ian1964

TONY MOWBRAY last night claimed the win-at-all-costs mentality in Scottish football is creating SPL ghost grounds. The Celtic boss believes the growing number of empty seats in the top flight is down to a lack of entertainment. And as attendances continue to plummet, Mogga is worried the stay-away fans are sitting at home thinking of ways to criticise their clubs. He said: "I'm surprised by the crowds. Who is watching games when so much is written and spoken about them? "Maybe they're all too busy reading papers, phoning radio stations or writing letters. "How do we get the stadiums full again? My philosophy on football is to entertain. "Unfortunately here it is win, win, win from day one." The Hoops manager would gladly put his hand in his pocket to watch boyhood heroes Middlesbrough. But he fears some punters aren't so motivated. Mowbray said: "A lot of working class people have grown up watching football but they probably have better things to do with their money now. "I was in the Premiership with West Brom last year and teams were playing 'fear football' to stay in the league. "And with players on �£100,000 a week you have to be careful not to alienate the public." Despite the current apathy, Mowbray insists Celtic are working overtime to engage with the public. He said: "This club does a remarkable amount of community stuff. "I sometimes have to say I can't have players spending too much time doing it. "Nobody says: 'He looks tired on Saturday but listen he did great because he signed things for hours on Thursday'." Mowbray also revealed he will wait until the summer before trying to retain loan stars like Robbie Keane, Landry Nguemo, Edson Braafheid and Diomansy Kamara. He said: "It's OK when you only pay a percentage of the salary. But they then have a value. If you can't match that, nothing's going to happen. :spl: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2010/03/21/tony-mowbray-teams-don-t-want-to-entertain-and-that-s-why-stadiums-are-empty-86908-22127976/

Hopefully someone has some nice pics for gersnet

Enjoy....!!!! am feckin working,won't see the game ,and there is more chance of the BHEASTS winning the treble this season than Frankie buying you a drink

Change of plan Cammy,I'm in Rotterdam so won't make the cup final However Frankie is using my ticket,mind you there's not much chance of getting a drink of him

Land redevelopment, local authority blueprints, planning permission, property dealers, Tesco versus Asda. Anyone remember when Rangers used to be a football club? Walter Smith is entitled to stride around his club like a giant but right now there must be days when even he feels like a pretty small cog in the wheels. Forces are at work around the sale of Rangers which make the manager, coaches, players and supporters – in other words, the essence of what a club should be about – seem as relevant as pawns. There were denials from Rangers last night but it is widely expected that at the start of next week Andrew Ellis will close his briefcase, say his thank-yous and walk out on negotiations to buy the club. Doubtless there will be little or no mourning of his departure from supporters who will conclude that his interest in the club itself – rather than its physical hinterland – was negligible. But Ellis cannot be said to have deceived anyone on this. Right from day one he has been described as a property developer. How can Rangers be of any interest to him without property to develop? Still, Ellis’s time on the dancefloor is revealing about where Rangers stand. The club has been on the open market for months and presumably up until now any potential bidder has been under the impression that Ibrox came with some juicy adjoining land which could be carved up for lucrative retail developments. Even then, potential bidders haven’t exactly been falling over themselves to beat a path to owner Sir David Murray’s door. Now the expected end of the talks with Ellis and the reason for their collapse – that the prime adjoining land isn’t quite so prime after all – will underline that what’s on the market here is a football club and no more. A football club which can deliver glory and celebrity and fame and a degree of status, but not one that is going to make anyone any money. Without any marketable land to seduce would-be buyers, an entire constituency of potential bidders is wiped out. The disappearance of Ellis would confirm that Murray’s only hope of shifting Rangers at any price is to offload the club to a wealthy supporter or a consortium of them. The limited income from broadcasting and sponsorship in Scottish football, and the increasing difficulty in getting to the Champions League’s riches, means it makes absolutely no sense for anyone to buy Rangers unless they actually care about them. Ellis is believed to have had the endorsement of Murray and others. So what does that mean? Famously Murray has always said he would sell only to someone with Rangers’ best interests at heart. If it’s not going to be Ellis, does that mean anyone else would be worse for the club in Murray’s eyes? The only other reported interest was from existing non-executive directors Dave King and Paul Murray, along with two other unidentified businessmen, who sounded out the board about a possible Ã?£18m bid in January. King, Murray and the others are “Rangers men” but so far they haven’t brought enough money to the table and stories persist about much of King’s assets being frozen by the South African tax authorities. Ellis was no supporter but he had the readies, or at least it seems that he did when he thought he was getting more than a football club. Throughout all this the pawns go about their duties. Smith, Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall work without contracts. Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Kirk Broadfoot and DaMarcus Beasley see their deals wind down to their final weeks. None of them knows where he’ll be next season. The football department should matter more than anything, but in all this it seems small and vulnerable. They go about their shift in a state of denial, hardly daring to think what it will mean for Rangers if Ellis says what he’s expected to in the next few days. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/comment-the-for-sale-sign-will-still-be-up-at-ibrox-next-week-but-property-developers-need-not-apply-1.1014429

Aye,it could have been 5-5 @ HT

Aye,I've just tuned in on my laptop

What channel is that on mate?

