So what did we learn yesterday? Primarily we learned that you can’t replace 8 players from a team which won 0-4 at Tynecastle while leaving the core element of the team in place. It is justifiable to be critical of the performances of experienced key players who didn’t perform, but Wanyama, Brown, Matthews, Miku didn’t become bad players overnight, nor did Tony Watt, what happened is the essence of our team – the system – was missing.
The effort was there but the focus which makes this Celtic team wasn’t. In many ways this was the perfect setup for a Champions League game against a team too many people are telling me we’ll turn over. Our Christmas Cup Final on Wednesday will require every element that existed against Barcelona last month.
The knives are out for Spartak’s foreign players, who are taking the blame for the clubs disintegration since losing at home to Celtic, both in the press and online fan polls. We may see a more Russian looking Spartak on Wednesday. Which will be no bad thing.
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Jabba is now going to contribute to the Egon Ronay guide.
On the road early in preparation for Wednesday.
I have enough cold weather clothes to make a fair Michelin man. However I left Euston at 5.39am in the pouring rain and it has rained all the way so far to Crewe. Will I be disappointed and reach a balmy, dry Glasgow?
.
I See The Curled Up Cucumbers were Howllin on The Saki Last Night..
Summa
If Jabba wants to learn how to flounce in style he should post on here more often.
For a professional journalist, with all the associated privileges and tax free benifits… if that is to be his epitaph, what a bitter tragedy of a life he must have led.
All I want to say is please after today don’t mention the name of Traynor on here or anywhere else.
He is done and his relevance to Scottish football goes with it.
The column itself could have appeared on any number of fan websites for one specific team
and when you see that it tells its own story.
Snake P
The really sad thing – he had time to plan his last column!
There was a time, when he was at The Herald, I thought he had potential
The dark lord turned him into a wraith – there are 9 of them 8 to follow, follow ?
Bizarre that a sports journalist of 37 years professional standing, who reached the top of the profession working for the biggest selling papers of the time, and having seen and reported upon some of the great moments in sport over 4 decades, should be remembered for just 2 articles:
Succulent Lamb
And
Motherwell Born Billionaire
No wonder he’s a little narked. McIlvanney must be a relieved man this morning…
17 days…16 hours…23 minutes…09 seconds.
Good to see old chuckles back on the rant today. The yorkshire (did you know he’s a yorkshireman) walter mitty telling the chosen churnalists what to print regarding the spl and reconstruction. Barking mad, he never disappoints.
Evgeny Lovchev
Very respected expert now. Capped 52 times for USSR, 249 games for Spartak Moscow. Devoted Spartak fan.
“Spartak Moscow will be motivated team. They will play for the supporters and prestige.I believe they can play well one half – first half. But… we must remember that Spartak will play against the team who will be motivated better. Celtic will not lose the game against Spartak Moscow.”
Morning all from a wet and dreich North Ayrshire. Looks like it might brighten in the course of the day. Let’s hope so.
Traynor’s elugy is nothing more than the ramblings of a lost, insignificant individual – who’s contributions, sadly, have been at the root of all problems which affect the well being of our game in this country.
Hang your head in shame………Journalist? – My ar*e.
Anyone for tennis?
Teuchter ár lá
It would inevitably snow on the day that i pick to go into town to get the girlfriend’s Xmas presents
Might have to stop off here and there for the odd glass of red wine to heat the bones
Can anyone point me in the direction of the link to jabbas latest piece, don’t want to click the DR link.
Ole Phil was bang on with his prediction yesterday morning.
Shirley if he is officiating his move to the darkside his days at the beeb will be numbered.
HH
Palacio67
I was going to post the link but decided against it – would hate the fact that he thought it would be interesting news to us -Something about his comment re oxygen:)
Teuchter ár lá
What’s more interesting abut ole jabba’s departure is that I know of at least one msm related outfit is giving serious thought to making the thoughts of some of the better bloggers an outlet.
JABBAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
James Traynor: Why this is my last ever newspaper column
3 Dec 2012 00:01
AFTER 37 years the sports writer reveals he’s leaving the world of newspapers with many happy memories.
IT was never a job. More of an absolute joy, if truth be told.
