It remains a possibility that Atletico Madrid will lose today’s league decider against Barcelona and next week’s Champions League final against Real Madrid (vernacular: ‘do a Hearts), but I hope not. The fact that they have pushed the two most celebrated football clubs on the planet to the limit, across two tournaments, is already remarkable. Should they deliver on two fronts, it will be the most stunning achievement in European football in 47 years.
There was a healthy amount of bloodlust for the Uefa Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules to fine the life out of the likes of Manchester City and Paris St Germain, before banning them from Uefa competition. This was never the point.
What Uefa have done is bring Europe’s two most freely spending clubs into line. FFP will restrict City and PSG’s expenditure, transfer market activity and squad selection. This is a result.
It’s a pity we’re not at Celtic Park to lift the Scottish Cup today. *!*!
Enormous thanks to Tommy Gemmell and everyone who participated in the entertainment here yesterday. Tommy thoroughly enjoyed the banter and will be back on the blog below this article early this afternoon to catch up with the questions he didn’t have time for yesterday.
You can buy a signed copy of his new autobiography, which he can add a personalised message to, by ordering below:
2,160 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- ...
- 57
- »
DD
Thanks my good friend. Take care now and I’m going to enjoy an early night. Mrsweefra is already in bed, and keeping much better, and appreciating all the good wishes from the ole blog. Cheers DD :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Jude
Get oot the hoose and oot tae a hoopenany. I owe you a lot of drink for turning me on to wee Tart. :)
tbj,
thats him pal
From what I recall we haven’t referred to old firm in club statements or website for a few years now. Certainly since big peter said we had our own business strategy that didn’t rely on them. I am content that it is an aberration that hopefully won’t be repeated.
DD
Not sure you are allowed to mention hootenanny and wee tart in same post
Plenty married men on here who’s partners lurk … They might get the wrong impression ;)
Rio show on 101 on virgin.
ryecatcher
22:32 on
18 May, 2014
This song sums up your post
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1AHec7sfZ8
TBJ
As a recently divorced man, I have a new found Freedom. Wee Tarts rule! ;))
TCR
About 6 years ago I was in a friends shop in bridge st Glasgow . My friend is from a Glasgow / Pakistani background and is a bit of a lad .. Innit
Anyhoo I’m in his shop on a Friday afternoon and he gets a call .. Tells the customers the shops closing and to leave as he pulls the shutters down .
I say I best get off too but he says it’s ok just a few ” mates ” dropping in about some ” business”
Phone rings again .. He opens the door to three guys .. Wee guy in the middle with a baseball cap on
Introduces me to them .. Colin .. Johnny .. Sam
TBJ … Says ” I best get off now let you get on with your business”
Next time I spoke to my friend I have him one serious talking to and a week later JA was in the centre pages of the Sunday mail with pics on bridge st etc
Craigellachie10 @ 22:57
I too hope it’s a aberration. Great word BTW. Just learned it.
DD
I’m a three time loser … Some say a winner at the end but I’m not so sure
However … Like you I can say and do what I wish and no one to answer to
Many of my mates on FB say they like my posts and pics but their wives ain’t so keen lmfao
It’s a hard life eh ;)
Jude
A few pages back
Well done Josh what number was he ?
Morrisey
Everyday is a school day!
http://youtu.be/5D9kAGLnJZM
Goodnight lads.TAL
DD,
Life goes on mate, keep away from the alpine triangle, it actually has another name but not printable on this sacred site.
TBJ
Aye bud, It’s a hard auld life,
when ye huvnae got a wife,
and the man next door’s got two! :))
Morrisey23rd
Hugh,
without going into the detail, you will also recall what Peter Lawell said to you and I about supposedly wanting Rangers back in the league or promoting them quicker through the ranks in any guise!
Basically he re-emphasised a whole stand alone policy.
Now as for this the TV contract business, like any media contract it is complex and convoluted.
I have not had the chance to read it yet but lots of folk have jumped on the bus saying it proves that the SFA/SPL/ Peter Lawell or whoever promoted paying money to keep Rangers prominent etc.
There is also chat about how the authorities sought to include the Rangers as opposed to the TV companies.
However, I can see issues with that interpretation but am not prepared to say that the view is right or wrong until I have looked for myself.
Knowing the world of TV advertising, the broadcaster will always try and sell the product which attracts the biggest viewers so they get the best buck.