Aye, and the more it goes on the more people start to believe it ,if you're a choob that is

25 minutes played Bremen 1 Valencia 2,decent game

Glad to hear it,I just hope the guy is over his injuries and comes back to Rangers and show the level of play he showed earlier in his career??

It would be nice if the Reuben brothers were involved though http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_and_Simon_Reuben

Seems West Coast Capital, his main holding company for private equity investment, are behind the Ellis bid. Have a friend in the finance houses who was briefed at 9:15 this evening (he's a 20 year Copland Road blue nose, so couldn't wait to share). Reuben Brothers, not quite sure who they are, are involved also, I'm told Reuben and Hunter have previously worked with HBOS on certain deals, and this is apparently helping the final negotiation, given the Lloyds involvement now. Seems like the big man is coming to spend some of his money. Obviously this could be a lot of crap,however I thought I'd post it anyway. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A65121716

I've got a ticket for the cup final as well,mon the GERS

The possibility of the first Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers since 2002 will come as a boost to the contenders for the Europa League qualification slots on offer in this season�s Scottish Premier League. Should the two contend the final on May 15, the team finishing in fifth place in this season�s league table will benefit. The SPL puts forward four of Scotland�s five European participants for the 2010/11 season, with the fifth and final place going to the winners, or defeated finalists, of the Scottish Cup competition. The prospect of an Old Firm final will mean that, given the two are on course to qualify for next season�s Champions League, the Scottish Cup will not be able to put forward any teams for inclusion in the Europa League. That means an extra place for the SPL and, with the teams already placed in third and fourth set to earn slots in the European competition, this season�s fifth placed side will also earn entry into the 162-team Europa League. As it stands, the qualification slot given from the Scottish Cup catapults the recipients ahead of the SPL teams in the qualifying stages. That means that, if either Ross County or Raith Rovers win through to a final with either of the Glasgow teams, they will enter the Europa League at the play-off round, one round later than the league teams, who come in at the third qualifying stage. Dundee United, Hibernian and Motherwell are all fighting it out for the guaranteed European slots, with Peter Houston and Craig Brown�s teams locked on 48 points, with John Hughes� Hibs one behind with two games in hand. Hearts are the nearest contenders to that pack, sitting 10 points off the pace in fifth place with nine games left to play. A Dundee United v Hibernian final is also in the offing and, should they finish in third and fourth position in the SPL, the fifth placed team will again benefit. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-cup/163674-fifth-placed-spl-team-in-line-for-europa-league-benefit-from-old-firm-scottish-cup-final/

Boyds' first [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaNHeZSbl2o&feature=related]YouTube- Boyd (1st) Vs Dundee Utd - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame] 2nd [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQYbW2cwdto&feature=related]YouTube- Boyd (2nd) Vs Dundee Utd - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame] Novos goal [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av-90-eo4tc&feature=related]YouTube- Novo Vs Dundee Utd - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame] DUTD goal [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZj9rlpaCxg&feature=related]YouTube- Shala Vs Rangers - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame] Whittaker og [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-DawHej3Gg&feature=related]YouTube- Whittaker OG Vs Rangers - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame] DUTD goal [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej59gkTfbz0&feature=related]YouTube- Kovacevic Vs Rangers - Scottish Cup Quarter Final - 14.03.2010[/ame]

The thought of the MHANKY chunts not getting to a cup final would give me so much pleasure

Hull City have confirmed Phil Brown has been relieved of his duties and been placed on gardening leave. As revealed by skysports.com earlier on Monday morning Hull have decided to part ways with Brown as they look to secure survival in the Premier League. Brian Horton and Steve Parkin have been placed in charge of first-team affairs following Brown's exit. A club statement read: "Hull City AFC confirms that Phil Brown has been relieved of his managerial duties at the club and has been placed on gardening leave with immediate effect. Brian Horton and Steve Parkin will take charge of first-team duties until further notice. Thanks "We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Phil for the major success achieved during a period of four seasons in charge at the club and wish him every success for the future. "Promotion to the Premier League in 2008 and retention of our status on the last day of the 2009 season are unique events in the history of Hull City AFC and both were achieved under Phil's stewardship during a period which will never be forgotten by all connected with the club. "However, retention of Premier League status is paramount and the board believes that a change in managerial direction is the correct option at this time. "The club will complete supporters up-to-date in respect of any managerial appointment but, in the meantime, Brian Horton and Steve Parkin will prepare the team for our important game at Portsmouth next Saturday." Brown took charge of Hull in 2007 and guided them to the Premier League in his first full season in charge of the club. After a stunning start to life in the Premier League the Tigers managed to avoid relegation on the final day of last season. However, Hull have continued to struggle this season with the side finding themselves in the drop zone for most of the campaign. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11714_6028351,00.html

I'd rather the tattie munching BHEASTS got pumped out

HA HA, it is always wise to sleep on it before letting rip

Good draw...................