But all good things come to an end and when they do, it’s important to end with some good things.
When writing this, my final newspaper column, the memories come flooding in. When the time comes to change direction and move on, let the best of those memories rush from every corner of your mind and keep the worst of them locked away.
If people who have abused you because of their own bigoted and narrow-minded ways, or events that might have saddened you deeply, are allowed light and oxygen you let them tarnish and blacken what you’ve done and achieved.
For instance, this column – the final one after 37 years in newspapers – could bang on about supporters who have spat on my coats and jackets, thrown all sorts of insults and occasionally bricks and bottles. But that would demean everything.
I could name managers, players, club directors and administrators who, because the truth can hurt, have wished me all kinds of harm and misfortune. But neither they nor their words mattered. They damaged and shamed only themselves.
So from Andre Agassi (tennis is such a wonderful sport) to Zinedine Zidane (football really is a beautiful game despite the money grabbers and crooks), it has been amazing. It’s been a blast. Uplifting but also a deeply humbling and, at times, disturbing journey.
When Scotland were in Bucharest to play a European Championship qualifying tie against Romania, a couple of years after that madman Nicolae Ceausescu had been overthrown by revolution, players broke down. So too did supporters.
It was 1991 and the horrors of the Romanian orphan crisis were becoming clearer to the outside world.
It was heartbreaking. Even the most hardened cynical hacks cried at the sight of swarms of hungry, distraught children wandering the streets begging for morsels.
I know I said the bad memories should be locked away but those kids, who snatched all the money we could muster as though we were making them instant millionaires, can never be forgotten.
Strangely, another memory also concerns tears. But this time they came from a Brazilian great sitting right in the middle of Avenue Foch in Paris at the start of the 1998 World Cup finals.
Nilton Santos was there with Pele, Carlos Alberto and another great, Alfredo di Stefano, who was claimed by both Argentina and Spain.
I was there because I’d had a say in selecting the team of the 20th century – just for the Record that team was: Lev Yashin, Carlos, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore, Santos; Johan Cruyff, Di Stefano, Michel Platini; Garrincha, Pele and Diego Maradona. Then I sat with Pele, Santos and Di Stefano listening to their tales.
It was fascinating, even when Santos, who had been a father figure to the deeply troubled Garrincha, wept as he spoke of the tormented genius and his final tragic years.
But there were loads of laughs with the greats of the people’s game to giants of other sports. Heroic characters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe (did I mention tennis is a wonderful sport?), Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Mark McGwire (baseball is such an hypnotic and simply beautiful sport, maybe even the best) and the 49ers’ Jerry Rice.
There are just too many to list. But it’s been a privilege to have seen them in the flesh and even under the threat of extreme torture, such as being forced to listen to recordings of SFA/SPL meetings, I could never say my job has been anything like work. It’s been a pleasure.
Until recently.
Unfortunately, there has been the last twisted and bitter year during which Scottish football, unable to deal with the Rangers crisis in a civilised manner, has tried to tear itself apart. All in the name of sporting integrity, of course.
Actually, for the last couple of years some of the most bilious types have been allowed to emerge from the shadows and spew invective that sadly became regarded as fact, even though what they were saying and writing wasn’t even close to being definitive. Or honest. Overnight all sorts of anonymous bloggers became experts. These champions of decency had all the answers. They knew better than anyone else. They said over and over Rangers would be done for cheating the tax man.
They were wrong, the Rangers Tax Case blog in particular. Yet he/her/they stated: “This blog has been accurate on all of the major points of the case except the one that matters most to date – the FTT (First-tier Tax Tribunal) outcome”.
Excuse me? Accurate on all the major points except the bit that matters most. And that’s all right is it?
That’s a bit like a team manager saying after a defeat: “Hold on, I picked the right team and I believe my tactics were correct. So the result doesn’t really matter.”
Dolts. The result is everything. If any of the Rangers Tax Case bloggers are trained lawyers, would you want them to defend you in a court of law?
Even now so many – and I include some fellow journalists – still cannot bring themselves to accept Rangers did not cheat the tax man by using EBTs.
One journalist declared it to be “a government conspiracy” when he heard the ruling in Rangers’ favour.
