A guest blog by former Celtic & Scotland defender, Jim Craig
“What time is this to come back?”
Dolores McCann (her Mother had been a great fan of foreign films) stood in that classic pose of the wounded woman – up to her full height and chin forward – as she glared at her husband who had just come in the front door. Before he could say a word, she gave him another volley;
“you left the house at half-past-two for a three o’clock kick-off, it only takes you 20 minutes to get to the ground, a match lasts only one-and-a-half hours plus ten minutes for the break and you’ve just walked back in the door at half-past-seven! So where the hell were you?”.
Wayne McCann (his father liked Westerns) tried to calm her down.
“Dolores, you don’t know what it’s like at football matches nowadays ; it has changed out of all recognition; a match goes on for much longer”.
“In what way?” Dolores asked.
“Well, for a start, the players and even the managers can complain about any decision that is given against them. If that happens, the referee then goes and has a word with firstly, the two assistant referees, then the fourth official and gets their comments before he reflects on the situation. If he is still in any doubt that he made the wrong decision then he can ask the guy upstairs sitting in front of a television screen what he thinks. And, of course, all through this, the managers and players of both teams can chip in with their comments. That all adds a fair bit of time to the match”.
“Aye…but turning up at half-past-seven is still a bit over the top…is it no’?”
“Well, no’ really……you see, nowadays you are not allowed to have a drawn game, so if the match is level at the full-time whistle, there is extra time, which takes a minimum of half-an-hour”.
“The time is still no’ matching up!”
“Aye, mibbe so, if that was the end of the match. But if the match is still level at the end of extra-time, then it goes to a penalty shoot-out. I told you…you are not allowed a drawn game”.
“ A penalty shoot-out disnae take long”.
“That might have been the case at one time but because so many keepers were being accused of moving before the ball was kicked, nowadays they are strapped in to a harness which anchors them in the middle of the goal. They can only move when the foot of the guy who is taking the penalty actually touches the ball. So, after each kick, the keeper has to be put back into the harness and it all starts again. And, of course, you get the complaints from the managers and players that the harness wasnae working properly or that the officials who put the harness on didnae put it on right. That all adds up to the time factor”.
“Did you go to the pub?”
“As God is my judge, Dolores, after the match finished, I came straight here”.
“Who won anyway?”
“That’s a difficult question… there was so much noise and kerfuffle both on the pitch and in the stands, nobody was quite sure what the final score was. And the guy who usually does the announcing had gone home. Somebody said that he had a date. Anyway, if you let me turn on the radio, I’ll hear the score there. And Dolores?”
“Yes”
Wayne walked over to the drinks cabinet and took out a couple of glasses. “I don’t suppose you would fancy a wee drink”
We will leave the smooth-talking Wayne to his attempts to mollify Dolores and reflect on the situation. What you have just read is probably the ultimate scenario for those who wish to tamper with the current rules of football. Do I think that the game needs radical changes like that? No but I do think that some change is necessary and in one specific circumstance.
Now, I was a professional footballer for 9 years and in all that time, I can put my hand on my heart and state with complete conviction that I never pulled any other player’s jersey. Did I try to half him in two with a tackle, yes! But no jersey-pulling. And, of course, I was penalised for the challenge.
Today, though, I feel that there is a lot of body-checking and jersey-pulling going on in every match. Very often the referee lets it go and then you get the ridiculous scenario at a corner kick when all those waiting for the ball to come in are pulling and pushing, with the referee watching it and ignoring it. It is a foul, ref!
When the referee decides that an offence has been committed, then the player will be spoken to first. If he does it again, he will be given a yellow-card. The problem is, though, that the offence might possibly have affected the play in the match, whereas the yellow card does not affect the player’s participation.
If the player is daft enough to do it again, then of course he gets another yellow and will be off. Most, however, are sensible and keep the head, so they go unpunished as far as the current match is concerned. What we have to find is a punishment that affects the match in which the transgression occurred. Which means that we have to consider the sin bin.
This works very well in rugby and gives the referee a means to punish an offence a little more harshly – yet more efficiently – than a yellow card but without having to go for the ultimate, drastic – and for many unpalatable – option of the red card. I hope it comes in soon.
WOTTPI
APRIL 18, 2018 at 10:08
I don’t know what possessed me but I took a look at Keith ‘Wealth Off the Radar’ Jackson’s piece today on the DR website re T’Rangers debacle…
—————————————————
It’s a brilliant piece of clickbait. Of course, KJ can get away with this tosh because it’s an ‘opinion’ piece, not actual reportage.
