pete

I was half watching it as i could watch it live but i am now asking are Bayern so good or are Werder crap. I would go for the Werder being crap version.

Thanks mate i have put it in a map and will try next week.

Seemingly Falkirk played some excellent football though as they let see last year that they can. Time to look at the positives guy's, we could have lost that game last year.

I am ecstatic about the result but it would seem i can't get BBC radio Scotland over the Satellite dish anymore which is a dumper for me. Oh well 7 goals every week may make up for it.

Think yourself Lucky at least you had a blue tinted panel. The beeb gave us pat Nevin. I like Billy Dodds in the Studio but don't think he is very good at assisting the commentator. Please give us Gordon Smith back!!!!!

With most of the competitions getting under way last week and this i thought it would be interesting to take a look across Europe and pick out some of the better fixtures. Germany: Friday, 17 August 2007 Karlsruhe v Hannover 96, 19:30 Saturday, 18 August 2007 Arminia Bielefeld v Eintracht Frankfurt, 14:30 Hansa Rostock v Nurnberg, 14:30 Hertha Berlin v VfB Stuttgart, 14:30 MSV Duisburg v Wolfsburg, 14:30 Schalke 04 v Borussia Dortmund, 14:30 Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, 14:30 Sunday, 19 August 2007 Cottbus v VfL Bochum, 16:00 Hamburg v Bayer Leverkusen, 16:00 Three fixtures stand out for me here, Schalke 04 v Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, Hamburg v Bayer Leverkusen. With Stuttgart,Werder,Schalke and Leverkusen all drawing last week, Bayern Munich top the League. This week throws most of the so called top teams against each other which will possibly give a pointer of how far each team is progressing. Holland: Friday, 17 August 2007 Heerenveen v Willem II, 19:30 Saturday, 18 August 2007 AZ v VVV, 19:00 Excelsior v FC Twente, 19:00 NAC v FC Groningen, 18:30 NEC v Roda JC, 19:00 Sunday, 19 August 2007 De Graafschap v Ajax, 11:30 FC Utrecht v Feyenoord, 13:30 Heracles v PSV, 13:30 Sparta v Vitesse, 13:30 Only FC Utrecht v Feyenoord, stand out for me here as the new look Feynoord will be taking to the field with Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Roy Makaay and Michael Mols. Heracles v PSV, has a personal tint for me as i work in Almelo and most of my colleagues are Heracles supporters. I have always had a soft spot for PSV due to our win against them in the Bobby Russell era and the first game in Holland i went to was PSV v Wolves in the Emlyn Hughs time. France: Auxerre v Caen, 19:00 Le Mans v Lille, 19:00 Lorient v Lyon, 19:00 Metz v PSG, 19:00 Sochaux v Monaco, 16:10 St Etienne v Bordeaux, 19:00 Toulouse v Strasbourg, 19:00 Sunday, 19 August 2007 Lens v Valenciennes, 18:00 Marseille v AS Nancy, 20:00 Nice v Rennes, 18:00 I do not know a lot about French football to be honest as i have never really followed it but le Mans and Nancy seem to be making the early running with the names we would expect to see at the top of the league, Lyon,Marseille,Auxerre and PSG, all well off the top after three games with Auxerre holding last place. Spain and Italy kick off their league seasons next week.

Saturday, 18 August 2007 Birmingham v West Ham, 15:00 Fulham v Middlesbrough, 15:00 Newcastle v Aston Villa, 17:15 Portsmouth v Bolton, 12:45 Reading v Everton, 15:00 Tottenham v Derby, 15:00 Wigan v Sunderland, 15:00 Sunday, 19 August 2007 Blackburn v Arsenal, 15:00 Liverpool v Chelsea, 16:00 Man City v Man Utd, 13:30 The games that stand out here are Liverpool v Chelsea and the new Man City v Man Utd with Blackburn v Arsenal also a potential banana skin for the Gunners. I will go: Birmingham v West Ham, Home win Fulham v Middlesbrough, Draw Newcastle v Aston Villa, Home win Portsmouth v Bolton, Home win Reading v Everton, Draw Tottenham v Derby, Home win Wigan v Sunderland, Away win Blackburn v Arsenal, Away win Liverpool v Chelsea, Home win Man City v Man Utd, Away win