Perhaps in time more will be written about this kind of hack and the rabid desire to help bring down Rangers, a fierce desire that, sadly, was widespread. Actually, I’m sure more will be written about them.
Just when did they become consumed by such eye-popping rage? Was it always there, a dormant fury against Rangers and their fans, who deserve enormous credit for having saved their club, just waiting for the catalyst?
Now they can’t help themselves. They can’t stop foaming at the mouth and we can be sure their determination to have titles stripped will go into overdrive.
They need some kind of victory or they might explode and that would be terribly messy. All that bile all over the walls and streets.
Unfortunately reason was never allowed to be a player in this grotesque game, which quickly became dominated mostly by incoherent imbeciles fuelled by all that hatred.
And let’s not forget how some with telly platforms were prompted by those bloggers and ill-informed commentators. Stupidly they allowed themselves to be duped by supporters with dangerous agendas hidden under the banner of integrity.
And the result? Some of the most shallow and infantile drivel ever written. These egotists are so into
themselves they’ve no regard for the safety or wellbeing of those about whom they have written some awful and completely inaccurate pieces.
Despicable, pathetic little creatures craving some kind of recognition but lacking in conscience and morality.
I’m so sorry they’ve had to be thrown up into the same piece as some of the true greats and gentlemen of world sport.
However, that’s it. My work here is done and I’m glad – but just for the record, I’ve not been sacked or made redundant. I was asked to remain but my conscience won’t allow me to stay in our profession.
The kind of journalism needed by the country, never mind sport, no longer exists in enough of the media outlets.
But as I’ve said, the good memories of all those sporting greats will always outweigh the negatives, especially those that bubbled to the surface throughout this last year.
Thanks to sport’s real heroes I’ve had a ball and thank you for reading while I was with The Herald, the Daily Express and the Daily Record.
Good luck to you – and be careful about what and who you read in the future.
There are people out there calling themselves by different names.
But that’s not the bit that should worry you. They are calling themselves journalists.
“The kind of journalism needed by the country, never mind sport, no longer exists in enough of the media outlets.”
Irony?
Parody?
Or living in the bubble?
kitalba
09:11 on
Thanks. Jeez he does’nt half nail his colours to the mast. If anyone ever had any doubt about his allegiances in the past, that piece leaves no doubt. Bitter hurting ‘man’.
HH
I haven’t read Jabba’s valedictory piece …
However, on hearing the news, the optimist in me was delighted.
Then the pessimist in me began to wonder about who might take his place.
Then the optimist in me realised that it doesn’t really matter who tales his place: his going is simply a sign of the times that the public no longer either trusts or relies on jokers like him.
Then the pessimist reminds me that he’ll still probably have his ample platform on BBC Shortbread, paid for at my expense …
FF
Youcanthaveeverything.CSC
Cheerio Fatso Succulo – away and try and buy yer soul back now.
Excellent
I might even buy the Daily Reco….
OOft
*shivers*
Top of the morning to you all from a white-sheeted Fife.
When James Traynor launched this defence of the Famine Song (below) he misjudged the mood in the country and he did not anticipate the legal opinion of the High Court judge who heard the appeal of a bigot (represented of course by Donald Findlay, QC).
Despite the best efforts of the silver-tongued Findlay Lord Carloway said the song’s chorus “displays malice and ill-will towards people of Irish descent living in Scotland”, and as a result those singing it were guilty of a racially aggravated breach of the peace.
Who are we to believe; The late, great, journalist James Traynor and Donald Findlay or Lord Carloway?
Lest we forget, the following is that type of trash that has masqueraded as journalism in the Masonic Scottish Media:
DITTY VACANT; Isn’t there enough in the world to worry about without beating ourselves up over line in a song?
Byline: JIM TRAYNOR
WHAT? You are not offended by the Famine Song? Sorry, but you are a racist.
If your anger doesn’t simmer at the very sound of this ditty then you, my friend, are as bad as the people singing it.
You, too, are tainted by a hatred of Irish Catholics.
That’s the logic applied to this little number being belted out by some Rangers fans.
And you will detest it.
You will abhor it. You will write to your MSPs, MPs, UEFA, FIFA, the EU and the Vatican.
