Super_Ally

In the context of Craig's point that is irrelevant. What I believe he is trying to suggest is Pedro would move back to Portugal ony to a team who are challenging for trophies. So he would be interested in Sporting's approach but not for example Vitoria Setubal if they were to make an offer.

I think MoodyBlue is correct regarding Mendes motives and assuming MB is correct you could hardly blame Pedro. Also think the comment about winning trophies was insulting Danny. �£1.3 mil. Would not be more than a 50% loss on a guy who has returned to international football with a top national team since we signed him.

Aye, you plonkers are running riot round here these days. :fish:

Here's hoping for some nasty fixture congestion for them! :devil:

Fair point Craig, I didn't actually consider it from the perspective of educating the young players. I just don't see why what is actually currently a very weak football industry in Scotland should be doing the governments work. Football certainly can't help from a position of weaknees. Perhaps of the game was being run close to perfect then maybe look to support other areas of society. But being honest, it's not even close to being run at that level.

Interesting piece. Well worth a read. Smith's record is phenomenal.

First i'd read anything other than rumour regarding the incident with Weir. THought it was just internet trouble making before tbh. Shame he had a billy big balls attitude, but hopefully we'll see the improvement he speaks of from now on.

To me smacks of the usual stance of trying to blame life's ills (e.g. the phoney and unnecessary war on sectarianism) on football. Why should football be a vehicle for anything other than people enjoying sport? Sort the game itself out first. It's up to the politicians etc to sort out things like health, crime and unemployment. Hell they could even solve the sectarianism "issue" if they were serious about tackling it properly.

I can't keep up with all these "stars" they are buying from Ireland. What were all their names? McGinn was one.

A positive post? You'll not get far with an attitude like that! :fish:

Ah, so I wasn't being thick, it was just his bad spelling. I assume the "excessive cost" shall be paid by them.

We allowed the mhanks a point didn't we?

Someone often told me Spain was a third world country until recently: Good plan! :fish:

A what?

Or he sent them out exactly the same but a depleted line up and a complete lack of pace and a highly motivated Celtic side prevented us from playing that way. Might be less palatable, but equally as likely to be true.

No arguing with that. Cheers RT.

Nae luck.

Makes it look an even better point when you consider that UCB. The performance was not good but sometimes you have to accept it, move on and vow to improve and not let it happen again.

I would contend he was brave (particularly compared to what we expect and feared from him). An 18 year old CB coming in from the cold when our star defender jetted off to France. He kept the 4-4-2 and the attacking out look that has served us so well in recent weeks, at least as much as he could with the players available. If he'd gone 4-5-1, dropped Boyd and/or refused to start Wilson then I could understand the OP. He picked the same formation and players as best he could yet recent performances were not replicated due to star performers missing, a lack of pace in the first team and also Celtic's urgency requiring them to force the day. We did not turn up on the day but I would not blame that on a lack of ambition on Smith's part (though that has previously been a fair criticism in Europe for example).

Sorry couldn't resist.

With our squad decimated, he picked the same players that destroyed all before them last month making the fewest changes possible to maintain the continuity of the good run. Wilson for Bougherra the only option. Lafferty or Novo upfront with Whittaker or Smith coming in on the wing were the only options at LM. I don't see what he could have done different and was pleased by the XI he had picked given the absentees.

Just because Rooney and Fabregas were playing regularly from their late teens does not mean you are a dud or must leave if you are not. Wilson and Fleck (more so the former) seem to be the cream of the crop at Murray Park and have a decent chance of making it. Fleck is one of, if not, the youngest debutants in Rangers history and the youngest player in a Scottish Cup Final. He's struggling for games but a lack of consistency is often a characteristic of young players. Give them time. If they have not progressed by the time they are 21/22 then fair enough. As Craig likes to say, this thread is premature. Seeing as we all think we must always compare everything to the Premiership than young Gibson at Man U must be a failure who must be shipped out as he's about 22.

Cal you don't think he knocked back Brum because the relatively small increase in wages was not enough for him to move from his boyhood heroes who play in Europe and challenge for trophies to play for a then Championship club? It may well be money, but I think we must consider it could also be a form of loyalty and desire to win trophies and play in Europe. He is also reported to be a bit of a home boy and not likely to fly far from the nest.

I've mentioned this on here before but a couple of years ago when Aberdeen were going well, around xmas time they came to Ibrox looking for a win that would take them above us. My sheepy flat mate bought a ticket for the Rangers end and had to watch Boyd score a hat trick in the first half hour! Asked him what he did at the goals and he said he just clapped! I couldn't do that. Different for you sitting in the wrong end when your team scores, you just have to try and not react. But to be sat in with the enemy when they score and have to fake celebrate. I couldn't do that. I'd have gotten found out at the first. Lol.

That makes Holland about 3 times the size of Scotland then, no? Add in all the top players they "steal" from Dutch colonies (e.g. Suriname) with a lot of Arican players boosting the natural talents of countries like France, it's clear to see the effect that has. Ps. Whilst I don't agree with all of Calscot's points I agree with him suggesting it is facile to blame it solely on antiquated coaching especially when epic-failure PLG is the champion of that argument.