Charles Green, owner of “The Rangers Football Club Limited“, formed in May this year, yesterday released a remarkable statement yesterday, ahead of the SPL Commission into How Rangers FC, formed in 1872, registered football players for over a decade.
“In short, what was decided by the SPL membership is that Rangers was finished as a member of the SPL. Despite this, the SPL now see the new owners of the company, and the new company itself, which owns all the assets of Rangers FC – including SPL championship titles – as fair game for punishment for matters that have nothing to do with us at all.”
We dealt with the purchasing of history on here some months ago. Once we realised it was possible, I snapped up ancient Egyptian history, the period from the pharaohs until Mark Antony. I AM responsible for the Pyramids of Giza but any slavery which may or may not have been used in their construction is NOTHING to do with me.
No one complained about the use of slaves at the time and I am sure each pyramid would have been constructed whether slaves were used of not. If slaves were so necessary for the construction I am sure “we” would have built many more.
Mr Green seems keen to protest against the SPL process, however, he, frankly, fails miserably. He doesn’t “question the impartiality of the individual panel members” but assets “whatever decision they reach is a decision of the SPL”.
So that will be independent members reaching a decision for the SPL! I think he doth protest too little.
There is also a threat: “”To make it crystal clear, the new owners purchased all the business and assets of Rangers, including titles and trophies. Any attempt to undermine or diminish the value of those assets will be met with the stiffest resistance, including legal recourse.”
Charles Green took steps to undermine his new company’s claim on Rangers titles in a BBC interview in June when he said that if his CVA proposal was to fail (which it did) and Rangers were to be liquidated (which they are), “the history, the tradition, everything that’s great about this club is swept aside”.
“Legal recourse”, which is prohibited by Fifa and which the SFA accommodated from Duff and Phelps, acting on behalf of Rangers, will provide Scottish football with a further drama. We mentioned at the time that the true cost of the SFA being so accommodating would be a repeat performance.
Mr Green asks why the “football authorities do nothing to address an issue that was public knowledge for at least two years, and was reported in the Club’s accounts for several years”? I think I can help here. Sir David Murray, who owned Rangers during the duration of its Employee Benefit Trust years, categorically denied that the club issued players with second contracts which were not submitted to the authorities. He reiterated this point most recently on a Sky News interview in March.
The football authorities have no issues whatsoever with Employee Benefit Trusts, it’s player contracts they insist are registered. Rangers insisted they had no case to answer until the SPL set a deadline on Duff and Phelps to fully disclose the nature of the alleged second contracts.
Charles claims during those lurid weeks when the SPL and SFA were negotiating with Green, that Neil Doncaster “repeatedly stated he was not interested in stripping titles from Rangers”. If he had evidence of this, ANY evidence, it would be fascinating.
If not, we should dismiss this claim.
A curious barb is made in other directions, “Rangers was not the only Club in Scotland to use EBTs yet nothing was done and little has been heard about it”.
One more time, for Mr Green’s benefit, EBTs are not against football regulations whatsoever. They are entirely legal and permitted by the SFA and SPL. The SPL Commission is not investigating whether Rangers used EBTs or not, it will investigate whether or not all player contracts were registered.
Mr Green goes on to make varied comments against “powerful representatives from Clubs within the SPL…. who appear hell bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible”, and that some “clubs were placed in an invidious position and we believe their interests were not best served by those in more powerful positions”.
Let’s have some context here. If we were to make a list of those who inflicted most damage on Rangers, representatives from other clubs would scarcely merit a mention. Those who allowed the club to spend more than it earned for so many years, who introduced the perilous tax avoidance system, those who failed to make accommodations for HMRC’s claim when it was first made, and those directors who personally benefited from the EBT scheme all carry primary responsibility.
Then would come the cheerleaders for the disastrous Craig Whyte regime – those who last year campaigned for the takeover, including putting pressure on Lloyds Banking Group to accept the terms.
Rangers opponents were spectators throughout this period. Any suggestion that our club were anything but opponents to Rangers, and alleged victims of trophies won by illegally registered players, when they should have been campaigning on behalf of their rivals, seriously misreads what was an established Glasgow rivalry. Of course it would be the same the other way – and rightly so.