BTW, why would TRFC turn to the ‘Tactics Two’ now, if one of them (allegedly) turned down the chance to be player-coach (and presumably pick himself for every game he was fit for) in November 2017, when Caixinha departed?
I wonder who was sitting in Miller’s & Wallace’s places at the ‘Cool Kids’ table in the canteen at Auchenhowie’s ‘world-class’ breakfast this morning?
Cluster One April 17, 2018 at 19:39
EASYJAMBOAPRIL 12, 2018 at 18:44 There is another hearing next week in the case involving the Oldco v Duff & Phelps.
LORD DOHERTY – C Munn, ClerkWednesday 18th AprilBy Order Between 9.30am and 10.00amP115/17 Note: RFC 2012 Plc for orders under para 75 – Shepherd & Wedderburn LLP – Wright Johnston & Mackenzie LLP
=======================
I’m afraid there is nothing to report from this moning’s proceedings ……….. mainly because there was no hearing.
I arrived to find Courtroom 8 locked, but bumped into a couple of freelance journalists who were also looking to attend. The front desk was unable to help, so a trip into the bowels of Parliament House to find the Keeper of the Rolls ensued. A notice on the office door indicated that it was also closed for the morning, so no joy there. Fortunately one of the journos knows the clerks and spoke to Lady Wolffe’s clerk in Court 6 which was getting ready for business. She was kind enough to ask Lord Doherty’s clerk to come out and speak to us.
Apparently today’s hearing was canned following an exchange of emails between the parties. A new date of eight weeks hence was set (first half of June?), and that was that.
The various TRFC supporter organisations all seem to agree on one thing: they need real Rangers men to fill their squad. They need the WATP attitude to run right through the team.
Well, on Sunday they got an insight into what it would mean to their team to have those RRMs filling the squad. Of the four players known to indulge in a couple of brawls, three were RRMs. While the other one isn’t imbued with the Ibrox traditions, he looks evermore bemused by the whole thing, and I’d guess wishes he was in China right now. In addition, the one making a very public verbal assault on the manager was also of the ‘real’ variety.
If these four RRMs are examples of what WATP players would bring to the squad, I hope the supporters organisations get what they wish for, because it’s highly entertaining for we people who are not The People, and would almost certainly continue to hold back any progres(s)
I see the fans social media of the Ibrox team are positively excited about a new kit manufacturer to be announced. Not all the comments are positive with respect to the quality of the kit but all seem to be pleased with a payment of £15m to begin and £4m per annum thereafter.
The company being touted is Hummel from Denmark. Whilst I have no knowledge or opinion of the quality or appearance of the proposed kit the sums involved seem rather large for a company with a turnover for the year to December 2016 of €82m and profit before tax of €7.2m.
Deflection??
Giovanni
April 18, 2018 at 11:01
Not all the comments are positive with respect to the quality of the kit but all seem to be pleased with a payment of £15m to begin and £4m per annum thereafter.
==========================================
This is only an opinion piece – That is just insane.
Giovanni
500 million fans in 2012 in the lower leagues so that figure must have grown beyond 1 billion by now.
The remove the non RRM fifth column idea is both risible and despicable, I would not like to be one of those fifth columnists over the next several weeks. This fits with the fascist songs and really is beyond the pale. although they would not like that phrase referring as it does to the wrong part of Ireland.
Is the Hummel deal being reported as worth 15 million? Roughly £1.75m when converted from Krona.
One has to laugh sometimes. From your favourite and mine
“Hummel is no different than New Balance.
Both companies are trying to establish themselves as good kit manufacturers.”
However according to Forbes New Balance turnover to 31st December 2016 was $3.8b.
Acording to Bloomberg the New Balance owner Jim Davis had a net worth of $5.3b as at March 2017. His “source of wealth” is listed as … guess what … New Balance.
One last happy wee coincidence.
“In 2015 New Balance moved into a $500 million development in Boston that also houses practice arenas for the Boston Bruins and the Celtics.”
GiovanniApril 18, 2018 at 11:01
I see the fans social media of the Ibrox team are positively excited about a new kit manufacturer to be announced. Not all the comments are positive with respect to the quality of the kit but all seem to be pleased with a payment of £15m to begin and £4m per annum thereafter. The company being touted is Hummel from Denmark. Whilst I have no knowledge or opinion of the quality or appearance of the proposed kit the sums involved seem rather large for a company with a turnover for the year to December 2016 of €82m and profit before tax of €7.2m. Deflection??
