Friday, April 30, 2004
And a couple of other points
Walking to the Parken stadium it was interesting to note the difference in pre-match activities - hundreds of Scots with cairry-oots; hundreds of Danes playing organised football games on decent grass pitches around the stadium. Ehh mebbes there's a reason we never score against them.
However the toilets in the Scotland end were absolutely minging - the worst since Sarajevo (which were undoubtedly the most stinking I have ever experienced, and pitch-black to boot). A Danish TA member claims the toilets in the home end are as pristine as you'd expect in a Scandinavian stadium, and that the end housing the Scotland fans is to be torn down soon, but still.
I'll bet the last time they saw any Ajax was when Johan Cruyff was still playing (boom-boom).
0 comments
However the toilets in the Scotland end were absolutely minging - the worst since Sarajevo (which were undoubtedly the most stinking I have ever experienced, and pitch-black to boot). A Danish TA member claims the toilets in the home end are as pristine as you'd expect in a Scandinavian stadium, and that the end housing the Scotland fans is to be torn down soon, but still.
I'll bet the last time they saw any Ajax was when Johan Cruyff was still playing (boom-boom).
0 comments
Copenhagen Thoughts
Gallacher should replace Douglas as first-choice goalie. Impressive performance, and I've seen him perform solidly for Dundee United for a number of years now.
I didn't know much about Canero but he was pretty lively - hope he gets more playing time for Leicester in Division One next year.
McCann looked quite up for it, and with Strachan telling him he's no future at Southampton, he should end up somewhere that he'll get more playing time too.
Faddy and Fletcher - f*cking fantastic. Let's find more players whose names start with F.
Our defence is now looking shaky - Crainey and Pressley were both at fault for the Danish goal. Crainey couldn't hack it anyway, but we need Pressley to tighten it up. Not sure who should partner him though - Mackay looked OK but he's not exactly one for the future; maybe Dailly should step back into defence again? We do seem to be a lot more comfortable playing 3-5-2 (or is it 5-3-2...) and with Naysmith and McNamara at wing-back (or Canero and McCann if you want to be more adventurous) it's really just the centre of defence that's suspect.
I fancy a team of:
Gallacher
McNamara, Dailly, Pressley, Mackay, Naysmith
Ferguson, Fletcher, G. Rae
McFadden, Thompson
Subs to include: Gordon, McCann, Crawford, Canero, Cameron, Webster
OK so the Italians won't be quaking in their Kappa boots but surely that's enough to get us off to a decent start on the road to Germany?
0 comments
I didn't know much about Canero but he was pretty lively - hope he gets more playing time for Leicester in Division One next year.
McCann looked quite up for it, and with Strachan telling him he's no future at Southampton, he should end up somewhere that he'll get more playing time too.
Faddy and Fletcher - f*cking fantastic. Let's find more players whose names start with F.
Our defence is now looking shaky - Crainey and Pressley were both at fault for the Danish goal. Crainey couldn't hack it anyway, but we need Pressley to tighten it up. Not sure who should partner him though - Mackay looked OK but he's not exactly one for the future; maybe Dailly should step back into defence again? We do seem to be a lot more comfortable playing 3-5-2 (or is it 5-3-2...) and with Naysmith and McNamara at wing-back (or Canero and McCann if you want to be more adventurous) it's really just the centre of defence that's suspect.
I fancy a team of:
Gallacher
McNamara, Dailly, Pressley, Mackay, Naysmith
Ferguson, Fletcher, G. Rae
McFadden, Thompson
Subs to include: Gordon, McCann, Crawford, Canero, Cameron, Webster
OK so the Italians won't be quaking in their Kappa boots but surely that's enough to get us off to a decent start on the road to Germany?
0 comments
Gary Holt - the answer?
Gary Holt points out that Scotland haven't conceded any goals while he's been on the park. I hope Berti doesn't read the Evening Times.
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
Monday, April 26, 2004
Whatever happened to Jerry Kerr?
Went to my first Rangers game in a while on Saturday, and it turned out to be a cracker, even if the result wasn't the best.
My ticket was in the Jerry Kerr stand; what is it with Dundonians and naming stands after people nobody's heard of? Last time I was at Dens Park I was in the Bob Shankly stand. Looking at my ticket in the queue to get in I saw the word 'Shankly' and assumed that the legendary Liverpool manager must have played for Dundee at some point, but then I realised a) no he didn't and b) that was Bill, not Bob.
So I asked a steward who Bob Shankly was; he gave me a look of incredulity combined with disgust.
Him: "You mean to tell me don't know who Bob Shankly was?"
Me: "No idea."
Him: "Err... well... he, eh, used to play for Dundee."
On Saturday, I didn't bother asking.
Read - Dundee Courier
0 comments
My ticket was in the Jerry Kerr stand; what is it with Dundonians and naming stands after people nobody's heard of? Last time I was at Dens Park I was in the Bob Shankly stand. Looking at my ticket in the queue to get in I saw the word 'Shankly' and assumed that the legendary Liverpool manager must have played for Dundee at some point, but then I realised a) no he didn't and b) that was Bill, not Bob.
So I asked a steward who Bob Shankly was; he gave me a look of incredulity combined with disgust.
Him: "You mean to tell me don't know who Bob Shankly was?"
Me: "No idea."
Him: "Err... well... he, eh, used to play for Dundee."
On Saturday, I didn't bother asking.
Read - Dundee Courier
0 comments
Chick Young's favourite pick-up joint
The Player's Player?
Whatever the merits of Chris Sutton as a player - and while I can't stand the guy he does do a hell of a job for Celtic - I find it astonishing that he has won the Players' Player of the Year award; it was less than a year ago he was accusing a group of his fellow players, the Dunfermline team, of being cheats and "lying down" to Rangers.
Don't footballers have integrity any more? [Rhetorical question] Or are they just stupid? [Even more rhetorical question]
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Don't footballers have integrity any more? [Rhetorical question] Or are they just stupid? [Even more rhetorical question]
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Souness issues "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" plea
Scottish Daily Mail on Sunday had a front-page photo of Graeme Souness at Goodison Park with a cast on his arm, which apparently resulted from an incident with the ex-husband of Souness' wife over the parenting of his kids (ie. Souness' step-children).
Souness issued a press release about the matter, which referred to a "discussion" with the upset ex.
I assume he had the same type of "discussion" as he had with Siggi Jonsson, resulting in a broken leg for the then-wonderkid Icelander... or perhaps it was more along the lines of the "discussion" he had with a Steau Bucharest midfielder after the Romanians took a 1-0 lead at Ibrox in 1987.
We may not find out however as Souness refused to discuss the matter further with journalists, which is probably just as well for them.
Dwight Yorke was unavailable for comment.
0 comments
Souness issued a press release about the matter, which referred to a "discussion" with the upset ex.
I assume he had the same type of "discussion" as he had with Siggi Jonsson, resulting in a broken leg for the then-wonderkid Icelander... or perhaps it was more along the lines of the "discussion" he had with a Steau Bucharest midfielder after the Romanians took a 1-0 lead at Ibrox in 1987.
We may not find out however as Souness refused to discuss the matter further with journalists, which is probably just as well for them.
Dwight Yorke was unavailable for comment.
0 comments
Saturday, April 24, 2004
"There was no kissing in those days"
Tommy Ross has finally been recognised as the scorer of the fastest hat-trick ever - three goals in 90 seconds. Lovely quote from the 67-year-old ex-pro:
“There was no kissing in those days. When you scored, you just ran back to the halfway line, the captain patted you on the head and said, ‘well done, son’, and you got on with it. This will probably be very difficult to beat because the celebrations now take at least a minute and a half.”
Surely with an attitude like that he deserves a column for the Record?
Read - Times
0 comments
“There was no kissing in those days. When you scored, you just ran back to the halfway line, the captain patted you on the head and said, ‘well done, son’, and you got on with it. This will probably be very difficult to beat because the celebrations now take at least a minute and a half.”
Surely with an attitude like that he deserves a column for the Record?
Read - Times
0 comments
Friday, April 23, 2004
You have the shoogliest peg
Maybe a wee bit premature as it's not end-of-season yet but nothing much is going to happen between now and the end of May so here goes... the first annual Gazzetta Football Scozia "Shoogly Peg Report".
O'Neill, Martin: Absolutely not on a shoogly peg at all; hailed as the new messiah in many quarters. Two questions though: 1) will he decide to take off for England? 2) Old Firm managers are never more than one bad season away from the sack. Peg Status: Solidly in place
McLeish, Big Eck: Though there are "McLeish out" voices of discontent, Murray & McLelland need someone to take the heat while they get the debt down. But as noted above, an OF manager is never too far from the chop, and if things don't look like they're improving, that jaikit could fall. Peg Status: Definitely more shoogly than this time last year
Levein, Craig: The Jambos appear to be quietly consolidating their 'third team in Scotland' status, albeit without winning anything. A lot of credit has to go to their manager, and he's also avoided being distracted by the great rugby stadium debate. Peg Status: Solidly in place
Calderwood, James: Has done a lot of good work in Fife and unless Dunfie get slaughtered in the cup final, it'll go down as one of their best seasons in a long time. If their money problems don't get worse, he looks like he's there for a long time to come. Peg Status: Solidly in place
Butcher, Terence: Unbelievable performance from a club that is absolutely 'pink lint'; even losing Faddy & Pearson hasn't appeared too damaging. I'd be surprised if they can repeat the feat next year though, and a bad run could see some shoogling. Peg Status: It looks pretty solid but was that a wee shoogle there?