Aberdeen FC: The current Aberdeen FC was born out of the merger of three city clubs; Aberdeen, Victoria United and Orion in 1903. The new club played its first season in the Scottish Second Division and was then elected, rather than promoted, to the First Division. The club has never since been out of the top tier in Scottish football. Celtic FC: Celtic Football Club was formally constituted at a meeting in St. Mary's Church hall on East Rose Street (now Forbes Street), Calton, Glasgow, by an Irish Marist brother named Brother Walfrid originally from Ballymote in County Sligo on 6 November 1887. The charity established by Brother Walfrid was named The Poor Children's Dinner Table. Walfrid's move to establish the club as a means of fund raising was largely inspired by the example of Hibernian F.C. who were formed out of the immigrant Irish population thirteen years earlier in Edinburgh. On 28 May 1888, Celtic played their first official match against Rangers and won 5-2 in what was described as a "friendly encounter". Celtic had 8 'guest' players from Hibernian playing that day. Dundee United: Inspired initially by the example of Hibernian in Edinburgh and later by Celtic in Glasgow, the Irish community in Dundee formed a new football club in 1909, following the demise of Dundee Harp. Originally called Dundee Hibernian,(Hibernia is the Latin name for Ireland) the club took over Clepington Park (renamed Tannadice Park) from Dundee Wanderers and played their inaugural game on 18 August 1909 against Hibernian, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. The following year, the club was voted into the Scottish Football League The club was saved from going out of business in October 1923 by a group of Dundee businessmen. They decided to change the club's name to Dundee United in order to attract a wider appeal; the name Dundee City was considered but was protested by long standing city rivals Dundee FC Falkirk FC: The club's date of formation is a point of much contention, although most accounts point to the year 1876 as the probable starting point, and this is the date used by the club and its fans as the formation date. The club quickly developed the nickname "The Bairns", a Scots word meaning child, son or daughter. This was in homage to an ancient Falkirk Burgh motto, "Better meddle wi' the deil [devil] than the Bairns O' Falkirk." Gretna FC: An amateur team before in the town, called Gretna Green F.C. had existed in the 19th century, but were bankrupt by the 1920s. This left the area without a team until Gretna FC was founded in 1946, who played locally in Dumfries. The following year, they made the unusual move of transferring to a league run by the English Football Association, the Carlisle and District League, despite being a Scottish based club. During the 1990s, they also became the first club from Scotland to appear in the FA Cup proper since Rangers had done so in 1887. Entered the Scottish league in 2002. Hearts of Midlothian FC: Hearts were founded in 1874 and are reputedly named after a popular local dance hall, which in turn took its name from the novel The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott. The first Hearts Captain, Tom Purdie, stated that they may have played in 1873. They initially played at The Meadows, Powburn and Powderhall before moving to the Gorgie area in 1881. They moved to their current Tynecastle site in 1886. The earliest mention of Heart of Midlothian in a sporting context is a report in the Scotsman newspaper from 20 July 1864 of the Scotsman vs Heart of Mid-Lothian at cricket. It is not known if this was the same club who went on to form the football club. HibernianFC: he club was founded in August 1875 by members of the St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church based on the Cowgate. The club's principal founders were Canon Edward Joseph Hannan, and the head of the local Catholic