PT Barnum may have been right 150 years ago, but The Greatest Show on Earth these days gets underway this afternoon, despite the shameful corruption displayed by Fifa. By comparison, the Olympics is a sideshow. My first experience of the World Cup was watching Scotland play Zaire in 1974. For 20-odd years the tournament had participation value for Scotland, even if the joy of being there was short lived.
These days the joy is all about being a neutral football fan and soaking up the drama and brilliance from the game.
Statistically it is difficult to look past Brazil, who will benefit enormously from home advantage. European teams have never won the tournament in the Americans, where Brazil and Argentina have won every competition since Uruguay triumphed in the last time the tournament was held in Brazil 64 years ago.
Leo Time
Lionel Messi was, until recent times, the undisputed best player on the planet, but his position in the all-time greatest list is in considerable dispute. Ask an older Barcelona fan, who has watched Cruyff, Maradona Ronaldo and Messi all do their stuff at the Camp Nou, and they are likely to tell you Leo is by far the better player. His stats as a striker bear this out, but ask an Argentinean, and he’ll scarcely get a mention in the same breath as Diego. There is not even a debate that Messi is the greatest Argentine.
After giving a spectacular display of goal-scoring prowess in 1982, then 25-year-old Diego Maradona singlehandedly led Argentina to their second World Cup in 1986 and back to the final four years later. By Comparison, 26-year-old Messi has looked comparatively pedestrian in his two previous tournaments. He’ll be 30 by the time of the next tournament, which will be held in the completely different environment of Russia. If Messi is to be considered an all-time great, he needs to take Argentina to the final. If his career ends without an outstanding World Cup, he’ll slip somewhere between Eusabio and Cruyff in the list.
I’d like Belgium to win. Belgian clubs and FA go about their business correctly and brought a remarkable bounty of talent to Brazil. It’s always been easy to back Brazil but I’m still not over the Neymar thing. The guy is an abomination in the Brazil No. 10 shirt, a vastly over-rated charlatan. Anyone but Neymar, please.
Bertie Auld live chat, tomorrow, 1pm, on CQN. Be there.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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HT
3) 1994
DBBIA
A request?
Was it the ole ‘Windmills of Your Mind’?
quonno
11:06 on 13 June, 2014
Being doing that for last couple of seasons.
twists n turns
11:02 on
13 June, 2014
Jungle spy
I can only make Saturdays due to travelling hence my asking…hope your not accurate with that number???
In relation to fixture timings.
Surely at some stage clubs must look at their subservient relationship with TV.
twists n turns
11:02 on 13 June, 2014
___________________
I’m not being twisted but, ye see…once the board get their
filfthy mitts on guid fholk like yerselves money – you no longer
matter. Sad, but true.
IMO
Gary67
11:09 on
13 June, 2014
quonno
11:06 on 13 June, 2014
Being doing that for last couple of seasons.
Yup just as downsizing of quality has.
Joe Filippis Haircut
I’m guessing that Ronny is either soaking up the sunshine in Benidorm at the moment or organising the flitting back in Scandinavia.
McBhoy
11:07 on 13 June, 2014
Good shout.
Jungle spy
Well they ain’t got it just yet bud, and tbh, if there are only 4 setterday gemmes, they’ll no be getting it!!
quonno
11:06 on 13 June, 2014
___________________
Everything at CP is subject to downsizing
except for, PL’s bonus and fan exploitation.
Sad but true.
!!Bada Bing!!
10:52 on 13 June, 2014
Craig Bryson has a 650k buy out clause,score a few fae midfield….
Good value for a good player who seems to get better year on year.
quonno
I made the point the other day , TV companies should pick the matches they want to televise when the fixture list is produced . This would prevent last minute moving of games leaving fans out of pocket , it’s not as if they are paying through the nose to cover Scottish football .
The TV money we receive is pretty poor IMO.
Quonno
No idea where it’ll end mate, no tv live coverage and back to Saturday 3 pm kick offs might bring in more than the minuscule tv cash anyway!
Paul, I disagree with you – Neymar is a fantastic player. He destroyed us in the Nou Camp. I wish he’d cut out the diving but the guy is some player.