McCall, Jobby: After a shaky start appears to be making a lot of progress with his team - I'll tell you more tomorrow as I'm off to see them take on the Gers. The Arabs appear to have reasonable financial stability so the question with JM is, when will someone come in for him? Peg Status: Solidly in place, but the jaikit might not be there anyway
Williamson, Boaby: Gone. Peg Status: F*ck youze lot, I'm offski
Hay, Davie: A first trophy for Livingston, amidst a financial crisis, and don't forget that Hay turned around a dodgy situation with Marcelo whatsisname's poor start to the season. So he should feel pretty secure. However if Livi have to let go many of their better players, they'll struggle next season, and struggling means shoogling. Peg Status: Shooglier than it might look
Duffy, James: Will be given a lot of leeway due to his club's financial state, but should Dundee maybe do better even with the players they have left? If prolific scorer Nacho Novo leaves in the summer - and who thinks he'll stay? - the Dee will struggle. Peg Status: Solid but with shoogling expected
Paterson, Steve: Despite the win over Celtic - which has been treated like a portent of the second coming in the Scottish press - Paterson hasn't lived up to expectations since his move from Caley Thistle. He claims he's had his hands tied financially but the Dandies are in a better state than most teams in the league, so frankly that doesn't wash. Peg Status: Not quite as shoogly as Paterson's hand reaching for the hair of the dog - but still pretty shoogly
Jefferies, Jim: Another season like this one and he won't be eating Rugby Park pies anymore. I'm not really sure where it's all gone wrong for Killie this season but JJ had better figure it out quick. Peg Status: It looks shoogly, it feels shoogly - it's shoogly
Britton, Gerald and Whyte, Derek: Co-management doesn't work. It doesn't. No point arguing. One of them will be gone by Hogmanay, and if the Harry Wraggs make a poor start to their Division One campaign - and the competition will be tough - they could both be out before we see 2005. Peg Status: One peg's already shoogling, but whose jaikit is it?
So who has the shoogliest peg? Jim Jefferies.
0 comments
O'Neill, Martin: Absolutely not on a shoogly peg at all; hailed as the new messiah in many quarters. Two questions though: 1) will he decide to take off for England? 2) Old Firm managers are never more than one bad season away from the sack. Peg Status: Solidly in place
McLeish, Big Eck: Though there are "McLeish out" voices of discontent, Murray & McLelland need someone to take the heat while they get the debt down. But as noted above, an OF manager is never too far from the chop, and if things don't look like they're improving, that jaikit could fall. Peg Status: Definitely more shoogly than this time last year
Levein, Craig: The Jambos appear to be quietly consolidating their 'third team in Scotland' status, albeit without winning anything. A lot of credit has to go to their manager, and he's also avoided being distracted by the great rugby stadium debate. Peg Status: Solidly in place
Calderwood, James: Has done a lot of good work in Fife and unless Dunfie get slaughtered in the cup final, it'll go down as one of their best seasons in a long time. If their money problems don't get worse, he looks like he's there for a long time to come. Peg Status: Solidly in place
Butcher, Terence: Unbelievable performance from a club that is absolutely 'pink lint'; even losing Faddy & Pearson hasn't appeared too damaging. I'd be surprised if they can repeat the feat next year though, and a bad run could see some shoogling. Peg Status: It looks pretty solid but was that a wee shoogle there?
McCall, Jobby: After a shaky start appears to be making a lot of progress with his team - I'll tell you more tomorrow as I'm off to see them take on the Gers. The Arabs appear to have reasonable financial stability so the question with JM is, when will someone come in for him? Peg Status: Solidly in place, but the jaikit might not be there anyway
Williamson, Boaby: Gone. Peg Status: F*ck youze lot, I'm offski
Hay, Davie: A first trophy for Livingston, amidst a financial crisis, and don't forget that Hay turned around a dodgy situation with Marcelo whatsisname's poor start to the season. So he should feel pretty secure. However if Livi have to let go many of their better players, they'll struggle next season, and struggling means shoogling. Peg Status: Shooglier than it might look
Duffy, James: Will be given a lot of leeway due to his club's financial state, but should Dundee maybe do better even with the players they have left? If prolific scorer Nacho Novo leaves in the summer - and who thinks he'll stay? - the Dee will struggle. Peg Status: Solid but with shoogling expected
Paterson, Steve: Despite the win over Celtic - which has been treated like a portent of the second coming in the Scottish press - Paterson hasn't lived up to expectations since his move from Caley Thistle. He claims he's had his hands tied financially but the Dandies are in a better state than most teams in the league, so frankly that doesn't wash. Peg Status: Not quite as shoogly as Paterson's hand reaching for the hair of the dog - but still pretty shoogly
Jefferies, Jim: Another season like this one and he won't be eating Rugby Park pies anymore. I'm not really sure where it's all gone wrong for Killie this season but JJ had better figure it out quick. Peg Status: It looks shoogly, it feels shoogly - it's shoogly
Britton, Gerald and Whyte, Derek: Co-management doesn't work. It doesn't. No point arguing. One of them will be gone by Hogmanay, and if the Harry Wraggs make a poor start to their Division One campaign - and the competition will be tough - they could both be out before we see 2005. Peg Status: One peg's already shoogling, but whose jaikit is it?
So who has the shoogliest peg? Jim Jefferies.
0 comments
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Congratulations to Celtic
Of course it would not be fitting for a man of Billy Williamson's dignity, class, and honour to fail to congratulate Celtic on their championship victory; well done Celtic, I say.
Shame about last night though...
Read - Press and Journal
0 comments
Shame about last night though...
Read - Press and Journal
0 comments
The end of Big Ron
I was watching a very bizarre "Room 101" with Ron Atkinson last night where it was revealed that he is bessy mates with Renee of "Renee and Renato"/"Save Your Love" 80s Latino crooning fame.
I was all set to use that as the basis for another "I Love Big Ron" post when I flicked over to ITV News and they announced that Atkinson had used a racial slur the previous day after the Monaco-Chelsea match.
Despite various excuses that have been trotted out, this is completely inexcusable, and a shameful way for Atkinson to end to his career in the beautiful game.
Read - Guardian Sport
0 comments
I was all set to use that as the basis for another "I Love Big Ron" post when I flicked over to ITV News and they announced that Atkinson had used a racial slur the previous day after the Monaco-Chelsea match.
Despite various excuses that have been trotted out, this is completely inexcusable, and a shameful way for Atkinson to end to his career in the beautiful game.
Read - Guardian Sport
0 comments
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Enron-on-the-Clyde
Rangers have announced the formation of a separate company to manage youth development, and more interestingly, own the players produced by Murray Park.
It's hard to figure out exactly what's going on here but on the surface it looks dodgy as f*ck. The new company is said to be wholly-owned by Rangers plc, but there are four investors who have contributed £1m who Rangers chairman John McLelland says will be 'expecting a return'. How are they to get a return if they don't own the company? Someone's telling porkies. Also the settling of transfer fees between Rangers Youth Development and Rangers FC seems to be described in very hand-wavy terms.
A very big 'Hmmm' to this idea and I would hope to see a few of these questions answered soon.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
It's hard to figure out exactly what's going on here but on the surface it looks dodgy as f*ck. The new company is said to be wholly-owned by Rangers plc, but there are four investors who have contributed £1m who Rangers chairman John McLelland says will be 'expecting a return'. How are they to get a return if they don't own the company? Someone's telling porkies. Also the settling of transfer fees between Rangers Youth Development and Rangers FC seems to be described in very hand-wavy terms.
A very big 'Hmmm' to this idea and I would hope to see a few of these questions answered soon.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Managers in no hurry to move to Hibs
I have to admit surprise that Plymouth Argyle have signed up Billy Williamson to replace Paul "Luggy" Sturrock; I guess he didn't do a bad job at Hibs but I would have thought there were stronger candidates out there. Hope he does well though.
No love lost between Williamson and his former club - they made little effort to keep him, while the fans never really gave him a chance, and BW lets the Edinburgh media know what he thinks of them as well.
Some interesting candidates have been mentioned so far for the Easter Road "hot" seat - John Robertson (possibly the greatest living jambo, although he was a Hibs supporter as a kid) and Billy Brown (ex-assistant manager of Hearts during the Jefferies era). If the Hibees didn't like a "Wegee Hun" as manager how will they take to either of these two?
