“The Scottish FA has a responsibility to all its members and must implement its rules without fear or favour”. Stewart Regan, SFA chief executive, 24 April 2012.
What chance the SFA will be able to act without fear now? I don’t imply they will act without favour, but do you believe SFA panellists can act without fear? Anyone who participates in Rangers appeal process and upholds their punishment will act despite fear.
This process, one of the most important the SFA has dealt with in years, has been subverted, and that calls for a far greater sanction that any already imposed.
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dirtymac – OMG was that really 9 years ago?!!
What amazing memories that brings back….the fantastic adventure that was the road to Seville. And not a sign of a parked bus….!
T4
MWD
Well said mate
HH
PC67
Welcome back.
Consider yourself initiated.
HH
MWD
What BundoranBhoy said.
RG RIP.
dirtymac
I think the last deal was a wee bit of land about 2k sq mts that the government bought for nigh on 300 mill, Real were in debt for……..287 mill, they leased it back for 1 euro a year.
And they wonder why the likes of Barca and Bilbao get rather miffed.
Now where else is anything like that going on, I wonder………..
TET
I was at the Madrid game at Celtic park, they are a very good team.
Even in warm up you could see the difference in approach. We covered quarte of the park, pinging long passes, some on the deck, some through the air. A. Madrid, all five yards, all on the deck. We gave them a good game though.
Awe_Naw
A. T. Has alluded to the cosy relationship between the SFA and the Huns before. Maybe he intends to follow it up.
Pedro HH.
MWD
indeed mate….
Reamonn has made a lasting impression on many of us…
Yep Jackie Mac.
A great victory.
I stilll remember the last minute of the game.
BFDJ was up front and we were missing a centre half (think either Tom McAdam or Roddy The Proddy).
Mike Conroy filled in – out of position, he was a midfielder – and had a crackin game….BFDJ, who was excellent in the air normally, did not get a sniff….Mick Conroy was brilliant.
Anyway, they got a corner or a free kick and a high ball came in, Conroy outmuscled BFDJ, Latchford grabbed the ball and the Cup was ours….sort of similar to the Broto moment at Ibrox when he held the ball aloft in the last minute….you knew then we had skelped them.
The first of 4 Scottish Cup victories for the Cels on the 80’s.
Oh aye….and there was a bit of trouble at the final whistle.
tully
It’s all a question of taste of course, not that the Hoops could ever look distasteful, but I think this kit is the best variation of a theme for many, many years. Wasn’t convinced with first viewing of the black socks, but as it’s part of our history, I’ll say they got that right as well.
Just watched a cracking game of football between Athletic Bilbao and Sporting Lisbon. Very high standard of football. The English ref also had a good game but it reinforces my view about Nevin as an Establishment sychophant the way he went overboard in his praise for the ref.
Are all these guys only employed because they are like that or do they quickly learn how to toe the line?
JJ
MWD
Was an honour being introduced to Reamonn’s parents by your good self at the Supporters night last year.
RIP Reamonn
RWE
flounced, hunified and reprieved all in the one day :-)
Philbhoy
cheers
So, when cheated titles have been returned,
who will have won the most in a row :o)
neveralone on 26 April, 2012 at 21:43 said:
I genuinely think Speirs is a chancer. Notice, he rarely writes about the actual football contest – it’s always about the personalities on the periphery of the event. Even then when you deconstruct his prose it’s simply Keech Jackson gone polysyllabic – nothing more and nothing less.
Good Evening,
At some point last night there was mention on here of the European Cup Final between Bayern Munich and St Etienne which was held at Hampden on 12th May 1976. There were reminiscences of the atmosphere in Glasgow around that week and the vibe created by the Bavarian Hordes and the band of Indomitable Les Verts.
The posts were between various comments all relating to Ally McCoist and his public utterances. various posters commented upon Wee Ally’s culpability, his knowledge of what he was saying and his responsibility for his actions.
