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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marspapa
17:02 on
12 June, 2014
So what you’re saying is we should be looking for somebody that won’t be a success and that way we can hang on to him indefinitely?
Well world cup fever building here in englandshire, just received my free sun souvenir. Flegs out all over the place.
Will all have blown over by next weekend.
Took 24 teams to score. £5 gets me £131. Argentina to score v Iran, 1/40. Spain to score v Australia, 1/33. Willy Hill’s generosity underwhelms me!
Starts tonight, Brazil to score v Croatia, 1/10.
I’ll see how long I can go through the coupon before I get gubbed. I reckon Ivory Coast v Japan will be my “Downfall”.
HH
Any Ex Pats
A friend of mine is running a new ( legal ) site for TV access
http://www.noborder.tv
Means you can watch the World Cup coverage from BBC and ITV among other things
No idea if this is any use, any feedback welcome
Neymar 7/1 to commit most fouls in the tourney.
FreemoneyItellyouCSC
livibhoy
16:11 on 12 June, 2014
Fabregas goes back to the greatest league in the world to play for Mourinho.
Wonder if Barca will take another look at Forster.
………………
Cannot see Forster as a replacement for Fabregas
gene’s a bhoy’s name
17:08 on 12 June, 2014
Well world cup fever building here in englandshire, just received my free sun souvenir. Flegs out all over the place.
Will all have blown over by next weekend………….
………………
You should send it back.
FREEPOST
The Sun
London
E98 1AX
Justice to the 96
googybhoy
already binned it
Murray has even year syndrome at Queens. Won it 09, 11 & 13, KO’d early in 10, 12 & 14
listen,
its awfy quiet out there
tooo damn quiet if you ask me
Weeminger
Now that would be silly !! No i mean the board should push the boat out to hold on to our stars and build from strengh ,aye thats what i think , cheers ;))
The bookies will make a feckin fortune from this WC.
As they ALWAYS do.
I won’t.
I’ll be happy with a small profit.
HH!!
Marspapa – sorry, couldn’t help myself.
A bit of flexibility would be nice. Nobody’s expecting us to match wages in the EPL but when you hear that a player’s gone for the sake of a relatively small wage difference. It can be annoying.
Afternoon all.
As of last night I decided to take my regular close season sabbatical from drink and also use the opportunity to continue with the second instalment of my wee tale started a few days ago.
Now where was I? Oh aye – the laminate flooring, desert boots and wee stray beetle.
Just before I get there it is worth pointing out that if those of you of who inhabit the more quiet suburban or gentrified regions of the CQN universe are attuned to cosmic disturbance, then listen particularly carefully.
Is that grumbling the faint but unmistakeable waves caused by an all points out pouring of pain?
Surprisingly these changes to the ethereal balance are not caused by the plaintive cries from a flock of the long lost moa suffering from chronic intestinal trapped wind, nor even the final mass ‘giruy’ as a thousand lemmings once again decide that they would prefer the welcoming refuge of mass hara-kiri while sticking two fingers up to those of us remaining, as they plunge to their traumatic fate at the bottom of the cliff face.
Even the so called experts at GCHQ with all their amplification, multiplication, super sensitive eary-wigging and surveillance are operating under a similar if possibly more dystopian and dangerous misapprehension. They believe the buzz to be the approaching combined mantra of a thousand suicide bomber manned drones broadcasting their fatwas, and creaming their jeans as they can see a hundred virgins awaiting their arrival on the far side of self destruction.
As the first slight diversion from today’s wee instalment of utter tripe, could I just tell those at the aforementioned GCHQ that not only do I know that they are reading this, but I know what their thinking is, because I AM WATCHING THEM furiously attempting to work out the algorithm that will reveal not only the coded messages held within, but the names and locations of my lattice of co-conspirators.
Don’t believe me?
Well, if the one with his foot up on the radiator near the soundproof door and who has just had a conversation with his turf accountant regarding the state of his indebtedness and who has just taken delivery of his fourteenth cup of tea and korma pasty of the day.
“THAT’s YOU FATTY !! Please drag yourself away from your pornographic web page for a moment and take a wee look at the embedded spy cam in the cunningly disguised pastry gristle and the concealed microphone in the base of your tea container. That’s right ya zoomer, you aren’t the only ones who have ‘eyes and ears everywhere!!’”
Oh look at that “YA BIG TOOL YE! A shredded pasty all over yer desk and yer legs stinging and blistering wae spilt tea (five sugars!!).”
“Did you really think that I would tell you where the bugs were secreted? You spooks really are a right bunch of eejits. That’s right, rush to the toilet now. But believe me oh obese one, you cannae hide. Even her majesty’s stationery has been infiltrated. Beware the microdots in the legend that says ‘do not wipe with shiny side.’ EVEN IZAL HAS EYES!! I suggest using your ‘Sun’ after all it’s used to having keech all over its pages.
