craig

Is there any way the SPL can screw us over post-split ? As we all know the SPL seem to have definite leanings to our "friends" in the East End. So, when we get to the split what is the likelihood that THEY will get 3 home games whilst we get 2 ? Or is it formulaic ? This whole "split" is a joke anyway !!

I played for Killie u-12's but doesnt mean I could score goals for fun :fish: But that is the problem with the current team, it doesnt have a Gio, Albertz, Laudrup, McCann etc who could pop up with goals from midfield. How many has Ferguson scored this season ? Mendes has scored 3, Davis probably about the same. I would agree with you that you dont need to have "just a goalscorer" in the team IF the midfield were contributing somewhat regularly - but they aren't. With our midfield not contributing we need all the goals we can find. Here are our scorers this season : Boyd 24 (5 pen) (2 hat-tricks) Miller 11 Novo 7 Lafferty 5 Davis 5 Mendes 3 Thomson 2 Weir 2 Papac 2 Own goals 2 Velicka 1 Cousin 1 Bougherra 1 Whittaker 1 Darcheville 1 Fleck 1 Niguez 1 As you can see there isnt really a great contribution from the midfield to our cause. Thomson is injured and then we have a combined total of 10 goals from midfield (Mendes, Davis, Fleck, Niguez). Given that the midfield aren't contributing heavily to the goals tally it makes it hard to leave the goals out of the team. Novo is injured and then Boyd has scored more than Lafferty and Miller combined (even if you deducted his penalties). I am not saying that Boyd should be a starter every game, far from it - but it IS difficult to leave his goals out of the team. Sure, there is no saying that we may be getting more contribution from midfield and the other strikers if Boyd wasn't in the team but, equally, there is no saying that we might not. None of us know.

Good to hear it was better stuff to watch. Wonder why Papac didnt want to pass to Fleck ? Strange. Would be interested in seeing Fleck on one flank and Aaron on the other (as I said in another thread). I would be surprised if McCoist was in charge though, I thought he was only in charge of the cup games. Either way, good to see that you actually enjoyed the game today. We really do need to put teams to the sword, go a couple of goals up and then give these younger lads some decent game time. Who was at fault for the Killie goal ?

I am sure I will be in the minority here (and I am certainly NOT anti-Boyd) but I find it hard to disagree with anything you say here Gribz (aside from YOU being able to score as many as he would). You make some valid points above for sure and he is certainly a moody player who also has a propoensity to be moody. I doubt people would deny that as he shows it on the pitch often enough. For me the only real contention over Kris Boyd is whether we can afford to leave out the goals he brings to the team and that is a debate none of us can really answer. The fear for me in leaving him out is whether or not the others in the team really would step up to the plate and take on the goalscoring mantle. None of them have shown it consistently.

I dont think that McLeish necessarily wanted to sign SPL players but the problem for him was that he was in the bargain basement so it was either Bosman's (difficult to get decent ones although, to be fair to AM, he managed to get Boumsong, Prso and Hemdani - he did have his howlers too but often he was scraping the barrel on the last day of transfer window having lost another 1st teamer) or SPL players - he couldnt afford players in England due to the inflated market price and it kind of made sense for him to look at players in the league he was competing in. I think AM got a rough time of it from our fans because, despite being under financial constraint, he did still win 7 trophies in his few seasons here which was more than MON achieved in the same time whilst MON had a bigger budget than AM as far as I can tell. I dont think Steve Bruce would come Gribz but I wouldnt mind seeing someone like him at the club as he would instill a large will to win.

Gisa, was it any better fare on offer today ?

Wasnt surprised to see Fleck start and Aaron replace him. Today would have been a good game to start Aaron and then perhaps have Fleck replace him. I can see these two alternating a bit through to the end of the season. What I would like to see is Fleck on the left and Aaron on the right (or vice versa even), move Davis in one and drop either Ferguson or Mendes (Ferguson being the more likely for me). A midfield 4 of Fleck, Mendes, Davis and Aaron would certainly be attack-minded and we couldn't complain of a negative formation with those 4 in the team. The one fear would be whether they would be physically capable as you just know that the other SPL teams would look to kick seven shades of shite out of them.

