BrahimHemdani

Being able to change the FGS once the team is announced puts those in a different time zone at a disadvantage.

 

Everyone is able to pick a FGS before the team is announced, whether earlier that day, or the day before, but not everyone is able to do so once the team is announced. It's skewing the competition to the few, like yourself, who have the time and ability to hear the team and change their pick.

 

Having a cut-off prior to the team being announced puts everyone on a level playing field.

On the contrary as JFK explained he needs to get up very early as it is to watch most games; if he had to post an hour before KO he would need to be up even earlier or post the day before which is a being disadvantage.

It makes no sense to me to have a cut off before the team is announced; as typically there will be a fair number who select a FGS who isn't playing. This will be especially true if we have a whole bunch of new players that no one knows.

Just about everyone has some kind of device where they can get the team when it is announced about an hour before KO on BBC, Sky, Rangers etc whether they are at the match, at home, in a pub or on the other side of the world as I was doing in April. So your proposal would actually disadvantage the vast majority if not ac tally all players, for no reason.

I don't recall any outcry to change the rule away from KO time; so I see no reason to change.

We gave you a Gersnet polo shirt for finishing 2nd ? What the.... ??? We are celebrating not winning on Gersnet now ? We will be in the Record next for a sickening love-in celebrating mediocrity.

Come on mate let's not make this something it is not. The winner wins a Polo shirt with Gersnet on the breast. The winner is not forced to wear it and doesn't need to accept it if he doesn't want it. We don't ask money for participating. We do not ask money for being on the forum. This prize is paid for by Admin who are ordinary working guy's. What happened to the saying "never look a gift horse in the mouth."

I will be proud to wear my shirt for being Runner Up last year. May even post a picture.

Of course it is being negative. What part of being a fan and predicting a poor result for your team is not being negative? Especially so on a free "just-for-fun" wee competition on a supporters forum.

 

The joy of going to live sport, and football in particular, is that anything can happen on any given day. Every supporter going to every match has to go with that gut feeling that today is going to be our day, even if the opponents are better or our form is poor. I know you, like me, travel to every match. What is the point in going if you have no wee feeling that the Rangers are going to have one of those fantastic days from out of nowhere?

 

When thinking about your prediction in the predictor game, let that wee positive gut feeling out and type it onto the screen. You will feel so much better!

 

I couldnt cope with the guilt of knowing I took my team not to win, even in a freebie fun competition.

Sorry still don't agree. Sometimes I go with the feeling we're going to get gubbed and just hoping it won't be too bad. Sometimes you do get gubbed and sometimes you do better than expected witness the two games at Parkhead this past season.

I don't see being realistic as being negative.

Just for Fun! I'll let you know there is a Gersnet Polo shirt at stake here. Limited edition. Signed by all the Admin team. That could make you a fortune one day. Freebie indeed! Some people just don't realise the value of things.

 

 

 

Just kidding it is not signed.

Mine must have been signed in invisible ink.

I disagree with the early cut off time because I don't see predicting the team as part of predicting the result. I always make sure I check the team when I am OUTSIDE the stadium to ensure I have a signal and the ability to change FGS if necessary. Furthermore as JFK points out it puts those in different time zones at a disadvantage.

Some kind of bonus system for forecaster of the month is a good idea provided it can be implemented without taking up too much extra time for Rousseau.

More than one way to take part without being negative and forecasting a bad result.

I don't agree that forecasting a bad result is being negative, realistic perhaps in some games; but negative, NO.

exact reason i stopped participating this season

I understand that very well.

I seriously contemplated taking the same course but felt obligated after finishing second in my first season. However, it is very difficult to make true forecasts when you come under such peer pressure not to forecast against Rangers; and as you say that of itself is difficult when you obviously want Rangers to win, but know that isn't going to happen all the time.

Heres an idea out of left field-----why dont participants start telling the fecking truth.

I'm new around here. I don't get this? Have I missed a useful loophole I can use to improve my score? What did you mean?

LB has a thing about folk making truthful predictions and for the most part I agree with him.

Earlier in the season my honest forecasts would have been losses at Parkhead and Pittodrie but I forecast a win and a draw IIRC because there is a fair amount of peer pressure (not all of it good natured) here not to forecast against Rangers. Had I made an honest forecast in those games, I might have challenged SBS and Rousseau for 3rd or 2nd.

When Craig and I then forecast Rangers to lose the second game at Parkhead we were rounded on by a minority on here. Of course this was compounded when I forecast a loss or draw at Aberdeen (can't remember exactly) and we came with the late 3-0.

It has been said more than once that I take the league more seriously than some; but I see no point in taking part and then forecasting Rangers to win every game; as only JFK genuinely believes that Rangers will win every time out; I don't see the skill in that. That said, it is extremely difficult to forecast a loss for example, because you are obviously sitting there willing your team on to win.

So my advice to Gaffer is make an honest forecast and be damned as I have been.

That's a shame you're so popular over there to, lol.

So I understand.

A handicap system should be implemented, with those finishing last in Year 1 being awarded bonus points for Year 2.