So now you know that I’ll be watching your every move and possibly motion……..And don’t forget to wash your hands!”
Still I suppose you’ve got your cap doffing, forelock tugging, ‘can I kiss yer erse and by the way what a lovely taste ma’am’ OBE to look forward. It’s always been that way with you and your sort. Even at school you were the class sneak, clipe of the year, apple for the teacher sook (in fact that’s what you should be called now….SOOKS not SPOOKS).”
Oh how clever you thought you were, ear to the cup at the wall, eye at the keyhole and then running to the headie’s room ….. ‘sir, sir, the bad boys and girls are planning to ……..they‘re conspiring to……they’re conniving at…..’”
Mind you that feeling of superiority and favouritism didn’t help soothe the bumps and bruises as you were given a justified kickin behind the biology huts. But you were stuffed weren’t you. You couldn’t stop yer infiltration. After all the Headie had you at the end of his tawse. A doin was one thing, but that vision of your name emblazoned in faux gold lettering as dux, an oiled passage (not that passage dear reader, I have no evidence to back up the rumours) into the network of insidious fifth columnists and secretive societies would make it all worthwhile.”
And anyway simmering away in the fetid cesspit that masquerades as your conscience was the certainty that one day you would have your revenge.”
After all, you and your ilk really believe and cling to that impregnable mirage that you are born to rule, born to be our betters, born to judge, to condemn and are created in the image and likeness of the pointless statues and monuments which litter the squares and public places throughout the world.”
I often wondered who it was that inspired you to chase that nirvana by scaling the incomparably exciting heights the civil service, the unbridled adventure of the palaces of Westminster, the visionary humanity and intellectual stimulation of the officers corps in the armed forces or the ultimate – the social conscience whose heart beats every second of every day and makes us so grateful to you in your unselfish lonely life as a captain of industry and commerce.”
Naw, wait a minute. I’ve got it. It was that the simmering desire of revenge could be turned into a boiling cauldron of vengeance delivered by the acquisition of a sea of fathomless power.”
Of course if in achieving this ‘master of the universe’ status you had even touched upon delivering a taste of humanity, excitement, social cohesion or a vision for a progressive future and fairer society, who could really have complained? Sometimes shite after all produces good crops (My Kerr’s Pinks are a beauty to behold).”
But if we could ignore for the moment your twisted principles and let’s be honest here – what a gargantuan and comprehensive balls-up you have gone and made of it all. You, probably in that egoistic delusion that only merchant bankers possess, thought you had the Midas touch but sadly everything you touchfinds itself riddled with the decay of necrotizing fasciitis.”
If there was something you perceived as a threat or didn’t fit in with your view of what society should be, you made a law barring it, fitted Orwellian straitjackets around civil liberties, decreed commandments in the name of Mammon, imposed uniformity of thought and action at the core of every utterance and did it all in the supercilious high pitched squeal and low brow motivation of that voice that still echoes to this day ……‘sir, sir, the bad boys and girls are planning to ……..they ‘re conspiring to……they’re conniving at…..’
The bad boys and girls indeed!
That will be the bad boys and girls whose names scream at you from every war memorial, tv bulletin or newspaper, you having sent them to their deaths by the millions in pointless wars and forays to satisfy your own egos.
That will be the bad boys and girls who having had enough eventually take to the despairing streets and barricade themselves against more and more assault on their well being and dignity.
That will be the bad boys who you belittle and patronise with ‘we are all in it together’ as you cause, allow and lord over the worst financial catastrophe in the history of capitalism.
That will be the bad boys and girls who are daily crushed by the worries of affording the busfare to the foodbanks.
FOODBANKS???? MY GOD!
That will be the bad boys and girls that you implore in your false promises and dishonest pretence to ‘Vote for me……I promise you things will be so different this time.’
See if Paddy Power will give you odds on that rank outsider….sorry ‘non feckin runner’.
And in this free and open democratic society what do you really think of all those bad boys and girls. Well you obviously trust and respect them so much that billions of pounds or dollars are poured into watching their every move, checking their browsing, analysing their motives, but most of all JUDGING and CONDEMNING…in order to do what?
In order to allow the whole rancid manure heap to continue to fester and decay, while YOU in your genetically ingrained illusion really believe…..and I mean ‘REALLY REALLY BELIEVE’ that you were born to sit at the top of this pile of shite you have created and that as long as you do, God’s great master plan will continue unstoppable and omnipotent.
And who allowed this? It was us! Those bad boys and girls that you need to keep you in the condition which for just one day I would like to become accustomed.
That makes us the fools then. Or does it?
Oh you sad self regarding offshoots of evolution. There is method in our madness.
We know that your delusions of your grandeur are exactly as Rabbie described …..
Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
And the bad boys and girls will laugh at you till you no longer are a laughing matter. And then….well it’s not then …… it’s now.