I reckon Hibs should go for Robbo - in part because he'll bring Donald Park as his assistant. Parky ran the Hibs youth set-up in the late 90s under McLeish and Sauzee - working with many of the kids who are now the core of the team and who should still have their best years ahead of them.
But the safe money is on Clyde's Alan Kernaghan - clearly he doesn't fancy the commute to Ayrshire.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
No love lost between Williamson and his former club - they made little effort to keep him, while the fans never really gave him a chance, and BW lets the Edinburgh media know what he thinks of them as well.
Some interesting candidates have been mentioned so far for the Easter Road "hot" seat - John Robertson (possibly the greatest living jambo, although he was a Hibs supporter as a kid) and Billy Brown (ex-assistant manager of Hearts during the Jefferies era). If the Hibees didn't like a "Wegee Hun" as manager how will they take to either of these two?
I reckon Hibs should go for Robbo - in part because he'll bring Donald Park as his assistant. Parky ran the Hibs youth set-up in the late 90s under McLeish and Sauzee - working with many of the kids who are now the core of the team and who should still have their best years ahead of them.
But the safe money is on Clyde's Alan Kernaghan - clearly he doesn't fancy the commute to Ayrshire.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Picking Malky Mackay - the last straw
Polis were called to Berti's wife's house on Monday night - apparently she went a bit mental. I seriously do think she has artistic differences with him, she's never been a fan of Alexander at full-back.
The Record had an entirely different spin on this story earlier - it was a front-page article in full-on Gazzetta-style gossip mode. However it looks like 24 years of marriage to Berti has taken its toll on poor old Monika Vogts so they've toned it down a bit.
Please don't click on the link, the Record is shit and you shouldn't read it. Although it does say Berti lives in a 'bachelor pad' which I found quite amusing.
Don't read the Daily Record
0 comments
The Record had an entirely different spin on this story earlier - it was a front-page article in full-on Gazzetta-style gossip mode. However it looks like 24 years of marriage to Berti has taken its toll on poor old Monika Vogts so they've toned it down a bit.
Please don't click on the link, the Record is shit and you shouldn't read it. Although it does say Berti lives in a 'bachelor pad' which I found quite amusing.
Don't read the Daily Record
0 comments
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Whatever happened to... Robbie Shepherd
During my commuting-to-Ibrox-from-up-north years, Radio Scotland was the phone-in of choice because unlike Clyde we didn't lose the signal somewhere on the way to Cumbernauld. The phone-in itself was the usual pish but at least it finished at six o'clock, giving way to "Robbie Shepherd and his band". This was a North of Scotland celebrity introducing various jigs, reels, and strathspeys from some location in teuchterdom.
If you also listened to Sportsound and then the first five minutes of Robbie's show, and are wondering what he's up to now, click the drop-down in the P&J for 'all the latest news about'. Translations available on request.
Read - Press and Journal
0 comments
If you also listened to Sportsound and then the first five minutes of Robbie's show, and are wondering what he's up to now, click the drop-down in the P&J for 'all the latest news about'. Translations available on request.
Read - Press and Journal
0 comments
North v East, Scottish Non-League Review, and other bonus items
Last weekend a Highland League select team took on the East of Scotland select side as a sort of trial match for the upcoming semipro "Home Nations" tournament. The East won 2-0 as reported by the Scotsman, but the Aberdeen P&J points out something the Scotsman only hinted at - the Highland League team should have gubbed them. The game was played at one of my old stomping grounds, Princess Royal Park in Banff, home of the mighty Deveronvale FC; like the Rangers, deposed champions this year.
For the real saddos among you/me, follow the link to the Scottish Non-League Review and have a dig around. The SNLR is basically an end-of-season wrap-up of the various semi-pro leagues, but they also claim to sell a few other interesting bits and pieces - including what appears to be a full set of "The Absolute Game", the late, lamented, and no-longer-produced Scottish football fanzine. Despite its anti-Old-Firm bias, it was always a good read.
Read - Press and Journal
Scottish Non-League Review
0 comments
For the real saddos among you/me, follow the link to the Scottish Non-League Review and have a dig around. The SNLR is basically an end-of-season wrap-up of the various semi-pro leagues, but they also claim to sell a few other interesting bits and pieces - including what appears to be a full set of "The Absolute Game", the late, lamented, and no-longer-produced Scottish football fanzine. Despite its anti-Old-Firm bias, it was always a good read.
Read - Press and Journal
Scottish Non-League Review
0 comments
Bunch of Arse
I have a number of issues with this Herald article:
I am in no way a bitter Hun.
Read - Herald Sport
0 comments
- Arsenal's so-far-unbeaten run is way more impressive than Celtic's because Arsenal have had some hard games this season
- it proves Lou Macari is a has-been rent-a-quote; the journos probably bumped into him at the bookie
- interesting to see Celtic's fans are still at their seat-breaking best
- Celtic are honourable people?
I am in no way a bitter Hun.
Read - Herald Sport
0 comments
A non-story - do not read
Quite possibly the nonnest non-story ever. A player happens to be out of contract, so he could conceivably sign for Rangers, but so could the Pope. Though I doubt JP would be the answer to our striking problems.
Read - Sporting Life
0 comments
Read - Sporting Life
0 comments
A "sair wan" indeed
The Halifax Bank of Scotland have called in the £5m guarantees given by the Marr brothers - Peter Marr stating that "it is a sore one". I'll bet it is.
Dundee look likely to exit administration before the May 31 ten-point-penalty deadline, as do Motherwell and Livingston if recent positive noises are to be believed. Could we be coming to the end of the SPL financial crisis?
Also the Marrs are still talking about stadium plans - do they sell Dens and lease it back, or move to a new stadium. Isn't this a complete red herring - if they have a perfectly decent stadium in place, and are not in administration, why the need to do anything? I'm all for groundsharing and it makes a lot of sense for the Dundee teams, but if Dundee don't want to rent Tannadice (and I can understand why) and Eddie Thompson doesn't want to leave Tannadice (which on its own merits is a sensible business decision) then maybe it's best to let the matter drop for now until the mood changes.
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Dundee look likely to exit administration before the May 31 ten-point-penalty deadline, as do Motherwell and Livingston if recent positive noises are to be believed. Could we be coming to the end of the SPL financial crisis?
Also the Marrs are still talking about stadium plans - do they sell Dens and lease it back, or move to a new stadium. Isn't this a complete red herring - if they have a perfectly decent stadium in place, and are not in administration, why the need to do anything? I'm all for groundsharing and it makes a lot of sense for the Dundee teams, but if Dundee don't want to rent Tannadice (and I can understand why) and Eddie Thompson doesn't want to leave Tannadice (which on its own merits is a sensible business decision) then maybe it's best to let the matter drop for now until the mood changes.
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Sunday, April 18, 2004
The perils of celebrity - in Partick
Comedy article from Partick Thistle's Gerry Britton on the perils of soccer celebrity. I was cynically reading it thinking "how would you know" but he does reveal some of the details of his Beckham-esque lifestyle; enlightening.
Read - Scotland on Sunday
0 comments
Read - Scotland on Sunday
0 comments
The Big Man and the Scream Team meet the Barmy Army uptown
One of the things that I do miss from Scotland, and the UK in general, is the coverage of football culture - not just seeing the games themselves but all the associated stuff - documentaries (do I not like them), fanzines, phone-ins (OK maybe not the phone-ins).
Getting back to my mate's house at 1.30am last night and being wide awake I discovered a treat on Channel 4 (his NTL cable is broken) - a program called "Top 10 Football Songs". This was filmed before the 2002 World Cup, but I'd never seen it.
Disgracefully, Ally's Tartan Army was only number 5; but Andy Cameron did pop up with a wee gem of an anecdote.
While he was waiting to go on Top of the Pops, all dressed up with his tartan bunnet, Billy Idol bumped into him; Idol looked him up and down with a sneer, and made a remark to the effect of "who the f*ck are you?"
So Andy Cameron's dad promptly grabbed Billy Idol by the throat and slammed him against the wall. They didn't say what happened next, but I'll bet the posturing punk sloped off with his tail between his legs, and I doubt he bought the record.
Other highlights:
The programme named "Three Lions" as number 1; but Coisty did us proud by pointing out it's just an irritating piece of shite.
0 comments
Getting back to my mate's house at 1.30am last night and being wide awake I discovered a treat on Channel 4 (his NTL cable is broken) - a program called "Top 10 Football Songs". This was filmed before the 2002 World Cup, but I'd never seen it.
Disgracefully, Ally's Tartan Army was only number 5; but Andy Cameron did pop up with a wee gem of an anecdote.
While he was waiting to go on Top of the Pops, all dressed up with his tartan bunnet, Billy Idol bumped into him; Idol looked him up and down with a sneer, and made a remark to the effect of "who the f*ck are you?"
