Braga v Celtic

[HeyMark]

From the bbc text:

Power penalty scored by Osorio Alan. Braga 1-0 Celtic.


What the fuck is a power penalty? Have the yank commentators from ESPN taken over the BBC text commentary?

[CityGer]

What the fuck is a power penalty?

Don't know but I'm all for them.

[ryanmjo]

I saw the penalty. It was an awesome display of soccerballin' skillz. Both teams had nice looking jerseys too.

[ross.mcfc]

3-0. I normally enjoy a good Old Firm embarrassment in Europe. But not this early! Scottish Football is dying a slow miserable death.

[Goaters 103]

Much as the result amuses me, and it really does, Rangers will fare no better and could be even worse after the firesale this summer. I dread to think how bad they will be in the group stages.

Agree with Ross, the SPL just gets embarrassed in european competition these days.

[ross.mcfc]

Much as the result amuses me, and it really does, Rangers will fare no better and could be even worse after the firesale this summer. I dread to think how bad they will be in the group stages.

Agree with Ross, the SPL just gets embarrassed in european competition these days.

If Celtic cant win the league this year with all that’s going on at Rangers at the moment then they may as well give up.

I’ve seen a few of my non Old Firm mates loving this result on facebook tonight but just because Rangers and Celtic are the worst anyone can ever remember doesn’t mean that the other teams are going to get closer. The gap between them and the rest is just as big just the overall quality has dropped.

Huge changes need to be made to Scottish Football in terms. I just don’t know where to start. Before people jump in with it’s only Scottish Football. The decline in Scottish football started when teams started out spending there means, buying players they couldn’t afford, signing foreign players who were no better than there Scottish counterparts, Neglecting youth prospects. ‘

The first sign of the decline was our national team stop qualifying for major tournaments and we gradually got worse and worse.

Sound familiar?

The clubs now have there houses in order and are all concentrating on bring through youth players and selling them on to England but teams like Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen will be in financial dire straights for the next 10 years repaying off the mad spending from the late 90’s.

[john@staustell]

Nah, you're all wrong. I can see the letters pouring into 459 now, how Celtic and Rangers are better than City, United, Chelsea and Inter Milan.

Oh, and of course if they had the PL money....................... (just like Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield Weds etc). LOL

Looks like we may get a chance to play them in Europa. Or does such an early exit mean they dont even get in that?

[Goaters 103]

Much as the result amuses me, and it really does, Rangers will fare no better and could be even worse after the firesale this summer. I dread to think how bad they will be in the group stages.

Agree with Ross, the SPL just gets embarrassed in european competition these days.

If Celtic cant win the league this year with all that’s going on at Rangers at the moment then they may as well give up.

I’ve seen a few of my non Old Firm mates loving this result on facebook tonight but just because Rangers and Celtic are the worst anyone can ever remember doesn’t mean that the other teams are going to get closer. The gap between them and the rest is just as big just the overall quality has dropped.

Huge changes need to be made to Scottish Football in terms. I just don’t know where to start. Before people jump in with it’s only Scottish Football. The decline in Scottish football started when teams started out spending there means, buying players they couldn’t afford, signing foreign players who were no better than there Scottish counterparts, Neglecting youth prospects. ‘

The first sign of the decline was our national team stop qualifying for major tournaments and we gradually got worse and worse.

Sound familiar?

The clubs now have there houses in order and are all concentrating on bring through youth players and selling them on to England but teams like Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen will be in financial dire straights for the next 10 years repaying off the mad spending from the late 90’s.

Would agree, and has been a similar point made by my mates up in Glasgow.

Investing in youth has to be the way forward across the board and Scotland, for both the old firm and elsewhere.

[CityGer]

Skint or not, and Rangers are skint, Walter will chase Lennon out of Glasgow just like he has done with every previous celtic manager he has come up against.

The game is on it's arse up here. I see the Yorkishire Cricket Club CE agreed to take over at the SFA on big money. Good luck to him but I think he's pissing in the wind. The TV money availale in the SPL is comparable to Norway now and the standard will get lower and lower.

Sign of the times when celtic landing Joe Ledley is viewed as a coop for the SPL. 10 yars ago it was De Boer, Larsson, Numan, Sutton, Flo, Van Bronkhorst, Berkovic. 15 years ago it was Laudrup and Gazza.

[Beeks]

The less said about that display the better...I agree with most of the comments here...Scottish Football is probably at its lowest ebb for years...

[ross.mcfc]

Sign of the times when celtic landing Joe Ledley is viewed as a coop for the SPL. 10 yars ago it was De Boer, Larsson, Numan, Sutton, Flo, Van Bronkhorst, Berkovic. 15 years ago it was Laudrup and Gazza.

At least Celtic and Rangers were big names in Europe at the time. I remember a time when Aberdeen were spending a $1Million pound players. Signing players like Hignett and Windass. Could you ever imagine that happening again. My first job out of school was working for a bank in a department that dealt with FX transfers that were due to be made from there clients one of which was Hearts who had several loans from that bank to pay for these players. So I could see exactly how much the transfer fee was. I forget who all the deals were but one of them was for Gordon Petric. For 1.5Million pound! I am sure as a Rangers man that will make you chuckle.

Funnily enough the man who sanctioned that deal is back at the helm now.

[CityGer]

Sign of the times when celtic landing Joe Ledley is viewed as a coop for the SPL. 10 yars ago it was De Boer, Larsson, Numan, Sutton, Flo, Van Bronkhorst, Berkovic. 15 years ago it was Laudrup and Gazza.