Seems fair to me.

Those finishing in the top 4 two years in a row should get +50% points for all forecasts in 2017/18; bit like frequent flyer premium bonus miles.

 

5. 10 points off for anyone going for Miller for FGS - you are only doing it to wind me up!!

Given that Miller will be nearly as old as you next season, I'd say double points for all correct Miller FGS forecasts and 2 points awarded if you forecast him as FGS and he scores at any time.

This one is just for discussion, I mentioned it after the Aberdeen 1-2 home game.

I felt it was worth thinking about whether it was right to award points for correct Rangers goals, when you wrongly predict the result. I know that the result itself is a separate prediction but it just seemed wrong to me that you get a point (or two in my above proposal) if you forecast Rangers to win (or draw) and we lose (or draw if you have forecast a win or a loss) the match.

I'm not sure I can explain exactly why I feel that way; but it's like get a consolation for a wrong forecast.

Just a thought as I say.

I don't think many changes are needed if any.

Last year I mentioned that there had been at least two occasions where there was a question as to whether "late" posts should be allowed in the case of late kick-offs. The previous rule was ambiguous "Your match prediction will not be counted AT ALL if your prediction is posted after kick-off." because this could be interpreted as the official kick off time or the actual kick off time. On both occasions Zappa ruled that the posts which were made after the official kick off time but before the actual kick off be allowed. However, this led to questions about the actual kick off time, which is not usually recorded anywhere. Therefore I suggested the rule be amended to say "Your match prediction will not be counted AT ALL if your prediction is posted after the official kick-off time." So a 7.46pm post will not be valid if the official kick off time is 7.45pm even if the actual kick off is 7.47pm. This means there is no debate: either your post is time stamped on or before the official kick off time and it is valid; or it is posted after the official kick off tie and it is not valid.

This change was adopted and in my opinion it worked fine, so should remain in place. I don't agree with an arbitrary earlier cut off, for the reasons given by JFK and others.

I feel we should retain the double points for Scottish Cup, because it does add a bit of something different for the Cup games and I agree with extending this to the EL games, which might be harder to predict.

However, I have two proposals:

1. Cup tie results should be 90 minutes and not include extra time; and
   
2. 
   
3. I would return to 2 points for Correct Number of Rangers goals which is harder to predict than the result of the match.
   

Come on I may live in Germany but I am still a Scot. And it was after all you who invited us.

 

I was quite happy to go to another pub or sit on the bar for another while but it looked to me everyone was hitting the road. I was surprised when BD said everyone deserted him. As you say there will be a next time.

I'm not surprised that everyone deserted the faceless one and I'm not a big drinker; but would certainly have shared another glass of merlot.

Hasta la vista, amigo.

Some supporters have arrange a meeting for all concerned with the running of c1872, some user on FF ,Pollockprod i think?

I'd like to have gone but am away on business on Thursday.

I'm not going near anything that is in any way connected with FF.

Brahim do you ever do anything else but let people buy you drinks. i think it must be you and not Christine that is a multimillionaire.

I don't recall you buying me one but there's always next time. :cheers:

We didn't play at their ground it was another stadium.

Thank you for the correction. I found it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teheln%C3%A9_pole.'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teheln%C3%A9_pole.

Tehelné pole, most commonly, the name refers to the football stadium in this district which is the home ground of Slovan Bratislava.

In 2005–06, it was also used as the "home" ground for FC Artmedia Bratislava in that club's Champions League and UEFA Cup campaigns, as Artmedia's own ground did not meet minimum standards for UEFA competitions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teheln%C3%A9_pole

I know it's a bit off topic but remember Artmedia Bratislava who beat Celtic 5-0, 0-4 in the 2005/06 CL and who we drew with twice the following season. Artmedia were members of the top flight Slovak league from its inception in 1993 until 2010.

In the 2009–10 season they were relegated from the top-tier Corgoň Liga to the Slovak Second Division after finishing last. Two years later in the 2011–12 season they were relegated to the Slovak Third Division. In 2014, due to severe financial problems, the team was relegated to the lowest division (Slovak Fifth League). Remind you of anything? They were promoted to the 4th level for 2016/17.

The club are now called FC Petržalka akadémia and plays its home matches at its own new stadium with a capacity of 1,500. The club's old home ground, Štadión Petržalka, which held 9,000 was demolished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Petr%C5%BEalka_akad%C3%A9mia

I recall it was a nightmare to get into but their fans were great, buying us drink in the railway carriage that passed for their Club across the road.

New elections should be the first priority, then the departure of JB, increase in board numbers and sub-groups.

 

Anyone going to the meeting at St Rollox bowling club this Thursday? I'm thinking of going, hopefully some new faces will step up to join the board of c1872.

What meeting is that?

Wouldn't want any team from Eastern Europe, not least Croatia, Serbia et al. Q3 includes some real heavy-weights best avoided too.

Any team in Q3 could quite legitimately expect to horse us.

