SPL Discussion Thread

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Originally Posted by elroy

Obviously what the rangers fans were chanting is wrong and what happened to lennon recently is very wrong. But the man really really does not help himself.

His reaction after the match was stupid, just stupid.

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Hmm, I think unless any of us have been in that situation of receiving frequent death threats, I guess we can't really comment.
Personally would have wanted to give an 'exaggerated pantomime one' of blowing a few kisses in their direction....

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And his reaction in the press conference after was equally as bad. The man has no sense. He is well paid in a high profile influential role. He needs to set an example and not in the manner that it has in two recent old firm games.

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What did he do or say that was so terrible??

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Originally Posted by ped_ped

It's not about setting an example, I think. He just really shouldn't be bating them when his life is in very genuine danger :/

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Get the point about the wider implications;though his reaction may be as likely to provoke those eejits who want to go back to 'armed' struggle as to antagonise paranoid unionists.

It was a disgrace that Lennon turned up at that post match press conference with his shoe laces undone. Absolutely shocking show of disrespect. He really should get his act together, otherwise somebody might ...... :confused:.... blow his head off??

Walter wasn't in a good mood, he was moaning that Celtic's season was all about getting penalties awarded to them :D

Well yeah. Granted it was Wattie's last derby, but he can add premature senility to his Hypocrisy with that statement....

I like Walter Smith I have to say and he's entitled to moan about Celtic getting penalties as in most games I have seen, they seem to get one. No shouts of conspiracy after the dubious one against the Gers??

The big game for Celtic I would think is away to Hearts. Traditionally a tough game. If they come away with 3 points from that, I would fancy them for the league but it is a tough ask for them to win all their games as I suspect Rangers will win theirs. Ok, perhaps one draw among them will also do it but a fascinating end to the season.

I think tonight is a big one (duh, obviously). Hearts away will be massive.

I like Smith too, but I can't see how you can observe (on the CL thread) that managers can definitely influence ref behaviour whilst think Smith is being purely objective. Lennon was also right to complain about a penalty Rangers got when the ref wasn't even looking (proven on TV). The Celtic penalty at Ibrox was harsh (is obstruction in the rules any more as a separate offence? It's never given.) but the whole penalty furore started at Dundee United last year when a ref reversed a penalty decision (probably the correct call - but highly unusual). The only other penno I saw Celtic get was at Hamilton and it was 100% the right call. Smith was plainly stirring things in a pretty undignified manner, probably mindful of the effect it can have on refs that you noted elsewhere.

Rooney puts ICT 1 up. Commons equalises straight after.

Looks like Celts lost 3-1, fecking typical. Do the hard work and stumble up the home straight.

3-2 in the end. Can't see Rangers slipping up.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I like Walter Smith I have to say and he's entitled to moan about Celtic getting penalties as in most games I have seen, they seem to get one. No shouts of conspiracy after the dubious one against the Gers??

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Stuttgart has nailed it below.

Maybe if Celtic got the next 50 contentious decisions v. R*ngers then it might go a small way towards evening things up over the years.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I can't see how you can observe (on the CL thread) that managers can definitely influence ref behaviour whilst think Smith is being purely objective. Lennon was also right to complain about a penalty Rangers got when the ref wasn't even looking (proven on TV). The Celtic penalty at Ibrox was harsh (is obstruction in the rules any more as a separate offence? It's never given.) but the whole penalty furore started at Dundee United last year when a ref reversed a penalty decision (probably the correct call - but highly unusual). The only other penno I saw Celtic get was at Hamilton and it was 100% the right call. Smith was plainly stirring things in a pretty undignified manner, probably mindful of the effect it can have on refs that you noted elsewhere.

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That said, it all seems immaterial now with a shambolic performance earlier and Kayal possibly out for the rest of the season....
:(

What an awful performance by Celtic. I thought they would come out for the 2nd half with all guns firing when instead Inverness were the ones who dominated the first 20. Celtic could barely put a pass move together. The defence looked a shambles.

That said, the pressure is now on Rangers who have the lead and while there is life, there is hope.

Speaking of penalties, Celtic were unlucky not to be awarded one when the keeper crashed in to Murphy. However, I felt the players (and fans) spent too much time screaming at the ref for fouls and penalties instead of concentrating on their game.