Despite clearly feeling strongly about the Commission, Green didn’t address the key point….
There was no denial of the central charge that for a decade or more Rangers fielded improperly registered football players.
Yesterday some people suggested Green had offered the Lance Armstrong defence but Armstrong denied he was guilty while refusing to participate in the investigation into doping. This is a different matter altogether. Green has offered up something for every conceivable paranoid condition without actually claiming Rangers are wrongly accused.
The headlines today are all about titles being stripped but that is not the main topic in play. More importantly, after titles are stripped, what punishment will the SPL Commission levy on the Rangers membership, granted to Sevco in June?
The sheer scale of the charge makes this question incalculable. The toxicity attached to that membership is untenable and no bogeymen at other clubs, at the SPL or SFA are responsible for that.
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Spain woń the Euros in 2008 four years ago.
We play 3 centre backs at home against Macedonia at home.
Thats the price you pay for having 2 EBT millionaires still picking up money from us for punditing on jobs they had to leave due to forced promotion.
What a beck cardihun has on him.
How the Scottish public accept that and do is enough for me.
F…em I wish for nothing but utter Scottish humiliation especially with a cretin like Levein as the face of it.
HH
Beck=
Neck
5 EBTs on the pitch
2 EBTs in the Studio
2 EBTs at the Ireland game
HH
hendrix67
22:41 on
11 September, 2012
Don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but sevcos trumpeting of signing their 17 year old on a 5 year contract is in breach of the rules of both the sfa and sfl. Any player under the age of 18 can sign a professional contract for a maximum of 3 years. Oops
+++++
SFL rules allow it, but place a restriction on three years if they sign up to the apprenticeship scheme, which guarantees that the club must keep them for at least two years and provide additional training (like coaching badges, college placements, etc).
SFA rules kind of allow it, but will reduce the five years to three by default.
Basically, one of them is registered within the SFL for five years, but is only registered with the SFA for three.
Very strange.
I see waltzer was hanging abt Hunden the night?? Him and tin – man mc cann? watch ur back leveen.
Levien only got the job to keep him quiet after his refusal to pay fines for his Rev McCurry outburst.ONLY IN SCOTLAND
This time Good night all.
HAIL HAIL
Awe Naw
Nowt like a couple of prozac in a pint of heavy!! They tell me. o))
If Scotland lose in Wales then surely this gives an opportunity to good young Scottish players who are playing in the lower leagues to gain some international experience.
Who’s tanner??
Scotland will lose in Wales as long as Bale plays. So goodbye Levein.
Hello Davies?
It should be Strachan but not with this SFA.
When you have a manager who picks, or is told to pick players from the fourth best league in the country. When that manager then brings them on or is told to bring them on for the last 2 mins of a game in the build up to a double header at the start of a WC campaign, well I think there is a problem.
I have not been able to post for a while, Paul, but could not resist some comment tonight on your Pyramid project. It is no wonder they are crumbling. Using sarcasm rather than concrete is doomed, doomed, I say! Never mind, I think there is a Yorkshire investor with loads of backers who is willing to come in and take the remaining blocks off your hands – only if he can still call them pyramids mind! Enjoyed the read.
H H
Results tonight mean Levien is not dead man walking but it is still not good enough
Disgusted
So who’s the odd man out?
http://s1067.photobucket.com/albums/u422/fearramhar/?action=view¤t=DSC06927.jpg
Great result for Luxembourg tonight – 1 each in Belfast – which will probably help to scupper Norn Iron’s slim chances of qualification.
Thumbsup!!
http://m.soundcloud.com/celticresearch/cg-gms/s-ya9Uz
HH
macanbheatha
23:47 on
11 September, 2012
Paddy McCourt – The only player in the picture whom is still at the club.
And the cigar goes toSRTG:-)
macanbheatha
00:18 on
12 September, 2012
Thanks mate.
All good Tims in that picture,Hooiveld included.
I wouldn’t have a bad word to say about any of them.
No interest in International Football but FWIW ,Levein,Coleman at Wales and Michael O’Neill at Norn Iron are so out their depth it’s frightening in today’s game.Just want our Bhoys back safe and sound.The Sky interview monkey, should be bagged for not asking Levein at least 1 hard question.Along the lines of ,2 home games v equivalent teams in the Group,1 up front and only 2 points……will you resign?
