Super_Ally

Earlier this week we had Lou Macari sounding off about the widening gap between the top clubs in England and Scotland. Personally, I am more concerned with our ability to compete in Europe and not just with our neighbours south of the border. However, with their recent dominance of the Champions League it is an ambitious aim to target a competitive challenge with the cream of the EPL. It was Celtic's 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal that effectively knocked them out of the Champions League, with the second leg still to be played, that prompted Macari's concerns. Celtic's disappointing if not entirely unexpected result (they also lost at home to a mediocre Dynamo Moscow side) followed closely on the back of elimination for Motherwell and Falkirk from European competition and Aberdeen's 8 goal aggregate humiliation. With Scottish team's faltering badly in European competition this season, I was hopeful that Hearts could achieve a positive result to take back to Tynecastle and maybe progress against Dinamo Zagreb. A 4-0 reverse in Croatia has effectively ended Hearts European ambitions and in a not unfamiliar situation in recent years, it is again the collective shoulders of the Rangers squad upon whom Scottish hopes in Europe rest. Despite recent misinformation in the press from supposed experts such as Pat Nevin, whilst poor results will not almost certainly preclude SPL involvement in the CL group stages (Nevin overlooked the fact that the SPL winners would have to qualify through the Champions route and not the more difficult non-Champions route Celtic are currently failing to navigate this year), the Country’s co-efficient is obviously hugely important for future success for Scottish sides in Europe. With that in mind we must acknowledge the negative impact of Rangers dismal showing last year in falling at the first hurdle. Celtic, this year, are fortunate that restructuring of European competition means falling in the Champions League qualifiers will not lead to the end of their European adventures as they will likely drop down to Europe's second tier competition. Of course Kaunas was a disaster for Rangers. Financially, for our prestige and for morale within the club. But it was also a deflating result for Scottish football. However due to our other results across the five year period over which coefficients are calculated, we are effectively carrying the rest of Scottish football and can be afforded one poor season in five from the rest of the footballing fraternity in Scotland. In scouring Bert Kassie’s impressive website, his excellent collation of coefficient points gained over the years shows that Rangers have amassed over half (52%) the coefficient points currently counting towards Scotland’s 13th placed ranking. The 4 bonus points added to our coefficient for automatic Champions League entry already take us past the dismal number accrued last year but we will all be looking forward to picking up a few more as we challenge in Europe’s premier competition, hopefully extending our European adventure into the second half of the season. The importance of Rangers own ranking is already coming to the fore this season. With Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina taking the advantage in their opening legs of the final qualifying round, we could well find ourselves promoted to pot 2 for the main draw avoiding European giants such as Real Madrid and Inter Milan. This would in theory make qualification to the next round somewhat less perilous. When the draw for the Champions League group stages is made in Monaco next Thursday, we will all be tuned into the websites or Sky Sports News hoping for a plum draw. At the top of many fans wish lists will be the high profile clashes with an English Premier League side or Real Madrid or the away trip to one of Europe’s top tourist cities like Prague or Amsterdam. Whichever teams it throws up, it will be an unenviable challenge, German and Russian Champions comprise pot 4. It will, though, guarantee 6 tasty fixtures to whet the appetites of fans and players alike. Unlike the previous 5 seasons, Scottish football cannot continue to expect Rangers to carry the rest of the clubs and build the national ranking. Last year demonstrated how detrimental it can be if we suffer a poor season and so Scotland’s other sides must start to make more of a contribution. Out with the Old Firm; only Aberdeen in 07/08 and Hearts in 04/05 have made any kind of real contribution to the ranking of our league. We have managed to compete reasonably well without the support of our other member clubs and unfortunately, based on the thumping defeats handed out by mediocre sides I do not hold out much hope for that changing. Come the 27th I will be looking for a draw that combines prestige ties with a competitive group from which we can have aspirations of further European football. 1. http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/crank2009.html 2. http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/ccoef2009.html

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeXhoCNqJJQ]YouTube - Christian Dailly's Outburst[/ame]

Bayern done me for �£650 today.