And then up would pop another post about that May night at Hampden in 1976 and how St Etienne had been foiled by what the French newspapers described as “Les Poteaux Carres”– the square posts– which they hit twice. It was argued and widely believed that had Hampden had the more common round posts, then Beckenbaur, Muller & Co would not have secured their third European Cup in a row, and that the Big Cup whould have gone home with the French.
In a desperate attmpt to claw back the German’s 1-0 lead that night, in the 83rd minute St Etienne’s manager replaced Christian Sarramagna with another of the young youth players that he had brought through the St Etienne youth system. The substitution did not change the result for les Verts but the young substitute would go on to make a name for himself in French football.
His name?
Dominic Rocheteau.
Now I could go on to talk about the curly haired ones skills with the ball, his international career, or the honours he won with St Etienne and PSG by way of league and cup medals.
However, what is more interesting about Rocheteau is what happened to him after his playing days.
Always political, a spokesman for the Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire, today Rocheteau heads up the National Committe for Ethics for the French Football Association. If you think about French Football in recent years and the actions of their world cup squad, then you may gather this is not a job without difficulty.
It is commonly accepted that Footballers are not the most gifted academically- possibly because as youths they concentrate on football skills rather than Academic study. Yet some footballers do extraordinary things away from football.
Apart from Rocheteau, Gianni Rivera– former captain of AC Milan, winner of the 1969 Balon D’or, holder of 60 Italian caps, European and European Cup Winners Cup winners medals– is now a longstanding member of the European Parliament as well as the President of the Educational Youth Sector of the Italian Football Federation.
Still playing is Didier Drogba. Drogba has scored more goals for Chelsea than any other foreign born player and is the club’s 4th highest scorer of all time. He is captain of his country, The Ivory Coast, and scored the first ever goal for them in a World Cup Finals.
Drogba is credited with playing a vital role in bringing peace to his country. After Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the 2006 World Cup, Drogba made a desperate plea to the combatants, asking them to lay down their arms, a plea which was answered with a cease fire after five years of civil war. Drogba later helped move an African Cup of Nations qualifier to the rebel stronghold of Bouake; a move that helped confirm the peace process. In September 2011, Drogba joined the Truth, Reconciliation and Dialogue Commission as a representative to help return peace to his home nation. His involvement in the peace process lead to Drogba being named as one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine for 2010. Further he helped build a much needed hospital in his home town with £3Million pounds of his own money. He has been a goodwill Ambassador for the United nations Development Programme since 2007.
And then there is Ally McCoist.
Many an expert in Education will tell you that having the ability to communicate and be of instant sharp wit is a sure sign of intelligence and in some cases is a far more convincing sign of intelligence than exam results which stem from an academic paper which a boy sits in streile artificial conditions at the age of 16.
McCoist is no dummy, and had managed to become a respected football pundit and friendly media personality before taking up a post with Rangers. As Walter Smith said today, he gave up a lot to join Rangers management team. Mccoist could and indeed would have graduated from sports only broadcasting to other forms of broadcast entertainment. In short– he made for good Telly and could have been a major personality in that idiom. Instead he chose to return to his beloved Rangers.
It is against that background, that intelligence, that knowledge of broadcasting that you have to view his extremely foolish and ill advised — but carefully and deliberately chosen– public words.
Ally McCoist has missed an opportunity here, for no matter what happens to Rangers- whether there be an old Co or a new Co, the current dire financial situation presented Ally McCoist with a unique opportunity. An opportunity to lead and take forward a new Rangers, or even an old Rangers with a new owner, going in a new direction, with a new purpose and with a renewed dignity which has been missing for a long time and which will simply grow ever more undignified in the coming days when the transgressions yet to be judged come around. In short, he could have made a unique and universally acclaimed place for himself in Scottish Football and social spheres if he had chosen to lead Rangers and their forwards in a new direction.
Instead, despite all his media savvy, his quick wittedness, his appeal to many neutrals, he chose to go down the dogged old fashioned Rangers under siege mode. He has opened the door and appealed to that element of the Rangers fan base who have harmed and damaged the reputation of the club for oh so many years.
