Celtic will play Swedish champions Helsingborg IF in the Champions League play-off round later this month. Helsingborg eliminated Polish champions Slask Wroclaw in the last round, winning 0-3 in the first leg in Poland, but our man in Poland assures me Slask were one of the weakest Polish champions in recent season and have lost several players over the close season. Helsingborg also eliminated The New Saints (you thought you knew British football) from Wales in the second qualification round.
Although like all sensible Northern European leagues, the Swedes are midseason, this is a straightforward proposition for Celtic, who will be slight favourites to qualify for the Champions League group stage.
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newradbhoy with the kano 1000 on 10 August, 2012 at 12:56 said:
The Mure chappie who did the FTT seems to have had more than his fair share of VAT carousel/MTIC cases to deal with.
Probably just a coincidence that he was allocated the hun’s case.
Daily Mail running this story on Ranger’s saviour di Stefano:
‘Devil’s Advocate’ on lawyer fraud charge
By Oliver Wright
A LEGAL adviser dubbed the ‘Devil’s advocate’ has appeared in court charged with falsely claiming to be a qualified Italian lawyer.
Giovanni di Stefano, 57 – a former director of Dundee FC – earned his nickname after representing a series of notorious crooks including Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, Britain’s most prolific serial killer Dr Harold Shipman, Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic and pop sex criminal Gary Glitter.
He also advised the team that defended Saddam Hussein.
Di Stefano appeared at City of London Magistrates’ Court yesterday accused of four charges of fraud by false representation, four of fraud by abuse of position and two of using a false instrument with intent it be accepted as genuine.
Prosecutors allege he made ‘false representations to Subash and Kiran Thakrar namely that he was a qualified Italian lawyer’.
The other charges Involve allegedly keeping £476,000 belonging to the Thakrars as well as claims that he failed to pay fees to professional clients and used forged documents between 2007 and 2012.
His legal team said he would ‘vigorously’ deny the accusations.
Di Stefano was ordered to surrender his passport, report to a local police station every week and live and sleep at addresses in Canterbury or London.
He was bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court on September 4.
Moonbeams WD. Kano 1000 \o/ Supporting Neil Lennon 100%. Champions. C’mon Wee Oscar. on 10 August, 2012 at 12:57 said:
RobertTressell
We already have the gates to Paradise but na, it’s just no good enough for some Tims. Is it? They want Space hubs to the Universe and MIB HQ (not to be mistaken for MIB Refs HQ) on our doorstep.
===========================================
Great film. Little known fact – Davie Dodds was a stunt double for all of the aliens in that film
hector the hero …..12:42 on 10 August, 2012
The “turnips” are across the city, and the crop is going to fail for the next 20 years, at least…..
ystatim
That Ystad is a dangerous place. I watch Wallander and the murder count is higher than the Bronx.
.
Good draw and a Great chance to Wear my New Borg Retro 76′ Fila Top..
Talking of Borg..
I Have TWO Words to say to the First CQNer Who calls them a Pub Team..
Allborg..
Summa
Delighted we didnae draw Cluj.
Imagine the headlines if we got beat-Doon the cludgie.
Begging to be written.
As was
P@SH 1
UNIREA 4
Still canny understand why they missed that one….
Everything you want to know about helsingborgs including the fact they sit 6th after 17 games on 28 points…
Petethebeat
Never leave my house after 8!
PETETHEBEAT
Great minds,etc-I was still catching up,honest!
Congratulations on your post last night,approx 200 before PETEC’s 1888 belter.
Someone had to do it…..
ystatim – That’s not much good either. People seem to be attacked in their houses every episode.
Kepp safe! Best to move to the Bronx!
getting completely ahead of ourselves these are the zenith and nadir of potential groups
Barca
Man City
Juve
or
Porto
Dynamo Kiev
Basle
DBBIA 1255
Pinko and Philvis in the same sentence;we are not worthy…….
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Thanks very much. I had a few beers and was feeling no pain so decided to put a few posts up last night. What was the one you liked?
(Honestly not fishing for any more compliments CSC)
philvisreturns … 12:57 on 10 August, 2012
Hit the nail on the head there, sir ……..!!!!
Oh – oh – was it 1690 ????
Helsingborgs League Stats
Total Home Away
Matches played 17 9 8
Wins 7 4 3
Draws 7 4 3
Losses 3 1 2
Goals for 22 14 8
Goals against 17 9 8
Points 28 16 12
Clean sheets 4 2 2
Petethebeat
It is a lovely town though!!
This is a tough draw– the champions of Sweden are never an easy proposition but we can do it. The money is a great incentive as is the increased co-efficient which is important in the years ahead.
