I’ve never known so many people to be keen to get to a game involving Motherwell as there are for tomorrow’s encounter at Celtic Park. Most of us haven’t been to a game since the marginally entertaining 3-3 Champions League draw last month.
Motherwell head a pack of six clubs all within three points of each other, with bottom of the table Partick Thistle just one point further behind at the bottom of the table. They are still in touch with fifth-placed Newco Rangers, who the Lanarkshire club could overhaul if results go their way this weekend, but the table is starting to look like a top five and bottom seven fight.
Each of the top four clubs, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and St Johnstone, are at home against opposition no higher than 6th place Motherwell, so there’s every chance the leading group will extend their advantage.
You and I have been speaking about a European League since 2004. During that time the remoteness of the possibility has come and gone but it’s back on the agenda, with Copenhagen director, Anders Horsholt talking about the proposed league between Danish, Dutch, Scottish, Belgian, Swedish and Norwegian clubs.
This proposal would be enormously beneficial for all involved, the only thing that’s needed is sufficient will on the part of clubs to make it happen, but even within this group of potential beneficiaries there are sub-interests which could pull focus in different directions.
Celtic’s interests would be best served with access to a European-wide league, replacing domestic weekend leagues. They would be able to compete and grow into one of the world’s biggest clubs in this scenario. The same would be true of the bigger Dutch clubs, less so for the Danish, and even the Belgians.
What we now have for the first time is a consensus that some change needs to happen among the disenfranchised. I’d bite your hand off for a scenario along the lines of what Horsholt discussed, but you have to consider this possibility in context of what’s happening at the moment with the financially elite European clubs.
They too want change. A meritocratic-ally-earned Europe-wide structure replacing domestic leagues falls short of their mooted closed-franchise system, but not by much. And it’s a lot more deliverable.
This is all horse-trading for now, but there’s a lot of money sitting on the table, so change is inevitable.
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Never bite the hand that feeds you.
Greenpinata,
That has to be the Friendliest warnings EVER.
FFS
I’m gonnae do it any way.
Something.CSC
warning
I’d bite your hand off for a scenario along the lines of what Horsholt discussed
Paul
Can you check with moderators about the repeated promotion of cannibalism in your articles?
It’s not the first time you have offered to bite my hand off.
HH
Buddy
TALLYBHOY
You could run intae Souness and Gazza in Poole
Apart from them,it’s a lovely place
Rick Stein has a place there
bit pricey though
HH
A European league with the likes of Dutch, Belgium and Scandinavian teams would be far more preferable than joining the English leagues (not that that’s a possibility anyway).
An new league structure must have meritocracy at it core and teams can be promoted into them from national leagues or relegated from them back to national leagues.
SoT,
Just back from my cruise and stay in Rome. Thanks for the advice on Taormina, lovely place if a tad busy. Managed to get a lovely lunch which wasn’t overpriced.
BRTH,
Had a wander through St Peters in Rome and went down to the Papal tombs. Asked a lady worker who was passing by where the Stuarts tomb was, she told me that it was closed to the public. She then said ‘follow me’. She opened the gates and took me and the wife through to the tomb and explained the history. A great experience. She was from Alaska, a lovely lady.
ERNIE
PORCIERTO
No,I am far from happy about how tax codes the world over are structured.
Most are taxed at source,no quarter offered or rquested,while the better off are allowed to use their wealth to employ the dark arts to reduce their liability.
I’m happy as a pig in the proverbial when a dodgy scheme goes nipples north. And I do my best to avoid the worst corporate offenders.
But it is no reason to blanket tax avoidance and planning in the same criminal bracket as evasion. THEEXILEDTIM is,rightly,fond of telling us we need to sort the refs before we can sort Scottish football.
In the same way,we need to sort the tax codes. Otherwise we will be having this conversation ad infinitum.
I respect your opinions,and you are both correct,but the blame lies elsewhere.
ernie lynch,
What have you seen over the years that made you go WOW?
The Globalists got the phrase right eventually with Climate Change.
There was one Time when a SparrowHawk was sitting on My DADs fence. It was Incredible. It was right there about 14 metres away. Awesome.
The Barn Owl is elusive to see, well it was back when the Auld fella was trying to spot it with me beside him.
I’ve seen them twice I think but going @ 70+ MPH.
Amazing Birds.
Petec
It was a pesky follow up to the question posed yesterday :-
On CQN we continually get told what not to link to. Can anybody tell us just what media links are acceptable ??????
HH.
On the question of tax avoidance the Government does not introduce schemes that are designed to reduce tax revenues . Such schemes are intended as incentives to investors to provide funds to stimulate growth which in turn produce tax revenue. If the sums are right then such schemes are tax revenue generators.
