SPL Discussion Thread

[Junior]

a nil nil draw will do me. With the odd injury & red card thrown in for good measure!! Is that unsporting? ah well......................

[Junior]

Good win for the jambo's - thoroughly deserved 1-0 victory. 4 first half subs through injury (2 rangers & 2 hearts). A few pen decisions not given 1 for each side. 8 wins out of 8. Play Celtic at Celtic Park in 2 weeks time, their first away game versus Celtic or Rangers. Rangers travel to Milan, even if by some miracle they can manage a result, the fixture congestion will surely affect what appears to be a fairly weak squad. Hearts remain 5 points clear of celtic on 25 points.

Celtic beat ICT in a fairly scrappy affair. Poor finishing on Celtics part. Beattie scored a brace after we went 1-0 down, though he could (and should) have had a hatrick in the first half. Second spot on 19 points

A good 3-1 away victory for Hibs at Motherwell keeping them in 3rd spot. thirs spot on 16 points.

Killie 4th on 14 points and Rangers fifth on 13 points. Is there a risk Rangers won't make the split????? :-)

CIS qtr final draw see Celtic host Rangers whilst Hibs will surely fancy their chances of a semi final spot.

Celtic v Rangers
Dunfermline Athletic v Hibernian
Livingston v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Motherwell v Aberdeen


Finally it didn't take our own Graham Barrett long to join the long queue of paranoid fenians in scottish fitba albeit not from a Glasgow stance!!!


GRAHAM Barrett is convinced that the bias of Scottish officials towards the game's bigger clubs denied Livingston their first league victory under the stewardship of Paul Lambert at Pittodrie on Saturday.




http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1993812005

[sligoman]

Hearts striker Roman Bednar faces an anxious wait to discover the extent of the damage to his knee.

Bednar helped Hearts maintain their 100% league record when he netted the only goal of the game against Rangers on Saturday.

But joy quickly turned to agony when he limped out of the action with suspected lateral ligament damage.

Scottish Premier League leaders Hearts are enjoying their best start to a league campaign for over 90 years but Czech star Bednar fears he could be forced to miss out on weeks of action.

[Poor Student]

Good win for Celtic today, 5-0 against Livingston at Almonvale. Rangers won 5-1 today too against Dunfermline at Ibrox. Apparently not as convincing a win as the scoreline suggested. Noel Hunt grabbed Dunfermline's solitary goal.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Good win for Celtic today, 5-0 against Livingston at Almonvale. Rangers won 5-1 today too against Dunfermline at Ibrox. Apparently not as convincing a win as the scoreline suggested. Noel Hunt grabbed Dunfermline's solitary goal.
Well always have thought Noel Hunt to be a good player. One of nature's gentelmen as well. But then he's from Waterford... isn't that right Partizan?:D

[Poor Student]

Well always have thought Noel Hunt to be a good player. One of nature's gentelmen as well. But then he's from Waterford... isn't that right Partizan?:D

He's someone who the Rangers fans quickly took a dislike to. He's a player who brings good character to the pitch and a very hard worker. Was disappointed to see him leave to head to Scotland. He's never quite set the place alight over there often not finding it so easy to tie down a starting role.

[Plastic Paddy]

He's someone who the Rangers fans quickly took a dislike to. He's a player who brings good character to the pitch and a very hard worker. Was disappointed to see him leave to head to Scotland. He's never quite set the place alight over there often not finding it so easy to tie down a starting role.

Like it or not, the fact that he's Irish is the main reason for their dislike of him. It has nothing to do with his "good character" or hard work.

:ball: PP

[CollegeTillIDie]

Like it or not, the fact that he's Irish is the main reason for their dislike of him. It has nothing to do with his "good character" or hard work.

:ball: PP

Well I think it's not only his nationality it is probably to do with what foot he digs with as well, that has him out of favour in the orange corner.:o

[Poor Student]

Now now gents don't stray down that path.

