I loved the Leicester City story as much as any of you. Well, maybe not just as much. Leicester’s title win was astonishing, but it was no fairy story. They outperformed far wealthier clubs, sure, but this was achieved by spending the kind of money Celtic couldn’t dream of parting with.
Apart from their league win, Project Leicester was typical of the financial chicanery which has been prevalent in English football for so long, and which Financial Fair Play seeks to end.
Right now they are in freefall. If they go down, loaded with an underperforming squad on eye-wateringly high salaries, they will find it impossible to downsize sufficiently to give anyone sitting around the King Power Stadium boardroom table that they will be able to achieve stability in the Championship.
Once you drop out of the Enland and Wales Premier League, the biggest parachute in the world simply isn’t big enough. Two of the three Championship relegation places are currently occupied by recent Premier League clubs. Aston Villa, twice the size of Leicester but with a far smaller wage bill, are currently 17th. Leicester will look ominously at Blackpool, 14th in League Two, and appreciate how rapidly a Premier League relegation fight can turn into something altogether more serious.
Claudio Ranieri is a football hero, but even from the outside it has been plain to see that something has been seriously wrong under his control in recent months. His comments before the Sevilla game, “we know they are the better team”, spoke of a man who didn’t believe in himself or his players anymore.
It is never easy to spot when a managerial hero should move on from a club where he’s loved, exect in hindsight. Clough was the greatest English manager, but stayed on far too long at Nottingham Forest. Relegation was his reward.
Jock Stein’s sacking as Celtic manager in 1978 was shabbily handled, as was the way at the club back then. I was too young to know the best of Jock’s years at Celtic, but I remember the grief he got from the terraces during his last four seasons, when Rangers (remember them?) won three titles and two trebles.
No one will tell you they got on Jock’s case back then, but it happened. Football fans in the 1970s took no prisoners.
Looking back, Jock stayed too long at Celtic. He produced miracles for five years then managed decline for eight. He should have taken the Manchester United job when offered. Clough squeezed two League Cups out of his squad in 1989 and 1990 and should have headed for this hills right then.
As for Claudio, he should have bowed out a champion in May. He didn’t have managerial alchemy after all, it was inevitable that performances would return to his normal trend this season. Someone at Leicester had to take responsibility. That’s football – and it’s not even a modern aspect of it.
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I like that Campo Viejo
Its a nice Rioja
TET
Have you ever come across this one ( used to drink it down in Marbella when I was rich and handsome)
Its a Ribero Del Duerro called Pago De Los Capellanes…..very nice
TET
5.95 euros a bottle…
Are you sure that’s the Gran Reserva in the fishnets?
I’m comin’ over with a big wagon if that’s right.
FLOATIN’ on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 10:20 PM
Floatin’ on the Thames, sitting on deck on a mild night after the storm yesterday, sipping a glass of wonderful Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja.
Life aint bad at the moment.
Floatin’
—————————–
What end – Kemble or Canvey Island?
:-))
VFR821 has worn out his * key…..and soap…..”shudders” you went there…..;-))
FTSFA
KTF
H.H.
Bourne, you are on top form , again.
On twitter earlier , supercaleygoallistic, rangersdidnt get a CVA.
BT
As soon as I posted I twigged.
Just opened a bottle of 2012 Terra Alta Reserva called Vespral, it has a gold medal, 1.99 from Lidl today, it’s Ok but wouldn’t be my cup of T, I will just have to suffer it then.
HH
Bruce springsteen
Born to run
https://youtu.be/f3t9SfrfDZM
THE DONALD on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 10:43 PM
Their first album backgrounded many happy hours with Dot.
Sigh………
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-0EwQQq1mA&t=53s
Was interested to see Billy Connolly speaking about their early days.
Innovative or what.
Incidentally , I didn`t get the impression that Lulu was of a hunnish disposition.
NatKnow
West of West End
A 20 min train to The West London CSC pub which I always frequent for Us V the Huns matches.
Nae fun watchin us hump them on board with a dodgy stream and the wife sayin’ “watch your heart, you’re gonnae have a seizure”
My arithmetic isn’t brilliant but by advanced and extensive calculation I think that a new club in the huns’ current situation would go down to 5th in the case of a points deduction by entering administration, whereas a club encountering a 2nd administration event on their current points tally would go down to err last in the league. Eeee whatta quandary that would be eh? Could even lead to a bit of a kerfuffle.
Hail Hail,
KevinBhoy.
NatKnow
Kemble…. got as far up river as Abbingdon a couple of years ago, ran out of water, was scrapin the bottom
Floatin’ (again now)
Marspapa
After your stories earlier I was somewhat disappointed to find that it really was Bruce and Born To Run ;-)
Stars
Can’t say that I have, but will look out for it.