I envisage a great night at Celtic park.
On a separate note, below is a response posted on Paul McConville’s blog to the ” No man is an island” post of the other day. For those who think we have seen the perfect storm re the Ibrox chicanery– the wind has not even begun to blow yet!
———————————————————————————————————
Good Morning,
One of the points about the article above and the links referred to is that this whole scenario is set to embroil any number of people far beyond the players and the representatives of the club. Where it takes them?– God alone knows.
Blair Morgan retired– or at least stood back from his business in 2008 I believe. However, prior to that he operated across Europe in the football world, and as he says himself, much of his work came from England, where, at the bigger clubs at least EBT’s were commonplace at one time.
I am sure that he would have looked into EBT’s in his professional capacity, and like many before him, have been told, and even concluded, that EBT’s properly operated are– or at least were– a legal way of rewarding employees on a non remunerative & non contractual basis.
So far we have heard from some players who say that they left everything to their agents. Yet others- whose names I cannot recall– have indicated that they were not keen on the EBT idea– or that their agents were not keen– only to be told by Rangers that it was their way or the Highway. If I recall correctly, one player– actually sacked their agent under such circumstances and paddled his own canoe.
It is entirely possible that guys like Blair Morgan negotiated the basic contract and simply advised the clients that Rangers employed an EBT scheme over and above the contracts– but whatever those arrangements were had nothing to do with the agent. That, however, seems unlikely.
It is much more likely that for whatever reason, Rangers entered into a series of contracts and side letters which together made up the entire contractual package, and that agents like Blair Morgan had Rangers PLC sign absolutely tight and binding disclaimers and indemnities which were designed to protect his clients from any future liability should the tax man come calling.
What was perhaps completely unforseen was the perfect storm that has since engulfed Rangers PLC— from the Big Tax Case right down to the shannanigans of Craig Whyte. With Rangers PLC now going into Liquidation, any such indemnities and guarantees are now worthless unless they are personally guaranteed by someone like Murray and I doubt he would have agreed to that.
However, key amongst the statements from Murray is the peddled notion that all these guys obtained loans and that they are all due to pay the money back with interest! I can only imagine that everyone who is named so far as being an EBT beneficiary– and remember so far all but Billy Dodds appears to have had to “apply” to receive any money at all– will have been on like a shot to their agents and lawyers to make absolutely sure that Sir David is talking the utmost mince!!!
I don’t expect for a minute that any player is going to admit that he “borrowed” the money that was paid via the EBT and is due to pay it back.
So why don’t the press— Traynor, Spiers, Chic, Guiidi, Tom English, Mark Daly, Thommo, or anyone else– simply go and ask all the guys named on the list if they accept what David Murray has said and that at some point they will be paying the money back to the trust?
It is a simple question. Yes or No?
No doubt– most will refuse to answer or will cite their agents as the font of all knowledge and at that they can go and ask guys like Blair Morgan and Trevor Steven etc.
They in turn may cite client confidentiality and stay schtum.
However, where does any such confidentiality lie in the face of an SPL enquiry?
In the event of a criminal investigation, there is no such thing as client confidentiality— you cannot hide behind that.
Further the SPL, can demand all papers from anyone relating to a players contract or their renumeration.
A liquidator can bring a civil claim, set out what appears to be a prima facie case that the renumeration was paid and that there is tax outstanding– and then hey presto– someone is going to have to speak out to save their own skin.
Was the Murray press release a first shot? Was he saying ” Look all of this is above board and there is no tax to pay! BUT in the event of the scheme being improperly administered and so attracting tax, don’t just come knocking on my door– all these players signed docs saying that they borrowed money, that they agreed to pay it back plus interest, and in that way there is no tax due on money that is contractually repayable!”
If the trustees were so biddable– and remember that they did the bidding of MIH as well as Rangers– for all we know, Murray could have them
( the trustees ) seek repayment– or offer terms for early repayment.
I appreciate that under all other circumstances none of these so called loans are normally repaid– but David Murray is staring down the barrell of a gun here– as he could be faced with a demand for the vast majority of the sums due by Rangers PLC to HMRC. I am not aware of circumstances where such a famously wealthy man has faced such potential personal ruin.
However, what I am certain of, is that under such circumstances, Murray will try to ensure that anyone who has so far escaped taxes will not be allowed to walk away scot free while he is left holding the baby!!!
If that then means holding former players and managers to signed contractual documents that no one thought would ever see the light of day again then so be it.
The players and managers would then have to get on to their agents and ask where the hell they stand and at that point it is every man for themselves given the sums involved.