_________________________
By my back of a fag packet calculations:
With a net current profit to turnover ration of under 9%, and assuming the ratio remains the same, they (Hummel) would have to see an additional turnover, as a result of the TRFC deal, of £44m just to recover the £4m annual payment. So, if we assume an average wholesale cost of £44 per unit, that would mean they have to sell 1m units just to cover the cost of the deal, and that’s not taking into account the manufacturing and retail costs.
Just how long it would take Hummel to recover the £15m up front payment, is anybody’s guess, but £15m is a remarkably Morelos like figure…
Now I don’t know anything about sports merchandise manufacturing and sales, but it seems highly unlikely that a sports manufacturer is going to be particularly generous to a football club that has had extreme problems with kit suppliers in the past of the sort TRFC had with Sports Direct, and is surely more than a little desperate to secure whatever deal they can get. I’d suggest it’s more likely to be something along the lines of £1m up front, and a percentage of sales once that £1m has been recouped.
Is it this Hummel?
Ex LudoApril 18, 2018 at 12:24Is it this Hummel?
They better hope their kids do not want the whole set.
Ex LudoApril 18, 2018 at 10:01
Playing Devil’s advocate, he could have answered the ‘Scotland need a strong Rangers’ Radio Scotland style – Simply agreed, and offered no reasons why that is the case. This is probably the first time, outside of Off The Ball, that I can recall BBC radio actually acknowledging the view that it needn’t be Rangers that are required to challenge Celtic. In fact, when he was leading off on sponsorship, TV income etc. I was thinking ‘Here we go.’, but to be fair he just said that there needed to be competition, not that Rangers explicitly had to be that competition.
Perhaps I am being over generous – you could say that the assumption would be amongst the audience that he was implying Rangers, because, well, no other Scottish club gets mentioned, ever.
I would agree with pretty much everything else you say, though. The talk of Dave King not ponying up did manage to hide the fact that if fans are being asked to contribute then the club/company/whatever are in deep, deep financial doo-doo. Also, I lost count of the number of times ‘Old Firm’ was rolled out.
Courtesy of Phil Mac
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/graeme-murty-giving-rangers-fans-11779273
Graeme Murty is giving Rangers fans hope they’ve finally found the real deal – Keith Jackson
Keith says Saturday’s performance from Rangers is a sign of brighter times to come for Murty and his players.
ByKeith Jackson15:45, 1 JAN 2018
The points were shared but the positives – and the plaudits for that matter – belonged almost entirely to Rangers.
If this is the way they intend to move forward under Graeme Murty then, just perhaps, there will be brighter times to come in the new year for this group of players who will look back upon these last 12 months in a state of some bewilderment.
But, finally, on Saturday came an indication that they are working to a clear, concise strategy at pitch level.
… and as an added bonus …
“The moment the veteran limped away from the eye of the storm it allowed youngster David Bates to emerge as a stellar defensive performer.”
Whatever happened to that stellar performer. On to bigger and better things one woul have thought.
UlverstonLoyal MemberJoined:Feb 3, 2018Livibear said: ↑I couldn’t give a %^*& about the other teams mate. “It’s this line that bothers me:
Our sponsorships focus on uniqueness. Unique culture, values and individualsdaring to break conventions in order to reach their goals. We also look for the underdogs – those who rarely win, but where the soul, legacy and dreams are sometimes even bigger.”
I think Hummell watched a game on Sunday and thought, hey heres a mob in distress, lets put a line on them. i think its perfect and sums up the mood and egos over by.
BLU
APRIL 18, 2018 at 11:51
…
Is the Hummel deal being reported as worth 15 million? Roughly £1.75m when converted from Krona.
===================
Good spot BLU!
And as it is the Dodgy Dave we are dealing with here, this ’15 million’ could also be Venezuelan Bolivar…which converts to precisely £210.79, at today’s rate.
[The Zimbabwean Dollar is apparently obsolete now.]
JIMBOAPRIL 17, 2018 at 22:45
Sorry to delay but I’m stuck with a problematic signal presently . I have heard of George Ezra as my youngest is a fan of his . She played me a clip of him with Ed Sheeran, another favourite . I’m still in therapy . Wonderful baritone voice ,though .
Jimbo, George Ezra has a song called Barcelona if you’re still looking for a football connection.
Amfearliathmhor, to be honest I missed the Old Firm paradigm. It’s almost like we’re meant to acclimatise ourselves to that redundant term.