We all know that there are lots of really good folk who support Rangers. Guys who you are proud to call a friend and who have no time for bigotry, threats, violence or any of that stuff. Yet these guys, as someone else said earlier on today, are the silent sector. They are drowned out and their voice is suffocated by the growling element. They have no voice and little influence. They are the missing Gers, the disenfranchised and the disenchanted.
Ally McCoist could have been their champion, their talisman, their ethical light, and like the other players and ex players mentioned above he could have done so much good for Rangers and for each and every one of us who live in Scotland amongst the social problem that has been tolerated and never spoken of over these many years.
However, over the last number of months, it would appear that Ally has chosen to turn his back on that opportunity. He could have enhanced his own reputation and established himself as a guy with real leadership qualities and strong moral courage and appeal, building on his open friendship with Tommy Burns and his past actions such as his public support of SCIAF. He could have lead the Rangers ranks- new or old– to a new place and a new level and made a real difference.
I am sure that in time he will regret deeply the words issued to Rangers TV. He will regret the actions taken mistakenly at his behest, and that guys like Sandy Jardine have followed his lead instead of following that lead in another direction.
The character of Ally McCoist that is currently on public show is undoubtedly a victim of the Big Tax Case, the past misgovernment of Murray and Whyte, the current finacial pressures and the all pervading attitude that has been redolent at Rangers for far too long. Whilst all the other guys who are ultimately to blame for the current Rangers mess– including Walter– have buggered off– McCoist is left to face the music and crack under the pressure. His choice of course and his responsibility, with no one else to bear the blame for his actions.
Despite all the mitigating factors– and there are some– put simply he should have been better than this.
He should look at guys like Drogba, Rocheteau and Rivera, read the Ethical aims that Fifa and other associations aspire to and think deeply about how he could influence things at Rangers and in Scotland for the better.
If he does even half of that, then he may reach the conclusion that the first person that he should publicly name and shame as having to do more for Rangers real long term interests at a really difficult time– is the guy who stares back at him in the mirror!
cheers bhoys
night night
Evening CQN.
Nice to see Bilbao progress tonight – good luck to them in the final.
They play with; passion, pace, commitment and skill – a young team drawn from the Basque Region – in front of their vocal home support.
Would love to see our young Bhoys drawn from the Lennoxtown Region emulate them in the next 5 years!
MWD @ 22:10 – well said. The family will be very proud of their son, but nothing changes the fact that their boy was cruelly stolen from them.
Feelings will be raw at the St Johnstone game with the Thai Tims in attendance.
We should make sure there’s not a mention of THEM on this blog that evening….they’re not worthy!
T4
Chaps
Last shameless plug.
We’re having a race night tomorrow night to raise funds for the Genesis research trust. This trust are attempting to find a cure for cancers / premature births and sometimes the resultant brain damage to babies .
If you wish to come along its at Whitecraigs Rugby Club, Aurs Rd Newton Mearns starting at 7.30 pm.
Alternatively if you wish to donate then please do so at
http://www.justgiving.com/debrussellcentralamerica
Ta
Jungle Jim on 26 April, 2012 at 22:18 said:
I have never understood the commentators sidekick for football games.
Craig Paterson…..why??
Burley….enough said
Gary Neville…..just his voice annoys me, did you hear his Brazilian type screech for Torres’s goal on Tuesday so false.
hately….for an ex-pro he knows very little about the game.
Walker…..money over morals.
Nevin…..sook.
I actually cant think of a decent one just now.
Money for nothing for most of them.
THE EXILED TIM on 26 April, 2012 at 22:16 said:
dirtymac
I think the last deal was a wee bit of land about 2k sq mts that the government bought for nigh on 300 mill, Real were in debt for……..287 mill, they leased it back for 1 euro a year.
And they wonder why the likes of Barca and Bilbao get rather miffed.
Now where else is anything like that going on, I wonder………..
+++++
I remember when that deal was in it’s inception – worked with a guy from Barcelona, who was understandably spitting bullets about it – from what I recall it was >€450m. It wiped their debts and allowed their next set of Galacticos to be purchased and paid up front for.
