SPL Discussion Thread

[Stuttgart88]

Strachan's unpoulatrity may have stemmed from those with long memories who saw him as part of an Aberdeen team that was a tough opponent. I think Strachan's dealings in the transfer market were questionable but in fairness Celtic are now debt free.

[YNWA]

It was time for Strachan to go but in fairness he did a decent job with a very average group of players. Won 3 out of 4 league titles, now that is fairly respectable

[eirebhoy]

He was succesful and I backed him for over 3 years but the football this season was dreadful. It's been getting worse since season 1. I think most managers would have played Naka in central midfield as he does for Japan which could have made all the difference.

Anyway, excitement now at Celtic Park. I'll look forward to the daily rumour mill.

[old git]

He was succesful and I backed him for over 3 years but the football this season was dreadful. It's been getting worse since season 1. I think most managers would have played Naka in central midfield as he does for Japan which could have made all the difference.

Anyway, excitement now at Celtic Park. I'll look forward to the daily rumour mill.

already surprised no rumours of possible replacements yet.... is neill lennon in the frame now for manager :ball:

[eirebhoy]

Lennon won't even be a contender. Owen Coyle is the bookies favourite which would be understandable if he didn't just get Burnley promoted. I'd say Tony Mowbray is the real favourite. I'd happily take either of those.

[rambler14]

Strachans signing policy stank from Day 1 at Celtic Park......was always going to go after this year.

[old git]

Lennon won't even be a contender. Owen Coyle is the bookies favourite which would be understandable if he didn't just get Burnley promoted. I'd say Tony Mowbray is the real favourite. I'd happily take either of those.

apperantly mowbray is the bookies favourite .. and strachan has recomended mark mc ghee as his replacement... i think as burnley just been promoted to preimership owen coyle would be mad to leave now :ball:

[sláinte101]

Whats the future for mcgeady? Mcourt? Mcginn? and Flood? do you think!!!!

Mcgeady gone????

[Hibs4Ever]

Lennon won't even be a contender. Owen Coyle is the bookies favourite which would be understandable if he didn't just get Burnley promoted. I'd say Tony Mowbray is the real favourite. I'd happily take either of those.




I think Mowbray would be your best option. Excellent manager IMO


Heard David O'Leary being mentioned too

[awec]

Can't see it being Coyle.

I think your two most likely are McGhee and Mowbray.

[Torn-Ado]

McGhee, Mowbray ffs :(

[EAFC_rdfl]

slavin bilic wants the job according to his agent, an ex celt himself. please just give him it! it would be a great move i reckon and could lead to unearthing some good players from eastern europe.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Mick McCarthy anyone?

[old git]

Mick McCarthy anyone?

steve staunton :D:D:D

[Stuttgart88]

McGhee, Mowbray ffs :(Both would be decent I'd say.

I think Mowbray's rural accent makes him sound less clever than he is.

[eirebhoy]

It seems Owen Coyle is the man.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8070586.stm

Bilic would be very exciting appointment but I've been reading about Coyle for the last hour in work and I'd be delighted to get him. I didn't think there was any hope after getting Burnley up.

[Ciprian Marica]

slavin bilic wants the job according to his agent, an ex celt himself. please just give him it! it would be a great move i reckon and could lead to unearthing some good players from eastern europe.

Did he play for Celtic? Don't recall that.

[eirebhoy]

Did he play for Celtic? Don't recall that.
Bilic's agent he's talking about.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1188369/EXCLUSIVE-Croatia-coach-Bilic-eyes-Parkhead-post-Coyle-Celtics-choice.html?ITO=1490

[OwlsFan]

Terrible thing to say but a man might be alive today if Celtic had won the league

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/mcdaidk.html

but then again they probably would have gone on a rampage if Rangers had lost. Just an excuse I suspect.

[OwlsFan]

What do the Celtic fans think about the rumours of Tony Mowbray provided Celtic pay the 2 million? Ex-player and also good experience at Hibs. Looks a good choice.

[MickNolan]

http://i44.tinypic.com/aka1wz.jpg

New gers kit apparently...

[OwlsFan]

Just thought I'd bump this thread for those who would like to read some of Eirebhoy's contributions over the years. He certainly wore green and white glasses!

[ArdeeBhoy]

Just thought I'd bump this thread for those who would like to read some of Eirebhoy's contributions over the years. He certainly wore green and white glasses!

Thanks for that.

