We love fitba will hold its hands up and admit that it didn't get everything right when predicting what would happen last season. In fact, aside from forseeing Inverness Caley Thistle's relegation, much went wrong.
Mind you, this blog was not alone in being unable to predict Celtic's implosion as they chased a 4th title in a row. It was all looking peachy during the first half of the season, with Rangers clearly in trouble and Celtic looking pretty comfortable at the top.
But, with the chance to land a mortal blow to their rivals in their hands, Celtic failed to strengthen the squad in January (they merely signed Willo Flood to weaken Dundee Utd's instead) and Rangers, despite their own desperate problems, sensed a chance of salvation.
As SPL Champions, Rangers now have some guaranteed Champions League income to help with the overdraft, and while they still cleared out Barry Ferguson, don't seem to have the same need to sell their players to balance the books.
Celtic, meanwhile, have a very tricky-looking qualifier against Dinamo Moscow to contend with. The Russians are no mugs, and as they are half way through their season they should be much sharper than the Celtic squad.
If new boss Tony Mowbray could have chosen his first competitive fixture, you can bet that this wouldn't be it. If Celtic do come through, they will carry momentum and confidence from a promising pre-season into the SPL and look odds-on to regain the title. Miss out, and they will also have to reassess how much money they can spend on overhauling the squad.
There are uncomfortable echoes with the infamous defeat to Artmedia Bratislava, which started Gordon Strachan's tenure on the wrong foot and made some fans suspicious of him from day one. Losing to Dinamo will be no disgrace, but Mowbray will be desperate to get off to a positive start.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Burley's big decision pays off
If the result is the "only thing that matters", as everyone agreed was the case prior to the Iceland game, then there is no point moaning about the performance. Scotland won 2-1, and while they will need to improve if they are still to get to the World Cup next summer, at least that is still a possibility. Anything other than a victory on Wednesday would have been a disaster.
Scotland rode their luck at times, but every team needs luck on their side - something that George Burley has seemed to lack so far in the job. Having dropped Bazza and Alan MacGregor for going drinking after the Holland game - and got away with it - hopefully the manager will now feel vindicated, and exude more confidence next time out.
Dropping the two Rangers players was the correct decision from a discipline point of view, but it was also the correct footballing decision as well. Craig Gordon is clearly a better keeper than MacGregor, whether playing for his club or not, while dropping Bazza is a decision that should have been made years ago.
Scotland rode their luck at times, but every team needs luck on their side - something that George Burley has seemed to lack so far in the job. Having dropped Bazza and Alan MacGregor for going drinking after the Holland game - and got away with it - hopefully the manager will now feel vindicated, and exude more confidence next time out.
Dropping the two Rangers players was the correct decision from a discipline point of view, but it was also the correct footballing decision as well. Craig Gordon is clearly a better keeper than MacGregor, whether playing for his club or not, while dropping Bazza is a decision that should have been made years ago.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Rangers favourites for the Cup but problems mount
On the face of it, it was a great weekend for Rangers. They beat Hamilton 5-2, and are now clear favourites to go back to Hampden in May and hold on to their trophy. It could be seen as another step in the development of Ally McCoist, who takes charge of the Cup competitions these days. Meanwhile, Celtic inexplicably got knocked out 1-0 by St Mirren, who they thrashed 7-0 in the SPL a week ago.
This is certainly Ewan Murray's take on things, who reckons that the pressure is now all on Gordon Strachan from now until the next Old Firm encounter, the League Cup Final next Sunday. Absolute shit. Rangers are sinking deeper into the mire, as their problems just keep on getting bigger.
Another Scottish Cup will do little to appease the masses if a 4th straight League title goes across the City. The "peepl" are restless and angry at Rangers continued inability to win the SPL - but that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. Celtic have a 3 point advantage, and after Rangers' failure to take the last derby, confidence that they can repeat last season's late charge to the flag.
Meanwhile, with that £25m overdraft with the bank, Rangers this week asked their staff to consider voluntary redundancy. Busines as usual, according to the club, but everyone else recognises this as yet another sign of money problems at the club.
The only thing likely to keep the fans from baying for blood is winning the SPL. Arguably, Rangers would have been better served by being dumped out of the Cup to conserve resources for the only prize that matters.
This is certainly Ewan Murray's take on things, who reckons that the pressure is now all on Gordon Strachan from now until the next Old Firm encounter, the League Cup Final next Sunday. Absolute shit. Rangers are sinking deeper into the mire, as their problems just keep on getting bigger.