1st looks okay 2nd will be hard fought and certainly no guarantee 3rd a stretch too far

Receiving a doing from any team in Q3 would be a nice problem to have. I'd love to see us face most of those teams (i.e. The higher profile ones). As many of us have said, it'll be fantastic to get those Euro nights back. It's what many of us have missed the most over the past few years.

I agree with all these thoughts.

We SHOULD sail through Q1 but remember Celtic lost in GIb.

Q2 is a lottery. Again we SHOULD have a reasonable chance against the Scandinavian or Cypriot teams (although Cyprus is now on a par with Scotland) but we came unstuck in Sweden before. I wouldn't fancy Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Belarus etc.

Q3 already looks like a bridge too far but it would be nice to get into the hat and draw Milan or Marseille.

BH listed potential opponents a while back which should be narrowed down now. It contained teams from Ireland, Wales and Iceland etc. I dont fancy Red Star in any qualifying game, they are still a good side.

Yep, updated at #64.

Red Star was a really difficult one back in 2007, which we got through, just, aided by a sterling performance by one Brahim Hemdani. They are the loudest fans anywhere. Sounded like a train coming through the stadium as one side chanted to the other.

Lifted from FF:

 

 

Europa league draw dates and potential opponents

The draw for the first and second qualifying rounds will be on 19/6/17.

The first qualifying round first leg will be on 29/6 and/1 the second leg on 6/7.

The second qualifying round first leg will be on 13/7 and second leg on

20/7.

The draw for the third qualifying round will be on 14/7.

The third qualifying round first leg will be on 27/7 and the second leg on 3/8.

Play-Off draw will be on 4/8.

The first Leg will be play on 17/8 and the second leg on 24/8.

 

The Group stage draw will be on 25/8.

Potential opponents First qualifying round. Red star Belgrade, Legia warsaw, Lech Poznan, Austria wien.

Seconds qualifying round, Galatasary or Fenerbahce, Maccabi tel aviv.

Third qualifying round, Dinamo Zagreb, Everton, Braga, PSV, One these three Spanish teams Bilbao, Villarreal, Sociedad, either Milan or Foirentina, Gent, CSKA, Zenit, Krasnodar, Rostov, Marseille or Bordeaux. Most are to be determined But most are likely to be in these rounds, Then we will have the ECL drop outs in the play-off round if we get that far. Thoughts bears?

The dates are correct but we are seeded in Q1 so the first round opponents are wrong.

We are looking at the likes of Shamrock Rovers, Cork City, Derry City, Coleraine, Ballymena, Connah's Quay, Bangor City, the famous Lincoln Red Imps from Gib, and teams from Serbia, Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Finland, Moldova, Hungary, Lithuania, Iceland the Faroe Islands, Malta. We may avoid the worst of the travelling because Q1 is regionalised but that might still include Georgia, for example.

If we get through we will not be seeded in Q2, where potential opponents include:

Maccabi Tel-Aviv (*) Isr 23.375 .

Hajduk Split Cro 11.550 .

Dinamo Minsk * Bls 10.975 .

Apollon Limassol (*) Cyp 10.710 .

HJK Helsinki * Fin 10.530 .

AIK Stockholm * Swe 9.945 .

Vojvodina Novi Sad * Srb 9.075 .

Brøndby IF Den 8.800 .

AEL Limassol * Cyp 8.210 .

EL3 Tur 7.840 - 58.840 .

Gabala FK Azb 7.800 .

Slovan Bratislava * Svk 7.350 .

Red Star Belgrade * Srb 7.325 .

Skënderbeu Korçë * Alb 6.800

If we get through that, potential opponents in Q3 include:

Zenit St. Petersburg Rus 87.106 .

Sparta Praha Cze 48.135 .

AC Milan Ita >47.666 .

PSV Eindhoven Ned >46.212 .

Sporting Braga Por 37.366 .

AA Gent Bel 35.480 .

FK Krasnodar Rus 32.106 .

EL23 Fra 29.333 - 68.833 .

Everton Eng >29.135 .

Olympique Marseille Fra 28.333 .

EL3 Esp >27.442 >60.942 .

Dinamo Zagreb Cro 26.050 .

Maccabi Tel-Aviv (*/**) Isr 23.375 .

Austria Wien (*/**) Aut 17.070 .

EL3 Ger 16.899 - 20.899 .

Maritimo Funchal Por 14.866

https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/seedel2017.html

I'd rather not look beyond that at this point.

This attitude would stand you in good stead in other matters.You wont hear of it will you?

I live and learn as most do, LB.

Second is a most impatient General Officer Commanding, Robert E Lee.

 

The GOC that defeated him at Gettysburg, George Meade was patient enough to await Massa Robert's impatience.

 

James Longstreet Loyal RSC.

You may have noticed Gettysburg on telly tonight.

I can't argue with your comments, Longstreet was right of course and JEB Stuart too late to make a difference.

“It is well that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it.”

2nd is 1st loser. No pride in that

 

Winning is everything, second is nothing

As a novice, I am proud to have finished above a number of highly rated and experienced forecasters on both occasions; I'll happily leave it at that.