I’m glad I couldn’t care less who won tonight…..or else I might have clawed my eyes out watching that garbage.
I just hope Forrest is unscathed.
Knowing the nefarious way the luj works in Scotia, I imagine Levein, on instruction, will call up each and every single Celtic player available for the remaining redundant matches in the already failed bid to get to Rio.
But don’t mind my bitterness and cynicism. It’s just born of long experience.
Watching back – Paul McStay is the greatest of all time – I love him
I idolised Paul McStay as well.
The legend.
Goodnight and good luck to all Celtic supporters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyEd4WJEu4A&feature=related
Has the blog died again?
By MARTIN HANNAN
Published on Wednesday 12 September 2012 02:46
WHEN Celtic were drawn with Barcelona in Champions League Group G, it’s a fair guess that the Parkhead club’s fans didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
On the one hand, they are guaranteed to enjoy the sheer glamour of a visit by the best football club in the world in recent years, and on the other hand there is the fundamental problem that so many managers and players have faced: just how do you beat Barca?
Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan knows what to do – pray. Strachan quipped: “Well, you visit the church or chapel, whatever your preference is – and hope!”
Visiting his roots to coach youngsters at Craigroyston Community High School in Edinburgh, Strachan looked ahead to Celtic’s Champions League campaign and the double encounter with Lionel Messi and co. And for him it’s Barcelona’s players who make the difference. “Everybody has tried to take them on, tried different systems,” said Strachan. “But, while everyone has their opinion on systems, trust me – it’s good players who make the difference. Good men win games. There were about seven different styles in the European Championships but who ended up winning? The best players. Systems can mask a lot of things.”
Strachan was in charge when Barcelona last visited Celtic Park in February 2008 and, in retrospect, that now appears to have been the first blossoming of the great side that the Catalonian giants produced. It sent the late Tommy Burns, Celtic’s then first-team coach, on a fool’s errand. “That was when everyone in Britain first realised that this was a special team,” said Strachan. “We do analysis with our Prozone [performance examination] system and, when Man United came to play us, they got 340-odd passes. I think AC Milan made 360 or so – we cut down Andrea Pirlo’s passing and contained him. But Barcelona came to Celtic Park and completed 700 passes. I looked at the analysis the next morning and thought: ‘There’s something wrong with our Prozone – go and check that Tam, fer Chrissake, there must be something wrong if it’s got 700 passes down there.’”
Burns, Strachan and everyone at Celtic soon knew the Prozone analysis was accurate and a harbinger of greatness. “It was hypnotic football,” said Strachan. “It was passing that we had never seen before, just keeping the ball moving. Like I say, it’s hypnotic. Then they go bang-bang and it’s a goal. We all had an idea of what Xavi and Iniesta did. We didn’t realise we were watching some of the best players in the world – some of the best players ever in the world – that night.”
Celtic played well but lost 2-3, Messi notching the 79th-minute winner after the then Scottish champions had taken the lead through Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink’s headed goal.
Now Celtic have the chance to show against Barca, Benfica and Spartak Moscow that they are worthy of a place at Europe’s top table. “They’ve given us all a lift by getting to the group stages,” said Strachan. “The last couple of years haven’t been that exciting for Scottish teams in Europe. Now, because of Celtic’s hard work and Neil Lennon’s hard work, everybody can enjoy watching a Scottish team taking on Barcelona and other top teams again.
“I never doubted that they would get back there. It’s a club that has always bounced back. I knew what Neil had built and, although he was nervous about it when I spoke to him, I always thought they would have more than enough in their locker to beat Helsingborgs in the second leg – especially when they got Victor Wanyama back. I think they can qualify for the knock-out stages. Lenny has built a good squad, he has options, very strong in midfield. But, like anything, you need to score a goal.”
Celtic’s manager who captained the team under Strachan has the latter’s full endorsement. “Lenny has learned a lot over the past couple of years, that’s for sure,” said Strachan. “You learn every day you stay in the game, so he’s obviously not at his peak, because he’ll have years to come. He will be better in two years’ time than he is now, that’s for sure. What he’s doing now is a very good job. But he’ll get even better.”
