JFK-1

I doubt the Progres approach will change much in Luxembourg. They will continue in the same style of packing the area because realistically if they don't they will be hammered and they know that. They will do exactly as they did at Ibrox and hope to nick something on the break or at a set piece. And the chances are that's no different from what we will generally face in the SPL and particularly so at Ibrox. But in saying that this team is still short of full match fitness and understanding and we all clearly saw the difference just one man can make when Kranjcar began to drop out of it and left. So given that we're not yet up to speed and still have several faces to come in including possibly still unsigned faces and given the difference just one man can make I still feel encouraged to say 'you aint seen nothing yet'

Kranjcar is the best player on the pitch by a distance, burning his name into the starting XI. Jack making a solid start looking to get his name chiselled into the starting XI alongside Karnjcar. Dalcio showing some nice touches and a turn of pace, potentially a game winner when he gets up to speed. Kenny Miller is, well Kenny Miller, and it can hardly surprise anyone that he has done it again. Hook Waghorn and give Morelos a run. We must have between 80 and 90% possession and should be scoring a lot more.

The hubz might need to start archiving their thread on this game alone. When was the fixture list posted? Little over a week ago? And this game at Ibrox immediately became their major obsession and continues to be an obsession. Though I suppose that might happen when you have nothing else to focus on but the next league one freebie they're chasing. And incidentally over in the heartz ward of the asylum their latest 'theory' is that we're going to offer them McKay and cash for Walker.

We could never overestimate the level of fantasy and overall obsession coming from not just the usual suspects but from all corners. The biggest hubz forum at this very moment has a thread running 5 pages and 140 posts obsessing on what? On their game with us still almost two months away.

Care to tell us what it was intended to be Joe?

I didn't nominate a courier but whatever. It's on it's way.

Recent record littered by hamstring injuries. Not a good sign.

JIMMY CALDERWOOD admits the loss of Kenny McLean to Rangers would be another body blow to Aberdeen ahead of the new campaign. SportTimes revealed on Saturday that the Light Blues had stepped up their interest in the midfielder as boss Pedro Caixinha targets further reinforcements this summer. The Portuguese has already snapped up former Dons skipper Ryan Jack on a three-year deal and he is in line to make his debut against Progres Niederkorn on Thursday night. Forwards Niall McGinn and Jonny Hayes have also left Pittodrie and former Reds boss Calderwood knows Derek McInnes will be determined to hold onto McLean in the coming weeks. He told SportTimes: “There is talk about Kenny McLean going to Rangers as well and it is so difficult for Aberdeen. “They have done brilliantly in the last couple of years. After a short break, you are coming back in and before you know it you are into European games. “It is really difficult, and even more so after losing Ryan Jack and Jonny Hayes, and Niall McGinn as well. If they lose McLean to Rangers as well, that is hard to take for the supporters there. “It’s not easy for the manager either. He will have been looking forward to pre-season and before you know it four of your best players are out the door. “No disrespect to Aberdeen, because it is a fantastic club with a great chairman, but it is difficult when Rangers, or Celtic, come calling. “You can’t really do too much. All you can do is try and get as much money as you can and then look to get another gem because that is something they are good at there.” http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/rangers/15373110.Kenny_McLean_signing_for_Rangers_would_be_another_tough_blow_to_take_for_Aberdeen__says_Jimmy_Calderwood/

Everybody we show an interest in is automatically worth a million apparently. And they're content to sell to the yahoos but not to us? Aren't they also rivals?

So he's overdue one at home?

This is a support who created issues with an Israeli team over matters that should be of little or no concern to them. I don't have a single doubt that their poisonous terrorist supporting following could create havoc in a place and at a specific time heavily intertwined with their major terror linked obsession. Their number one obsession is Rangers but this is a close second. Their board know this is a PR disaster waiting to happen which might even be the last straw for a UEFA who have consistently disciplined them. I can scarcely imagine their yahoo followers going there without some sort of incident either before, during, or following the game. You think Einstein? And that's a bad thing? Apparently so. Protecting the brand at the cost of preventing them doing what they do to get UEFA involved is obviously beyond the pale. Ever wondered what they're world famous for Einstein? Consult the Israelis, UEFA, and others for clues on that. You will find it's not for footballing reasons.

Training with the under 20's seems to mean the end of the line under Pedro. Has anyone come back from it? Is there a way back or does this mean you are irrevocably out of my plans?

He seems to have a knack of scoring in these Euro matches. Wondering if that might get him a start.

Like the sound of this bit. One might be Walker I suppose but given the activity this window and the stream of surprises on and off the field who knows what might happen.

I can perfectly understand their feelings about this blatant fabrication. Didn't we feel the same when the fantasy of Rangers fans attacking police trying to get into stop the hubz rampage at the SC final was printed?

SJ went out at the first qualifying round last year. And while it's still a little earner for them it's nothing like the earner it is for us. I hope they make it through this time, give them some money to buy O'Hallloran.

I think i'm now glad that at this stage we are entering at the first qualifying round rather than the sheep route of second qualifying round. Not only do we have an almost entirely new team to bed in and have two competitive but easy games to get them up and running before what might be a stiffer test. The club might earn around a million pounds in total revenues for this game. What would the sheep and the others do for the chance to grab an extra million.

I can see the visitors freezing up going out to a spectacle like that. Hope our own new guys are inspired rather than dazzled by the sound and spectacle.

I just told them at work don't expect me to be here on Thursday. I can't be doing that for every Euro game but I just have to see the first outing of this new team in this first Euro match after years away from them.

If we wanted him he would walk barefoot over broken glass to get to Ibrox. Obviously we don't want him so they can have him.

It's disappointing for him and for us but all things being equal this should be a comfortable win regardless and hopefully the red tape will have been cleared away for the next round.

So with that in mind if we were actually to make that group stage the chances are we may see significant signings right up the end of this window taking advantage of the guaranteed income that group stage would bring. I think it's into September before a squad for the group stage has to be submitted.

The way I see it it's simply more evidence if we needed it that aside from being the chairman Dave King is also a committed fan just like us and just like us can be irked by all the waffle being spread around. And as someone else pointed out his interview comments didn't come at an open press conference it was on Rangers TV directed at an audience of Rangers fans. In a situation like that I feel he's entitled to wear his fan hat so to speak and talk exactly as we frequently do right here on this forum. It's been a great week. We can let him be a fan on occasion.

Isn't it the case that a different squad can be submitted for the second qualifying round? And I also think that yet another squad can be submitted prior to the group stage if we were to make it.

We must have sold a lot of jerseys last week. In your face Man U.