The bad boys and girls are gathering and very soon it will be time to drag you back behind the biology huts and administer one final almighty friggen battering that will make the south sea tsunami seem like a calm day’s sailing in the doldrums.
And I can tell you what you will then REALLY REALLY BELIEVE…..Just what power bad boys and girls really have when they’ve had enough of your disregard for the things that underpin a truly humane society.
Oh and one more thing.
I fervently hope that there is an afterlife.
For when we get there, my forebears and possible me will be waiting. So know this. The bad boys and girls will break your wings and cut the strings on your harp. You will be a laughing stock for all eternity….and the Headie won’t save you, because he is on our side.
Anyway back to the point of the story….damn that’ll have to wait as the shortest close season and life of abstention in history comes to a timely close.
It is world cup time and the pub beckons.
As for the mysterious sound? Well I’m sure you’ve worked out that one for yourself. But you haven’t well here’s the answer…..
When I was wee, my mammy used to say lots of things amongst which was when I was watching the telly relaxed on the couch, ‘stop sitting on your neck’. But her favourite was when listening to me coming up with another pearl of wisdom to anyone who would or even wouldn’t listen…..’Is that you opening your mouth and letting your belly rumble.”
And that was the unmistakeable sound that disturbed the equilibrium of the universe.
Sorry Mammy!
Have a good world cup.
Back soon
Hail Hail
Estadio
Great to have you back posting Estadio..
Monteblanco – I tried your link and it worked a treat. Not sure if it is legal as you say, but it took me 5 mins to set up and I was able to watch UK TV much better than I do currently with the IP blocker utility I have. Thanks
Back to all things Celtic
Can’t help thinking that until Ronny gets his assistant nothing much will happen?
Praecepta at 14.58.
Is that the pitches between Glasgow University Vet school & Killermont?
If it is, I’m sure Kilmarnock or another SPFL club use them. No doubt Sevco will get use them ahead of other clubs if Dodgy Dave Park gets sold.
Fabregas is a horrible wee runt. His behaviour when we played Arsenal at Celtic Park and the return game at the Emirates was terrible. Surpassed only by his and Busquets reaction to Broonie giving Neymar the invitation to exaggerate the contact made.
Our players should know don’t give known divers an invitation to go down, Giggs with Artur for example.
When Barca had to change their succesful system to fit him in to me that’s when they lost a bit of their invincibilty.
Sorry, I meant when Barca had to fit Fabregas in, they changed for the worse.
I would like to wish Peter Houston the very best of luck in his new position as Falkirk manager and thank him for his efforts during his time with Celtic.H.H.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clash-Agnivores-Big-Lie-Consequences/dp/1499747799/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402576992&sr=1-1&keywords=clash+of+the+agnivores
Zombie lie Book
mncelt
I’m going to give it a whirl when I get in tonight – although Canada appears to be missing from the map of North America.
Just in…
Have to disagree Paul
Messi is the greatest of all time..
Closely followed by Maradona
Then Pele
The World Cup is more of a showpeice now, the Champions League is where the true quality is on display and wee Lionel has done it season after season there
dallas- Killie will train on their new 3G pitch at Rugby Park
Just seen the pics of Jack Bauer in the new kit
Brilliant! Haha
B-)
Estadio
Brilliant.
Welcome back.
…but you were back last week I believe.
Been to Crossrageaul Abbey yet?
HH!!
Oldtim
The world Cup starts in 30 minutes …..hope you haven’t finished that crate before it starts….. :)
Does anyone think Pistol Pete has filled Ronny in on the details of how we have been cheated by RFC ( IL)for years ?
Bada, I forgot they were getting a 3G pitch in.
A Killie fan I work with told me yesterday. D’oh.
Sicilian tele broadcasting film of polis firing tear gas,stun grenades and rubber bullets at demonstrators in Sao Paolo earlier today .
A studio pundit couldnt resist adding this ———–
” Why are these rubber bullets visible when the ones which strike Neymar are not ?”
67Heaven .
Just ordered it, won’t get delivered for a couple of days.
When does the Game start,I want to watch Twists n Turns horse win handsomely,Well win anyway..
9pm kick off oldtim
67Heaven.
These euro ties that get played at Murreyfield,where will our seats be,hopefully in soft seats.
Dallas Dallas
Just the other side of the Kelvin – though it might be the one you suggest as Killie will be training on their new 3G pitch. Not sure which of the 2 has the better facilities.
Here we go, 10 in a row……wahooooooo
oldtim67
18:39 on 12 June, 2014
Better be……. I don’t want a sore bum….as long as the pies are OK, ….hahahahahahaha
Craig Gordon signing went very quiet.
Ronny put a stop to it ?
Hmmmm…mugs double ( mug probably being apt)….dreams of Milan and Celtic Charlie at Uttoxeter?