[OwlsFan]

Good to see Hibs challenging the hegemony of the Old Firm but how long this will last, I am not sure. Other than Aberdeen many moons ago, I can't really remember any other team really competing for top spot except possibly Dundee United.

[Acornvilla]

Good to see Hibs challenging the hegemony of the Old Firm but how long this will last, I am not sure. Other than Aberdeen many moons ago, I can't really remember any other team really competing for top spot except possibly Dundee United.
hearts could have won the league only for george burleys sacking a few YEARs ago? the won the first 10 league matches that season did they not?

[DeLorean]

Won their first 8 according to this (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/results?id=262&season=2005&cc=5739&_league=all). Won the Scottish Cup also that season. That was mental getting rid of Burley although they still did reasonably well after him leaving. They would have been hard pressed to match Celtic's 91pts even if he stayed I'd imagine.

[tetsujin1979]

Burnley wasn't sacked, he left of his own accord, he was unhappy with the way the new owner, Romanov, had been running the club. Rumours abounded that he was interfering with team selection and purchasing of new players.

[DeLorean]

Burnley wasn't sacked, he left of his own accord, he was unhappy with the way the new owner, Romanov, had been running the club. Rumours abounded that he was interfering with team selection and purchasing of new players.

Sorry yeah. He was pretty much forced to leave though because they wouldn't even give him full control over team selection. It was an impossible situation so he may as well have been sacked.

[Acornvilla]

Burnley wasn't sacked, he left of his own accord, he was unhappy with the way the new owner, Romanov, had been running the club. Rumours abounded that he was interfering with team selection and purchasing of new players.
wel no0t sacked but as good as forced out of the club

[galwayjames]

wel no0t sacked but as good as forced out of the club

Romanov was an idiot, if he'd let things alone they could possibly have won the league. I'm glad they didn't though :)

[Acornvilla]

Romanov was an idiot, if he'd let things alone they could possibly have won the league. I'm glad they didn't though :)
he is still an idiot :D

[OwlsFan]

How bad are Celtic this year? Surprising as I thought Mowbray would do a good job. Surprised they let Nakamura go as he seemed to be their only creative player. Mind you Rangers aren't much better either.

[DeLorean]

I wasn't really sure where the optimism regarding Mowbray's appointment stemmed from. He got huge, completely undeserved (imo), praise for the way he had West Brom playing in the PL last season. The fact that he had them trying to play decent football when they were struggling was seen as a good thing, but I definitely didn't agree, nor did I think they were all that pretty to watch. The had won the Championship ahead of Stoke and Hull the season before, yet finished 13 points behind Stoke in the PL. I enjoyed watching Stoke far more than West Brom during the season also, at least they were competitive and direct.

Already at Celtic he's managed to turn Celtic Park into a comfortable setting for a European away game and they were also knocked out of the League Cup there. Yesterday they lost to Dundee United for the first time in over a decade, the two goals conceded were straight from the Rafa Benitez school of defending set pieces.

[WexCar]

Surprised they let Nakamura go as he seemed to be their only creative player.

As far as I know Nakamura wanted to leave as his contract ran out at the end of the season, initially he was going to go back to Japan but got an offer from Espanyol and decided to take it. So they couldnt do much about him leavin.

[Junior]

Its bad this season - no question.

Celtic have been pi$$ poor - schoolboy defending as Delorean has said. Fortress Celtic Park? More like "Come in put your feet up and make yourself at home before helping yourself to a few cakes" Celtic Park!!

We've gone from losing I think 2 CL games at home in Europe over the course of 5 or 6 seasons to losing 3 and drawing 1 under Mowbray in half a season.

Fortune, Samaras, McDonald - all playing rank rotten at the moment. Not that any of them would be deemed really good players at any rate. Centre Backs of McManus, Caldwell (looking for a pay increase to 20k per week??), Loovens all well below par - O'Dea would have got a great chance in the side had he still been here (at least he is getting game time at Reading).

McGeady has done reasonably well this season - though far from superb.

Its poor, no question. As Colbert Report said on another thread it is a different league to say 2 or 3 seasons ago, no money, resulting in lower standard of players. Apathy on the terraces to boot.

Rangers exit from the CL last night was meek - 3 home defeats. They are also a poor side.

They are skint - on the verge of bankruptcy - if they get offered any money for Bougherra or Boyd then they'll be sold and it will only get worse for them.