Young Men's Association, Michael Whelahan, who became the first club captain. The meeting which established the club took place at the St. Mary's Street Hall, which can still be seen today. The team originally played, like all other teams of the time, on the Meadows, a park towards the south of Edinburgh's Old Town. The club moved to the Leith area of the city in 1880, to a purpose built ground named Hibernian Park, which stood where Bothwell Street now stands today. The club moved to its present ground at Easter Road in 1891, just a stone's throw away from their first home. Hibs were the first major club in Scotland formed by members of the Irish Catholic population of the time. The club's name reflects its Irish roots (Hibernia is the Latin name for Ireland). A strict translation of the name Hibernian F.C. would be "Irishmen Football Club." As the first such team, their example led to the creation of Dundee Hibernian (now Dundee United) and Celtic, who when they were formed were nearly called Glasgow Hibernian. Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C: The club was formed as Caledonian Thistle F.C. in 1994 following the merger of Caledonian F.C. and Inverness Thistle F.C., both members of the Highland Football League, to fill a vacancy in the Scottish Football League. The club amended its name to Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. in 1996 at the request of Inverness District Council. Kilmarnock FC: The club's foundation dates to the very earliest days of organised football in Scotland, when a group of local cricketers looking for a sporting pursuit to occupy them outwith the cricket season formed a football club in 1869. Originally they played rugby rules, but the difficulty in organising fixtures and the growing influence of Queen's Park F.C. soon persuaded them to adopt the association code instead. These origins are reflected to this day by the name of the club's home ground - Rugby Park. Motherwell FC: In 1886, two amateur teams based in factories in Motherwell - Glencairn F.C. and Alpha F.C. - were invited to field a select team from both of their squads to play a similar select side from Glasgow. This amalgamated side competed in a charity competition, and talks afterwards fully merged the two sides into Motherwell Football Club on May 17, 1886 Rangers FC: One question that is often asked by many Rangers fans or historians alike, is when was the club actually formed? During 1872, 4 young Scots rowers watched their first game of Assocation Football which had taken off across the whole of the country over previous years. These young men, Moses McNeil, his brother Peter, William McBeath and Peter Campbell, excited by the new game, decided to start their own team, even though they had no kit or even a ball. Later that year, the team played it's first match; a 0-0 draw against Callander FC at Flesher's Haugh on Glasgow Green. By the next match; an 11-0 win over Clyde, the club was beginning to take shape with the team even wearing the colour blue for the first time. Officially, 1873 is known as the club's founding date. Moses McNeil named the club Rangers (adopted from an English rugby team!) and the first offical fixtures were arranged by the new club officers. The first AGM was also that year and the players had to undergo formal training sessions. Unfortunately, the club left it too late to register with the SFA for that year, so Rangers missed out on the inaugural Scottish Cup, won by Queens Park. Ergo, the club had to be content with friendlies for 1873 and most of 1874. St Mirren: St. Mirren were formed as a gentlemen's club which included amongst other sports, cricket and rugby in the late 19th century. The increasing popularity of football ensured that by 1877 the members had decided to switch codes and play association football. They are named after Saint Mirin the founder of Paisley Abbey and Patron Saint of Paisley.