If Rangers do win the treble then it will be a remarkable feat by Walter Smiths' blue & white army and will be remembered as The Walter Smith Treble

I was shouting for the DUTD player to get sent off for that push on McGregor at the time it happened,ok maybe I was wrong for that shout,but I certainly though he should have been booked and a free kick given to us

REMEMBER when this Rangers team was ââ?¬Å?the worst in living memoryââ?¬Â? Remember when they were so poor that Celtic were being told Tony Mowbray had been handed the championship on a plate? Back when Champions League tourists were queueing up to stick four past them at Ibrox, the beating Rangers took off the park was equally merciless. A lot
of people mouthed off about how rank rotten they were. There wasnââ?¬â?¢t much Walter Smith could say about it all back then, after Sevilla and Unirea Urziceni had fired in goal after goal in Glasgow. He had to hold his tongue while some Rangers supporters, presumably just out of school, were letting off steam about it being the poorest team to wear the colours. Thatââ?¬â?¢ll be poorer than the side which finished fifth in the league in 1986, then? No-one seems to be coming out with that sort of guff any more. It would look pretty stupid if they did. Rangers have wobbled a few times, including yesterday, but they have lost one domestic match since last April. The starting point for any analysis is that they are demonstrably better than any other side in this country. They havenââ?¬â?¢t been able to buy anyone for ages but over the past three months they have recycled the way they are perceived. Today, there is a general recognition that this group of players have enviable qualities after all. Not losing football matches, for one. So how good is this team which is running away with the league and could end up winning a treble? Smith has laid his cards on the table. Heââ?¬â?¢s miffed that they donââ?¬â?¢t get enough appreciation or credit for a year of domestic consistency. Theyââ?¬â?¢re getting much warmer treatment these days than they did when they were being shown up in Europe, but Smith wants more. He reckons everyone took a mental snapshot of Rangers on the way to the Uefa Cup final two years ago ââ?¬â?? organised, disciplined, committed, defensive to the point of tedium ââ?¬â?? and havenââ?¬â?¢t bothered to update. Heââ?¬â?¢s fed up hearing about ââ?¬Å?resilientââ?¬Â Rangers ââ?¬Å?grinding outââ?¬Â a result. It is entirely natural for Smith to feel protective of, and grateful to, such a tight and close squad of players. But ââ?¬Å?resilientââ?¬Â isnââ?¬â?¢t such a bad description. Itââ?¬â?¢s not the worst thing to be able to recover readily from adversity (embarrassment in Europe, losing Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller and Madjid Bougherra for spells of the season, having to sell Pedro Mendes without hope of a replacement). And as for ââ?¬Å?grinding outââ?¬Â results, thatââ?¬â?¢s just a synonym for consistency. Grinding out a result simply means getting a win or a draw from a mediocre or patchy performance. They did it yesterday. They have won more, lost fewer, scored more, conceded fewer and gathered more points than the league leaders had at this stage last season. They parked the bus in Europe ââ?¬â?? for all the good it did them ââ?¬â?? but they arenââ?¬â?¢t defensive in Scotland. They play a straightforward 4-4-2 and have scored 11 goals more than anyone else in the league. There have been 15 games this season where they have scored three or more goals. Everyone knows about Boyd and Miller, but 29 of Rangersââ?¬â?¢ strikes in all competitions have come from their midfield or back four. The perception of Rangers has been entirely shaped by the financial handcuffs on Smith, the fact he has a shrinking squad and has not been able to buy anyone in the last three transfer windows. But they still have a reservoir of experienced international players. Results in January proved that when they have injuries or suspensions their results can go haywire but, for the most part, the same faces have been available week after week. Smith is never going to recruit the number of cheerleaders for his team that he might like. All their admirable qualities donââ?¬â?¢t add up to Rangers being an exciting or memorable side. They score plenty of goals but, above all, they really are resilient and solid and they graft and get in the oppositionââ?¬â?¢s faces. The maulings they received in Europe only three months ago showed their place in football every bit as much as their dominance of the Scottish scene does. If they were dropped back into Europe tomorrow they would be exposed, pulled around and beaten again. Itââ?¬â?¢s not Rangersââ?¬â?¢ fault that no-one in Scotland can get the better of them. If they do win everything this season, how will this Rangers team be remembered? For Boydââ?¬â?¢s goals? For the pragmatic, functional way they have swotted away dreamy Mowbray? Probably not. First and foremost itââ?¬â?¢ll become ââ?¬Å?the season when Walter Smith won it without any moneyââ?¬Â. The manager would think this unjust, but it could be a team which wins a treble but isnââ?¬â?¢t remembered for its football at all. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/treble-chance-but-just-how-will-this-rangers-team-be-remembered-1.1013285

There is a difference in saying we were rubbish or played shite ect, but to come on and say that the result is totally unacceptable is OTT, IMO. Yes we should have won that game after going 3-1 up,but because we didn't isn't the end of the world as we are still in the cup and on for a treble,the way Rangers have played this season deserves nothing but praise and along the line we will get some poor performances,although again I'll say we weren't that bad yesterday. Of course everyone is entitled their own opinion as we all see the game differently.Upward and onwards