Another Scottish Cup will do little to appease the masses if a 4th straight League title goes across the City. The "peepl" are restless and angry at Rangers continued inability to win the SPL - but that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. Celtic have a 3 point advantage, and after Rangers' failure to take the last derby, confidence that they can repeat last season's late charge to the flag.
Meanwhile, with that £25m overdraft with the bank, Rangers this week asked their staff to consider voluntary redundancy. Busines as usual, according to the club, but everyone else recognises this as yet another sign of money problems at the club.
The only thing likely to keep the fans from baying for blood is winning the SPL. Arguably, Rangers would have been better served by being dumped out of the Cup to conserve resources for the only prize that matters.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Caley shock Gers
A rare midweek night of fixtures in the SPL, and it didn't disappoint. After withstanding the expected Rangers barrage for 90 minutes, David Weir of all people conceded a penalty, got himself sent off, and Ian Black put the chance away to give Inverness Caledonian Thistle a highly unlikely win at Ibrox.
As well as handing advantage back to Celtic at the top it's also made things much more interesting at the bottom of the table. ICT are now above Falkirk, who are in terrible form at the moment. Terry Butcher looks to be desperate to upset we love fitba's prediction that the Highlanders would be relegated this season.
Falkirk say they won't countenance getting rid of John Hughes - but must feel less loyalty to their man after he expressed ambitions of managing in England. Hamstrung by a cautious club who - rightly in the current climate - will not agree new deals for any players until they know what division they'll be in - Hughes' managerial stock is dropping by the week.
As well as handing advantage back to Celtic at the top it's also made things much more interesting at the bottom of the table. ICT are now above Falkirk, who are in terrible form at the moment. Terry Butcher looks to be desperate to upset we love fitba's prediction that the Highlanders would be relegated this season.
Falkirk say they won't countenance getting rid of John Hughes - but must feel less loyalty to their man after he expressed ambitions of managing in England. Hamstrung by a cautious club who - rightly in the current climate - will not agree new deals for any players until they know what division they'll be in - Hughes' managerial stock is dropping by the week.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Mixu on the brink
While Celtic gave way at the top of the SPL table to Rangers at the weekend, the other green team slipped up too. Hibs are now out of the top six, and manager Mixu Paatelainen's position is now looking extremely shaky.
It doesn't matter that Hibs always do badly in Inverness (in fact, they have never won there in the SPL). It doesn't matter that Hibs have not finished strongly in the league for a few seasons, and so are hardly miles away from their usual finish of 6th. Nor that the Hibs board have a history of showing loyalty to their managers, and will be very reluctant to sack him.
What does matter is that the majority of fans have now lost faith in the manager. The Hibs board can no longer be accused of parsimony, and have backed big Mixu in the transfer market (all things are relative, but the Hibs boss has one of the bigger budgets in Scottish football to play with, though obviously not on the scale of the Old Firm). The team has been playing poorly pretty much all season, and has now stopped winning even the occasional game.
Without a doubt, Hibs are under-performing. Mixu desperately needs a result against Falkirk next weekend, another struggling team. He may not get that chance, however.
It doesn't matter that Hibs always do badly in Inverness (in fact, they have never won there in the SPL). It doesn't matter that Hibs have not finished strongly in the league for a few seasons, and so are hardly miles away from their usual finish of 6th. Nor that the Hibs board have a history of showing loyalty to their managers, and will be very reluctant to sack him.
What does matter is that the majority of fans have now lost faith in the manager. The Hibs board can no longer be accused of parsimony, and have backed big Mixu in the transfer market (all things are relative, but the Hibs boss has one of the bigger budgets in Scottish football to play with, though obviously not on the scale of the Old Firm). The team has been playing poorly pretty much all season, and has now stopped winning even the occasional game.
Without a doubt, Hibs are under-performing. Mixu desperately needs a result against Falkirk next weekend, another struggling team. He may not get that chance, however.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Celtic fluff their chance
While Rangers are paying for a date with AC Milan to try and get some cash into the club, Celtic have a night off to think about whether they've done enough in the transfer window.
They might be leading the SPL, but only by two points, and their manager described them as one dimensional in their 0-0 draw with Inverness last weekend. Maybe, you'd think, Strachan might use the transfer market to freshen up his team. He has brought in Willo Flood from the Arabs, but is it enough?