I see the Herald and Scotsman are reporting that Paul Baxendale-Walker is facing bankruptcy. Who would’ve thunk it? He also appears to have developed a degenerative condition that has affected his powers of recollection. I think that must be a contagious condition given the number of people that have been affected during the whole Rangers saga.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16165652.Rangers_tax_avoidance_expert_faces_bankruptcy/
Looks like we have some court action again tomorrow on the Takeover Panel front, but this time it is an “unstarred motion” to the Inner House
Thursday 19th April
EXTRA DIVISION
INNER HOUSE UNSTARRED MOTIONS
P341/17 Pet: The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers for Orders under Section 955 – Dentons
The fact that it is to the Inner House (normally deals with appeals) is a bit unusual, so I don’t know what is going on.
Re my post above, I can only speculate that one party in the TOP case raised a motion last week (e.g. TOP complaining that King’s advertisment was insufficient, or King was seeking more time to comply). That motion is now being appealed against by the other party.
A check on the Practice Notes for the Inner House gives the following guidance:
It is important that continued procedural hearings are avoided unless they are genuinely necessary. Where it emerges at a procedural hearing that further steps require to be taken, the parties will be provided with an interlocutor specifying those steps and the time within which they must be taken. In the event that any difficulty then arises, the parties should communicate with the court by email (or otherwise), confirming whether the steps have been carried out (and if not, why not), whether further time is required (and if so, why), and whether a further hearing is genuinely required (rather than, for example, the court’s making any necessary order on the basis of an unstarred motion).
EASYJAMBOAPRIL 18, 2018 at 10:51
———
Thanks for update.
He also has one called ‘Paradise’, which might appeal to Jimbo (in a footballing way)
I hope Graeme Murty gets another crack at the whip somewhere else to learn his trade. Likewise Ian Cathro.
In the meantime, I have a dream.
I dream of George Ezra playing at Parkhead in the first game of next season. Singing Paradise. A packed Celtic Park would be absolutely jumping. Rod could join him and provide some backing vocals. It would be brilliant. Let it happen Peter.
ps I like he uses brass in his band. Trombone & trumpet.
easyJamboApril 18, 2018 at 10:51
‘…I arrived to find Courtroom 8 locked,..’
__________
I had to be in London this morning, and just got back home about half-hour ago. I would otherwise have attended Court.
I’m glad I didn’t miss anything.
Everything’s went quiet. I get a bit nervy when there is silence from Hampden & Ibrox for about 12 hours. something’s brewing.
easyJamboApril 18, 2018 at 16:49 ‘.Looks like we have some court action again tomorrow on the Takeover Panel front, but this time it is an “unstarred motion” to the Inner HouseThursday 19th AprilEXTRA DIVISION INNER HOUSE UNSTARRED MOTIONSP341/17 Pet: The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers for Orders under Section 955 – Dentons
The fact that it is to the Inner House (normally deals with appeals) is a bit unusual, so I don’t know what is going on.’
easyJamboApril 18, 2018 at 17:22 ‘Re my post above, I can only speculate that one party in the TOP case raised a motion last week (e.g. TOP complaining that King’s advertisment was insufficient, or King was seeking more time to comply). That motion is now being appealed against by the other party’
____________________
The petition seems to be the Top’s petition, so it’s likely that you’re correct in your view that the ToP is checking out whether the action taken by King in merely stating that he will make the offer is itself procedurally ok as far as the Inner house decision is concerned, and that that petition is being resisted by King , on grounds of the ‘exceptional circumstances’ [ i.e. of the NOAS sale (to raise the funds) not yet being completed, and therefore he needs more time]
If I were to attend tomorrow, would there be anything for me to hear or see, given that it’s an ‘unstarred’ motion?
I might just go in , anyway, just to ask what happens. [But the last time this happened, and I was referred down to the Petitions office, the guy wouldn’t tell me, but said I would need to phone in later. And when I did, the phone remained unanswered! I thought this was a bit off, since if it had been heard in court, I would have been able to hear what had transpired].
John Clark April 18, 2018 at 22:26
If I were to attend tomorrow, would there be anything for me to hear or see, given that it’s an ‘unstarred’ motion?
=============================
Your guess is as good as mine. With no counsel involved it will probably be a rubber stamping exercise, for whatever the parties have agreed with the judge.
My reading of the Practice Note I posted earlier suggests that court instructions should be given by interlocutor (as in in this case). If there is a problem with compliance, then the affected party should communicate by email, and if necessary the court can adjust the order by “unstarred motion”
My issue is that it is the Inner House that is involved. That may just be because the Inner House ruled on the appeal, or it could be that one party is unhappy with the other’s proposals.
