travelled to Largs for a week together last summer.”
Old Firm games have also the Rangers star some far sweeter memories – with one of the best coming at Ibrox last season when Gers won 3-2.
And the 34-year-old revealed how he and keeper Allan McGregor slapped each other around in the dressing-room to get psyched up.
McCulloch said: “Celtic had the chance to win the title at Ibrox and before the game we were pumped up.
“Myself and McGregor kept shouting at each other to go and win the game. We stared at each other, eyeball to eyeball, and kept pushing each other like we were about to fight.
“I told him to slap me to get me even more angry and he did so with his gloves on – then I just slapped him back right in the face. We didn’t smile, we just kept on getting angrier and angrier.
“Steve Davis came over to see what was happening but he got pushed away. We were at fever pitch and we loved it.
“I played up front and was Man of the Match. The fans spurred us on. They deserved to enjoy that day more than anyone. The atmosphere was incredible, the best I’d ever heard.”
McCulloch’s favourite goal also came against Celtic and he recalled: “I scored in a 1-1 draw at Parkhead in January, 2010.
“We got a corner kick. I peeled off Gary Caldwell, charged towards the front post and headed into the bottom corner.
“I ran towards our fans because I knew my brother Wullie and nephews were in there. It was an important goal as avoiding defeat was going to see the title stay at our place.
“I’m told my dad ran out of his house on to the middle of the street to do a celebration dance.”
Big nan
WOOFT, they are certainly bringing out all the brothers for a big family day at the bigot dome, that is one very impressive line up, my god that frightens the sheet out of me, I’ll tell you that, united are up against it, that’s for dam sure.
Don’ t say you’re happy , out there without me,
I know you can’t be cos it’s no good….
There will be times when my crimes will seem unforgivable….
Pain, will you return it,…….
Appols. If already posted.
https://www.facebook.com/michael.mcgill.587606/posts/1574094866148016:5
TD
What an utter fool of a man that McCulloch is, an utter twat
Good morning friends from a very very very wet, rainy,wet, windy, grey, wet and rainy East Kilbride. However, just 2 more sleeps till we see The Champions play.
Well that was a Beast of a post ;-)
Jobo Baldie
07:20 on 3 April, 2014
Well that was a Beast of a post ;-)
____________________________
Jobo – I didny know you were one of the howlers ? :)
Hoooooooowwwwooooooooollllllllll.
Off oot.
Burghbhoy
After reading that article, you know that there is something seriously wrong with that man, and he needs help, it’s alright slagging him and all that, but he could seriously damage someone on a football park, I’m being very honest here that guy should be poked at, he is not right.
Poked= looked
TD67
Think you got it right the first time, poked with a red hot poker and placed where you like :)
tonydonnelly67
“that guy should be poked at”
you were rightthe first time, TD
;o)
Good morning CQNers,
Will Sevco supporters get the blame for this?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2595423/Hundreds-Chelsea-fans-violent-rampage-Paris-making-Nazi-salutes-smashing-cafes-ahead-European-clash.html
Jobo’s arrival formally signals that the moonhowling ‘window’ had slammed shut once again.
TD I didn’t think it was a typo and had a vision of some wild beastie thing strapped to a chair with some bloke in a white coat ‘prodding’ it with a pencil!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Chelsea fans deserved to be poked with the ol’ red hot poker as well.
A total disgrace.
McCulloch is a plastic hardman. He’s an expert at taking players out from the side or behind. Anytime he has a head on tackle to make he will hold back a split second to get there when his opponent is stretching and vulnerable. That’s how he did Kayal.
He is a scumbag of a player who doesn’t like it when anyone stands up to him, a brainless bully who fits Sixth Sense Fc perfectly.
His greatest achievements video will look like a scene from Platoon.
Anyone else on here sick o the drivel commentators oan the telly.
Used tae have a function oan sky were you could just have the crowd atmosphere but now I have got hd you press the red button it only transmits in sd.no happy!.
Worse one of all is the real madrid arse licker gerry armstrong, skys very own bobby george!, Barcelona must owe him money or something.
Great news aboot wee oscar.
Been adding him to ma prayers tae the sacred heart every night.
The big fella is watching over the wee fella.
Take care son.
Big sean.
TD
Agree 100%.
He is a danger to other professionals as Kayal can testify and the young Albion Rovers player to name but 2.
Obviously has no regard for his fellow pros. Obviously his mantra is if u cannae beat them, nail them.
McCulloch can seriously damage your health.
And you’re right he does need a poker!
JamesGang, thanks.
Sally telling ANYONE to man up …….. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha …biggest coward in Scotland, on and off the park …..
Doc – welcome!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
Morning all. Very drab, dank and dark down here at the moment.
Hoopy birthday Doc hope you have a grand ole day mate
No links to Pat Nevin condemning his beloved Chelsea ?
Am i wrong here Pat Nevin turned around the chelsea fanbase into tree hugging friendly fans did he not ?
Tables and chairs were destroyed outside the McBride’s Irish pub, and windows were put in. Fights: The worst of the violence was in Rue St Denis, a popular tourist street full of pubs and bars. Around 400 thugs made ‘Sieg Heil’ salutes and chanted racist abuse
tonydonnelly67
06:02 on 3 April, 2014
I don’t get this?
Inverness face a third trip to Celtic Park, which will take place on Sunday, April 27 as League One champions Rangers are at home on the Saturday.
——
I recall sky sports news trailing that they are showing the Zombies, ahem, “title party” live on on Sat 26th, 12.45 ko
Note to self – avoid Glasgow Sat 26th…