What exactly went wrong at yesterday’s Scottish Cup draw? Plastic balls can break open, that wasn’t the problem. The rule which insists that when a ball breaks open the draw must be started again isn’t the problem either. It’s a perfectly reasonable rule, but the event still can the SFA in a dreadful light.
Imagine for a moment that you had a Cup draw to arrange live on international television. You would surely acquire the materials necessary (8 balls and a bowl), and test their effectiveness (mix the balls, pull them out, open), until you were satisfied the process was robust and not likely to embarrass the organisation.
Appropriate preparations were evidently not followed for the Scottish Cup quarter final draw.
Having got to the stage that the draw went wrong, the TV masses were then treated to the most cringe-worthy pregnant pause, as SFA president, Alan McRae completely failed to communicate, either to the watching TV audience, or to the event broadcaster SKY, why he pulled a ball out of the bowl and instead of announcing the tie, declared the draw invalid.
McRae knew the ball was opened before it was drawn, and that this invalidated the draw, but clearly the glaikit-looking TV presenter had no idea what was going on when McRae halted mid-process, neither did the TV audience. A simple explanation:
“This ball is open. Rules state the draw is invalid. We will need to start again.”
….was surely what any person possessing even remote people-awareness or communication skills would have said?
No explanation was given. We were treated instead to the site of a TV presenter trying in vain to figure out why a cup draw was scratched halfway through.
The role of SFA president requires a degree of communication skills, which Mr McRae was hugely bereft of yesterday.
As for the SFA itself, I went to their official site this morning to check the spelling of McRae’s name, only to find they still list Campbell Ogilvie as president, despite McRae’s appointment 8 months ago.
It beggars belief. They just don’t care enough to get the easy things right.
As for getting Morton at Celtic Park! Ooft. After Ross County repeating their Hampden trick on us, Morton will fancy the same.
I know many of you have previously supported the fantastic efforts of Bundoran Bhoy. This year he is doing four runs for Solving Kids’ Cancer, in memory of Oscar Knox. His first is the Great Edinburgh (misnomer?) Run in April, the Edinburgh Marathon in May, Glasgow Men’s 10k in June and the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon in October.
He has just launched his 2016 fundraising efforts, so you can nip in here and encourage him along.
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JIMTIM on 9TH FEBRUARY 2016 8:25 PM
Always wondered why the blazers never used the lotto machine system for the draws
They would still rig it so that Sevco got a home tie AND won the jackpot-:))
GLENDALYSTONSILS
Maybe the SFA should stick to the telegraph and morse code.
Be easier:)
HH
Would Leon Trotsky be welcome?
What about Vladimir Lenin?
Pol Pot?
Chairman Mao?
This old Socialism chestnut again.
Sure didn’t even Hitler himself claim to be a “Socialist”?
What is Socialism? How does one define the term?
Are the far-left thugs of ANTIFA welcome at Celtic?
HH.
16 Roads
They would be welcome at the bigot dome, they are all in the same state, deed :-)
HH
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 9th February 2016 8:45 pm
The problem is…..the SFA are buffoons but they are not harmless buffoons.
They can perform miracles, like breathing life into dead teams-:))
16 Roads
Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin and Hitler….all welcome.
As long as they were wearing Celtic scarves:)
HH
Evening all, catching up.
Paddybhoy88.
Nice post regarding Matthew on Sunday.He played very well.Talented bhoy.
Masons
I know a lovely old guy who is a past master at the local lodge. He is seemingly in a minority of one in a membership that numbers 300.
He followed Celtic for years .Home & away.
Never hides his allegiance.
Cracking game at the Boleyn ground, and clever equaliser by Coutiniho.
macjay
I love Davie Hay. I knew Kenny was the better player but Davie Hay was my favourite.
And yes, Davie Hay has more than earned the right to express his concerns within the Celtic family.
I have not seen the Press Conference so I have not heard whether he over-stepped a mark or not. However, a Press Conference is not “within the Celtic family.” It is almost the exact opposite of that.
GLENDALYSTONSILS
SFA…Harry Potter:)
Hugh Dallas.
Dougie Dougie
Hey Presto
HH
Lol :)
What can I say?
No worries TET & TGM.
Laters.
KTF.
The Green Man says SACK THE Board
You have got to be kev jungle or a parody account of some sort. You have a weird obsession with the masonic lodge.
If you like i can second you for a local lodge and you can see what its all about?
ROBERT88
You seem to be unfamiliar with me.