So Andy Cameron's dad promptly grabbed Billy Idol by the throat and slammed him against the wall. They didn't say what happened next, but I'll bet the posturing punk sloped off with his tail between his legs, and I doubt he bought the record.
Other highlights:
- they showed the 1982 squad - and B.A. Robertson - on TOTP with "I Have A Dream", and I was happy to see Ally McCoist tell the world it was simply "the best football song ever"
- Justin from Del Amitri tried to defend his song from the 1998 World Cup, but even the diplomatic Craig Brown said it was depressing mince
- John Collins discussed the legendary 1996 Madison Square Garden appearance with Rod Stewart... sounds like they had a good time, at least
The programme named "Three Lions" as number 1; but Coisty did us proud by pointing out it's just an irritating piece of shite.
0 comments
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Billy's Index
[Any similarity to Harper's Index is purely coincidental]
Minimum number of seats required in a stadium for it to be worthy of the SPL: 10,000
Number of teams in the SPL with average attendances over 10,000: 4
Number of teams in the SFL with average attendances over 10,000: 0
Percentage of teams currently with a positive goal difference in the SPL: 25
Percentage of teams with a positive goal difference in the 1983/84 Premier League: 40
Ratio of Murrayfield capacity to Hearts' average attendance: 5.6
If Tynecastle were as full as Murrayfield will be the average Hearts crowd would be: 3,166
Percentage of games won this season by Partick Thistle: 12.5
Percentage of games won this season by Celtic: 90.3
Average number of league goals scored so far this season by Dunfermline (4th place) and Kilmarnock (11th), respectively: 1.10, 1.23
Average number of league goals conceded so far this by the same two teams: 1.33, 2.13
Number of seasons Morton have played in European competition: 1
0 comments
Minimum number of seats required in a stadium for it to be worthy of the SPL: 10,000
Number of teams in the SPL with average attendances over 10,000: 4
Number of teams in the SFL with average attendances over 10,000: 0
Percentage of teams currently with a positive goal difference in the SPL: 25
Percentage of teams with a positive goal difference in the 1983/84 Premier League: 40
Ratio of Murrayfield capacity to Hearts' average attendance: 5.6
If Tynecastle were as full as Murrayfield will be the average Hearts crowd would be: 3,166
Percentage of games won this season by Partick Thistle: 12.5
Percentage of games won this season by Celtic: 90.3
Average number of league goals scored so far this season by Dunfermline (4th place) and Kilmarnock (11th), respectively: 1.10, 1.23
Average number of league goals conceded so far this by the same two teams: 1.33, 2.13
Number of seasons Morton have played in European competition: 1
0 comments
All quiet on the Billy front
Things may be quiet here with sporadic posting for the next few weeks as I'll be roaming around the UK with a short trip to Denmark (yes, Billy is going) in the middle. I may have the time and internet access to keep up the usual high quality of service, but I may not. Please don't forget about me though.
0 comments
0 comments
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Come on Billy... you blue nose wanker
Some correspondence, unedited:
Come on Billy why not "comments" tag at the end of each story so we the public can comment on what a blue nose wanker you are? are you scared? I can't believe that blogger won't let you do it ..
Also haven't spotted any entries about the dire straights that Rangers find themselves in, nothing to play for and 40 points behind in the league, quite a come down since 10 in a row and all that - do you think the ginger manager fella will survive?
This is from someone I consider a friend; you should see the hate mail.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I can't add a comments feature until I move to host Gazzetta on my own site, which probably won't happen until late May at the earliest, though you never know.
As for Rangers dire straits and 'the ginger manager fella'...
The calls for McLeish's head are way premature. A year ago the guy won us the treble, for crying out loud, against a Celtic team that got to the UEFA cup final (but lost!). Since then he's had to let go of several core players (Amoruso, Numan, McCann), not forgetting the club captain (Ferguson) who was clearly the driving force of the team and a key goalscorer to boot.
Of the players he brought in at the beginning of the season, some were outright duds (Capucho, Emerson, probably Vanoli) while others have done OK (Khiznazhvili, Berg). Given that Emerson, Vanoli, and Berg were last-minute desperation signings, I would list Capucho as the only real bad buy - Rangers sought him out and paid money for him. [I have heard rumours that this was a David Murray "he's played well against Celtic so I'll buy him to wind up the Tims" signing though - which would put a whole different spin on things. Frank de Boer was definitely a Murray "big name" player, as well.]
So in my view the jury is still out on his transfer ability. Thompson and Rae appear to be doing OK; although they're never going to take us to the Champions League final, they do provide a bit more bottle in the team.
Tactically, he started off strong but has faded a bit - he had the better of O'Neill early doors but since Celtic moved to four at the back against Rangers, McLeish hasn't responded adequately. In Europe, I don't think his tactics can be criticised much, other than Lovenkrands on the right wing vs. Man U.
Finally, motivation... he took a demoralised Advocaat squad and injected some guts; the team fought hard together last year. However late last year there were ominous signs of a return to the last days of the Advocaat era - most notably the capitulation to Panathanaikos at home and several feeble performances against Celtic. The test here is still to come - can the current squad (give or take some changes over the summer) bounce back and challenge in Scotland and elsewhere?
The best Scottish teams are the ones with huge belief in their abilities, teams that simply refuse to lose. The current Celtic squad are like this - witness recent performances in Barcelona and at home to Hearts; Rangers nine-in-a-row squad was the same, especially in 92-93 when they had an unbeaten season in Europe. If McLeish can create a Rangers team in this mould, he'll have a job for a long time to come; if he can do it with next to no transfer money and a restricted wage budget, he'll be a Rangers hero to boot.
0 comments
Come on Billy why not "comments" tag at the end of each story so we the public can comment on what a blue nose wanker you are? are you scared? I can't believe that blogger won't let you do it ..
Also haven't spotted any entries about the dire straights that Rangers find themselves in, nothing to play for and 40 points behind in the league, quite a come down since 10 in a row and all that - do you think the ginger manager fella will survive?
This is from someone I consider a friend; you should see the hate mail.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I can't add a comments feature until I move to host Gazzetta on my own site, which probably won't happen until late May at the earliest, though you never know.
As for Rangers dire straits and 'the ginger manager fella'...
The calls for McLeish's head are way premature. A year ago the guy won us the treble, for crying out loud, against a Celtic team that got to the UEFA cup final (but lost!). Since then he's had to let go of several core players (Amoruso, Numan, McCann), not forgetting the club captain (Ferguson) who was clearly the driving force of the team and a key goalscorer to boot.
Of the players he brought in at the beginning of the season, some were outright duds (Capucho, Emerson, probably Vanoli) while others have done OK (Khiznazhvili, Berg). Given that Emerson, Vanoli, and Berg were last-minute desperation signings, I would list Capucho as the only real bad buy - Rangers sought him out and paid money for him. [I have heard rumours that this was a David Murray "he's played well against Celtic so I'll buy him to wind up the Tims" signing though - which would put a whole different spin on things. Frank de Boer was definitely a Murray "big name" player, as well.]
So in my view the jury is still out on his transfer ability. Thompson and Rae appear to be doing OK; although they're never going to take us to the Champions League final, they do provide a bit more bottle in the team.
Tactically, he started off strong but has faded a bit - he had the better of O'Neill early doors but since Celtic moved to four at the back against Rangers, McLeish hasn't responded adequately. In Europe, I don't think his tactics can be criticised much, other than Lovenkrands on the right wing vs. Man U.
Finally, motivation... he took a demoralised Advocaat squad and injected some guts; the team fought hard together last year. However late last year there were ominous signs of a return to the last days of the Advocaat era - most notably the capitulation to Panathanaikos at home and several feeble performances against Celtic. The test here is still to come - can the current squad (give or take some changes over the summer) bounce back and challenge in Scotland and elsewhere?
The best Scottish teams are the ones with huge belief in their abilities, teams that simply refuse to lose. The current Celtic squad are like this - witness recent performances in Barcelona and at home to Hearts; Rangers nine-in-a-row squad was the same, especially in 92-93 when they had an unbeaten season in Europe. If McLeish can create a Rangers team in this mould, he'll have a job for a long time to come; if he can do it with next to no transfer money and a restricted wage budget, he'll be a Rangers hero to boot.
0 comments
Monday, April 12, 2004
No difference to Dons if Old Firm left Scotland
They'd still be sh*te.
Their fans' spokesman is against the big two leaving - surprising given that a) Aberdeen always get gubbed by Celtic b) their supporters have a jealousy-fuelled hatred of Rangers and c) they might stand a chance in hell of winning something. He cites a reasonable fear that the league would become like the Welsh or Irish setup - irrelevant and third-rate.
However looking at the experience of Hibs in Division One a few years ago, fans would turn out in droves to see a team with a chance of winning something in a competitive league; and if a proper pyramid system was implemented allowing the Scottish champions entry (or chance of entry) into whatever 'superleague' the Old Firm move to, then surely this would be a good thing?
Stay tuned; this is one of my favourite topics and I'll give more details on my thinking at a later date.
