I remember some disparaging comment from sections of the Scottish sporting media regarding Mikael Lustig’s performances for Sweden at Euro 2012. Mikael had only recently joined Celtic and was still finding his feet in Scotland. In short, we didn’t have enough information to make an informed judgement before the Euros. We do now.
His energy levels, speed, height, crossing and general levels of performance has been remarkably high and consistent. Sweden handed him the job of subduing one of the world’s top three players at their recent World Cup qualifier in Portugal, Ronaldo was shackled, scoring only when he left Mikael’s area of the field.
There is a notion that this type of player, who can perform solidly at Champions League and international level, but who we can convince to renew his contract, is more important than the more stellar performers, who have an eye on the exit door.
Adam Matthews timely return from injury will compensate for Mikael’s absence as he recuperates post-op, but we’ve never looked as effective on the right since both of them were fully fit.
The reaction to yesterday’s AGM at Ibrox has been surprising, mostly as it surprised anyone. The outcome has been a forgone conclusion for weeks (if not months), while the realisation of what the future is going to look like for Newco has finally dawned on a few.
A generation brought up to believe in sugar daddies will have to learn: expenditure must equal or be less than income over any given business cycle.
In this respect, I cannot figure why fans are so unhappy with the Newco board, whose central failing has been to spend far too much money on wages for a manager and players. From what I hear, no one at the AGM demanded football budget is cut to an appropriate level.
As their new chairman said, costs will be cut; doing so is a financial imperative. The current Rangers might play in the same colours as its liquidated predecessor, but things will never – eeeeeeeever – be the same again.
This afternoon is the final pre-Christmas posting time if you want your CQN Annual before the day:
Willie Wallace, Heart of a Lion:
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Big Nan 16:12 on 20 December, 2013
“Mostly but in Scotland there is a sectarian element too.”
Unfortunately in Scotland there is a sectarian element to virtually everything.
‘Unfortunately in Scotland there is a sectarian element to virtually everything’
– exactly, that’s why Gerry Adams will never be asked to go on ‘Strictly’.
My friends in Celtic,
unbanned sounds good.
If selfie is now an official word, then why not ubanned.
HH, plainspeaknotriddles CFC.
But Gerry Adams is hotly tipped not only to take part but to win South Africa’s Strictly 2014. FACT!
If Strictly was on 20 odd years ago, would they use an actor to do Gerry’s dancing for him?
It’s a fact that people who end their post with FACT are lacking in self confidence and the fact that they post FACT at the end of their post is just to cover that up
FACT
DBBIA @ 16.18 – LOL as the kids might say.
Paul 67
“The current Rangers might play in the same colours as its liquidated predecessor, but things will never – eeeeeeeever – be the same again”
Hmmm. I hope you correct.
Our financial advantage is such that it should certainly be nigh on impossible for any Scottish club, let alone a new club, to come close to challenging us again in the next decade. If our player investment and youth production line is properly managed, and financed appropriately then I would think we shall dominate domestically for a long time.
My confidence is tempered somewhat by the hit and miss record we have in the transfer market. The sale of Wanyama for example, I can fully understand. His sale price was obviously too good to pass up, and more importantly, his ability assisted us in the CL and was an integral part of the windfall that we received from said competition. Win win really.
To ensure the domination domestically, I think we need to be in the CL group stages every couple of seasons. If not, the SPL won’t return the revenues to help us maintain superiority. Find 1 Wanyama and the rewards are obvious. Too many “projects”, or duds, will hurt us sooner rather than later.
There is around £100 million of CL money out there with our name on it over the next 3 seasons. I’d suggest investment that brings us proven players, rather than projects or gambles, will give us the best possible chance of claiming it.
2 or 3 seasons with no CL involvement will surely see our advantage whittled away slowly but surely as our bank balance tries to sustain high end salaries in a low level league.
I should be confident…yet…feel apprehensive after seeing the shambles in Europe this season. Fingers crossed its a wake up call to the board that we need proper investment in the team.
Talking about freemasonry here is the latest on the man who invented “handshake banking”
Dunfermline Press Published: 17 Dec 2013 12:50
THE former owner of cash-strapped Dunfermline Athletic Football Club was not well enough to face a courtroom battle with his former chief executive on Tuesday.
A judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh was told that Gavin Masterton had been diagnosed as suffering from clinical depression and was in no fit state to brief his legal team.
His counsel, David Logan, told Lord Bannatyne: “He is not medically fit to give instructions.”
The lawyer said, “It has come somewhat out of the blue” but added that Mr Masterton had been under stress for some time.
Former chief executive Bill Hodgins, of Hawick, has raised a court action after quitting his £75,000-a-year post in October last year.
He is suing Charlestown Holdings Limited– Mr Masterton’s company – for £75,000 plus a payment of £2750 into his pension plan.
Mr Hodgins claims he had no choice but to resign because of “repeated and material breaches of contract”. Charlestown Holdings had acted in a way which had destroyed or damaged the relationship of trust and confidence between them, he claimed. To go on working would have been “intolerable,” Mr Hodgins insists.
The company are contesting the action and dispute the claims made by Mr Hodgins.
Court papers list a series of rows about hotel bills, car leasing charges and mistakes in VAT returns as well as weightier issues about the financing of the football club.
There is also a dispute about the role of John Yorkston, a backer of the East End Park side, who was its chairman for 14 years and a close neighbour of Mr Masterton, who was at school with his mum.