This is the most divisive, anti-social and downright malicious trend to be visited upon us yet.
God Almighty, what next?
Falkirk can’t be called the Bairns because it might encourage paedophiles to buy season tickets.
Dundee United shall no longer be known as the Arabs in case it inflames problems in the Middle East.
Hibernian’s ground will have to be renamed so that other religions are not offended.
Queen of the South can’t be called Queens because Republicans and gays will be upset.
Dumbarton must have a complete name change as it could be deemed derogatory to people of limited intelligence.
And that brings us back to the offenders and the offended.
There are old folk among us who might freeze to death this winter because we are all being held to ransom by the power companies.
There are young families who will lose their homes because greedy bankers and lenders were allowed to vandalise the global financial system.
And depending on where you live or how much you have saved you might die because some authorities will not pay for life-saving medication.
These are outrageous. They are national disgraces and should shame every one of us.
So please, don’t tell me a line in a song about the decade-long potato famine that made people flee Ireland in their tens of thousands in the middle of the 19th century is what we should be beating ourselves up about. The Great Famine was a terrible time and it was a disgrace that so many people were allowed to starve to death or die from related diseases but surely we have more going on around us today which demands such levels of disgust.
You know what, a great many of us are sick and tired of the ridiculous behaviour of groups of Old Firm fans, who aren’t even interested in the game any more.
The only points they seek are the ones they believe they collect every time they run clyping to a politician.
The line that seems to have offended a number of Celtic fans is something like: “The famine is over, why don’t you go home?”
It’s supposed to have enraged one fan so much he put in a complaint that had Irish diplomats raise concerns with the Scottish government.
Unbelievable, but if any politician even attempts to tell Rangers’ fans to drop it we’ll be entering into dangerous times that will threaten our right to free speech. This line is not inciting violence against anyone and it isn’t celebrating the fact one million people died because of potato blight in the 1840s.
If anything the line is mocking the often cloyingly sentimental longing of Celtic fans for the old country and if you accept that’s all it is then it might even border on humorous.
Actually, if some top comedian, a Billy Connolly or a Frankie Boyle had said something similar everybody would have been slapping their thighs.
So when did the gallows humour of the terracing, which for decades has made us all smile by cutting right through pomposity and politically-correct boundaries become such a terrible thing?
Look, if Celtic and their fans wish to hang on to and protect their Irish heritage to the point where it actually seems mawkish that is absolutely fine. No one has any right to insist they celebrate their Scottishness instead and, of course, that should mean they have no right to impose their will on others.
And why is it a shock to them that Rangers fans will react in some way? Is it really surprising the other lot see this Irishness as anti-British?
If only we could all just be Scottish and proud, too. Like many Scots I have fairly strong Irish roots but Ireland isn’t my country and never will be.
I’m sorry if that insults anyone but I am not offended by someone who doesn’t share my view or does not believe that one day we will be a thoroughly decent, modern and thriving nation.
Somehow I cannot see why this line should offend. And don’t start sloshing in that bilge about how big a race crime it would be if people were singing our immigrant communities should go home because the troubles have subsided in their own countries. There are some who believe they shouldn’t be here in the first place and that we should never allow in asylum seekers but these people are probably racist.
However, if any of these groups took to gathering regularly in sporting arenas to sing and long for their homelands and the old ways they, too, might be mocked.
But it wouldn’t necessarily be racist. It’s called freedom of speech. It is a fundamental right that must be protected.
We don’t all have to support what is said but we should back the right to say it, provided it is not overtly racist, sectarian or likely to incite violence.
There is a piousness about some Celtic fans and it’s as if this support can do no wrong.
They seem to have adopted a holier than-thou attitude yet I have not heard one person who claims to be upset by that Famine Song line speaking out against those who sing in support of the IRA or of Nacho Novo catching a bullet.
Neither have they spoken out about the twisted people who indulge in the most disgusting and horrible chat on fans’ message boards.
Those are what I call offensive but even so I would rather have that than live in a place where we are not allowed to open our mouths.
In retaliation to the Novo threats Rangers fans contacted Spanish authorities and that was just as bizarre as the Celtic fan’s complaint to an Irish politician about a stupid song.