Read - Evening Express
0 comments
Their fans' spokesman is against the big two leaving - surprising given that a) Aberdeen always get gubbed by Celtic b) their supporters have a jealousy-fuelled hatred of Rangers and c) they might stand a chance in hell of winning something. He cites a reasonable fear that the league would become like the Welsh or Irish setup - irrelevant and third-rate.
However looking at the experience of Hibs in Division One a few years ago, fans would turn out in droves to see a team with a chance of winning something in a competitive league; and if a proper pyramid system was implemented allowing the Scottish champions entry (or chance of entry) into whatever 'superleague' the Old Firm move to, then surely this would be a good thing?
Stay tuned; this is one of my favourite topics and I'll give more details on my thinking at a later date.
Read - Evening Express
0 comments
Any spare tickets?
Milwall are upset that they will be receiving fewer tickets than Man U for the FA Cup final, while closer to home the Rangers message boards are full of paranoia that the SFA will renege on their 50/50 cup final allocation policy now that it's Celtic in the final against a "wee team".
I think the 50/50 split policy is unfair. Celtic have fifty thousand people who turn up for every game; Dunfermline and Caley Thistle have less than ten thousand. So splitting Hampden means half of Celtic's regulars are not allowed to see their team, while regular fans of their opposition can get a ticket for themselves, a part-time supporter mate, and a glory-hunter who's never been to a game in their life. Doesn't sound right to me.
Last season, Dundee couldn't even sell all their tickets for the final, leaving empty spaces at Hampden on what is supposed to be the showcase day for Scottish football - an embarrassment, if not a disgrace.
Read - Guardian
0 comments
I think the 50/50 split policy is unfair. Celtic have fifty thousand people who turn up for every game; Dunfermline and Caley Thistle have less than ten thousand. So splitting Hampden means half of Celtic's regulars are not allowed to see their team, while regular fans of their opposition can get a ticket for themselves, a part-time supporter mate, and a glory-hunter who's never been to a game in their life. Doesn't sound right to me.
Last season, Dundee couldn't even sell all their tickets for the final, leaving empty spaces at Hampden on what is supposed to be the showcase day for Scottish football - an embarrassment, if not a disgrace.
Read - Guardian
0 comments
Posh Spice is a slapper, she takes it up the
From an email I received today:
"Have you fellas seen the hullabaloo about Posh n Becks in the UK at the moment? I’m totally on the side of Beckham considering that his wife has been shagging Craigie Broon and Bertie Vogts for years."
[cheers Kenny]
0 comments
"Have you fellas seen the hullabaloo about Posh n Becks in the UK at the moment? I’m totally on the side of Beckham considering that his wife has been shagging Craigie Broon and Bertie Vogts for years."
[cheers Kenny]
0 comments
Hibees incensed at only one trip to Murrayfield next year
Scotsman reports on a new proposal to deal with the "after the split" SPL fixture list.
Currently, fixtures can't be planned until the final pre-split games are played, leading to the situation where, for instance, an expat Rangers fan making a trip home does not know which games he is going to see or when they will be played.
The new proposal is to base the fixture list on the previous year's top six and bottom six.
At first glance I was against this, it appears to be a quick 'hack' to try and obtain a predictable schedule; however on thinking through a bit further, I'm definitely against it.
Why? Because it almost always will provide an advantage to a team if they were crap the previous year. Looking at this year's run-in for fourth place, under the new rules, Dunfermline would face Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Dundee, and Kilmarnock; Dundee United would face Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Hibs, Livingston, and Aberdeen. Hardly a level playing field; and in many years fourth place means European football.
Call me old fashioned, but in a league tournament, all the teams should play the same opposition.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Currently, fixtures can't be planned until the final pre-split games are played, leading to the situation where, for instance, an expat Rangers fan making a trip home does not know which games he is going to see or when they will be played.
The new proposal is to base the fixture list on the previous year's top six and bottom six.
At first glance I was against this, it appears to be a quick 'hack' to try and obtain a predictable schedule; however on thinking through a bit further, I'm definitely against it.
Why? Because it almost always will provide an advantage to a team if they were crap the previous year. Looking at this year's run-in for fourth place, under the new rules, Dunfermline would face Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Dundee, and Kilmarnock; Dundee United would face Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Hibs, Livingston, and Aberdeen. Hardly a level playing field; and in many years fourth place means European football.
Call me old fashioned, but in a league tournament, all the teams should play the same opposition.
Read - Scotsman
0 comments
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Where have all the great Scottish sportsmen (and women) gone?
This article is painful reading, but the topic is of vital interest. Maybe this year feels worse than it really is; maybe we're just at the bottom of a cycle; or more likely there's something structurally wrong. But whatever the cause, Scottish sport - pretty much across the board - is in a dire state.
The writer dredges up the usual hackneyed quote from a 60s ex-pro complaining about videogames as the root of all evil - don't they sell the XBox in Denmark and Norway and Ireland then? - but points to a few shards of light creeping through. The number of rugby players is recovering, there seem to be good young football players coming up the ranks, and we still have good managers working in the top league in England.
However - I have a fair degree of scepticism that we are seeing a sustainable recovery in Scotland's football. Lots of promising players can look good for a season but fail to become truly top-class players (Charlie Miller, Gerry Creaney, Stephen Crainey, Scott Booth... there is a long, long list) so unless we address the root causes, we'll be dependent on luck and coincidence as the key drivers of footballing quality.
The recent announcement of a decent investment in grass-roots facilities is a step in the right direction, although how much of that is real money versus spin remains to be seen. The acceptance of a football 'academy' as a necessity for a top team is also a big step (albeit at least fifteen years overdue). But there is a huge opportunity here for the Scottish Executive to show some vision.
Frank McAveety is quoted in the article - he's Scotland's minister for tourism, culture, and sport. I would argue that we should split his role, and have a minister solely responsible for sport. Make sport a priority for Scotland - let's face it, it's already a national obsession for the majority of the population. Create some incentives to get more facilities built (don't let the corrupt and croneyed councils run them), to get more people participating, to deploy best practices in youth coaching and competition - and in ten, fifteen, twenty years time we will be a nation once again punching above our weight on the international stage.
I saw Jack McConnell give a speech recently at Columbia University, and he talked about his vision for Scotland, how he wants it to be, and be seen as, "the best small nation in the world". What better way to showcase this than to have a strong football team, a great rugby team, famous athletes, boxers, tennis players...? Look how Australia's sports teams gave their nation huge attention in the last ten years. If McConnell truly wants great people to live and work in Scotland, give them great places to play and great teams to watch as well.
Read - Observer
0 comments
The writer dredges up the usual hackneyed quote from a 60s ex-pro complaining about videogames as the root of all evil - don't they sell the XBox in Denmark and Norway and Ireland then? - but points to a few shards of light creeping through. The number of rugby players is recovering, there seem to be good young football players coming up the ranks, and we still have good managers working in the top league in England.
However - I have a fair degree of scepticism that we are seeing a sustainable recovery in Scotland's football. Lots of promising players can look good for a season but fail to become truly top-class players (Charlie Miller, Gerry Creaney, Stephen Crainey, Scott Booth... there is a long, long list) so unless we address the root causes, we'll be dependent on luck and coincidence as the key drivers of footballing quality.
The recent announcement of a decent investment in grass-roots facilities is a step in the right direction, although how much of that is real money versus spin remains to be seen. The acceptance of a football 'academy' as a necessity for a top team is also a big step (albeit at least fifteen years overdue). But there is a huge opportunity here for the Scottish Executive to show some vision.
Frank McAveety is quoted in the article - he's Scotland's minister for tourism, culture, and sport. I would argue that we should split his role, and have a minister solely responsible for sport. Make sport a priority for Scotland - let's face it, it's already a national obsession for the majority of the population. Create some incentives to get more facilities built (don't let the corrupt and croneyed councils run them), to get more people participating, to deploy best practices in youth coaching and competition - and in ten, fifteen, twenty years time we will be a nation once again punching above our weight on the international stage.
I saw Jack McConnell give a speech recently at Columbia University, and he talked about his vision for Scotland, how he wants it to be, and be seen as, "the best small nation in the world". What better way to showcase this than to have a strong football team, a great rugby team, famous athletes, boxers, tennis players...? Look how Australia's sports teams gave their nation huge attention in the last ten years. If McConnell truly wants great people to live and work in Scotland, give them great places to play and great teams to watch as well.
Read - Observer
0 comments
Neither a lender nor a borrower be
Sunday Herald picks up on a curious aspect of the Livingston-Celtic cup semi - David Fernandez, arguably Livingston's best player, was not allowed to play because he is on loan from Celtic. This contrasts with the Fernando Morientes affair last week - when his goal helped put his lender, Real Madrid, out of the Champions League against his borrower, Monaco.
Natasha Woods argues that Celtic should relent and allow Fernandez to play. I take the opposite view - I think there is too much of a conflict of interest when an on-loan player faces his true employer, and it should be avoided.
