In his Christmas Day message last year, Uefa president, Michel Platini spoke in the firmest terms possible about many of the issues facing Scottish football right now.
He told us that 2011 was “one of those years where one feels the weight and magnitude of one’s responsibilities, but which equally serves to provide greater strength. Because, the just cause – however difficult it may be – is all the more obvious.”
This is a strong statement of intent. Platini fully understands the position of president is not ceremonial, it has weighty responsibilities. If he believes these specific words, “the just cause – however difficult it may be – is all the more obvious”, he must take an immediate active involvement to protect the game in Scotland.
M Platini goes on to say, “To be a president is not to have an organisation at one’s service, but to be at the service of an organisation, of a game, of football.”
Scottish FA president, Campbell Ogilvie, who has been inextricably linked to the on-going improper registration of Rangers players allegations his organisation declined to investigate, would do well to consider these words. He is in place to serve the game yet he has offered us no information on the subject.
Michel then added, “It has been a year which has underlined the importance of our organisation [Uefa] as one of the guarantors of the values, stability and equity of this sport.”
Uefa guarantee the values, stability and equity of football. They do not work towards equity, they ensure it is imposed, you have the president’s word.
“It has been a year in which certain of our national associations have had to take courageous decisions to preserve the justice and integrity of our sport.”
Here, Michel could be speaking about the SFA, who have to take courageous decisions to preserve justice and integrity in the face of gross charges of financial and regulatory doping on a scale not seen anywhere in Europe.
His most important comment, which reflected on 2011, was:
“A year in which we have also had to remain solid and defend our values – sometimes alone – to guarantee the respecting of the rules and the equity of the competitions, and to prevent football becoming a hostage of a few for their own profit and interests.”
“Respecting… the rules and the equity of the competitions”. This includes player registration rules.
More importantly, “to prevent football becoming a hostage of a few for their own profit and interests”.
This is where we are today. Football in Scotland has become a hostage of a few who will follow their own interests, not those values Michel Platini holds dear.
The president goes on to say that 2011“has been a year in which, unfortunately and at the expense of certain agonies, football has emphasised its need for transparency and governance, aspects which are so important in relation to the respect which is so dear to me.”
There may be other countries in Europe more deserving of M Platini’s intervention, but the crisis in Scotland is acute and urgent, and the SFA appear overwhelmed. We need the oversight only Uefa can provide and its president promised in his Christmas message.
For an extended synopsis of how we got to where we are, catch up on Saturday’s blog.
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Rockets….
Back in the day the Final wasn’t on live never mind the Semi.
….are good but for effect, I prefer bangers.
This post has been removed for legal reasons.
Bournesouprecipe:
That just makes me want to read it all the more.
Wonder what’s upsettin’ thems………….
Must be something they’ve had read to them………….
;)
dannysbeard on 12 March, 2012 at 20:18 said:
Played for The Vogue for a good few years and was also Treasurer of the Team. Spent many a great time down in Luton – one great trip when Bobby M(who always came) was joined by wee Bertie – fantastic few days. Can’t remember the Festival thing with Charlie and the Bhoys but going by the date you gave we had stopped going so may have happened but can’t recollect any of the guys going.
bankiebhoy1
Reality bud – pure realisation of their worst fears. :-)
Its a slow meandering night the night…so am aff tae watch a film…grace the moody missus wae ma sparkling personna & slurry vowels…
Peace
One and All.
Auldheid / Steviebhoy, interesting article without the bowing and scraping to avoid hurting feelings.
2 paragraphs stood out –
In Alex’s neutral words.
Nobody likes a cheat in sport. And here it’s claimed we have one in the shape of the loudest, biggest club with what some see as a tawdry history of bigotry, violent fans and a frankly supremacist culture. So when the bully and the cheat gets his comeuppance, there will be some vitriol.
(other teams fans) They just want existing rules implemented – a near-revolutionary suggestion it would seem, given the current unfolding saga at the top of the Scottish game.
Dannysbeard.
Just about to mention Kelvinbhoy going to Luton,
I never went myself ,but when the team came back
they needed a MASH unit to pump their stomachs.
Drunken bums.
Paddy G,
Treble congratulations that mhan!
Paddy G.
Good on you mate.
wonkyradar on 12 March, 2012 at 20:24 said:
Ard Macha:
Not for me I’m afraid.
To each his own
Apart from the very, very obvious I’ll tell you why this so-called bid by the BK’s will not work – consensus! If reports are correct there are 10 of them, it’s difficult enough to get 10 normal guys to agree on something never mind 10 egos. There’s bound to be plenty of I’ve-got-a-bigger-wad-than-you syndrome involved. The reason wee Fergus was successful was that he was the alpha male as anybody who dealt with him found out. There will also be several of them renege when push comes to shove. No buyout before liquidation.