Thats funny seeing im on the blog most days.
And far from being an obsession….Masonry in Scotland, and how it affects Institutions…is no joke.
I know what im talking about…take it from me.
Its not just an idle interest.
HH
TGM
Is Eric still on our board?
You and I know about his secret meetings. Shhhhhh
Cultsbhoy
What you say about indian restaurants is very true -areal lack of trained indian chefs is a huge part of the problem for many restraunteurs.
Some well paid chefs playing power games and holding families to ransom by threatening to walk out on a Saturday night with all the other kitchen staff unless higher wage demands are met !
Yet Dishoon in London has queues for great breakfasts at 10am! ( I’ve tried them bacon on nan bread with spicy sauce !)
Apologies Jobo !!!
There was a very good article about the “curry crisis@ in Ft recently too -also saying how there are no major chains in comparison to say Italian food ie Carlucios-Zizi-etc.Pricing also not helping with increased cost of foodstuffs-staff-rent rates and our expectation of only paying so much for a curry whilst strong competition coming from supermarket indian take aways.
JD Wetherspoons also major player now with £5 curry and a pint offer !!
Still watch this space some movement happening to resolve the issue -don’t despair !!
Yer nan is safe !!
But watch this space
I know there are many people on here who know much more about Celtic than Tom Boyd possibly could. Nevertheless, here are Tom`s views on a fairly important matter:
” I would certainly say he is the man for the job,” he said. “Celtic are in a good place, sitting top of the league and still in the Scottish Cup. We moan about the fact that we don’t have competition in this league and when we do there seems to be a screaming for the manager’s head.
“I don’t think I have ever known an intensity of people, press, supporters, calling for the manager’s head when we are sitting at the top of the league on goal difference with a game in hand.
“I think there has been an over-reaction and I think it’s time that we get behind the club, the manager and the players. There is a level of criticism from media and Celtic supporters, that is unfounded.”
JJ
Oldtim
sent you a txt when this was on you may have missed it very good
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b070jhq6/storyville-20152016-15-the-toughest-horse-race-in-the-world-palio#group=p01r5kv9
nice chatting you left me with a big smile as always
DD
Glad you dropped by bud.
There seems to be a string defence of masonry going on.
Strange to say the least.
Denial is a funny thing:)
HH
16 Roads
We make a lot of our undoubted Republican and Irish Nationalist roots. And while it is true that our support tended to be left wing and socialist, this can be overplayed. Our Board representatives have usually been douce businessmen with bourgeois sentiments.
I was amused at the Bank Restaurant Old Celtic Scottish Cup celebration Menu reproduced here. Not one reader of that item commented on the order of the dinner service which, from memory I believe, started with a Loyal Toast to the King and Royal Family from the Celtic Chairman and possibly ended with a reply to the toast from some Rangers players or Officials. History does not always remain true to our constructed memories.
I was reading about the sad history of Peru in the latter half of the last century where Trade Unionists were targeted by a Maoist revolutionary group and the Government that suppressed them now has an ex President and a former State Security Head in the same prison as the Maoist group leader and the head of the other radical terrorist group the MRTA who fought with the Maoist Shining Path movement. Once you start revolutions you have to ride a tiger and once you start to repress revolution with brutal methods you will find the international Courts catching up with you (unless you are a US, Russian or Chinese president of course).
The Green Man says SACK THE Board
Not at all i used to visit this site daily and comment but got fed up with the inane nonsense spouted about certain things, mainly the likes of yourself deriding our club, eg the board, lords, masons and something about millionaires.
I lurk often and a few things made me comment recently mainly the fans on here wanting the board and rd sacked, a great combo.
Strange old world on cqn.
your so called knowledge on masons is misled at best, summed up as pish and wind
Robert
I know and respect TGM and his genius brain. He is my pal. He is fae Maryhill not Blantyre. Do not judge my phd history pal by his surrealist/anarchist fenian persona. Meet the bloke, you will love his brain. :))
Hail Hail
johann
the living wage will play a big hand in those movements
mind and try my friend Isaccs the clove club when you are in london town
chin chin
TGM
As well as a river! :)
ROBERT88
Yeah…it looks as though you know a lot more about Masonry than me….Granted.
Fill yer boots.
Me…I dont need secrets…..im quite an open guy.
I will say how it is.
Ive noted your defence of Masonry.
Carry on.
Any chance of an interview for an article im writing?
