The Rancid Grip on Scottish Football

[Frankie 8,148]

Investment and good management is the only answer to ensure we can challenge for the league title.

 

Celtic have done very well in the last year or so but if you look at their squad last night, it's not that outstanding. Too many teams - ourselves included - seem to be beaten before we even step onto the park. They just seem to have the self-belief and good management we've been lacking for so long.

 

It's a very difficult situation but chaos theory demands a change will come. We just to expedite it.

[les186 271]

It's not that difficult to succeed in Scotland. With our present resources we should easily be a comfortable second. We need a good scouting system and good coaching to catch up on Celtic, something we do not have. We also need an exceptional manager to bring out the best in what we have. Whether Pedro is the answer, time will tell.

[StuGers 477]

Celtic own the SFA and SPFL. They own the referees. They own the media from to to bottom. They own local government in Glasgow. They have a fully-developed and fully-funded club structure.

 

Rangers is a toxic brand that's ostracised across the spectrum of public life. We have little or no influence where it matters. We are run by comparative paupers and enjoy essentially a day-to-day financial existence. We have no financial reserves and little income outwith our own gate money. Our club infrastructure is poor and in some cases broken.

 

Beyond a footballing miracle, which tend to be in remarkably short supply, I see almost no chance of challenging Celtic for many years to come and all the hope and optimism in the world isn't going to change the reality of our situation. Only a seismic upswing in our finances and quality of governance can do that.

 

Thanks for that reminder - section on their relationship with the GCC added.

[scotjo 19]

The abuse scandal was stratospheric but will it hurt the current club as it is? Can you imagine had it been us what the press would have been like?

Unless they get long term injuries to 5 players I can think of.

[rbr 1,247]

Fortunately and unfortunately the golden egg that is the champions league is about to end for countries such as ours .After this season the top countries have 24 of the 32 automatic spots already claimed .The scottish wonners have 6 ties , 12 games to get through to claim a spot , this includes eventually playing the 2nd placed teams from , turkey , greece , swiss , dutch greek and austrian leagues.

Quite possibly this is the last year a Scottish team is in the C/L .

 

 

[ian1964 10,410]

Investment and good management is the only answer to ensure we can challenge for the league title.

 

Celtic have done very well in the last year or so but if you look at their squad last night, it's not that outstanding. Too many teams - ourselves included - seem to be beaten before we even step onto the park. They just seem to have the self-belief and good management we've been lacking for so long.

 

It's a very difficult situation but chaos theory demands a change will come. We just to expedite it.

 

I would have to add we need a stronger board!, a couple of big hitters is required!.

[der Berliner 3,240]

Celtic, Ireland's favourite club ...

 

That's a myth. The Irish don't want them, most football fans over there follow EPL sides, not the Scum. If pressed and asked whom they would chose between the OF, the answer might be straight. But the Yahoos are faux-Irish at best, with the worst of anti-Loyalism, anti-Unionism and semi-anarchic "have to be - differentness" all mixed upin their support. Dunno whether it was ever checked, but would all these Hooped Horrors who go on waving Ireland flags at the Scumhut every other week happily hand over their British passport and citizenship and relocate to the Emerald Isle as soon as opportunity present itself? Or are they rather 90-mins-wanna-be Irish?

 

As for the issue at such, right now and probably for some years to come, we need to box clever. What we experience now is probably not much different to what e.g. Aberdeen, St. Johnstone or Dundee faced 10 years ago with the OF duo riding high. How could they ever hope to match up? Our fall sent us to their strata of the Scottish game, even though we have a much better background to make up the difference due to our stature. So it sure ain't the end and I tend to shake my head on opinions like 10 in a row et al, even on the back of their super-duper-smashing season 16/17. Football does not work like that and if teams punch clever they can certainly make inroads into any financial dominance. Which isn't to say that it is easy. Likewise, the Yahoos need to punch clever to, as they have a large squad, a probably huge wage bill and need to be clever with any signings too.

 

I was under the impression that there will be a share issue in the not too distant future, which might add some money into our budgeting. We need to be realistic about what is possible and have to take one step at a time. Even if that step has the length of a season. For the normal punter that is probaby too long a wait, yet, after all, Rangers FC has just become 145 years old and ost of us has seen far more silverware than others in their time as Bluenoses. And despite it may take a while still, silverware is sure on the horizon.

[Davie P 4]

I would have to add we need a stronger board!, a couple of big hitters is required!.