The avoidance bit comes in when individuals who have no interest in the long tax revenue benefits use such schemes for short term personal benefit.
Is that immoral? Well who can judge the motivations of the individual and based on what?
The question has to be was the scheme being used for avoidance purposes properly thought threw in tax cost/benefit terms and then articulated accurately in law?
If not is that the fault of those who use such schemes particularly based on professional advice given.
I suppose the question any moral investor should ask is will my investment ultimately increase tax revenues.
What do you do if told that is the intent? The point here is its not PL that is in the dock, it’s everyone paying tax who has the right to arrange their affairs to be tax effective under the law.
How do you judge the motives of every individual making personal decisions?
About 9 months or so after I last visited Spain I received an email from a lovely Spanish girl that I had ” befriended” ahem,
whilst I was there.
She emailed to advise me that she had just given birth to twin Bhoys,
and had named them,
JOSE and HOSE B !
HH
AULDHEID
Who am I to judge, I find it immoral that’s my only judgment por cierto..
Hi Paul67,
“I’d bite your hand off for a scenario along the lines of what Horsholt discussed, but you have to consider this possibility in context of what’s happening at the moment with the financially elite European clubs.
They too want change. A meritocratic-ally-earned Europe-wide structure replacing domestic leagues falls short of their mooted closed-franchise system, but not by much. And it’s a lot more deliverable.
This is all horse-trading for now, but there’s a lot of money sitting on the table, so change is inevitable.”
Very True…
In fact change you could argue is long overdue. UEFA has softened it’s attitude to “cross border” Leagues, so we need to ensure enterprising figures like Horsholt are backed to the hilt.
This process must be agreed, propagated and implemented post haste.
The big four Leagues want to Quadopolise European Football, with their big Clubs getting a huge slice of the pie.
My mum had a phrase for this behaviour… “pure greed.”
The sooner we get a platform for Celtic to fulfill it’s potential the Better….
Hail Hail
Changing the subject,London mayor has submitted plans to take rail services back under its devolved powers.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/14/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-submits-plan-improve-rail-services
London has fairly few devolved powers compared to Scotland. Time we followed suit.
I wonder if I’m alone in being totally anti Celtic leaving the current set up ? I have no desire to watch Celtic play ‘ domestic ‘ games v Norwegian, Danish clubs. In case anyone has missed it, Newco would also be present.
The promised land is right under our noses and can be realised by proper management of those in power at CP. We are seeing what’s possible right now. Decent manager, better players and the CL is a perfectly achievable target.
60,000 would be almost guaranteed given attractive football and regular CL participation.
There’s £30m to £40m additional income sitting waiting every season if the club is ran properly.
There is little to no opposition to stop us achieving that in the SPL.
So no Splexit for me.
Yes it’s going to be harder to get there if the goalposts shift in favour of the ‘ big’ leagues, Spain, Germany etc, but we CAN get there with proper investment.
We have invested a minimal amount this season , and will see a huge payback relative to spend. Reinvest wisely and we will see the same year on year.
Let sevco go and play in the North Atlantic ( we wish eh), our place is here and in the CL.
Hose B ?= JOS B
Greenpinata on 14th October 2016 1:41 pm
When any MAN tells me what to do. Naw, that isnae going to go down well.
I think this Site is Inspired, That is because of it’s Leader (I respect ye Strongly Neg2 and ST) I don’t look @ any other Celtic Sites.
Kojo is definitely missed by me anyway, I got annoyed at him when he “put it out there” about reincarnation. But I’m a Bigot now according to the World. OH Yeah. :)) A Badge of Real Honour.
Call me a fruitcake, or any other name. 28/1 over 4.5 goals first half.
I don’t mind if Motherwell get 1. :)) I am thinking the 5-0 Howevvaaaaaah.
A family of cannibals were having supper one evening when the daughter said,
” Mummy I don’t like me wee brother “.
To which her mother replied,
” That’s okay darling, just leave him at the side of your plate”.
Big Jimmy
Was that the same family I know.
I was walking home wae the wee brother one night when the daughter came running up to him and said…”Boy are you in hot water tonight”.
Hail Hail
Matt
PETEC
I LOVE fruitcake. And I think yer the berries!
Brill meeting up again at the hoot,bud.
Yer like that new thang stuck on the front of Celtic Park,far as I’m concerned.
Priorities for the morra?
3 points. Winning coupons. Ugly hun coupons
A hat-trick of the above,and another on the field,works for me.
HH.
Petec
I would never dream of calling you a fruitcake or even a rockcake, so no need to pick.
Sometimes I think we are the only two sensible ones on here :-)))))
HH.
TWISTS N TURNS
Let sevco go and play in the North Atlantic
Aye…….without lifejackets -))
Two cannibals eating a comedian.