Fans and players do that when they're desperate. There wasn't exactly much time left to "concentrate on their game".

I just saw highlights on BBC. I reckon McCourt may have been given a penno just at the final whistle if they hadn't already just been given one! It was a fair shout.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Fans and players do that when they're desperate. There wasn't exactly much time left to "concentrate on their game".

I just saw highlights on BBC. I reckon McCourt may have been given a penno just at the final whistle if they hadn't already just been given one! It was a fair shout.

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They started in the referee's ear right after the second Caley goal. I think that sort of thing is counter productive. It rubs the ref up the wrong way. They started blaming the ref for everything after that rather than concentrating on the game and actually trying to put a few passes together. The McCourt incident was never a penalty. If it was, there would be 20 penalties a game. If they had scored 10 minutes earlier, perhaps for the Murphy/keeper "peno", they may well have equalised. Now, can Rangers deal with Hearts?

A different Celtic who turned up at Hearts last night and I think they would have won it even if the Hearts' player (unluckily) wasn't sent off. Strong, combative and up for it unlike the team that played Inverness which was like a rabbit caught in the glare of headlights.

If I had to watch Samaras every game, I'd be bald by now. Totally frustrating and you know he'll run in to the back of an opponent just when you don't want to give a free away. Why he was allowed take that penalty against Rangers is anyone's guess.

And speaking of brainless, Commons is on a yellow and he celebrates a goal with the fans when everyone knows that's a second yellow. He now misses the final game against Motherwell so Celtic are without their two main players.

So down to the last two games. I thought Rangers' parade around the pitch after the game against the Arabs was a bit too much like "we've won the league" even though I know it was the last home game and a farewell to Walter Smith. They're due a slip up soon but......

This is how leagues should end even though as usual it's a two horse race.

I can't see Rangers slipping up.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I can't see Rangers slipping up.

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and killmarnock made sure that did not happen either.

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Originally Posted by old git

and killmarnock made sure that did not happen either.

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Did they try at all?

Walter Smith has just gone down a lot in my estimation when I heard on BBC that he said after the match "when the going gets tough Celtic fail". Given all of the rubbish that has gone on this season from Rangers FC and their entourage you'd think he'd have been a bit more gracious. A rookie manager who has had his life threatened by Rangers fans loses the title by a point to a wily old veteran and that's how he bows out.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Walter Smith has just gone down a lot in my estimation when I heard on BBC that he said after the match "when the going gets tough Celtic fail". Given all of the rubbish that has gone on this season from Rangers FC and their entourage you'd think he'd have been a bit more gracious. A rookie manager who has had his life threatened by Rangers fans loses the title by a point to a wily old veteran and that's how he bows out.

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Walter smith has been created as whiter Than white by Media , well dressed / well spoken above all the madness. but he finaly showed his true colours "once a hun always a hun " imagine if Lennon made same statement about Rangers on tv it would have been front page news and media would have had a field day about his comments.

Walter was quite right after the Ibrox drawn game to bitterly moan that Celtic's season was ALL about getting penalties and nothing about good football. And quite within his rights to triumphantly claim on the victor's podium that Celtic have no bottle when the going gets tough.

Of course he's within his rights to be ungracious in victory. I'm within my rights to view his behaviour yesterday dimly.

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Originally Posted by geysir

Walter was quite right after the Ibrox drawn game to bitterly moan that Celtic's season was ALL about getting penalties and nothing about good football. And quite within his rights to triumphantly claim on the victor's podium that Celtic have no bottle when the going gets tough.

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celtic scored 10 penalties this season to rangers 9 scored penalties as for no good football they scored 59 goals to rangers 55 goals and in 4 head to head in league won 2 / lost 1 & drew 1 , celtic left league behind them when they drew 0-0 with rangers in ibrox back in april.. as for having no bottle would apply to following all tamely beaten by rangers motherwell 4-0 / hearts 4-0 / dundee utd 2-1 and finally kilmarnock 5-1 last game of season teams that somehow finished 3rd/4th/5th & 6th in league.

3 years at Everton never finished in the top half of the table = FAILURE
Almost sending Everton down in 2002 before Kenwright gave him the boot = FAILURE
Losing at home to Belarus and Norway, missing out at WC2006 = FAILURE

To be fair to Smith, he's very familiar with failure.