Rangers Tax-Case is tweeting again, and I have posted a couple below. I don’t think there is anything new in what is being said, but is a reminder of how incredible it is that the SFA and MSM do not want this matter looked into further. To avoid making it an o*d f*rm matter, lets hypothetically say all this had happened at Hearts under Romanov. Would it be swept under the carpet then? If the SFA and the MSM are prepared to let this go, then what else have they let go since 2012, and what are they still letting go? I think they are questions worth asking.
======================================
Rangers Tax-Case @rangerstaxcase 15h15 hours agoMore
Replying to @AitkensDrum @TheTributeAct @Firhill40Sub-trust 67 was used. It was used to pay someone who wasn’t an employee of any Murray group firm or even a UK resident. He was deemed irrelevant to the tax case but email traffic showed a key player in organising this scheme thank him for arranging ‘a date’.
Rangers Tax-Case @rangerstaxcase 15h15 hours agoMore
Replying to @rangerstaxcase @TheTributeAct @Firhill40The sequence of sub-trust numbers indicates that the decision to make a payment to Walter Smith was made between 31 May and 5th Nov 2001- while Smith was employed as manager of Everton FC. Michael Ball joined Rangers in Aug 2001.
Morning all.
Phils latest,covering Shirt deal,Ashley & next seasons merchandising & final demands.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/04/18/hummel-not-hummels-and-not-a-lot-of-cash/
torrejohnbhoy April 19, 2018 at 08:37
Morning all. Phils latest,covering Shirt deal,Ashley & next seasons merchandising & final demands.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2018/04/18/hummel-not-hummels-and-not-a-lot-of-cash/
=============================
A couple of snippets from this morning’s Herald article about the increasingly “Unhappy Bears” caught my eye.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/16168627.Loyalist_fans_group_says_Rangers_board_should__sell_up__if_they_cannot_meet_takeover_promises/
The interim chairman Paul Murray said they would present a medium to long-term funding plan in the “very near future” after plugging gaps short term by borrowing from the so-called Three Bears.
Last month it emerged that a wide-ranging review of operations at the club had been launched after chairman Dave King was forced to bid £11 million for 70 per cent of the club’s shares.
I note with interest that earlier this month Hummel signed a five year deal with Middelsborough (currently in a play-off slot in the English Championship).
Yet in any of the press coverage their is no vulgar mention of the money side of the deal.
Why is the SMSM so keep to put values on contracts with a certain club?
I also note that while the super soaraway is saying the T’Rangers three year deal is worth up to £10m, others simply report is as £10m.
Can’t even get their regurgitation of press releases straight.
easyJamboApril 19, 2018 at 09:40 , and then
‘…A couple of snippets from this morning’s Herald article .’
__________________
I sometimes wonder whether people like Paul Murray are actually too shell-shocked to think clearly about their communications strategy!
A statement to the local press (the Herald is just a local newspaper, of course) which mentions ‘plugging gaps’ by short term ad hoc borrowings from directors alongside vague promises to issue a medium to long-term funding plan in the “very near future” , is hardly convincing evidence of a board that is doing anything but run around around like headless chickens.
What investors/shareholders want to see is a convincing, positive , market-related strategy , and some kind of evidence to support it.
The market knows that King is unreliable, that he has been shoved aside as a liability while the Laird ‘offer’ is being prepared [or not, as the case may be!].
They know that the interim chairman has no personal wealth adequate enough either to claim to be (as King does and did) or actually be, able to provide any sort of meaningful funding support.
If there is a plan ready for publication in the very near future, why did Murray not wait till it was ready, and then issue a professional, upbeat, solid looking, evidenced, sensible plan in relation to the financial actualities?
To keep endlessly promising jam tomorrow is utterly self-defeating, if no jam ever appears on the table.
[ After turbo-propping in to Edinburgh airport last night, and staying up late, I didn’t feel it worthwhile making the effort to go in to Parliament House this morning]
After glancing at today’s blatts, I’m confused:
Who is Level 5 spinning for? Is it the Tactics Two, or TRFC?
WOTTPI
3 year deal worth £3.4 million per season.
And again we have the tiresome flogging , no matter how ludicrous the context, of the dead horse the ‘Old Firm’with eejits like Lee McCulloch and Alan Stubbs donning jockey’s silks in the colours of their old teams and standing haudin’ a (live)hoarse’s heid,to promote the feckin Scottish Grand National.