IMO there is more to it than that BUT you cannot discount the benefit of the cash from the CL. I dont know how much clubs get for the CL but I would imagine that Celtic would have profitted to the tune of perhaps 5-10 million for their CL appearances so even at the most conservative level it would appear that they would have done not much more than break even had they not had the CL. Dependent on their cash position they also may have seen higher debt.

Just the difference in the level of debt alone gives them a significant financial advantage. With their debt at 1 million and ours at, say, 20 million (cant be bothered looking at the numbers this early on a Saturday morning) not only does the size of the debt play a part but just the interest plays a significant part. At a 5% interest rate (which is conservative I would imagine) they would be paying 50k a year in interest whilst we would be paying 1 million. 950k is either an additional player to the playing pool (if you accumulate the interest over 3 yrs it is a 3 mill player) or a decent contribution to wages. On the face of it (and I dont have a great desire to review their finances just now) it looks like very decent results for them. 10% rise in turnover is good and a reduction in debt to negligible levels is also good. It shows that they dont seem to be relying on external financing the same way we are and, given the credit markets, that is a good position to be in. It looks like they are better prepared for any recession than we are as they, no doubt, will have unused credit facilities in place whilst we seem to have exhausted the lines of credit we have available to us. It is hard to compare without looking at both club's financial statements but just on those numbers in that report it would appear that they are in much better financial shape than we are.

Despite my dislike for all things Celtic I have never really understood this particular argument. Celtic were miles behind last season and, whether we like it or not, they actually proved their credentials to handle the pressure at the business end of the season, regardless of bad officiating and assistance from the SPL.

I wish it was Bain that walked and not Ogilvie, that is for sure.

Cheers MF, Rant sent.

Just recalling the events of that day just gave me shivers down my spine. I recall listening to it on the radio (we didnt have coverage out here) and it was obvious that Rangers and Hibs were playing out the 1-0 as it suited both so when I heard McDonald had scored at Fir Park I nearly went through the roof. My wee fella was only about 8 months at the time and he was howling because I frightened him so much. After I got over the euphoria (a couple of days....) I actually felt bad that I had done that to him.

Walter Smith has also had FAR superior funding from his paymasters than Eck ever had.

MF, you will ebe pleased to know that Miller got MOTM from Sky :fish:

Slightly off topic but just who IS the manager we need ? I would be curious as to who we think it could/should be and why that particular person. Perhaps this is deserving of its own thread though. Once upon a time we were a very attractive club to potential managers and that attraction seems to have somewhat diluted.

Would have to be Charlie because he would eat the fish supper.....

You been smoking dope ? They have only played each other the once this season and it finished 1-1. So how does that make you "up" ?

Get it up ye ! You owe me 25 quid anyway as Arsenal got further in the FA Cup than Liverpool. Although..... looks like I will owe you 50 quid for the league bet !

Confirmed for Sunday March 8th. I am in London that weekend on business and will be at the game thanks to corporate sponsorship (seats are right on the halfway line too, just above the TV cameras). Gav, I will get you a program from the game - except this time I won't leave it in a strip club like I did last year. Have a meeting the following morning so won't be indulging in too much alcohol ! Emirates is a class stadium and the view is great. Hopefully see a few goals and some 1st teamers in action (I would imagine guys like Eduardo, Arshavin would play and maybe Fabregas if he is coming back from injury).

I just laughed out loud at that one !

But you didnt include Charlie Adam :fish:

I doubt 250 million woudl be enough to have that team !

Quality avatar gisabeer !! Rumour has it that Jon has his age on his strip too..... it is merely coincidence that it is the same as Fleck's squad number :devil:

The comment was aimed at "alexscottislegend" (I think) who said that he was a Rangers AND Scotland fan regardless of whether the national team was made up of solely Celtic players. Seems you hold a grudge bigbear. The sadder thing is that you look petty with such repeated comments. Just because someone doesnt agree with your sentiments doesnt give you the right to name call. Perhaos you should just move on from that particular debate. Petty name calling isnt the norm in here and shouldnt be tolerated. If you cant keep it respectful then dont bother posting.