At the age of 55, Strachan is busy and he admitted yesterday he had turned down the chance of a post as manager of an unnamed national side. He said: “I’ve got a football foundation. I’m helping other people with coaching. If you ask me if I’m bored, I never get bored. I’ve got something to do every day. I had a hobby when I was at Celtic Park – I’m not telling you what it was – and I spent an hour a day on it. I’ve not got the time to do that now. Do I still think I can coach? There’s no doubt about that. I don’t know what kind of job would bring me back. You don’t know until somebody asks you.”
Gordon Strachan was speaking in his role as Lloyds TSB Scotland Schools’ Football Ambassador. Lloyds TSB Scotland has extended their partnership with the Scottish Schools’ FA for the 2012/2013 season.
What a difference a day makes.
Last night the country was cock a hoop watching and cheering at Andy Murray’s courageous lung bursting victory in Flushing.
Tonight there is an air of doom and gloom at our real national sport, the only game that really matters to us.
We all know where the problems lie. “The fish rots from the head down.”
The SFA, blighted by cronyism, self interest and ineptitude, has been, not surprisingly, ineffective in fostering meaningful improvements in the culture of the game.
Tonight Scotland reaped the harvest of years of neglect and negative tactics, as Macedonia, ranked 97 in the world, effectively ended any hopes of qualifying for Brazil.
Levein may be sacked, but that will not cure the patient. It may not even bring temporary relief. The issues are deep rooted and long lasting.
Unless Scotland is to have a Fred Perry like interval before qualifying for another world cup final a clear out at Hampden is urgently required.
Thank God for Celtic and Neil Lennon flying the flag in Europe despite a hostile and unaccepting country who resent rather than embrace his, and our, success.
‘GG
‘GG
I’m a wee bit chap the door and run away on this esteemed blog.
That is a belter of a post. Thank you. As long as Ogilvie The Ugly is there we might be farting against thunder on all fronts.
HH
Thanks,Neil Lennon and McCartney.
This catches the eye.
At the age of 55, Strachan is busy and he admitted yesterday he had turned down the chance of a post as manager of an unnamed national side.
Morning Celts
hendrix67
14:26 on 11 September, 2012
……………
Thoughts and prayers for you’re wee Granny, God love her.
Vinny
I hope that’s international fitba finished for a while, haven’t any interest in it other than whether our players come through it without injury?
HH
Good morning CQN
Hendrix67 prayer said for your Granny
God bless her
Keep the Faith
Hail Hail
Is this from the real The Herald or a parody of The Herald?
http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/sport/football/does-green-actually-buy-this-stuff-lets-take-a-look-does-green-actually-buy-this-stuff-lets-take-a-look.18857922?_=bb7e0878197e923c50408c8cccedb73e9630a7f8
MWD
Meant to C&P
Does Green actually buy this stuff? Let’s take a look Does Green actually buy this stuff? Let’s take a look
Published on 12 September 2012
Roger Mitchell
For someone who claimed the Scottish Premier League was a really bad idea a few weeks ago, I found myself surprised that I felt the strong urge to defend my former organisation in the face of the bombast from Charles Green.
I truly hope by the time that this is read, someone officially representing the SPL will have done likewise. I ask myself, does Green actually buy this stuff? Let’s take a look:
Claim 1 Rangers ceased to be subject to the SPL’s rules when they were ejected from their league.
Fact Rangers oldco was not ejected from the SPL. The fact that Rangers went into liquidation automatically expelled them from the league. The SPL shareholders then decided not to make an exception and let them back in. Two very different things.
Claim 2 The outcome of the SPL’s process will have no legal effect.
Fact What the SPL are deciding upon is whether their tournament and their trophy was assigned to the correct club in the years in question.
The SPL have every right to examine whether participants in their competition behaved within the rules. And if they find they haven’t, they can apply their rule book as recourse. More Green nonsense.
I do, however, agree with him that “whatever decision they reach is a decision of the SPL”. Indeed. But the SPL should be proud of that, and not hide behind the Law Lords.
The SPL are examining the conduct of the participants in their competition well before Rangers went into liquidation, in particular the conduct of the club then owned by Sir David Murray, with the club secretary role (in charge of those player registrations) held by Campbell Ogilvie (whatever happened to him?). Charles Green and Sevco have nothing to do with this. Whatsoever.