HH
WDH
I have attended a Palio. It was a short race followed by a long riot. My kids loved it but I don’t know how they put up with some pretty staged and obvious corruption. The one horse that looked a certainty to win was more than 3/4 through the last lap when the jockey jumped off for fear of winning. The syndicate that had bought his act of treachery tried to smuggle him out of the arena while all the others tried to get at him to end his existence.
A great spectacle but a terribly corrupt sport. Mind you, the Palio organisers still look up to the SFA as the real masters of that black art.
DD
Wooooo
X-Files
Dan Brown
Harlequin Troosers.
Shhhh
HH
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 9TH FEBRUARY 2016 8:51 PM
=====================================================
I agree with that.
I made no comment on HIS choice of venue.
This blog is the Celtic family,however.
Precisely the place to raise real concerns about the onfield State of the Celtic nation.
Something rotten,as far as I can see.
An opinion shared by others.
Including,apparently David.
Surely, S.F.T.B.,we can`t just keep on drifting.
Is that not precisely what we are doing?
I see El Presidente of the Balearics announced today that they are banning the bull fighting, maybes they could swap the bull for the huns that rampage there year on year, now that I would pay to see :-)
HH
DD
Ive been offered a berth in Dublin when the time comes.
Still mulling it over.
HH
Setting free the bears
Youre on about sendero luminoso a very interesting group, obviously depends which angle you take!
Green man
Im not defending it, i have no real interest in it, but i have colleagues within it and have an invite never will i accept it. its an odd paranoia and stereotype i often come across within the celtic fan mindset, its misunderstood and just odd, i understand the masonic lodge and know of the people within it, its not what you think.
Im not looking at upsetting people or being dramatic but i could simply say what you think of the masons could be said about catholisism without guessing your allegiance nor wanting to, stereotypes dont wash.
You claim to know it, i suggest its a misconception.
TGM
Oh we’re all off to Dublin in the Green!
Been busy all day so didn’t catch the comments of DH………or Tom B
but I can remember being astounded at the glowing testimonial he gave to Jabba’s
Hun-guffery outfit.
It was on a whole different Level.
ROBERT 88
Hey, no bother i get what you are saying.
Ive only asking why members of secret organisations are covertly involved in Scottish Football.
What is their purpose?
Surely you get what im saying.
Is secrecy in football a good thing?
HH
That randolph is a fair keeper . We missed that boy when he played with motherwell
DD
Are you making the trip yourself?
HH
SFTB
for the las 48 hrs I have been desperately trying to get a clip of the drawing of horses using balls in The Palio di Siena to post and compare with similar processes for ‘competitions’ here
they could not lay a hand on the SFA work
Green man
Its business secrecy is everything.
is it covert? These arses are exposing themselves on a weekly basis as being incompentent!
Everyone has vested interests, they may be members of a lodge but i dont believe that gives them an advantage, they are unprofessional and not fit for purpose we can all see that.
TGM
My 22 year old son Ryan is my carer for the Dublin Easter 2016 weekend trip. ;))
Macjay
“Surely, S.F.T.B.,we can`t just keep on drifting.
Is that not precisely what we are doing?”
If it was that precise we would all see it. Depends on long view or short view. 3 of the 4 Euro campaigns have been weak but, even the failures were mixed bags (Legia Maribor & Molde- awful) but (Inter, Fenerbache and Ajax- promising but defensively soft).
Last year’s domestic campaign was near perfect- cheated out of a great chance of a treble. But this year we blew that all by ourselves. We are still on course for the double with the league being a near certainty (1 to 12 on) and a favourable draw through to SC semis.
On the 23rd January- just 17 days ago, we were confident and hopeful on the back of 5 straight wins and an aggregate of 19 for and 3 against, then we lost two games in a row and the roof fell in.
Nothing I say will re-assure anybody. Only a run of games where performance and points haul gets back on target will change the mood. We have 3 home league games and a home SC tie in our next 5 fixtures. Our away fixture is against a team we beat 8:1 recently but is on that artificial surface which means a fairly boring game is a certainty.
By the end of that period, I expect the picture to be clearer. I expect the league gap to be between 7 and 12 points, just as I was predicting at the start of the season and I think we have a good shout for the SC but are by no means certainties (only 11/17 at present). A double is very much a successful domestic season.
Only the direction of our squad and the performances in the next few months will tell me whether Ronny is convincing the players or not to stick with him and his development work.
For me, it is a lot less clear than the certainties asserted elsewhere. But then I apparently have an inability to read the Body Language cues that other posters seem to interpret so easily.