Imagine if it were not David Fernandez but David Marshall on loan from Celtic; and in injury time with the score at 0-0 the keeper flubs a seemingly easy save, allowing Celtic to win. Livi fans would be rightly suspicious; Marshall would be unfairly tainted.
Or perhaps Fernandez does get to play and he misses a series of sitters - against the team who still pay the majority of his wages. Again, conflict of interest and suspicions aroused. Best avoided. You can say it's unfair to Livingston, but if they want full control of a player they should buy out his contract from Celtic; them's the rules.
Read - Sunday Herald
0 comments
Natasha Woods argues that Celtic should relent and allow Fernandez to play. I take the opposite view - I think there is too much of a conflict of interest when an on-loan player faces his true employer, and it should be avoided.
Imagine if it were not David Fernandez but David Marshall on loan from Celtic; and in injury time with the score at 0-0 the keeper flubs a seemingly easy save, allowing Celtic to win. Livi fans would be rightly suspicious; Marshall would be unfairly tainted.
Or perhaps Fernandez does get to play and he misses a series of sitters - against the team who still pay the majority of his wages. Again, conflict of interest and suspicions aroused. Best avoided. You can say it's unfair to Livingston, but if they want full control of a player they should buy out his contract from Celtic; them's the rules.
Read - Sunday Herald
0 comments
Saturday, April 10, 2004
The little fella popped up at the back stick early doors
Scotland on Sunday has a downer on Des Lynam, sounds understandable as he's doing the same thing he was ten years ago and it's getting a bit tedious. He did come out with one of the all-time great sporting put-downs during the Barcelona (I think) Olympics, so give the guy credit: "Walking down to the end of the garden isn't an Olympic sport yet - but synchronised swimming is!"
The article is a decent critique of the lazy cult of celebrity, but it ends with criticism of Mr Bojangles aka Big Fat Ron aka Ron Atkinson - highly unnecessary and just plain wrong. "Ronglish" is one of the greatest things to come out of sports broadcasting in the last twenty years, and the creator should be lauded for re-energizing the English football vocabulary. Compare his vast vocabulary to the pitiful Tommy Smyth of ESPN, with his one trademarked phrase - 'the onion bag' - or any one of the ex-pros who are supposed to add 'colour' to stop you falling asleep while watching Everton v Aston Villa. They're so dull I can't even tell you who they are.
Archie Macpherson, however, is a God among mortals. Even if he has gone a bit doo-lally recently.
Read - Scotland on Sunday
Learn Ronglish - DangerHere.com
0 comments
The article is a decent critique of the lazy cult of celebrity, but it ends with criticism of Mr Bojangles aka Big Fat Ron aka Ron Atkinson - highly unnecessary and just plain wrong. "Ronglish" is one of the greatest things to come out of sports broadcasting in the last twenty years, and the creator should be lauded for re-energizing the English football vocabulary. Compare his vast vocabulary to the pitiful Tommy Smyth of ESPN, with his one trademarked phrase - 'the onion bag' - or any one of the ex-pros who are supposed to add 'colour' to stop you falling asleep while watching Everton v Aston Villa. They're so dull I can't even tell you who they are.
Archie Macpherson, however, is a God among mortals. Even if he has gone a bit doo-lally recently.
Read - Scotland on Sunday
Learn Ronglish - DangerHere.com
0 comments
Friday, April 09, 2004
Broken down, broken down, broken down in Dingwall...
News of a charity effort to visit all 42 league grounds in Scotland in a 24-hour period - get your donations in.
William Hill's are running a book on where their car gets nicked, with Greenock and Cumbernauld joint favourites at 5-2. They are also offering 100-1 on all four hubcaps making it, and even money on none of the four getting chibbed by a ned in a Hibs top.
Read - footymad
0 comments
William Hill's are running a book on where their car gets nicked, with Greenock and Cumbernauld joint favourites at 5-2. They are also offering 100-1 on all four hubcaps making it, and even money on none of the four getting chibbed by a ned in a Hibs top.
Read - footymad
0 comments
Souness bust-up
Missed this cracking little story from last month, but it looks like Graeme Souness' anger management is failing again. Is there anyone he hasn't fallen out with? On the bright side, he is usually one to forgive and forget.
Read - BlogFC
0 comments
Read - BlogFC
0 comments
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Graham Spiers: Wanker, or not?
This one has been annoying me for a while. Is Graham Spiers really a wanker, or does he just deliberately try to act like one to get himself noticed?
Evidence in favour of Spiers being a wanker:
Evidence in favour of Spiers not being a wanker:
Jury still out I'm afraid, Graham.
0 comments
Evidence in favour of Spiers being a wanker:
- today's Herald Sport Diary column, where he spends the first half with his head up Martin O'Neill's arse, and the second half claiming that the rest of the Scottish football press have their heads up Martin O'Neill's arse
- the article he wrote in the Scotland on Sunday the day after the Ibrox Old Firm match where Celtic fans were barred - he pretty much equated this with the North Korean government in terms of its disregard for human rights
- to paraphrase an old joke - he looks like a f*cking wanker
Evidence in favour of Spiers not being a wanker:
- he does point out that the rest of the Scottish football press are sycophantic hacks
- he can write a decent article (having said that, none spring to mind)
- I've met the bloke - briefly - and he was polite and friendly
Jury still out I'm afraid, Graham.
0 comments
Darren Jackson - a Scotland legend
If I were in Scotland I'd definitely be attending the first Scotland-England "Legends" (read: veterans) challenge, to be held at East End Park on Thursday 15 April. The whole OAP football thing seems to have become pretty popular in the UK, at least as far as I can tell from over here (which is mainly based on watching late-night Sky Sports in London hotels on business trips).
Looking down the Ingerlund team they have some fair attacking talent (Gascoigne, Waddle, Walters, Beardsley, Wright) while Scotland have a plethora of full-backs (Boyd, Malpas, Stewart, Robertson) so I guess it'll be another backs-to-the-wall Scotland effort, with the hope that the 1998 model 'cheeky boy' aka John Collins can pull something out of the bag at the other end.
Not forgetting the great Darren Jackson, who I had the joy of standing next to while we both took a piss in the toilets of an Edinburgh bar not too long ago, during his second Hibs shift. Rangers had just beaten the Hibees that day and it took me all my self-control not to make a smart-arse remark about this. See, Billy respects the privacy of Scotland's footballing legends.
Read
0 comments
Looking down the Ingerlund team they have some fair attacking talent (Gascoigne, Waddle, Walters, Beardsley, Wright) while Scotland have a plethora of full-backs (Boyd, Malpas, Stewart, Robertson) so I guess it'll be another backs-to-the-wall Scotland effort, with the hope that the 1998 model 'cheeky boy' aka John Collins can pull something out of the bag at the other end.
Not forgetting the great Darren Jackson, who I had the joy of standing next to while we both took a piss in the toilets of an Edinburgh bar not too long ago, during his second Hibs shift. Rangers had just beaten the Hibees that day and it took me all my self-control not to make a smart-arse remark about this. See, Billy respects the privacy of Scotland's footballing legends.
Read
0 comments
What the Old Firm?
Those of you out there who feel that the Old Firm are crippling Scottish football will be interested in a site which presents eloquent argument in favour of your viewpoint. They also present a small range of merchandise which backs up (and presumably is intended to fund) their cause.
Try as I might, I just cannot come up with a counter-argument, so good is their logic. They may have just won over their first convert.
Read
0 comments
Try as I might, I just cannot come up with a counter-argument, so good is their logic. They may have just won over their first convert.
Read
0 comments
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
How to deal with man-marking
As a defender, I cannot condone this behaviour, but Chris Burke has a fairly direct approach to the 'diddy standing in front of you as you take a throw-in' problem.
Video - Windows Media
0 comments
Video - Windows Media
0 comments
Total cost of being a supporter
The Evening Times highlights a Rangers-supporting granny and a Celtic-mad, err, bloke. Scary reading. I might do some calculations myself - but I'd probably better not.
Please note that these numbers do not take into account the emotional cost.
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
Please note that these numbers do not take into account the emotional cost.
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
UEFA = 0.5*SUM(B2:F6)+0.5*SUM(B2:F2)+(2*RAND()-1)
The Evening Times reports on Scotland's UEFA coefficient. If Celtic get knocked out to Villareal then the SPL champions will probably lose direct entry in the Champions League group stages the season after next; I say probably because the rules are apt to change and no-one's ever really sure what's what until UEFA publish their scores.
Villareal have always been my favourite Spanish team, so I will of course be supporting them against Celtic, however if Celtic do get through I guess it's good news for Rangers when we win the league next year.
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
Villareal have always been my favourite Spanish team, so I will of course be supporting them against Celtic, however if Celtic do get through I guess it's good news for Rangers when we win the league next year.
Read - Evening Times
0 comments
Lex Gold - are you listening?