I haven’t seen the old contract that included Rangers but surmise that the figures mentioned were conditional on there being a Celtic and Rangers in the top league.
When it became clear that was not happening, the broadcaster reloads the dice and tries to chip the price threatening all sorts.
That is the oldest game in the book. Been there, seen it, done it.
Here is the new deal, piss or get off the pot.
Now the question for me here is if the SPL acted in an attempt to counter the supposed Armageddon scenario they were faced with.
Did they strike a deal whereby a certain amount of income was guaranteed under the new deal with the proviso that should the viewing figures fall below a certain level ( which level the broadcaster could have safely estimated had RFC still been in the league ) then there was a kickback to the broadcaster in such an event
OR
Was it the case that the SPL accepted a deal where Rangers games were included AND they would subsidise or discount the fee paid by the broadcaster because RFC was in a lower league playing lower teams
OR
Is it really the case that the SPL was paying the broadcaster to keep Rangers prominent.
I don’t know the answer until I look it all up and I am not prepared to condemn anyone or anything until I read the contract.
Another Celtic fan said to me the other day ” If you could make a wish for something horrible to happen to Rangers, then no matter what you could think of, no matter what the worst idea you could imagine, you could not have thought up all that has happened in the last two years.”
Turnbull Hutton and others lower down the league structure have said privately that there is absolutely no difference to the Scottish Football scene being dominated by one team as opposed to two.
He could see that. Others couldn’t.
In 2011/2012 there were SPL clubs who genuinely believed that a league without Rangers was a disaster for them and may lead to them going bust.
Whatever Celtic believed, by the time we went to Celtic park their position was stated most clearly.
They didn’t need RFC, they had a stand alone political and fiscal policy, and so on.
That may not have been the case when the bubble first burst but it was the view by that time.
Awe Naw believes that the idea is for Celtic to want a weakened Rangers back ASAP so that we can beat them and still maintain champions league money.
He believes that is DD’s desire.
That is not too far away from the notion doing the rounds in the Rangers forums– namely that Laxey, Margarita and Blue Pitch are actually DD via subsidiaries and nominees and that the idea is to keep them alive but permanently crippled and starved of cash and success– all for the benefit of Celtic.
Strangely, I suggested such a Machiavellian scenario in jest months ago.
jc2
5
Cowiebhoy
A legend among legends.
Doc – brill primary teacher we know who would be great for Miss Doc to have a chat with? Email me if that would help.
HH Timdom.
KTF my friends
Jamesgang
lion 67
Classic song!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtqVEGhXZ5E
This is the way to win the league
Sign him PL…………………………
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
23:15 on
18 May, 2014
lion 67
Classic song!!
It is !!
Sipsini
Thanks bud. Twas great to meet you. The beginning of a friendship, I hope.
TAL
JamesGang, thanks for that mhate, I’ll let her know.
Delaneys Dunky
The song/choon is an old Stanley Clarke one from 30 years plus ago.
Fab stuff with all those quality low end players together.
Been out and had Chilean See Bass – which seems entirely appropriate somehow :o)
Mrs Rwe had fish and chips. You can take the girl our of Bishopbriggs but not the Briggs out of the ghirl…
HH
D D
Will do send me a “program” H H
BHRT said :
“It doesn’t make the top twenty for me.”
Me too….
All the years I’ve been going to see Celtic, my focus has been Celtic. The “old firm” thing was something that outsiders lazily referred to Celtic v rangers games, not something I called the fixture. Too many people on this blog and beyond, seem to be wasting a lot of time and energy on all things rangers/ sevco / newco and using it as excuses not to support their team……absolute pish.
Guys that were in Celtic park on Wednesday nights, when Liam Brady was in charge, when we were battling for 4th place to get in to Europe. Guys that were there with Celts for change, will be there next year supporting their team….guys like us, don’t dip in and out….we are faithful through and through.
HT… You are one of those guys, but for my ignorance, can you explain what republican marches have got to do with Celtic? Let’s keep it off the blog, get my e-mail off of ACGR. Don’t want to fall out with u, but would be interested.
MickTT
I’m one of those religious numpties that Awe Naw described earlier…but Wullie will be in my prayers, he clearly meant a lot to u.
HH PC67
rwe
23:23 on 18 May, 2014
Delaneys Dunky
The song/choon is an old Stanley Clarke one from 30 years plus ago.
Fab stuff with all those quality low end players together.
