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.
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BT – just checked the BBC forecast for KY8 (Fife), and it seems that, very unfortunately, it is going to be a sunny day, without the torrential downpours that I’d hoped for!
pogmathonyahun aka laird of the smiles
That was the idea… better that tune than what some will hear today
HH
Think it’s going to stay dry in Lanarkshire for them too
The garden needs attending to anyway
Just proves that they are truly zombies. Only the living dead could march for 325 years.
The next door neighbour is having a barbecue tomorrow and has invited me around. I notice that he has hired a bouncy castle. Monday’s posts could be from a hospital bed ;-)
Many thanks to ALL who ‘dug up’ the Mummies. Good to know the old memory is still working(though sometimes forget why I came out to the garage and what I came for). Had the pleasure of meeting Jamesgang in Paisley last night. A big Bhoy!! Where did DD get to? Enjoyed game and roll on Wednesday.
….pfayr supports weeoscar
20:18 on 10 July, 2015
Guerinca
That’s what European teams do to us ….our European results speak for themselves
—///–///—//—///
Still at it?
Over the season, this will save you a few quid ;-)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chummie-TC310B-Bed-Side-Bedwetting-Alarm/dp/B0065FY2EY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1436602574&sr=8-6&keywords=chummie+bedwetting+alarm
Regrettably, the early morning downpours here in ML2 have abated, we now have the sound of distant drums as the weather brightens… Motherwell will be a no go area till at least 6pm tonight. My son and daughter are heading to Glasgow tonight which is good, however their train will stop at Motherwell and will probably be infested with the vermin from then onwards, dads taxi time I think.
Jobo’s weather report is important because it marks the point in the day when sensible posters appear ( I include myself in the non-sensible ones, by the way).
Also – how are people in East Kilbride going to find out what the weather is doing?
32 degrees and 62% humidity at 10 am ———way down south ..
Such humidity makes you feel like you are living in a sauna..
Oot n aboot earlier , met my GP , he told me that yesterday he dealt with a Finnish tourist who had badly burnt some fingertips when she picked up a watch with a metal strap which had been in the sun for @ 8hrs. hours . Ouch !
Phyllis, we just look oot the windae!
Just turned on Sky Sports News 2 Bluenoses on as presenters
1 from Scotland and the other from Northern Ireland.which seems to have a lot of them employed within Sky Sports News
I asked on here who is the Sky Sports person that hires them.
Warning north Lanarkshire full of zombies
Por Cierto
23:17 on
10 July, 2015
Ulster Scots:
Nae sich ting as Liguadation por cierto
……………………………………………………………………………….
Having checked the approved Billy Kay
“Big buik o’ spreckin common’ gobbledy-guik” – (An Un-reliable Memoir and Fabrication of Random Scoddish Street Lingo, {Louden Press} 1989)….I can confirm that luikin’ fir wit yoo cry as “liquidation” unner guid UlstirScats, yields a wee chooky-hins tuith, nuthin’ , no’ a jot!
Similarly – thurz nae wurd fir michty stuff lik’ “Tax” or “Bigotry” an’ ne’er e’en wan singul nod tae ” Wee Dodgy-Dave”…….. in fakt., tae the un-edumacatit it cuild appear lik’ it nevir happened!
However, aw is no’ loast brither….naw!
Usin’ ma haundy wee UlstirScats Combobulatir ye kin cum’ up wi’ any’hin…..
;)
HH.
Anyone still waiting on the new season ticket to be delivered……..?
a bit too close to wednesday!
Morning all.
No very promising down here so far. Overcast and cold. Could well be more downpours. Hopefully, that will spread from Ayrshire to Lanarkshire. Wouldn’t want those oot for a Walk not to get a wee bit drooned.
Only saw the second half last night but thought we did well against a team which were quite happy to stick the boot in (and were allowed a fair bit of leeway by the MIB).
Didn’t see the game last night – sounds like a few good performances from our bhoys. Most importantly at this time of year is no injuries though. Things start for real on Wednesday.
Hutchybhoy is looking for tips for which horses to lose his money on at Hamilton tonight!
Any tips for him?
HH jamesgang
…….autumnal here in oul’ Corcaigh.
Cannae even cut the grass.
Dreich’n’Drookit CSC.
Scrolling back saw a bit of an exchange between Clogher & papajoe, they were on about the “kitalba rescue” and papajoe was trying to look it up to no avail. I suspect that they might have been talking about The Catalpa Rescue, so if you’re looking in papajoe try looking up that one and it may be what you are looking for.
There is a site also called Burtenport.net ,you might get a smidgin of info on that site re your family History.
parkheadcumsalford
You def picked the better half to watch mate.
Looked a wee bit disjointed first half. And we missed being able to play it out from the back with VVD on the bench and denayer gone.
Cohesion improved as the game went on. As did the level of edge.
HH jamesgang
cosy corner bhoy
Grand to meet you too Sir!
Delaneys, what’s he like? Could get lost in the bathroom that Bhoy!
HH jamesgang
To add to the weather picture around the country, it’s a glorious morning in Deeside. Blue skies and thin high cloud. Bit of a change from the monsoon midweek. Sadly the same monsoon has helped make the grass deep and lush – maybe too much for the flymo…
44 degrees C here in the Algerian Sahara!!
Schweinsteiger To Man U?
At 30. After a career honed to the character and nature of the Bundesliga.
Going into a club with great players but no discernible team.
I don’t think it’ll bring out the best in a player I hugely admire.
Mibbees the EPL is now viewed as a halfway house to big payday retirement before a final season or two in MLS!
HH jamesgang
Corkcelt
Thank you very much I appreciate that will look into both of those H H
CATASTROPHE!! I have lost my Charles Patrick Tully enamel badge from my scarf. Got it years ago from a lhad from Belfast in the London Road Tavern. All eyes down looking for replacement! Let’s hope it isn’t a lucky charm:)
I see the press raving about Cifti and his performance last night I thought the Bhoy did well for the short time he was on the park but no better than well.I dont know why the rave reviews it was a promising start but I wouldnt start with him on Wednesday I would still with Griffiths.H.H
bankiebhoy1
Mibbees a ken aw mibbees a naw por cierto
Wakened by the sound of drums in ML 5.
Some good performances lady night in 2nd half.
Young Fisher continues to impress, Sadie looked good for the short time he was on.
Like how Cifti gets into faces.
Think much better than 12 months ago.
Saltires
Time to front up …no more hiding behind the internet
Or maybe that’s your style
Your pathetic attempts at internet empowered hassling and bullying of me is tiresome and boring
I’ve been ignoring you please do me the same courtesy
Btw ..if you don’t think that our current system gets exposed in Europe you should try watching another sport …maybe cycling
wan guid ting aboot speakin Ulster Scots is tat ye kin mak it up is ye gang alang por cierto
Jamesgang
Some of us are going tonight too
Tips.. Stay in the bar and utilise your money in a worthwhile fashion
Poor fields tonight..Getting a winner will be hard graft
Bankiebhoy
IDS is known as IBS in my circles …..your effort is a touch more pointed and funnier
Por Cierto………..
Aye, ye kin siy thot agin!
Noo, am gaun oot tae clen th’ innard’s o’ the’ Jumbly-Whrlin’ Keech Boax………
;)
bognorbhoy
;))))
HH
Corkcelt
Thanks I was drawing a blank looking up ‘kitalba’
The walk went down Dundyvan road thirty minutes ago .
Just saw the polis go past in the same direction , sirens blaring .
Oh dear