Remember that Billy Dodds stated that he was asked personally by Sir David Murray if he would accept payment through the EBT. Dodds in turn says he left everything to his agent– on the understanding that the tax had in fact been paid on his settlement.
Stop and think about that– as the two statements are neither mutually exclusive nor smack of falsehood. Dodds is saying-” Hey I was told that Rangers had paid the tax–and I left it to my legally appointed agent to make sure it was so! If the tax has not been paid, then Rangers are in breach of their agreement ( per David Murray personally ) with me and they should pay it. If they now can’t pay it, and Murray isn’t paying it, and I am then asked to pay it– then I will consider my position but I have a claim against my agent as he should never have left me in such a position!”
All agents are insured– or have to have a bond with the SFA. At one point, that bond had to be for £100,000– I don’t know what it stands at today— but given the sums of money involved here– there is every possibility that the insurances and bonds would not cover the damage.
As I have said before– the FTT decision– will unleash such a firestorm and such a series of possibilities and consequences— that the vast majority of those involved, those reporting, and those observing have have so far never even seen those consequences coming let alone considered what to do with them when they arrive.
The Liquidator is coming– with the sole purpose of chasing people for the outstanding tax– and anyone who thinks that the guys in the firing line are going to hesitate in using all and any arguments to save their own bacon, or as much of their own bacon as possible, are deluding themselves.
Accordin’ to Wiki/EWLM/EWTB we’ve never played a Swedish team in Europe before, is that right?
After that I took the ferry over to Copenhagen for the day. It was still raining.
Considered trying to find and visit the Khing’s home. But concluded that would be weird. And kind of creepy.
Still, Sweden is pretty cool and worth a trip.
Hooped – daily lurker, very occasional poster.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000
They are the gift that keeps on giving…
Where did an old fashioned right wing demagougue like Philvis even get a wife? Does she look like Margaret Thatcher? We ought to be told these things ell in advance, not have them thrust upon us during a Friday lunchtime when your roll can go down the wrong way imagining Philvis as Denis firing off Dear Bill letters. I need a tincture to calm me down now.
Thatcher at weekends maybe?
Not posted for the last ten days. Been dragged kicking and screaming to a beach somewhere by Mrs and Miss Tally! But, having said that the sights to behold once there made up for it!
Happy with the draw.
Pisa – Stockholm @€200 return, courtesy of AirCattleTruck aka Ryanair! Book while stocks last!
HH!!
£20 a ticket for Helsingborgs game is excellent,should be a full house.
Helsingborg have 2 tough away games directly before our matches. Elfsborg , who are league leaders and Djuigarden who are close to Helsingborg in the League.
Given their League position, i doubt they will have the luxury of resting key players
Sorry,Pete the Beat.
Like I said,someone had to do it.
Consider it post no 1689A,if it will make you feel better.
And also bear in mind that I come fae Kilwinning,so my counting might be a bit suspect……
I need to take my shoes and socks off to count to 24
Sweden’s a bit of a borg collective.
DBBIA/SevenofnineCSC
BMCUW
High 6…..
Paul67 on 10 August, 2012 at 12:26 said:
KJam, aye. Nothing this year, three years accounts required before they can apply during the fifth season for access in the sixth season.
Steinreignedsupreme, yes.
hamiltontim, major changes still due to take place on the site over the next few days.
Dirtymac, I could make an argument for each of the four lower seeds progressing. Don’t underestimate Cypriot, German or Spanish football. Cluj are no slouches either.
Hartsons Comb, correct.
+++++
I agree Paul, but we need 3 of the 4 to progress – a very big ask. I’ve followed Bert’s site since 2002 what with us being borderline Pot 2 and 3 on a number of occasions and can never recall such a high percentage of unseeded results working out.
I just don’t think it will happen, but will be happily stand corrected if it does.
All agents are insured– or have to have a bond with the SFA. At one point, that bond had to be for £100,000– I don’t know what it stands at today
just a wee thought, but I wonder if any agents had their bonds waved or have sums outstanding\unpaid. Could certain agents have been treated differently
Them Borg are scary besoms. Resistance is futile.
Helsingborg In draw is what I wanted SOOOOOO bring it on:)))
Home leg on a wed night BONUS im busy on a tues at my group meeting.
50-50 will do me, confidence must be building after wed and
we have players who are match winners against teams like this.
Confident of progress in this camp.
HAIL HAIL
new article posted.
The house of the grandmother of the wee girl missing for a week ,has been cordoned off by police…..
Bert Kassie is another puppet of the CIA/DHS/USArmy.
He has us all worreid about our co-efficient going up and down and it takes our minds off what’s really happenin’ in the ole World, like the destruction of the Chaco.