Been out and had Chilean See Bass – which seems entirely appropriate somehow :o)
Mrs Rwe had fish and chips. You can take the girl our of Bishopbriggs but not the Briggs out of the ghirl…
HH
She can’t be fae the Briggs if she had fish, you sure it wisnae a spam fritter. You could smell them cooking in the Milton every Sunday, whilst us ruffians were having steak pie.
MiltonNo1CSC
Jude
And I guess was promoted from younger team ?
The boy that scored the winner mentioned Josh
Removed surnames in case of loonies
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And Donnelly reserved particular praise for the U16s who impressed as they filled the void of those on national service.
“Guys guys like Josh, Innes and the guys who came off the bench like Theo were excellent and I felt they stepped up to the plate today,” said the forward.
Superb
hope you are one happy Grandpa
I think Brazil is the place not to be for the W C after watching that program.!!
See=Sea
Forgot I also had some pinot grigio
jc2
Ta for that. Missed the winner p time. Was half way that stairs when L D scored. Heard it wassa good one too.
Thot it might have been on Celtic TV??
DD.
A pleasure to meet your goodself, catch a beer some Friday night up the toon. HH
And to allay Mrs RWE’s sense of grievance at my audacious slur on her toon…
Here’s a lassie bass player who looks 16 but is a wee bit older, and is Jeff Beck’s preferred bassist at present.
Tal Wilkinfeld
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgffDVO2UyA&list=RDtgffDVO2UyA
jc2
He just text me his legs are agony!!
Me and mrs j are just sippin a nice Mc Callan and toasting the Bhoys!!!
Or these…she is fabulous
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-8SO0kEUjs&index=2&list=RDtgffDVO2UyA
On another note on way home from watching Celtic pick up
Another trophy heard on talksport
Jody Morris Ex Chelski and St Johnstone say Chelski had dominated
Every youth group in Engurland including winning NIKe u15
Found out later CELTIC lost on penalties in final
Knocked out Man City in semi
{ : < (
BRTH
The wee bit of the contract I read suggests the payment if viewing figures is not reached is not a subsidy to Rangers but a repayment to the TV company of the figures on which the £5m plus a year contract is based is not reached.
The subject came up on TSFM and that is more or less the view there. Here are the conversations.
scottc in response on May 17, 2014 at 6:41 pm
says to points by scapaflow May 17, 2014 at 2:55 pm and Big Pink May 17, 2014 at 2:30 pm
The way I read it, is that BT were worried that nobody would tune in without RFC in the top flight, so the SPL guaranteed them a certain number of viewers and promised to pay out on any shortfall. Not that they paid for BT to show RFC matches, but that they would pay out (or not) if it turned out BT were right and nobody wanted to know.
——————-
Auldheid says:
May 17, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Scottc
Yup. The TV company is in the driving seat but are prepared to enter a contract.
For them audience size dictates value of contract so they build in a safeguard that means they are not paying over the price if the audience is not big enough to cover the agreed price and value to them.
SPL are between rock and a hard place so gamble that audience size even with TRFC in the lower divisions will not drop too much thus bringing in more.
Not even sure it’s an honest mistake but best of a bad job.
Remember the TV income goes to all clubs so SPL were looking after all clubs not just one.
There are a number of narratives where questions need answered in respect of TRFC and SPL/SFA but this is not one of them imo.
——————–
scapaflow says:
May 18, 2014 at 11:16 am
Re TV Deal
After looking again at the available info, I think your more charitable interpretation is, in this case, correct.
However, I make no apology for thinking the worst of those who inhabit the boardrooms at Hampden. If the default position is to assume the worst view of their motivations, then they only have themselves to blame.
It was said of Lyndon Johnson, that if there was a crooked way to do something, and an honest way, Johnson would choose the crooked. This description applies to the Hampden boards in spades, with one caveat, Johnson was effective, these people are not.
As long as it is fundamentally the same people making decisions at Hampden, that were making decisions in 2012, there can be no reconciliation, no reconstruction, no moving on. Scottish Football will simply be stuck in the mire.
Auldheid says:
May 18, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Scapaflow
Cheers. The fact that the TV deal can be justified on a wider game saving basis rather than narrow TRFC or OF sustainability terms does not alter the degree of suspicion of wrong doing on other matters.
It is important though not to let a narrative to form that can be contested and so the story tellers discredited. It damages other more justifiable narratives.
We might be bampots but we cannot allow ourselves to be portrayed as idiots with narrow agendas.