If the commercial director at Celtic plc was any way competent he’d suing people and newspapers for using a copyrighted name which Celtic alone have rights to, without permission and/or payment.
Pair of hoarses’ arses,the two of them.
Mind you, the sub-editor got the right caption for the picture (in the Scotsman) when he wrote “Former Old Firm duo”
Jingso.JimsieApril 19, 2018 at 11:42
—————————-
I don’t think they know either
It might only be the seeds of discontent, but from what I’ve read on twitter there seems to be a similar attitude growing towards the current board as was evident towards the end of the reign of previous Ibrox boards going back to the end of days for Craig Whyte.
It could become particularly unpleasant for those board members whose main residences and businesses are within Scotland. By my reckoning, the 3bears will be the first to have to face that unpleasant thought. Imagine how Douglas park might feel if he’s returned to the board just as the hostilities are about to begin!
Paul Murray’s cunning plan seems to be nothing more than application of the first Micawber Principle “something will turn up’ while demonstrating the application of the second Micawber Principle about deficit of income over expenditure…translated to the local demotic -don’t worry lads it’ll be awright now gees your Warchest.
There is something of the feeling of imminent collapse as was in the air in Eastern Europe in late 1989.
Some terrific games this weekend to look forward to. I don’t want to single out any game in particular.
Hope you all get the results you wish for, although that’s impossible.
Next week should be interesting. It’s when we get to see the colour of Dave King’s money. 24th?
Anyone fancy paraphrasing Alastair Johnston’s latest mutterings, from an interview with Ronnie Esplin in the Record:
“In terms of looking forward from where we were four or five years ago at the bottom, the progress that has been gradually made, we are probably ahead of the curve in reality if we finish second or third.
“We are making progress.
“Hopefully the curve will be fast but it is still going to be gradual, it is not going to happen overnight.”
…… or is it that they are just heading gradually fast in some direction or other, and they might get wherever they are going at some point in the future?
jimboApril 19, 2018 at 19:01
Some terrific games this weekend to look forward to. I don’t want to single out any game in particular. Hope you all get the results you wish for, although that’s impossible.Next week should be interesting. It’s when we get to see the colour of Dave King’s money. 24th?
_________________
From memory, I think the only date mentioned in the ‘advert’ was the 23rd, when he (or Laird) is supposed to get the dividend from Micromega with which he’s going to fund the offer. I doubt very much that he’s going to put any money up prior to the deadline date, assuming he does. I do imagine, though, that being cute with dates is standard practice for a conman.
Interesting tonight on Sportsound. Chick Young said he would like to know the person who offered £11m for Morelos, and the person at Rangers who knocked it back. Lee McCulloch categorically stated he did not believe such an offer was ever made, never mind refused. Then Chick muttered and mumbled that he thought along the same lines. Kenny McIntyre said he would have to change the subject.
EJ
The meaningless MBA waffle pish misses the key point,Is the curve tending upwards or downwards?
Furthermore were I still teaching on MBA courses (mea culpa mea maxima culpa) and received that in response to a question I would have no compunction about giving it 0.
easyJamboApril 19, 2018 at 19:33
Anyone fancy paraphrasing Alastair Johnston’s latest mutterings, from an interview with Ronnie Esplin in the Record:“In terms of looking forward from where we were four or five years ago at the bottom, the progress that has been gradually made, we are probably ahead of the curve in reality if we finish second or third.“We are making progress.“Hopefully the curve will be fast but it is still going to be gradual, it is not going to happen overnight.”…… or is it that they are just heading gradually fast in some direction or other, and they might get wherever they are going at some point in the future?
___________________________
Or..!
“I present you with a squirrel disguised as a flying pig riding a tortoise… Jeez, Ronnie, that’s some damn good sh*t you’ve given me!”
I honestly wonder if he will make the offer. Just going on his history I cant see him being happy with spending somewhere towards £11m with little back in return in terms of dividends from Ibrox. The only way he would get that money back in the future would be by selling his shares. There lies the problem.
He might care little about the cold shoulder. It wouldn’t surprise me.
He has been trying to avoid this offer for three years now.
EASYJAMBOAPRIL 19, 2018 at 19:33
3
0 Rate This
Anyone fancy paraphrasing Alastair Johnston’s latest mutterings, from an interview with Ronnie Esplin in the Record:
“In terms of looking forward from where we were four or five years ago at the bottom, the progress that has been gradually made, we are probably ahead of the curve.