Hearts finally failed to win a game today. They snatched a 2-2 draw with ten men. An unusual hattrick by captain Pressley for Hearts. One O.G. and two goals in the other end.:p

The validity of Hearts' challenge for the title will be tested in a fortnight when they play Celtic in Glasgow. Celtic have been quietly gathering steam since their awful start to the season. If they can beat Hearts they'll go level on points.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Sounds like a laugh Gerrit, but I despise 'fans' who do this.

I'll bet they never go to watch Irish League football and have turned their back on their local teams.

Apparently there's even an Accrington Stanley supporters club in Omagh. That's the same Omagh who's own senior club side recently went out of business, by the way....

The Dublin branch of the Blackburn Rovers fan club has had up to 400 members in recent years - and mostly Irish. Doubtless all real passionate football fans - who couldn't even tell you if Tolka was on the north or south side of the city. Absolutely absurd. Whipping's too good for them...

Well said Steve lad

[Poor Student]

CTID lets not resurface that. That kind of talk is contrary to the rules of this thread and forum.

[CollegeTillIDie]

What the part about people turning their back on their local teams?
I believe they( i.e the ones down here) should burn their passports and go to the Brit Embassy and get one for where their real allegiance lies ! :D

[joeSoap]

Celtic scout out Clarke
05/10/2005 - 10:16:59

Celtic have appointed Ray Clarke as their new head of international scouting.

The former Tottenham, Ajax and Bruges player joins the Hoops from Newcastle where was chief scout.

Clarke will be involved in restructuring the club’s entire operation throughout Britain, Europe and beyond in a role which have overall responsibility for all professional scouting.

He previously worked with Celtic manager Gordon Strachan at Coventry and Southampton.

Strachan said: “It is a big job to reconstruct the club’s scouting operation, but Ray will be more than capable of doing this.

“His experience and footballing contacts throughout the world will ensure he will be a great asset to Celtic both in the present and the future.”

[tetsujin1979]

Interview with Nakamura on fifa.com - http://www.fifa.com/en/news/interview/0,4323,110314-N,00.html?articleid=110314

[sligoman]

Celtic draw with Hearts 1-1 and Rangers draw with Dundee United 0-0.

------------P---W--D--L--F---A--Pts
Hearts------10--8--2--0--24--7---26
Celtic------10---7--2--1--25--10--23
Hibernian---10---6--1--3--19--12---19
Rangers-----10--5--2--3--18--10---17

Rangers falling behind already:eek:

[Gerrit]

Are we finally, after years of boredom, going to have a new champion instead of always one of the same old two Glaswegian clubs?

I am starting to really believe in it. Hearts impressed so far, but we didn't know if they could keep it up when facing the Old Firm. Now we know they can: they played both Rangers and Celtic and none of them was able to beat them. I start to really believe the Old Firm will be challenged for real for the first time in ages...

Not that I am a Hearts fan (Inverness for me!) but it would be so nice to see another team winning the championship and stop the boring two-teams-show.

[geysir]

What do you make of the story that Martin O Neill is on a retainer of £1/2m
for the purposes of consultancy? I can't imagine Gordon to be on the phone to him every night.

[eirebhoy]

What do you make of the story that Martin O Neill is on a retainer of £1/2m
for the purposes of consultancy? I can't imagine Gordon to be on the phone to him every night.
Basically MON earned Celtic so much success that the club don't want to leave him with no income while he's looking after his wife. Strachan said that's how it works in football and both Coventry and Soton "helped him out" for at least a year after he left them.

[drinkfeckarse]

Basically MON earned Celtic so much success that the club don't want to leave him with no income while he's looking after his wife. Strachan said that's how it works in football and both Coventry and Soton "helped him out" for at least a year after he left them.

You can't be serious Eirebhoy?? I'm not sure if you're taking the p!ss because you're normally on the ball. They are not "helping him" out because he has no income, he earned £1m a year at Celtic for the last 2 seasons. He obviously had that negotiated in his last contract or negotiated a consultancy deal when he left.

Southampton and Coventry wouldn't have helped out Strachan either just for the sake of it, more likely that they continued to pay the remainder of his contract instead of paying him off in one lump sum.