Claim 3 The new owners purchased all the business and assets of Rangers, including titles and trophies.
Fact Green said on June 2012 that if his CVA proposal was to fail (which it did) and Rangers were to be liquidated (which they are), “the history, the tradition, everything that’s great about this club is swept aside”.
Therefore he admits he has not purchased titles and trophies. Sevco has no titles and trophies.
By the way, Charles, I would not provoke commentators like me to dig this up, because what you said is not what the Rangers fans want to hear now, as you now correctly realise. Let it lie, Charlie, let it lie.
So, even one with a leaning towards Govan would argue that, under the most superficial scrutiny, Green’s attack is less than robust. But sometimes you have to chuck a dog a bone. So, to be fair, Charlie is right with his complaint on the SPL’s lack of consistency,
Green states: “The SPL took part in discussions regarding the new company’s league status, where ‘the EBT issue’ would be dealt with as part of a package of sanctions which would be implemented in return for membership.
“We do not accept that people who are willing to come to an agreement on such matters then have a right to instigate a full-blown inquisition when matters do not unfold as they thought they would.”
Sadly this falls into the general shambles of the management of the affair by the SFA/SPL. I made my own view clear on the leadership of both bodies in the summer. But I cannot see how the credibility of the current process on a simple point of law over false registration of players with Employee Benefit Trusts (being handled by independent top QCs) can be derailed by claims that the prosecutor behaved incoherently months earlier.
Good debating point, Charles, but it’s not enough. Instead, all of us who love the game and who hold true sporting values in our hearts have a simple question: Did Rangers oldco gain unfair advantage by registering players on a basis where their full employment conditions were not declared to the SPL/SFA?
In my mind the answer is undoubtedly ‘yes’. But let’s not forget the lessons of Versailles: bloodlust rebounds.
The SPL enquiry punishment doesn’t arouse great passion in me. And it shouldn’t either for Celtic fans. For them I’d argue the victory is in the fact that their greatest rival died.
The 125-year long struggle ended with the collapse of the adversary. The war was won. Achilles vanquished Hector.
In closing, from Mark Anthony onwards history tells us that well-crafted oratory can influence the mob.
While Charles Green is no great speaker or statesman, I must admit, he is no dummy. And there is no doubt that his audience is the mob, whose money and favour he needs in order to exit the Rangers investment project with a financial return.
Stoking up hatred has always energised “the base”, another example of which we saw in the Republican convention in these days.
Well done, Charles. Initial Public Offering of shares here we come.
For Scottish football, the days of enlightenment around the Tommy Burns funeral are long gone, and I fear the worst!
I can’t believe The Herald has broke ranks and published a critique of ole Chuck Green.
Dead! Sevco! No History!
Surely this will need to be sold from under the counter.
MWD
Morning from a chilled Chilterns, still dark @ 06:00 hours means these fresh crisp mornings are here to stay…
Great piece from Paul, all through the RFC Downfall he has managed to present the mismanagement and disinformation in a difinitive, accurate context.
Craig Levein? Still of the opinion he got the job due to his articulate and accurate comments on partial match officials and the fact his efficient, in-form DU side had several important Matches with R@ngers coming up.
Heard an interview with him after the match.
We are not scoring goals yet his opinion is the only choice up front is a single striker with the over the hill Miller or inexperienced Jordon Rhodes. Not the case and the main reason we failed to win these games.
His negativity and expectation management does not fill the support or players with confidence, summed up in his assertion that Scotland will qualify for A major Championship. CL is tasked with getting the National Squad to Brazil – end of, how long doees he think he’s got?
No he’s had his chance, a change to WGS now we can qualify, if not we will be out of WC 2014 by Christmas.
MWD
Interesting. I have to rush out but will radit all later. This line caught my eye: ” By the way, Charles, I would not provoke commentators like me to dig this up,”. Why would a journalist have to be ” provoked” Before writing a necessary article?
JJ
MWD
Rodger Mitchell does a decent job there, but he is not a journalist and this sort of thing will never catch on with the MSM.
Last line is what worries me. Green is stoking the fires of bigotry and hatred here.