HH
……………
Floatin
Yip, just looking at the bottle as I type, it has a 90 points clasification, bought it in Lidl today, Lidl is Ok for wine but Aldi is miles better, their selection is way better for the price, they do a wine called Epulum, it costs 2.50 a bottle, a Rioja, it’s the bogs dollix and it’s a keeper, has a 6-8 year span, I found a bottle from 2002 the other week, it was to die for, they do a range of wines, from 1.70 to 9.99 a bottle, all called the same just have different colours of labels, the one for 2.50 is my fav.
HH
Emerald
I was in a hotel in benidorm that night. Family of huns sat near me, king billy tattoos the lot celebrating when they went one up. Game not on telly, text updates only. When kaunas scored the winner I shouted to my old man at the bar that ‘Rangers are out!’ The look on their coupons. Never saw them again.
Gerry Rafferty
Get it right next time …lol
how many times have the deluded ones said this .
https://youtu.be/SXW-sL5gzHQ
Dallas
Sevco 2012
a Holding Company like no other
Kevinbhoy,
If Rangers 1872 only officially went into administration in Oct 2012…..read it on the back of a fagpak somewhere then the 5 year rule applies…..25 point deduction…..or else 15…..deductions dependent on when The Rangers run out of money…..honest….;-))
asadvisedbytheSFACSC
FTSFA
H.H.
Haha!
Jobo baldie a cheeky wee number just for you
https://youtu.be/Kq4OtRsdXls
Paul67
Work and Trust stuff has taken up my entire day so apologies if others have addressed your article but I’ve not had a chance to read any posts
In those 8 years of decline Jock presided over 4 league titles, 5 Scottish Cups and a League Cup victory.
Between 1988 and 1998 we’d have eaten your hand for that.
Eight years of decline in comparison? Yes probably.
But that decline was from our highest ever heights.
The problem is that you’re comparing everything Jock achieved in 8 years to what he achieved in those 5. The 5 most successful years in our history.
Paul, we saw the teans of Macari, Mowbray, Brady et al.
I’ll take Jock every day mate.
It’s a long drive back from Inverness to the depths of Ayrshire, especially after getting pumped from the team bottom of the league, there will be a few fraught moments on one or two of the buses me thinks, enjoy the journey you hun Fs
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rnDEr9R0snU …….papa’s got a brand new bag
MARRAKESH EXPRESS
It’s times like those we show our human weakness. ……………. Bless.
Personally, I remember my b(h)oys and I laughing like drains as the Eeengish in-laws looked on in a rather wondering fashion.
Feck them all, he says, in a rather unchristian fashion.
Think the Chippy in Auchterarder will close early tonite…..better to do so than see vinegar bottles flying past your head
Best laughin at the hun youtube of the last 5 years was ‘Explaining debt to a hun’ by someone who called himself Phil McCrakin
Explaining Liquidation to a Hun
Needs a similar vid making Phil….
Floatin@
Hi LurkinTim,
-15 takes them to 5th and -25 would be to last looking at the current table. You’re more au fait with the rules than I am although I do believe that rules, especially for them, are only really there to be manipulated to suit potential outcomes, but I do like to cogitate on these issues over a nice box of fresh popcorn :-D
All the best,
KevinBhoy.
HT,
I’d have taken a better board…..every day…..copyrite Neg2….;-))
FTSFA
opiniinsCSC
H.H.
FLOATIN’ on 24TH FEBRUARY 2017 10:53 PM
NatKnow
Kemble…. got as far up river as Abbingdon a couple of years ago, ran out of water, was scrapin the bottom
Floatin’ (again now)
————————————–
Keel hull??
;-)))
I fancy a trip to the disputed source of the Thames. Probably just go into the pub though!
Marspapa –
Gerry R – one of my desert island discs thank you
The other one – whats that saying about dreaming of the last thing you think of….
Be nicu bhoys and ghirls. Kip calling….
KEVINBHOY,
hence my abiguity…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Just think of the huns on their journey back down the road.lol the :))))))
m…..ffs…..;-))
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z66wVo7uNw …..Curtis Mayfield
An extra the in there .
Sticky comment at half time :
Westend
Gold Star Poster
Join Date
15-08-2014
Posts
2,376
Re: ** Caley Thistle v Rangers – Match thread **
When will this agony end?
Oh my aching ribs!! :)))))
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My Dear Macjay….
“Liquid Acrobat As Regards The Air” Is Seriously Under-Rated Album By ISB…
“Red Hair”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uUneSbhPXKg
You Can Find All The Individual Tracks From The Album On Youtube…
Robin Williamson Is One Of My Most Favourite Musicians…
And I’ve Seen Him Dozens Of Times…
He Has Released Some Excellent Solo Albums….
“Songs Of Love And Parting”, Perhaps The Best…
Due To The Majestic Second Track…
“For Mr (Dylan) Thomas”.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cBwBl6h8jhA
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Jings..! Crivvens..! Help M’Bhoab..!
— https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/politics/leo-varadkar-gay-half-indian-conservative-next-leader-ireland/?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C7664547218. —-
Leo Varadkar: Gay, half-Indian, conservative – and favourite to be Ireland’s next leader
Karl McDonald.