I agree with that Craig but i did say now meaning this season and possibly the next few. Obviously Brown has a far higher sell on probability and so in the long run will be possibly better value but if McCulloch keeps playing as he has been doing he will prove better value short term.

I must admit McCulloch is the surprise packet for me. In the games i have saw him i think he has played a large role in us getting the win. I think if i had to choose between him and Scott Brown now, then we have got the bargain.

I will go with Cammy's team. Hemdani is a must starter for me. ----------------McGregor Hutton----Weir----CC----Papac / Kirk Nacho------Thommo\Fergie-----Hemdani-----Beasley -----------------McCulloch ------------------------Cousin Another option for me with McCulloch making the 5 man midfield but given that Fergie has already netted 3 goals i would start with him.

The times online is that where he is spewing his crap?

Second Place In Sack Race For Jol Posted 16/08/07 15:02 EmailPrintSave The manager who has led Tottenham to fifth in two successive seasons is now second-favourite for the chop with the bookies. We look at the top five contenders in the race nobody wants to win... SAMMY LEE (BOLTON) - 5/2 Yet to win a Premier League game, the jury is not so much out on Sammy Lee...according to the bookies, they're about to come in with a majority 'guilty' verdict. "I'm not pleased about it, don't get me wrong, and I don't think any manager worth his salt would be pleased that we have had two defeats in two games," said Lee after Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Fulham which was characterised by some truly awful defending. It doesn't help that Abdoulaye Faye is about to exit for Newcastle, El-Hadji Diouf is getting itchy feet and it can't be long before Nicolas Anelka is looking at the exit door with Pompey and West Ham both interested. What Chairman Phil Gartside wouldn't do to have some of that dull Sam Allardyce football back at the Reebok... MARTIN JOL (SPURS) - 4-1 The problem with spending �£40m in one summer is that you get �£40m-worth of pressure, and Thursday's Independent was already suggesting that 'showdown talks' had happened between Jol and chairman Daniel Levy just two games into the season. The implication is that there are certain Spurs board members who are none-too-enamoured with their manager, who decided to spend an awful lot of money this summer without actually buying what they so glaringly needed - a creative midfielder. They face Derby at home this Saturday and anything less than victory in that game will surely see 6-0-6 bombarded with calls from angry young men from north London. How quickly they forget... CHRIS HUTCHINGS (WIGAN) - 5/1 He waited seven years for his second Premiership win and it came on Wednesday night against an admittedly rotten Middlesbrough side. The pressure has certainly been eased on Chris Hutchings, whose moves for Antoine Sibierski and Jason Koumas are starting to look astute, but one swallow does not make a summer and the fact that Hutchings only has a one-year contract at Wigan does not bode well. For some reason, the name of Neil Warnock keeps popping into my head, and in association with the name of Dave Whelan, that has a tendency to bring on nausea. ALAN CURBISHLEY (WEST HAM) - 6/1I can't write anything about West Ham without someone wanting to poo in my hair, so I'll leave it to Paul Konchesky, who said: "There was, and still is, a lot of unhappy players at the club who don't like him. I know there are a lot of players who don't think he is any good." Remember, this is the club who got rid of Alan Pardew when he supposedly 'lost the dressing room'. And he didn't have a policy of buying football's most unsavoury characters on massive wages. GARETH SOUTHGATE (MIDDLESBROUGH) - 7/1 Thursday morning brought a rare thing into the Football365 mailbox - an apology from a reader who had berated us for repeatedly suggesting that Middlesbrough would face a massive battle to survive this season. Frankly, Boro are rubbish and are only going to get worse when Yakubu moves on, as he inevitably will judging from his body language at Wigan. If you can't score against a defence marshalled by T*tf**k Bumble, you will never score, and we can't pretend that Mido is the answer. Chairman Steve Gibson is renowned for his patience, but will he be patient if they get just one or two points from their next three fixtures against Fulham, Newcastle and Birmingham? Two games gone and the wolves are already at the door.

Apparently only Ath madrid have shown any interest and Rangers could be a step to the EPL for him. Don't worry i will wake up in a minute.

What about a swap deal with Villareal. Fergie for Juan Rom�¡n Riquelme now i would go for that, as the president of Villareal has said Riquelme will never play for them again. I would even throw a few million in as well or maybe even a loan deal.

I have only saw him in Germany and on Tuesday and he didn't get into either of these games. In fact a German amateur gave him the run around for most of the game i saw. The goals he scored were class though so hopefully this will be the season he will not only prove me wrong but earn the right to be classed a good player. He is not and imo never will be a great player.

He just doesn't do it for me and always has an excuse or blames another player. I will admit that on his game he can be brilliant but it just does not happen often enough. I keep hoping he will prove me wrong but he never does.