————–
It is not a curve but a Mobius strip they are stuck on.Right back where they started.
https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-mobius-strip
ALLYJAMBOAPRIL 19, 2018 at 19:37
From memory,
———
From memory, Offer document no later than 26th April 2018
UPTHEHOOPSAPRIL 19, 2018 at 19:43
Kenny McIntyre said he would have to change the subject.
————
Why? Or was he told before hand never to go there, that is the only reason he should have to change the subject.
EJ @19.33
“…… or is it that they are just heading gradually fast in some direction or other, and they might get wherever they are going at some point in the future?”
Thought was hilarious.
Or, as the Hollies might have said (sung)…
‘…and I can’t tell the bottom from second, or third, (but not the top)…am I standing on my head or on my heels?’
https://youtu.be/d4K3OK5_LNk
Or…from Traffic.
‘I looked in the sky where, an elephants eye, was looking at me, from a bubble gum tree…’
‘…and all that I knew was, the hole in the roof, which was letting in water…’
https://youtu.be/77nWY97iAQs
I hope that helps clarify what Alastair Johnston said. It didn’t help me, but such great music, such heady days
Hope you, Jimbo, in particular, enjoyed it too
upthehoopsApril 19, 2018 at 19:43
Interesting tonight on Sportsound. Chick Young said he would like to know the person who offered £11m for Morelos, and the person at Rangers who knocked it back. Lee McCulloch categorically stated he did not believe such an offer was ever made, never mind refused. Then Chick muttered and mumbled that he thought along the same lines. Kenny McIntyre said he would have to change the subject.
___________
It says so in his contract!
Fill in the missing word! “Thought that was hilarious”. Things are bad when I can’t get a four word sentence right.
jimboApril 19, 2018 at 20:14
You still did better than Alastair Johnston
AJ, those words from Traffic like a huge amount of songs from the 60s confused me. Of course we all know now they were on substances quite often. Maybe it all made sense to them. Good tunes all the same.
AJ, EJ, I read about a new player you have signed on a pre contract, can’t remember his name, think he’s coming from England. Anyhow he said he was blown away with the stadium. He can’t wait to be playing in front of 18k at home games. I think he might have scored 22 goals for his current club. Sounds a good signing.
Any news from the SFA today on the new chief executive? The SFA beaks met at Hampden today to choose someone
jimbo April 19, 2018 at 20:28
AJ, EJ, I read about a new player you have signed on a pre contract, can’t remember his name, think he’s coming from England. Anyhow he said he was blown away with the stadium. He can’t wait to be playing in front of 18k at home games. I think he might have scored 22 goals for his current club. Sounds a good signing.
==================================
Uche Ikpeazu is the guy. He has scored 22 goals for Cambridge, but in 78 games over two seasons.
For every James Vardy or Louis Moult that is plucked from the lower leagues there are a couple of dozen that just don’t reach even the minimum standard.
I hope he is an exception, but until we can see him play in the SPFL we just don’t know what he is capable of doing.
Cluster One. I actually got the job. I didn’t want to say anything on here until it is officially announced. It won’t say anything about Jimbo, I will be using my alter ego name.
I promise I will be fair to all clubs.
“Inside The SPFL @AgentScotland 6h6 hours agoMore
Not long until the TV deal is announced, here’s how we compare to similar nations…
Belgium £60m p/y
Greece £50m p/y
Denmark £46m p/y
Norway £35m p/y
Poland £28m p/y
Switzerland £25m p/y
Sweden £22m p/y (£43m from 2020)
#SPFL £21m p/y (covers all 4 Leagues)
Austria £18.25m p/y”
I see that JJ is reporting yesterday’s large fall in the Micromega share price as a precursor to some calamitous news in the not too distant future.
There is actually a relatively simple explanation for the fall. The shares went ex-dividend yesterday, meaning that any shares traded from yesterday onwards would not be entitled to receive the special 300 cent dividend.
Expected dividends are built into the price of shares so it is quite normal to see a share price fall by the amount of the dividend on the ex-dividend date. The share price will normally recover the fall over a period of weeks or months up to the next dividend date.
EJ, Yes good scouting can only take you so far. As you say until they play in the SPFL it’s hard to tell how a player will do. Celtic have signed umpteen players who besides good reputations couldn’t hack it in Scotland. One I felt for was Teemu Pukki, a good player, loads of talent but the Scottish game was not for him.
we will see how Uche does. Good luck to him.
JIMBOAPRIL 19, 2018 at 20:56
2
1 Rate This
Cluster One. I actually got the job.