It will be interesting to see how the other sides fare. Quite often we will have one other club pushing Celtic/Rangers up until Christmas and then fade away. However this year there are a few other clubs still well within touching distance and with Celtic and Rangers both dropping points regularly its hard to see a real gap appearing.

Team P GD PTS
1 Rangers 11 13 25
2 Celtic 12 11 24
3 Hibernian 12 8 22
4 Dundee Utd 11 8 22
5 Motherwell 12 3 19

I really cant remember the last time it was that close after 12 games (1/3 of the season) gone.

Hopefully Levein remains Dundee Utds manager - I really rate and like him - passionate guy, though the pull of the Scotland National job might come soon enough.

Yogi Hughes is also a good guy and have Hibs playing well with a few Irish, key members of his team.

Even though the top two are slipping and the standard of football is noticeably worse than previous seasons it might actually make for a more interesting title race - lets see how the next few months go.

[galwayjames]

I really cant remember the last time it was that close after 12 games (1/3 of the season) gone.

I think Hibs were level on 25 pts with Celtic and Rangers at one stage in 07/08 before John Collins left.

[Junior]

I think Hibs were level on 25 pts with Celtic and Rangers at one stage in 07/08 before John Collins left.

Yeah there is usually one other team that stays close up until Christmas. Hearts came 2nd not that long ago.

What I meant was to have 3 other clubs (i.e. top 5) all still within a few points of each other at this stage of the season hasnt happened for years and years.

[OwlsFan]

Rangers lose. Celtic win. All change again. :D

[Acornvilla]

Rangers lose. Celtic win. All change again. :D
hapry days come on dundee or hibs!! :D

[galwayjames]

hapry days come on dundee or hibs!! :D

yeah it would be great to see hibernian finish second!

[Junior]

Rangers lose. Celtic win. All change again. :D

Hibs won and Dundee Utd/Motherwell took a point off each other.

Next week;

Celtic at home to Aberdeen (who beat Rangers this week albeit at Pittodrie)
Rangers away to bottom placed Falkirk
3rd placed Hibs play 5th place Motherwell at home.

P GD PTS
1 Celtic 13 13 27
2 Rangers 12 12 25
3 Hibernian 13 10 25
4 Dundee Utd 12 8 23
5 Motherwell 13 3 20
6 Aberdeen 13 0 18

Dundee Utd and Rangers have a game in hand, though its against each other, so it will be interesting to see if Dundee Utd could win that and keep right in the mix (Its at Tannadice).

[Acornvilla]

Hibs won and Dundee Utd/Motherwell took a point off each other.

Next week;

Celtic at home to Aberdeen (who beat Rangers this week albeit at Pittodrie)
Rangers away to bottom placed Falkirk
3rd placed Hibs play 5th place Motherwell at home.

P GD PTS
1 Celtic 13 13 27
2 Rangers 12 12 25
3 Hibernian 13 10 25
4 Dundee Utd 12 8 23
5 Motherwell 13 3 20
6 Aberdeen 13 0 18

Dundee Utd and Rangers have a game in hand, though its against each other, so it will be interesting to see if Dundee Utd could win that and keep right in the mix (Its at Tannadice).


i watched the match between dundee and rangers that was posponed due to the rain a few weeks ago. dundee were very good but rangers had one chance and scored so it will be a very close game come on sean dillon :)

Hibs should beat motherwell so it will be close up until christmas atleast

[Junior]

Team P GD PTS
1 Celtic 14 16 30
2 Rangers 13 14 28
3 Hibernian 14 12 28
4 Dundee Utd 13 9 26
5 Motherwell 14 1 20
6 Aberdeen 14 -3 18



Top 4 all won.

McGeady had a good game for Celtic, including a nice assist proving he does have a decent final ball in him, just needs to deliver it more often! Mowbray and team mates very public in their appreciation of Aidens qualities in this weeks media.

Stokes scores a couple for Hibs, bringing him to 5 this season (4 in the league).

Celtic away at Fir Park (live on TV 12:30 Sat). Should result in a Celtic win and see Motherwell drift away from the pack. Though Fir Park has been a terrible pitch for as long as I can remember and especially at this time of the year. I havent seen what its like at the moment, could have a bearing though.

The other 3 all play against bottom half of the table sides. Rangers at home to St. Johnstone, Hibs away to Killie and Dundee Utd away to Hearts.

Good chance of the top 4 all winning again.

The Dundee Utd v Rangers replay then takes place on the following Tuesday.

