Graeme Souness was in town to promote a book yesterday with some incredible statements for those of you who “rejoiced at Rangers’ problems”, saying:
“Scottish football needs a strong Rangers and a strong Celtic to create interest outside of Scotland.
“If that’s not the case, Scottish football would die.
“As much as Celtic supporters and other supporters of clubs in Scotland have enjoyed the moment, [Rangers’ liquidation] has damaged football in Scotland beyond belief.
“My luck was that, at the time, the English clubs were having to rebuild their stadiums post-Hillsborough.”
Set aside for a moment the fact that the 97 fans of Souness’ former club, Liverpool, died at Hillsborough three years after he took over at Ibrox.
Ignore, for a moment that we, according to Souness’ former Scotland team-mate Willie Miller, are as good a Celtic team as he has seen, that our income has reached new heights and will go higher still this season, that we are packing stadiums wherever we go, and that all of this is the product of a long-term, sustainable strategy.
Disregard that Hearts are nearing completion of their stadium expansion, or that Aberdeen are set to build an impressive new stadium, or that Hibs are packing out Easter Road at a rate not seen since the 60s.
Pay no attention to the fact that Motherwell have found an ownership model, a manger and players to have them sitting third in the table and in the League Cup final.
Instead, remind yourself why Rangers got into trouble. They introduced an aggressive tax avoidance scheme which they knew would be challenged by HMRC, and they made no provisions for this challenge.
The paid over 55 football players through this tax scheme, ‘loans’ which were never to be repaid and which were eventually ruled as disguised remuneration.
Most strikingly, while manager of Blackburn Rovers, Graeme Souness received such a loan from Rangers. When asked to explain by the Daily Record, Souness even claimed the loan was remuneration – for scouting services. More flagrant remuneration than disguised.
Souness went on to say, “I live in England and there was always an interest in Scottish football from football fans in England. That’s no longer the case.” Maybe if he spent more time with BT Sport, than Sky his impression of interest in the Scottish game would be different.
If Graeme Souness wants to offer advice on Scottish football, perhaps he should be magnanimous and write a cheque for repayment of that loan. Hillsborough matters way more than any book promotion. If you are a former Liverpool captain and want to reference Hillsborough as an aid, get it right.
Souness and the other ‘loan’ recipients should be chased out of town for the carnage they caused at Rangers. Instead, he gets a platform to spout nonsense about Hillsborough and Scottish football, despite appearing to know little about either.
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Kieran Tierney featuring in a Japanese documentary about Shunsuke Nakamura
it has 1967 views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgdYGeE1GtM
SAINT STIVS on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 9:40 PM
Kieran Tierney featuring in a Japanese documentary about Shunsuke Nakamura
it has 1967 views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgdYGeE1GtM
its a must watch by the way
Don’t often say this but Paul67 if you are reading – that’s a fantastic article. Among your best work in the many years I’ve been reading your site.
Thanks
RT
Dessybhoy
Scotland must be about the worst level 2 TV deal, the likes of Norway and Sweden get way way more than we do, Belgium and Holland get 6-7 times our deal.
Watched a bit of english footy this year, it’s pish, for what they spend on players and coaches they are not getting value for money, but they hype it up to the enth degree and the numpties swallow it.
No that scottish football is better but given a few more bob, it sure would be, for signing the deal alone, Doncaster should get the sack.
HH
Saint Stivs
Think KT had the old Naka boots on last night.
Wonderful show fae him.
caravans and dogs and progres
Chris Sutton Reacts To Pedro Caixinha Sacking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j38II1EYfdM
Dunky
G… shoooorly lookin for one ,after you hand yours over :O)
peter and roughies show tonight, actually very funny.
26th October 2017 – Caixinha Sacked
i mean here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W_q9QritRc
THE EXILED TIM on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 9:18 PM
Wee BGFC is suffering withdrawal symptoms from not getting tickets for the game last night, he will be halucinating for the next day or so, should be back to normal for the game on saturday :-)
_____________
Hello this is WEE BGFC. It must be a combination of that and all that hash ma hippy pals gave me ;D PS im just kidding paul67
On reflection, i think i was being a big bit unfair to
my princess, after all she humphed another big case
of Celtic goodies home from the superstore, the wee
mhan and his wee sis Grace are presently rummaging
through it to get their tops, me, well i’m thinking thats
more ironing :-))
H.H Mick
D.D.
I can’t help with tickets but keep trying on @Celtic Spares on Twitter.
One came on it on Mon.
