Uilleam

I fear that Messrs Tavernier and Waghorn have outlived their usefulness.

High Commissioner is not a "decent dram".

A couple of dozen Rolexes, vintage clarets, magnums of Krug, and 50 yr old Islay malts en route to Nyon already, I imagine.

Its existence has been proved by theoretical calculation. It is comprised of all of the single socks, which have gone missing, in the world.

True. It has often been observed that I am wired to a Planet, yet to be discovered.

Frankie mentioned earlier in the thread that Rangers struggled, some 20 years ago, against Anorthosis Famagusta. I remember it well, and struggle we did. Qualified, mark you. I do have to suggest that players from Mexico, Portugal, and Colombia will perhaps find adjustment to the heat, etc., somewhat easier than our players did then.

Famagusta had a red haired Bulgarian in midfield, played well, but sadly for him, he ended up at Pittodrie.

Ah ken. I don't think that PC would be pursuing Jamie Walker if he didn't think he had the same or similar attribute.

It's a private school in Dumfries. St. Joseph's College is situated on the Craigs Road in Dumfries, south west Scotland. It is a Roman Catholic secondary school. The school began as a Catholic boys' boarding school run by Marist Brothers. I don't know how it has wangled a spot in the Euro Cup. friends in high places, I suppose.

Do away goals still count double?

Well I remember press, pundits, managers and sundry experts bleating that "There are no easy games in European/International football".... ...and this from decades ago. That kind of attitude has contributed to getting Scottish Club and National football to the position it is in now.

I see that if Linfield overcomes La Fiorita of San Marino, this month, they will play Rasellik in Qualifying Rd 2 Group 3 Malmö (SWE) v Vardar (MKD) Zrinjski (BIH) v Maribor (SVN) Dundalk (IRL) v Rosenborg (NOR) FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL) v Víkingur (FRO) or Trepça '89 (KOS) Linfield (NIR) or La Fiorita (SMR) v Celtic (SCO) IFK Mariehamn (FIN) v Legia Warszawa (POL) !st tie to be played on 11 or 12 July (!!!)

Platform 9 and 3/4?

The bottom of the barrel, below the dregs? I didn't quite grasp how pathetic the position was.

These teams represent the four smallest countries in Europe, along with the poorest, which in itself is 'unofficially' split in two: Moldova and Transdnistria. If this is the level of Scottish football, then, really, we are beyond even God's help. I would think that Ross Co would beat any team from any of these countries.

It's Monday morning, so I suppose we may excuse such pessimistic Calvinist gloom. It does seem, from sources various and varied, official/unofficial. mainstream/alternative, that both Walker and Dorrans want to play at Ibrox. Rangers is their team, and the team of their families and friends. They same, of course, was said about Scott Allan, which made his dalliance with the dark side all the more shocking. I do not expect either Dorrans, in particular, or Walker to pitch up at the piggery any time soon. The lesson of the almost deliberate destruction of Allan's career is fresh in the mind. (Before you ask, I have limited, very limited, sympathy, here.) Allan was duped into signing on @la porcherie, his 'capture' engineered to prevent his moving to Ibrox, where he was actually wanted, and would, form and fitness permitting, have featured consistently. You can pull that kind of stunt only once, it seems to me. Fhilth fc , I suspect, has a few bills in the offing, plus demands for better, longer, more lucrative, contracts on the ceo's desk, and thus the cavalier acquisition of players is unlikely to be on its agenda, anyway. Dorrans' move to Rangers would not be for the money, although he would command a very generous salary, in Scottish, SPFL, terms. Walker would, I imagine, increase his money at Ibrox, which is a significant factor. Whether or not it is the sole determinant is a matter for speculation. There is clearly what the press would call a 'Revolution', underway at Ibrox, and this is likely to be an attraction for any properly educated, up and coming ambitious player, particularly if he has, in Caixinha's words " cognitive ability above the Scottish average", and thus would fit in. (If Walker does not, in PC's opinion, have this, then he would not pursue him; I think that much is clear.) So, there are reasons to be, if not cheerful, cautiously optimistic. Signing both, given the assiduous pursuit, would be a real bonus. It is not a make up the numbers game.

You're probably right. I've lost count of the comings; it's just like the old days! Can we look anticipate another loanee? If so, in what position/part of the field?

....And we still don't actually know if he is any good... "Gauld was suggested on loan, but I considered that we should not have more than two loans and in that position we are already covered." Who is the second player on loan that PC mentions? There's Dalcio, and.....

Gibraltar; Luxembourg; Moldova; San Marino; Andorra. God help us, this is the level at which we operate?

Riordan; fingers burnt? Then again, maybe they don't have a cool £Mill........

No, not the referee, let him umpire the match, a timekeeper, with a klaxon, in the stand, like many other team sports, to keep the time, and to signal half time, and full time. The referee could call for 'time outs' , and book players for 'time wasting', although properly implemented changes would mean no advantage accruing to the time waster(s).

I suppose that, once you have established just what "stops the clock", a neutral timekeeper is too simple?

Perhaps not as much as Steve Jobs did......

Dani Alves set to join Manchester City in £5m deal from Juventus https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/17/manchester-city-dani-alves-junventus Manchester City have approached Juventus over a move for Dani Alves, with Pep Guardiola prepared to offer the Brazil international a two-year contract as he steps up his recruitment drive for next season. City are searching for defensive options after allowing Bacary Sagna and Gaël Clichy to leave when their contracts expire at the end of this month. A move for Tottenham’s Kyle Walker has failed to reach a breakthrough, with Spurs holding out for a fee in excess of £40m for the England international. That has led Guardiola to inquire after Alves, with whom he worked at Barcelona. Juventus have confirmed they could be open to selling a player who especially impressed during the Serie A winners’ run to the Champions League final – notably in the semi-final victory against Monaco, in which he was involved in his side’s first three goals across the tie before scoring the fourth. Alves still has one year left on his contract and City have been told a bid of around £5m would be sufficient to persuade the Turin club to sell the 34-year-old. Despite reports in Spain that a deal has already been agreed, it is understood negotiations are continuing but Alves has agreed a contract in principle to link up with his former manager. Writing on the Players’ Tribune website in the buildup to the Champions League final earlier this month, Alves had high praise for the Catalan, saying: “If you turn the word ‘computer’ backwards, it spells ‘Steve Jobs’. If you turn the word ‘football’ backwards, it spells ‘Pep’. He is a genius. I’ll say it again. A genius."

True: if you play with dumplin's, you are likely to be dragged down to their level, and look a puddin' yourself. I'm less sure about the the opposite.