One says to the other, “does this taste funny to you”?
Auldheid on 14th October 2016 1:41 pm
As ever, well argued and reasoned. However, what the argument (possibly) doesn’t take into account is the extra revenue generated in the local and national economy when the reduced tax liability provides more disposable income. There are both short-term (I will spend more money immediately is my disposable income is higher) and long-term (when my pension is taken my future disposable income will be greater).
These both play into the gross tax benefit for the Government.
BMCUWP and GRENPINTA also raise very salient points. Until taxation is equitably spread and those in the lower brackets are given adequate relief; and the corporate world is allowed pay minimal tax, then tackling schemes retrospectively to increase tax liability is a drop in the ocean.
FAC the Act
KTF
kikinthenakas on 14th October 2016 1:09 pm
I am indeed. What gave it away?
FAC the Act
KTF
BOBBY,
My Dad never taught me any rebel songs. St Pats mean’t I learned the Tunes.
I have never taught Aidan one single Rebel Song. I bet he knows a lot though. ;))
He is a quiet Bhoy. He was going mental when we were scoring against Manchester City. I was quite enjoying the goals myself.
Amazing moments. He still rates the Spartak game the Best Ever because his Mum and his wee and big Brothers were there. Thank You so Much BSR for the heads up about tickets being available.
Two cannibals on a chat show…ended up chewin the fat.
Hail Hail
Matt
Glen:
Indeed. A different form of liquidation:-) A permanent one!
Good afternoon. Only 10 days to go if you haven’t completed the consultation survey on the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act please click this link and complete it now.
If long forms daunt you, just give your contact details and then complete the 5 questions on Sections 1-5 showing you are in favour of repeal- that is just 5 ticks- then just scroll through to the end and press SUBMIT. It can be done in less than a minute.
If you are unsure about what to write for the full questionnaire, this crib sheet will help. Remember you are agreeing that the act should be repealed. Also remember to click Complete Survey at the end or your views won’t be included!
Every submission counts!
FAC the Act
KTF
Tallybhoy
I like Poole and there are a few good watering holes down that way, but can I suggest you wander towards Bournemouth, past the Majestic Wine shop and check out the pubs, restaurants, and the delights of the big island roundabout at Westbourne which is right next to Poole. That is a lovely spot for a meander!
Red Telephone
That was a great experience at St Peter’s. Yet loads of Scots and others go there and have no clue whatsoever that the Stuarts and their mother who was Polish were all buried there — apart from Charlie’s heart which is buried elsewhere (Bologna I Think).
I came back from Rome in the summer with a great tale to tell — really two tales which roll into one — but I have been too busy to actually get it written. Just a fantastic tale.
Meanwhile here is a link I posted earlier to boost the sleepout awareness.
https://broganrogantrevinoandhogan.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/frankies-story/
If this resonates with anyone then please help by donating here:
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/jamesmcginley2
Giantkillers
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/Carlisle-Uniteds-interest-in-Cumberland-Cup-ended-by-Cleator-Moor-Celtic-3977d9f1-37af-4461-8edf-1a2025631df0-ds
PETEC
The whole of Timdom went mad when we scored,honestly didn’t expect to go in front.
Three times!
Pulled back quickly each time,heyho. It gave us all a far better night than most expected.
Buy some land, grow some trees, buy yourself a reduced tax bill. Government sponsored tax reduction….
How many hectares do you wish to purchase?
Negative equity? Government sponsored???
Creates jobs. Does it? Drives the market… maybe,but at the expense of whom… the nurses, the firemen,the girl who has an IT degree but can only get a job in McDonald’s (etc), ability to get onto the property ladder…
The rich get richer.
All legal too.
Greenpinata on 14th October 2016 2:02 pm
Petec
I would never dream of calling you a fruitcake or even a rockcake, so no need to pick.
Sometimes I think we are the only two sensible ones on here :-)))))
HH.
………………………………………………….That is just Crazy talk.
HH
BOBBY,
Right from the start, of each half as well.
We have exceptional ones coming through.
Brendan is RUTHLESS.
Brilliant.
Paul67 et al
Paul I see you, (and gary67) have fallen into the trap with your use of the words, meritocratic and meritocracy, following in the great tradition of Tony Blair in 1981. Michael Young who coined the word, (The Rise of the Meritocracy 1958), did not advocate it, he satirised, he criticised it and most certainly did not see it as something positive or desirable. And nor should we. You use it to describe the rise of Europe’s football elite, the Real Madrid’s and Barcelona’s, and indeed Young might do so too in the light of their humble origins, but for Young (and maybe even Eddie Cochrane) he meant ‘something else’.
Saw this on Twitter earlier posted by Matt McGlone
Grace
https://vimeo.com/151775638
Enjoy
HH