[Junior]

The Reality is that MON was on a Rolling 12 month contract. He will have negotiated a settlement package for himself and celtic to part company. Celtic will be paying some part (if not all) of that 12 month contract. I think Eirebhoy is not completely wrong, in that the value agreed will in some part be reflective on MON's success and the reasons for his resignation.

[eirebhoy]

You can't be serious Eirebhoy?? I'm not sure if you're taking the p!ss because you're normally on the ball. They are not "helping him" out because he has no income, he earned £1m a year at Celtic for the last 2 seasons. He obviously had that negotiated in his last contract or negotiated a consultancy deal when he left.

Southampton and Coventry wouldn't have helped out Strachan either just for the sake of it, more likely that they continued to pay the remainder of his contract instead of paying him off in one lump sum.
Strachan:

"Martin is more than happy to get in touch with me any time he wants.

"But that's a deal - if it's true - which was set up between the directors and Martin and that's fine.

"As a matter of fact, up until a couple of months ago, I was still getting looked after by Coventry and, after I left Southampton, I got looked after by them for a year and that's what happens.

"I wasn't helping Harry Redknapp and I definitely wasn't helping Gary McAllister or the rest of the boys at Coventry.

"That's the way it happens sometimes when your contract is up and there are some things you have to tidy up and Celtic have tidied that up with Martin.

"So that's not a problem and I'm sure Martin wouldn't want to step on my toes in any way.

[KR's Post]

George Burley has parted company with SPL leaders Heart Of Midlothian. It is thought an uneasy relationship between major shareholder Vladimir Romonov and Burley was the reason behind his departure.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/4367202.stm
This is shocking lads. Where do hearts go from here?

[Terry]

George Burley has parted company with SPL leaders Heart Of Midlothian. It is thought an uneasy relationship between major shareholder Vladimir Romonov and Burley was the reason behind his departure.

This is shocking lads. Where do hearts go from here?


On to win the league:)

[B-Stand]

George Burley is understood to have parted company with SPL leaders Hearts.

The news is sure to send shock waves through Scottish football, which had been revitalised in recent weeks following Hearts' resurgence.

Burley is known to have been frustrated by the hands-on role of owner Vladimir Romanov and, despite Hearts' great start to the Scottish season, their relationship looks to have come to an abrupt end.

The news comes before Hearts' SPL clash with Dunfermline, but the club have confirmed a statement will be made later on Saturday evening.



Is that the sound of a bubble bursting I hear?:D There's only 1 team in Edinburgh:cool:

[Dodge]

2nd club in a row Burley left the club in mysterious circumstances

[B-Stand]

Where do hearts go from here?


Hopefully downhill :p

Burley for Ireland? :eek:

[B-Stand]

Rumour mill has it that he's gonna replace the Ginger Judas at Ibrox

[KR's Post]

Burley for Ireland? :eek:

Maybe..... You would never no????:eek:

[gustavo]

hearts are fooked now as i feel the only reason they were up that high was cos of him , always struck me as a good manager , he has improved the lot of all the clubs he has been with so i feel that if he was to be considered for the irish job it wouldnt be a bad thing!

[sligoman]

Today's results:

Hearts 2-0 Dunfermline

Rangers 2-0 Motherwell.

[razor]

Frm BBC Website
Manager George Burley has dramatically parted ways with Premier League leaders Hearts because of "irreconcilable differences" with the Tynecastle board.
Hearts chairman George Foulkes said it had been "mutually agreed" that Burley would leave with "immediate effect".

Foulkes refused to comment further, citing a confidentiality agreement signed by Burley and the club.

Burley, 49, arrived at Tynecastle in the summer and leaves with Hearts unbeaten and top of the SPL table.

Throughout his short reign, rumours persisted about an uneasy relationship between Burley and major shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

The sensational news comes the day after Romanov announced a bid to take private control of the club.

Hearts coach John McGlynn took control of the first team for Saturday's 2-0 win over Dunfermline.
And he will remain in charge until a replacement is found.

"It is important that we look to the future," continued Foulkes. "The club is greater than any individual.