At least Celtic and Rangers were big names in Europe at the time. I remember a time when Aberdeen were spending a $1Million pound players. Signing players like Hignett and Windass. Could you ever imagine that happening again. My first job out of school was working for a bank in a department that dealt with FX transfers that were due to be made from there clients one of which was Hearts who had several loans from that bank to pay for these players. So I could see exactly how much the transfer fee was. I forget who all the deals were but one of them was for Gordon Petric. For 1.5Million pound! I am sure as a Rangers man that will make you chuckle.

Funnily enough the man who sanctioned that deal is back at the helm now.

He was a fucking stump! Funny you mention first jobs and dealings with football. My first was at the Norton House Hotel near Edinburgh Airport. Not sure if it still is but it was owned by Richard Branson in those days. Anyway, one summer afternoon I served David Murray and Basile Boli a bottle of Burgundy as they discussed Boli's terms and Murray made him the highest paid defender in British football. Think that illustrates how times have changed.

[ross.mcfc]

He was a fucking stump! Funny you mention first jobs and dealings with football. My first was at the Norton House Hotel near Edinburgh Airport. Not sure if it still is but it was owned by Richard Branson in those days. Anyway, one summer afternoon I served David Murray and Basile Boli a bottle of Burgundy as they discussed Boli's terms and Murray made him the highest paid defender in British football. Think that illustrates how times have changed.

Boli and Laudrup arrived at the same time didnt they? He was pretty rank if I remember correctly.

Still remember the joke about the new catering at Ibrox though. The Mcoist Steak, Durrant Burger and the Boli Soup.

Still makes me chuckle.

[CityGer]

He was a fucking stump! Funny you mention first jobs and dealings with football. My first was at the Norton House Hotel near Edinburgh Airport. Not sure if it still is but it was owned by Richard Branson in those days. Anyway, one summer afternoon I served David Murray and Basile Boli a bottle of Burgundy as they discussed Boli's terms and Murray made him the highest paid defender in British football. Think that illustrates how times have changed.

Boli and Laudrup arrived at the same time didnt they? He was pretty rank if I remember correctly.

Still remember the joke about the new catering at Ibrox though. The Mcoist Steak, Durrant Burger and the Boli Soup.

Still makes me chuckle.

Yep, the same summer. Just my luck that it's Boli who I had to wait on. Waiting on the Prince of Denmark would have been a nice claim to fame. From what a gather, Laudrup got wined and dined at the Champany near Linlithgow, as did Gazza. Got a cracking true, ITK story re The Prince if we ever get round to having a beer, you'll love it.

[Goaters 103]

He was a fucking stump! Funny you mention first jobs and dealings with football. My first was at the Norton House Hotel near Edinburgh Airport. Not sure if it still is but it was owned by Richard Branson in those days. Anyway, one summer afternoon I served David Murray and Basile Boli a bottle of Burgundy as they discussed Boli's terms and Murray made him the highest paid defender in British football. Think that illustrates how times have changed.

Boli and Laudrup arrived at the same time didnt they? He was pretty rank if I remember correctly.

Still remember the joke about the new catering at Ibrox though. The Mcoist Steak, Durrant Burger and the Boli Soup.

Still makes me chuckle.

Yep, the same summer. Just my luck that it's Boli who I had to wait on. Waiting on the Prince of Denmark would have been a nice claim to fame. From what a gather, Laudrup got wined and dined at the Champany near Linlithgow, as did Gazza. Got a cracking true, ITK story re The Prince if we ever get round to having a beer, you'll love it.

Petric was the worlds slowest defender, fact. Boli meanwhile was collecting the paycheck and had no real interest in playing - mercenary is the correct term I believe.

Ross - got a great Adrian Sprott tale for you as well, which I think Cityger now knows from me.

[Fish111]

What the fuck is a power penalty?

Don't know but I'm all for them.

Ha ha, could be great manager for Rangers this Lennon fella!!

[ross.mcfc]

Yep, the same summer. Just my luck that it's Boli who I had to wait on. Waiting on the Prince of Denmark would have been a nice claim to fame. From what a gather, Laudrup got wined and dined at the Champany near Linlithgow, as did Gazza. Got a cracking true, ITK story re The Prince if we ever get round to having a beer, you'll love it.

I’m back in the UK in September.

With the amount of midweek and Sunday games we will have next year I’m sure we will find time to grab a pint sometime.

[cdncityfan]

The level at which the SPL is comical gets worse the further down the league you go.
Whether it is Celtic picking up forwards from Scunthorpe (Gary Hooper) or Rangers taking Honduran forwards who only come onto the pitch as substitutes on trial (Georgie Welcome), the Old Firm lack the finances and prestige they once had, and I am saying this as a Rangers supporter...
Their European failings are only one level of the problem. The Scottish European coefficient is collapsing because their Europa League contenders are hardly capable of getting through the qualifying games, let alone the playoff round or group stages. A relatively strong HIbernian side losing 3-0 to Slovenia's Maribor? Motherwell only managing a draw with Aaslund of Norway? The SPL is in serious danger of falling to the status of the Welsh and Irish leagues in Europe should the Old Firm keep failing at first hurdles in Europe, given the rise of the Russian, Greek, Romanian and Turkish leagues.
It is an interesting problem the Scots face, as it parallels what is happening in England to some extent. The sides are simply unable to match the levels of technique produced on the continent and must seek out foreign players to fill that gap, mostly to the detriment of the national side. Combining this with revenues well short of the Championship simply compounds the problem facing Scottish football, despite the fact that the Old Firm have fan bases internationally that rival the top six clubs in the Premiership. The most logical solution would be a fusion of the Scottish and English league structures (as a move of the Old Firm would never get Premier League and UEFA approval), but that would only be a short term solution and would produce as many challenges as opportunities.