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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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!
*and just 5 miles along the road lived the former Patron Saint of Scotland.
Saint Kessog was an Irish missionary of the mid-sixth century active in the Lennox area and southern Perthshire. Kessog was Scotland’s patron saint before Saint Andrew, and his name was used as a battle cry by the Scots. Son of the king of Cashel in Ireland, Kessog is said to have worked miracles, even as a child. He left Ireland and became a missionary bishop in Scotland. Using Monks’ Island in Loch Lomond as his headquarters, he evangelized the surrounding area until he was martyred, supposedly at Bandry, where a heap of stones was known as St Kessog’s Cairn. Kessog was killed in 520 AD.”
Gozo’s Green and White!
HT
Now that I think of it mibbee subbing Joe Hanson and moving Armstrong to a no10 position might have been the call to make.
HH jamesgang
Lionroars/Jamesgang
You both sound quite positive, good to hear. Did Scepovic get any game time?
“Corcaigh’s soakin’ wet!”
HT
Err no.
And it couldn’t have felt good to see the warmth of the election that Cifti recd and the fact that he then came on and provided a right good bustling shift.
HH jamesgang
Many Hoooooooopy Returns BMCUWP’s.
Have a great day mhate.
BIG CUP WINNERS
Catch you later
Add oot
Aff……… doh
Very limited internet access.
Caught some updates here, second half sounded giod.
How did Andy Murray get on yesterday?
Will wee Soapy Soutar be next fae Utd ?
Doc
So you didn’t get awakened this morning with some big Drum at 08.00
Now there is a wee church worth visiting in Gozo, has a hole in the roof, sure you will hear about it
Enjoy the Hols
Doc
Murray got murdered, the Swiss was way to good for him
Doc
He lost 3-0.
Murray played 9 out of 10. But Fed was 10, esp his serve.
Every set was close, but the big cheese was just too good.
HH jamesgang
CowieBhoy.
Thats the church at Xachia.
Met Fr Taboni there.
Stunning building. Biggest free standing dome outside St Pauls.
Cheers Jamesgang.
Bummer.
exslaemuirbhoy
12:29 on 11 July, 2015
Will wee Soapy Soutar be next fae Utd ?
We most certainly enquired :-))
Hail Hail
ExslaemuirBhoy,
Thanks mhate.
Off to buy a snorkel and take the ghirls swimmming in the sea.
Roasting over here.
CowieBhoy it would suit you fine.
Oh and no big drums in Gozo.
Doc
Jamie Murray plays in the doubles final today.
Imagine how dark, sallow and gorgeous cowiebhoy would look after all that sun. He’d be like a Sammi body double!!!’
HH jamesgang
A good run out for the bhoys yesterday. Big VVD did indeed look different class when he came on. Thought Bitton had a great game, a very composed player.
Was very impressed with Ciftci too, he slotted in so well when he came on and looked very comfortable on the ball.
I have a feeling he’s gonna be a cracker!
There’s only one Nadir Ciftci,
There’s only one Nadir Ciftci,
He’s from Turkey but he won’t bite me,
Walking in a Ciftci Wonderland! :)
HH
/Bishop B
Anyone know the price on Celtic to win the treble.
Ah, rain gathering in the skies and goat-pumping rednecks gathering in the streets all across this blighted land. Here’s hoping for the perfect storm…
Happy Hoooopy Beerday to my oul mucker BMCUW!!
You should take some styling tips from Stuart McCall
Hes on Sky Sports News now with what looks like highlights in his hair…
★
B-)
Lustig needs games and he will be fine. He is a class act but Fisher is improving all the time and would be a safer option to start on Wed. I really hope we have Fisher on a long contract, if we don’t it should be an absolute priority.
Big call between Leigh & Ciftci but against the Ice men we surely can go 2 up front, I think these 2 could be lethal together.
Doc
12:31 on 11 July, 2015
CowieBhoy.
Thats the church at Xachia.
Met Fr Taboni there.
Stunning building. Biggest free standing dome outside St Pauls.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think there’s a few bigger than St Pauls Doc. The Hagia Sophia for one.
Amazing building!
Dear Len
HT was painting his skirting board yesterday and found an amazing image on it. I think you should visit Your Grace.
HH jamesgang
BMCUW
Many happy returns to you mate have a great day.
Cifti looks the oldest 23 year old I’ve ever seen.
4 years older than my first born but he looks like he could be his Dad.
petethebeat
Life ain’t easy in Dundee pal.
Jim Spence is only 21!
HH jamesgang
Turkeybhoy
11:34 on 11 July, 2015
I did post about this yesterday.Hilarious.Its like something the local Scout group would organize.One idiot on Hun Media said
“I walked past the Enfield complex and from what I could hear coming from inside,we were all over them” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
——
That will keep my smiling all day
Thank you for posting:))).
–
BMCUW
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY Birthday to one of lifes finest Bhoys.
Squire Danaher
Thanks , that was an amazing tale of brave men from a different era real heroes.
Tontine Tim
Re St Kessog
There is reference to St Kessog in Comrie in Perthshire about 10 miles from where I live.
Cowiebhoy
12:32 on
11 July, 2015
Thought we would sign him, off oot noo
Happy Burffday BMCUWP
Jimbo67
Cifti looks the oldest 23 year old I’ve ever seen.
4 years older than my first born but he looks like he could be his Dad.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
my youngest is 22, when he grew a beard he looked older than my eldest who’s 29 ffs
happy birthday ma frein’ boaby
Thanks,lads. You’re all fantastic Fenian fellas. Even the women!
I can taste a wee hint of salt in my pint from reading those messages. Not bad!
Wednesday mightn’t be pretty. I expect the visitors would be happy to get away with a one or two goal defeat and will be ultra defensive and try to catch us on a break.
It will be like trying to break down St. Johnstone, plenty of the ball but if we reach the 30 minute mark scoreless the frustration will start to grow. Ciftci could give us an additional route one option.