The BBC is reporting that Edinburgh under-12 match referees will have the power to 'reset' the score to 0-0 if one team takes a 5-goal lead... please don't let the SPL find out or we'll have a competitive league.
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Feedback and email notification
I haven't put a comments feature on Gazzetta yet - not because I don't want to, but because blogger doesn't support it - I'll do this when I move the hosting of Gazzetta to its own site. In the meantime, email any comments to me and I'll post anything worth posting.
Also, if anyone wants email notification of new entries, I believe I can set that up, so email me if you'd like it.
0 comments
Also, if anyone wants email notification of new entries, I believe I can set that up, so email me if you'd like it.
0 comments
The pre-match pish
I'm going back to the UK for a few weeks, and will be taking in a few matches in England and Scotland. It's a bit weird going back after being a regular for years; the old habits come right back as if you'd never gone.
One of my matchday rites at Ibrox was the pre-match pish. Usually, this was not a superstition thing, but an actual need to take a pish - to get rid of the pints of Heavy/Special/Newcastle Brown etc after the taxi or subway to the ground.
Many of my fellow supporters also indulged in pre-match bevvy, so the toilets tended to be pretty busy at five to three. I was always amazed at the variety of pishing styles on display. You have the belt-openers (never understood that one myself, why do you need to undo your belt when you have a fly?); the two-handers; the one-handers; the one-handers-with-the-other-hand-on-the-wall; the no-handers; and my all-time favourite, the no-hander-with-both-hands-on-the-wall.
I only saw this last style the once, but I was highly impressed with the pisher's individuality; he looked like he was about to be frisked. And no, he wasn't hanging on to the wall because he was blootered, he was pretty sober. I remember wondering how he pished when he was at home - did he lean at forty-five degrees over the toilet to reach wall? Or did he only use the two-hands-on-the-wall at a urinal?
You might say this post is a load of pish, and I'd probably agree.
0 comments
One of my matchday rites at Ibrox was the pre-match pish. Usually, this was not a superstition thing, but an actual need to take a pish - to get rid of the pints of Heavy/Special/Newcastle Brown etc after the taxi or subway to the ground.
Many of my fellow supporters also indulged in pre-match bevvy, so the toilets tended to be pretty busy at five to three. I was always amazed at the variety of pishing styles on display. You have the belt-openers (never understood that one myself, why do you need to undo your belt when you have a fly?); the two-handers; the one-handers; the one-handers-with-the-other-hand-on-the-wall; the no-handers; and my all-time favourite, the no-hander-with-both-hands-on-the-wall.
I only saw this last style the once, but I was highly impressed with the pisher's individuality; he looked like he was about to be frisked. And no, he wasn't hanging on to the wall because he was blootered, he was pretty sober. I remember wondering how he pished when he was at home - did he lean at forty-five degrees over the toilet to reach wall? Or did he only use the two-hands-on-the-wall at a urinal?
You might say this post is a load of pish, and I'd probably agree.
0 comments
Williamson would consider Rangers offer
I could be tempted to move to Ibrox this summer if Alex McLeish makes a move for me. I'm a lifelong Rangers fan and as such it would be a dream move. If Rangers did move for me, it would be unlikely that my current team would demand a transfer fee, and my wage demands would certainly fit into the new salary structure put in place at Ibrox.
Of course, Alex McLeish doesn't want me, but that doesn't stop memaking up writing a story about it.
Read - Sporting Life (Thanks Kenny)
0 comments
Of course, Alex McLeish doesn't want me, but that doesn't stop me
Read - Sporting Life (Thanks Kenny)
0 comments
Chelsea-Arsenal
Just watched the Chelsea-Arsenal Champions League match; I'm not normally that bothered about English football but both of these teams can play pretty special stuff and I had nothing better to do.
The game was played at a phenomenal pace, virtually throughout; some of the passing moves were superb, especially at such high speed.
However, it was depressing to watch for me because the top English teams are so far ahead of Rangers and Celtic. [I know Celtic beat a couple of them in the UEFA Cup last season but they wouldn't beat Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man U.] Ten, fifteen years ago there was much less in it; SPL teams could compete for players with English teams (Terry Butcher was captain of England when he signed for Rangers). Now, Arsenal can go out and spend #17.5m on a striker they don't really need, while O'Neill will have to fight for cash to replace Larsson, and he'll be lucky to get a third of that.
What does it all boil down to? Money. The EPL is a fantastic cash-generating machine; the SPL just isn't. Are Arsenal or Chelsea really bigger than Rangers or Celtic? They shouldn't be, but they probably are right now - and in ten, fifteen, twenty years time, they'll have a worldwide fanbase of Americans and Japanese and Chinese because of the EPL's popularity and global marketing. Which translates into $$$, which will further widen the gap.
If the Old Firm don't get out of the Scottish league, they'll die a slow, slow, slow death.
0 comments
The game was played at a phenomenal pace, virtually throughout; some of the passing moves were superb, especially at such high speed.
However, it was depressing to watch for me because the top English teams are so far ahead of Rangers and Celtic. [I know Celtic beat a couple of them in the UEFA Cup last season but they wouldn't beat Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man U.] Ten, fifteen years ago there was much less in it; SPL teams could compete for players with English teams (Terry Butcher was captain of England when he signed for Rangers). Now, Arsenal can go out and spend #17.5m on a striker they don't really need, while O'Neill will have to fight for cash to replace Larsson, and he'll be lucky to get a third of that.
What does it all boil down to? Money. The EPL is a fantastic cash-generating machine; the SPL just isn't. Are Arsenal or Chelsea really bigger than Rangers or Celtic? They shouldn't be, but they probably are right now - and in ten, fifteen, twenty years time, they'll have a worldwide fanbase of Americans and Japanese and Chinese because of the EPL's popularity and global marketing. Which translates into $$$, which will further widen the gap.
If the Old Firm don't get out of the Scottish league, they'll die a slow, slow, slow death.
0 comments
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Why the Daily Record is pish - reason number 2,347,543
Garbage sensationalist so-called "journalism" that would embarrass Chick Young. The byline is John Mceachran which I assume must be pronounced Mc-keech-ran. Utter shite.
Read
0 comments
Read
0 comments
Shamelessly stolen from a Celtic forum
Re The Passion of the Christ:
"Absolutely dreadful the way that Mel Gibson has been treated over this. He's being absolutely crucified by the Jews."
0 comments
"Absolutely dreadful the way that Mel Gibson has been treated over this. He's being absolutely crucified by the Jews."
0 comments
A great idea
A Six Nations tournament for football, replacing friendlies - I like it. I'd prefer not to involve England (or more specifically, their xenophobic hoolie following) so maybe we could rotate the countries involved every year or two. And the Tartan Army should definitely get to pick some of the countries to visit...
Read
0 comments
Read
0 comments
Definitely not fans with typewriters
I've always liked the Sunday papers... even when I was a wee boy and I had to read my Dad's Sunday Post, Doug Baillie and all. I'm a favourer of the Sunday Herald over the SoS - it's miles better than its daily counterpart, which is little more than a tabloid these days.
This article isn't really the best of the Sunday Herald, but it's interesting because it shows that journalists just don't understand the motivations of football supporters. I'm not sure football supporters understand their motivation either, but Michael Grant expects people to stop turning up just because the product quality is appalling - which would be logical, and disloyal.
When times are bad you have to put in extra effort... and the 20,433 punters on Wednesday know that.
0 comments
This article isn't really the best of the Sunday Herald, but it's interesting because it shows that journalists just don't understand the motivations of football supporters. I'm not sure football supporters understand their motivation either, but Michael Grant expects people to stop turning up just because the product quality is appalling - which would be logical, and disloyal.
When times are bad you have to put in extra effort... and the 20,433 punters on Wednesday know that.
0 comments
Chick Young talks some kind of sense shocker
Albeit wrapped up in his usual pish. If even Chick Young can see that Clyde playing in Kilmarnock is stupid, then something is seriously wrong.
Read - BBC Sport
0 comments
Read - BBC Sport
0 comments
Homoerotica and Scottish Football
Alleged Rangers transfer target Tim Cahill scored Milwall's winning goal to send them to the FA Cup Final. I saw this photo on the Sporting Life website and I thought - the guy is ripped! There is not an ounce of fat on him. I dread to think what John Hartson would look like if he took his shirt off (most probably Tinky Winky, but maybe La La or Po).
Brings to mind Rangers getting humped 4-1 by Juventus in the Champions League in the mid-90s... afterwards, all Walter Smith could talk about was the size of Ravenelli's thighs - apparently it was a discussion point during the game between Walter and sidekick Archie Knox (you always wondered why they never won the Champions Cup, eh?).
And going further back, there was a letter in the Rangers News the week after Chris Woods was sent off against Celtic in 1987 - from a 14-year-old girl saying it had made her season 'cos he had to run off the field topless after giving his goalie's jersey to Graham Roberts. To be fair to her, he was quite buff and tanned...
