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Travelling up from London for this, 3am alarm call, have low expectations on the pitch but could be my one and only time seeing Barry in the Rangers dug out so despite the travelling from hell looking forward to it

The O.P. tells us that a team can postpone a match scheduled for matchday 3 to increase the chances of qualification for European group stages. There are three main reasons that this is anti-competitive. Firstly group stage qualification leads to significant sums of money. These sums are most likely to be in proportion to achievements in the previous season. This preserves the rankings from the previous season. Secondly smaller clubs have an interest in hindering bigger clubs getting into the group stages to reduce the size of the gap in revenue. The revenue gap is the main reason that we never see a non old firm team challenging for the league. Thirdly postponing the fixture removes one of the best opportunities for smaller clubs to beat bigger clubs. The team playing in Europe may choose to field a weaker team, the players may lack focus, the players may lack commitment to avoid getting injured before a big match. There is an argument that this will benefit Rangers but it is short sighted. The immediate benefit would be qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League more often. That means more money which everyone thinks is great. The anti-competitive effects of the rule change mentioned above would make the domestic fixtures even less competitive. That is to say even more boring than at present. When the smaller clubs have less chance of beating the big clubs then you are more likely to see a team play defensively and waste time from the fifth minute. It's awful to watch.

"Neoliberal (extreme capitalism)" or TV money as most of us would call it. 😂

Kevin De Bruyne to leave Man City at the end of the season. What an absolute player! Truly World Class and legendary - two terms that get branded around too much. City have had some top players like Kompany, Toure, Silva and Aguero but De Bruyne was the glue in the midfield and their best. Definitely one of the best the Premier League has seen.

Charging them extra is a great idea. They will be paying for the privilege of misbehaving. It's a hierarchy right there before our very eyes. The cash flashing Union Bears lighting fireworks and burning fifty pound notes at the top. The penny pinching concession paying pensioners grumbling into the void at the bottom.

Regardless of where we are, or they are, in the table this is always a big game for me. Would love to shove their unbeaten league run where the sun doesn't shine

Hopefully you bring good luck. Enjoy a sunny Ibrox tomorrow.

Honestly Rab, I do not think BF has a chance. Even if he wins every game till the end of the season, and wins the europa. Big money people like to make big money decisions, and probably have already chosen the next big money manager.

This is almost entirely a distraction from the point we are discussing.

I heard this over a year ago that Desmond might leave Parkhead after the child abuse is settled and was told that Lord Haughey was being touted to take over the club in one paper i read he's winding up his involvement in Queens Park he might be the next main man at paradise

Sorted, £149 for under 16 years in BR4.

Tha Big Manchester clubs have 4 European Cups between them. However, Villa (1) and Forest (2) have a combined three European Cup wins. That was when they had some Scottish players in the team. In the final, Villa had 4 Scots on the field at full time and in their second triumph, Forest had 5. .... In the year in between, Liverpool won it with 3 Scots. Now it is only John McGinn at Villa. Not one at Forest.

Some cracking games this weekend at the play off end. Blackburn v Middlesboro tonight. 11th v 7th. Blackburn 5 points off the play off spots and have lost 5 of the last 6. Boro are goal difference outside the play offs. Coventry v Burnley. Its 5th v 3rd. West Brom v Sunderland. 6th v 4th. Bristol City v Watford. 8th v 9th. City are goal difference outside the play off spot with Watford a place and 4 points below their opponents.

That's impressive tbh. But I hear you.

That's good to know, if you're ever unable to sell it and its lying empty for some matches I'll look out for you posting on here 👍or if you can't make the 5% of the 95% games also happy to purchase them. The little one is increasing her desire to go to games plus we are also MyGers members in which I know you can't buy tickets without it. Cheers for the info Bluedell.

I have epic seats but tend to go to 95%+ of games. My other seat is occasionally empty when one of the family can't go, but the call-off is usually too late for me to seat-sub the ticket, and I've put it on here for someone to go on an FOC basis.

