I was disappointed for St Johnstone at their exit from the Europa League last night but not for Scottish football, or our coefficient points. Saints are a provincial club in a very rural part of Scotland. You only have to travel through the hills to Perth to realise that pocket of Scotland, with its tractors, knitwear and wellie boot shops, has no God given right to beat a team from any municipality anywhere.
They have done very well for the last couple of seasons, from a tiny catchment area, but managed to reach Europe by pipping Dundee United, who ironically were good enough to have key players poached midseason.
St Johnstone don’t have potential superstars, they are also the oldest team in the league, which gets you through a long campaign but they are never going to sparkle. Or earn Scottish football a hatful of coefficient points.
Dundee United were decimated by the loss of those two players midseason, and were done no favours with the shadow of uncertainty which enveloped backroom and boardroom for months, but they, Aberdeen and Celtic are the only Scottish clubs capable of getting their act together to the extent required to reach European group stages. For everyone else, Europe is strictly a July pursuit, so don’t stress about it, and Tommy Wright is well within his rights to talk up his own club.
If Scottish football wants to get all introspective about last night, we should concern ourselves with concentrating resources on clubs who are independently financially viable: Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts, Celtic, Hibs and maybe Dundee. If more of our sponsorship and TV money went to Aberdeen and United and less to the thirty-or-so hangers on, they would be better placed to consolidate their development work and compete in Europe.
Celtic are five days away from their opening competitive game of the season, so I would think tonight’s friendly against Davie Moyes’ Real Sociedad will be the last strenuous exercise the players go through after what will have been a taxing first few weeks of preseason. After this workout it should all be about recovery before the visit of Stjarnan on Wednesday. The usual caveats apply to Nadir Ciftci, if he looks like he couldn’t run upstairs, he’s about where I’d expect him to be right now.
1,205 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- »
WITS
Try telling that to the West Dunbartonshire tourist board. :)
Padraig is fae here in Clydebank/Dumbarton region. Never a Taffy.
Delaneys Dunky
01:45 on
11 July, 2015
Clogher
Saint Patrick was born 1 mile along Dumbarton Road from me in Kilpatrick.
Hail Glorious Saint Patrick!
——————————————————————————————————–
We used to sing it at Celtic Park.
With a wee change of lyrics in the middle…
“We`ve done it before and we`ll do it again”
Clogher
That would be good I’m interested
In Irish History , My Mother died when I was 11 but remember her telling me her Grandfather was killed by the Black and Tans and she helped shave him before he was put in his coffin she would have been about 7 , they were from Burtonport . Would love to find out more.
Hi papajoe,
I will do my best.
If you e mail, whatever family details you have to dublin2016@ mail.com. I will help.
I am not an expert in all of these things…but I will find someone is.
Very sad story. Makes you appreciate what you have.
HH
Clogher
Thanks , I was not expecting you to research for me you have enough to do organising the Easter ceilidh. I will come over at some point and get stuck in myself but would love to meet for the craic.
Papajoe,
Nope it will be looked into.
No hassle.
If you can send me an e mail and I will contact you offline.
If there is anyone near Burtonport, that might be able to help.
Please drop me an e mail at dublin2016@mail.com
HH,
Clogher
Clogher
I have plenty of cousins in Cork Dublin Achill Island Arranmore and Burtonport so no problem it is something I’ve been thinking of as I have time on my hands now to do something.
MacJay
In the war against Rangers, in the fight for the cup.
Jimmy McGrory put the Celtic one up.
We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.
On Erin’s green valleys,
Look down in thy love.
That’s grand, whatever help you need. Just e mail
Clogher
Lovely post earlier today from petec 15.34 about a guy asking for a piece of pizza, I can’t do the link kitalba the original poster , piece at the end says never look down on a man unless your helping him up. A good motto for all of us worth a look if you’ve not seen H H
DD/McJay,
Just out of interest where was St George born?
How much time did he spend in England?
HH,,
Clogher
Delaneys Dunky
02:28 on
11 July, 2015
MacJay
In the war against Rangers, in the fight for the cup.
Jimmy McGrory put the Celtic one up.
We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.
On Erin’s green valleys,
Look down in thy love.
==================================================================
Cheers,pal
Haven`t heard those lines for years.
clogher
Wouldn`t have a clue.
Or even St.Andrew.