"We want to compete with Celtic and Rangers for a Champions League place and we will take the time necessary to find a top class manager.

"Naturally, I'm not happy at having to make this statement but there is no point looking to the past.

"We are determined to go from strength to strength."

Burley resigned his post at Derby County in June claiming his position was "untenable" after falling out with director of football Murdo Mackay.

At the time, Derby chairman John Sleightholme accused him of not making clear "his real reasons" for stepping down.

Burley moved to Tynecastle and set about rebuilding a team with the help of Romanov's considerable personal funding.

Unusually, Romanov himself identified several of Hearts' new faces, although Burley was adamant that he had "total control over selection".

Romanov, who now owns 55.5% of the shareholding at Hearts, arrived at Tynecastle in February.

And John Robertson resigned as manager in May after just seven months in the job.

Robertson, now boss at Ross County, was offered a lesser coaching role by Romanov but chose to step down.

[liam88]

Hopefulyl it'[s all downhill from here for the Hearts :D
Shame they didn't go bankrupt a few seasons back ;)

[sligoman]

Hearts captain Steven Pressley has expressed the bitter disappointment at the departure of manager George Burley.

The former Derby and Ipswich boss has left Tynecastle despite guiding the club to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Hearts chairman George Foulkes has cited 'irreconcilable differences' for the exit of Burley but insists the departure was 'mutually agreed'.

Pressley said: 'I was bitterly disappointed because the manager had become a very popular figure in the dressing room.'

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p225.htm

[sligoman]

Bobby Robson has indicated he may be interested in the suddenly vacant managerial position at Hearts.

George Burley surprisingly left the Bank of Scotland Premier League leaders yesterday after just 113 days in charge

It has been suggested Burley had differences with club owner Vladimir Romanov but former England and Newcastle boss Robson insists he has no problem with the Lithuanian.

Robson, 72, said in the Mail on Sunday: 'I didn't take the Hearts job before for personal reasons but my circumstances are different now.'

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/p225.htm

[eirebhoy]

Hopefulyl it'[s all downhill from here for the Hearts :D
Shame they didn't go bankrupt a few seasons back ;)
Jaysus, most fans want to enter the premiership yet we're afraid of a bit of competition up in Scotland. :)

[dcfcsteve]

Feck the pro-$eltic gloating.

Hearts resurgence has been great for Scottish football, which has been virtually flat-lining for the last decade.

Hopefully the Jamobos can still win the league, and turn that Caledonian footballing mnorgue into a properly competitive league for a change....

[liam88]

Jaysus, most fans want to enter the premiership yet we're afraid of a bit of competition up in Scotland. :)
Not about that really....I just hate Hearts as a club :D; always have, always will. Good for Scottish football or not I'd be happier without them (treading on dodgy ground if I go any further)

[JoeSemi]

Let's hope this isn't the beginning of the Jam Tarts demise. They've been superb this season and deserve a manager who, like Burley, can continue to upset the status quo in Scotland. There are hard questions for Romanov to answer over Burleys exit and unless he gets it right next time Hearts fans won't forgive and forget.

[sligoman]

Motherwell manager Terry Butcher admits he was blown away by the performance of Celtic in Wednesday night’s Scottish Premier League clash at Parkhead.

Celtic coasted to a 5-0 victory courtesy of a hat-trick from Stilian Petrov and goals from Shaun Maloney and Shunsuke Nakamura.

And Well boss Butcher was taken with the display of Gordon Strachan’s side, which was a far cry from the shambolic display in a 4-4 draw on the opening day of the season.

He said: “The balance of their team now is very good. The 4-4 game was a one-off and Gordon said that. They are certainly getting used to each other now.

"This Celtic team are gaining momentum and getting better and better. They’re irresistible and move the ball so well from back to front.

“They’re a phenomenal side and if they keep this momentum going then who knows what they can achieve?"