One of the most technical players we have. His reading of the game is second to none. I can't understand why some fans don't like him as breaks up more opposition attacks than anyone else and mostly gets the ball away to a Rangers player. Sorry Frankie i would rather sell Fergie than Hemdani but i think that is well known.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPECIAL By Alan Marshall RED STAR BELGRADE will be fined by UEFA for their conduct in Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Rangers. The Serbian champions picked up seven yellow cards in the third qualifying round first-leg tie at Ibrox and their poor discipline will result in a fine of �£2175. Swedish referee Martin Hansson handed out bookings to Djorje Tutoric, Dusan Andjelkovic, Ognjen Koroman, Milanko Raskovic, Filip Dordevic, Mauricio Molina and Segundo Castillo. Teams are fined by European football's governing body if five or more players are booked in a match. But Red Star will also be warned about their conduct ahead of the second leg on August 28 at the Marakana Stadium. Rangers fans were angered by the visitors' illegal challenges throughout the match. Red Star midfielder Nenan Milijas should also have been booked after a shocking challenge on Alan Hutton while skipper Koroman was fortunate to escape a second yellow after remonstrating with Rangers players and Hansson. Giving them a �£2175 fine is nothing really if there are millions at stake. They should have been charged with assault and battery.

Cheeky.:uzi: I get my secretary to type it out.

I don't mind doing it if it is wanted addition to the forum. It will help lazy people like me who don't get past the Rangers chat.

Thanks Frankie i don't know if it should be on the Rangers chat but i put it there as it may open discussion on our league position.

Dundee United v Hibernian 15:00 Hearts v Gretna 15:00 Motherwell v Kilmarnock 15:00 Rangers v Falkirk 15:00 St Mirren v Inverness CT 15:00 Sunday, 19 August 2007 Time Aberdeen v Celtic Looking at the SPL fixtures for the coming weekend we seem to be the only team in the top half of the league who do not have a potential banana skin. I know Falkirk have dogged us in the past but if we have any asperations in winning the league then Falkirk at home must fall in the category of a game we will dictate and win comfortably. Maybe i am putting the curse of death on us, but we must start these games filled with confidence. This must be a win for Rangers. Celtic travel up to Pittodrie which has actually been a safe haven for them in recent years but Pittodrie remains a place you look to see teams slipping up and Aberdeen will be looking to kick start their season after a poor start. Lets hope that Jimmy Calderwood can rally his troops and and at least hold out for a draw. Unfortunately i think Celtic will come through this one with a win. Aberdeen seem to be more up to meeting us. Hibs visit Dundee and Craig Leveign will be hoping his team can bounce back from their defeat at Kilmarnock. If i was looking to bet on a banker then i would go for a draw here. Hibs have had a great start to the season but it is easy for them to get geared up for Hearts and you would expect them to beat Gretna. Dundee utd at Tannadice could really be their first big test of the season. A draw here for me, i would almost bet on it. Motherwell will be hoping to continue their fantastic start but Jim Jefferies has done a fantastic job at Killie, steering them to 5th place in the league two years in succession. He has got them off to a flyer this year as well with a draw at the midden and a good win at home against the Arabs. I think Kilmarnock will will also be too strong for Motherwell who have done well in beating two of their contenders for demotion in Caley and St Mirren, but Kilmarnock will ask more questions of them and in my eyes will be too strong for the Steelmen. Heart of Midlothian F.C. who are named after a dance hall, which was named after a book by sir Walter Scott, have had little to dance about since mad Vlad sacked George Burley. After a nightmare defeat against their biggest rivals Hibs in their opening game, they put in a good second half display against Aberdeen at Pittodrie to earn a draw. The visit of Gretna should be a game to get them off and running, as Gretna have lost eight goals in their opening two games and would seem to be struggling with the step up to the SPL. Hearts have bagged seven million pounds for Craig Gordon which may help them bring in some new players, but will more likely rehouse another fifteen Lithuanian refugees. Hearts should win this one easily. St Mirren get a visit to Love street from fellow struggler's Inverness Caley. This is probably the most difficult match to predict. Gus McPherson did well last year in keeping the Buddies up and must be happy Gretna have started so poorly.Even at this stage in the season this is a possible fight for survival. I would think this will be two teams who are too frightened to lose and will fight out a boring draw.

AJAX lost 1-0 at home. Looking good for pot 3.

Great read Frankie and i agree 110% with the message you are projecting. Just to look back for a second though, i do wonder why PLG never got the transfer money he was promised. That will remain a mystery to me.