ian1964

Hamburg fans at Man City [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KAjHAH6-VQ]YouTube - Hamburg fans at Man City[/ame]

Celtic supporters have bad memories of Jorg "The Hammer" Albertz from his playing days with Old Firm rivals Rangers. All too often, a swing of the German midfielder's sweet left foot would send the ball fizzing into the net with unerring accuracy. Now that the Hammer has hung up his prodigious boots, he's predicting further heartache for his old rivals when Hamburg visit Celtic Park on Thursday on Europa League duty. Unbeaten in nine league games so far this season and sitting joint top of the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg's start to the new campaign hasn't been too shabby. They were on the receiving end of a 3-0 drubbing by Europa League rivals Rapid Vienna but responded with a 4-2 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv. Celtic drew and lost to the same opponents and go into Thursday's clash bottom of Group C. The Germans don't have their injury troubles to seek: defenders Alex Silva, Collin Benjamin and Miroslav Stepanek, plus striker Paolo Guerrero, are all suffering from torn cruciate knee ligaments. Ze Roberto has impressed for Hamburg Ze Roberto has impressed since his move from Bayern Munich Defender Bastian Reinhardt and prolific Swiss forward Mladen Petric are also long-term casualties. Nevertheless, Albertz, who starred for Rangers from 1996 until 2001, believes Hamburg can absorb these injury blows ahead of the tie in Glasgow. "Hamburg have got a big squad of very talented players," he told BBC Scotland. "They've not been beaten for a long time and have a very strong side. Technically, they're very good. Of course, they've got some injury problems. "But, at the end of the day, the squad is big enough to bring a team to perform well at Parkhead. "I think it's going to be a tough game. Celtic at home, with their supporters behind them, are a very difficult team to play against. "They fight from the first minute to the last. That's what they need to do to get something out of the game. "However, Hamburg are a very experienced team in terms of European and international games." Albertz says the German outfit are playing as a unit and could benefit from Celtic's indifferent form. Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost and Piotr Trochowski Frank Rost and Piotr Trochowski are mainstays in the Hamburg side "It's very hard to beat Hamburg at home," he said. "They'll travel to Celtic Park knowing they're a hard team to beat, but they've got the players to do that. "The main positive for Hamburg at the moment is that they're playing as a team. "Ze Roberto, who came to the club from Bayern Munich, has proved to be a very, very good signing for them. Piotr Trochowski, the German international, is also one to watch. "Goalkeeper Frank Rost is very experienced and, as I said, the main factor is that they're playing as a unit. Everybody's working for each other." Throw Eljero Elia into the mix, the Netherlands striker who scored the winner in the World Cup qualifying win over Scotland recently, and the Germans look a daunting prospect. Albertz said the defeat by Rapid Vienna sent shockwaves throughout Germany, since Hamburg were favourites to win the game. "That was a shock, but I think the team is back on track now," he said. "It's going to be a tough game for both sides. "Celtic will have their backs against the wall. To go further in the Europa League, they must win the three points." Albertz doesn't believe Hamburg will be too cavalier at Celtic Park. "They know how hard it is to play against a team like Celtic," he said. "I imagine they'll sit back a bit, waiting for the counter attack in the hope of sneaking a goal." MY SPORT: DEBATE Can Celtic overcome Hamburg? Albertz said such was the quality of Hamburg's squad that many in Germany were tipping them to win the Bundesliga. "It's a long season, but they've got a big squad to compensate for injuries," he said. "They can go all the way. "I'd definitely go for a Hamburg win when Celtic travel to Germany. But, if Celtic are at their best on Thursday, maybe they can sneak a point. "But my favourites are Hamburg for Celtic Park as well." Could they win the Europa League this season? "If they can avoid too many injuries, they may cause a surprise," he added. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8318828.stm

by Alison McConnell DAVID EDGAR of the Rangers Supporters Trust has slammed the Ibrox players, who he believes are not working hard enough for their big-money pay packets. After watching the Ibrox side humbled by Euro minnows Unirea Urziceni on Tuesday night, Edgar could not contain his anger. And the fans' chief has insisted that those who pay money to follow the club are getting sick of the sub-standard performances and the stream of excuses that are offered in the face of underachievement. "The situation is dire and the standard poor," said Edgar. "No, we can't compete with Real Madrid or Manchester United, we understand that. advertisement "But we should be able to compete with the likes of Unirea. "The players, considering the amount of money they earn, aren't doing enough. That is something that gets overlooked. "We hear the Old Firm pleading poverty, but there are players there becoming millionaires out of Scottish football. "Let's get this in perspective, the team we played on Tuesday night won't earn a fraction of the money Rangers players rake in. "They're earning fantastically good sums of money for what they do. "I get angry when I hear we don't have the budget to compete in Europe. "I will never understand why guys think it is acceptable to go to one training session a day then go home. "They are not world-beaters and it's not like I can't pick a flaw in every player who took the field on Tuesday night. "These players could stay behind and work on their game. "We are prepared to pay great sums of money to average players so we are entitled to know they are working hard to improve themselves. "The players who are there don't seem to be getting any better. If anything, they seem to get worse." Signing policy WALTER SMITH fielded �£20m-worth of his signings against Unirea Urziceni: Neil Alexander Signed 2007 From Ipswich, �£200k Steven Whittaker Signed 2007 From Hibernian, �£2m Madjid Bougherra Signed 2008 From Charlton, �£2.5m Lee McCulloch Signed 2007 From Wigan, �£2.25m Steven Davis Signed 2008 From Fulham, �£3m Pedro Mendes Signed 2008 From Portsmouth, �£3m Kevin Thomson Signed 2007 From Hibernian, �£2m Maurice Edu Signed 2008 From Toronto FC, �£2.5m Steven Naismith Signed 2007 From Kilmarnock, �£2m Kenny Miller Signed 2007 From Derby County, �£2m Kyle Lafferty Signed 2007 From Burnley, �£3.5m DAN PETRESCU'S Unirea were put together for just �£1,379,500: Daniel Tudor Signed 2008 From UTA Arad, �£178,000 Pablo Brandan Signed 2007 From Deportivo Alaves, free Bruno Fernandes Signed 2008 From Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt, �£222,500 George Galamaz Signed 2007 From Dinamo Bucharest, free Epaminonda Nicu Signed 2003 From Youth Academy Tiberiu Balan Signed 2008 From Sportul Studenesc, loan Vasile Maftei Signed 2009 From Rapid Bucharest, �£623k Iulian Apostol Signed 2007 From Farul Constanta, �£133,500 Ricardo Vilana Signed 2006 From Malcantone Agno, free Serban Dacian Varga Signed 2009 From Sportul Studenesc, loan Marius Loan Bilasco Signed 2007 From Arge Piteti, �£222,500 Marius Onofras Signed 2007 From Politehnica Iai, free Sorin Frunza Signed 2008 From FC Vaslui, free Razvan Paduretu Signed 2007 From Gloria 1922 Bistria, free