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Originally Posted by old git

celtic scored 10 penalties this season to rangers 9 scored penalties as for no good football they scored 59 goals to rangers 55 goals and in 4 head to head in league won 2 / lost 1 & drew 1 , celtic left league behind them when they drew 0-0 with rangers in ibrox back in april.. as for having no bottle would apply to following all tamely beaten by rangers motherwell 4-0 / hearts 4-0 / dundee utd 2-1 and finally kilmarnock 5-1 last game of season teams that somehow finished 3rd/4th/5th & 6th in league.

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Didn't Celtic have roughly similar scores against the same teams in the run in? The trouble was they blew it. It wouldn't have mattered if Rangers won all those games 10-0 if Celtic had beaten Inverness OR scored the penalty at Ibrox. I saw the Inverness game on tv. They were hopeless and the full back (the COlombian guy) seemed to be with the faireys. No one to blame but themselves which is a great pity but as least they have the Cup to look forward to unless the team which played Inverness turns up.

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Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

3 years at Everton never finished in the top half of the table = FAILURE
Almost sending Everton down in 2002 before Kenwright gave him the boot = FAILURE
Losing at home to Belarus and Norway, missing out at WC2006 = FAILURE

To be fair to Smith, he's very familiar with failure.

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Which goes to show what a poor league Scotland is if he can win so many trophies there. I suppose if Homer Simpson managed Rangers he'd still have a 50% chance of winning the title.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Of course he's within his rights to be ungracious in victory. I'm within my rights to view his behaviour yesterday dimly.

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I was within my rights to be sarcastic.

I have to say I really hate Pat Nevin as a pundit. He can't even come close to disguising his contempt for Celtic as far as I can make out.

Pat Nevin? Are you sure he was a pundit? According to Wikipedia he grew up as a Celtic supporter.

He was a pundit on BBC Scotland for the game. He is/was a Hibs supporter.

Rangers suspending directors due to irregularities.....

RANGERS chief executive Martin Bain and Donald McIntyre, who holds the positions of finance director, secretary and executive director, were suspended yesterday after what was described as "irregularities" were discovered at the club.

An Ibrox insider confirmed some of the alleged irregularities were financial, but said this was not the main or sole thrust of an inquiry that is now under way at the Glasgow club.

On Bain - understood currently to be in the United States - and McIntyre, he added: "They remain on the board for now as they are only suspended."

The club, he explained, had to act immediately to satisfy stock market rules: "As soon as the irregularities were uncovered, they were duty bound to make the suspensions."

Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray were removed as directors of Rangers late yesterday with the news being announced to the Stock Exchange this morning.

An Ibrox insider said: "Johnston was in America and spoken to by conference call from a board meeting in Ibrox. He was offered the chance to resign but refused, so he has been removed."

It was not clear what lies ahead for other high-profile directors. Dave King was not in the meeting and was not contacted during the conference call.

The Ibrox source said: "Like John Greig, he remains on the board as well as John McClelland."

Former player and manager Greig is a non-exective director, while McClelland is the board's executive vice-chairman.
And the new owner appears to be having a bit of a clear out

Former chairman Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray have been removed from their roles as directors of Rangers.

The changes follow tycoon Craig Whyte's takeover of the Scottish champions earlier this month - a buy-out that had been met with opposition from the two men.

The news was confirmed in a statement to the stock exchange on Tuesday morning, which read: "The board announces that on 23 May 2011 Alastair Johnston and Paul Murray were removed as directors of The Rangers Football Club P.L.C.

"The Directors of The Rangers Football Club P.L.C. accept responsibility for this announcement."

Does this relate to the HMRC (taxman) investigation into inflated "image rights" payments made offshore to the players? They don't have to pay as much in tax and national insurance on such payments.

They should be made an example of. Nothing serious - just dock them a point, retrospectively :)

Estimates range from £30-£80m of unpaid tax to Her Majesty.......

A good blog here from a guy who clearly knows his stuff if you have the time to read it. http://rangerstaxcase.com/

I guess the suspensions are linked to this issue and the departures are linked to a new owner coming in and looking to 'chop' the big earners and get his own people in.

I like your penalty point idea!

