SPL Discussion Thread

**geysir** · 03/03/2011, 11:29 AM

**old git** · 03/03/2011, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I think Lennon needs to cop on though and behave himself and not get involved with the likes of Diouf and even McCoist at the end. One has to contrast his behaviour with Walter Smith.

If Celtic had 3 players sent off at Ibrox, there would be talk of conspiracy etc. Delighted of course to see them win but I would hate to be a referee in one of those games.

don't think lennon will change always seemed to be a person who reacted without thinking at times same when he played he was always in the middle of rows or mouthing off at players just think it is part of his passion for celtic and lets not forget some of the horrible threats etc aimed his way over the years ...so it may be his way at giving something back .. easy in hindsight not to get involved as we dont know what comments were passed between individuals but last night with celtic winning he should have kept his head down and walked away a happy man

**OwlsFan** · 04/03/2011, 9:43 AM

I agree. That seems to be his personality but as a manager now, especially of a club like Celtic where there are undercurrents in society that are hostile, he needs to control himself and not be provoked. Anger management counselling perhaps? Elements in Celtic also, it has to be said, have tried to provoke Diouf since the first day of his arrival which does the club no credit.

**old git** · 04/03/2011, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I agree. That seems to be his personality but as a manager now, especially of a club like Celtic where there are undercurrents in society that are hostile, he needs to control himself and not be provoked. Anger management counselling perhaps? Elements in Celtic also, it has to be said, have tried to provoke Diouf since the first day of his arrival which does the club no credit.

agree to an extent .. diouf is no angel either and did not help his case writting articles in paper after his first old firm game .. i also think it is part of the modern game now to try and provoke opposition players ... biggest letdown was chairman of sfa issuing statement after recent game blaming both sets of players clubs for improper behaviour on & off the pitch.. watched match and cannot see how they can blame any celtic players for what happened on & off the pitch .. blame here lies totally with rangers .. players reacted badly to sending offs , put serious pressure on ref / diouf walks half length of pitch at end of game to throw his top to rangers fans after being sent off . !! looks like sfa looking for another excuse to have a go at celtic.

**OwlsFan** · 04/03/2011, 3:29 PM

Originally Posted by old git

agree to an extent .. diouf is no angel either and did not help his case writting articles in paper after his first old firm game .. i also think it is part of the modern game now to try and provoke opposition players ...

No as blatantly as Brown tried to provoke Diouf. Everyone knows Diouf is a headbanger but the attempts to get under his skin were SO obvious and without any subtlety.

I'd love to know what McLeish whispered in Lennon's ear that made him go ballistic while giving him a hug at the same time.

**geysir** · 04/03/2011, 5:14 PM

That almost total nonsense Owls.
With 3 Celtic players booked, generally their behaviour was impeccable in the game. In contrast Rangers foul and card count hit the roof.
Walter knows Celtic have the beating of Rangers and has reverted to a dirty physical game complete with wind up tactics. Why else would they sign that waster Diouf, except for the wind up value? Lennon took the bait for sure but why would McCoist wind him up like that? Look for the motive.

Anyway if you turned down the sound of the commentator going into hysterics, what you actually saw hardly merited a handbag label.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 04/03/2011, 11:20 PM

McCoist told him to "stay away from my players".

Love Lennon's passion, predictably, but the man sadly has substantial personality flaws (Partially chronicled in his ghosted autobiography) which I'm coming round to believe, mean he is inherently unsuitable to manage one of the best-supported clubs in Europe.
However, he does have a chance to change and should try to take it....

**old git** · 04/03/2011, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

McCoist told him to "stay away from my players".

Love Lennon's passion, predictably, but the man sadly has substantial personality flaws (Partially chronicled in his ghosted autobiography) which I'm coming round to believe, mean he is inherently unsuitable to manage one of the best-supported clubs in Europe.
However, he does have a chance to change and should try to take it....

its a shame after 3 rangers players get sent off / mc coist & lennon clash at final whistle everybody seems to be only having a go at lennons behaviour !! oh i would find it hard to believe thats all mc coist said to lennon .. martin o neill was just as fiery & passionate and got into a few arguements in his succesfull time at celtic,

**legendz** · 05/03/2011, 9:08 PM

Good to see Celtic pick up the win today.
The SFA comment is ridiculous. Celtic players played the game.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/03/2011, 4:12 PM

Excellent PR offensive by Rangers and their entourage. They sign the biggest scumbag ever to grace British football who already has history in Glasgow (spitting at a Celtic fan). They have 3 players sent off in a not even remotely controversial manner (other than the context). The reaction in the media and the political establishment is to criticise the Old Firm collectively. What exactly did Celtic do other than be there when Rangers lost the plot? When Celtic lose the plot it's seen as just that.