Taken from BBC's live text. Still winning 2-1 though.

Cheers to Craig and BD for explaining this to the financial dim-wits (i.e. me ). On first reading the conclusions in the OP looked sound. Helps to have you accountant types about to explain the finances.

Aye, I do admit it is less easy to make that arguement now. Was being lazy looking for an example to illustrate the point and that one used to fit well.

Reads like a Celtic comic book. Complete propaganda.

"Confident he's staying". Is that because no one else wants him?

Seems as good a thread as any for this: I still maintain it's easier to replace any of other striker's qualities than it is Boyd's. E.g. Miller could easily be replaced by Novo who brings similar qualities but with a greater goal threat. Why people would so easily get rid of Boyd I don't know. I suspect some might point to us relying to heavily on Boyd's goals and what if he isn't scoring. However that says more to me about the rest of them than it does him.

My error was in the part in red. I know you have just used rough figures, but I assumed Killie's income would be so tiny in comparison to ours and their profit less so that they were trying to service half the debt but on less than half the profit (if indeed if either team are turning a profit??). Dunno how much I would follow if you got more technical. Feel free to, though.

Hopefully they get the Tims after Arsenal dispose of them then. :spl:

Interesting article. Hard to argue with his conclusion (that something other than debt reduction is occuring) when viewed against the activities of other clubs with similar debts and a much reduced income. Unless I am overlooking something obvious that BD or someone else can explain?

:box: No worries mate. The new formation bit was a good addition. Hadn't got started on it for once. Thought I had til tomorrow morning, but had intended to do it tonight. Instead had started a Co-efficient based rant last night that i'll maybe finish today.

That's a fucking lie! The guy who wrote it, hope his next shit is a pineapple!

I look forward to hopefully see some new contributors to compliment the articles of Frankie, Cammy, Pete and the rest. Some excellent posters on here. Writing articles for the main site/email will expose your ideas to a greater number of people through newsnow. Any suggestions, get them posted.

Now it's just a term to tarnish Rangers fans and any football banter they may engage in. The term "sectarian" has been bastardised by our press whereby anything that mocks Celtic fans is tarnished with religious connotations that just aren't present. Another example of how our media and politicians are to blame for aggravating rather than reducing the sectarianims issue (if there even is one of note).

If you're not sure, have a wee look at Norris' posts towards the end of last season. Might be in the official champs pics and vids thread. Youtube videos of the Jambos giving it tight to Celtic when they realised we were winning the title.

What is it with the constant bumming up of the ****s. I guarantee for a fact that my pals who are fans of Scottish football wouldn't have a fucking clue about "Brother Walfrid". Putting him up there with Elvise Pressley, Neil Armstrong and the Dalai Lama? Old Firm fans are more likely to have a good idea about both answers. The rest couldn't give a monkeys.

I like Frankie's bold selections. My dad now lives in Seville. If not I wouldn't mind being pot 3 and drawing Madrid. Whilst being pot 2 should give us a kinder draw, it's not guaranteed.

No excuses not to collect another 3 points albeit at one of the most difficult venues to go to. 1-2 Rangers. :spl: Boyd, Weir

Boyd 2nd choice for Hertha behind Hesselink or �£1.5 mil to a Turkish mob. McGeady �£5mil and Hinkel �£4 mil. Feel like i've entered some kind of parrallel universe.

�£10 million Brown �£5 million McGeady �£4 million Hinkel. Thought we were in a recession?

Berbatov? :devil:

After Celtic, Aberdeen etc letting us down hopefully Hearts can restore some pride and gain some coefficient points.

Just actually read that article. It really is full of crap. An attempt to talk up Brown as the only player being mentioend about going south? Fergie just went down there! He can only remember a few over the last 4/5 years. Aye mostly from Rangers. And apparently Arsenal played nearly as well as they did against Everton and Celtic were unlucky. An obvious and pathetic attempt to raise Celtic's standing. Arsenal played no where near as well and yet still ran out comfortable and deserved winners.