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/celtic/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=19728

[Pat O' Banton]

Leaving aside my through dislike for the fans of Hearts I was a bit disappointed to see Burlely go, they gave an execlent performance at Parkhead and unlike what we've witnessed for year after year by most clubs at Parkhead they continued attacking right up to the end. DCFCSteve is right, Scottish football was dying on its ar*e for years but this year with more cometition there has been an air of excitement at Celtic Park, the Hearts game was the first non OF/Big Euro night or title winning game where I have sen such a scarcity of tickets around Parkhead. More teams challengiing can only be good for the SPL in the long run. (unfortunately it looks like it will only be a two horse race yet again;) :D - still that one more horse then is in the Greatest League in the universe {copyright Skypsorts and Ingerlish tabloids})

[Junior]

McGeady got 10 minutes at the end if the mtherwell, looked busy but not enough time to make any real impact and obviusly celtic were coasting at that stage. Still it shows he is in Strachans thoughts.

[sligoman]

Hearts lost 2-0 to Hibernian today:D. Celtic to go top tomorrow:). Also, Rangers drew 1-1 to Inverness

[holidaysong]

Most interesting start to an SPL season in recent years, it is refreshing not to see the old-firm racing away with it. I hope the title goes to Edinburgh this season. :) Although with Hearts losing today and with the departure of their manager it may not happen...

[sligoman]

I hope the title goes to Edinburgh this season. :) Although with Hearts losing today and with the departure of their manager it may not happen...Eh, dont rule Hibernian out just yet;)

[holidaysong]

I can't see it happening but if Derek Riordan keeps on form for them then maybe they can get into Europe again. My brother is a Hibs fan and I think he says a wee prayer every night that they can hold onto him.. :D

[Plastic Paddy]

It's certainly been the most interesting start to a SPL season that I can remember for many a year. I'll be raising a glass to Craig Dargo tonight and hoping that Celtic can capitalise on the Jambos' slip-up today.

As an aside, I've just seen posted on the BBC website that Hearts are keen to talk to Brian Kerr about their still-vacant manager post. Now that would give an interesting twist to things in Scotland...

:ball: PP

[holidaysong]

As an aside, I've just seen posted on the BBC website that Hearts are keen to talk to Brian Kerr about their still-vacant manager post. Now that would give an interesting twist to things in Scotland...

:ball: PP

Interesting stuff indeed...

[liam88]

Celtic-back where we belong :D :D
Best weekend of football in a looong time-Caley delievered where it was needed as did the Hibs! Celtic top of the league and long may it continue-I bet Strachen loved the fans singing otu his name at the end of the match today-great to see Stephen PEarson getting one, Chris Sutton making up (twice!!) for the blunder and big John gettin his 99th in the hoops!

erm....Hail! Hail! ;)

[Junior]

Hearts CEO is sacked and the chairman then resigns - not good for Hearts to have all this going on in the background after losing to their arch rivals at the weekend - can they bounce back? Home game against Dundee Utd at the weekend. Meanwhile Roman Romanov Vladimir's son steps in as CEO.

Huns got a 2-2 away draw against Artmedia in the CL. After starting his career with the huns in excellent form keeping Klos out of the side, waterrus in now starting to make Rab Douglas look like Lev Yashin!!!! What a howler for Bratislavas equaliser. Rangers are 10 points behind both Celtic and Hearts in the League and November has some tough fixtures for them Celtic twice away (once in the CIS cup) away to Hibs and Home to Aberdeen, not to mention a trip to Porto in the CL. Will Big Eck still be around come December???

Celtic have been scoring freely our last 2 games goals coming from midfield and attack. defense still doesn't look a solid defensive unit but is improving. Strachan has us playing some decent football - need to ensure a win against Rangers in the League game on 19th November. Need to try and get Stan Petrov signing an extension pronto!!!! before he disappears to pastures new.

[geysir]

Surely despite your loyalties you were cheering for Rangers if only for selfish reasons.
I have only seen Hartson this season in the Wales v England game. He looked a long long way from the player who once turned on a sixpence to score a great goal for Celtic somewhere in the Iberian peninsula. I thought Strachan was a stickler for player fitness. I wonder how does Hartson manage to get his place on the team with little or no visible mobility?