Papajoe,
Yes they are both excellent posters.
Your grandad would have been familiar of the Kitalba Rescue.
If you would like us to look into what happened to your grandfather, whenever it is right for you, just send an e mail with some details.
Other than that we won’t do anything.
HH,
Clogher
papajoe
Here you go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdqtktkZn0
MacJay,
No you must know where St Andrew was born…what about St George? Why is Georgia named after him?
Why does he figure on the Catalan flag?
English to the core.
Clogher
I’ll keep in touch thanks again your a true gent, he would have been my great grandfather and an old man at that time typical of the brave Black and Tans an easy target, must have been 1921/22.
Macjay
Thanks that’s it quite humbling I thought
clogher celt
02:54 on
11 July, 2015
MacJay,
No you must know where St Andrew was born…what about St George? Why is Georgia named after him?
Why does he figure on the Catalan flag?
English to the core.
——————————————————————————————————————
Frankly,never been interested in these matters sufficiently to find out.
Clogher
Tried to google Kitalba rescue but nothing came up what was it about, know that Alba was Roman word for either Scots or celts
Ok papajoe,
I think those details would be easily found but I will leave it to you.
Clogher
papa
Humbling is right.
Bloody great photograph of former and current teammates.
Three have made the big step up.
Looks as if they all feel at home.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33490758
roy croppie
23:21 on
10 July, 2015
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CI225uwWsAEeOii.jpg
McGrory and Stein
———————————————————————————————————————-
Wow.
Enjoyed last night’s match i thought it was a really good test for the team and the game had a competitive feel to it.I think it was a good move using New St.Mirren park for these friendlies.
Quiet on here today, is everyone waiting on the Ninja weather report from Jobo?
Got to love our heritage
Big drums banging at 740 this morning and now they are on the way back
21st century Scotland
Great to see Roy Croppie back last night with his special tunes and old pictures
Having lived mainly away from Scotland for the last eleven years, there are so many things that I dearly miss about my country, but I am very grateful that I don’t have to endure the marching season any more. It used to drive me mad, and I was close to being lifted a few times, in the years before I left.
Hope that veryone on here has a safe day.
HH
North Cyprus Bhoy
That’s first I’ve heard them this year thankfully
Last year the played going passed the church during 5pm mass and when my dad complained to police he was told to contact the local council
Police Scotland neglecting their duty again
BT, from a selfish point of view, the golf club will be quieter today
P
A bloke goes into a seafood restaurant and asks to see the dishes of the day. The waiter wheels over a trolley and the man examines the dishes.
“I’ll have the little green squid with the hairy lip, please” says the man.
“Okay.” replies the waiter and calls out “Gervais!!”
A little French chef appears with a large knife, the waiter instructs the chef to kill the little green squid with the hairy lip.
Gervais is just about to slice at the poor squid when he notices a tear running down its face.
Gervais is touched, and admits that he hasn’t the heart to kill the squid.
“Not to worry” says the waiter, and calls out “Hans!!” at which an enormous German bloke comes out of the kitchen.
“Sir”, says the waiter, “this is Hans, the dishwasher. Hans, kill that squid!”
The dishwasher wields a huge rolling pin and is just about to bludgeon the little green squid with the hairy lip when it cringes back and gives a little cry.
“I am sorry sir, I just cannot kill the squid” Hans admits, his lower lip trembling.
“Well sir,” says the waiter, “it just goes to show…
…
That Hans that do dishes, can be soft as Gervais. with mild green, hairy lip squid”
Pod I
Oldtim was asking after you last night, had a few in BV with himself Richie jamesgang and WDH
Ian Dickhead Smith.
Bognorbhoy, that made me grin. I’ll now have that going through my head for the rest of the day with the accompanying tune.
Where’s Jobo’s weather report?
Enjoyed last night’s game but me need to come out of the blocks from the start on Wednesday night as one slip up could see them parking 2 buses instead of 1.
That’s lovely. Don’t get on here as much, working and living in Manchester during week has limited my time.
Hope the auld yin is keeping well. Will look out for the your next visit and I’ll try to come along.
P
Pog
Jobo on holiday.
No weather report for next ten days.
Plenty of rain dances in Motherwell though.
jimmynotpaul
Too much to hope for a massive lightning strike followed by a plague of locusts then?