**geysir** · 09/03/2011, 10:47 AM

A compliant media is one reason.
Just look at the BBC leading with the report that the police have received a complaint about racial abuse Lennon was supposed to have directed at Diouf. There was a complete and utter lack of one iota of substantiation to support the claim, either from visual observance or from Diouf himself. Why on earth would the BBC lead with such an article? Not only did they suspend standards of journalism but they chose to pour petrol on the smoldering fires of bigotry by falling for an obvious ploy by Ranger's fans.

**Junior** · 12/03/2011, 9:11 PM

Two sides of the same coin. Why, didn't you know?

**Plastic Paddy** · 13/03/2011, 6:31 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

Two sides of the same coin. Why, didn't you know?

There's a lot of ignorance, wilful or otherwise, masquerading as 'balance' in reporting events concerning Celtic and Rangers.

At last week's fixture between the clubs, one team had three players sent off, one of them receiving two red cards, and eight booked. Further, one set of supporters spent ninety minutes singing songs about being "up to [their] necks in Fenian blood". Which club did they represent? Rangers. *Not* Celtic.

Indeed, the neutral reading the press after the game would think the only incident of note was Lennon losing the head, not McCoist's goading nor EHD's running halfway across the pitch to have a pop. But then Lennon represents Celtic, not Rangers.

Prior to the game, one manager and two players have received death threats, including bullets in the post, in the last six months. Which club do they represent? That's right. Celtic. Not Rangers.

Both teams have reached and lost UEFA Cup finals in the last eight years. One set of fans went on the rampage. Which club do they represent? Rangers. *Not* Celtic. The other set of fans won a UEFA Fair Play award for their behaviour before and after the game. Which club do they represent? Yes, Celtic.

Collectively ignorant at best, mendacious dissemblers at worst, the print and broadcast media are legitimising the real problem. And it's *not* Celtic.

PP

**Plastic Paddy** · 13/03/2011, 9:22 AM

Finally someone speaks out regarding the shameful treatment endured by Neil Lennon just for doing his job. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...ask.6733176.jp

PP

**ArdeeBhoy** · 13/03/2011, 6:56 PM

Good link there, PP.

Unfortunately it's not fashionable to take a more rational view as too many people like to take the uninformed stance, that "they're both to blame".

Almost as farcical as the label, 'Old Firm'.

On the pitch earlier, the team from Govan closed the gap to 2 points earlier, relying on an og. as their winner.

And Celtic's postponement of their SC tie earlier means they now have to re-schedule their game v. Hibs, due on Weds.
So all still very much to play for, after next Sun's Lge. Cup Final.

Am very much expecting the refs issue to reappear either then or in the last SPL game versus the same opposition.

**Gather round** · 14/03/2011, 8:43 AM

**OwlsFan** · 14/03/2011, 9:39 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

What exactly did Celtic do other than be there when Rangers lost the plot? When Celtic lose the plot it's seen as just that.

Their manager got in to a spat with one of the Rangers players (albeit an unsavoury character) and their manager had to be dragged away from the Rangers' manager. Lennon let his club down. I like Lennon but that can't be papered over.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 14/03/2011, 11:11 AM

And the relevance of that picture is?

**Junior** · 14/03/2011, 2:18 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Their manager got in to a spat with one of the Rangers players (albeit an unsavoury character) and their manager had to be dragged away from the Rangers' manager. Lennon let his club down. I like Lennon but that can't be papered over.

For the love of God Owls - These little handbag sessions happen up and down the country week in week out. You're not happy with players 'winding' each other up let alone raising their voices and wagging fingers - God forbid.

The only justification for any of this reporting is down to the fact that Rangers received 3 red cards and 8 bookings on the night. They lost all discipline.

One other interesting stat, there were 30 arrests at the game itself. The number of Celtic fans arrested equated to the same number of Rangers players that received a booking on the night!

**Junior** · 14/03/2011, 2:35 PM

Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

Finally someone speaks out regarding the shameful treatment endured by Neil Lennon just for doing his job. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...ask.6733176.jp

PP

Just as fans of the Ibrox club, for the first season in many years - appearing to take their lead from the Papal visit - have started giving lusty renditions of their No Pope of Rome ditty.

Though he obviously has some hearing difficulties or has done in recent years at least.......

Fair enough article. It says it all when we need to highlight this type of journalism as being decent when it only says what any rightminded individual would see as very normal and decent.