—————-
Will everyone dance to your tune now you are chief?
easyJamboApril 19, 2018 at 21:12
…
There is actually a relatively simple explanation for the fall. The shares went ex-dividend yesterday, meaning that any shares traded from yesterday onwards would not be entitled to receive the special 300 cent dividend. Expected dividends are built into the price of shares so it is quite normal to see a share price fall by the amount of the dividend on the ex-dividend date. The share price will normally recover the fall over a period of weeks or months up to the next dividend date.
_______________________
I thought more or less the same thing as you (though I thought it had gone ex div before yesterday) as soon as I started to read your post. A reduction of the share price in this instance will not only occur because of going ex div, though, but also because the company, itself, has now shed one of it’s biggest – probably it’s biggest – assets.
As always, though, time will tell.
Cluster One, they better like George Ezra singing Paradise or they’re oot!
JIMBOAPRIL 19, 2018 at 21:34
So no news on an SFA chief exective appointment today.Are they keeping their powder dry to unleash this news at the same time as some bad news may come from the ibrox direction.
Deflection and all that
Liked this from James Forrest today.
“That’s what appealed to guys like Dermot Desmond in the first place; Celtic was an emotional purchase, yes, but it was also a stable one. He did see it as an investment, but only insomuch as that the shares he bought would hold their value. He never intended to play the sugar-daddy.”
This is the difference. I read and hear continually that The Rangers are looking for someone to come in with loads of spare cash. Spend countless millions to catch up with Celtic. They should forget about Celtic. Other than playing against them. Put their own house in order. Their are plenty of good examples in Scotland in the past few years. Walk before you can run.
…………………………………………………………..
Well that’s spooky, Coldplay has just come on the radio singing Paradise. I think God is trying to contact me.
AllyjamboApril 19, 2018 at 20:07
‘..Or, as the Hollies might have said (sung)…’
____________________
Johnston’s little enigmatic statement put me in mind of Kermit’s nephew’s wee song, containing his statement of place: “so this is the stair where I always stop, it isn’t really anywhere it’s somewhere else instead”
http://www.vidinfo.org/video/24993291/muppet-show-robin-the-frog-halfway...
jimboApril 19, 2018 at 21:17
“….Yes good scouting can only take you so far………….One I felt for was Teemu Pukki, a good player, loads of talent but the Scottish game was not for him.”
_______________
Hope he gets a better chance than Keemo Sabe.
Older posters will remember him as the guy that came on lone frae the States , from a rangers team in Texas, I think.
Story was that he really annoyed the chief scout who had identified him and had him brought over: seems he taught the scout’s wife the Algonquin for “gettum up, Scout”
Keemo Sabe
I was deep in thought there for a couple of minutes.
I wonder whether future generations will attend games! Say in 50 years time do you think they will leave the comfort of their homes to go out in the winter to sit frozen? Would take a lot of money to make stadiums comfort zones. Then there’s the travelling.
Wish I had a crystal ball to see the future of the game. In 50 years, in 100 years time. Maybe it will all be digital.
Reality of financial constraints.Maybe AJ still does not know what he is doing
Well talk about closing the stable door after the horse has bolted ,well the horse hasn’t just bolted it has galloped over the horizon , been rounded up ,sold ,had a long working life in the pony trekking sector ,put out to pasture and died ,been through the dog food process ,through the dog and finally consumed by flies .
The reality that AJ has now decided to bestow on the gullible sevco 2012 support ,should have been the founding stone on which the NEW CLUB was built .
Is DK really going through with the the offer ?. That is the only thing that I can think of that would bring this call to realism and hint of serious austerity at such a critical moonbeams time (ST renewal).
Have DK and the rest of the bears finally given up hope of flogging the dead horse that is sevco 2012 to a mug punter . Is there really and truly no mug punters left .
Who knows ?,one thing is for sure things really are dire behind the scenes at the new football club ,of that there can be NO doubt anymore
I can’t remember if it was RTC or Paul McConville – or both – who predicted that the demise of Rangers would be over a period of years, the death of a thousand cuts. It certainly seems that way. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities at all – zero – in the present situation at Ibrox, the Board, the fans, the team. You can’t even say
“However, on the upside,………………………………….”
See what I mean? None.
The 2002 article below was posted recently on Jambos Kickback. It’s about the dire warnings of unsustainability issued by former Rangers director Hugh Adam that went unheeded.
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/adam-shakes-ibrox-pillars-with-warning-of-bankruptcy-1-595808