Irony, my man, irony.

I get your point regards watching competitive football between the big two and the rest. However, you don't say why you think it would increase the chances that Rangers would always finish 2nd, behind Celtic. Since the mid to late 80's, the direction of travel for competitive football in Scottish football has been affected by general economic trends. Neoliberal (extreme capitalism) has seen wealth distribution skewed ever more towards the top. It has been the same in professional football. The ship has sailed for provincial clubs in Scotland. At least until the big clubs get involved in European football reconstruction. Which I think is inevitable because of financial greed and the lack of competitive football in their respective backyards. Unless European reconstruction means a postwar building program for idiots who went to war.

Yes Aston Villa v Forest is easily the most attractive game this weekend. Forest, Chelsea, City, Newcastle and Villa all winning in midweek - 4th and 5th is wide open.

Log in and click on renew now.

It’s a wonder they don’t make it retirement age 😂 I say anyone renewing before the seasons end should get a discount

This weekend despite the Manchester derby I think the pick of the bunch will be Aston Villa taking on the surprise team Nottingham Forrest

If I was him, and I actually won the Europa League as interim manager, I would refuse the permanent post. Wouldn't get any better for him after that.

Be as well getting Muscat. Won't cost as much or eat as much.

At least you didn't let it get to you and dwell on it too much

Don't even tell me what you have been smoking.

I once met a lovely lady called Steffi from Bielefeld in a bar in Dusseldorf. I was, however, young and stupid in those days and decided to carry on the evening drinking with my pals instead of staying in said bar, and seeing where the night would take me. What a fool I was. 😞

You’re the only one who knows about all the obscure guys at Ulan Bator Wanderers and the like. The rest of us can only think of Barry or José. (I’ve come to terms with no Allardyce or Warnock)

For me BF would need to win the EL to even be considered. He wont do that and I havent a clue who else it might be so......................

Yes; and you are -probably- the only one wandering the desert, waving the jaw-bone of an ass, howling messages to the elements, living on locusts and wild honey, and spending nights perched atop a 20 foot pillar. A prophet, outcast, I believe, is the technical term.

Am I the only one to offer suggestions to the OP, 6 pages in?

It might be worth having Mourinho for one season, to turn his high profile spotlight on the suppurating mass of corruption which is Scottish Football. I suspect, however, that his views would be laughed off with a 'That Jose, eh, whit's he like?' or a 'Who's that foreigner to tell us our business?' And, while he would be right, nothing would happen, beyond the guilty taking extreme umbrage, protesting too much, and imposing vindictive sanctions. Plus, he is past it, and a farewell tour often disappoints. Obrigado por Sevilha, though, eh?

You've just written his job application for him!

The special one is working his ticket.. Just saying like. Jose Mourinho floors opposition manager with nose grab as wild brawl breaks out in crazy Istanbul derby | talkSPORT

Interesting, its almost as if our club know this is an issue, but leave everything until late and put our qualification chances at risk anyway.

Nobody within Rangers just some Guardian readers, bbc folk, university people i.e. those who enrolled and stayed on forever, lefty comedians and maybe even @buster.

Only really helps us if it were for the latter stages of the Europa League 🤭 100% this is to ensure those cunts don't fall on their faces and miss out on UCL.

Again, haven't said anything of the sort in all my posts on here - I've stated my problems with foreign ideologies trying to be brought into the West. I don't think I've even mentioned the iftar at Ibrox? 🤔 But if you want my opinion on it, they embrace all aspects of our supporters and players' religions, including any Protestant and Catholic players, or don't bother. That's my opinion. Everyone anyone, surely?

Correct. celtic opposed an extension of the season because they claimed to have arranged a tour of Japan early in the close season. “Sporting integrity” they called it. There was no such tour. That’s celtic integrity.

Nah, it'd be honest.

Would it be bitter, twisted, and downright cynical to suggest that this change comes in when Pederasts FC has to play a qualifier in CL for the first time in a few years ??