 

Do you mean politically or financially? If the latter, I think you would be hard pressed to find millionaires willing to throw serious money at a club in Scotland, with no guarantee of a return in investment. We already have Rangers supporters on the board, who by our standards are pretty wealthy and are front loading income iro transfer fees for Pedro. How would we go about getting Chinese/Russian/Arab money when being a club owner in Scotland carries no prestige and very little opportunity for international exposure?

 

We are in a hole, no question and I am just not sure how we can narrow the gap in the immediate short term. However as per RBR's comments above, I think it is unlikely that Celtic will progress to the group stages after this year, so we may find ourselves on a similar footing to them in obtaining of finance from the Scottish game thereafter. At that time, scouting and the academy will be paramount. Playing the Rangers Lotto and supporting the next share offering will support both initiatives.

[Davie P 4]

I would have to add we need a stronger board!, a couple of big hitters is required!.

 

Do you mean politically or financially? If the latter, I think you would be hard pressed to find millionaires willing to throw serious money at a club in Scotland, with no guarantee of a return in investment. We already have Rangers supporters on the board, who by our standards are pretty wealthy and are front loading income iro transfer fees for Pedro. How would we go about getting Chinese/Russian/Arab money when being a club owner in Scotland carries no prestige and very little opportunity for international exposure?

 

We are in a hole, no question and I am just not sure how we can narrow the gap in the immediate short term. However as per RBR's comments above, I think it is unlikely that Celtic will progress to the group stages after this year, so we may find ourselves on a similar footing to them in obtaining of finance from the Scottish game thereafter. At that time, scouting and the academy will be paramount. Playing the Rangers Lotto and supporting the next share offering will support both initiatives.

[ian1964 10,410]

Scottish referees' strike: timeline

 

Key dates which led to the current crisis in Scottish football.

 

By Pos Lambrianides

 

3:47PM GMT 26 Nov 2010

 

17th October: In the game between Dundee United and Celtic at Tannadice Park, referee Dougie McDonald rescinds a decision to give Celtic a penalty, changing his mind after consulting with assistant referee Steven Craven.

 

After the game McDonald tells Celtic manager Neil Lennon that Craven heavily influenced his decision; however the referee realised his own error immediately and only told Lennon this to protect himself.

 

McDonald later receives an official warning from the Scottish Football Association for lying over his reasons.

 

24th October: Neil Lennon’s side lose 3-1 in the Old Firm derby against Rangers, leading to criticism of referee Willie Collum’s handling of the game.

Speaking about the penalty Collum awarded for Rangers’ opening goal, Lennon said: “I feel let down on the penalty incident for sure. I'm not sure [Collum] saw it and I'm not sure why he has given it. He has got a lot of questions to answer.”

 

Later that evening, Collum receives a series of threatening phone calls at his home.

 

25th October: Steven Craven, the assistant referee at the centre of the controversial penalty incident at Tannadice Park, resigns from refereeing after feeling he was the victim of “harassment and bullying” from his SFA superiors.

 

28th October: Former top-flight official Kenny Clark warns that several referees are considering quitting the game amid a backlash over decisions.

 

10th November: Neil Lennon is sent to the stand during Celtic’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts after complaining over referee Craig Thomson's failure to award his team a penalty. Lennon accuses Thomson of making “scandalous” decisions.

 

21st November: It is confirmed that 31 of the 33 category one Scottish match officials have voted to refuse to referee the matches they have been allocated on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November. The decision follows the abuse that has come their way this season, with referees claiming their personal safety is under threat, both on the pitch, and from fans.

 

23rd November: The Scottish Football Association reveals they have sourced foreign officials to referees for this weekend’s games.

 

24th November: Talks are held in a bid to persuade the officials to call off their proposed strike.

Plans to recruit replacement referees are hit after referees from Iceland, Norway and Wales indicated they would not be willing to cross the metaphorical picket line.

 

25th November: The SFA announce category one referees have refused to back down over strike action and seek stand-ins from Poland, Israel, Portugal and Malta.

The SFA later confirm that all six games in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, the three scheduled Scottish Cup replays and Sunday's ALBA Challenge Cup final will go ahead as planned, as well as the Irn-Bru First Division match between Morton and Falkirk which was chosen by ballot.

 

26th November: Having previously confirmed they would supply referees, Polish FA officials withdrew their men citing domestic responsibilities. As a result Morton's game against Falkirk match is postponed.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/scottish-premier/8162611/Scottish-referees-strike-timeline.html