I’m reading on our website the new kit is made from an average of 18 recycled plastic bottles, how many would yours be? Mine, prob about 16, (aye right) ;¬)
weeminger
10:35 on 13 June, 2014
NatKnow
10:16 on
13 June, 2014
Are we really going to go down a ‘he said/she said’ route? There’s abusive idiots on both sides of the fence and they should be roundly ignored. Giving them attention just makes them believe they are having an effect.
———————————————————————-
I didn’t introduce the subject – I’m responding to it. The clear tactic of the Yes campaign is that, if you disagree then you get attacked. This is the reason James McMillan recently pointed out that many artists that intend to vote No will not take part in the debate – for fear of recrimination. It’s not a case of name-calling – it’s stifling the debate. Unless of course that’s the point?
Mr Johnny Clash- I’m afraid not, although I do get a warm feeling when I think of wee Renee Russo in the remake of the ‘Thomas Crown Affair’.
In your honour I chose ‘Johnny Come Lately’ by Steve Earle /The Pogues, from the ‘Copperhead Road album.
Is it not today Bertie Auld is appearing on the blog? Sure it was today?
Does anyone know the email address for the ticket office.
I have sent two emails asking for information re.,season ticket,but each time I received a default message back.
twists n turns
11:12 on 13 June, 2014
___________________
The Celtic official website said the other week that
the club had sold – 40,000 SB’s.
If they have, that is fantastic going.
But, any club who insist that a leaving club manager
has to sign a confidentiallity clause, or he’ll no be leaving,
has ‘stuff’ to hide IMO.
Ah widny trust the board as far as I could throw them.
Oops, it’s in the article! Yes, 1 pm:-)
Jungle spy
“But, any club who insist that a leaving club manager
has to sign a confidentiallity clause, or he’ll no be leaving,”
Hadn’t read that. Is that correct?
How dare you suggest corruption in any pie that FIFA has its hands on.
Blantyretim & Richie.
I’m going to try and get into the Blane Valley for 2.20pm,hope that’s fine with you.
Twists n turns- and at one minute past one he’ll be asked if he’s a Yes or a No.
lionroars67
I’m with you mate.
Livibhoy
Shut it !
That’s it argument over :O)
TnT
I’d like to think around 12?
Aye Bertie at 1pm I think.
A new one nearly every day.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
11:17 on 13 June, 2014
Mr Johnny Clash- I’m afraid not, although I do get a warm feeling when I think of wee Renee Russo in the remake of the ‘Thomas Crown Affair’.
In your honour I chose ‘Johnny Come Lately’ by Steve Earle /The Pogues, from the ‘Copperhead Road album.
———————
Ah, you do have some musical taste then :-)
Chavez
11:15 on 13 June, 2014
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Neymar destroyed us in the Nou Camp agreed.
But, any team that contains Kris Commons, who was
on his erchie 8 times in as many minutes when he came on that night,
surely canny moan about divers in other teams?
twists n turns
11:19 on
13 June, 2014
Jungle spy
“But, any club who insist that a leaving club manager
has to sign a confidentiallity clause, or he’ll no be leaving,”
Hadn’t read that. Is that correct?
Confidentiality claauses are pretty standard.
In NLs case, had he refused, he would probably have been liable to pay PLC a year’s salary.
By the way, here’s the poll result on indy vote for the last 2 years :
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/scottish-independence-referendum
Lots of rhetoric being posted on CQN re: indy vote. But I have posted the above numerous time and there’s been little or no response. I wonder if that could be something to do with the results. I acknowledge that polls are not definitive, but they are a reasonable general guide to voting intention and the only hard stats we have. So yes – let’s forget the name calling and concentrate on what data we have….
12 meaning home games this season on Saturday’s
Teuchter
12? That’s better than I’d expected. Hope that’s nearer the truth. Cheers.
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
11:04 on
13 June, 2014
The most important events in the last 300 years of Scotland’s history…….
1) 1888
2)1967.
3)1960 moi born
See me..see fu of masel .
H/tim- wine, women and song [not necessarily in that order]
voguepunter
Hahahahahaha
You will never silence me on Celtic matters mate.
I’ve got the wee fella a season ticket next season. Hope to see you at the mythical gazebo next season for a chat.
Never been round that way myself before games but the pub is out of bounds with a 2 year old!
LB
Vogue
Aye