[OwlsFan]

I watched the Motherwell vs Celtic game. Very entertaining game. Lovely goals by both McGeady and the sub who came on (name eludes me).

I see the Forfar manager is in trouble for singing "loyalist" songs in Spain. WOnder what the Rangers fans were doing in an Irish bar ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/forfar_athletic/8411000.stm

[spudgunn007]

I watched the Motherwell vs Celtic game. Very entertaining game. Lovely goals by both McGeady and the sub who came on (name eludes me).

I see the Forfar manager is in trouble for singing "loyalist" songs in Spain. WOnder what the Rangers fans were doing in an Irish bar ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/forfar_athletic/8411000.stm

Marc Antoine Fortune is the lad your looking for. Thought Celtics 3 goals were top drawer. Very good result considering the run of form Murderwell are having

[Junior]

I watched the Motherwell vs Celtic game. Very entertaining game. Lovely goals by both McGeady and the sub who came on (name eludes me).

I see the Forfar manager is in trouble for singing "loyalist" songs in Spain. WOnder what the Rangers fans were doing in an Irish bar ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/forfar_athletic/8411000.stm


Fortune (formerly of West Brom) - great couple of first touches - inspired substitution as they say!! He's been either woeful or injured since arriving - hopefully that does his confidence the world of good.

Top 2 won, 3rd and 4th drew.

Another goal for Stokes this weekend (see below from 3:15) - Quick freekick and a nice finish with his right peg. Hibs unbeaten in 11 SPL games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/8410847.stm

[Junior]

Rangers go top with a 3-0 defeat of Dundee Utd.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I see the Forfar manager is in trouble for singing "loyalist" songs in Spain. WOnder what the Rangers fans were doing in an Irish bar ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/f/forfar_athletic/8411000.stm

Like their Tan cousins they're pretty hypocritical when it comes to it....

[OwlsFan]

Rangers go top with a 3-0 defeat of Dundee Utd.

Surfed between that game and Birmingham vs Bolton. Dundee were very disappointing from what I saw of them. Soon to be a two horse race again unless Hibs get something against Rangers over Christmas.

What has happened to Willo Flood these days? Is he still at Celtic?

[Junior]

Surfed between that game and Birmingham vs Bolton. Dundee were very disappointing from what I saw of them. Soon to be a two horse race again unless Hibs get something against Rangers over Christmas.

What has happened to Willo Flood these days? Is he still at Celtic?

Flood is still at Celtic. Hasnt featured much under Mowbray (or indeed under Strachan who signed him). Looks like he'll be heading out on Loan in January with a permanent move in the summer.

Recent comment here> http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11787_5771292,00.html


EDIT: > Though he may actually feature in the game against Rapid Vienna on Thursday (Its a dead tie with Celitc already out of Europe - This is more than likely on TV though I havent checked yet.)

And, following Saturday' s win at Motherwell, manager Tony Mowbray said: "Next Sunday (against Hearts) is my main focus, not Thursday."

Venus sees sense in rotating the squad, with Paul Caddis, Pat McCourt, Niall McGinn, Chris Killen, Willo Flood and Koki Mizuno among those likely to be given a chance to catch the manager's eye.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8410752.stm


With regards to the teams outwith Celtic and Rangers sustaining a challenge, last nights result and also Hibs 4 draws (rather than wins) in their away games are making it look more likely that the split will start to take shape now.

Found this analysis on SkySports regarding teams still in with a shout at Christmas...

Non "Old Firm" teams with 29 or more points after 15 games

Hibernian have twice before had more points than the 29 they have currently at this stage of the season: in 2000/01 when they were in second place after 15 games, eight points ahead of Rangers, and in 2005/06 when they were in third, again eight points ahead of the 'Gers.

The other teams in the list are Hearts in 2005/06 and Livingston 2001/02, though only the Jam Tarts have ever managed to break Rangers and Celtic's dominance of the top two places.

With an away fixture at Pittodrie coming up this weekend, the key for Hibs to reinvigorate their season will be to improve their stuttering away form:

Team Season Wins Draws Losses For Against GD Points Final Place
Hibernian 00/01 11 3 1 30 9 21 36 3
Hearts 05/06 11 3 1 31 10 21 36 2
Hibernian 05/06 10 1 4 28 17 11 31 5
Livingston 01/02 8 5 2 23 11 12 29 3
Hibernian 09/10 8 5 2 22 10 12 29 -

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11096_5774990,00.html