Meanwhile, Rangers have lost a few squad players like Chris Burke and Darcheville, but failure to sell any of the big names means the squad is pretty much the same. It seemed improbable that they could win the SPL a couple of months ago, but since then Celtic have been dropping points all over the place.
Apparently, they wanted Steven Fletcher from Hibs, but didn't come up with enough money. Celtic certainly have the cash, so you can only assume they didn't want him enough. Hibs might have said he wasn't for sale, but an offer of, say, £5m would have got their attention.
Is he worth that much? Fletcher's had a poor season, but then Hibs are having a poor season. If Scott Brown is worth £4.5m, and more and more Celtic supporters would agree that he is, Fletcher is worth at least that much.
They might be leading the SPL, but only by two points, and their manager described them as one dimensional in their 0-0 draw with Inverness last weekend. Maybe, you'd think, Strachan might use the transfer market to freshen up his team. He has brought in Willo Flood from the Arabs, but is it enough?
Meanwhile, Rangers have lost a few squad players like Chris Burke and Darcheville, but failure to sell any of the big names means the squad is pretty much the same. It seemed improbable that they could win the SPL a couple of months ago, but since then Celtic have been dropping points all over the place.
Apparently, they wanted Steven Fletcher from Hibs, but didn't come up with enough money. Celtic certainly have the cash, so you can only assume they didn't want him enough. Hibs might have said he wasn't for sale, but an offer of, say, £5m would have got their attention.
Is he worth that much? Fletcher's had a poor season, but then Hibs are having a poor season. If Scott Brown is worth £4.5m, and more and more Celtic supporters would agree that he is, Fletcher is worth at least that much.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Deal making goes to the wire
The game of call my bluff is nearly at an end. As usual, most of the exciting business in the transfer window is waiting until the final minutes before the deadline. Seeing as the deadline keeps moving back - the January transfer window doesn't shut until 5pm February 2, it seems - we're being made to wait longer and longer.
And so to the motivated sellers, as estate agents call them. It might not be a great market, but some clubs need some cash regardless.
Chris Porter may well go South to, as Mark McGhee said on Friday, "ensure there is a Motherwell football club next season". Rather sharpens the mind, doesn't it? Fee expected to be about 400 grand.
Rangers still need to sell, but nobody's buying. (Bolton have made an approach for Pedro Mendes, but Walter Smith really doesn't want to sell him and anyhow there's some debate about whether he's allowed to return to England this season, having played in the Community Shield). Kevin Nolan's move to Newcastle surely ends the unlikely prospect of Barry Ferguson going there. And Kris Boyd still doesn't fancy a move.
Problems with the wage bill and an alleged long list of grumpy creditors suggest Hearts will be very pleased with the sale of Christophe Berra to Wolves. This might be worth £2.5m, but as always things at Hearts are murky. Will this be the last sale?
And so to Hibs. Celtc are making eyes at Stephen Fletcher, and think he's worth about £3m. There's no doubt the Champions could do with a spark up front, but Hibs don't seem to want to sell. With the player on a long contract and their fabled tip-top finances, they don't have to, but Hibs have flogged a barrel load of talent in recent seasons and Fletcher will get extremely aggrieved if he's denied a move. This one seems more likely in the summer, however.
And so to the motivated sellers, as estate agents call them. It might not be a great market, but some clubs need some cash regardless.
Chris Porter may well go South to, as Mark McGhee said on Friday, "ensure there is a Motherwell football club next season". Rather sharpens the mind, doesn't it? Fee expected to be about 400 grand.
Rangers still need to sell, but nobody's buying. (Bolton have made an approach for Pedro Mendes, but Walter Smith really doesn't want to sell him and anyhow there's some debate about whether he's allowed to return to England this season, having played in the Community Shield). Kevin Nolan's move to Newcastle surely ends the unlikely prospect of Barry Ferguson going there. And Kris Boyd still doesn't fancy a move.
Problems with the wage bill and an alleged long list of grumpy creditors suggest Hearts will be very pleased with the sale of Christophe Berra to Wolves. This might be worth £2.5m, but as always things at Hearts are murky. Will this be the last sale?
And so to Hibs. Celtc are making eyes at Stephen Fletcher, and think he's worth about £3m. There's no doubt the Champions could do with a spark up front, but Hibs don't seem to want to sell. With the player on a long contract and their fabled tip-top finances, they don't have to, but Hibs have flogged a barrel load of talent in recent seasons and Fletcher will get extremely aggrieved if he's denied a move. This one seems more likely in the summer, however.
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