Friday February 24th 2017
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s minister for social protection, is the strong favourite to replace Enda Kenny as Taoiseach of Ireland.
The 38-year-old, who came out as gay during the same-sex marriage referendum campaign in Ireland in 2015, has dropped to 2/5 with Paddy Power to become the next leader of Fine Gael, which leads a minority government.
If he were to win, it would mark a milestone for the historically very conservative country. The once profound influence of the Catholic Church has gradually waned in recent decades, but sexual activity between people of the same sex was still illegal as recently as 1993.
Mr Kenny, the country’s current prime minister, is under pressure to step downafter a scandal over the treatment of police whistleblowers. He is likely to leave after fulfilling a diplomatic commitment in Washington DC on 17 March.
New challenges :
The new Taoiseach will have to deal with the Trump administration in 2018, following the convention to visit the US President every St Patrick’s Day – but before then, the challenges of Brexit must be dealt with.
Ireland is particularly vulnerable to the changes Britain’s exit could cause due to its smaller economy and large amount of trade with its neighbour.
Enda Kenny and Theresa May appeared to get on relatively well in their meetings, but experts are suspicious of the British Prime Minister’s ability to deliver the open border and unchanged relationship she says she wants.
If Mr Varadkar were to become Taoiseach – and Fine Gael’s minority government survived – he would be slated to meet Pope Francis in 2018 when he visits Ireland.
The visit to the mostly secular society will contrast with Pope John Paul II’s 1979 trip, when the Polish pontiff addressed 1.25 million people.
First minority ethnic to lead Ireland
Mr Varadkar, whose father is Indian, would be the first minority ethnic Taoiseach of Ireland as well as the first gay man to hold the role.
He would be the fourth openly gay prime minister in the world after Belgium’s Elio Di Rupo, Iceland’s Johanna Sigurdardottir and Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel.
Irish Minister Leo Varadkar delivers heartfelt speech calling for same-sex marriage
The politician came out in a radio interview in 2015 before the country voted to make same-sex marriage legal.
He said: “It’s not something that defines me. I’m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician or a gay politician for that matter. It’s just part of who I am, it doesn’t define me, it is part of my character I suppose.”
‘Clearly a Tory’
A trained medical doctor, Mr Varadkar served as minister for health from 2014 until 2016, as well as minister for transport, tourism and sport from 2011 to 2014.
A win would highlight Ireland’s growing liberalism on social matters, but the politician is to the right of centre personally. Fine Gael is in the Christian democrat tradition, supported by wealthy farmers, businesspeople and professionals.
A 2010 Irish Times profile of the rising star said he “rejects the label of right-wing” but claimed he “would clearly be Tory” if he lived in Britain.
In 2008, he ran into trouble after arguing for the deportation of unemployed immigrants.
“Would there be a case at this stage for giving an offer to foreign nationals the opportunity to receive, say, three or four or six months of benefits, if they then agreed to repatriate to their country of origin and then forego benefits beyond that?” he asked.
Straight talker:
His straight-talking, often confrontational manner have got him in trouble with his own party – not least when he was arguing for more funding as minister for health – but he is nonetheless broadly well thought of, topping a poll for next Fine Gael leader with 35 per cent.
Commentators sympathetically refer to his penchant to speak rather than holding his peace as “bluntless”.
His own website lists “quality of opportunity, enterprise and reward, fiscal prudence, compassion and fairness” as the central pillars of his political philosophy.
Mr Varadkar, born in the suburbs of Dublin, has been battling to shed the image of the “cappuccino” politician and make overtures to the rural base he would require to secure the leadership and survive any coming elections.
The challengers :
Simon Coveney and Simon Harris, the main challengers (Photo: Getty)
Simon Coveney, a skillful and more subtle politician from Ireland’s second city of Cork, and Simon Harris, the 30-year-old who took over as health minister from Mr Varadkar, are seen as his main challengers. People in the party who object to Mr Varadkar’s long-game tilt at the leadership – involving a lot of self-promotion – have coalesced around rivals, according to reports.
Fine Gael is currently supported in its minority government by its arch-rival Fianna Fáil, with a deal in place to back three budgets and keep the Taoiseach in place by supporting him in confidence votes.
However, if the party decides to pull the plug less than a year after the 2016 vote, a fresh election could be called which could see Fianna Fáil reclaim its traditional position as the country’s biggest party.
[ That’ll have them Dancin’ On The Streets of HamiltonTim..?? Ed ]
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Gotta Go
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Gotta triple keel made of steel
Great for the sea not for the river
Being on the river is stressing my liver
Oh to see the sea…
Best not open that Pauillac….
Floatin’
Detroit spinners
Ghetto child .
Weebobbycollins im going to bed before i lose another four hours listening to your top top tunes ….james brown ;)
https://youtu.be/coCGDvJQBBo
What a start to the weekend if you’re a hun…
Just read some comments on one of their blogs. Serious sweary words on there.
My only slight concern – some of them are starting to doubt King.
Last thing we need is for King to go and someone competent to come in over there….!