I hope you have got your tin hat at the ready

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/8319489.stm

A good bet for me is one that has more chance of coming in

It does help a player when he is played in his proper position!!!

In the warm up

I wouldn't..................not if it takes him 5 minutes to catch him

When you see '' fans '' throwing cups,bottles at our players,leaving in droves etc, I'm surprised there wasn't a riot,there was certainly some abuse getting directed at these clowns from our fans, I really wish they would fuck off and never come back,I'd rather see empty seats

It always seems to be on CL nights when these arseholes appear and give Rangers fans a bad name.I really hope they catch the prick that done this and gets a life time ban from Ibrox and charged

I would love that,even if we got beat,I'm sure there would be no lack of effort from the young guys which is severely lacking in our so called first team players

Manure wins 0-1 away in Moscow

Glasgow is our home...........not Manchester

Regardless of what team WS sends out, the fans have a big part to play on Saturday more than ever IMO. The boos that sounded after the game last night should be enough to let the players,management know that the performance was not good enough and has been like that for most of our league games so far this season, however we are the champions and still undefeated in the SPL. This is a massive game on Saturday and the players heads will be down so the fans need to get right behind them and roar them to victory and show everybody what the Rangers fans are all about. If we do get beat then I expect the same response we heard from the fans last night.

We are bad...................HIV's are pish, if you want a bet get your money on Hamburg to hump the hoops @ 11/8 http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvEv&id=12002201&mkt=12862252

You're an imposter.............bring back the REAL MF...........

What benefit does he get out of pretending to be injured ??????

BIRMINGHAM boss Alex McLeish is plotting an �£8 million January swoop for Aiden McGeady. McLeish will be handed a staggering �£40m transfer kitty by the club's new owner Carson Yeung. And SunSport understands the former Rangers boss is tracking Celtic idol McGeady with a view to tabling an offer which Hoops chiefs will find hard to reject. But we can also reveal that Rangers stars Madjid Bougherra and Kris Boyd WON'T be targeted. McLeish failed with a �£4m move for Ibrox goal machine Boyd last January, with the man he took to Gers turning down a switch to the Premiership over personal terms. The Blues boss has also been strongly linked with stopper Bougherra. But centre-half is not a priority position for McLeish, who is desperate to improve his side's attacking options. McGeady has also been linked with giants such as Spurs and Bayern Munich. McLeish is delighted that City's takeover will see him handed funding beyond his dreams. But in an interview yesterday on BBC Five Live he said: "We have to be prudent. It's one thing being given large amounts of money, it's another spending it wisely." http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2688353/Eck-eyes-Aiden.html

MADJID BOUGHERRA has talked his way out of a Rangers fine - after Walter Smith accepted the stopper's reason for going AWOL. Bougy faced showdown talks with Smith after missing Saturday's win at St Johnstone. But the Gers boss has been convinced Bougherra was not at fault for failing to report back on time from international duty. The Algerian revealed he had his bag containing his passport and phone stolen in Paris just before he was due to fly back to Glasgow. Smith said: "Madjid has explained the circumstances which led him to be late back from international duty and I accept what he's had to say. "Initially I was led to believe his belongings were stolen on Monday, but it turns out that happened on Thursday. "In fairness, his agent contacted Ally McCoist and told him of the situation. Having now spoken to Madjid there's no problem. "That is the matter closed now." Bougherra, who watched the win in Perth on the internet, is now bracing himself for an epic autumn as Gers defend the SPL title and chase a place in the last 16 of the Champions League. He's also eyeing a place in both the World Cup Finals and African Cup of Nations when Algeria head for Egypt next month. Bougherra, 27, said: "I would say this is probably going to be the most important month of my entire career for club and country. "I hope to play against Unirea Urziceni on Tuesday and we know a win would help our chances of reaching the next phase. "We also have some huge matches coming up in the league and I have one eye on the game against Egypt with Algeria." Victory over Egypt would also send the Desert Foxes to the African finals in Angola in January - and rule out Bougy for up to a month of domestic action. But he won't leave Scotland until after the Old Firm derby at New Year. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2688388/Bougys-off-the-hook.html

1-0 Wigan HT

Christ..............it's spot the white guy in the Wigan team

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKbiPBVNpUI]YouTube - Nicola Anelka & Martin O'Neill[/ame]

I think Barry Ferguson & Shagger were dealt with quite severely for less

7 points for me this week,I had the MOPES down for win.