It’s all just Killie tickets spare just now.
Hail Hail
SAINT STIVS on 26TH OCTOBER 2017 9:20 PM
i said last night, how come rod and his bhoy, who are part timers , get tickets for the match,
but wee BGFC doesnt ……….
and surely there should be a STEWARTS ENQUIRY
_______
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Shertainly! Me and Da noticed that as well. He only gets tickets because Hes in the ticket office’s heart, hes inn their soul.
VP
Very perceptive mi amigo. :)
Getting close to me watching the game at Parkhead Cross boozer on Tuesday.
DD
Souness was looking sick as a pig earlier, two solutions he said, someone willing to hand over a big cheque, not to pay off the debts accrued until now and live within budget but to buy better players, the other which he described as slow burn, youth devlopment, who in their right mind would take that job with all the issues we know about other than to fulfill a goal they have had, however it would be Sevco they would be working for not Rangers 187-2012 who are in liquidation, no matter how many times the media lie on this.
JNP
Don’t do social media. Got my sons and daughters on the case. Thanks for heads up pal.
HH
WBGFC
It’s no Paul you should be saying sorry to :-)
Dinny tell thon big Delaneys, he will be having it aff ye…..
HH
NFL won 4 CL group games{our best since Seville ?}….
Anyway, maybe Brendan could take a wee look at Neil’s tactics, formation etc, for that CL campaign, the seeds of which, were sown on Sammi’s Hoopy Ne’erday at the house of usher.
Ah don’t mean this to sound cheeky, but, if Brendan tries to apply his weekly pub team skelping tactics, formation etc, and gets another CL skelping, and then comes out and says “We’re learning to compete at this level.”…..well, maybe Roy Keane has a point ?
Anyway,….
BGFC ;) lol
MINX 1888 – Hoopy birthday hen, HH.
……oot.
Dessy
The second the new patsy takes the Sevco manager job, he is a dead man walking. Only the insane or truly desperate out there would touch it.
Delaneys,
Remind big M to get in touch with me about his trip to Aberdeen on 27/12.
See you Saturday :-)
TeT
My eyes lit up earlier when I saw Cowiebhoy post. Misread it, that he was just back fae Mexico wi some grass that needed cut. Was almost in the car to Cowie wi my clippers. ;))
Dessy
Peeniss is a washed out midden.
Canny stand him
Bateen
Maddes mentioned you and Aberdeen trip on phone tonight. He thanks you for any help.
HH
Delaneys
I had to read his post twice :-)
Seeds are a plenty, just say the word.
HH
TET
Thanks my friend.
Need to visit you soon.
Maybe wi our mutual buddy ACGR.
HH
Hello this is WEE BGFC. Just on the magic youtube machine and Im watching a video for a song ma Da showed me ages ago. It never gets old! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcATvu5f9vE
They’re definetely doing it live :)
Reading what Souness has said in the above article,it seems that his memory is playing him ill. Not for the first time,nor,it seems,the last.
Here’s his latest rewrite of history,again via Sky.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5020399/Graeme-Souness-lifts-lid-bizarre-Ali-Dia-signing.html
I think Sky should sack him for being useless,then he can say he left to tend to his garden,or summat.
Wee BIGGEORGESFANCLUB
Stick into the cals and the gym,son. Then you can grow up big and strong.
And mean.
And wi any luck,you’ll bump into that twat MOJO who fed you a bummer yesterday.
Remember,Karma is a wonderful thing…
Delaneys
Anytime mi amigo
HH
Yip, Karma sure is a bitch
Oops, hit the post too quickly
Just ask the huns
BMCUW
An alleged Liverpool legend confusing Heysel disaster with Hillsborough disaster is very strange. Unless Graeme is ill?
D D
I think not the view was accurate in how it described souness
Hello this is WEE BGFC. *chuckle chuckle*:D
Mojo was a hun winding up a schoolbhoy. Rank rotten scumbag.
Having read Phil’s recent blog,I am inclined towards thinking that administration is a real possibility over the river due to onerous contracts .
TOSB
You would be forgiven if you got the impression that Aberdeen were representing the hopes of every anti-Celtic minded person in Scotland last night and failed to deliver thus crushing their hopes and aspirations
———
Just like there were suddenly so many Bayern fans last week. Including my killie supporting brother in law. Hope we stuff the Ayrshire Diets on Saturday
HH jamesgang
Fairhill bhoy
Just back from a game of 5s with your cousin
powerleague Hamilton