I don’t like Mondays….does that sound right?
voguepunter on 12 March, 2012 at 20:53 said:
VP – those were the days. I’d be lucky to make it to the Saturday morning if I tried a weekend down there again. Hope to see you on Sunday – thinking of popping into the Vogue pre or post match.
Paul67 – Auldheid
You have email.
Auld Neil Lennon at 20:38.
There’s more to come
Laird of the Smiles aka PMTYH on 12 March, 2012 at 20:09 said:
Couldn’t swear to it but wasn’t it Adam who had to take one for the team during the Ibrox disaster inquest?
And wasn’t his wife an RC?
Dont do twitter thing but seen this from an RTC blog poster earlier.
RTC being fairly explicit in his latest tweet to Tom English
Rangers Tax-Case@rangerstaxcase
@TomEnglishSport If you want a lead on a good story, ask Campbell Ogilvie if he benefited from RFC/MIH EBT & how much he withdrew?
HAIL HAIL
so Aberdeen fans want a 2/3 majority vote in the spl and a fairer distribution of money.
yes to an even split in t.v. (domestic) money because we all contribute to league
yes to 50% of t.v money generated from european football (after participating clubs expenses) from all clubs put into pot and distributed between all teams at end of season
yes to 50% of away gate given back to said club (where home gate is 15,000- 20,000 +)
yes to a larger league with european and relegation play-offs
no to a share of gate income from home fans
no to a quick return for newco
think everyone’s a winner and the league will be better and more competitive with more money and potentially better players in every team
i think clubs getting an extra 2 million per year would be massive and would improve our league
we might lose several fringe players and have to have a tighter 22 man team supplemented by our own academy youngsters
got to be better than whats on offer right now
Paddy G
I like it when nice things happen to good people, it kinda makes sense to me. Good for you mate.
miki67
If your post was in reference to mine then it was nonsense.
I merely said that to refer to Keevins as a holocaust sympathiser was taking it too far. If you disagree then we shall have to move on. To then imply that he’s anti Catholic, well that’s absurd.
Just be happy that he’s a fud :-)
suggested banner for ipox, GB
” Oh, what a tangled web we weave……
When first we practice to deceive”
(Brilliant quote from Phil’s blog, which ‘says it all’, really….!!!!!!!)
Cheers for the answers Bhoys, Bobby Murdoch was at the festival and a great laugh he was as well
Im surprised it wasnt repeated as there was a good crowd there, Manchester,Bournemouth, Coventry, all the London CSC’s and the Irish contingent from Luton,
kelvinbhoy on 12 March, 2012 at 21:00 said:
Aye ,we will be in on Sunday before the game,I’ll
need to run down to my mums first 12.15
should do it,10 min talk and 5 min back up to pub.
Well it is cup final day :O)
Tonight’s London Standard Business page carries the story of RFC ( IA ) and the latest twist around the likely abuse of a pension fund. Nice picture of Craig Whyte.
From reading the Simon English interpretation of the unfolding story looks like RFC have fallen into the hands of fraud steers and that they owe £15m for non payment of PAYE and VAT.
So for the London reader, if that nasty wide boy Whyte hadn’t arrived on the scene then presumably the very fabric of Scottish society could have continued piling up the trophies consolidating their hold on the title of the world’s most successful club.
Bad luck, don’t you think?
leftclicktic- looks like the net is closing in.Reagan must wish he was back in the petty politics of English cricket.
Van Persie cannae take whipping free kicks like the prodigal son thats for sure!
Fraud steers= that’s a new one
miki67-he’s not worth getting yourself, and the blog in to bother mate.HH.
Paddy Gallagher on 12 March, 2012 at 20:22 said:
……………
Three good bits of news in one day, they do say these things happen in 3’s.
Mine’s a treble!
HH PG
Paddy G ,good on ye big Mhan.
Eyes Wide Open -Said yesterday,I dont think anyone in the EPL can deliver a ball like Mulgrew.
Auld Neil Lennon heid on 12 March, 2012 at 20:38 said:
And Leabrannagh
He seems to be a straight guy. My wife reads him regularly. It’s the first of a series. It is very important to get UK national media to report on the ongoing skullduggery in Scottish football if we are to prevent yet another injustice.
I note, with interest, the rangerstaxcase tweet cited above re Campbell Ogilvie. Wonder if others, say an ex-chairman now at the SFC, could answer that same question without embarrassment?
Can you post a link on the C4 blog to TBBs Saturday post? I never get that right!
67 heaven
Great idea but I fear it would be wasted on them.
!!Bada Bing!! Kano 1000 on 12 March, 2012 at 21:14 said:
Bada ,not long now for the big apple,wish I was
going with you,just think you could buy me drink all
trip and it would still be cheaper than what your missus is going to spend in the shops.
Go on you know it makes sense:O)