Strathclyde Police should have dealt with the threats to Novo because they were of a violent nature and those Celtic fans on their imaginary moral high ground should have been more alarmed at that behaviour than anything else.
So, to all those, of any religion or race, who think Scotland is such a bad, twisted place full of bigots and racists there is only one thing to say.
Go.
Go on, just gather up your prejudices, take your suspicions and pack your loathing of Scotland.
Go find a better place to live and leave us to get on with the job of making something good of this country.
That piece by James Traynor is so bilious that initially I couldn’t believe that someone with his vast experience and had space and time to construct it was the author.
It is truly shocking and as an earlier poster observed , could have been lifted straight from FollowFollow.
He is a bitter,twisted piece of work.
BBC take note.
Thanks to Kit’s post @ 09:11, I’ve now read Jabba’s last piece.
Deary me: very disappointing.
I wonder how this piece will be remembered … As a fine and noble farewell from a respected journalist, or as a bitter rant …
FF
TBB
You must have missed his The Ditty Vacant where he tried to defend the singing of The Famine Song.
This was in response
http://celticparanoia.blogspot.com.es/2010/01/james-traynor-more-hot-air-and.html?m=1
So is Jabba off to Media House?
Fae etims http://twitter.com/ETimsNet/status/275527167876669441/photo/1
Ernie lynch
He will know the way without a Satnav.
Good morning all..forecast for Glasgow on wednesday– sunny dry and a balmy 2 degrees
[apologies jobo not wanting to steal yer thunder!]
Neil Lennon, the ‘♥Darling of the Scottish Press ♥’ was subjected to ten times the vitriol and overt hatred that ever visited Jabba. Actually on reflection, Jabba was often the fountain of septic vitriol with regards Neil Lennon.
Adversities by legion assailed Neil Lennon; Neil Lennon greeted each and every one of them with the courage and dignity befitting the most humble – but respectful – title of ‘Mister’ yet never was he extended such a simple accord.
So when does he start at Deadco?
Hurting, hurting Jabba ….. He defends ‘Scotland’s Shame since he was part of Scotland’s Shame ……… And the irony is that journalists like him caused the downfall of oldco by virtue of their ‘silence’, and by not investigating / reporting on murray’s business activities / strategy.
……thanks, jabba ……….no more Manchesters…..no more letters from the Barca Chairman telling them never to return to their City / Stadium ….oh, did you miss that one, jabba ?..
…thanks, jabba, .the air is fresher this morning……
ernie lynch-Going by his pathetic farewell speech,with numerous attacks on Celtic related topics,Media House or Sevco PR man beckons
Mmmm after 37 years as a sports journalist when he could have devoted time to writing some of the magnificent sporting moments he surely witnessed and perhaps shared a anecdote or too about them ..he devotes more than 5o% of his last piece on a bilious rant about his real love..sad really..but not unexpected.
Who are the “incoherent imbeciles”?
Paul67?
That is some rant by Traynor. He starts by saying that it’s important to end with some good things then turns more than half of the article into a ‘poor Rangers’ piece and an attack on the bloggers.
He should have signed off as ‘a hurting Rangers fan’ although ‘I surrender’ would have done as well.
I’ll open the Book of Condolences…
James Traynor, Daily Record, 2 November 1996
£80m TO SPEND
Kenny will be given a roving role to go out and recommend – and try to attract – the best.”We’re not talking about young or middle of the road players – we’re talking the VERY best. Dalglish will be given an open chequebook to make sure the big names are made an offer they can’t refuse. Murray knows the name of King Kenny will not only help capture top stars, but will increase interest from potential investors.
That Dream Team in Full
Ajax attackers PATRICK KLUIVERT and MARC OVERMARS would immediately create a £15 million hole in the Ibrox funds – but would no longer be an impossible prospect.
Paris St Germain’s brilliant Brazilian RAI would also come into the equation and players like JURGEN KLINSMANN and PAOLO MALDINI would become targets.
Dalglish’s brilliant record in England could prompt moves for ERIC CANTONA and ROBBIE FOWLER.
Top agents like Edinburgh’s Jake Duncan reckons even Barcelona’s RONALDO would not be out of Dalglish’s reach.
If Rangers are making millions then the sky is the limit.