0 comments
Brings to mind Rangers getting humped 4-1 by Juventus in the Champions League in the mid-90s... afterwards, all Walter Smith could talk about was the size of Ravenelli's thighs - apparently it was a discussion point during the game between Walter and sidekick Archie Knox (you always wondered why they never won the Champions Cup, eh?).
And going further back, there was a letter in the Rangers News the week after Chris Woods was sent off against Celtic in 1987 - from a 14-year-old girl saying it had made her season 'cos he had to run off the field topless after giving his goalie's jersey to Graham Roberts. To be fair to her, he was quite buff and tanned...
0 comments
Friday, April 02, 2004
Liam Miller
Big debate among the Celtic fraternity about whether or not Liam Miller should be booed for having the temerity to move to a bigger club. Strange, I thought they were the greatest fans in the world, so surely they should accept the decision of a young and ambitious player with good grace?
Or, will they show the grace they showed against the UEFA Cup victors - booing Porto as they received the trophy? Or, will they show the appreciation displayed to the man who single-handedly saved the club from its mid-90s shambles, Fergus McCann, who was jeered by a full house at an all-seated Parkhead, built with his money? (Oh the irony.)
For its part, the Herald is already starting the whitewash, in a piece entitled "Miller thanks Irish Celtic fans for welcoming him." (Read)
Yet Miller's quote, if you read it, is hardly celebrating the Celtic support:
"It was definitely a lovely feeling to get such a warm reception when I came on. There were probably a lot of Celtic fans at Lansdowne Road as well, but they were Irish fans on the night." ie. "I expect to get pelters from the Celtic support, I'm glad they didn't do it in Ireland as well."
I think you're lucky you're going to Man U, or you'd have had an entirely different reception, Liam.
Read - footymad Celtic forum
0 comments
Or, will they show the grace they showed against the UEFA Cup victors - booing Porto as they received the trophy? Or, will they show the appreciation displayed to the man who single-handedly saved the club from its mid-90s shambles, Fergus McCann, who was jeered by a full house at an all-seated Parkhead, built with his money? (Oh the irony.)
For its part, the Herald is already starting the whitewash, in a piece entitled "Miller thanks Irish Celtic fans for welcoming him." (Read)
Yet Miller's quote, if you read it, is hardly celebrating the Celtic support:
"It was definitely a lovely feeling to get such a warm reception when I came on. There were probably a lot of Celtic fans at Lansdowne Road as well, but they were Irish fans on the night." ie. "I expect to get pelters from the Celtic support, I'm glad they didn't do it in Ireland as well."
I think you're lucky you're going to Man U, or you'd have had an entirely different reception, Liam.
Read - footymad Celtic forum
0 comments
Berti Vogts - the answer!
The problem:
SFA can't afford to pay off Berti; don't have time to bring in a new manager before WC Qualifiers; no-one wants the job anyway.
The solution:
Rent him out to our opposition for a week before each game - they get full co-operation from Berti, he tells them anything they want to know.
Think about it - wouldn't you want 100% access to the strategies, tactics, and thinking of the opposition before vital international matches? Italy, Norway, and probably Slovenia could afford #100k per game; we could drop to #20-50k for Belarus and Moldova.
Given that Berti's main problem seems to be communicating his strategies, tactics, and thinking, this is a surefire winner. Our players never have a clue what he wants them to do - any link between how they play and what he wants them to do seems to be coincidental - so our team won't be any worse off; and the opposition will be totally fooled into thinking that what he tells them is how our team is actually going to play. Absolutely no downside.
With the money we make, the SFA will be able to afford to pay off his contract before the Moldova/Belarus double-header in June 2005, by which time Gordon Strachan's hip replacement will be complete, and he'll see us through to Germany.
David Taylor, I've just saved your job.
0 comments
SFA can't afford to pay off Berti; don't have time to bring in a new manager before WC Qualifiers; no-one wants the job anyway.
The solution:
Rent him out to our opposition for a week before each game - they get full co-operation from Berti, he tells them anything they want to know.
Think about it - wouldn't you want 100% access to the strategies, tactics, and thinking of the opposition before vital international matches? Italy, Norway, and probably Slovenia could afford #100k per game; we could drop to #20-50k for Belarus and Moldova.
Given that Berti's main problem seems to be communicating his strategies, tactics, and thinking, this is a surefire winner. Our players never have a clue what he wants them to do - any link between how they play and what he wants them to do seems to be coincidental - so our team won't be any worse off; and the opposition will be totally fooled into thinking that what he tells them is how our team is actually going to play. Absolutely no downside.
With the money we make, the SFA will be able to afford to pay off his contract before the Moldova/Belarus double-header in June 2005, by which time Gordon Strachan's hip replacement will be complete, and he'll see us through to Germany.
David Taylor, I've just saved your job.
0 comments
Champagne's been going to his head
Pre-match quote from Charlie Nicholas on Sky before the Scotland-Romania game: "I'm really pleased Alex Rae is in midfield as he's been outstanding for Wolves this season."
How much do they pay this guy?
0 comments
How much do they pay this guy?
0 comments
No football, just a joke
A little girl goes into a pet shop and says, "Excuse me mister, I want to buy a rabbit."
The pet shop owner asks, "Ah, what would you like, a little fluffy white one or a cute brown one?"
The girl replies, "I don't really think my python gives a f*ck."
0 comments
The pet shop owner asks, "Ah, what would you like, a little fluffy white one or a cute brown one?"
The girl replies, "I don't really think my python gives a f*ck."
0 comments
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Greatest Scotland Manager?
In an email I saw recently:
"In terms of motivation and single-handedly bringing the country to the very cusp of utopian hysteria (and home rule let's not forget) Ally was the greatest Scottish manager this side of William Wallace. Scotland under Ally feared no-one and strutted with a flamboyant panache that humbled the proudest of peacocks in arrogance." [(c) Malky]
Hard to argue with that. Even if Craig Brown had the '78 squad they would have played 3-5-2 with two central defenders in midfield.
The frustrating thing is, for the first time in years, I can see the makings of a team with flamboyant panache - McFadden, Fletcher, Burke, Ferguson, even Steven Thompson if you're talking arrogant swagger. But as long as Berti's in charge, he'll be fighting a defensive battle against the press, to the detriment of the team.
0 comments
"In terms of motivation and single-handedly bringing the country to the very cusp of utopian hysteria (and home rule let's not forget) Ally was the greatest Scottish manager this side of William Wallace. Scotland under Ally feared no-one and strutted with a flamboyant panache that humbled the proudest of peacocks in arrogance." [(c) Malky]
Hard to argue with that. Even if Craig Brown had the '78 squad they would have played 3-5-2 with two central defenders in midfield.
The frustrating thing is, for the first time in years, I can see the makings of a team with flamboyant panache - McFadden, Fletcher, Burke, Ferguson, even Steven Thompson if you're talking arrogant swagger. But as long as Berti's in charge, he'll be fighting a defensive battle against the press, to the detriment of the team.
0 comments
Stand up, if you... sit down, sit down
Saw some jobsworth on Sky Sports News banging on about it being unsafe to stand up in all-seater stadiums - Man U fans are being punished because they dare to do it. This particular idiot even had the temerity to mention Hillsborough, which really got on my t*ts.
Trafford Council have produced (and leaked) a report on the matter, in which they concede that standing up throughout the game is safer than jumping up when (eg) a goal is scored. But really, what do people expect? Do they want us to be strapped in to our seats? Why don't they just put a disclaimer on all match tickets, like you get on a ski lift pass - "Watching football can be dangerous, holder accepts all risks".
Borussia Dortmund get the highest average crowds in Europe, and they have terracing behind the goals. Why? Because standing up to watch football is safe.
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Trafford Council have produced (and leaked) a report on the matter, in which they concede that standing up throughout the game is safer than jumping up when (eg) a goal is scored. But really, what do people expect? Do they want us to be strapped in to our seats? Why don't they just put a disclaimer on all match tickets, like you get on a ski lift pass - "Watching football can be dangerous, holder accepts all risks".
Borussia Dortmund get the highest average crowds in Europe, and they have terracing behind the goals. Why? Because standing up to watch football is safe.
Read - BBC News
0 comments
Bobo Balde has nothing to worry about
Same old
A 2-1 loss against Romania - probably a better result than I expected, and listening to the Internet radio feed it sounded a pretty dull game. The point of these games is surely to experiment and learn - but what did Berti take from this game? I'd be interested to hear, but it's probably not a question that's been asked.
Avoiding a slaughter is probably enough to keep Berti around, and as long as we don't get murdered in Denmark I expect to see him in charge to start the WC qualifiers.
Martin O'Neill must be massively pissed off though.
Read - Guardian
0 comments
Avoiding a slaughter is probably enough to keep Berti around, and as long as we don't get murdered in Denmark I expect to see him in charge to start the WC qualifiers.
Martin O'Neill must be massively pissed off though.
Read - Guardian
0 comments