Uefa should have turfed them at that point. I remember my colleague genuinely wanting to do ‘something’ when they came a calling in Glasgow a year or two later (Zidane wonder goal at Hampden and all that crud). I just thought of the players they had bought in the run up to that final – I think they cost them €200m (Figo, Zidane, Solari, Conceicaio (spelling??) & Makelele) and reckoned our time at the very top table would never come unless I won the lottery every week for a year or so.
Back to the training ground sale: I think the EU started an investigation a few years later, but can’t remember anything coming out of it.
Jungle Jim
Quite a few times tonight Nevin said that was never a pen etc, didny say the same when Cha was sent off, or Vic was sent off.
He is a runt of the highest order.
…………………..
Doc
I have posted on here many times about the standard of football here, my local team, who would be about div 135 would blow away virtually every team in scotland given fair refereeing, I often watch them train, and it’s awesome, they work in squares, not allowed to leave their square, and most of the time it’s 2 touch max, 1 touch is the norm,In the games, the speed and control is amazing, it’s all about pass and move, make yourself available at all times, it’s light years away from the football being played in scotland.
We are trying to play football, but the players are not protected, maybes some day, the footballers will be allowed to play again, we need the hun to die for any chance of that, then we need to get rid of the corruption that runs the game in scotland, a big ask, I won’t be holding my breath.
They will use some of the fans’ fighting fund to challenge the SFA ruling.
Where do you start with that one.
new article posted.
“Such an activity disgusts me, and anyone who engages in it does Rangers Football Club nothing but harm” said McCoist, referring to not paying taxes and using EBTs. I may have that one wrong.
Rangers’ Official Squad Photo Season 2012–2013
Chaps
Last shameless plug.
We’re having a race night tomorrow night to raise funds for the Genesis research trust. This trust are attempting to find a cure for cancers / premature births and sometimes the resultant brain damage to babies .
If you wish to come along its at Whitecraigs Rugby Club, Aurs Rd Newton Mearns starting at 7.30 pm.
Alternatively if you wish to donate then please do so at
http://www.justgiving.com/debrussellcentralamerica
Ta
Brogan rogan Trevino and hogan
Never commented on your posts previously, but enjoy reading your stuff.
This is great piece of writing, showing a side of three great players of which I was unaware. It was an interesting contrast with the fourth, of whom I have always held a low opinion.
Always a pleasure to read your posts on a variety of topics. Keep it up.
Ggh
dirtymac
Nothing came of it, I was talking to a Barca fan about it just a few weeks ago, he still harbours ill will about it, the Real fans would be akin to the hun, they think it’s their god given right.
There are people here who dedicate their lifes to outing the corruption, but are finding it harder as time goes by, the laws are being flouted, but it’s just like scotland, the establishment are the ones who control everything.
sally, you don’t need to know WHO took the decision ……… You need to know WHY ……. And you know WHY …… When you buy players, you need actually pay for them …… And that’s only ONE of the reasons..
You have no defence against this decision, I’m afraid…..!!!!!!!!!
BRTH
I wonder I wonder.
I can’t fully concur.
I agree with a lot of your insight.
But…
There is no true intelligence in persona. Hard work, luck and the right handshakes (Excuse the context). There’s an extension of myth. Stephen Walliams is relentlessly funny. Simon Cowell is decidedly deep. Fearne Britton is genuinely concerned.
And so on.
But his Golgotha wasn’t the lowest common denominator of the past few days. It was his descent from ex striker/TV celebrity to under-performing asst manager/manager. He took the tried and tested ‘be bought boys’ route – celebrating physical misdemeanours and the like, whilst either failing or being bailed out from his ‘cup game management’ when Uncle Walter rolled down from the stands.
No, I’m sorry, his route was already well travelled before he incited a hot headed Neil Lennon into biting that Scottish Cup night.
He might be strung out just now – and I fully agree that stronger men would choose braver paths – but like that old saying goes – to which a scoundrel clings.
He’s always played to the cheap seats. It’s just that with Govan he knows his sample audience so much better.
Love you, your wit and your wisdom as always.
U
new article im off !