Mr Hodgins claims Mr Yorkston is effectively in charge because of the shares he holds in Charlestown Holdings, acquired because of money owed to him by Mr Masterton. Charlestown Holdings deny Mr Yorkston has “de facto control”.
Another dispute concerns a claimed offer by a benefactor to pay the wages of Dunfermline player Craig Easton, signed just before the closing of the 2011 transfer window and tied to the club for at least a year.
Judge Lord Bannatyne was due to hear evidence about the dispute between Mr Hodgins and his former employer on Tuesday. He agreed to postpone the hearing but complained about the lack of notice.
“My hesitation is that this comes at what can only be described as the very last moment,” said the judge.
But after a plea from Mr Logan, who said the court action could have a significant impact on Mr Masterton’s personal reputation, Lord Bannatyne reluctantly agreed to try to bring the case back into court as soon as possible.
No date has been set.
When the case does return to the Court of Session, the judge is expected to hear about the dealings of First Scottish Group, and Charlestown Developments and their links to Dunfermline Athletic and another company East End Park Ltd.
Every night ole Gerry is practisin’ his American Smooth in the mirror, waitin’ for the call that never comes.
We have 5 games in 15 days or so. Let’s hope we kick that off with a good win at home tomorrow. 7-0 will do fine again
Burgas Hoops
15:55 on
20 December, 2013
I think they make renounce all forms of religion. Lots of Protestant Churches are against it, and even the Church of Scotland has publicly stated that it has a problem with it [Freemasonry], although it does not ban members from the Church.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan,
If your looking in and see this, you have mail from me at your .tv address.
ACGofR -Shangri La is pretty wet and windy.
Bring your ole sou’wester if you’re still coming down.
Oldtim
Will u drop me an email , and let me know what i owe you .
Hello everyone
*waves enthusiastically*
Santa Claus has dismissed dozens of workers for using their mobile phones for taking elfies.
If any you bhoys stray in to The Vogue Bar,Main St,Rutherglen and want to meet excellent CQN’ er Voguepunter,but you’re not sure what he looks like-check out BBC3 @ 9PM for a heads up-Anchorman:The Legend of Ron Burgandy,and after that,it will all make perfect sense {G64 will almost certainly be by his side}
stayclassycsc
natknow – maybe he has a small trumpet
oooherrmissuscsc
jackie mac
17:29 on
20 December, 2013
natknow – maybe he has a small trumpet
oooherrmissuscsc
Are you suggesting he in the…..Salvation Army??
BSR a room full of 11 year old girls got a fright when I told them that! Kids party.
Then they beat me mercilessly.
oh yeah -it’s called a cornet isn’t it
Good to see Cowiebhoy and Paddybhoy1888 at the CQN Christmas lunch. Shame Doc couldn’t make it, as the smell of a sale was just to much. He also missed out on his pressie. Never mind, I am sure Paddybhoy1888 will find a good home for it :-)
HH
CRC
I see Pastor Jack being mentioned.
His Zionist Baptist church was just round the corner from Hampden.
During our Hampden year I noticed that they had bouncers on the door of the church!
First time I’ve ever seen something like that!!
if Gerry Adams does Strictly Come Dancing in South Africa,
will the intepretor for the deaf have to do it in a day to day helium ballon style voiceover.
or is that the same guy that got the mandela gig.
Doc
Never knew about selfies until yesterday.
– exactly, that’s why Gerry Adams will never be asked to go on ‘Strictly’.
DBBIA
I really liked that one. Well done.
such a pity vic and lustig/adams weren’t on the pitch together for much much longer
Too right ole Gerry will never get that jig.
Burghbhoy
17:40 on
20 December, 2013
I see Pastor Jack being mentioned.
His Zionist Baptist church was just round the corner from Hampden.
During our Hampden year I noticed that they had bouncers on the door of the church!
First time I’ve ever seen something like that!!
——————————————————————————————–
bottom of calder st at polmadie rd mate…when he took over that hall it had 2 antique oak archway doors, first thing the bigot did? paint them bright orange, cretin of a man..seeming had all the sunday school weans terrified..
Right. Enough of all the nonsense. What will/should the selection be for tomorrow`s game?
I predict Neil will go with this lie-up:
Forster
Fisher/Matthews Ambrose van Djik Izaguirre
Brown Biton Ledley Mulgrew
Commons Pukki
JJ
agree re biton jj
if they think he’s good they gotta stick with him
and jj btw is pukki more in favour than stokes at the mo ?
Jungle Jim
Mulgrew’s injured.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Forster :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fisher ::::::::::::::::: Ambrose ::::::::::::::::: Van Dijk :::::::::::::::::: Matthews
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Biton :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::: Brown :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Ledley :::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Commons ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Pukki ::::::::::::::::::::: Stokes ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Biton MUST play DM; swapping him and Brown virtually nullified us in attack v Hibs.
Neil builds a young team that makes a splash in Europe and all of a sudden we may be about to lose another two players to add to the three already gone in the summer.
i would like to hold on to at least one of either Georgios or Joe and preferably the Greek. Let’s face it he is the player that really stands out in Europe and this season with Victor gone and Brown acting the gobshite the burden of work on Georgios was probably a fact in his dip in form.
jackie mac
I would say he is more in favour.
up_over_goal
I didn`t know Charlie was injured. In which case, your selection seems fine but I would like to see Rogic get some game time.
Hankray
this is what I can’t get my head around in the current model- what is the turn around between getting a decent unheard of squad together, selling them on and getting another decent unheard of squad together ?
Cheerio for now,
JJ