I was at the last game of the season against Motherwell and considering the league was over within 7 minutes (with Rangers being 3-0 up, though almost all Celtic fans were realistic and knew it wasnt going to be) the atmosphere was electric. Non stop singing, doing the huddle/poznan stuff, plenty of Lennon chants and current and former players songs - it really was a strong message to the team that progress has been made and whilst we ****ed it up this season we were right behind them. The stuff Lennon has had to endure has only strengthened the Celtic support and brought them closer together.

The Scottish win was the least Lennon deserved after a first full season in charge. Beaten finalists in the CIS Cup Final (underperformed), 92 points amassed in the league, a total I heard Strachan never achieved though he won 3 back-to-back titles with Celtic (I havent checked that stat).

Some fabulous signings in Kayal & Izzaguire (will be offers from the EPL for them Im sure), Kris Commons from Derby, excellent. Its a pity Stokes appears to be showing the negative traits of his younger days, I guess he will have one last chance under Lennon to prove he has the mental ability. Murphy will need to move on.

Hopefully, we build on it and progress next year both Domestically and in Europe.

Thanks for the Rangers tax blog - very interesting.

Someone was saying on my closed thread that Rangers hadn't two pennies to rub together? We beat them in a game 3-0 where ONE of their players (Jelavic, $4.5million) cost more than half our team! We have very few players bought on decent sized fees where as supposeably skint Rangers have Lafferty (£3.75m), Jelavic (£4.5m) and Davis (£4 million) whereas the last time we spent that sort of cash was four years ago!

You'd have to be a very blinkered Celtic fan not to accept the point that Rangers are skint. Jelavic is the only player they have purchased in about 6 transfer windows.

Meanwhile they have let go the likes of Hutton, Cuellar, Kenny Miller etc.. I am sure there are plenty more I cant quite think of at the moment. How in the name of God we have let them win 3 in a row, I will never know.....

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Originally Posted by Junior

You'd have to be a very blinkered Celtic fan not to accept the point that Rangers are skint. Jelavic is the only player they have purchased in about 6 transfer windows.

Meanwhile they have let go the likes of Hutton, Cuellar, Kenny Miller etc.. I am sure there are plenty more I cant quite think of at the moment. How in the name of God we have let them win 3 in a row, I will never know.....

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Look at how much their squad cost to assemble, they ain't as skint as some make out. Teams lose players, it's the way it is for Celtic and Rangers. Your best players leave you when you play in the SPL and ours will in a year or two. ****e but it's the way it is.

That said it's been a shame not to win one in the last three. Pretty poor it has to be said.

Yes and no.

Besides the first derby this season,there were questionable refereeing performances in games v.R*ngers (not in Celtic's favour!) the previous two seasons, not that would have made any difference to Mowbray, but didn't help WGS in his final season.
That and Desmond's failure to release the purse strings in the Jan '09 transfer window when the Lge. was there for the taking.

And so the whole circus starts again.
2-0 v.Hibs. A Mr.Stokes was amongst the scorers and Hooper had a penno saved by Stack.

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

And so the whole circus starts again.
2-0 v.Hibs. A Mr.Stokes was amongst the scorers and Hooper had a penno saved by Stack.

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Good second half performance. We're on the road again ;)

Saw a bit of Jelavic last year, saw him at the weekend and I'm watching Rangers lead 1-0 in Malmo at the moment. Have to say, I think Jelavic is class. Hard worker, good link-up play, good awareness, competes well in the air, technically sound and a classy finisher.

Certainly of the right quality to be in the Champions league, though it looks like some daft team mates may put an end to those chances this year - Rangers 1-0 up on the night but down to 9 men. Red mist descended early and is hanging about. Malmo player leaving the pitch on a stretcher at the moment after catching an elbow from Bougherra. Whittaker was sent off for retaliating by throwing the ball at an opponent who had tackled him from behind after a whistle had sounded.

... and Jelavic just missed a sitter :o. I spoke too soon, though this was on his left foot. 10 against 9 now btw.

EDIT: 1-1 on the night, 2-1 Malmo on aggregate. Two great goals on the night as well. Rangers played pretty well on the night, stupidity cost them.

One win in twenty four games. A win percentage of 4%. Scotland's Shame indeed!